Free Outdoor Movies at the Great Park
Summer is the perfect time to head to the Great Park to enjoy an outdoor screening of a family-friendly film.
Will District Elections be on the November Ballot?
Last year, the City of Irvine was threatened with a lawsuit for violating the California Voting Rights Act by continuing to elect members of the City Council through an “at-large” election process rather than “by-district.”
An at-large election system often precludes local neighborhood representation because multiple elected Councilmembers can live in the same area of the City, leaving other areas of the City unrepresented.
District elections would divide the City into geographic districts, allowing voters in each district to elect their own City Councilmember, who must also live in that district.
Since taking office, Councilmember Larry Agran has been the only member of the Council to publicly support district elections.
During the July 12th City Council meeting, an item has been added to the agenda to discuss district elections. It is expected that Agran will ask for a measure to be added to the November 2022 ballot, allowing Irvine voters to decide the matter.
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Good News for Democracy in Irvine
In January 2021, Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan, Vice Mayor Anthony Kuo, and Councilmembers Tammy Kim...
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Councilmember Tammy Kim Votes Against the Proposed Flying Leathernecks Aviation Museum at the Great Park
During a recent Great Park Board Meeting, retired U.S. Marine Corps Brigadier General Mike Aguilar — representing the Flying Leathernecks Historical Foundation — presented a detailed plan for the proposed Flying Leathernecks Aviation Museum at the Great Park.
After he completed his presentation, Councilmember Tammy Kim aggressively questioned Gen. Aguilar. She challenged the proposal to restore and repurpose giant hangars as an aviation museum at the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, which is now the Great Park. The proposal would bring back to the base more than 40 military aircraft, some dating back to World War II.
After saying she originally supported plans for the museum, Kim stated: “What I felt like I was approving was something way more high-tech, more of a futuristic Air & Space Center as opposed to a museum with artifacts and what seems to be a quasi Marine recruitment center as well. And so, I’m not really convinced that this is the best space and this is the best use for the Great Park.”
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IPD Hosts Townhall to Discuss Strategies for Keeping Our Schools Safe
For years, Irvine has been recognized as the Safest City in America. That didn’t happen by...
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Seven-Year-Old Irvine Resident Ivy ZhiYi Mao Takes Second Place in International Music Competition
Last August, seven-year-old Irvine resident Ivy ZhiYi Mao began violin lessons...
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Is the Orange County Power Authority in Crisis Mode? Board Members & Staff Appear to be Turning on One Another
Over the past year, news outlets across Southern California have been publishing articles that detail the troubles and missteps of the six-member Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) board.
The board is led by Irvine City Councilmember Mike Carroll. Mayor Farrah Khan is also a board member, serving with Carroll as Irvine’s representative.
The OCPA board first drew media scrutiny when they hired longtime County staffer and political operative Brian Probolsky. With zero experience in the energy field, Probolsky was named CEO of the newly created multi-million-dollar Power Authority.
Even though Irvine taxpayers are funding OCPA, neither Carroll nor Khan have allowed any public presentation or discussion regarding how Irvine taxpayer dollars are being spent. When asked about financial transparency, Carroll told Voice of OC last year: “We’re not in a typical public agency. This is not a civil service … this is about as private as a public agency can get.”
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Two Longtime Irvine Residents Share Memories of Working at the Former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station at the Great Park
Irvine Community News & Views recently caught up with longtime Irvine residents Ted Bernez and Tony Rivas. Both men worked for more than 20 years at the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS El Toro) at what is now Irvine’s Great Park.
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OCPA Hit with a Nearly $2 Million Fine Levied by the California Public Utilities Commission
During the May 24th Irvine City Council meeting, Councilmember Larry Agran used his 3-minute time allocation during the “Announcements” portion of the meeting to publicly state his concerns regarding the lack of transparency at the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA).
In April, all businesses operating in the City of Irvine were automatically transferred from their previous provider of electricity — Southern California Edison (SCE) — and enrolled in OCPA, at a higher rate. In October, all Irvine households will be transferred to OCPA, with a similar rate hike.
Agran announced that the OCPA has been fined $1.96 million by the California Public Utilities Commission for failing to purchase enough electricity to ensure that its customers are provided with uninterrupted service.
Agran asked: “Where is the oversight? Where is the transparency? Where is Irvine taxpayer money going? We need answers right now because our City’s future, both economic and environmental, is at stake.”
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New Book Celebrates History of Chinese-Americans in Irvine
How cool is this? The South Coast Chinese Cultural Center has published a new book that documents the history of Chinese-Americans here in Irvine.
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