Irvine Needs You: Irvine Sports Committee Seeks Applicants for Two Volunteer Positions!

The City of Irvine is accepting applications to fill two volunteer member-at-large vacancies on the Irvine Sports Committee.

The Irvine Sports Committee, which meets quarterly at Irvine City Hall, serves in an advisory capacity to the Community Services Commission, conveying the needs of the community pertaining to youth sports programs and ensuring equitable allocation of athletic facilities and maximum participation for all.

The Committee is composed of representatives from Irvine’s youth sports organizations. While most committee members represent a specific program and sport, members-at-large are selected through a public recruitment process to provide general perspective and guidance.

Applicants must reside in the City of Irvine and be willing to commit to a two-year term of active service. Committee meetings are held quarterly on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. at the Irvine Civic Center.

The City of Irvine offers adult sports leagues (softball, soccer and basketball); tennis lessons, leagues and tournaments for all ages; provides athletic fields (including more than 40 soccer fields, more than 40 baseball diamonds, and more than 85 tennis courts) for more than 25 Irvine-based non-profit youth sports organizations; and facilitates several world-class events and elite sports tournaments.

Applications are available at the Irvine Civic Center, 1 Civic Center Plaza, on the second floor in the Community Services Department, and online at irvineathletics.org.

Completed applications must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Friday, November 9, 2018, to:
City Clerk’s Office
City of Irvine
P.O. Box 19575
Irvine, CA 92623-9575

For more information, contact Community Services Manager Dena Diggins at 949-724-6155 or ddiggins@cityofirvine.org.

Irvine’s Public Libraries: I Need Your Input!

Irvine has three libraries that are managed through in agreement with Orange County Public Libraries.  These are the Katie Wheeler Library, the Heritage Park Library, and the University Park Library. Irvine taxpayers pay for the maintenance and operation of these libraries.

As the daughter of a librarian, a member of the Irvine City Council, and as Irvine’s representative on the Library Advisory Board (LAB) of Orange County Library System, I have been very concerned about the conditions and quality of the public libraries in Irvine.

This past summer, I assigned my interns to research our public libraries and make a report on the status of libraries.  Among the many problems noted in the report were overcrowding, inadequate work space, and lack of amenities.

Something must be done.

Irvine residents need and deserve a public library system that is modern, well-maintained and inviting, with a multitude of amenities and programs for students, seniors, and the entire community.

Going forward, I would like your input.

Do you use the public libraries in Irvine?

What problems do you see?

What suggestions do you have?

Please let me know at mefox@cityofirvine.org.

Please forward this post to others who are interested in improving our public libraries in Irvine.

Thanks!

UPDATE:

I made this blog post partly to test whether Irvine residents really want improved libraries, with awareness that every improvement has a cost and that financial realities must always be taken into account. What I’ve found is that there is tremendous interest in improving our libraries, and that — like me — residents believe that our relationship with the County regarding our libraries is not positive for Irvine. I have also been impressed with the ideas that residents have put forward regarding the kinds of libraries and library services we need in the digital age. Please keep your comments coming — preferably to my City Council email address at mefox@cityofirvine.org (even if you’ve also commented online). Thanks!

Irvine Global Village at the Great Park was a Great Success — Take Our Survey and Help Us Make it Even Better!

As a member of the Irvine City Council, I’m very proud of Irvine’s reputation for being one of the most multicultural and harmonious cities in the world.

As Vice Chair of the Great Park, I very proud of the 2018 Irvine Global Village festival, held for the very time at the Great Park.

I loved the performances, the food, the laughing children, the smiles on people’s faces, and checking out the many items for sale from merchants representing the world’s cultures.

As always, the very best part of the Global Village Festival for me is meeting with people, especially in the booths representing Irvine’s wide-ranging civic and cultural groups and organizations.

Did you attend this year’s Global Village Festival?  If so, w e want your feedback!

Please take a quick, two-minute survey to help us continue to improve the festival.

Visit this link to participate:  cityofirvine.org/festivalsurvey.

Thanks!

Watch the Great Park Balloon ‘Jack’ Installation!

You are invited to watch the Great Park Balloon ‘Jack’ Installation as Irvine’s iconic giant orange balloon is transformed into a Great Jack-o’-lantern for Halloween!

Balloon pilots are lifted by a large crane to attach black vinyl tarp pieces to the Balloon’s sides, creating a jack-o-lantern face affectionately known as “Jack.”

The transformation is scheduled for 9:00 –11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 2.  The transformation could be delayed to the evening if winds are too strong. Check back on the Great Park Facebook Page for any updates.

There is no cost to watch the Balloon’s transformation, and guests are welcome to enjoy other Great Park amenities open that day, including the Farm + Food Lab and lawn areas.

Also, join us for Irvine’s Spooktacular Fun Days, Oct 13 – Oct 14, the Orange County Great Park’s annual fall tradition featuring a treat town, pumpkin patch, petting zoo, entertainment, crafts, inflatables, face painting, community booths, carnival games, food concessions and much more.  For more information,  visit ocgp.org/spooktacular.

 

 

 

Play Ball! Join Me As We Officially Open Our New Great Park Baseball Stadium!

As Vice Chair of the Orange County Great Park, it is my pleasure to invite you to join me on Sunday, September 16, 2018, for free, family-friendly fun as we officially open our new 1200-seat Great Park Championship Baseball Stadium, and our new additional baseball and softball fields at the Orange County Great Park Sports Complex.

This event begins at 10:00 a.m., with an official opening ceremony at 1:00 p.m.

Enjoy exhibition games from local baseball and softball teams, and visit the new baseball stadium, softball stadium, and 10 surrounding ball fields.

Food trucks will be there for visitors to buy lunch, and city leaders will gather to throw out the first pitch in the Baseball Stadium.

At the Championship Stadium, four, two-inning baseball games will be played by the eight local high school teams. Portola and University will play the first game at 10:00 a.m. followed by Beckman vs. Irvine, Tustin vs. Northwood and Woodbridge vs. Foothill.

The members of these teams will join city officials on the field for the ribbon cutting ceremony at 1:00 p.m.

Parking is free!

The new Great Park Championship Baseball Stadium includes four batting cages, a meeting room and press box. On the field level, there are dressing rooms on both sides where the dugouts are, coaches offices, umpire rooms and training facilities. There is also an outfield berm area, which can hold 1,000 more fans sitting on the grass.

The Orange County Great Park is the largest public park project now underway. Several hundred acres of parkland are under development, and beginning summer 2018 and through year’s end, several more facilities and fields will be turned over to the City for community public use. These are the 1-mile long Great Park bike and pedestrian trails; seven baseball fields that include our new 1,000-seat baseball stadium; five softball fields that include a 500-seat stadium; six artificial turf soccer/lacrosse fields; four basketball courts; a Children’s Playground; and an 18-acre Flex Field in which up to four playing fields can be added for tournament use. In total, the above equals 130 acres.

Already open for one year within the 194-acre Sports Complex are a Soccer Stadium with seating for 5,000, six other soccer/lacrosse fields, 25 tennis courts, five sand volleyball courts, and a Children’s Play Area.

These all complement the long-opened features of the 1,300-acre Great Park, which include five soccer/lacrosse fields, two art galleries, the Great Park Balloon, and the Children’s Carousel.

In addition, the Anaheim Ducks Great Park Ice Complex – the largest in the state with four sheets of ice and one of the largest in the country at 270,000 square feet – will open by the end of 2018 at the Great Park. Ice time will include public skating, youth hockey games and tournaments, and figure skating.

Next on our Great Park agenda should be creating the real jewel of the Great Park: The Cultural Terrace, with botanical gardens and museums!

I have also joined with Irvine City Councilmember Cristina Shea in calling for the construction of a veteran’s cemetery within the Great Park.  This proposal is now going through an expedited evaluation process by our City staff.

For far too many years, the Great Park was a symbol of gross mismanagement and government gone very wrong, with allegations of corruption and massive waste, and with little to nothing to show for the expenditure of hundreds of millions of public dollars except a balloon, a carousel, and great expanses of dirt, dust, and debris.

HEADLINE HEREHowever, since I have joined the Irvine City Council — and been appointed Vice Chair of the Orange County Great Park by my colleagues — we have succeeded in making a tremendous, positive turn-around in the Great Park’s development.  Exciting progress has been made!

As the Orange County Register recently wrote, “If you haven’t visited the Orange County Great Park – where you see that big orange balloon from Interstate 5 – in the past few years, you may be surprised by the amount of construction going on and how quickly things are getting built there.”

We are now fulfilling the promise of a truly Great Park — Join us on Sunday, September 16 to celebrate!

Play Ball!

 

Join Me at Irvine’s Global Village Festival at the Great Park!

My favorite Irvine cultural event of the year is almost here!

Experience sights and sounds from around the world on Saturday, September 22, 2018, at the Irvine Global Village Festival!

Irvine Community Services Commissioner Melissa Fox at Irvine's Global Village Festival 2013

In Irvine, we are proud of saying that our city is not only among the most diverse cities in the nation, it is also the most fully integrated.

There are no ethnic, linguistic, religious, or cultural enclaves in Irvine: every neighborhood reflects Irvine’s harmonious ethnic, linguistic, religious, and cultural diversity.

How diverse is Irvine?  A non-English language is spoken in a remarkable 58% of Irvine homes, with more than 70 different languages spoken in residences throughout Irvine.  Nearly 40 % of Irvine’s public school students have a primary language other than English.

Irvine is also home to more than 80 different churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship, serving Irvine’s wonderful cultural and religious diversity.

This year marks the 17th anniversary of the Irvine Global Village Festival – Irvine’s largest and most attended community event.

As Vice Chair of the Orange County Great Park, I am thrilled that, for the very first time, the Irvine Global Village Festival will be held at the Great Park!

Founded in 1998 by a group of Irvine residents to help promote understanding and build harmony within Irvine’s many diverse cultures, the day-long Global Village Festival is now Irvine’s signature event, featuring more than 100 performances on five stages; international cuisine and food from more than 50 restaurants; an international marketplace filled with unique crafts and textiles; interactive, educational and entertaining cultural displays, demonstrations, and performances; and an international village just for kids.

More than 40 local restaurants and gourmet food trucks serve up samples of regional and international specialties from boba smoothies, miso soup, falafel, Mexican fusion tacos and German pretzels to Japanese dumplings, Hawaiian shaved ice and the all-American bacon-wrapped hot dog. Please be prepared with cash for food and beverage purchases.

At the heart of the Festival is the Community Partners Pavilion, where nonprofit, local community groups and government agencies have an opportunity to showcase their programs and services to the community.

I’m looking forward to celebrating the many facets of Irvine’s diversity at the Global Village Festival – and I look forward to seeing you there!

Here are some important Festival details:

What: Irvine Global Village Festival

When: Saturday, September 22, 2018, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Where: Orange County Great Park, 8000 Great Park Boulevard, Irvine, CA 92618

Cost: Admission is FREE! Please be prepared with cash for food and beverage purchases.

Parking: Free parking is available on-site at the Orange County Great Park. Please enter at the intersection of Sand Canyon Avenue and Great Park Boulevard and follow event signage. Carpooling is encouraged. If you are being dropped off, taking a taxi or ride share service, have your driver follow the directions above and follow signage to the drop-off location: “Great Park Tennis Complex Parking Lot.” Disabled person parking is available. Please have the appropriate placard visible when following the directions above. Parking directors will route vehicles to disabled parking.

UCI Students and Staff: Anteater Express Shuttle service to and from the festival will be available for UCI students and staff.

Bike to the Festival:  The easiest way to get to the Festival is by bike. The City of Irvine has an extensive system of bike trails to get you to and from the event, and once inside, riders can safely and securely store their bikes at the Festival’s free Bike Valet area, hosted by the Bicycle Club of Irvine and the Orange County Bicycle Coalition. Use Irvine’s Bike Map to plan your trip.

Pets: Dogs are welcome at the Irvine Global Village Festival! However, owners must be responsible for their pets; dogs must be on leash, interact well in a large crowd and remain in the charge of a person competent to restrain them.

See you there!

Visit the Irvine Fine Arts Center Presents to See “All Media 2018” Showcase for Southern California Artists!

The Irvine Fine Arts Center announces the opening of its latest exhibition, All Media 2018, an annual juried show featuring the work of Southern California artists.

An opening reception is 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, with award presentations beginning at 4:45 p.m.

The exhibition runs through Saturday, Oct. 27.

Juried by brilliant OC Weekly arts writer — and my long-time friend — Dave Barton, the exhibition features painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, sculpture, installation, digital media, and more.

