Grand Prix Weekend Recap

This year marked the 51st anniversary of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Alex Palou took the checkered flag in Sunday’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES race. The race ran for 90 laps. There was a great display of the U.S. Army Parachute Team, the Golden Knights, that landed on the track just before drivers started their engines. You can watch the video of the drop and landing here. You can watch highlights from the IMSA Acura race in the 20 minute video linked here.

CEHA Annual Education Symposium

On Tuesday morning, I had the honor of welcoming hundreds of environmental health professionals to the City of Long Beach for the 74th Annual Education Symposium hosted by the California Environmental Health Association (CEHA). Members of CEHA work everyday to ensure the quality of life and health of all Californians. Their work encompasses prevention and protecting the public from toxic exposures, negative air or water quality and other hazards such as foodborne illnesses. Thank you to Judeth Luong, the city’s Environmental Health Bureau Manager, for inviting me to provide opening remarks at such a prestigious event. The Long Beach Health & Human Services Department headquarters building (Main Health) is in Council District 4, so naturally, I ended my speech with GO FOURTH!

Unauthorized Curb Painting Activities

In 2023, the CD4 office worked with the City Attorney’s Office, the Office of the Chief of Police, and LBPD East to receive guidance on “curb painting activities”. These activities encompass a note taped to the curb that states a fundraising group will paint your street address in exchange for a donation. In reports to the CD4 office, the opt-out option is not easy and attempts to collect a donation can become hostile. The organizing group has been warned they are not in compliance with permits to paint curbs, yet the group has recently resumed activities. The LBPD East Commander has advised all Sergeants on the municipal code applicable to the violation of these activities and residents are encouraged to call the non-emergency police line at 562-435-6711 if they encounter a curb painter. 

YMCA Group Swim Lessons Open for May

Registration is now open for May Group Swim Lessons at the Los Altos Family YMCA! From beginner to advanced levels, certified instructors help swimmers build confidence, improve skills, and stay safe in the water. View the full schedule, more information and register today using this link.

Vet Banner Program Nominations Extended

The Department of Health and Human Services is accepting nominations for the third year of the Long Beach Veterans Banner Program. This year, up to 65 veteran nominees will be selected for the program. The Office of Veterans Support, in collaboration with the Long Beach Veterans Commission, will oversee the selection of banners to be displayed at various locations in Long Beach for one year, beginning summer 2026. Any veteran, living or deceased, can be nominated for the program through Friday, May 15th at this link. For more info and to view the nominee criteria, please click here.

Craftsman Collision USA

M-F 8:30 am - 5 pm, closed Sat & Sun | 3250 E Airport Way

CD4 is home to many reliable businesses you can depend on for different needs. If you’re looking for a great auto body shop, make your way to Craftsman Collision USA. Located on Airport Way for 12 years, this shop specializes in all collision work: bumper repairs, frame damage and auto body painting. As a special touch, they thoroughly detail your car upon completion of the repairs. The owner (Melanie) is a great CD4 partner and she leads a team ready to greet you with patience and a smile. Click here for more information. 

Sports Basement Ride Group

April 25th | 7:30 am | 2100 N Bellflower Blvd.

Every second and fourth Saturday of the month, the Sports Basement Long Beach Ride Group meets in front of the store. Tomorrow, April 25th, is the fourth Saturday of the month, so be there at 7:30 am for the meetup, route details and to sign a waiver. Wheels roll at 8 am! 

4th Saturday Cleanup at Eldo Regional Park

April 25th | 9 - 10 am | 7550 E Spring St.

Join fellow park-lovers to clean up fishing lines and other debris from El Dorado Park and lakes. Wear sturdy shoes, bring water, wear a hat and sunscreen. All ages welcome. Youth under 18 must bring an adult. Meet at the parking lot on the left just past El Dorado Frontier in Area III of El Dorado Regional Park. Please pre-register by calling (562) 570-1745.

FREE HHW & E-Waste Event

April 25th | 9 am - 2 pm | 2755 California Ave.



The City of Long Beach hosts FREE Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) & Electronic Waste Collection Events every 2nd & 4th Saturday of the month at EDCO Recycling & Transfer Center in Signal Hill. The next collection event is tomorrow, Saturday, April 25th. Drop off your hazardous household items, old electronics, and used tires safely. Learn more here. Option to reserve a spot for the event at this link.

