News
Mayor Foster joined Governor Jerry Brown, Assemblymember Steve Bradford, Councilman Steve Neal and GRID Alternatives at a press conference to celebrate California’s solar power initiatives. The event took place in Long Beach’s District 9 where the Mendoza home was outfitted with new solar panels as part of the Single-Family Affordable Solar Homes (SASH) program. GRID Alternatives is a nonprofit solar installer that gives underserved communities access to solar power and solar jobs.
Mayor Foster with Susie Chang, executive director of GRID Alternatives Greater Los Angeles.
Mayor Foster speaks with home owner Maribel Mendoza and her son before the press conference.
Mayor and Councilman Neal speak to students from LA Trade Technical College. These trainees installed the solar electrical system for the Mendoza family.
(Left to right) Assemblyman Steven Bradford, Governor Jerry Brown, Mayor Foster.
(Left to Right) Assemblyman Steven Bradford, Eric, Maribel Mendoza, Adolfo, Mayor Foster and Councilman Steve Neal.
The City of Long Beach, Southern California Edison (SCE) and City Light & Power (CLP) are participating in a pilot project to help determine the feasibility of replacing High Pressure Sodium (HPS) street lights with energy efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) street lights.
“The City of Long Beach is pleased to partner with SCE in this pilot project, because we’re always looking for ways to be more financially and environmentally efficient, and use technology to improve services to the community,” Mayor Bob Foster said.
“Southern California Edison is pleased to provide the City of Long Beach with LED street lights as part of this demonstration project, thus allowing residents and city officials to evaluate this technology while enjoying enhanced energy efficiency,” said Ben Harvey, Southern California Edison’s Region Manager for Local Public Affairs.
“City Light & Power is excited about this project for several reasons. The project will allow City Light & Power and the City of Long Beach to receive feedback from the residents regarding LED street lights, observe the reduction in energy usage and cost savings associated with each of the converted street light circuits as well as the decrease of system maintenance,” said Brad Weber, Regional Manager for CLP.
SCE provided approximately two dozen LED street lights in each of the following four Long Beach neighborhoods:
· Alamitos Beach (near Florida Street and Walnut Avenue)
· Park Estates (west of the Veterans Administration’s Long Beach Healthcare System)
· Stratford Square (near Clark Avenue and Willow Street)
· West Long Beach (near Silverado Park)
Residents in the affected areas are being surveyed to help gauge the impact of the new street lights in the community. Light levels and the amount of energy savings are being analyzed.
The LED street lights placed in Long Beach have previously undergone an evaluation by SCE for energy savings potential, as well as overall performance. This effort is intended to help the City of Long Beach and other stakeholders in their decision making regarding energy efficiency measures to benefit the community.
City Light & Power operates and maintains the street lighting system in Long Beach and is installing the SCE-provided street lights on behalf of the City as part of their existing contract. CLP has previously installed LED street lights on Bellflower Boulevard and Palo Verde Avenue near California State University, Long Beach as well as on Ocean Boulevard in front of City Hall.
LED street lights last longer, consume approximately 40 percent less energy, and have lower maintenance costs and smaller environmental footprints than HPS street lights.
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(left to right): Ben Harvey (Southern California Edison’s Region Manager for Local Public Affairs), Mayor, Brad Weber (Regional Manager for CLP).
Mayor Foster participated in Bike to Work in Long Beach with a 17-mile route from his home to a meeting in West Long Beach. The Mayor stopped at the California State University, Long Beach pit stop to say hello to fellow commuters who also used their bicycles to get to work. Jax Bicycles offered free bike checks for bicycles as well.
Long Beach Resident Nesha Saucier rode her bicycle to her job at CSULB.
Mayor Foster with Elissa Thomas, Sustainable Transportation Program Coordinator at CSULB.
Anders Mattsson (far left) and Matt Gfell (far right) from Jax Bicycles in Long Beach were also at the CSULB pit stop to give free bike checks.
A Center for Neighborhood and Youth Programs
May 7, 2013
LONG BEACH – A new grant-funded community center is coming to Orizaba Park. Tonight, the City Council approved the contract for the new community center, which will include vital after school programs and much more. The community center is the first of its kind in the area and is funded by a $2.2 million dollar state grant.
“Long Beach residents will soon have access to a great community center at a popular park,” said Mayor Bob Foster. “The Community Building will be an added accomplishment to all of the wonderful upgrades Orizaba Park has seen in the past few years.”