Gallery hours are 10:00 a.m.– 9:00 p.m. Monday–Thursday, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Friday, and 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday.

Admission and parking are free.

All Media 2018 exhibition artists include: Marte Amato, Carlo Andaya, Alyssa Arney, Peter Bobbs, Bridget Bourgon, Kevin Campbell, Rachelle Chuang, Katherine Cooksey, Patrick Crabb, Nicholas Decker, Mika Denny, Martin Etem, Lauren Evans, Silvia Faris, Amanda Fisher, Consuelo G. Flores, Liz Flynn, Fernando Forero, Dwora Fried, Alice Gamez, Daniela Garcia, Paul Gardner, Lisa Griffiths, Keumsook Hahn, Emily Halpern, Sara Hassan Khani, Jacoby Hinton, Phung Huynh, Greta Jursch, George Katzenberger, Beverly A. Kelly, Ellen Kirwan, Broni Likomanov, Gillian Loop, Paul Lucido, Gina M., Kai Mao, Shahin Massoudi, Durandy McConnell, Andrea Moni, Kevin Moran, Kevin Morris, Marie Nagy, Nicholas Nicola, Tommy Orosco, Peter Politanoff, Anne Marie Price, Christian Ramirez, Jenny Rask, Robin Repp, Samuelle Richardson, Kerri Sabine-Wolf, Robyn Sanford, Carl Shubs, Peggy Sivert, Amber Smith, Savva Teteriatnikov, Linda Wald, Elizabeth Wang, Wren Warner, and Sean Yang.

The Irvine Fine Arts Center is located inside Heritage Community Park at 14321 Yale Ave.

For more information, visit irvinefinearts.org or call 949-724-6880.

See you there!

Korean American Center – KAC 무료 시민권 신청 행사 Free Citizenship Application Assistance!

For the first time South Orange County, a free event will be held to help Korean immigrants with applications for U.S. citizenship on Saturday, August 25, 2018, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Northwood Community Park, located at 4531 Bryan Ave, Irvine, CA 92620.

The event will include about 10 immigration attorneys and more than 50 experienced Korean speaking volunteers, who will help complete your citizenship documents with one-on-one services.

You must make reservations by telephone at (714) 449-1125.

시민권 신청 서류 (N400) 의 작성및 법적인 검토/상담  

FREE Citizenship Application (N-400) Assistance and Legal Review

2018년 6월 23일 (토) Saturday, August 25th
오전 9시부터 오후 4시까지 9 am – 4 pm

Korean American Center 코리안 아메리칸 센터
& Korean Community Services  코리안 복지센터

Northwood Comunity Park/Center, 4531 Bryan Ave, Irvine, CA 92620.

예약 전화 번호
Call for Appointment: 714-449-1125.

Anyone needing citizenship assistance is welcomed. This event is not only for Koreans.

필수 서류 Documents to Bring:

1) ID: 운전 면허증 또는 기타 신분증 (여권), 사회 보장 번호, 영주권 카드. Idenification: Driver’s License/Personal I.D, Social Security Number, and Green Card.

2) 지난5년간 거주, 취업/학교 정보: 거주한 주소, 취업한 회사 이름과 주소/ 학교 이름과 주소. – 정확한 날자를 기억하지 못하는 경우 최선을 다해 대략의 날자를 제공해 주어야 합니다. Work, School, Residence History: Where have you lived and worked/attended school during the last 5 years. You may provide approximate dates, only if you cannot remember the exact date.

3) 지난 5년간 24시간 이상 체류한 해외 여행 기록: (년,월,일): 해외로 나간 모든 여행의 출국.입국 일자 (육로나 해상으로 멕시코나 캐나다 여행한 것도 포함) 정확한날자를 기억하지 못하는 경우 최선을 다해 대략의 날자를 제공해 주어야 합니다
Trips Outside of the United States for more than 24 hours in the last 5 years (Month, Day, Year): Dates of departure and arrival of all trips outside of the United States, including trips to Mexico or Canada by land or sea (you may provide approximate dates, only if you cannot remember the exact date).

4) 현재의 결혼 신분: 배우자의 이름, 생년월일, 현 주소, 출생 국가, 결혼 일자, 이민신분, 이혼 또는 재혼 이상인 경우 상기 정보외에 모든 전 배우자의 사망 일자 또는이혼 일자 배우자가 영주권자인 경우 영주권 번호, 귀화 시민권자인경우 시민권 선서식 장소와 날자.  Current Marriage: Name of your spouse, address, date of birth, date of marriage (civil marriage, social security number, if your spouse is a permanent resident: must provide its number, if he/she became a U.S. citizen: must provide date and location of the oath ceremony where the ceremony was held).

5) 자녀: 이름, 생년월일, 출생 국가, 현 주소, 영주권자인 경우 영주권 번호.
Children: Name, date of birth, country of birth, address where each children lives. Resident numbers if they are permanent residents.

6) 범죄 기록: 사법 기관, 경찰, 이민 세관국,또는 이민서비스국과 법적인 접촉이 있었던 경우, 구류, 체포 또는 유죄 판결관련 서류/기록을 가지고 와야합니다. 또한 운전중 티켓받은 기록도 모두 정리해서 가지고와야 합니다. Criminal History: If you have ever come into contact with law enforcement, police, ICE, or immigration services, you must bring all documents/records connected to any detention, arrest, or conviction.

Hosted By:
Korean Community Services 코리안 복지 센터
Asian Americans Advancing Justice – OC
Korean American Center 오렌지 카운티 한미 문화 센터

See the Facebook event page HERE.

Great Park Update: We’re Creating a Truly Great Park!

As anyone who has followed the history of the Orange County Great Park knows, its development has not always been smooth or something to be proud of.

In fact, for far too many years, the Great Park was a symbol of gross mismanagement and government gone very wrong, with allegations of corruption and massive waste, and with little to nothing to show for the expenditure of hundreds of millions of public dollars except a balloon, a carousel, and great expanses of dirt, dust, and debris.

However, since I have joined the Irvine City Council — and been appointed Vice Chair of the Orange County Great Park by my colleagues — we have succeeded in making a tremendous, positive turn-around in the Great Park’s development.  Real, substantial, and exciting progress has been made.

As the Orange County Register recently wrote, ” If you haven’t visited the Orange County Great Park – where you see that big orange balloon from Interstate 5 – in the past few years, you may be surprised by the amount of construction going on and how quickly things are getting built there.”

We are now fulfilling the promise of a truly Great Park that all of us can feel proud of and enjoy!

Here are some of things we’ve already accomplished:

  • Groundbreaking for new Anaheim Ducks’ 270,000 square-foot community ice skating and practice facility in the Great Park (largest public ice skating facility in the West).
  • Opened new 5,000-seat Championship Soccer Stadium and numerous other sports fields and facilities in the first phase of 194-acre Great Park Sports Park, the largest of its kind in Orange County — larger than Disneyland and Disney California Adventure combined.
  • Great Park Sports Complex presented with the Orange County Business Council’s Turning Red Tape into Red Carpet Award for Public-Private Partnership.
  • Great Park Championship Stadium became home of Orange County Soccer Club, Orange County’s only professional soccer team and official affiliate partner of the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) of Major League Soccer (MLS). Orange County SC is a part of the United Soccer League (USL), the fastest growing Division II professional soccer league in the world comprised of 34 teams across the United States.
  • Begun construction of a 2.5 mile nature corridor at the eastern end of the park. It is intended to be a pathway for bobcats, coyotes, California gnatcatchers and other wildlife species to move safely between the Santa Ana Mountains and the coast. The corridor, accessible only to wildlife, is expected to open mid-2019.
  • 101 acres of Great Park Sports complex completed, including six new soccer/lacrosse fields; a natural turf flex field that can accommodate four additional soccer fields, four basketball courts available for drop-in use, and more.

At our last Irvine City Council meeting, the Great Park’s Interim Director, Pete Carmichael, presented us with the latest Great Park Progress Report, which  I want to share with you.

Construction Updates:

  • Sports Park Phases 3 and 4: expected turnover September, 2018.
  • Bee and Bosque Trail Areas: awaiting turnover by partner FivePoint.
  • Ice Complex: opening expected by end of 2018.
  • Western Sector Street Improvements: construction in progress; phase 1 completion expected Fall 2018.

Forward Planning Updates:

  • Cultural Terrace: FivePoint contracting for Phase 2 consultants.
  • Cultural Terrace: Preliminary tenant outreach.
  • Cultural Terrace: parking plan developed to include parking stalls, entrance plaza and landscaping.
  • Water Park: CEQA studies in progress.
  • Water Park: land appraisal underway.
  • Water Park: new lease terms coming to City Council next month (August).

Further Updates and News:

  • Championship Soccer Stadium has held 17 tournaments; played 112 games; hosted 75 teams; and has had attendance of 95,625.
  • Soccer Fields have held 18 tournaments; 11,750 practices; 4,818 games; hosted 6,330 teams, and has had attendance of 411,330.
  • Upcoming Soccer Events: GSAC Conference Championships; NAIA National Championships.
  • Tennis Center has held 884 tournaments; 722 league matches, and given 1,745 lessons.
  • Movies on the Lawn Series: more than 9,000 visitors.
  • OC Steam Fest: 5,000 visitors.
  • UCI Anti-Cancer Walk: 3,500 visitors.

Up Next:

  • Opening of Baseball and Softball facilities.

Of course, there is still more to do.  As I have said, while I am proud of all that we’ve recently accomplished at the Great Park, the time has come to focus on creating what should be the real jewel of the Great Park: The Cultural Terrace.  I have long been a strong advocate for botanical gardens and museums in the Great Park’s Cultural Terrace.

You can positively impact the next phase of development by the Great Park Cultural Terrace by becoming involved in the grass-roots organizations that are working toward a Great Park botanical garden and a natural history museum:

Great Park Garden Coalition
Website: http://redryder200.com/GreatGardensCoalition/
Facebook: Click here.

California Cultural Resources Preservation Alliance (CCRPA)
Website: http://www.ccrpa.com/
Facebook: Click here.

You can also help by signing this petition to urge the creation of a natural history museum in the Great Park.

In addition, I remain strongly committed to the creation of veterans cemetery in Irvine.  Councilmember Christina Shea and I have proposed to build a veterans cemetery in the Great Park on land now designated for a golf course

This proposal would be both cost-saving and time-saving, and locates the veterans cemetery squarely within the Great Park and the former Marine Air Base, yet not next to neighborhoods and schools.

The proposal does not involve a land exchange, and the location of the cemetery would not open other areas to potential commercial development, add additional homes, or cause any increase in traffic.

Click HERE to read the proposal.

As you can see, we’ve accomplished a lot.  I am very proud of our residents, our city staff, and our community partners for all we’ve done so far, and I look forward to continuing to fulfill the promise of a truly Great Great Park!

Be sure to check out the Great Park Calendar of Events so you can keep up-to-date on what’s coming up next!

 

 

Bring Your Child and a Favorite Stuffed Animal Friend to Pajama Storytime and Stuffed Animal Sleepover at Irvine University Park Library!

On Wednesday evening, July 25, 2018, bring your child and a favorite stuffed animal friend to Pajama Storytime and the 5th Annual Stuffed Animal Sleepover at Irvine University Park Library.

Libraries across the globe have been hosting “Stuffed Animal Sleepovers” to encourage an early love of reading.

Here’s how it works:

In the early evening, children in pajamas bring their favorite stuffed friend to the library (researchers say it’s best if they choose one they’re especially attached to). Then librarians usually lead the kids in a story time circle with their favorite stuffed animals.

After that, it’s time for the kids to say goodbye and goodnight — but they leave their little buddies behind for their own overnight library party.

Once the doors are shut, the library staff gets to work posing the stuffed animals living it up — and reading — at the library all night long, and snapping photos as they go.

When the children come back the next day to pick up their little loved ones, they get to look through photos of all the fun their stuffed animal friends had at their library sleepover.

Doesn’t that sound absolutely adorable!

Experts say that the whole experience is magical and really encourages children to read.

Storytime starts at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, and stuffed animal pickup will be Thursday from 10 am to 8 pm and Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.

Irvine University Park Library is located at 4512 Sandburg Way, Irvine, CA 92612.

For more information, call 949-786-4001.

Join Me at the City Council Meeting on August 28 to Hear City of Irvine Staff Present Results of the Second Public Outreach Survey on the General Plan Update

Please join me to hear City of Irvine staff present results of the Second Public Outreach Survey on the General Plan Update.

The City of Irvine staff presents the results of the second public outreach survey to the City Council and the public at the Irvine City Council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018.

Please note, this meeting was rescheduled from a previous date.

