WHO DO YOU THINK WON THE NIGHT?
A row of men in very fine suits — representatives of the Port of Long Beach, including executive director Richard D. Steinke and Harbor Commissioners Mario Cordero, Dr. Mike Walter and Nick Sramek — sat shoulder-to-shoulder in the third row of the Long Beach City Council chambers last night.
They [...]

The plan to create a pedestrian zone on one block of First Street in the East Village
A plan to close First Street to vehicle traffic between Elm and Linden Avenues in the East Village Arts District–creating a so-called pedestrian zone–got one of its first airings at Wednesday night’s East Village Association meeting, and the neighborhood [...]

Josh Lowenthal, a thus-far-private citizen from Long Beach’s most-prominent political family, has been contacted by top officials of the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce about running for the Board of Education seat that may soon be vacated by the Chamber’s effort to recall Michael Shane Ellis.
Altogether now: “What th–?!?”
“We sat down with Josh,” confirms Randy Gordon, [...]

Paramount residential market goes limp. Also: 2008 elections in Long Beach

Not sure who wrote it, but there’s an interesting piece on the shocking drop in Paramount home sales, in today’s Press-Telegram opinion section.

Although Long Beach City Councilmember Bonnie Lowenthal has made extensive preparations to run for the California Assembly in 2008, her candidacy ultimately depends upon the result of a February ballot initiative that would loosen term-limit restrictions and allow incumbent Democrat Betty Karnette to run again.
Lowenthal would not challenge Karnette, a fellow Democrat who has represented the 54th Assembly District [...]

Some of the most interesting parts of last night’s Long Beach City Council discussion of apartment renters’ rights weren’t just the heartrending testimony of disabled tenants who feared being pushed out in the street by future condominium conversions–or the plain speaking from several landlords, one of whom used a phrase you don’t hear much anymore: [...]

‘Tis the season when people start arguing about exactly which season ’tis, and the inane haggling has already begun over what to call the tall, decorative pine tree that will do its damndest to signify good cheer this year at Shoreline Village. Bill Pearl has the story at LBreport.com
The tree–some call it Christmas, others call [...]

City noise committee reins in noise ordinance
On Tuesdays the City Council doesn’t meet, reporters must scour the city for a meeting–any meeting–to cover.
Fortunately, there are many. This Tuesday, a city committee you may never have heard of talked about redoing the city noise ordinance, to keep you quiet. (If  you’re too noisy.)

Long Beach City Council changes its policy on public comment

After much discussion and comments from a dozen members of the public–the largest number of audience members to comment on any item on last night’s city council agenda–Long Beach City Council voted 5-3 last night to change, and very likely restrict, the public’s ability to open [...]

City may dig into Jergins Tunnel; college cops seek attacker
After languishing for a generation, the Jergins Tunnel–the underground pedestrian walkway that once gave amusement park visitors a traffic-free passage from the Jergins building to the Pike–inches closer to being saved.