Category: Irvine

I wrote an article in May regarding four Irvine City Councilmembers — William Go, James Mai, Melinda Liu, and Kathleen Treseder — who voted to break a promise that the City of Irvine made 11 years ago to veterans and their families to build a Veterans Memorial Park & Cemetery on the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station at the Great Park.

On December 9th, City staff proposed a compromise, suggesting the City build a beautifully sculpted “columbarium” structure within a Wall of Honor & Remembrance as part of the Veterans Memorial Park & Gardens. But once again Councilmembers Go, Mai, Liu, and Treseder voted NO!

Thanks to its abundance of parks, bikeways, open spaces and trees, Irvine is now ranked the fourth Greenest City in America and the greenest city in Southern California according to the finance website WalletHub.

An impressive 28% of Irvine’s land is dedicated to parks and green spaces, which is nearly double the national average. And 96% of Irvine residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park. 

On an unusually rainy Saturday just before Thanksgiving, Irvine residents, businesses, and volunteers came together for Operation Bridge the Gap.

The event also raised more than $33,000, which will allow local organizations to purchase fresh produce, dairy, and protein to fill ongoing gaps by extending support to more households facing uncertainty.

During the November 12th Irvine City Council meeting, Mayor Larry Agran asked the Irvine Police Department (IPD) to update the Council on the growing number of collisions involving electric bikes (e-bikes) — especially among the City’s youth — and to review what new measures can be implemented to keep e-bike riders, pedestrians, and motorists safe.

During the public comments portion of the Council meeting, UCI Health trauma surgeon Sigrid Burruss, MD pointed out that the e-bike injuries she sees in the operating room are similar to those from motorcycle accidents.

The holiday season is upon us and that means taking time out of our busy schedules to gather with...

On December 1st, Orange County’s first cancer specialty hospital opened in Irvine. The 174,000-square-foot City of Hope medical facility is located at 16300 Sand Canyon Parkway.

The new hospital is part of a 72-acre academic research campus that connects the hospital to an adjacent outpatient center, which opened last year, at City of Hope’s $1 billion Irvine campus being developed at Barranca and Alton.

Three years ago, the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) became our City’s electricity provider — promising Irvine customers greener electricity at lower monthly rates. OCPA also promised to create green programs to boost our local economy. None of those promises have been kept!

Broken Promise #3: Green Programs

OCPA’s promise to boost the local economy through the establishment of green programs (and green jobs) never materialized.

Are you planning an international trip? If so, you can now apply for your passport right here in Irvine!

Appointments are currently available on Mondays & Wednesdays between 9am and 3pm. (Expanded hours will be announced in early 2026.) 

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

All of the buses are equipped with bike racks, and are fully accessible by wheelchair and other mobility aids. And riders have access to free wi-fi service.

Mayor Larry Agran is a big fan of trees! In fact, years ago he worked alongside other early leaders to expand our City’s park system. Today, Irvine’s parks are ranked No. 1 in California and No. 2 in America according to the Trust for Public Land. And 94% of our residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park.

Mayor Agran’s office has announced a fun new community engagement project to attract fellow tree (and photo) enthusiasts.

Irvine has a new City Manager. On October 28th, the City Council unanimously approved the hiring of Sean Crumby, who has more than three decades of executive leadership experience in municipal government.

In December 2024, Mr. Crumby was promoted to Assistant City Manager where he has led the development of the Great Park while continuing to oversee the City’s public works, transportation, and sustainability operations.