Read the rest of 3rd Annual Inspiration Vintage, Fashion, Art & Kulture Show Kicks Off With Preview Party

(from left to right) John Case, Bike Station; Martin Howard, Bikeable Communities; Vice Mayor Dr. Suja Lowenthal, Second District; Councilmember Dr. Robert Garcia, First District; Kraig Kojian, DLBA President and CEO; and Tony Cruz, Long Beach’s Bicycle Ambassador and Olympian.

On Thursday, January 12, 2012, the Downtown Long Beach Associates (DLBA), Vice Mayor Dr. Suja Lowenthal, Second District, Councilmember Dr. Robert Garcia, First District, and Martin Howard, Bikeable Communities, officially dedicated new street banners that celebrate the dedicated bike lanes along Broadway and Third Street.

Read the rest of DLBA and Long Beach Officials Dedicate Downtown Long Beach Bike Banners

Mia Birk

Bicycle enthusiasts throughout the Southland are invited to enjoy a special evening with top national bike advocate, critically acclaimed author, and principal of Alta Planning + Design Mia Birk as she stops on her “Joyride” speaking tour in Long Beach on Thursday, December 15th from 5–8 p.m. The event includes an evening holiday bike ride, appetizers and wine, Mia’s lively presentation, and time for questions and mingling. The Joyride book is available for sale at Open bookstore for $19.95.

Read the rest of It’s Time For a Joyride – An Evening with Top National Bike Advocate Mia Birk!

Photo by Doug Carlson

Long Beach Resident Brian Keate Opens Brand New Bike Shop in Bixby Knolls Saturday December 3, 2011.

Mr. Brian Keate (a.k.a. Turtle, a.k.a. Tortuga; infamous like a notorious celebrity in the cycling community) is bringing his outrageous professional expertise and vision for bicycling retail and service to Bixby Knolls in Long Beach.

Read the rest of Long Beach Bike Community Grows As New Bike Shop Opens in Bixby Knolls

Read the rest of Join The Community Bike Ride To the Third Annual Cambodian Arts & Culture Exhibition

Read the rest of Annual Wings, Wheels, and Rotors Expo Returns to Los Alamitos Army Airfield October 23rd

Read the rest of Residents and Visitors Alike to Celebrate Grand Opening of New Bikestation Thursday

Read the rest of City Launches Campaign Advising Cyclists To ‘Walk it Or Lock it’ On Sidewalks in Business Districts

Photo by Lori05871

By Robert W. Castillo, MD, Chief of Staff, Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach

For parents, as quickly as the Memorial Day weekend started the summer season, the rapidly approaching Labor Day weekend is looming, marking the end of summer and the beginning of the school season. And kids will be just as shocked as parents that it’s time to return to school (and get back on a schedule).

Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach wants to ensure that this summertime to back-to-school transition goes as smoothly as possible for the entire family. Below are some tips to help keep anxiety levels down for both parents and child while preparing to go back to school:

Reset Your Child’s Schedules Before School Starts
Try to transition kids into a consistent school-night routine a few weeks before school starts. Establish a reasonable bedtime so that they will be well-rested and ready to learn in the morning. Generally, between the ages of 6 and 9, most children need about 10 hours of sleep a night, while preteens need a little more than 9 hours. Start the bedtime routine at least one week before school begins.

Preventative Health & Keeping Your School Informed
Protect your child and family from illness and disease by participating in preventative health measures that allow you to play an active roll in your family’s health. Make sure kids have all the immunizations they need before school begins. This is not only required for school, but it helps keep your child healthy and protects them from preventable infectious diseases.

Inform your school nurse and teachers about any medical conditions your child may have, particularly food allergies, asthma, diabetes and any other conditions that need to be managed. Make sure your child understands what they need to do if they need to take any medications at school and where they should go to get them.