The City Council meeting begins at 5 p.m. in the Conference and Training Center at Irvine City Hall located at 1 Civic Center Plaza (at Harvard Avenue and Alton Parkway).

What is the General Plan Update?

The City of Irvine is updating its General Plan, a state-required document representing the long-range vision of the City.

The purpose of the update is to build upon longstanding objectives that define Irvine and for the City Council to consider changes as needed. The update will serve as the City’s policy blueprint for the future. It will update community goals and public policy direction to ensure Irvine’s high quality of life is preserved and enhanced as the City builds out and matures.

The City conducted extensive public outreach to establish the preliminary General Plan Planning Framework and to identify major goals and topics for consideration in the update. City staff presented the results of the second  outreach survey and Planning Framework developed for the General Plan Comprehensive Update project to City Commissions throughout Spring 2018.

No changes to existing land uses or allowable development intensities are proposed.

This update will also incorporate changes required by state law.

Visit irvine2035.org for more information regarding the General Plan Update project.

You can find more information about Irvine City Council meetings HERE.

 

Irvine City Councilmembers Christina Shea and Melissa Fox Seek Relocation of the Veterans Cemetery to Area Currently Planned for a Golf Course in the Great Park

The following is a press release that was sent out on July 13, 2018.

July 13, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Daniel Robertson 949-874-3442

IRVINE CITY COUNCILMEMBERS CHRISTINA SHEA AND MELISSA FOX SEEK POTENTIAL RELOCATION OF VETERANS CEMETERY TO AREA CURRENTLY PLANNED FOR A GOLF COURSE IN THE GREAT PARK.

IRVINE, CA – Based on the voters rejection of Measure B, Irvine City Councilmembers Christina Shea and Melissa Fox have sent a memo to Acting City Manager Grace Leung directing the City’s planning staff to consider the potential relocation of the Orange County Veterans Cemetery to the area currently planned for a golf course in the Great Park.

The memo is as follows:

As we continue to seek a site for the Veterans Cemetery, it has occurred to us and others, as mentioned July 10th at our council meeting, that the area within the Great Park planned for a golf course offers several benefits as a potential location. The golf course site has ample space, at about 195 acres; it is within the Great Park and in the heart of the former MCAS El Toro, honoring those who served there; it is not located adjacent to neighborhoods or schools, and it could provide multiple points of access for future visitation and processions. If up to 125 acres were to be dedicated to the Veterans Cemetery, 70 plus acres would still be available for a smaller golf-related use, other recreational uses and a potential for the expansion of the Organic Circle Farm, helping with annual revenues for the Great Park.

The golf course site wouldn’t require the 40 million dollars demolition and remediation costs that the ARDA site requires. The golf course site has also gone thru the CEQA process. Additionally, by creating a veteran’s cemetery in the heart of the Great Park, not outside the Great Park where the ARDA site is located, our Veterans would realize a true resting place inside the Great Park, where so many citizens have requested the cemetery to be developed. In lieu of a full length golf course, there may be financial savings that can be used for cemetery construction.

For the reasons outlined above, we believe this is worthy of our planning staff to add this second site to their present review and due diligence study for the City’s review process of the ARDA site. This will allow staff to review this concept along with any other alternatives we may deem of value for our Veterans Cemetery.”

Councilmember Christina Shea stated that “We are listening to our voters and we want to find what works best to create a veterans cemetery and to bring peace and civility back to our city.  We are determined to find a positive solution to provide a veterans cemetery in our city and ensure that our residents’ voices are heard.”

Councilmember Melissa Fox stated that “The voters have spoken. We are listening. We need to find a location for the veterans cemetery that responds to the voters’ concerns. I have been a strong and consistent supporter of a veterans cemetery within the hallowed grounds of the former Marine Air Station El Toro, where so many brave men and women flew to Vietnam and other war zones, some never to come back. The Great Park is an altogether fitting and proper location for this veterans cemetery, where it would also be a lasting memorial to the Great Park’s military heritage.”

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Note:

Anyone who wishes to express support for this proposal — to consider the potential relocation of the Orange County Veterans Cemetery to the area currently planned for a golf course in the Great Park — can contact the Irvine City Council here.

Join the Irvine Police Department at the Annual National Night Out Celebration!

Join your Irvine neighbors and the Irvine Police Department at the annual National Night Out Celebration. Once again, the Irvine Police Department will host festivities at three locations throughout the City.

This free event features police vehicles, appearances by the Mounted and K-9 Units, crime prevention tips, and bounce houses and other activities for kids.

Grab a bite on a warm summer night from food trucks that will have items available for purchase.  Plus, kids get a free IPD light-up bouncy ball while supplies last!

Join us at these locations:

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live.

National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community.

It also provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.

Note: Attendees who bring a canned food item to benefit Families Forward will be entered in an opportunity drawing.

Join us to say Hello and Thank You to the men and women who make Irvine America’s Safest City!

See the Facebook event page here.

I hope to see you there!

Fulfilling the Great Park Promise: The Cultural Terrace Needs Botanical Gardens and a Natural History Museum

I was delighted to speak this weekend to the Cultural and Natural History Museum and Botanical Gardens Workshop in Irvine.  This is what our City and our Great Park need now to fulfill the Great Park promise.

While I am proud of all that we’ve recently accomplished at the Great Park – from a new 12,000-seat live music amphitheatre to the new ice skating facility to a new 5,000-seat Championship Soccer Stadium and numerous other sports fields and facilities in the first phase of 194-acre Great Park Sports Park – the time has come to focus on creating what should be the real jewel of the Great Park: The Cultural Terrace.

Supporters of a botanical garden at the 233-acre Cultural Terrace of the Orange County Great Park in Irvine hold signs and flowers during the Irvine City Council meeting Oct. 24, 2017. (Tomoya Shimura, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Cultural Terrace is a 223-acre portion of Orange County Great Park, envisioned as including a variety of culturally oriented amenities, such as gardens, art galleries, and museums.

I have long been a strong advocate for botanical gardens and museums in the Great Park’s Cultural Terrace.

Every survey we’ve done has shown that gardens are among amenities that people most want in the Great Park.

I agree with the Great Park Garden Coalition that “We need places where children can experience nature and explore, where all can find refuge from the ever-increasing urban density and traffic, where people of all ages and abilities can experience beautiful outdoor spaces. All great urban parks have great garden spaces: Golden Gate Park, Central Park, Balboa Park.”

I also agree with what Joyce Mann wrote in the Voice of OC: “Gardens are an inclusive, a-political opportunity to bring community together for generations. They are a public benefit that becomes a lasting legacy. Besides being beautiful to look at, education is fundamental to the mission of botanical gardens. Through them, we have an opportunity to teach students of all ages about developing environmental awareness and to learn about plant science, gardening and the ecology of our local forests, rivers and wetlands. Botanical gardens become a living plant museum that will inform visitors about the importance and often-irreplaceable value of plants to the wellbeing of humans and to the earth’s fragile ecosystems. Isn’t that the very definition of a legacy?”

The Great Park Botanical Gardens would also benefit the monarch butterfly, a beautiful species that is undergoing significant challenges and stress in our area. In the past decade, the monarch butterfly population has plummeted due to habitat loss and poisonous insecticides. The Great Park Botanic Gardens would be the ideal site to become a future Monarch Waystation. Monarch Waystations are essentially road stops on the Monarchs’ migration path which are stocked with their favorite foods and places to rest. Wouldn’t it be fantastic to have such a road stop for monarch butterflies right in our own backyard?

The Great Park should also include a world-class natural history museum.

Orange County is the only county in Southern California that does not have a Natural History Museum.

The County has millions of fossils, and thousands of artifacts, in storage and they are not available to the public.  This rich history of fossils and artifacts, perhaps one of the most important fossil-bearing areas in North America, if not the world, needs to be curated and displayed.  Additionally, the stories and history of the Juaneno/Acjachemen and Gabrielino/Tongva — our County’s indigenous people — needs to be told!

In fact, Orange County is already home to a fabulous collection of fossils and artifacts in the Dr. John D. Cooper Archaeological and Paleontological Center, now located in several warehouses in Santa Ana.

The rocks of Orange County contain the fossilized remains of plants and animals from every major time period since the Jurassic – over 180 million years of prehistory! At this point, only a small fraction of the collection has been inventoried – about 20,000 specimens out of an estimated 3,000,000 or more from over 1,000 localities. Notable collections include: Eocene terrestrial mammals; late Oligocene-early Miocene terrestrial mammals; and Miocene-Pliocene marine mammals.

The Cooper Center’s archaeological holdings range in age from at least 12,000 years ago until historic times, including materials from all areas and environmental zones throughout the County including the coast, major and minor rivers, and foothill zones. Sites from these various areas include, but are not limited to, villages, fishing, milling activities associated with acorn and hard seed processing, and stone tool manufacture. Some of the artifact types recovered from these sites include cogstones, metates and manos, mortars and pestles, shell beads, hammerstones, projectile points, scrapers, incised stone and pottery sherds. Historical artifacts from the last century include glass bottles and toys. The artifacts held by the Cooper Center are the most extensive collection of Orange County history and prehistory anywhere and they provide archaeologists with a comprehensive view of what life was like in Orange County.

Unfortunately, this fabulous collection is not now open to the public. Although a county ordinance and federal preservation laws require that fossils, mostly uncovered by construction, be saved and kept in the county they were found, for the “benefit and inspiration of the public”.  our county’s rich store of fossils and artifacts cannot now be displayed, and are warehoused out of sight of the public. This collection ought to be open to all in a magnificent museum – a new Orange County Natural History Museum in the Great Park.

You can positively impact the next phase of development by the Great Park Cultural Terrace by becoming involved in the grass-roots organizations that are working toward a Great Park botanical garden and a natural history museum:

Great Park Garden Coalition
Website: http://redryder200.com/GreatGardensCoalition/
Facebook: Click here.

California Cultural Resources Preservation Alliance (CCRPA)
Website: http://www.ccrpa.com/
Facebook: Click here.

You can also help by signing this petition to urge the creation of a natural history museum in the Great Park.

Thanks!

The Veterans Cemetery: What Should Irvine Do Now?

Current view of the original (ARDA) site for a veterans cemetery.

The voters in Irvine recently rejected Measure B. The issues now are what, in rejecting Measure B, did the voters really decide, and what should the Irvine City Council do in response to the voters’ decision.

Some argue that the rejection of Measure B means that the voters said that the proposed veterans cemetery should be located at the ARDA site that was originally selected by the City Council in July 2014, and that the City Council should begin immediately to build a veterans cemetery at that location.

But the actual language of Measure B said nothing about the original ARDA site, except that the development previously zoned for the strawberry fields site would be moved there.

Looking at the specific language of Measure B, what the voters said No to was “allowing the previously planned development for the Bake Parkway Site to be relocated to the intersection of Pusan and Irvine Blvd and allowing the development of a veterans cemetery near the intersection of I-5 and Bake Parkway.”

Thus, by its express language, the no vote on Measure B rejects that zoning decision, but does not authorize the city to place a veterans cemetery on the ARDA site.

Sign used by Measure B opponents warning of thousands more cars on Irvine roads if Measure B passed.

In addition, the City Council’s approval of the ARDA site in 2014 was based on the belief that the City would provide the land for the veterans cemetery, but the costs of construction and subsequent maintenance of the cemetery would be wholly paid by state and federal government.

Crucially, the City Council’s approval of the ARDA site also came several years before we learned that construction of the veterans cemetery at the ARDA site would cost nearly $80 million, mostly due to the need for decontamination of the soil and the decontamination and removal of numerous existing structures, and that in addition to providing the land, the City would have to bear a significant portion of these construction costs.

In particular, Measure B said nothing at all about approving the spending of tens of millions of dollars that are now earmarked for creating the features of the Great Park that residents have said they want – such as museums, botanical gardens, a new Wild Rivers Water Park, and a permanent amphitheatre for live music – and, instead, using that money for a veterans cemetery.

My belief is that the rejection of Measure B means that the voters did not want a zoning change that, as the No on B campaign said, would have allowed “massive development projects” at the ARDA site, add “812,000 square feet of development,” and “bring 10,000 more cars and trucks to Irvine streets and neighborhoods every day.”

For me, the lesson of Measure B is that the voters did not want to risk the possibility that the land exchange would lead to more development and more traffic congestion, as well as the voters believing that it was too favorable a deal for the developer.

In other words, I see the rejection of Measure B as a vote against more development and traffic congestion, and not a vote in favor of spending $40 – $80 million dollars on a veterans cemetery rather than building other popular features of the Great Park.

