LONG BEACH : Second ‘Goods for Guns’ Exchange Is Planned

Despite a lack of support from the city’s major supermarkets, Mayor Ernie Kell has scheduled a second “Goods For Guns” exchange.

Organizers will offer $50 grocery certificates for the first 80 or so guns that are handed over during the exchange. The mayor’s office has raised $4,000 to purchase 80 grocery certificates, but Kell hopes to have additional certificates when the exchange begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, said Tom Poe, chief deputy to the mayor.

Guns can be turned in at the Greater Open Door Church of God in Christ, at 132 E. Artesia Blvd. Police ask that all guns be unloaded.

The guns will be destroyed. No questions will be asked about a weapon’s origin or history.

The grocery certificates can be redeemed at Notrica’s 32nd Street Markets, which gave $2,000 to the exchange program. Kell said Notrica’s was the only market to contribute to the Saturday exchange.

Last month, citizens turned in 50 guns in exchange for $100 grocery certificates from Ralphs Grocery Co. Organizers ran out of certificates within two hours, and turned away about 50 others who wanted to turn in their guns, Poe said.

Organizers had hoped to raise at least $40,000 and hold gun exchanges every weekend in May, but scaled back their plans when only Ralphs responded to the city’s plea for major grocery chains to donate certificates.