Keeping Safe Throughout the School Year
With bikes and skateboards being the main method of transportation to and from school for many kids, wearing a helmet is critical to avoid head trauma should a fall or accident occur. Statistics show that riders who do not wear helmets are 14 times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident. It is important to make sure you child not only has a helmet, but that it fits properly.

Remember that a backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of your child’s body weight fully packed. Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back and encourage your child to wear both shoulder straps.

Snacks Matter
Plan on packing lunches ahead of time, or if your child eats in the cafeteria view the weekly menu so you can pack a lunch if your child doesn’t like the main course. Also, remember that snacking between meals is not a bad thing. Young children actually need snacks, as they often don’t receive all the nutrients they need in a day through meals alone. Packing your child healthy snacks, or encouraging your older children to choose wisely from the vending machine, will help them concentrate in class. Be sure to choose snacks from a variety of food groups so your kids won’t get bored.

By following some of these tips, parents can help ease their children’s transitions back to school and make the school year begin on a positive note.

Dr. Robert W. Castillo is Chief of Staff at Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach.

Photo Credit

Read the rest of 14 Long Beach High School Students “Explore, Dream, & Discover” at “Camp Justin!”

Green Long Beach! is a grassroots organization working within Catalyst Community to build collaboration with many groups and individuals that work to make a more sustainable city. The event features a wide range areas the city is going “green” including local commerce, government agencies, non-profit community organizations, as well as local artists of all mediums.

Read the rest of 3rd Annual Green Long Beach Festival Returns Saturday

The Bike-Friendly Business Districts operate under the premise that businesses are looking for ways to reach and retain customers, and customers are looking for ways to shop, dine, and run errands as conveniently and pleasurably as possible.

Read the rest of County Grant Funds Bike Friendly Business Districts in Long Beach

Photo by Richard Masoner

The City of Long Beach is encouraging employers and residents to participate in Bike to Work Day on Thursday, May 19, 2011. Dry weather is forecast, and special “Pit Stop/Energizing Stations” will help bicyclists along their way.

“I’m an avid fan of bicycles and I just rode my bike to work last week,” said Mayor Bob Foster. “I want to encourage our residents to take advantage of the 270 miles of bicycle infrastructure in Long Beach and be part of Bike to Work Day on Thursday. Riding your bike to work is not only a healthy way for you to get to work, but good for the environment as well.”

Read the rest of Long Beach Kicks Off “Share Our Streets” Campaign; Bike To Work May 19th

Read the rest of SNAP Benefit Concert and Silent Auction To Aid Best Buddies Program

Memorial Medical Center Foundation President Jim Normandin, Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster and Long Beach City Manager Pat West.

City of Long Beach Bicycle Ambassador/U.S. Olympian Tony Cruz, Long Beach City Manager Pat West, Memorial Medical Center Foundation President Jim Normandin and others joined Mayor Bob Foster in a “Bike to Work” ride Monday morning to promote the 2011 Tour of Long Beach.

“We’re celebrating May as ‘National Bike Month’ and our upcoming Tour of Long Beach by biking to work today,” said Mayor Foster.  “The Tour is going to be a great event that takes riders through our best bike routes along the beach, parks and the two rivers.  I encourage people to join me on the May 14 ride that is not only fun, but it’s for a good cause.”

Read the rest of Mayor Foster, LB Bicycle Ambassador Tony Cruz, and Others Biked to Work

Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal

Join Team Suja for the the Tour of Long Beach on Saturday, May 14th, as more than 3,000 cyclists ride for a cure, with funds being raised for Miller Children’s Hospital.  Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal and her staff  invite you to join them on the tour and get a unique and inspirational view of our great city as you ride through Long Beach parks, scenic neighborhoods and along beaches, inland bays and the downtown waterfront. Tour riders will start the 31-mile course in three waves starting at 8:00am, 8:05am and 8:10am.