In a survey of Irvine voters I conducted from my blog and through email, the great majority said that they voted against Measure B because they did not want more development and traffic.

Even more significantly, 64% said that Irvine should not spend $40 to $80 million dollars for a veterans cemetery, compared to only 13.5% in favor.

Current view of the original (ARDA) site for a veterans cemetery.

In a new and promising twist to the veterans cemetery saga, the Orange County Board of Supervisors has now agreed to have its staff study and advise whether county-owned open space outside Irvine might be a feasible location for an Orange County veterans cemetery. The approximately 234-acre site is in the city of Anaheim, near the 91 and 241, adjacent to Gypsum Canyon.

This site would provide a larger veterans cemetery for Orange County veterans, at no cost to Irvine, and be free from the divisive politics that has characterized the veterans cemetery debate in Irvine.

In fact, many of the veterans who initiated the fight for a veterans cemetery now favor this site, because, as Marine Corps Vietnam War veteran Nick Berardino has said, it appears that “veterans are removed from the political equation, and are now heading in a practical, reasonable direction to give all the brave men and women a final resting place.”

If the Irvine City Council approves Jeff Lalloway’s motion to spend $40 to $80 million dollars to clean up the original site for a cemetery, it will deplete the Great Park budget for at least a decade.

As the Irvine City News noted, “It sounds noble when [Jeff] Lalloway, [Larry] Agran and their followers hold up the service of our veterans. But when you understand that the veterans still can’t get what they were promised without taking away the gardens, the museums, the music, the culture and the future of the Great Park, it puts Lalloway’s political power move in perspective.”

I have been a strong and consistent supporter of a veterans cemetery in Irvine.  But I have also been a strong supporter of fulfilling the promises that the City made to residents when it created the Great Park, and I am not in favor of giving up on those promises.

I believe the Great Park should have great gardens and a great museum, as well as other features for the enjoyment of all residents, and I do not believe that the City can afford to spend $40 to $80 million on a cemetery and continue with these other projects.

What do you think?  

Do you favor spending $40 to $80 million dollars to clean up the original site for a cemetery or should that money go to create other features for the Great Park?

The City Council will decide on Tues, July whether to approve Lalloway’s motion or whether some other course is more sensible and also responsive to the will of the voters and the needs of the community.

As always, the public is invited to attend and speak on these issues at the City Council meeting.

I also urge interested residents to contact the Mayor and the City Council by email and tell us in writing what you think we ought to do.

Here is how to contact the Mayor and the City Council:

Irvine City Council
949-724-6233 or irvinecitycouncil@cityofirvine.org

Mayor Wagner: donaldwagner@cityofirvine.org
Mayor Pro Tem Christina Shea: christinashea@cityofirvine.org
Councilmember Jeff Lalloway: jeffreylalloway@cityofirvine.org
Councilmember Lynn Schott: lynnschott@cityofirvine.org
Councilmember Melissa Fox: melissafox@cityofirvine.org

Thank you.

Join Me to Watch the World Cup Final Live at the Championship Soccer Stadium in the Great Park!

Irvine residents are invited to attend a free viewing of the World Cup Final of France versus Croatia streaming live from Moscow on the Great Park Championship Soccer Stadium’s giant scoreboard beginning at 7 a.m. on Sunday, July 15, courtesy of our Orange County Soccer Club!

No tickets or RSVP are needed.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • Free World Cup Final broadcast live on the Championship Soccer Stadium video board.
  • Watch the broadcast from the pitch, and bring blankets for seating (no chairs, tents or umbrellas will be allowed on the pitch).
  • Watch the broadcast from stadium seating sections 1-3 and 11-13.
  • Pre-kickoff entertainment with Orange County SC player and technical staff interviews as well as game analysis.
  • Half-time raffles for Orange County SC prizes.
  • Interactive Fan Zone: Lawn games, face painting, inflatables , sponsor  booths and exhibits and more!
  • Orange County SC player autograph and photo opportunities.
  • Orange County SC merchandise will be available for purchase.
  • Breakfast foods and beverages options will be available for purchase.
  • Free parking at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine.

Schedule:

7:00 a.m. Gates open
7:30 a.m. Pre-kickoff entertainment
8:00 a.m. Kickoff

See you there!

About the Orange County Soccer Club:

Orange County Soccer Club is Orange County’s only professional soccer team and an official affiliate partner of the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) of Major League Soccer (MLS).

Orange County SC is a part of the United Soccer League (USL), the fastest growing Division II professional soccer league in the world, composed of 34 teams across the United States.

The team plays their home games at the Orange County Great Park’s Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine.

Nestled right in the heart of the Great Park, the Championship Soccer Stadium has a capacity of over 5,000 for Orange County SC matches.

For more information, visit their website at orangecountysoccer.com.

We Hold These Truths . . .

“We hold these Truths to be self-evident

that all Men are created equal

that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights

that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men

deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed.“

— The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776.

It is an honor and a privilege to serve the people of Irvine as an elected representative on the Irvine City Council.

It is to the people of Irvine that I owe my best efforts, my best judgment, my faithfulness, and my sole allegiance.

I am keenly aware that our enjoyment of the unalienable rights spoken of in our Declaration of Independence are hard-won by the blood, sweat, and tears of those who have served and sacrificed for this nation.  It is them that I owe my freedom, my citizenship in this great nation, and my ability to serve the people of Irvine.

On this July 4th, I celebrate our City, our State, and our Nation, and those who have served and sacrificed to keep us free.

Happy Independence Day!

Join Me for Irvine’s Free Sizzlin’ Summer Concerts!

The City of Irvine’s annual summer tradition returns on Sunday, July 8, when the Sizzlin’ Summer Concerts kick off at Mike Ward Community Park in Woodbridge.

The community is invited to a series of six free family-friendly concerts out in the park covering a variety of musical tastes — from modern country and classic rock to classical symphony and ’80s new wave. Festivities include a children’s play area and gourmet food trucks.

2018 Sizzlin’ Summer Concert Series

  • Sunday, July 8, 5:30 p.m.: Smith Band (Modern Country)
    Smith Band is a six-piece group that will rock your favorite country and Top 40 hits. Grab your boots and be ready to bust a move.
  • Sunday, July 15, 5:30 p.m.: The Reflexx (’80s New Wave)
    The Reflexx performs the greatest hits of ’80s alternative and new wave. Get ready for a flashback to the ’80s classics we know and love.
  • Sunday, July 22, 5:30 p.m.: Tijuana Dogs (Dance Party Rock)
    The Tijuana Dogs are a popular Orange County band. This high-energy party rock band will have you up and dancing the entire time. At 6:30 p.m., enjoy an intermission performance by Sara Peyton King, the Irvine High School Youth Action Team Akustikoff winner.
  • Sunday, July 29: Pacific Symphony in the Cities
    • 5:30 p.m.: Musical Playground for Children
    • 7 p.m. Pacific Symphony Concert
      Enjoy a must-do summer tradition: a free outdoor concert by Pacific Symphony, led by Music Director Carl St.Clair.
  • Sunday, Aug. 5, 5:30 p.m.: Undercover Live (Pop Variety)
    This dynamic and energetic band will be sure to fill the park while they perform the best of pop, funk, R&B and Top 40.
  • Sunday, Aug. 12, 5:30 p.m.: The Emperors (Classic Rock)
    The Emperors have performed together for more than 20 years playing classic rock music from legendary artists.

Guests should bring chairs and blankets; layered clothing is recommended.

Mike Ward Community Park – Woodbridge is located at 20 Lake Road, Irvine.

Note: You’ll also be able to adopt/sponsor a Marine for the United States Marine Corps Birthday Ball. You get to personally meet your Marine and have your photo taken with them.  Don’t miss this opportunity to make a difference in the life of a Marine.  Here’s all you have to do: Find the red Irvine 2/11 Marine Adoption Committee tent, donate $75, draw a Marine name, meet the Marine, have your photo taken with your adopted Marine & walk away with one our new “I Adopted a Marine” stickers. Cash, check and credit cards will be accepted and your donation is tax-deductible. Come on out, enjoy free music, food trucks, dancing, fun, and “Adopt a Marine” while you’re there!

For more information, call 949-724-6606.

Join Me and the Irvine Police Association for Fireworks and Music on July 4th!

Join me and the Irvine Police Association for fireworks, music, and more on Weds., July 4th!

It’s our 34th year for the 2018 July 4th Concert on the Green and Fireworks Festival at the Irvine High School football stadium, and this year’s celebration is going to be the best ever!

This year we will be featuring:

  • Live music by the Derek Bordeaux Group.
  • A Pyro Musical sky concert & Fireworks extravaganza by Pyro Spectaculars.
  • Professional Field Entertainers with Field Games and Activities.
  • Bounce Houses.
  • Raffles with Prizes.
  • Gourmet Food Trucks.

What: 34th Annual Irvine Police Association July 4th Fireworks and Concert

Where: Irvine High School Stadium, 4321 Walnut Ave. Irvine CA, 92604

Date: Weds., July 4, 2018

Time: Gates open at 3:00 p.m.  Fireworks start at 9:00 p.m.

Tickets: Admission at the door is $15 for ages 14 and older, $10 for children age 13 and younger and for seniors age 60 and older.  Advanced purchase of family passes (good for two adults and up to four children) is $50.  You may purchase tickets at City Hall, 2nd Floor, Community Services. Family tickets are pre-sale only, and will be available until July 3rd.  You may also purchase adult, children or senior tickets from the Irvine High School stadium box office on the 4th of July.

Special Notes: The Irvine H.S. football field is available for picnics (blankets and chairs recommended).  Bleacher seating will be available on a first come first served basis. EZ-Ups will be permitted, but no stakes or any objects may penetrate the turf!  No pet, barbecues, bikes or personal fireworks. No Smoking (except for in designated smoking areas).

Thank you to the Irvine Police Association for putting on this event, and for your continued dedication and professionalism in service to the residents of Irvine.

For more information, click here or call 949-724-0488.

I hope to see you there!

 

Join Me at the Irish Fair and Music Fest June 9th and 10th at the Great Park in Irvine!

Céad míle fáilte!

A Hundred Thousand Welcomes!

Last March, I was named a 2018 Irish Honoree by the City of Los Angeles. The award came as a result of my help in bringing the annual Irish Fair and Music Festival to the Great Park in Irvine.

The Irish Fair and Music Festival will be held on June 9 and 10, 2018, at the Great Park in Irvine. It is dedicated to preserving and promoting Irish and Irish-American culture in the Southern California area by presenting Irish music, dance, theatre, language, sports and all other aspects of the Irish heritage.

Now in its 43rd year, the Irish Fair has become a landmark for Irish and Irish American culture and family entertainment. Over 30,000 people attend the event annually.

It has been described as the happiest and most fun filled event in all of Southern California!

Among the many artists appearing at the Festival at the Great Park this year are The Fenians , The Humble Hooligans, Craic in the Stone , Sligo RagsCillian’s Bridge, Rory Makem and Dónal Clancy .

The Irish Fair also features Irish Step Dancing, Irish, Scottish and British import shops and arts & craft vendors.

The entrance for the Irish Fair and Music Fest is 6950 Marine Way, Irvine, California 92618.

You can find more information, and tickets, online at BIG Irish Fair and Music Festival!

See you there!

Slán go fóill

Join Me on the Ride of Silence on Weds., May 16, to Honor Bicyclists Killed or Injured and Promote Sharing the Road

Join us on Wednesday, May 16, for the annual Ride of Silence, as we meet once again at the Irvine Civic Center to remember and honor bicyclists who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways.

We will begin gathering at 6:00 p.m., assemble at 6:30, and start the ride at 7:00 p.m.

We ride to promote sharing the road and provide awareness of the rights and safety of bicyclists.  Our silent ride also commemorates those who have been killed or injured doing what each of us has a right to do – a right that, far too often, motorists fail to recognize, sometimes with deadly consequences.

Irvine is a wonderful city for biking, whether for commuting, exercising, or just enjoying the outdoors. We have more than 300 miles of on-street bike lanes and more than 50 miles of off-street bikeways.  Our bicycle trails are some of the most beautiful, and peaceful, places in Irvine.

Yet in Irvine, as everywhere else, motorists must learn to better share the road safely with bicyclists; that bicyclists have the same rights to the road as motorists; and that bicyclists are the most vulnerable users of the roadways.

Eight people were killed in Orange County in 2017 while riding their bikes. This year so far, six cyclists have been killed. These individuals were fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, friends, co-workers, as well as bicyclists.

Irvine’s Ride of Silence is part of a larger, international movement to commemorate bicyclists killed or injured while riding on public roads and to raise awareness among motorists of the dangers they pose to vicyclists.

