| I first visited Legends Sports Bar at Long Beach's iconic Belmont Shore about 15 years ago. |
| The place was as advertised: walls of televisions showing local and out-of-town games, inexpensive drinks, sports memorabilia, a lively crowd and a buzzing atmosphere. |
| It was the kind of place a Chicago Bears fan like myself could plunge into a beef dip to drown my sorrows after another 20-point defeat. |
| I remember thinking at the time how fun the locale and general Belmont Shore were. Safety and crime weren't even a consideration. |
| That is not the case today, according to residents, business owners and politicians who say it's a different scene in Belmont Shore, particularly along its 2nd Street thoroughfare. |
| In response to a city of Long Beach effort to tackle what residents are saying is an increase in crime, drunkenness and unregulated vending in Belmont Shore, four bars that normally operate until 2 a.m., including the popular eatery Legends, agreed to close at midnight. |
| I explored what's going on and what solutions are being proposed in my latest article. Let's dive into some of my notes. |
Bloodshed on the shore |
| Jeremy Andrew Spears, 32, was shot and killed in Belmont Shore on Oct. 25. Police said Spears, the father of a 9-year-old boy, was involved in an altercation with other bar patrons, left the bar and was shot around 1:30 a.m. |
| The killing was the third homicide on 2nd Street in less than 18 months. |
| "His death was preventable because a year ago we had already seen two violent deaths related to 2nd Street bars and safer times were promised," Belmont Shore resident Brian Cochrane said at a Nov. 11 City Council meeting. |
| Jeffrey Cozart, principal partner at the Belmont Athletic Club, said that "it's pretty obvious what's changed," referring to the lack of police patrols in Belmont Shore. |
| "I'm not saying this in a negative way, I know there's a shortage of policemen," he said at the meeting. "Just please do whatever you can to get us more help." |
The changing Belmont Shore scene |
| Matt Peterson, the co-owner of Legends and president of the Belmont Shore Business Assn., put some of the blame on rogue buskers, or street performers, along with street vendors who are bringing in a "late-night component that really has nothing to do with the businesses." |
| "They're taking it to another level," Peterson said. "They use amps and speakers, and they're attracting people traveling through the district." |
| Peterson said too many visitors don't patronize the Belmont Shore bars and restaurants and instead get food and entertainment on the streets. |
| "They can stop by for food, music and can even buy booze at liquor stores and hang out for hours without any repercussions," he said. |
Is crime really on the rise? |
| Belmont Shore residents are angry over what they see as growing violence, but Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish said such crime fears are not backed by stats. |
| Hebeish said homicides and shootings were down 30% and 35%, respectively, from last year. |
| Spears' slaying marked the first homicide in Belmont Shore this year and the second in the police's larger East Patrol Division, a 24-square-mile area that covers about 46% of the city along with Belmont Shore, according to Hebeish. |
| He said there were seven such homicides in the division last year. |
The next steps |
| The City Council has directed the city manager and city attorney to establish formal operating requirements for businesses along Belmont Shore, collect community feedback on the problem and create a late-night safety plan. The council directed staff to complete the tasks within 45 days. |
| Part of that plan includes determining the feasibility of reestablishing police walking beats and reopening the Belmont Shore substation. |
| The City Council is also asking for enhanced DUI checkpoints, more targeted late-night enforcement against buskers and vendors and a crime hot spot report from the city manager within 45 days that examines where the crimes are being committed in the area. |
| Time will tell if such efforts make a change along Belmont Shore. As for now, check out the full article here. |
The week's biggest stories |
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| Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) |
A new era for Hollywood |
- Netflix announced Friday an $82.7-billion deal to acquire Warner Bros. film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO.
- Netflix beat out competitors Paramount and Comcast who also submitted binding second-round offers.
- Netflix has long challenged the business model of releasing movies in theaters and instead pushed for at-home viewing. But the streaming giant said it would maintain theatrical releases for Warner Bros. films.
- Hollywood industry insiders also worry about the merger's implications on jobs, creativity and consumer prices.
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Frank Gehry dies at 96 |
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CDC committee drops hep B vaccine for newborns |
- A vaccine advisory panel for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted Friday to drop a decades-old recommendation to vaccinate newborns against hepatitis B.
- Physicians and public health officials criticized the decision.
- The CDC has recommended the shot since 1991, resulting in a 99% decline in rates of chronic hepatitis B infections in children and teens.
- Parents will still be allowed to vaccinate their children against hepatitis B, but some insurance companies may no longer cover it.
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World Cup 2026 matchups drawn |
- The U.S. men's soccer team will open the World Cup against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium on June 12. See the full list of pools and matchups.
- In a series of interviews, California lawmakers questioned whether the tournament could run smoothly given Trump travel bans, potential National Guard and ICE deployments and the high price of tickets.
- Ahead of the draw, FIFA leader Gianni Infantino presented President Trump with FIFA's first Peace Prize.
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California expands efforts to protect underage farmworkers |
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What happened to La Niña? |
- Scientists in October said La Niña had arrived, which many associate with dry conditions, but the season has proved to be very wet so far.
- Meteorologist Jan Null explained that La Niña "doesn't always mean drought." In fact, three of the last seven La Niñas were whoppers when it came to rain.
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What else is going on |
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Must reads |
| | | The Castro Theatre's long history in the LGBTQ+ rights movement gives its upcoming reopening special significance, particularly in light of renewed attacks on the queer community. | | | |
Other meaty reads |
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| Keep up with California | Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. Subscribe to the Los Angeles Times. | | | | | |
For your downtime |
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| Poet Mary Bryce on stage during Electric Blue: Hypersphere. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) |
Going out |
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Staying in |
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| Question of the day: What do you wear when you fly? |
| Email us at essentialcalifornia@latimes.com, and your response might appear in the newsletter this week. |
L.A. Timeless |
| A selection of the very best reads from The Times' 143-year archive. |
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Have a great day, from the Essential California team |
| Jim Rainey, staff reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
June Hsu, editorial fellow
Andrew J. Campa, weekend reporter
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters |
| How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com. |
