No On BBB

The Business Journal repeats its opposition to Long Beach Measure BBB – which extends term limits for the mayor and city councilmembers. We strongly urge our readers to oppose the measure. REMEMBER: No one in the community outside of the elected officials themselves asked for this to be on the ballot. The current two-term system – with the option to seek more terms as a write-in candidate – is working perfectly. If you like your elected official, you can keep your elected under the current system approved previously by the voters. There is no loophole, as the proponents claim. This is a concentrated effort to confuse voters. Don’t fall for it. This will not “make Long Beach better.” VOTE NO on BBB.

Preliminary Assessment Of Port Of Los Angeles Explosion Released

The cause of a container explosion at the Port of Los Angeles (POLA) on October 30 has been identified as “a form of combustible fuel or other compound” that was ignited within the 40-foot container, POLA announced today. An investigation continues, and findings will be reported back to the public and Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners. The container had been delivered to the port earlier in that day from a Terminal Island recycling facility, and was bound for Taiwan. It exploded near the Vincent Thomas Bridge.

Aquarium Of The Pacific Joins Campaign To Reduce Plastic Straw Use

Twenty-two aquariums across the United States, including Long Beach’s Aquarium of the Pacific, are calling on individuals, businesses and cities around the country to reduce their use of plastic straws by Earth Day 2019. As part of the Aquarium Conservation Partnership, these institutions have already eliminated a combined five million straws as a first step to create plastic-free waters. They have partnered with nearly 500 businesses to reduce the use of plastic bags and beverage bottles by 2020. The #FirstStep campaign will begin during #NoStrawNovember, a nationwide movement asking people to refuse plastic straws for 30 days. In the months leading to Earth Day 2019, aquariums hope to partner with an additional 500 more businesses to reduce usage of plastic straws.

Stolen Luxury Vehicles Recovered At San Pedro Bay Ports

United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers working at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles have recovered 23 stolen luxury vehicles. The vehicles, valued at nearly $1.9 million, were being exported to China, according to a CBP statement, which noted that a global black market exists for luxury brands and vintage models. Officers discovered the stolen vehicles while conducting an outreach operation at two major vehicle export facilities. CBP has turned over the vehicles to state authorities to return to their rightful owners. In fiscal year 2018, CBP at has seized 66 vehicles at the local ports. The total value of the seizures: $4.3 million.