Southwest will have 34 Long Beach flights

 Southwest will take all of JetBlue’s Long Beach Airport slots

Southwest Airlines will takeover all of JetBlue’s slots at the Long Beach Airport. Southwest will go from 17 flights to 34 flights. The new destinations will be announced at a later date.

Southwest is JetBlue’s biggest competitor. 

For year’s JetBlue had successfully kept out major competition out of Long Beach Airport by acquiring a majority of flight slots. 

 JetBlue utilized all of its flight slots for only a short time.  It however would not give up those slots to other airlines using a tactic it called “slot rotation” .  Hurting the bottom line of the airport, critics called the tactic “slot squatting

 With a near monopoly at the airport, JetBlue pushed for upgrades and a new terminals. Without the upgrade JetBlue threatened to leave Long Beach. The size of the new terminal  became a point of contention between JetBlue and the impacted neighborhoods. The drawn-out fight resulted in a compromise size between what JetBlue wanted and the airport impacted neighborhoods wanted. 

After obtaining a new terminal at what amounted to an almost private JetBue airport, JetBlue began to push for Long Beach becoming an international airport.  

Again JetBlue faced major push back from the impacted neighborhoods. Neighborhood leaders from the Fourth, Fifth and Eighth council districts that had already formed a strong coalition fighting the terminal expansion quickly mobilized to stop the new international terminal.   In the end, JetBlue had overplayed its hand and lost the fight for the international terminal.

 Part of JetBlue’s failure was based on its “focus city” business model compared to the traditional “hub city” model.  JetBlue’s transcontinental flights violated the Long Beach Airport Noise Ordnance just about nightly racking up huge fines. In the middle of the international terminal flight, those fines reached $1,000,000 and that was without the airline flying all of its slots.

Shortly after the international terminal fight, 4^th District Councilman Daryl Supernaw  sought to strengthen the Long Beach Noise Ordnance.  With the help of top notch airport attorney’s hired by the city,  several changes were implemented. Those included ending slot squatting /rotating and increasing late arrival fines.

 JetBlue’s quest for an airport without competition failed. The irony is  that now its biggest competitor Southwest will basically end up with the monopoly that JetBlue once had.

CSULB announces parking changes

CSULB announces pandemic related parking changes

 

CSULB announced changes to parking for Fall 2020. With only 355 in-campus classes, only 3,000 to 4,000 students are expected on campus.  The rest of the 38,000 students will be taking classes online. CSULB offered 9,700 classes last school year.

Instead of the usual semester pass (this year it is $175), the CSULB Parking and Transportation Services Department announced it is offering a monthly pass at $40. Students can also pay daily at $10 a day to park on campus.   

Residential parking permits increased by $25 to $200 a semester. It was previously announced that the university expected  only 1,000 students would live on campus in the dorms including athletes during the pandemic. Since that announcement, the Big West Conference athletic season for fall sports has been postponed until the spring.

The campus has also closed six parking lots and the parking structure at the Walter Pyramid and both the North and South Palo Verde parking structures.

All CSULB transportation shuttles have been stopped for the fall semester.

CSULB will not be subsidizing the free Long Beach Transit Bus Pass for all students. LBT will be offering CSULB students discounts for the unlimited bus pass.  A 30 day LBT bus pass will be offered to CSULB students at $40 and a 150 day pass will be offered at $100.

Target REOPENED

Los Altos Target Reopens

The Los Altos Village Target temporarily closed due to the civil unrest has reopened. Numerous Targets across the country that the company has closed.

Targets have been targeted by looters here in the Los Angeles area and across the country.

The company will be paying workers during the closures.  No timeline for how long each of the closures would be in effect was included in the announcement.

The Los Altos Village Target is in the middle of a major remodel that enclosed the former outdoor Garden Department for expansion of the store. 

LB4D neighborhoods UPDATE

LB4D neighborhoods UPDATE

The LB4D blog will be providing regular updates for the Fourth District neighborhoods during the health emergency.

LB4D will regularly update, but not always announce those updates- so check back!

4th District UPDATES 3/18/20
Virus Updates 4th District
Willard Elementary School
Willard Elementary School in the Zaferia District (Rose Park adjacent) has announced that there was a Coronavirius exposure at the school:

• Willard English letter
• Willard Spanish letter

Virus Updates 4th District Adjacent
Long Beach Veterans Hospital
The Long Beach VA Hospital is treating its first coronavirus patient and has closed to visitors. The ER and hospital services remain open for patients.

LINK: VA Hospital

4th District Business Updates
Hof's Hut

Hof's Hut has partnered with Door Dash and Uber Eats. With Uber Eats Hof's is offering FREE deliveries and with Door Dash deliveries are only 99 cents.

LINK: HOF'S DELIVERY DEALS

Hof's is also offering a 20% discount on take-out orders through March 31st.

LINK: HOF'S 20%

The Hof's Hut owners put out this pledge to keep Hof's open for carry-out.
LINK:HOFMAN PLEDGE

Polly's Pies

Polly's Pies is offering FREE Door Dash deliveries. The also want to remind that they have fresh baked bread:

A friendly reminder that we have freshly baked loaves of bread available in store, online, and through DoorDash! Choose from Sourdough, White, Kracked Wheat, Raisin Walnut, or Rye! We also have freshly baked biscuits, cornbread, hamburger buns, dinner rolls, and more!

