glbradiologo275155 In the dwindling days before Al Austin is officially—and finally—becomes a member of the Long Beach City Council on July 17,  the first-time officeholder spends an hour in front of a live microphone answering every question GreaterLongBeach.com publisher Dave Wielenga wanted to ask. That’s the way it’s done on Greater Long Beach Radio.

Consequently, during the course of a July 5 interview carried live from the studios of KBEACH.org on the Cal State Long Beach campus, Austin explains how he has filled the three months since 8th district voters chose him to succeed two-term councilmember Rae Gabelich on April 10, reflects upon his feelings—and the meaning—of victory his convincing victory over a better-funded and more-prominently endorsed opponent, comes to terms with his loss five years ago as a carpetbagging austinal candidate in the 6th district when he had the rich warchest and the big-name support, reveals his upbringing in a political fam1ily in Detroit and his background as a union organizer, lays out the most-important issues facing Long Beach, the challenge1s of leading in tough economic times and what significance there may be in the fact that three of the nine seats on the Long Beach City Council are occupied by African-American men. 

LISTEN TO AL AUSTIN’S  APPEARANCE ON GREATER LONG BEACH RADIO

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