Critically Speaking - Long Beach Watchdog

People sitting near blue tents and other items on a vacant city lot.

Critically Speaking

Critically Speaking: Measure A proposes a bigger tax to cure homelessness

Homelessness has risen 81% in Long Beach since Measure H was adopted in 2017 but advocates say that stopping the funding now would lead to debacle.

Cannabis flower and edible gummies on a table.

Critically Speaking

Critically Speaking: Getting in the weeds of a legislative shift

Long Beach is moving toward a potential policy for allowing consumption of cannabis at special events and the City Council could vote on it next year.

People walk on a concrete beach path by a food vendor cart parked under a rainbow colored umbrella.

Critically Speaking

Critically Speaking: Speed bumps on the ‘Sidewalk to Success’

Street vendors are running into barriers while trying to comply with Long Beach's new law.

A blurry white car drives past a boarded up building.

Critically Speaking

Critically Speaking: Don’t be a nuisance

Long Beach could look to crack down on problematic, vacant properties.

Critically Speaking

Critically Speaking: We've chipped away at the Digital Divide

But the end of a federal subsidy could make things worse in Long Beach.

A stack of newspapers folded in half sits on a table.

Critically Speaking

Critically Speaking: A striking state of affairs

Local news is hurting and now journalists at 11 Southern California newspapers could walk off the job.

Two red, white and blue buttons, saying Vote and I Voted, respectively.

Critically Speaking

Critically Speaking: Show some initiative

A minimum wage increase, the right to marry and rent control are among the statewide ballot measures you’ll decide this year.

A small brown temporary building sits near a dirt road that borders a large raised earthen moun

Critically Speaking

Critically Speaking: Put a lid on it?

Looking over an 'engineered cap' and concerns over toxins at a proposed Long Beach storage facility.

Police officer opens the door of a police car in front of a restaurant.

Critically Speaking

Critically Speaking: Democrats are split on Proposition 36

But the divisive measure that could increase penalties for retail theft and drug charges will be decided by voters in November.

Five young children wearing blue jerseys and white shorts play with soccer balls near a blue yellow and gray tent.

Critically Speaking

Critically Speaking: Are we still a compassionate city?

Long Beach to begin citing some unhoused people following June Supreme Court ruling.

Three men wearing blue suits without ties sit at a blue table next to a lectern labeled "city of Long Beach."

Critically Speaking

Critically Speaking: Budget time blues?

Tough times could be on deck for the city of Long Beach.

A man walking by a white and yellow ballot box outside an office building.

Critically Speaking

Critically Speaking: It’s measuring up to be a big election

Taxes, charter amendments and an expanded board of supervisors.

Critically Speaking

Critically Speaking: A Jurisdictional Jumble

Just because it’s in Long Beach doesn't mean the city controls it.

Critically Speaking

Critically Speaking: Local news matters

That’s why we’re asking you to support us.

Critically Speaking

Critically Speaking: What’s all the fuss about airport noise?

Why residents feel they’re getting a “big middle finger.”