Engineering Outreach at Los Altos Library

April 25th | 3 - 5 pm | 5614 E Britton Dr.



Join Los Altos Library for an afternoon of learning about programming to create and code your own games! This event is suitable for kids ages 6 and up. Please call (562) 570-1045 with any questions or for more information.

Filming in the Fourth

April 26th | 8:30 am - 6:30 pm | Park Estates



Filming is taking place on Sunday, April 26th at several locations throughout the City including Anaheim Rd between Bellflower Blvd and El Parque St in Park Estates. Production will have a 19-member cast and crew. Production cannot block ingress/egress to residences/businesses, red/blue curb, alleys or driveways at any time.

36th Annual Dutch King's Day

April 26th | 11 am - 5 pm | POA Park, 7390 Carson Blvd.

On Sunday, April 26th, celebrate the 36th Annual Dutch King's Day! This event is an Amsterdam-style outdoor party, celebrating Dutch culture and commemorating the Dutch King Willem-Alexander’s birthday. Savor Dutch street foods like kroketten, bitterballen, patat friet, ‘Hollandse haring’, and poffertjes. Indulge in home-baked treats and explore Indonesian street food, a part of Dutch culinary heritage. Enjoy a Dutch DJ, traditional games, a flea market, and photo ops against Dutch scenery. Don’t miss the Heineken beer garden. For one day, everyone feels the same—bright orange and uninhibited! Early bird tickets are $7 and $10 at the door. Find more info and buy tickets here.

Westerly Run for the Roses Auction

Opens April 27th | Find the link here

Westerly School will be hosting their annual auction, Run for the Roses: A Westerly Derby Soirée on Saturday, May 2nd. This annual events brings together community and support for the students, teachers, staff and families. There are many ways to get involved including purchasing tickets to join the event or entering the online auction which will open on Monday, April 27th and end Saturday, May 2nd. You can find more information, tickets and the auction using this link.

Potholing Work: Bixby Hill/Bixby Terrace

April 28th | 8 am - 4 pm | 6400 Bixby Hill Rd. & Bixby Terrace Dr.



AtkinsRealis, a Long Beach Public Utilities Department on-call professional engineering consultant, will be performing essential potholing work to verify the location of existing utilities and ensure accurate information is reflected in the Rancho Transmission Main Abandonment plan. Work will take place Tuesday, April 28th from 8 am to 4 pm. Water services will not be interrupted. Questions can be directed to the Primary Project Manager Leela Stevens at (562) 570-2333 or Inspector Angel Marquez at (562) 244-9334.

LBACS Low-Cost Vaccine Clinics

April 28th & 30th | 10 am - 2:30 pm | 7700 E Spring St.

Long Beach Animal Care Services and Camp Clinics are hosting low-cost vaccine clinics on Tuesday, April 28th and Thursday, April 30th from 10 am to 2:30 pm. No appointment is necessary, but only the first 60 pets will be accepted. For a vaccine price list and important tips to expedite your visit, use this link. Click here for future vaccine clinics at LBACS.

BARK at El Dorado Library

April 28th | 4:30 pm | 2900 N Studebaker Rd.

Come practice reading out-loud with calming, friendly, and nonjudgmental dogs at El Dorado Library! This program is geared for school-aged children. No registration required. For more info or questions, please call (562) 570-3136.

Upcoming CD4 Community Meeting

April 28th | 5:30 - 6:45 pm | 5614 E Britton Dr.



We are hosting our monthly Council District 4 community meeting at the Los Altos Library on Tuesday, April 28th, from 5:30 to 6:45 pm. We will be joined by staff from Long Beach Utilities who will present the LBU budget presentation and share resources on utility bill assistance. All CD4 residents are invited to attend. Please join us for an informative meeting on the latest happenings in our district.

Origami Workshop at the EBM Garden

April 30th | 11 am - 1 pm | Parking available in lot G4

The EBM Japanese Garden will host an origami workshop in celebration of Asian, Pacific Islander & Desi Heritage Month. Explore the art of origami and learn about its cultural significance within the Japanese community. This free event is open to CSULB and the public. Come fold, learn, and celebrate together!