As a bicyclist myself, the mother of a bicyclist, an Irvine resident and an Irvine City Councilmember, and as an advocate for more active transportation as a way to cut pollution and our reliance on fossil fuels, I support the Ride of Silence as a way to honor bicyclists who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways and to urge the public (and local governments) to do more to protect bicyclists’ safety.

The Ride of Silence asks its bicyclists to ride no faster than 12 mph, follow the rules of the road, and remain silent during the ride.  Helmets are mandatory. There are no  registration fees. The ride aims to raise the awareness of motorists, police and city officials that bicyclists have a legal right to the public roadways. The ride is also a chance to show respect for and honor the lives of those who have been killed or injured.

As the organizers of the Ride of Silence have said: “A pack of single file – silent riders – pacing out for 8 to 10 miles. We will share this hour with each other, and know that thousands across the planet will also have marked the hour in their own time zone; but also raise awareness among the many local motorists who will be witnesses of our sombre parade.”

We must remember that bicyclists have legal rights to the road as do motorists and bicyclists are the most vulnerable users of the roadways.

We ride to show respect for and honor the lives of those who have been killed or injured.

We ride to promote public awareness of bicycling safety.

We ride so that no bicyclist is ever again killed or injured because of a motorist’s failure to share the road.

What: Ride of Silence

Where: Irvine Civic Center Plaza

When: Wednesday, May 16, 2018.  Gather at 6:00 p.m., assemble at 6:30 p.m., and start the ride at 7:00 p.m.

Route: Flat 10 mile loop around Irvine; on-street bike lanes and off street bike way.  Route map: click here.

Note: Helmets and lights required!

IMPORTANT UPDATE!!

The Irvine Ride of Silence has been cancelled.

Please join with riders in Orange (Civic Center; 300 E Chapman) or Fullerton (Fullerton Downtown Plaza; Fullerton Museum Center Plaza).

For more information, please see: Ride of Silence OC.

 

 

Join Me at Irvine’s Korean Cultural Festival on Sat., May 12!

Join me at the Irvine Korean Cultural Festival on Saturday, May 13th, at the Irvine Civic Center.

2018 marks the 9th anniversary of the Irvine Korean Cultural Festival, an event designed to celebrate and share Korean cultural heritage and artistic traditions with the broader Irvine community and Orange County.

The Festival is a culture-filled extravaganza full of fine Korean food, games, art, music and entertainment.

The Irvine Korean Cultural Festival is committed to making the festival an educational opportunity for children and the community of Irvine. Enjoy dynamic cultural performances while sampling delicious cuisine from Irvine’s premier restaurants.

As the daughter of a Korean War combat veteran, the cousin of a United States Marine who was killed in action in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, and as a resident of Irvine, I feel a deep connection to Korea and a deep appreciation for the vital contributions that Korean Americans have made to our city, our state, and our nation.

I am proud to live and serve on the City Council in a city that celebrates and treasures our Korean American community and I join my Korean American friends and neighbors in celebrating Korean American contributions to our shared American heritage and way of life.

Along with the Irvine Korean Festival founders, sponsors, and dedicated volunteers, I strongly believe that the festival experience will help bring about mutual understanding and appreciation of different cultures, which will result in the promotion of peace and harmony among all people in the Irvine community and beyond.

Please join me!

What: Irvine Korean Cultural Festival

When: Sat., May 12, 2018. 10:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Where: Irvine Civic Center, 1 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine, CA 92606

Free Admission. Free On-site parking and Off-Site parking with Shuttle.

Shuttle info: 3377 Michelson Drive, Irvine, CA 92612.  Ride the shuttle and get a Free Raffle Ticket!

For more information, visit the Irvine Korean Festival website here.

Don’t Miss Irvine Police Department’s D. A. R. E. Movie and Carnival Night (Disney’s “Coco”) on Sat., May 12!

Join Irvine Police Department D.A.R.E. Officers for an evening of film, fun, food, and games at the D.A.R.E. Carnival and Movie Night at Heritage Park on Saturday, May 12, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Don’t forget to bring your lounge chair to enjoy the outdoor movie — Disney’s hit animated Pixar film “Coco” — that begins at dusk on the lawn near the tennis courts.

The event features:

The Irvine Police Department’s Drug Abuse Resistance Education Unit (D.A.R.E.) focuses on  preventing the use of controlled substances, membership in gangs, and violent behavior.  The program is delivered by highly trained and dedicated sworn police officers who teach at elementary school sites throughout Irvine.

TeamKids is a 501(c) (3) non-profit charitable organization that provides youth-led, school- and community-based service programs, where  participants learn about leadership, teamwork, empathy and making healthy choices for themselves and others in real-world situations.  Team Kids programs focus on building positive assets for youth, and also protects against harmful behaviors, such as substance use, gang involvement, and delinquent activity.  TeamKids encourages youth’s positive efforts and empowers our children to change the world.

What: D.A.R.E. Carnival and Movie Night (Disney’s “Coco”)

Where: Heritage Park, 14301 Yale Ave, Irvine, California 92604

When: Saturday, May 12, 2018, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Cost: Free!

You can see the event’s Facebook page here.

For more information about Saturday’s event, call 949-724-7186.

Support Irvine’s Global Village Festival as a 2018 Festival Sponsor!

The City of Irvine’s Global Village Festival is my favorite Irvine cultural event of the year!

I am particularly excited for this year’s Festival, because it will be the first to be held at the Orange County Great Park!

The Global Village Festival is now taking applications for sponsors for its 2018 event, which is Saturday, Sept. 22.

A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available for the 2018 Irvine Global Village Festival.

The all-day event features more than 100 performances representing cultures from around the world; international cuisine; kids’ crafts and activities; cultural and religious exhibits; and an international marketplace.

Founded in 1998 by a group of Irvine residents to help promote understanding and build harmony within Irvine’s many diverse cultures, the Global Village Festival is now Irvine’s signature event, featuring more than 100 performances representing the cultures of dozens of countries; international cuisine and food from more than 50 restaurants; an international marketplace filled with unique crafts and textiles; interactive, educational and entertaining cultural displays, demonstrations, and performances; and an international village just for kids.

Festival admission is free.

The Global Village Festival is one of Orange County’s fastest-growing multicultural events. With more than 25,000 people in attendance, the Festival’s highly diverse audience makes it an ideal partner for businesses and organizations looking for increased visibility.

Applications for entertainment are also now open.

Applications for vendors, restaurants and exhibitors – including nonpolitical, nonprofit and governmental organizations looking to support the festival as a community partner – will open in late April.

You can find a Sponsorship Application online here.

You can find an Entertainment Application online here.

For more information and to apply, visit irvinefestival.org or call 949-724-6730.

Join Irvine Police Chief Mike Hamel for a Community Safety Meeting at the Irvine Chinese School on April 15

Join Irvine Police Chief Mike Hamel and members of  the Irvine Police Department who speak Mandarin as they answer questions regarding public safety in Irvine.

What: Community Safety Meeting at Irvine Chinese School

Date: Sunday, April 15, 2018

Time: 9:45 am – 11:45 am

Location: South Coast Chinese Cultural Center / Irvine Chinese School, 9 Truman St, Irvine, California 92620

This is a free event and is open to everyone.

To submit a question, go to the Irvine Chinese School’s WeChat account or email info@sccca.org by April 7.

Irvine Police Department Mission:

Working in partnership with the community, we will preserve the peace, uphold the law with fairness and provide quality service.”

Irvine Police Department Vision:

We will engage with our community through exemplary service and unparalleled professionalism, while employing a staff that reflects the growth and diversity of our community.

We will commit to implementing the latest technology and best practices to meet the demands of modern policing.

We will invest in the success of the men and women of the Irvine Police Department by providing unrivaled opportunities for training, advancement and personal growth.

Irvine Police Department Values:

Integrity – Recognizing right from wrong and the willingness to do what is right, no matter the consequences. Set the example.

Quality Service – Providing the highest level of service to our community.

Accountability – Accepting responsibility for our decisions and actions.

Respect – Valuing human life, having considerate and courteous regard for all persons. We follow, honor and defend the constitution of this country.

Contact Irvine Police Department:

Irvine Police Department, 1 Civic Center Plaza, IrvineCA 92606-5207

Phone: 949-724-7000

For emergencies or to report a crime in action, call 911.

 

Join Me for Irvine’s Persian New Year (Nowruz) Celebration!

In Irvine, we love to celebrate our many heritages.  Irvine is home to more than 80 different churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship, serving Irvine’s wonderful cultural and religious diversity.

One of our biggest cultural celebrations is the annual Persian New Year (Nowruz) Festival, taking place this year on Sunday, March 25, 2018, from 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm at Irvine’s Bill Barber Community Park, sponsored by the Iranian-American Community Group Orange County.

Enjoy Live Performances of Persian Music and Dancing, Persian Food, Tea & Cookies, Backgammon, and Children Activities!

What: Fifth Annual Nowruz (Persian New Year) Festival

When: Sunday, March 25, 2018, 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Where: Bill Barber Community Park, 4 Civic Center Plaza
Irvine, CA. 92606

Cost: Free!

You can learn more about the Nowruz Festival here.

نوروز مبارک

Nowruz Mubarak!

See you there!

“I don’t know anyone who has had Persian food and didn’t like it. Seriously.” ― Rick Steves, Guidebook Author and TV host.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m Celebrating a Special St. Patrick’s Day!

This Saturday, March 17, is very special St. Patrick’s Day for me!

Last week,  I was named a 2018 Irish Honoree by the City of Los Angeles.  The award came as a result of my help in bringing the annual Irish Fair and Music Festival to the Great Park in Irvine.

I am tremendously honored to be named an Irish Honoree.  Irish Americans have contributed enormously to our nation, and I am proud to help share and celebrate Irish culture in our Great Park.

The Irish Fair and Music Festival will be held on June 9 and 10, 2018, at the Great Park in Irvine.   It is dedicated to preserving and promoting Irish and  Irish-American culture in the Southern California area by presenting Irish music, dance, theatre, language, sports and all other aspects of the Irish heritage.

Now in its 43rd year, the Irish Fair has become a landmark for Irish and Irish American culture and family entertainment. Over 30,000 people attend the event annually. It has been described as the happiest and most fun filled event in all of Southern California.

Among the many artists appearing at the Festival at the Great Park this year are The Fenians,  The Humble Hooligans,   Craic in the Stone,  Sligo Rags,  Cillian’s Bridge,  Rory Makem, and Dónal Clancy.

The Irish Fair also features Irish Step Dancing, Irish, Scottish and British import shops and arts & craft vendors.

You can find more information, and tickets, online at BIG Irish Fair and Music Festival.

See you there!

Slán go fóill

Join Me for “I-Ran Out of the Closet” — an Iranian coming out story and an important discussion about LGBTQ Iranians

I am proud to co-sponsor an important discussion in Irvine on Wednesday, February 21, on Iranian LGBTQ identity.

Hear the personal stories of LGBTQ Iranians and their families.

The goal of the conversation is create awareness of and increase exposure to LGBTQ Iranians, among fellow Iranians and the larger community.

Panelists include:

Mastaneh Moghadam, LCSW Executive Director CCE, Moderator

Ashkan Yekrangi, Esq. Lawyer / Activist

Kathy Tavakoli, Mother / Activist

Shervin Khorramian, Executive Director of Raha, Activist

Ali Vassigh, Activist / MC

Jessica Laed – Marriage and Family Therapist Intern / Lesbian

Hedyeh Rezaei – Master of Social Works Candidate / Activist

RAHA is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a safe space where the Persian LGBTQ community and its allies come together to embrace their shared experiences.  RAHA’s mission is to positively impact its members’ lives by connecting Persian LGBTQs through their cultural identity.

Reserve your free tickets here.

You can like RAHA on Facebook here and follow RAHA Instagram @rahaintl

I hope to see you there!

Happy Korean American Day!

On January 13, 1903, a group of 102 Korean laborers arrived in Honolulu from Japan aboard the steamship RMS Gaelic to work in the Hawaiian sugar cane fields. This date is traditionally regarded as marking the first Korean immigration to the United States and celebrated as Korean American Day — although several individual Koreans had immigrated to the United States earlier, including Philip Jaisohn (Seo Jae-pil), a journalist and medical doctor and a noted champion for Korea’s independence, who in 1890 became the first Korean to become a naturalized U.S. citizen.