“A tired kid is a good kid, and this new center will create many tired kids,” said Councilmember Patrick O’Donnell. “This new addition to the Park will provide a space for much needed programs and keep kids busy during the after school hours.”
Located at the corner of 14th Street and Orizaba Avenue, the park has undergone significant construction to expand and improve its facilities. Some of the enhanced facilities include a skate park, basketball courts and physical training equipment. The new community center is intended to provide after school programs, digital academy training and potential space for neighborhood groups, meetings and events.
Orizaba Park holds a firm place in Long Beach’s history and continues to serve as an anchor for the communities in the west end of the Fourth District.
For more information, please contact the office of Councilmember Patrick O’Donnell at (562) 570-6918.
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Mayor Foster attended several events on Saturday.
The YMCA of Greater Long Beach hosted the Healthy Kids Day, a community event at Heartwell Park. The free event included Fire Truck Tours, a Petting Zoo, Mobile Technology Lab, Cooking Demos, and Bike Safety Stations.
Mayor Foster with Sue Baker of YMCA of Greater Long Beach.
Mayor Foster helped to kick-off the 3rd Annual Best Buddies California Friendship Walk. The Friendship Walk fundraiser benefits the seven Best Buddies programs in California: Middle School, High School, and College friendship programs, Jobs, Buddy Ambassadors, E-buddies and Promoters. Best Buddies is a nonprofit dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
The Mayor with David Gauthier, one of the Best Buddies participants. David works in Mayor Foster’s office.
Saturday was also the grand opening of Baker Street Park. The new 1.25-acre park includes picnic areas, a small universally accessible playground and a walking path.
The park project is funded with $500,000 from the Los Angeles County Park District, $100,000 from Long Beach Container Terminal Inc. and park impact fees. Partners of Parks accepted the $100,000 donation from the Long Beach Container Terminal Inc. to be able to include the small universally accessible playground at the park.
Councilman James Johnson and Mayor Foster with members of the Encinas family. In the 1900s Gregorio Encinas purchased the land that is now the site of Baker Street Park from the Bixby family. The Encinas family was one of California’s early pioneering families and used the land to create a large ranch and farm.
Baker Street Park ribbon-cutting
In celebration of the upcoming 2013 Tour of Long Beach and to kick off May as National Bike Month, Mayor Bob Foster, Long Beach Bicycle Ambassador Tony Cruz and members of the Long Beach community participated in a bike to work day. The 5-mile route taken by the Mayor, Tony and others is part of the 2013 Tour of Long Beach course.
The Tour of Long Beach is May 11. The Tour invites amateur cyclists and bicycle enthusiasts of all skill levels to ride on a 31-mile open course along bike paths throughout the City, the 4-mile Family Fun Ride, or the 100-mile Cruz Gran Fondo ride. Proceeds from the Tour of Long Beach will benefit Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach. Registration is still open for this year’s Tour of Long Beach. For more information on the Tour of Long Beach, visit www.touroflongbeach.com.
Above photo (left to right): Evan Kelly (Bikeable Communities), Mayor Foster, Tony Cruz, Kristine MacRae (Molina Healthcare), Nash Jacquez, and Ben Alvarado (Wells Fargo).
Mayor Foster with Ben Alvarado of Wells Fargo.
“I applaud President Obama on his nomination of Mayor Foxx as Transportation Secretary. Mayor Foxx and I serve on the U.S. Conference of Mayors leadership together and I know that he is an outstanding candidate. Mayors bring a vital perspective to the national conversation whether it be about impacts to the daily commutes of constituents, job creation or the need to continually invest in the networks that ensure environmentally clean and efficient delivery of global consumer goods.”
Mayor Foster serves as a Trustee and Chair of the Mayors Business Council for the U.S. Conference of Mayors and is the former President of Southern California Edison. Long Beach is home to the nation’s second largest shipping port complex.
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April 26, 2013
SAN JOSE, CA – Long Beach Mayor and former Southern California Edison President Bob Foster received the 2013 Outstanding Alumni Award at the College of Social Sciences Awards Ceremony on April 26. Foster received a bachelor’s degree in public administration from San Jose State in 1969.
“The College of Social Sciences is delighted to honor Mayor Foster. We are especially proud of the contributions to civic life made by so many of our graduates, and Bob’s dedication to his community inspires and encourages all of us,” said College of Social Sciences Dean Sheila Bienenfeld.
Bob Foster is the 27th mayor of Long Beach, an office to which he was first elected in 2006. Prior to becoming mayor, he served as president of Southern California Edison for more than 20 years. During his tenure, he led California’s largest electric company though the 1999 energy crisis and developed the nation’s largest renewable, clean energy programs.
