Southland buys Los Altos bank building and jets over southland

Southland Credit Union coming to Los Altos Center

Southland Credit Union has purchased the former Citibank building in the Los Altos Center North and will be refurbishing and updating the building to open its newest branch.

Founded in 1936 as a credit union for Los Angeles County employees, the company today boasts of being one of the leading credit unions in the United States with assets that exceed $750 million.  

Southland will join Bank of America, Chase and Wells Fargo branches in the Los Altos Center and Farmers and Merchants on Bellflower, keeping Los Altos Village as the financial center of East Long Beach.  

For more information click on: SOUTHLAND

Fighter Jets from Huntington Beach Air Show expected over Long Beach too

This weekend is the Breitling Huntington Beach Airshow that will feature the  United States Navy Blue Angels and the Royal Canadian Snow Birds precision flying teams.

The annual show runs from Friday until Sunday.

Groups of the military jets have already started flying over the area earlier this week which caused some pause for residents considering the recent months rhetoric between the U.S. and North Korea.

Long Beach residents in the flight path of the Long Beach airport have already experienced  the jet fighters using Long Beach Airport  for a pit stop.

The Navy’s precision flying team will perform in the show, which begins Friday with a practice session and lasts through Sunday near the Huntington Beach Pier.

The airshow is free along the coast of  Huntington Beach and can be seen in the distance from Downtown Long Beach.  Tickets for an area called the Aviator Beach Club that has a premium viewing location, plus a bar and buffet cost $139 for Friday and $199 a day for Saturday and Sunday.

Last year the show featured the Air Force Thunderbirds ( the two services rotate air shows annually) and drew over 560,000 people.  This year organizers are hoping to reach 1 million over the three days of the event.

This years show will feature the American debut of the  jet-propelled Flyboard Air-hoverboard invented by Franky Zapata. The hoverboard travels up to 93 miles an hour and  up to a mile in the air.

The shows costs have nearly doubled from last year's   $400,000 cost.  This years costs are expected to be over  $970,000.

This month the City of Huntington Beach City Council approved temporary parking rate increases to help pay for an estimated $350,000 shortfall in funding by the company that puts on the show, AirSupport LLC.   The City Council doubled the $15 daily rate to $30.  The approved increased parking fees also includes rate hikes for RV parking and camping.  The increased  rates are estimated to bring in an additional $100.000

 The City Council also delayed any payment to the city from the organizers for up to 45 days following the air show.  

The show is expected to cost $975,000. Last year’s edition lost about $400,000.

All planes, helicopters or drone flights around the air show air space have been restricted by the FAA. 

At the July 20, 2017 Long Beach Airport Commission, Commissioner Jeff Rowe brought a request to have the Airport Commission vote to request that the City Council consider an annual Long Beach Airshow with the Thunderbirds or Blue Angels.

The Airport Commission voted 5-1 against the idea.