At our City Council meeting on Tuesday, January 9, we issued a Korean-American Day Proclamation, celebrating “the long and prosperous journey of Korean Americans in the United States” due to their “strong family ties, community support, and hard work.”  Accepting the proclamation on behalf of the Korean American community were a number of Irvine Korean American civic leaders, including my friend and appointee to the Irvine Senior Council, Juneu Kim.

From these humble beginnings, a large and vibrant Korean American community has grown, now numbering nearly 2 million people of Korean descent in the United States, including nearly half a million people in California.

Irvine has had two Korean American mayors — Sukhee Kang and Dr. Steven Choi (who now represents part of Irvine in the California Assembly).

Our city has adopted the South Korean city of Seocho-gu as one of Irvine’s four “Sister Cities.

Irvine is proud to celebrate our thriving Korean American community each year in our annual Irvine Korean Cultural Festival, designed to share Korean culture with the entire community by showcasing its customs, heritage, arts and cuisine.

As the daughter of a Korean War combat veteran, the cousin of a United States Marine who was killed in action in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, and as a resident of Irvine, I feel a deep connection to Korea and a deep appreciation for the vital contributions that Korean Americans have made to our city, our state, and our nation.

I am proud to live and serve on the City Council in a city that celebrates and treasures our Korean American community and I join my Korean American friends and neighbors in celebrating Korean American contributions to our shared American heritage and way of life.

Happy Korean American Day!

Councilmember Melissa Fox with her father, Korean War veteran Stan Kay, and other Korean War veterans.

 

Join Me Saturday for Irvine’s Global Village Festival!

My favorite Irvine cultural event of the year is almost here!

This coming Saturday, September 23, 2017, is the Irvine Global Village Festival!

Irvine Community Services Commissioner Melissa Fox at Irvine's Global Village Festival 2013

In Irvine, we are proud of saying that our city is not only among the most diverse cities in the nation, it is also the most fully integrated.

There are no ethnic, linguistic, religious, or cultural enclaves in Irvine: every neighborhood reflects Irvine’s harmonious ethnic, linguistic, religious, and cultural diversity.

How diverse is Irvine?  A non-English language is spoken in a remarkable 58% of Irvine homes, with more than 70 different languages spoken in residences throughout Irvine.  Nearly 40 % of Irvine’s public school students have a primary language other than English.

Irvine is also home to more than 80 different churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship, serving Irvine’s wonderful cultural and religious diversity.

This year marks the 16th anniversary of the Irvine Global Village Festival – Irvine’s largest and most attended community event.

Founded in 1998 by a group of Irvine residents to help promote understanding and build harmony within Irvine’s many diverse cultures, the Global Village Festival is now Irvine’s signature event, featuring more than 100 performances on five stages; international cuisine and food from more than 50 restaurants; an international marketplace filled with unique crafts and textiles; interactive, educational and entertaining cultural displays, demonstrations, and performances; and an international village just for kids.

More than 40 local restaurants and gourmet food trucks serve up samples of regional and international specialties from boba smoothies, miso soup, falafel, Mexican fusion tacos and German pretzels to Japanese dumplings, Hawaiian shaved ice and the all-American bacon-wrapped hot dog. Please be prepared with cash for food and beverage purchases.

At the heart of the Festival is the Community Partners Pavilion, where nonprofit, local community groups and government agencies have an opportunity to showcase their programs and services to the community. Be sure to stop by the OC Voters Trailer and take the Festival Survey.

I’m looking forward to celebrating the many facets of Irvine’s diversity at the Global Village Festival – and I look forward to seeing you there!

Here are some important Festival details:

What: Irvine Global Village Festival

When: Saturday, September 23, 2017, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Where: Bill Barber Park, 4 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine, CA

Cost: Admission is FREE! Please be prepared with cash for food and beverage purchases.

Parking: There is no on-site parking at the event.  Festival Parking is permitted in the lot at 20 Corporate Park and in the structure at 30 Corporate Park only. The Festival is 0.7 miles from this location.  Take the free shuttles to the Festival that will be in operation 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. or the walk (about 15 minutes) via Murphy to Alton. Disabled Person Parking will be available at the San Juan or Civic Center parking lots adjacent to Bill Barber Park. Please have the appropriate placard visible when entering the parking lot.

Bike to the Festival:  The easiest way to get to the Festival is by bike. The City of Irvine has an extensive system of bike trails to get you to and from the event, and once inside, riders can safely and securely store their bikes at the Festival’s free Bike Valet area, hosted by the Bicycle Club of Irvine and the Orange County Bicycle Coalition. Use Irvine’s Bike Map to plan your trip.

Pets: Dogs are welcome at the Irvine Global Village Festival! However, owners must be responsible for their pets; dogs must be on leash, interact well in a large crowd and remain in the charge of a person competent to restrain them.

See you there!

Stay Cool!

Temperatures will reach triple digits this week in some parts of Orange County, increasing the risk of heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke for those who are sensitive to heat.

Stay hydrated, limit outdoor activities, and NEVER leave kids or pets in a parked car!

ALL City of Irvine facilities are designated cooling centers.  Click here for a list of facilities and open hours!

Here are some recommended precautions to prevent heat-related illnesses:

  • Drink plenty of water; don’t wait until you are thirsty.
  • Wear light, loose-fitting clothing.
  • Stay out of the sun if possible, and when in the sun wear a hat, preferably with a wide brim. Use sunscreen.
  • Avoid strenuous activities if you are outside or in buildings that aren’t air-conditioned. If you are working outdoors, take frequent rest and refreshment breaks in a shaded area.
  • Never leave children, older people or pets unattended in closed vehicles.
  • Ensure outdoor pets have access to shade and water.
  • Check on those who are at high risk to make sure they are staying cool – including seniors who live alone, people with heart or lung disease, and young children.
  • Stay cool indoors – if your home is not air-conditioned, visit public facilities such as shopping malls and libraries to stay cool.

Prolonged exposure to excessive temperatures may cause serious medical conditions and can even be fatal. Symptoms of heat exhaustion may include heavy sweating, muscle cramps, weakness, headache, nausea or vomiting, and dizziness. Warning signs of heat stroke may include an extremely high body temperature; unconsciousness; confusion; hot and dry skin (no sweating); a rapid, strong pulse; and a throbbing headache. If symptoms of heat stroke occur, immediately call for medical assistance. Assist those with signs of heat stroke to a shady area and begin cooling their body with water.

Let’s be cool — and make sure we all survive the heat!

Irvine Should Move Forward with a Memorandum of Understanding for Pretend City Children’s Museum at the Great Park

Irvine Should Move Forward with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Pretend City Children’s Museum at the Cultural Terrace of the Great Park.

I am disappointed that at last Tuesday’s City Council meeting, only Councilmember Christina Shea joined with me in agreeing to an MOU with our great Irvine-based Pretend City Children’s Museum regarding a lease of property at the Cultural Terrace of the Great Park.  Mayor Don Wagner and Councilmember Lynn Schott voted against.  Councilmember Jeff Lalloway was absent.

Because of the City Council’s decision, Pretend City Children’s Museum is in danger of losing a seed money grant from the County for $5 million that depends on the MOU.

Pretend City Children’s Museum, which opened in Irvine in 2009, is an interactive children’s museum that builds better brains through whole body learning experiences, educational programs, and creative exhibits.  Designed as a small city, with a grocery store, construction site, art studio, house, café, bank, emergency services, health center and farm, Pretend City will be a familiar environment in which children infant through eight-years-old will have joyful opportunities to build problem solving and critical thinking skills, develop creativity and begin a life-long love of learning. It is dedicated to ensuring that each child is ready for school success by providing the ideal real-world learning experiences needed by children to develop their essential foundational learning skills.  This month, the Institute of Museum and Library Services announced that Pretend City is a finalist for the 2017 National Medal for Museum and Library Service.

Susan Bolton, the Executive Director of the Pretend Museum, has explained that the museum “seeks to move to the Great Park to expand its mission in serving the county’s children in providing early childhood education, developmental screenings, hands on play environment for children of ALL abilities and school readiness.”

The arguments against the MOU were that it would give Pretend City Children’s Museum an advantage over other possible occupants of the Cultural Terrace, and that the Cultural Terrace project should not be approved piecemeal. However, we already know the value and quality of Pretend City, which has operated in the city for many years, and the MOU would not commit the city to any final decision regarding the Cultural Terrace.

Moreover, we should be not be pitting the fine organizations that are seeking space in the Cultural Terrace against each other.  As Don Croucher – the leading advocate for a California Fire Museum at the Great Park – has pointed out, he and other supporters of the Fire Museum “are very much in favor of Pretend City getting their MOU so they do not lose the grant that is offered to them. We understand the need for them to move forward. It is NOT putting them ahead of any others at the Cultural Terrace, but rather a hand up to get the $5 million grant. We, in no way, want to hinder this important step for Pretend City.  We will support them in every step of the way to make sure they get this MOU ASAP.”

Irvine is a great city for families with young children, but we can and should make it even better.  We need more childcare and more pre-school programs for children under six-years-old, and I and my Commissioners are working to make this happen. We should also do everything we can to support the terrific work being done by the Pretend Museum for young children right here in Irvine.

As Councilmember Christina Shea has said, “If Pretend City loses their grant and we in turn lose a fantastic partner that supports our children and families, the community will lose and this isn’t what Irvine is about.”

I hope that we can move forward with the MOU soon and that the grant is not lost.

I recommend that those who are interested in this issue contact other members of the Irvine City Council.

Join Me Saturday at the Grand Opening of the Orange County Great Park Sports Park!

Join me for a free Grand Opening and fun-filled day from 2-9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, as the first phase of the Orange County Great Park’s Sports Park is unveiled.
No RSVP is needed. Click  here for the map for directions into the Great Park.
All fields will be activated at 2 p.m., then join the Mayor and City Council for an official ribbon-cutting at 3:30 p.m. inside the Soccer Stadium at the Great Park, followed by the first soccer match in the new stadium.
There will be exhibitions, and opportunities, on the six soccer fields, 25 tennis courts, and five sand volleyball courts that will be open on that day.
Bring the family to enjoy the new Children’s Play Area. Food trucks will available for guests to purchase food from 2-8 p.m.
A  special free family concert featuring The Blues Brothers with Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi will begin inside the Soccer Stadium at 7:15 p.m.
Wear comfortable shoes to experience the first 53 acres of what will become the 194-acre Sports Park!
Here’s the schedule of events for the Sports Park Grand Opening on Aug. 5:

2:00-5:30 pm: Exhibitions, clinics, competition at tennis courts, soccer fields, & volleyball courts.

2:00-8:00 pm: Food/dessert trucks available on-site.

3:30 pm: Opening ceremonies – FivePoint/City of Irvine – at the Soccer Stadium.

4:00-5:30 pm: O.C. all-star soccer shoot out at the Soccer Stadium.

7:00-9:00 pm: Free community concert featuring The Blues Brothers with Dan Aykroyd & Jim Belushi at the Soccer Stadium.

See you there!

Irvine City Council Approves Agreement with Wild Rivers for New 30-Acre Water Park at Great Park!

Irvine, CA — In April, the Irvine City Council, acting as the Great Park Board of Directors, adopted the motion of Great Park Vice Chair and Irvine Councilmember Melissa Fox to approve construction of a new Wild Rivers Water Park on 30 acres at the Great Park in Irvine.
The old Wild Rivers Water Park closed in 2011 after 25 years in Irvine.

“I’m delighted to have made the motion on the City Council to bring Wild Rivers back to Irvine,” Councilmember Fox said.

“We have missed having a water park in Irvine,” Fox added.

Now the Great Park Board and the Irvine City Council have approved an agreement with the owners of Wild Rivers to to begin site planning and drafting the lease for the new 30-acre water park at the Orange County Great Park.

Wild Rivers CEO Mike Riedel first approached city officials about moving to the Great Park the year Wild Rivers closed. Last year, rather than granting Wild Rivers a no-bid contract, the council first decided to seek more proposals.  In April, the City Council approved a motion by Councilmember Melissa Fox to go forward with the Wild Rivers proposal.

“Wild Rivers has been an icon in the city of Irvine,” Councilmember Melissa Fox explained. “I was a kid sliding down the water slides at the old Wild Rivers, and I was a young mom taking my son there on hot summer days. We know that Wild Rivers provides fun and safe water parks, and they’ve always had a great relationship with the residents and the City of Irvine. We look forward to having them back in Irvine very soon.”

Wild Rivers will build a new water park with waterslides, an uphill water coaster, water play structures for children, a wave pool, a lazy river and Wild Rivers’ popular Congo River Rapids.

Councilmember Fox has also been working with Wild Rivers management to create an “all access” area, so that children and adults with disabilities can also enjoy a day at the water park.

