________________ LONG BEACH _______________
HERALD
Two Generations, One Mission
Also serving Point Lookout & East Atlantic Beach
Rec Center boost from state funds
Boardwalk hosts craft festival
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Vol. 37 No. 28
July 9 - 15, 2026
For All Your Real Es tate Needs Joyce Jonathan Coletti Gottesmann 516.313.2700
718.496.6389
$1.00
Ticket booths fill boardwalk with fresh art By CHRIS ColuCCI ccolucci@liherald.com
Courtesy Justine Stefanelli
Artist Michele Dodd painted an eagle to honor the Waterfront Warriors. Max Marcus, seated center, a 102-year-old World War II veteran, was on hand for the reveal, which kicked off the July Fourth weekend.
Long Beach has always drawn attention to the boardwalk, the beach and the arts. In May, the city began a project combining all three — coordinating with the Long Beach Arts Council to invite local artists to paint murals on the beachfront ticket booths along the boardwalk. After the first phase, the renovation of six booths, was completed in May, the project was expanded to an additional 10 booths. Last week, the work was finished, and the booths were officially unveiled. Now, every boardwalk access point to the oceanfront features at least one Long Beach-themed piece of art. “This mural project gives Long Beach’s soul a visible heartbeat,” said mural artist and photographer Justine Stefanelli, a city resident. “Painting my second mural felt like leaving a piece of my heart on the boardwalk and adding to the ContInueD on pAge 3
L.B. city manager receives new two-year contract By CHRIS ColuCCI ccolucci@liherald.com
If the City of Long Beach were a company, the city manager would be its CEO — responsible for the daily administrative tasks, playing an influential role in negotiations with outside parties and presenting proposals to be considered by the “board of directors” — the City Council. Long Beach has had seven city managers over the past 10 years. Four held the position temporarily — serving as interim managers for several months after resignations — and three served the city in a more perma-
nent, contracted capacity. Daniel Creighton, 55, a Long Beach resident for nearly 10 years, was hired as city manager in January 2024. He was offered a new contract after a unanimous City Council vote at Tuesday’s council meeting. Creighton’s two-year contract technically began on Jan. 3, and runs through Jan. 2, 2028. The contract marks only the second time since 2020 that the city manager’s job has been held by someone hired by the City Council. Donna Gayden was most recently chosen for the position. When she suddenly resigned in January 2023, roughly halfway through a two-
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’m so impressed with the work effort that Dan Creighton has brought to this office. BReNdaN FINN City Council president year contract — preceded by an earlier agreement for just over a year — then Police Commissioner Ronald Walsh filled the gap, serving dual roles until Creighton was hired. “I’m so impressed with the work effort that Dan Creighton has brought to this office,” City
Council President Brendan Finn said during Tuesday’s meeting. “The amount of work he’s done and the accomplishments he’s made, I think, are very laudable. I think it’s a contract that is well deserved.” Reviewing his work since 2024, Creighton considers the decision not to raise taxes in his first year a major win for
the city and its residents. More recently, he sees the successful contract negotiations with the Long Beach Professional Firefighters Association and the Uniformed Firefighters Association — which was also announced at Tuesday’s meeting — as another significant victory. Creighton explained ContInueD on pAge 7