Saturday, April 26, 2014

TRASH TALK...

Long Beach sends out Citation Warning letters on trash cans  to residents at $6.48 per letter

Over the past week, residents all over the Los Altos Center Adjacent Neighborhoods  received a "Citation Warning Notice" about city issued trash and recycling containers being visible from city streets.

Each letter sent by Certified Mail cost taxpayers  $6.48 each. The letters were signed by Long Beach Code Enforcement Division Officer Lei Ronca from the Department of Developmental Services.

The letter "encourages" the resident to contact "your inspector Rogelio Rodriguez at (562)570-6589"  if they have any questions.

 Each letter has an individual case number and warns that Code Enforcement would be out again to check up on the trash can violators with fines from $100-$200.

The letter stated that Code Enforcement would be returning to the neighborhood to make sure all were in compliance.

A neighbor on Daggett street who saw the Code Enforcement employee taking pictures of his home and other homes on the street  approached the person to inquire what was going on. The Code Enforcement  employee stated he was taking pictures of code violations. The resident received a verbal warning about his trash cans being on the side of his garage-but was told he would not get the warning letter.

Comments on the Nextdoor website have been mixed, with those who have received the strongly worded notices mostly annoyed.

For over a year, LACAN had tried unsuccessfully with emails, pictures and numerous letters to numerous Long Beach City officials and departments to try and get a local business to abide by strict Conditional Use Permit (CUP)  restrictions. It finally took a neighborhood leader a second visit to the Planning Commission (which originally authorized the CUP) with all the neighborhoods correspondents and  to finally get the city's attention and to get the CUP restrictions followed.

In addition, a documented crime spree of residential burglaries has taken place all over Los Altos and East Long Beach over the last months with East Division Police Officers still hardly ever seen patrolling neighborhood streets.


It appears that visible trash cans are a priority over the peace and well being of a neighborhood - even during an election.

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Another Los Altos alcohol license

Los Altos Chronic Tacos' new owners apply for Beer and Wine license

The Tuesday April 22, 2014 Long Beach City Council Agenda (Item 9)  has an application for Chronic Tacos at 5525 Stearns Ave in the Los Altos "North" Shopping Center applying for a beer and wine alcohol license.

In 2009, the original owners of the Los Altos Chronic Tacos acquired an alcohol license. That license included 12 CUP conditions. When the original owners sold the restaurant,  the alcohol license was not transferred to the new owners and was cancelled.

The census tract (5743.00) currently has 4 licenses of the 5 allowable. While not near residences, parks,churches or homes, the census track according to the April 22 LBPD letter to the City Council is a "high crime"  area.

According to the LBPD, the number of reported crimes for the census tract for ABC purposes is 183- twenty eight over the allowable 155 figure for a non-high crime area-thus qualifying the license for a protest.

In 2009, the crime number for the census track was 176 with the threshold for high crime then being 191.

While the license could be challenged based on those crime statistics, neighborhood leaders have no plans to challenge the license. 

Chronic Taco will be the third mexican food establishment to receive a alcohol license in the last year in the Los Altos neighborhood joining Taco Beach and Great Mex.



Friday, April 11, 2014

Easter Egg Hunt at Los Altos Park

Saturday is the annual 4th District Spring Egg Hunt at Los Altos Park.

The event is completely free and open to the public and will feature an egg hunt for all ages, a bounce house, and more.

4th District Spring Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 12, 10 am to noon
Los Altos Park 

5481 Stearns Street

Saturday, April 5, 2014

New restaurant for Los Altos resident

The "new" Pier 76 on Pine and 1st 
Los Altos resident's successful seafood restaurant Pier 76 moves to new Pine Street location

Last year Los Altos Daggett Street resident Matt Cadle and business partner Chris Krajacic joined together to open one of Long Beach's hottest new restaurants- Pier 76 Fish Grill on Ocean. Outgrowing the Ocean Ave space the award winning restaurant has moved to 95 Pine Street.

Situated at 1st and Pine, the new Pier 76 Fish Grill is located in the Landmark Towers.  Pier 76 shares the building with Rock Bottom Brewery-which is 1 block south on Pine and Ocean. The new Pier 76 location also comes with convenient validated parking (right next to the garage entrance)  in the Landmark Towers parking garage with an entrance straight from the garage into the restaurant. It is also conveniently located next to the Metro Blue Line Station.

Hip new outside dining on Pine


The new spacious Pier 76  interior  also features a hip Pine Ave outside dining area. 

Getting the restaurant up and running in time for the Grand Prix festivities has been a major undertaking.  Their old telephone number has not been switched over, so a temporary VIP number for take outs has been established.

That temporary VIP Pier 76  number is 562-912-7401(for the regular number see below) 
  
Matt and Chris met at Walt's Warf in Seal Beach when Chris was Executive Chief there and Matt worked for him. When Chris called Matt about opening up Pier 76, Matt jumped at the chance.

The concept for Pier 76 Fish Grill is fresh and healthy chef inspired seafood dishes at affordable prices.  The homemade blue cheese dressing and candied bacon are just a couple of the featured one-of-a-kind ingredients of the creative dishes.

Last year Culinary Long Beach Foodie Awards  awarded Pier 76 Fish Grill  one of 2013's Best New Restaurants.

Pier 76 has become a Yelp Super Star with over 360 reviews resulting in 4.5 (out of 5) Stars. (CLICK ON) : YELP

Matt and his wife Ashley, who just became proud new parents, live in the Los Altos Center Adjacent Neighborhood and look forward to their  Los Altos neighbors visiting the new restaurant for a change of pace and  scenery- and great food at reasonable prices.

You can see the Pier 76 website here ( CLICK ON) : Pier 76
for their FACEBOOK: Click here: FB Pier 76

Pier 76 Fish Grill
opens 11am daily
95 Pine (corner of 1st and Pine)
Long Beach, Ca
(562) 983-1776 (soon to be... until then use VIP telephone # above)