City Auditor Recommends Improved BID Oversight

Earlier today, Long Beach City Auditor Laura Doud released the results of an audit on Long Beach business improvement districts (BIDs). She recommended improved oversight of funds collected by the BIDs, which amounted to $17 million in 2016. Doud found that BID operators needed better education on their agreements with the city, and that they needed to improve reporting metrics and fee payment processes. Click here to view the full report.

 

Attorney General Nixes Obama-era Pot Policies

Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a memo today indicating a “return to the rule of law” when it comes to federal marijuana enforcement, rescinding the Obama-era policy of non-interference with states that have legalized the drug. California Treasurer John Chiang, a candidate for governor, issued a statement criticizing the move, saying that his state would “continue to both resist, and more importantly, to lead.”

 

California Employers Can Still Set Workplace Marijuana Rules

Although recreational marijuana is now legal in California, employers remain able to enforce drug tests and other workplace policies regarding use and impairment. The California Chamber of Commerce reported that drug testing should occur only after a conditional job offer is made. Testing of employees is usually only allowed after a set of objective criteria indicates abuse, according to the chamber.

 

Mayor To Discuss Plans For The New Year In Address

Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia is giving his State of the City address on January 9 at the Terrace Theater, 300 E. Ocean Blvd. The event opens with a reception at 5 p.m. and the program begins at 6 p.m. Parking is free. Click here to RSVP.

 

 

Memorial Medical Center Foundation Names New President

Sharon Thornton is the new president of the Memorial Medical Center Foundation, a nonprofit that raises up to $15 million annually in support of MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital. She is responsible for developing strategies to increase fundraising, and serves as a link between hospital administration and the board of directors.

 

Harbor Trucking Association Names New CEO

After more than two years as the Harbor Trucking Association’s (HTA) executive director, Weston LaBar has been named chief executive officer and has accepted a five-year contract with the organization, a coalition of intermodal carriers dedicated to educating and promoting efficiency and sustainability in goods movement and intermodal trucking.