Sound Bath & Nature Walk

May 1st | 9:30 am - 1 pm | 7550 E Spring St.



The City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) is celebrating Older Americans Month in May with a variety of free programming and events for adults ages 50 and older. One event will be held in CD4 at the Nature Center on Friday, May 1st for a Sound Bath & Nature Walk. Pre-registration is not required for the Sound Bath & Nature Walk. Find more info in the press release here.

St Joseph 2026 Parish Fair

May 1st - 3rd | Hours below | 6180 E Willow St.

The annual St. Joseph Parish Fair is back next weekend from Friday, May 1st to Sunday, May 3rd. It is a 3-day event that will include carnival rides, food and live entertainment. It is also the biggest fundraiser of the year for St. Joseph Parish. All food, games, and rides will be open from 5 pm - 11 pm on Friday 5/1, 12 pm - 11 pm on Saturday 5/2 and 12 pm - 8 pm on Sunday 5/3. More information at this link. Purchase presale tickets here.

Children's Day at the EBM Japanese Garden

May 3rd | 1 - 3 pm | Free parking available in Lot G4 ONLY



Join the Japanese Garden for activities and fun to celebrate Children's Day on Sunday, May 3rd. There will be free parking in lot G4 ONLY. Registration is good for a group of up to 6 people. Please find more info and purchase tickets here.

Recycle Your Bicycle Event

May 2nd | 9 am - 12 pm | 5620 E Atherton St.



The Environmental Services Bureau invites residents to participate in Recycle Your Bicycle, a community waste reduction event on Saturday, May 2nd. Drop off location in CD4 will be at Whaley Park. Usable bicycles will be refurbished by Pedal Movement and donated to local non-profits. Bicycles or parts that cannot be reused will be recycled. For additional information and citywide drop off locations, please visit this link.

Buffum TLC Community Resource Fair

May 2nd | 9 am - 12 pm | 2350 Ximeno Ave.

Buffum Total Learning and the LBUSD Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC) will be hosting the second Community Resource Fair on Saturday, May 2nd. This fair is to celebrate LBUSD's families, provide community resources and will offer several activities for the whole family. All local community members are welcome to attend. For more information, view the event flyer at this link.

Our Lady of Refuge BearFest Event

May 2nd | 10 am - 5 pm | 5210 E Los Coyotes Diagonal.



Our Lady of Refuge Catholic School invites community members to join their BearFest on Saturday, May 2nd! The event will have entertainment, games, multicultural food, raffles/prizes and a silent auction. Admission is free. For more information or any questions, please call (562) 597-0819.

Mooney's Pizza Official Grand Opening

May 3rd | 1 pm | 8105 E Wardlow Rd.



Mooney's Pizza Parlor will be hosting an official grand opening and safe opening on Sunday, May 3rd! During Mooney's construction, they uncovered a locked 60-year old safe. The safe will be opened and contents will be raffled at 1 pm on May 3rd. Anyone can participate in the raffle by purchasing a ticket here. Purchasing a ticket does not guarantee a spot to the grand opening and safe opening. Mooney's will be walk-in only on May 3rd and opens at 11 am.

Seventeen's Seventy-fifth on April 21, 2026

On April 21st, I planned on adjourning the city council meeting in recognition of the 75th anniversary of the opening of Fire Station 17. It was 75 years to the day of the momentous occasion. Unfortunately, the meeting ran past midnight, and it was no longer April 21st at the time of adjournment. The fire station is located in the 4th council district just east of Stearns Park. Vintage photos below, from the LBFD archives, show the station and the first fire engine to operate out of 17's. The bottom photo shows the open house that was held on the apparatus bay floor the night of April 21, 1951. That date became significant in LBFD history for more than one reason. The open house was not a celebratory event, and the mood was somber. Just days earlier, rookie firefighter, Marc Mims, was killed in the line of duty. His funeral took place on the day of Station 17's opening. If you look closely to the far left of the bottom photo, you can see flowers from his memorial service that were on display. They served as a stark reminder of the inherent danger associated with the firefighter profession. To all the crews who have served at Station 17 over the past 75 years, thank you for protecting the residents and business in our council district and citywide.