2021 was a year that brought many opportunities for unique and necessary reporting. Long Beach and Signal Hill were bursting with stories of community, resilience, rebuilding and opportunities for positive change. Signal Tribune reporters curated this collection of must-read stories from 2021.
“The double-edged sword of substantial rehabilitation” by Emma DiMaggio
Tenants faced with evictions and housing advocates proclaim that substantial rehabilitation is a “loophole” in the state’s tenant protection act. Landlords say it’s necessary to preserve the City’s aging housing stock. The City Council attempts to create more protections for tenants, but evictions abound.
The Signal Tribune looks at both sides of the story, from Long Beach’s desperate need for affordable housing, the challenges of suing landlords for violating housing laws and the necessity of remodeling units.
“Mother and daughter from Gabrieleno/Tongva tribe fight to save their sacred plant from American consumerism” by Kristen Farrah Naeem
The population of white sage, a plant used for spiritual cleansing by Native American tribes, is being decimated by American consumerism. The Signal Tribune explores the black market for white sage, its appropriate uses and how California Department of Fish and Wildlife authorities are returning poached white sage to its Indigenous owners.
“Mobile vaccine clinics in Long Beach hope to bridge vaccine disparity for elder residents in underserved communities” by Karla M. Enriquez
As the COVID-19 vaccine was rolled out in 2021, city officials, local community groups and churches came together to vaccinate elders in underrepresented communities, whose vaccine raters were lagging.
“The numbers in my district in regards to COVID were very, very very high, and I felt like I couldn’t just sit there and feel like I couldn’t do anything,” Councilmember Mary Zendejas said.
“Cambodian seniors struggle to access vaccines, Laura Som wants to change that” by Emma DiMaggio
A nonprofit director learns that Cambodian seniors—who lack access to the internet, education, transportation, language access and digital literacy—can’t easily access vaccines or information about them.
“They don’t know how to use Zoom. They don’t have email. They don’t read and write in English,” said Laura Som, a graduate of UC Riverside with a degree in biochemistry. “They have to learn how to turn on a computer or an iPad. Most of them don’t even know how to enter a website address to get on there.”
She sets up two computer monitors and uses Facebook video calls (one of the only ways many seniors know how to access the internet) and teaches weekly classes about biology and vaccination—signing them up for vaccines herself if they can’t do it themselves.
“LBCC horticulture student sells milkweed to alleviate declining monarch butterfly population” by Kristen Farrah Naeem
A Long Beach City College student uses his gardening prowess to increase the dwindling monarch butterfly population. By growing milkweed—a plant that is crucial to the development of new butterflies—he hopes that the large clusters of monarchs seen decades ago will return to California.
“That’s one of the reasons the butterfly loss has been so drastic, because the only plant they have to lay their eggs on has pretty much gone missing,” said Jason Steinhauser, a horticulture student at Long Beach City College.
“‘You are not alone:’ As restrictions ease, some feel reopening anxiety” by Karla M. Enriquez
As the general population began receiving their COVID-19 vaccines, the outside world started to once again reopen ushering in a new set of anxieties for those who were not ready to dine out, go back to the office or resume tasks outside of their homes. Local therapists and an advocate for people with disabilities spoke on the fears people were facing and offered suggestions on how to cope.
“We’ve been conditioned for the past year and a half or so that the world is dangerous,” Weiss said. “We have to just be patient with ourselves, that fear of being around people, or maybe even being without masks on.”
“At Signal Hill’s first coffee roaster, fair trade comes close to home” by Emma DiMaggio
Francisco Portillo came to America with the dream of opening a business. He found that opportunity in Signal Hill, where he opened Black Dog Coffee Roasters.
“The whole idea was to support my family, obviously, and the small farmers,” Portillo said. “The dream for everybody is to export, ‘I want to take my product out of the country.’”
Portillo uses fair-trade beans sourced from his family farm in El Salvador and other family-owned coffee farms across South America. He freshly roasts beans daily, handing customers bags that are warm to the touch.
“Two local artists uncover the layers of LA in latest show at Flatline Gallery” by Karla M. Enriquez
Local artists Melinda Sanchez and Eduardo Viramontes showcased their exploration of the layers that make up the city of Los Angeles at Flatline Gallery in North Long Beach. ‘Uncovered’ is an artistic reflection on childhood, culture and religion while growing up in LA through wheat paste, photography, graffiti, paint and LED lighting.
“The idea of adding layers, just of our personal selves, our personal history and the city’s history, putting it all together—[I’m] trying to show this work in the hopes of having somebody see things in the city that excite us and maybe will start to excite somebody else,” Eduardo Viramontes said.
“Finding Magic in Signal Hill: Finch and Sparrow Games remains hub for Magic: The Gathering community” by Emma DiMaggio
Following a series of failed card stores in the area, owner Michael Aust creates a destination shop and second home for Magic: The Gathering players—a hidden gem in Signal Hill.
“Magic brings people together. You can make friends, doesn’t matter who you are,” said Joe Stucken, who’s been playing Magic since 1994. “Any race, gender, nationality, you can come together and be wizards, goblins and merfolk.”
“Three-strikes law keeps Long Beach man in prison for 22 years on nonviolent charge” by Kristen Farrah Naeem
An inmate’s fellow cellmate works to get him freed from jail after he was sentenced to 22 years on a nonviolent charge under the Three Strikes Law. The Signal Tribune explores the Three Strikes Law, the inmate’s rehabilitation, his path forward and a nonprofit that was founded in a jail cell.
“He has everything set up for him when he gets out. He has a home, goals, he has job offers,” said Daviena Dumont, the incarcerated man’s partner. “All he needs is just a chance to get out. He just wants to work and provide for his family. That’s all.”
“On the Record: Twelves puts a spin on music-buying” by Karla M. Enriquez
Record stores, once buzzing with patrons, have become almost extinct around the country. Twelves on 7th Street however has become a community hub and has persisted through the pandemic adapting to online and social media sales. The shop is full of crates and shelves of both iconic and rare records and cassette tapes that come from owner Hector Waluyo’s travels to places like Detroit and Mexico.
“[The pandemic] kind of made music more important, music can get you out of a dark place easily,” Waluyo said. “I think a lot of people turned to music and simplified their hobbies. People that used to go buy records, go to the bar and catch a concert, now are only just buying records.”
