:16 - Are you traveling this holiday season, the CDC has some guidelines to make your travel safe.  We break down some of their top recommendations. You can see the CDC’s full list of recommendations here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/omicron-variant.html


11:52 - Is it your turn to take something to the family diner but, you don’t want the hassle of clean up, you may want to consider a charcuterie board.  Long Beach Reporter Valerie Osier tells us the best practices for your holiday board.

You can learn more details by reading Osier’s article titled How to make a holiday charcuterie board, according to Long Beach cheese experts here: https://lbpost.com/hi-lo/how-to-make-charcuterie-board-snack-board-cheese-oh-la-vache

Travel and Charcuterie tips for the holiday

:16 - We’ve all heard the phrase reduce, reuse, recycle.  But how often do we actually put that into practice?  What if there was a way you could do so every day, while also creating nourishment for your garden or even a friend's garden, that is better than fertilizer?

The process is called composting.  You take your discarded food and make it useful. It sounds good in theory but, as with most resolutions, the first question is how do I get started.  Long Beach Recycles is going to provide you with all the necessary information to help you start and maintain this resolution.  They are offering a free “Composting at Home” virtual workshop on Saturday, January 8th from 10 am - 11 am.  You can sign up here: https://longbeach-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ffi1NX3YR5a7pnJ3_r2zRg

You can learn other ways to reduce your impact on the planet by visiting Long Beach Recycles here:  https://www.longbeach.gov/lbrecycles


14:43 - As a society, we have been through a lot since 2020.  Right when we thought things were getting better, a new variant set us all back.  But with the new year around the corner, a lot of people are looking ahead and making resolutions. we still have something to look forward to.

In this segment, you will hear a few resolutions from the staff of the Long Beach Post and the community. And, we will also break down a few ways to make sure you are staying on track with whatever your resolution is.

Make sure you keep your 2022 resolutions

:16 - On Monday, more than eight million gallons of raw sewage spilled into the Dominguez Channel waterway in Carson.  Because of the spill, beaches in Long Beach remain closed. 
While the Long Beach Health Department continues testing the waters to determine if it is safe to go back into the water, the question becomes what are the long-term effects.
Dr. Stephanie Wear, who is the newest member of The Aquarium of the Pacific’s Board of Directors, has been instrumental in the aquarium joining the Ocean Sewage Alliance (OSA). The organization is working to reverse the negative effects of sewage in our oceans. 
According to the United Nations, approximately 80% of the world’s wastewater is discharged into the environment untreated, and the majority ends up in the ocean.
Dr. Wear says it is time to “re-potty train” the world and start seeing our sewage as a resource. You can learn more about Ocean Sewage Alliance and its partners here: https://www.oceansewagealliance.org
 
22:29 - This time last year was different for all of us.  Here at the Post our very own Tim Grobaty had to quarantine for 80 days.  He joins to look back over the last year.  And, we discuss why staying safe at home is no longer happening.

Using sewage as a resource could prevent spills in the future

:16 - COVID is dominating headlines nationwide and people throughout the country are flocking to testing centers.  Testing centers in Long Beach have been flooded with members of the community wanting to get tested to know for sure. Or, retested so they can return to work or school. 

We spent some time speaking with members of the community who were in line at the Doris Topsy-Elvord Community Center in North Long Beach to find out how they were feeling.




13:44 - Long Beach is setting record numbers in new Covid cases.  The Long Beach Post has published several articles outlining the influx in cases including:

Long Beach sees more than 2,200 new COVID-19 cases in one day 

Nearly 500 teachers miss school Monday amid COVID-19 surge 

While it is necessary to stay well informed as we continue to see the effects of Covid, two years in a pandemic can take a toll and cause anxiety.

CalState Long Beach created several links to combat the causes of Covid Anxiety.  Those can be found here.

The CDC has tips as well.  Those can be found here.

Rise in Covid cases can increase stress. These are ways you can cope.

:16 - The Long Beach Black Restaurant week is just a few days away.  The event takes place between January 23 to January 30th.  It is organized by the nonprofit Long Beach Food and Beverage and is designed to promote and celebrate African, African American, and Caribbean food, as well as highlight Black-owned culinary businesses, chefs, and bartenders in and around Long Beach. 

Mr. Fries is one of the restaurants featured in the week.  The founder, Craig Batiste, shares his story of how the firing of his wife and the mundane of a 9-5 sparked the idea.

Devin Green, one of the owners of the Mr. Fries location just off of  Artesia Boulevard in North Long Beach, shares why he and his family felt the franchise would help their family build generational wealth. 

if you are interested in opening a franchise or, finding a location near you, visit Mr. Fries online here. 

11:24 - Terry Henry runs the Long Beach Food and Beverage which is a non-profit organization that helps restaurants in Long Beach get more attention.  But with every event that she organizes, she also makes sure to give back to the community.

On Tuesday, Henry brought three chefs to the Long Beach Food Mission.  Together they provided homeless men, women, and children with a multi-course gourmet lunch. Find out more about each chef below.

Chef Ronnie Woods – Northtown Bistro Pop-up 
Chef Quianna Bradley – A Pinch of Salt Catering
Chef Vida Virgillito – Gone Loco Food Truck

Black Restaurant Week gives back before the official launch on January 22nd

Imagine being on a job for 30 years and struggling to pay $1200 to rent out a room in someone's home. It sounds farfetched to a lot of us but, it is a reality Americans across the country are dealing with and, it is the reason why several CSEA employees, who work for the Long Beach Unified School district, are asking for a 7% salary increase.

The district says giving CSEA workers a 7% raise means they would receive a bigger raise than the teachers.  But that entirely depends on how you look at it.  So we are going to break it down on this episode of The Word on Long Beach.

Read more about LBUSD and CSEA negotiations here: https://lbpost.com/news/education/csea-lbusd-negotiations-strike-contract-raise

Ep. 201: Will a 7% raise pull low wage employees out over poverty?

To become a member and support projects like this one, visit https://lbpost.com/join.

The Word with Jackie Rae