Here is great video report from ABC News: Beloved SoCal Water Park Set to Make a Splash with its Reopening in 2019.

Here is a preliminary rendering of what the new Wild Rivers water park will look like:

Listen to Irvine City Councilmember Melissa Fox’s Interview on KUCI’s “Ask a Leader”

Irvine, CA — Irvine City Councilmember Melissa Fox was recently interviewed by Claudia Shambaugh on KUCI’s award-winning program “Ask a Leader.”

The topics covered include the new composition of the Irvine City Council, Irvine’s recent progress on environmental issues, traffic, Melissa Fox’s goals for the Great Park,  and the Orange County Veterans Cemetery.

To listen to the podcast of the interview, click here.

Melissa Fox’s section of the podcast starts at 29:30, right after “Amazing Grace.”

Join Me at the Irvine Korean Cultural Festival, Sat. May 13th!

Join me at the Irvine Korean Cultural Festival on Saturday, May 13th, at the Irvine Civic Center.

2017 marks the 8th anniversary of the Irvine Korean Cultural Festival, an event designed to celebrate and share Korean cultural heritage and artistic traditions with the broader Irvine community and Orange County.

The Festival is a culture-filled extravaganza full of fine Korean food, games, art, music and entertainment.

The Irvine Korean Cultural Festival is committed to making the festival an educational opportunity for children and the community of Irvine. Enjoy dynamic cultural performances while sampling delicious cuisine from Irvine’s premier restaurants.

Along with the Irvine Korean Festival founders, sponsors, and dedicated volunteers, I strongly believe that the festival experience will help bring about mutual understanding and appreciation of different cultures, which will result in the promotion of peace and harmony among all people in the Irvine community and beyond.

Please join me!

What:  Irvine Korean Cultural Festival

When: Sat., May 13, 2017. 10:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Where: Irvine Civic Center, 1 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine, CA 92606

Free Admission. Free On-site parking and Off-Site parking with Shuttle.

Shuttle info: 3377 Michelson Drive, Irvine, CA 92612. Ride the shuttle and get a Free Raffle Ticket!

For more information, visit the Irvine Korean Festival website here.

 

 

 

Great Park Board Adopts Melissa Fox’s Motion to Approve New Wild Rivers Water Park in Irvine

On April 25, the Irvine City Council, acting as the Great Park Board of Directors, adopted the motion of Great Park Vice Chair and Irvine Councilmember Melissa Fox to approve construction of a new Wild Rivers Water Park on 30 acres at the Great Park in Irvine.
The old Wild Rivers Water Park closed in 2011 after 25 years in Irvine.

“We have missed having a water park in Irvine,” Councilmember Fox said.

“Wild Rivers has been an icon in the city of Irvine,” Fox added. “I was a kid sliding down the water slides at the old Wild Rivers, and I was a young mom taking my son there on hot summer days. We know that Wild Rivers provides fun and safe water parks, and they’ve always had a great relationship with the residents and the City of Irvine. We look forward to having them back in Irvine very soon.”
The city plans to lease its Great Park land to Wild Rivers, which would build and run the water park. Wild Rivers is proposing a 30-acre water park with waterslides, an uphill water coaster, water play structures for children, a wave pool, a lazy river and Wild Rivers’ popular Congo River Rapids.

Irvine City Council Passes Melissa Fox’s Motion for Proclamation Remembering Holocaust and to “Remain Vigilant Against Hatred, Persecution, and Tyranny”

Irvine – CA  At the Irvine City Council meeting on April 14, 2017, the Council unanimously voted in favor of Councilmember Melissa Fox’s motion for an official proclamation recognizing April 23-30, 2017, as “Days of Remembrance” in memory of the victims of the Holocaust, and in honor of the survivors, rescuers and liberators, and urging all to “remain vigilant against hatred, persecution, and tyranny.”

“I want to thank the Mayor and my City Council colleagues for their unanimous support for this proclamation,” Councilmember Fox stated. “The memory of the Holocaust should serve as a reminder throughout the ages of the need to treat all people with respect and dignity, and to ensure that hatred, bigotry, and tyranny have no place in America or any civilized community.”

The proclamation reads as follows:

DAYS OF REMEMBRANCE

April 23-30, 2017

WHEREAS, the Congress of the United States established the United States Holocaust Memorial Council to create a living memorial to the victims of the Nazi Holocaust, to never lose memory of that terrible moment in time; and

WHEREAS, the Holocaust was the persecution of European Jewry by Nazi Germany and its collaborators between 1933 and 1945, and Jews were the primary victims – six million were murdered along with millions more targeted for racial ethnic or national reasons; and

WHEREAS, the history of the Holocaust offers an opportunity to reflect on the moral responsibilities of individuals, societies, and governments; and

WHEREAS, we should always remember the terrible events of the Holocaust and remain vigilant against hatred, persecution, and tyranny; and

WHEREAS, we should rededicate ourselves to the principles of individual freedom in a just society; and

WHEREAS, the Days of Remembrance have been set aside to remember the victims of the Holocaust as well as to reflect on the need for respect of all people; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to an Act of Congress the United States Holocaust Memorial Council designates the Days of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust to be Sunday, April 23 through Sunday, April 30, 2017 including the international Day of Remembrance known as Yom Hashoah, April 24;

NOW THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Irvine DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 23-30, 2017, as “Days of Remembrance” in memory of the victims of the Holocaust, and in honor of the survivors, as well as the rescuers and liberators.

_______________________________

Mayor of the City of Irvine

March 14, 2017

 

City Council Member Melissa Fox Calls for Community Meeting to Reaffirm Irvine’s Commitment to Serve and Protect All Residents

diversity-01

Today, I issued the following Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jason Mills (714) 576-4303

IRVINE CITY COUNCILMEMBER MELISSA FOX CALLS FOR COMMUNITY MEETING IN RESPONSE TO HATE CRIMES TO REAFFIRM IRVINE’S COMMITMENT TO SERVE AND PROTECT ALL RESIDENTS

IRVINE, CA – Irvine City Councilmember Melissa Fox has called on the Irvine City Council to hold a community meeting to reaffirm to our richly diverse community that the City of lrvine and the Irvine Police Department will serve and protect all our residents with fairness, compassion and understanding.

2015-10-29-1446140597-2946989-cdfwm“Our City has a long and proud tradition of celebrating our great diversity and welcoming everyone to our community,” Councilmember Fox stated.

“We are grateful for the many cultures, faiths, and languages that shape the uniqueness of lrvine.  But I’ve recently been contacted by numerous residents expressing their fears that they are experiencing increasing levels of intolerance directed toward them simply because of their religion or their country of origin. Furthermore, other residents from our immigrant communities have expressed concerns about how the recent increase in hate crimes nationally may affect local policing efforts.  These developments are deeply troubling to me and to many others throughout our wonderfully diverse community,” she added.

Recent events have unsettled many Irvine residents.  Violent threats and assaults based on religion and national origin have increased across the county.  Last week, two Indian Americans were shot in Kansas in a hate crime.  Mosques have been the targets of arson in California, Texas, Washington, and Florida.  Jewish cemeteries have been desecrated in Missouri, Pennsylvania, and New York.  Here in Irvine, the Jewish Community Center, along with more than 20 other Jewish Community Centers across the nation, recently received a bomb threat.  In addition, there have been hate crimes directed toward Irvine’s Muslim residents.

“I believe that now is the time for us to reassure all members of our community that we celebrate diversity, embrace inclusion, and will ensure equal protection under the law,” Councilmember Fox said.

“That’s why I’ve asked the Irvine City Council to place on the March 14, 2017, my request that City staff coordinate a community meeting, possibly in cooperation with other stakeholders, such as the Orange County Human Relations Commission or members of our faith-based communities, to reassure everyone in our richly diverse community that the City of lrvine will serve and protect all our residents with fairness, compassion and understanding.”

Celebrating Korean American Day!

korea-us-flag

Today, January 13, has been designated by the City of Irvine as Korean American Day.

On January 13, 1903, a group of 102 Korean laborers arrived in Honolulu from Japan aboard the steamship RMS Gaelic to work in the Hawaiian sugar cane fields. This date is traditionally regarded as marking the first Korean immigration to the United States and celebrated as Korean American Day — although several individual Koreans had immigrated to the United States earlier, including Philip Jaisohn (Seo Jae-pil), a journalist and medical doctor and a noted champion for Korea’s independence, who in 1890 became the first Korean to become a naturalized U.S. citizen.

Korean American Youth Performing Artists mix colorful fans and clothing with graceful dance during the Korean Cultural Festival at Irvine City Hall on Sunday. ///ADDITIONAL INFO: - Photo by MINDY SCHAUER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER - shot: 051416 i.0514.koreanfestival Thousands attend the seventh annual Irvine Korean Cultural Festival, which commemorates Korean immigration to the United States since Jan. 13, 1903.

Korean American youth performing during the Korean Cultural Festival at Irvine City Hall. Photo: Mindy Schauer, OC Register

From these humble beginnings, a large and vibrant Korean American community has grown, now numbering nearly 2 million people of Korean descent in the United States, including nearly half a million people in California.

Irvine is proud to celebrate our thriving Korean American community each year in our annual Irvine Korean Cultural Festival, designed to share Korean culture with the entire community by showcasing its customs, heritage, arts and cuisine.

Our city has adopted the South Korean city of Seocho-gu as one of Irvine’s four “Sister Cities,” and has begun planning for the construction of a traditional Korean garden in Col. Bill Barber Park next to Irvine City Hall.

As the daughter of a Korean War combat veteran, and as a resident of Irvine, I feel a deep appreciation for the vital contributions that Korean Americans have made to our city (including two Korea-born mayors), our state, and our country.

I am proud to live and serve on the City Council in a city that celebrates and treasures our Korean American community and I join my Korean American friends and neighbors in celebrating Korean American contributions to our shared American heritage and way of life.

Listen to Melissa Fox’s Interview on KUCI’s ‘Ask a Leader’

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“I’m going to be bringing my 25 years of advocasy to bear for the residents of Irvine in negotiating with our partners in development, our major developers, FivePoint Communities and the Irvine Company.” — Melissa Fox, on KUCI’s “Ask a Leader.”

Here is the interview I did on October 4 with Claudia Shambaugh on the program “Ask a Leader” on KUCI-FM about my campaign for Irvine City Council and the future of the City of Irvine.

We discussed development and over-development, my plan to fix Irvine’s traffic congestion and make our streets safer, protecting Irvine’s villages and local businesses, improving our bikeways and the iShuttle, environmental issues, and more.

My interview begins at 1:30 and ends at 22:50.

I hope you’ll listen and let me know what you think!

 

Join Me at Irvine’s Global Village Festival 2016!

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My favorite Irvine cultural event of the year is almost here!

This coming Saturday, September 24, 2016, is the Irvine Global Village Festival!

Irvine Community Services Commissioner Melissa Fox at Irvine's Global Village Festival 2013

Irvine Community Services Commissioner Melissa Fox at Irvine’s Global Village Festival

In Irvine, we are proud of saying that our city is not only among the most diverse cities in the nation, it is also the most fully integrated.  There are no ethnic, linguistic, religious, or cultural enclaves in Irvine: every neighborhood reflects Irvine’s harmonious ethnic, linguistic, religious, and cultural diversity.

How diverse is Irvine?  A non-English language is spoken in a remarkable 58% of Irvine homes, with more than 70 different languages spoken in residences throughout Irvine.  Nearly 40 % of Irvine’s public school students have a primary language other than English.  Irvine is also home to more than 80 different churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship, serving Irvine’s wonderful cultural and religious diversity.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Irvine Global Village Festival – Irvine’s largest and most attended community event.  Founded in 1998 by a group of Irvine residents to help promote understanding and build harmony within Irvine’s many diverse cultures, the Global Village Festival is now Irvine’s signature event, featuring more than 100 performances on five stages; international cuisine and food from more than 50 restaurants; an international marketplace filled with unique crafts and textiles; interactive, educational and entertaining cultural displays, demonstrations, and performances; and an international village just for kids.

I’m looking forward to celebrating the many facets of Irvine’s diversity at the Global Village Festival – and I look forward to seeing you there!

Here are some important Festival details:

What: Irvine Global Village Festival

When: Saturday, September 24, 2016, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Where: Bill Barber Park, 4 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine, CA

Cost: Admission is FREE! Food tasting tickets are available for purchase at the event. Tickets are $1 each; with tasting prices ranging from 1 to 3 tickets per item. Cash, checks, MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover are accepted at designated ticket booth locations. Prices for sample sized items range from $1 to $3; it is recommended to purchase $10 per person. Tickets are non-refundable. For your convenience, a Schools First automatic teller machine (ATM) is located at the Irvine Civic Center, adjacent to the Irvine Police Department entrance.

