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Vol. 32 No. 44
october 28 - NoVeMber 3, 2021
Walsh offers first crime stats in years offenses have decreased from 2019 as well, dropping from 265 to 178. Ron Walsh, who took over as What is striking in the report Long Beach police commissioner is that the Police Department last February, said crime has has handed out 13,099 parking declined in the city over the past summonses this year, more than nine months, but the department double the number last year. has handed out more than douWalsh said the ble the number of numbers should be parking tickets comcompared with 2019 pared with the same because Covid-19 period a year ago. impacted crimes and The statistics are violations last year. the first to be The jump in parking r e l e a s e d by t h e summonses, officials department in seversaid, is attributable, al years. Walsh prein part, to an sented them to the increase in the numCity Council last ber of people drivweek, and spoke roN walSh ing as the coronaviabout them in an rus gradually fades, interview earlier Long Beach police and to officers commissioner this week. enforcing parking T he statistics, rules more vigorouswhich span Jan. 1 to ly. Aug. 30, divide crimes into partThe department “is focusing one and part-two offenses. Part on changing the culture of the one includes crimes such as city with the philosophy of folmurder, burglary and robbery. lowing the rules more,” Walsh Part two are crimes such as said. “One of my focuses is creatarson and possession of danger- ing a rule-following atmoous weapons. sphere.” P a r t - o n e o f f e n s e s h ave Brian Wells, the Police Benevdecreased since 2019, dropping olent Association president, said from a total of 61 to 48, according the increase in parking tickets to Walsh. They are, however, up 2 was mainly for revenue. percent over last year. Part-two Continued on page 9
by breNdaN carpeNter bcarpenter@liherald.com
o
Brendan Carpenter/Herald
preView Show director Nick Mercado, of Long Beach speaking to the crowd with fellow cast members at Kennedy Plaza.
Theatre Guild nears 50th year with big plans ahead by JaMeS berNSteiN jbernstein@liherald.com
Last Saturday afternoon, the “stage” was simply the concrete floor at Kennedy Plaza in Long Beach. The backdrop was City Hall. The performers included a Hofstra medical ethics professor, a pension analyst and a publicist for a nonprofit organization. This was community theater in Long Beach in an era when the coronavirus pan-
demic still determines what’s indoors and what’s not. In the City by the Sea, community theater means the Long Beach Theatre Guild. Next spring the organization will mark its 50th year, and there may be a gala, a cocktail party or something big to mark the anniversary. Last Saturday, the guild was showing off what it does best: offering musicals, mostly, to Long Beach residents, giving them theater without the trip, or the expense, of
Broadway shows. “It’s all about bringing Broadway-quality productions to the community,” said Lisa Simon-Weitz, a vice president of the guild’s board. She is a pediatric nurse practitioner. On this balmy Saturday afternoon, the cast members were performing songs from a musical, “Broadway the Road Trip,” which in December is to be filmed at Lindell EleContinued on page 4
ne of my focuses is creating a rule-following atmosphere.