• Archived Posts

    • Archived Newspapers

  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
  • DONATE

Select Page

Category: Irvine

Betty Martinez Franco Joins the Irvine City Council

Betty Martinez Franco was sworn in as the Irvine City Council’s newest member on May 13th, and got a good taste of what she’s gotten herself into during the meeting that followed.

Martinez Franco addressed her new colleagues and the audience in the full Council Chamber, saying that she is very proud to be the first Latina and Mexican immigrant to be elected to the Council, but added, “I am not here to only represent one group or demographic. I am here for everyone.

She closed by saying, “I am ready to get to work, to collaborate with our Mayor and my fellow Councilmembers to build an Irvine where diversity is not just tolerated but celebrated, where equity is not just a promise but a practice, and where inclusion is not just a buzzword, it’s how we govern.”

Read More

The New Irvine Public Library System

Public libraries play a vital role by providing free access to information, fostering literacy, supporting education and lifelong learning, and serving as community hubs for various activities and resources.

Last year, the Irvine City Council unanimously voted to transition library services from the Orange County Public Libraries (OCPL) and, instead, establish its own Irvine Public Library System.

The Council’s decision came down to finances and services offered to the City’s residents. Irvine taxpayers contribute roughly $17 million to OCPL annually. However, the libraries operated by OCPL in Irvine receive only $5 million annually in services. (Decades ago, the City established its own Irvine Police Department because of a similar funding imbalance.)

To read the full article, click here.

Read More

2025 State of the Great Park

On May 6th, thousands of Irvine residents attended the “State of the Great Park” event where Irvine Councilmember and Great Park Chair Mike Carroll gave the opening address.

Guests were treated to interactive displays, live music performances, and light refreshments while learning about new amenities coming to the Great Park.

The Great Park is currently home to world-class sports fields; a professional soccer stadium; a professional ice rink; Wild Rivers Waterpark; the Great Park Balloon & Carousel; a Visitors Center; the Palm Court Arts Complex; the Great Park Gallery; the Walkable Historical Timeline; the Farm + Food Lab; walking trails; and playgrounds & themed play areas.

To read about the new amenities currently under construction at the Great Park, click here.

Read More

Specialty Grocer, Restaurants & Stores Coming to the Great Park

On April 22nd, the Irvine City Council voted unanimously to direct City Manager Oliver Chi to move forward with retail developer Almquist to begin construction of The Canopy — a 90,000 square foot retail center that will be built on the corner of Bosque and Great Park Boulevard.

The retail center — scheduled to open late next year — will include a specialty grocer, sit-down and fast-casual restaurants, and other shopping options for nearby residents and Great Park visitors.

The popular Canadian Asian supermarket chain T&T has announced their first Southern California location will be at The Canopy.

Read More

Irvine CONNECT Shuttle Expansion

Last April, the City launched a one-year pilot program for a free shuttle bus service to connect Irvine residents to parks, schools, hospitals, and shopping centers.

The Irvine CONNECT shuttle operates on weekdays from 6am until 8pm; and on weekends from 8am until 10pm. Shuttle frequency is every 20 minutes, and passengers are able to track the shuttles in real-time.

The current Yale-Barranca route makes about 70 stops, including Sierra Vista Middle School & Lakeside Middle School; Irvine High School & Woodbridge High School; Lakeview Senior Center; Northwood Community Park & Heritage Community Park; Kaiser Permanente Hospital & Hoag Hospital; Northwood Town Center; retail centers on Alton Parkway & Barranca Parkway; the Irvine Spectrum; and the Irvine Train Station.

Pointing to its popularity among residents and increased ridership, the City Council voted unanimously on April 22nd to continue the Irvine CONNECT shuttle service.

Read More

Meet Betty Martinez Franco: Irvine’s District 5 Councilmember

When Betty Martinez Franco entered the City Council race in Irvine’s District 5 last December, she was given virtually no chance against two well-known former Councilmembers.

“My thought wasn’t to run against anyone,” Martinez says. “I saw it as an opportunity for me to run and put myself forward. It was something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and the special election was an opportunity for someone without a lot of money behind them.”

When former Councilmember Tammy Kim withdrew from the race in February, Franco saw her chance.

She quickly consolidated Kim’s supporters behind her candidacy, ran an energetic grassroots campaign, and when the results were tallied on April 15th, she came out on top by more than 500 votes.

Read More

Keeping Irvine Safe with Stepped-Up Traffic Enforcement

During his State of the City address last month, Irvine Mayor Larry Agran discussed his goal to make Irvine the “safest, smartest, greenest, healthiest, and kindest city in America.”

To turn that aspiration into reality, the Mayor is beginning to launch a series of initiatives.

Although Irvine is already considered the “Safest City” in the nation based on FBI violent crime data, Mayor Agran sees an opportunity to do more by addressing other public safety concerns. For example, the City recently lowered speed limits on nearly 100 Irvine streets. And, in his State of the City remarks, Mayor Agran called for stepped-up traffic enforcement by the Irvine Police Department (IPD) — to crack down on speeding, street racing, red-light runners, and drunk drivers.

Read More

Irvine’s New I-CARE Team

In addition to protecting our City from criminal activity, the Irvine Police Department (IPD) responds to nearly 2,400 mental health-related calls each year.

Irvine’s police officers are highly trained in identifying those suffering from mental illness and those in crisis.

IPD currently supports the community through the department’s Mental Health Outreach Unit, its partnership with the Orange County Health Care Agency, and its work with the City of Irvine’s FOR Families program and the Keen Center for Senior Resources at the Lakeview Senior Center.

Now, IPD has established a new resource, the Irvine Community Alternative Response and Engagement (I-CARE) Team.

Read More

Mayor Agran Details His Expansive Vision & Specific Action Plan During “State of the City” Address

During his “State of the City” address, Mayor Larry Agran laid out an expansive vision and a specific action plan for Irvine in front of a packed City Council Chamber.

The Mayor announced two major public-private partnerships — with Hoag Hospital and the Irvine Company — that could have generational impacts on healthcare and affordable housing.

Agran began the speech with the expected report that the state of the City is “excellent,” saying: “Our financial underpinnings are strong, our budgets are balanced, and our reserves are extraordinarily large.”

But then he ventured beyond the dry status report, saying: “We are once again poised to invest in building an even brighter future for our entire Irvine community.”

Read More

Second Annual CicloIrvine Event Scheduled for May 3rd

The second annual CicloIrvine event is set to take place on Saturday (May 3rd) from 11am until 4pm.

After last year’s inaugural event drew more than 10,000 participants, the City Council voted to make CicloIrvine an annual celebration.

This car-free “open streets” event provides Irvine residents and visitors with a unique opportunity to walk, bike, and roll along a 1.4-mile stretch of Campus Drive.

The goal is to promote community engagement, sustainability, and environmentally conscious travel — allowing attendees to experience Irvine’s public spaces and local businesses in a new and re-imagined way. Participants will enjoy live music, informational booths, and a host of family-friendly activities.

Read More
Loading

LATEST WEATHER

Irvine, CA
61°
Clear
11 pm12 am1 am2 am3 am
59°F
59°F
59°F
59°F
59°F

Follow Us

Advertisement

Jason Tu Mobile Service iOS and Android Repair 949.385.1744
Skip to content