Foster began his career as a staff member of the California State Senate and California Energy Commission, where he established statewide energy efficiency standards that are still enforced today.
He is active in the U.S. Conference of Mayors and was appointed Environmental Committee chair in 2008 and elected to the Advisory Board in 2009. He currently serves as chair of the Mayors Business Council and as a trustee.
Foster was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger to the Board of Governors for the California Independent System Operator and was reappointed by Governor Brown in 2013.
Foster served as trustee to the California State University system from 1997 to 2006, during which time he was the vice chair and chair of the Committee on Collective Bargaining and a member of an SJSU presidential search committee. He also co-taught a political science class at San Jose State with Professor Larry Gerston.
San Jose State University — Silicon Valley’s largest institution of higher learning with 30,000 students and 3,850 employees — is part of the California State University system. SJSU’s 154-acre downtown campus anchors the nation’s 10th largest city.
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Above photo left to right: San Jose State University President Mohammad H. Qayoumi; Mayor Foster; Emeritus Political Science Professor Terry Christiansen; and Dean of the College of Social Sciences Sheila Bienenfeld.
Mayor Foster helped to induct drivers Paul Tracy and Adrian Fernandez into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame.
Paul Tracy notched his first open-wheel race victory in Long Beach in 1990 when he won the Firestone Indy Lights support race. Three years later, he won the 1993 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, then went on to take the checkered flag three more times, in 2000, 2003 and 2004, tying him with Mario Andretti for second in all-time Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach wins behind Al Unser Jr.’s six. During his illustrious career, the talented Canadian scored 31 race victories and 25 pole positions in the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) Champ Car series and, in 1993, won seven races en route to the Champ Car series championship.
Paul Tracy (right) waits for Mayor Foster to present his Walk of Fame plaque.
Adrian Fernandez, one of the most popular athletes ever to hail from Mexico, made his open-wheel debut in 1993 in Long Beach and, in 11 appearances, had a career best-finish second place (2003) at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Fernandez’ career resume includes 11 open-wheel race victories in both the Champ Car and IZOD IndyCar ranks, including three victories in 2004. He has continued that open-wheel racing success into the sports car racing ranks. In 2009, Fernandez teamed with Luis Diaz to win the LMP2 Class in the Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series race at Long Beach, the duo going on to win seven more races and the ALMS LMP2-class championship.
Councilmember Suja Lowenthal served as mistress of ceremonies at the Walk of Fame event.
Mayor Foster presents Adrian Fernandez a plaque for the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame.
Later in the day, Mayor Foster kicked off the Grand Prix View. For the first time ever, the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach opened up its track to the public on Thursday, April 18. The community walked, biked, roller skated and even pushed a stroller along the course where the world’s best Indy Car drivers scream over 180 mph.
Vice Mayor Garcia hopped on a bicycle to ride around the Gran Prix track.
We are 3,000 miles away from Boston but like every corner of this country, Monday was a day that we hoped we would never see.
It’s difficult to express the profound sadness we all feel for the families and friends affected by this horrible event.
There are a several members of the Long Beach City staff that hail from Boston or her suburbs and I know there is a great sense of heartbreak over such senseless violence on a day the is so quintessentially Boston. But I also know that Mayor Menino and the greater Boston community will move forward from this horrific event together and please know that the thoughts and prayers of the City of Long Beach are with you all.
Here in Long Beach, we are coming into Grand Prix weekend. The Long Beach Grand Prix showcases this great city every year as we welcome the world’s top Indy Car drivers.
Long Beach is used to hosting large events — I believe we are now in our 39th year of the Grand Prix — and we will again have a strong, multi-faceted security plan in place to deliver the best experience to our visitors.
We continue to monitor developments in the ongoing Boston investigation and are in contact with state and federal law enforcement partners. There are neither specific nor credible threats to this week’s activities – I want that to be very clear.
As you make your way down for the race week events, know that the City of Long Beach and the Grand Prix Association will take all appropriate measures to protect the public’s security — some of these measure will be visible, some will not.
The City will welcome 175,000 people for this week’s events. We look forward to another year of great races and we only ask three things of you when you come down:
- Be courteous and patient with your fellow race fans, personnel and our public safety officials.
- If you do see anything that concerns you, and we talk about this all the time with our residents here, don’t think twice-just call 911.
- And finally, we want you to enjoy your time with family and friends at the outstanding events we have lined up for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.
Now, I’d like to turn this over to Police Chief Jim McDonnell for further remarks.
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