To order online: POLLY'S LOS ALTOS

Zaferia Business District

There is some confusion over newly announced U.S. Tax rules. Taxes are to be filed by April 15th, but payment of taxes OWED has been granted an extension until July 15, 2020.

The Zaferia Business District has created this list of Zaferia based tax experts.

Links:

• ZAFERIA TAX LIST
• INFORMATION on TAX Filling

Free Conference Call
Free Conference Call is reminding teachers and businesses that you can video conference with Chrome books.

LINK: Free Conference CHROME BOOKS

With it's headquarters located in the Traffic Circle, they also want to give these tips on teleconferencing during the current health crisis:
Having trouble dialing into your meeting? Try scheduling your conferences for 5 minutes past the hour so you don’t get caught in traffic. If your meeting starts at 10, try calling in at 9:55 or 10:05 to beat rush hour.

Southland Credit Union
Southland Credit Union is reminding its members about emergency loans:
Southland is ready to assist Members who have been financially impacted by COVID-19! Loan deferment or a personal emergency loan with special rates and terms may be available for those affected. For assistance, call 800.426.1917 and a representative can assist you

CSULB UPDATES

CSULB has completely cancelled on campus classes. It is currently working on refunding parking passes. 

 LINK: CSULB PARKING

AIRPORT UPDATES
Southwest Airline Updates
LINK
Southwest Airlines ending drink service on flights during COVID-19 outbreak

JetBlue Airline Updates
LINKS

• JetBlue on Wednesday said it was cutting capacity by at least 40 percent in April and May
• JetBlue suspends Port-au-Prince flights as Haiti border shuts down over COVID-19
• Ministry confirms coronavirus sufferers from US flight
• JetBlue's President and Chief Operating Officer, Joanna Geraghty.

LONG BEACH UPDATES

BLOOD SHORTAGE

Long Beach Memorial Hospital has put out this request:

Blood donations are urgently needed. We would like to stress that donating blood remains fundamentally safe. Help us save lives by giving and encouraging others to donate blood by calling (562) 933-0808 or visiting  http://memorialcare.org/lbblooddonation

LIME SCOOTERS

LINK

• Lime will remove its scooters from California and other states due to coronavirus

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

"Unemployment Insurance is an employer paid program that provides partial income replacement when you become unemployed or have your hours reduced"

For more information : LINK

CALIFORNIA UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

HATCH CHILE SEASON

Perhaps missing Hatch Chile season this year at Lazy Acres is the least of your worries. Well, LB4D has you Hatch lovers covered-order by mail Hatch Chilies from The Fresh Chile Company:

" We are now offering Pre-Orders on our Hatch Green Chile peppers picked straight from the farm in Hatch, New Mexico! Choose 6.5 lbs, 13 lbs, and 20 lbs. Shipping July - Sept. Order now! "

 Link: FRESH CHILE

Beach Streets will again close ELB streets

East Long Beach Beach Streets Community Meeting  Whaley Park Community Meeting
Wednesday February 26 6:30 pm 

The City of Long Beach will be holding a Community Meeting to give information and answer questions about the Saturday March 21st Beach Streets to be held in Los Altos Village and along the Spring Street Corridor.  

The 2020 East Long Beach Beach Streets will follow the same route as the 2017 East Long Beach Beach Streets.

Street closures across the major East Long Beach streets will take place on  March 21st  from 7:00 am to 6:30 pm.

• Atherton Street will be closed from Palo Verde to Bellflower
• Bellflower will be closed from Atherton to Los Coyotes Diagonal
• LCD will be closed from Bellflower to Spring St.
• Spring Street will be closed from Bellflower to Studebaker  

Beach Street Community Meeting  

Whaley Park Community Center 

Wednesday February 26 6:30 pm

Ding Dong SB 50 is dead!

Ding Dong SB 50 is dead!

The controversial SB 50 died for the third time in the state legislature today. 

For more information click on:

 SB 50,Sac'to Attempt To Increase Housing Production By Imposing Housing Density Overriding Aspects Of Local Zoning On Sac'to Approved Terms, FAILS

California's polarizing housing bill SB 50 has died in the state Senate

Gabrielle Canon USA TODAY

SB 50 vote was short but bill is still alive

Controversial SB 50 vote today fell short but bill is still alive

Sen Weiner

Sen. Scott Weiner's housing and density bill known as SB 50 that was sidelined last year by opponents in a rules maneuver failed to gain the 21 votes today in the California Senate.  The vote failed by three votes in a 18-15 vote. A half-dozen senators did not vote including Sen. Umberg.

Sen. Lena Gonzalez voted yes,

When the bill failed, Senate supporters requested a reconsideration vote. That vote will take place Thursday or Friday as Weiner and his supporters try to find the remaining votes to pass the bill.

The bill which would allow building high density housing in single family zoned areas and historic districts.

The bill must pass by Friday January 31st.  

The controversial bill has split the Democrats in Sacramento, including its leadership. The Senate leader, Senate Pro Tempore Sen. Toni Akins is for the bill. Senate Majority Leader Robert Hertzberg is against the bill.

For more information CLICK ON:

Controversial SB 50 hangs by a thread after failing toget needed votes in the Senate

California Senate rejects transit density bill SB 50

But there’s a chance the bill will return soon for reconsideration

 Senate Bill 50 gains new life amidst community concern

The bill, which would authorize multi-family buildings to be built near “high-quality” transit stations resurfaced in early January and requires a Senate vote by month’s end.