Richardson at Site Selection Conference
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson (D) hailed the City’s second annual Site Selector Conference, which officially culminates today.
The City’s Economic Development Department, in collaboration with the Long Beach Economic Partnership, hosted the three-day conference, which included business leaders, policymakers, and global specialists who came together to share insights and identify opportunities to bolster Long Beach’s economic growth.
“Long Beach is breaking the mold—designing a new era of innovation and opportunity, unleashing the potential of key growth sectors, promoting international trade and advancing the needs of the small business community to build a prosperous future for all,” said Richardson.
The event featured five leading site selectors, known as site selection consultants or location strategy experts, for key insights and knowledge sharing. It included plenary sessions, panel discussions and several networking events focused on fostering and leveraging prospects to drive sustainable economic growth in Long Beach.
As Long Beach continues to compete not just against other U.S. markets but also internationally, site selectors—essentially “professional location scouts”—play a pivotal role in assessing the city’s and region’s ability to attract business expansion and relocation.
Gonzalez, Latino Leg Caucus Float New Bills
Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D-Southeast Los Angeles, Long Beach, Bell Gardens, Lakewood, Signal Hill, Catalina Island), Long Beach), chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, this week announced several bills to protect the state’s immigrants being targeted by President Trump’s aggressive new policies, including federal enforcement raids at schools, hospitals and religious buildings.
The Caucus, comprised of 35 Democratic lawmakers, announced the proposals to protect undocumented immigrants as among their top priorities in the upcoming session.
“It’s unfortunate that at the national level, we are seeing deliberate efforts to crash our economy, deport our communities and continue to villainize our Latino communities, and these bills are efforts to combat all of that,” said Gonzalez at a news conference at the Capitol on Tuesday.
In the package of proposed legislation is Gonzalez, SB 48, which would expand existing laws and require school officials to deny federal immigration officials access to school records and school grounds without a judicial warrant. It also keeps local law enforcement from working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials near school grounds.
“California’s school resources and spaces should be dedicated to educating young minds and should never be utilized to tear apart families,” Gonzalez said, adding that immigration actions around schools cause a chilling effect on school attendance.
Other Los Angeles lawmakers that have proposed legislation to protect immigrants include:
- AB 421, sponsored by Assemblymember José Luis Solache Jr. (D-Lynwood), would ban state law enforcement from working with or providing information to immigration enforcement within a mile of daycare facilities, places of worship, and medical offices.
- SB 635, sponsored by Sen. María Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles), would prevent street vendor permit issuers from requiring fingerprinting or asking applicants about their immigration status or criminal history.
- SB 294, sponsored by Sen. Eloise Gómez Reyes (D-Colton), would require employers to post a notice informing employees of their labor and civil rights when interacting with law enforcement on the job and to notify the employee’s emergency contact if they are arrested or detained.
Barragán Holds South Gate Community Conversation
U.S. Rep. Nanette Barragán (D – Bellflower, Carson, Harbor City, Harbor Gateway, Lakewood, Long Beach, Lynwood, Paramount, Rancho Dominguez, San Pedro, South Gate, West Carson, Wilmington) is holding a Community Conversation on Monday.
This event allows residents to hear updates on federal initiatives, ask questions, and share their priorities directly with their representative.
The event is scheduled for 6:30 – 7:30 pm this Monday, April 14, at South Gate Park, Henry C. Gonzalez Auditorium, 4900 Southern Ave. in South Gate. Doors open at 5:30 pm. RSVP is encouraged.
Click here to RSVP