Read the rest of Second District Cyclists Invited to Join Team Suja on The Tour

Long Beach is my city; this is where I grew up and where I’ve chosen to live, work and raise a family. There’s a lot about this city I love and it’s not only because it’s so bike-friendly but that certainly plays a part. Riding a bike has a lot of benefits, namely your health and the environment; and I want to influence others to get on a bike and get riding, especially our kids throughout the Long Beach community.

Read the rest of Cycle for Cure and Be a Part of Something Bigger

Photo by Umberto Brayj

Food, festivals and fundraisers are part of the City of Long Beach’s annual celebration of National Bike Month in May 2011 as community organizations join with Bike Long Beach to host bike-friendly activities and promote safe riding on city streets and bikeways.

The City of Long Beach will join with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) to celebrate Bike-To-Work Day on Thursday, May 19. “Pit Stops/Energizing Stations” for people riding their bikes to work in Long Beach will include one at City Hall from 7:00 – 9:00 am, featuring free hot coffee, breakfast to-go items, bicycle maps, opportunities to win giveaways, and bike tune-ups.

Read the rest of Long Beach Celebrates National Bike Month With A Variety Of Options For 2011

Councilmember will highlight City’s progress and plans, report on his trip to cycling conference in Spain

Councilmember Robert Garcia, along with City mobility staff, will host a Cycling Plan Community Meeting this coming Monday, May 2, at 6pm in the Jenny Oropeza Community Center at Cesar Chavez Park, 401 Golden Avenue in Long Beach.

“I’m looking forward to sharing all the great work the City’s done on cycling, and talking about the next steps,” said Garcia. “This is a chance for the community to ask questions, share input, and get a lot of good information.”

Read the rest of Garcia to Host Cycling Plan Community Meeting May 2nd

Construction on more than two miles of separated bike lanes on Broadway (heading east) and 3rd Street (heading west), between Alamitos Avenue and Golden Avenue, has been completed.  Bicycles traveling on the two one-way downtown thoroughfares will now be separated from vehicle traffic by a painted median island and an asphalt curb adjacent to on-street parking.

Read the rest of Grand Opening and Celebration For Downtown Separated Bike Lanes – April 23rd

Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal, CSULB Sustainable Transportation Program Coordinator Elissa Briggs Thomas, and City of Long Beach Mobility Coordinator Charles Gandy will lead a discussion titled “Moving Long Beach: Bikes are Just the Beginning –- A Conversation on Livable Communities in Long Beach.”

Read the rest of Moving Long Beach Community Meetings Begin at CSULB

Read the rest of “Moving Long Beach – Bikes Are Only the Beginning” A Community Conversation

The 2010 Bike Long Beach Year in Review features all these accomplishments and more, and is now available for the public to view online.

Read the rest of City Spotlights Accomplisments in The 2010 Bike Long Beach Year in Review

The Council voted on Tuesday to make bike registration voluntary in Long Beach.

At their Tuesday meeting February 8, the City Council acted in unison to make bicycle registration voluntary instead of mandatory in the city of Long Beach.

“We are now one step closer to becoming America’s most bike friendly city,” said Councilmember Robert Garcia of the First District. “Our mandatory system was antiquated and inefficient, and the new voluntary system is accessible, fair, and supports families, avid cyclists, and visitors to our City.”

Tuesday’s unanimous vote has been months in the making. It started with a Critical Mass event last October where 70 cyclists received citations for disobeying traffic laws and 21 bikes were impounded for not having required safety equipment (including bikes with no brakes). Some cyclists claimed that police were taking advantage of an archaic law to harass citizens.

Read the rest of Council Votes to Make Bike Registration Voluntary

Construction on more than two miles of separated bike lanes on Broadway (heading east) and 3rd Street (heading west), between Alamitos Avenue and Golden Avenue, is scheduled to begin on Monday, January 31, 2011.  Upon completion of the project, scheduled for mid-March, bicycles traveling on the two one-way downtown thoroughfares will be separated from vehicle traffic by a painted median island and an asphalt curb adjacent to on-street parking. 

Read the rest of Construction for Separated Bikeways Begins in Downtown Long Beach