Irvine Community News and Views

COVID-19 Cases & Hospitalizations are Spiking in Orange County and Here in Irvine

As we began October — which was six months into the pandemic — Orange County had reported 53,751 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,268 deaths. There were 172 Orange County residents hospitalized with COVID-19.

During October & November, there were an additional 24,802 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported across the County … and we lost another 309 of our neighbors. As of December 11th, there are 1,122 COVID-19 patients in Orange County hospitals.

From Congress to School Board, Here’s Who Irvine Voters Elected on November 3rd

Irvine’s Democratic Congresswoman — and former UCI Law Professor — Katie Porter is heading back to Washington D.C. after easily defeating her Republican opponent Greg Raths.

Another UCI Law Professor, Democrat Dave Min won his election to the State Senate after narrowly defeating Republican incumbent John Moorlach.

In nonpartisan races, Irvine voters elected current Councilwoman Farrah Khan to be the City’s new Mayor. Irvine voters also elected former Mayor Larry Agran, Irvine City Finance Commissioner Tammy Kim and appointed Councilman Mike Carroll to the City Council.

Portola Springs Elementary School Student Organizes Community Food Drive

Krishiv Sonthalia is a sixth grader at Portola Springs Elementary School. Like most boys his age, Krishiv is a sports enthusiast who plays basketball, is learning to play baseball, and is an avid football fan.

Recently, Krishiv acquired a new passion — helping his local community! After learning how many children are going hungry due to the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Krishiv organized a community food drive at his school.

UCI Study Finds that COVID-19 Cases are Seven Times Higher than Reported in Orange County

For months, researchers have believed that the prevalence of COVID-19 had been underestimated since individuals with few to no symptoms were rarely tested.

According to results from a recent study at UCI, COVID-19 infections in Orange County were seven times higher than previously identified.

Orange County & San Diego County: Dramatically Different COVID-19 Results

During the COVID-19 crisis, we’ve all seen the importance of good leadership. Orange County leaders spent months ignoring warnings from health experts, refusing to close beaches, and rejecting the science behind masking. San Diego County leaders took immediate steps to protect their residents, and establish a comprehensive testing, tracing, and treating program.

Several months into the pandemic, San Diego County — with a population of nearly 200,000 more residents than Orange County — has performed 696,917 additional tests yet reports only 27 more cases and 263fewer deaths than Orange County.

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Support Small Businesses & Surprise Your Neighbors

Have you been worried about your favorite Irvine business during the pandemic?

There are simple things you can do to make sure they survive while also bringing a smile to your neighbors.

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Irvine Voters Elect a New Mayor & New Councilmembers

On Tuesday (November 3rd), Irvine voters elected Councilwoman Farrah Khan to replace Christina Shea as Irvine’s Mayor. Khan received 47% of the vote while Shea received 36%.

With late arriving mail-in ballots still being counted, Irvine voters appear to have also returned former Mayor Larry Agran to the City Council, and elected a new Councilmember — Tammy Kim. Kim currently serves as an Irvine City Commissioner.

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Irvine Rotary Offers Scholarships to Students Making a Difference

Each year, the Irvine Rotary Club offers scholarships to juniors and seniors attending high schools in Irvine who have outlined an impactful act of “Service Above Self.”

High school students who have an idea for a service project to help the community — and demonstrate a commitment to seeing the project through — are eligible to apply.

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Checking in with Ed Pope, Chair of the “Build the Great Park Veterans Cemetery” Committee

Irvine Community News & Views (ICNV) recently sat down with Chair of the Build the Great Park Veterans Cemetery committee, Ed Pope.

ICNV asked Ed to give our readers an update on the progress of the project. He began on a positive note, saying, “The support from the community continues to be tremendous! Scores of Irvine residents — teachers, students, nurses, local business owners, veterans, family members of veterans, and so many more — continue to reach out, asking how they can help.”

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Voter Resources: Vote Center & Official Drop Box Locations in Irvine

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, voting is a bit different this year.

Vote-by-mail ballots have been mailed to all registered voters in Orange County. You can drop your completed vote-by-mail ballot in the U.S. mail or at one of the Official Ballot Drop Box locations in Irvine. Ballots must be received or postmarked (if you use the U.S. Postal Service) by November 3rd to be counted.

If you prefer voting in-person, 14 Vote Centers are now open in Irvine.

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