LONG BEACH, CALIF. USA — Volunteers Elissa Finch, left, and Gina Faruzzi, right, talk with Luwana Wall in Lincoln Park asks during the homeless count in Long Beach, Calif. on July 28, 2011. The pair interviewed Wall the day before.

A grass-roots group of advocates for the homeless are completing a three-day survey of downtown homeless. This is the second biennial survey by the group Long Beach Connections. In the two years since the July 2009 survey, 76 of the 345 homeless interviewed in the survey were given permanent housing with support services. The survey consists of a questionnaire that measures the vulnerability of those interviewed to suffer from severe privation and death on the streets. See more pictures>>

SEAL BEACH, CALIF. USA — Firefighters from Orange County, Garden Grove and Long Beach battle a brush fire at the intersection of the San Diego (405) Freeway and San Gabriel River Freeway in Seal Beach, Calif. on July 25, 2011. The fire was just north of I-405 and west of I-605. See more pictures>>

Boat riders get an ocean view of the Queen Mary in Long Beach Harbor as Saturday’s Harbor Cruises whale watching trip pulls in to port in Downtown Long Beach, Calif. on July 23, 2011.

Long Beach police officer Joe Seminara is working with the city’s sizable homeless population, helping people on the streets find shelter, get sober and navigate all the small things most of take for granted.

CalTrans inspectors examine the underside of the Gerald Desmond Bridge on July 19, 2011. The inspections will continue through Thursday. Traffic will be reduced to one lane on the westbound side on Wednesday and Thursday.

LONG BEACH, CALIF. USA — The Big Dogs take on Wolfpack Blue during the Copa Cabana Beach Soccer Tournament on the sand in the Belmont Shore neighborhood of Long Beach, Calif. on July 17, 2011.

LONG BEACH, CALIF. USA — Two make Arctic Fox cubs play in the Molina Animal Care Center at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, Calif. on July 15, 2011. Arctic fox babies are called either pups or kits. The two brothers are part of the Aquarium of the Pacific’s new Arctic & Antarctic: Our Polar Regions in Peril exhibition.

The Arctic fox is an incredibly resilient animal that can live in temperatures as low as -59 F and as warm as temperatures in Southern California. They are found in the Arctic and alpine tundra regions, from coastal Alaska and Greenland to Scandinavia and Russia.
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LONG BEACH, CALIF. USA — Edgar Ramos, from Cal State Northridge, reacts as the Cal State University Board of Trustees take a preliminary vote to raise fees at the CSU Chancellor’s office in Long Beach, Calif. on July 12, 2011. See more pictures>>

LONG BEACH, CALIF. USA — Former NBA player Mike Davis works with youngsters on the first day of the Pete Davis Legends Basketbal Camp at the Alpert JCC in Long Beach, Calif. on July 11, 2011. This week features Marques Kevin Johnson.

Johnson graduated from Crenshaw High School then played for UCLA. He became a star player under the guidance of legendary coach John Wooden. Johnson was awarded the first John Wooden player of the year award.

The Pete Davis Legends Basketball Camp is a four-day program for youngsters ages 6 to 14. The next session starts July 18 and features Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, Kobe Bryant’s father and former Philadelphia Seventy-Sixer.

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LONG BEACH, CALIF. USA — Nancy Foster, wife of Long Beach, Calif., Mayor Bob Foster, in their Naples Island home on July 11, 2011. See more pictures>>

Changes at the Press-Telegram now have me covering the entire South Bay as well as Long Beach.

Starting today I’ll include pictures and video from my new coverage area as well as pictures of the Greater Long Beach area.

Thanks for checking out the blog

— Jeff

LAKEWOOD, CALIF. USA — Emily Santos keeps cool in a wading pool ay Palms Park in Lakewood, Calif., on July 6, 2011. According to accuweather.com, the high in Lakewood was 84 degrees.

There are seven wading pools in Lakewood parks. All are free and open from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., from June 20 to September 5, 2011. Mayfair park is open daily. Del Valle, Palms and San Martin Parks are open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Bloomfield and Boyar parks are open Tuesday and Thursday. All the wading pools are open Saturday and Sunday.

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LONG BEACH, CALIF. USA — Marie Herrera and Lulu Arechiga, from Sabor de Mexico in Torrance, wait to perform during the ILWU Bloody Thursday picnic at Harry Bridges Park in Long Beach, Calif. on July 5, 2011. ILWU members held a memorial service to honor martyrs Dickie Parker and John Knudson who were shot on May 15, 1934 while fighting for the union. About 60 cars and motorcycles then followed a hearse to Harry Bridges Park in Long Beach, Calif. for their annual picnic. See more pictures / buy repritns>>

SAN PEDRO, CALIF. USA — ILWU members drive over the Vincent Thomas Bridge in a funeral procession from Roosevelt Park Cemetery in Gardena, Calif. to Harry Bridges Park in Long Beach, Calif. on July 5, 2011. ILWU members held a memorial service to honor martyrs Dickie Parker and John Knudson who were shot on May 15, 1934 while fighting for the union. About 60 cars and motorcycles then followed a hearse to Harry Bridges Park in Long Beach, Calif. for their annual picnic. See more pictures / buy reprints>>