Long Beach California

Club Bounce: Nightclubs For The Plus-Size Take Shape

AP | JOHN ROGERS | Posted 10.26.2009 | Home


LONG BEACH, Calif. — Move over, it's Saturday night at Club Bounce and people are bouncing onto the dance floor in a big, big way.

These are big, big people, all dressed to the nines and many tipping the scales at 250, maybe 300 pounds.

That's because this expansive nightclub a couple blocks from the Pacific Ocean, with its flashing lights, friendly atmosphere and wall-rattling hip-hop sounds, caters specifically to fat people.

That's right, fat people. Not just any fat people, either, but fat people who are proud to call themselves fat people. People who joke that they are part of the new Fat is Phat movement.

"Self-conscious? No! Not at all," laughs Monique Lopez, a curvaceous woman of 23 as she arrives in a tight, black dress and heels. "I was like, 'I'm going to Club Bounce tonight. I'm going to wear my shortest skirt.'" (Which she did.)

California Ethanol Truck's Fiery Crash Kills Driver

AP | Posted 07.16.2009 | Green


LONG BEACH, Calif. — A tanker truck hauling 8,000 gallons of ethanol crashed and exploded into an inferno that sent a river of fire into storm d...

Long Beach Grand Prix - IndyCar combines for good race, few fans

Steve Parker | Posted 05.22.2009 | Living


Steve Parker

Dario Franchitti dedicated his victory to his wife, Ashley Judd, whose 41st birthday they celebrated together at Long Beach - kind of a boring proposi...

SHAM FUNERAL! Faye Schilling, Jean Crump ARRESTED

AP | Posted 05.10.2009 | Home


LOS ANGELES — Two women have been charged with staging sham funerals to collect life insurance payments and other money totaling an estimated $1 mil...

The Great Latino Wake

Mario Solis-Marich | Posted 04.25.2009 | Politics


Mario Solis-Marich

All over the country I have been hearing from and about young Latina/o Democratic and independent candidates who are readying themselves for upcoming election cycles.

Leukemia: A Soldiers Souvenir From the Burn Pits of Iraq

R. B. Stuart | Posted 03.06.2009 | Living


R. B. Stuart

Although SSG. Steven Ochs seemed impenetrable, he could not sidestep the invisible weapon that would course through his bloodstream five months after his third tour ended.