Schipske Launches "Open Up Long Beach" Effort

Check out our new website on "Open Up Long Beach" -- a project to make the City of Long Beach more open, transparent and collaborative in 2012.


www.openuplongbeach.com

2012 Brings New Look to My Blog

Thought it was time to update the look of my blog.

As I write, the fog is still thick around El Dorado Park. I can't believe how much moisture it leaves on the sidewalks and streets.

Am hopeful 2012 will be better for many people. The economy seems to be improving for some. Long Beach has major challenges ahead as we grapple with how to bring jobs back to the city that now has one of the largest unemployment rates in the state.

I am grateful to be teaching again at CSULB. Teaching can make such a difference in a person's life. One of the my students wanted to quit last semester and I convinced her to stay -- she did and did quite well on her final grade. These students face higher tuition and costly textbook fees. Many cannot get the classes they need to graduate so they have to stay in school longer. I believe that anything a teacher can do to make their lives easier -- should happen. That's why I let as many students in my classes as are on the waiting list. Having 50 students in a class is harder for me -- but being a parent of college age students I know the pain of not being able to get through college in a 4 let alone 6 year timeframe.

Working on the State of the 5th Council District -- we usually have a good turnout. Also we start work on the Annual Solar Grand Prix which last year brought 150 students teams to the competition.

Again, I will be focusing on how best to maximize infrastructure dollars to get sidewalks and streets repaired and trees trimmed.

I wish you all a prosperous and healthy New Year.