Phone Conference with White House

Just finished a conference call earlier with Secretary of Defense Panetta and Valerie Jarrett along with other LGBT national leaders regarding DADT elimination. 

Great information and a wonderful victory for those in uniform and their families who wish to serve AND for our nation! Thank you President Obama!

California Redistricting Commission Cuts Long Beach Up

Click onto the link and type your address to see where the California Citizens Redistricting Commission has placed you in the newly drawn state assembly and senate and US Congressional districts.

The Commission -- because it never heard officially from the City of Long Beach -- has cut up the city several times. The most egregious cut are the state senate districts -- one of which starts five houses from me on Spring and then goes all the way over to Santa Ana.

The congressional district puts north Long Beach with Compton and then puts the rest of Long Beach with Westminster, Garden Grove, Cypress, Los Alamitos -- central and west Orange County.

Don't think many other cities in LA County are being cut up and placed with another county.

The commission is still accepting emails or phone calls about their decisions. Suggest if you are interested, check out the maps and then contact the commission. Time is running out. The decisions are about to be made final.
Click here to email.

Schipske Keeps Promise to WWII Icon -- Edith Shain

Schipske Keeps Promise to WWII Icon to

Keep the Spirit of ’45 Alive in Long Beach!

July 21, 2011 – In 2008, Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske made a promise to Edith Shain that she would do what she could to make certain that the City of Long Beach celebrated National Spirit of ’45 Day.

On August 14, Schipske keeps her promise by sponsoring “Keep the Spirit of ’45 Alive Day” at the El Dorado Senior Center, 2800 N. Studebaker.

Shain was a nurse working at Doctors Hospital in New York on August 15, 1945—the day Japan surrendered during World War II. Shain says she rushed into the streets of Times Square to join in the impromptu celebration that followed the news. Shain is the nurse being passionately embraced by a sailor in a photo shot by famed photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt on that day.

 “I met Edith when she came to the Queen Mary in 2008 to campaign for a permanent annual day that would ensure that her generation’s achievements could inspire a new generation of ordinary heroes to come together to face the complex issues and challenges America is struggling with today,” explains Schipske who has led the efforts to establish the Rosie the Riveter Park and Interpretive Center. 

“She was excited to hear what we were doing in Long Beach and I promised that we would include ‘spirit of ‘45’ in our efforts.”

In 2010, Congress designated the second Sunday in August as “Spirit of ’45 Day” to commemorate the end of WWII on August 14, 1945 and many communities across the U.S. are holding ceremonies and events to mark this historic time. http://www.spiritof45.org/site/  Edith Shain passed away in June 2010.

The City of Long Beach events will include the placing of a memorial wreath at the military memorial in Rosie the Riveter Park and Interpretive Center located at Conant Street and Clark Avenue on Saturday, August 14, followed by a  4:30 pm – 7 pm, 1940s Swing Dance and special appearance by Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt at the El Dorado Community Center, 2800 N. Studebaker.

Music is provided by Johnny Kleker and the Big Band. Light refreshments will be provided. Suggested donation at the door: $10 for those born after 1945. Proceeds will go to the non-profit Long Beach Rosie the Riveter Foundation. 

Plastic Ban Agenda Item Pulled from Council Tonight -- Thwarting Efforts to Repeal

Did you blink? Then you might have missed it. Late last week an item was placed on the Council agenda because I disclosed that the plastic bag ban impacts larger stores which use larger bags such as Target, Kmart, Walmart -- even though council was told by the author of the bill that it didn't.

Tonight, without any explanation or apology, the item was removed from the agenda -- could it be that it was done because I announced I would make a motion to repeal the ban and the ten cent fee on paperbags?

Trying to get to the bottom of this switch. It was unfortunate that residents came to council and were told at the last minute the issue would not be discussed.

I have never received so much email on a topic as I have on the plastic bag ban and the ten cent fee. I have never received so much angry email -- residents are mad that this was passed.

We haven't heard the last word on this issue.

LGB on Airport Parking Structure Does not Stand for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual

I knew from the moment I saw the letters on the front of the beautiful newly constructed parking structure at the Long Beach Municipal Airport that someone would think that the "LGB" stood for something other than the call letters assigned to the airport by the Federal Aviation Administration.

And yes. I got the question today.

No, LGB on the airport does not stand for lesbian, gay, bisexual. Not only would that be politically incorrect because it neglects, "T" and "Q" (transgendered and questioning) but it has nothing to do with the fact that we have a very large lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (ok, questioning too) population and the largest Gay Pride Parade and Festival...

No conspiracy fans, the letters are assigned by FAA and they are on flight maps, tickets, baggage claims, etc.
Okay. Okay. I do get suspicious that the home of the "Octoberfest" beer fest gets the call letters "BER" (Berlin, Germany).


"LGB" stands for LonG Beach.

These letters are important. You could wind up in a far different airport just by switching around one letter "LBG" ( Paris - Le Bourget, France) or if you tried to be partially politically correct "LBQ" ( Lambarene, Gabon).


Come on folks, lighten up.