Parking: There is no on-site parking at the event. While parking is not available at the event site, FREE shuttle buses will be in service to transport guests to and from the Festival’s satellite parking locations at Main and Jamboree and Woodbridge Community Park. Shuttles will be running from 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Disabled Person Parking will be available at the San Juan or Civic Center parking lots adjacent to Bill Barber Park. Please have the appropriate placard visible when entering the parking lot.

Bike to the Festival – that’s how I’m getting there!  By far the easiest way to get to the Festival is by bike. The City of Irvine has an extensive system of bike trails to get you to and from the event, and once inside, riders can safely and securely store their bikes at the Festival’s free Bike Valet area, hosted by the Bicycle Club of Irvine and the Orange County Bicycle Coalition. Use the City’s Interactive Bike Map to plan your trip. Enter the destination address as “4 Civic Center”.

Pets: Dogs are welcome at the Irvine Global Village Festival! However, owners must be responsible for their pets; dogs must be on leash, interact well in a large crowd and remain in the charge of a person competent to restrain them.

See you there!

Future Chinese Leaders of America: KUCI Podcast with Oliver Ma and Melissa Fox

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This summer, I had the great pleasure of working with Oliver Ma, a 2015 graduate of Irvine’s University High School and now a history and political science student UC Berkeley, to create a new Irvine non-partisan student group called Future Chinese Leaders of America (FCLA).

Irvine Commissioner Melissa Fox speaking at Future Chinese Leaders of America about the Irvine Master Plan

FCLA “seeks to train young Chinese Americans in politics and inform the Chinese American community of the political issues it faces. During meetings, local leaders/elected officials will speak about a topic of their choice. Then, the students will have a discussion/debate where they are encouraged to think critically and to formulate their own arguments about American politics and society.”

In just a few weeks, Oliver and current Irvine Chinese-American high school students Marvin Li, Ted Xiang, Leo Krapp, Michelle Tang, Michelle Liu and others successfully created this extraordinary club through their own initiative and dedication.

My role in the formation of FCLA was encouragement, mentoring, and connecting Oliver to various California Chinese-American political leaders such as State Controller Betty Yee, California Board of Estimate Chair Fiona Ma, and State Treasurer John Chiang, who spoke at an early FCLA meeting.

Oliver and I recently discussed the formation and future vision of the Future Chinese Leaders of America with KUCI’s program “Ask a Leader” with Claudia Shambaugh.

Please listen here.

Our discussion begins at 1:42 and continues to 29:38.

Join Me on the Next Irvine Food Tour: Phans 55 Vietnamese Bistro and Bar

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Please join me as we continue our Irvine Food Tour, showcasing and sharing our wonderful cultural diversity in Irvine as expressed in scores of amazing local restaurants and markets featuring cuisines as diverse as Irvine’s population.

Irvine is home to scores of remarkable locally-owned restaurants featuring cuisine as diverse as Irvine’s population. But many people who live in Irvine are not aware of the great restaurants we have, or perhaps they’re a little uncertain about trying food they perhaps have not eaten before. That is why I created the Irvine Food Tour, where we visit a local restaurant and the owner or chef selects the menu and explains the food as it is brought to us.

The Irvine Food Tour is also a great way to support local businesses and to connect local business owners with the community.

Our next Irvine Food Tour Destination is Phans 55, a Vietnamese Bistro and Bar.

As the home of more than 200,000 people of Vietnamese heritage, Orange County has hundreds of restaurants specializing in Vietnamese cuisine.  You can find restaurants featuring traditional dishes from every region and city in Vietnam. Irvine’s Phans 55, a family owned and operated restaurant, takes a slightly different approach: Vietnamese cuisine with a modern flare.

The menu is built around the healthy, fresh, distinctive cuisine of Vietnam, as beautiful as it is delicious.

OC Metro Magazine has raved about Phan 55’s “quality of the locally sourced food and the outstanding diversity of inspiring flavors.” OC Coast Magazine promised its readers that they “will love Phans 55, a sexy Vietnamese bistro and bar that serves healthy Vietnamese and focuses on the green movement.”

Our hosts and guides will be owners Tom and Susie Phan, who bring to Phans 55’s wonderful cuisine many years of technique and training passed on from generation to generation.

As always they’ll be great food and great conversation!

There are vegetarian and kid-friendly options.  Each diner will purchase their own items from the menu.

As Tom and Susie Phan have said, “it is through eating that we can take a moment and listen to each other’s lives. Food always has this magical element that can bond different people from different backgrounds together. ”

We could not agree more!

What: Irvine Food Tour with Commissioner Melissa Fox

When: Monday, April 4, 2016, at 6:00 p.m.

Where: Phans 55, a Vietnamese Bistro and Bar. 6000 Scholarship, Irvine CA 92612

If you have any questions, please contact me at 949-683-8855 or melissa@melissafoxlaw.com.

Seating is limited, so please reserve your spot as soon as possible by calling me at 949-683-8855 or emailing me at melissa@melissafoxlaw.com.

See you there!

Please note:  Commissioner Melissa Fox’s Irvine Food Tour is the creation of Melissa Fox and Dr. Catherine Liu, based on their love of Irvine’s many cultures and cuisines and their desire to share Irvine’s many wonderful cultures and cuisines with you, and is not an official activity or event of the City of Irvine

The Irvine Food Tour with Commissioner Melissa Fox Returns! Join Us for a Spectacular Persian Dinner at House of Kabob!

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“I don’t know anyone who has had Persian food and didn’t like it. Seriously.” ― Rick Steves, Guidebook Author and TV host.

Food is an expression of culture and a central focus of family life.  Here in Irvine, our cultural diversity is expressed in many forms, including restaurants.  I would like to share my love of Irvine’s many cultures and cuisines with you. That’s why I’ve launched the Irvine Food Tour with Commissioner Melissa Fox.

Food Tour HOK 2-8-16 (2) (1) (1)-page-0Please join us as we continue our Irvine Food Tour, showcasing and sharing our wonderful cultural diversity in Irvine as expressed in scores of amazing local restaurants and markets featuring cuisines as diverse as Irvine’s population!

As always, there’s going to be great food and great conversation!

Our next Irvine Food Tour destination is House of Kabob on Monday, February 8 at 6:00 p.m., for a spectacular dinner of Persian food.

House of Kabob is an award-winning restaurant that offers a casual yet refined dining experience through a meticulous fusion of flavorful food, pleasant ambience, and congenial hospitality.  The restaurant’s goal is to provide authentic Persian/Mediterranean cuisine coupled with impeccable service. Every dish is prepared fresh daily with only the finest ingredients.

The Los Angeles Times has raved that “House of Kabob cooks with self-assurance, its name a declaration of the restaurant’s dominion over all things skewered. Kabobs do indeed fare well, gobbets of beef, lamb or chicken charred in a primal, pleasing way. The koobideh kebab — ground beef formed into a torpedo — is the juicy ideal of what a kebab can be, the meat made almost silken amid the flames.  Combination kebabs offer a complete experience. The zafarani kebab trio provides a taste of everything: a boneless chicken kebab, a koobideh kebab and two lamb chops. Each kebab plate is served with a heap of basmati rice and orbs of charbroiled tomato, their skins blistered and scarred like the craggy surface of some comet-battered planet.”

Our expert host will be owner Jozef Besharati, who has more than 30 years of experience in culinary creations, event planning, and hotel management.  Mr. Besharati’s experience first began when he attended Le Vieux Bois in Geneva, Switzerland, which is known to be one of the top culinary schools in Europe.  After six rigorous years of training, he proceeded to work at Geneva’s acclaimed AAA Five Star Hotel du Rhone. After nearly 10 years of advancing his knowledge of management and culinary expertise where he worked under some of the most well-known chefs in Europe, Mr. Besharati moved to Irvine, California, where he spent the next 15 years working as the Catering and Banquet Manager at the AAA Five Star Le Meridian Hotel and later the AAA Five Star Sutton Place Hotel.

Seating is limited, so please reserve your spot as soon as possible by calling me at 949-683-8855 or emailing me at melissa@melissafoxlaw.com.

There are vegetarian and kid-friendly options.  Each diner will purchase their own items from the menu.

See you there!

What: Irvine Food Tour with Commissioner Melissa Fox

When: Monday, February 8, 2016, at 6:00 p.m.

Where: House of Kabob, 92 Corporate Park, Irvine, CA 92606

If you have any questions, please contact me at 949-683-8855 or melissa@melissafoxlaw.com.

See you there!

Please note:  Commissioner Melissa Fox’s Irvine Food Tour is the creation of Melissa Fox and Dr. Catherine Liu, based on their love of Irvine’s many cultures and cuisines and their desire to share Irvine’s many wonderful cultures and cuisines with you, and is not an official activity or event of the City of Irvine

Happy Korean American Day!

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Today commemorates the 113th  year of Korean immigration to the United States.

Korean War veterans (2)On January 13, 1903, a group of 102 Koreans arrived in Honolulu from Japan aboard the steamship RMS Gaelic to work in the Hawaiian sugar cane fields. This date is traditionally regarded as marking the first Korean immigration to the United States and celebrated as Korean American Day, although several individual Koreans had immigrated to the United States earlier, including Philip Jaisohn (Seo Jae-pil), a journalist and medical doctor and a noted champion for Korea’s independence and democracy, who in 1890 became the first Korean to become a naturalized U.S. citizen.

From these humble beginnings, a large and vibrant Korean American community has grown, now numbering nearly 2 million people of Korean descent in the United States, including nearly half a million people in California, and more than 13,000 Korean Americans living in Irvine.

melissa-koreanfestival-02 (2)Irvine is proud to celebrate our thriving Korean American community. Each year Irvine holds our annual Irvine Korean Cultural Festival, designed to share Korean culture with the entire community by showcasing its customs, heritage, arts and cuisine.

Our city has adopted the South Korean city of Seocho-gu as one of Irvine’s four “Sister Cities,” and has begun planning for the construction of a traditional Korean garden in Col. Bill Barber Park next to Irvine City Hall.

As the proud daughter of a Korean War veteran, and as a proud resident of Irvine, I feel a deep appreciation for the vital contributions that Korean Americans have made to our city, our state, and our country.

I am proud to live in a city that celebrates and treasures our tremendous diversity, including our vital Korean American community, and I join my Korean American friends and neighbors in celebrating Korean American contributions to our shared American heritage and way of life.

Happy Korean American Day!

Join Me at Irvine’s Global Village Festival 2015!

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My favorite Irvine cultural event of the year is almost here!

This Saturday, September 26, 2015, is the Irvine Global Village Festival!

Irvine Community Services Commissioner Melissa Fox at Irvine's Global Village Festival 2013

Irvine Community Services Commissioner Melissa Fox at Irvine’s Global Village Festival 2013

In Irvine, we are proud of saying that our City is not only among the most diverse cities in the nation, it is also the most fully integrated. There are no ethnic, linguistic, religious, or cultural enclaves in Irvine: every neighborhood reflects Irvine’s harmonious ethnic, linguistic, religious, and cultural diversity.

How diverse is Irvine?  A non-English language is spoken in a remarkable 58% of Irvine homes, with more than 70 different languages spoken in residences throughout Irvine.  Nearly 40 % of Irvine’s public school students have a primary language other than English.  Irvine is also home to more than 80 different churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship, serving Irvine’s wonderful cultural and religious diversity.

This year marks the 14th anniversary of the Irvine Global Village Festival – Irvine’s largest and most attended community event.  Founded in 1998 by a group of Irvine residents to help promote understanding and build harmony within Irvine’s many diverse cultures, the Global Village Festival is now Irvine’s signature event, featuring more than 100 performances on five stages; international cuisine and food from more than 50 restaurants; an international marketplace filled with unique crafts and textiles; interactive, educational and entertaining cultural displays, demonstrations, and performances; and an international village just for kids.

I’m looking forward to celebrating the many facets of Irvine’s diversity at the Global Village Festival – and I look forward to seeing you there!

Here are some important Festival details:

What: Irvine Global Village Festival

When: Saturday, September 27, 2014, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Where: Bill Barber Park, 4 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine, CA

Cost: Admission is FREE! Food tasting tickets are available for purchase at the event. Tickets are $1 each; with tasting prices ranging from 1 to 3 tickets per item. Cash, checks, MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover are accepted at designated ticket booth locations. Prices for sample sized items range from $1 to $3; it is recommended to purchase $10 per person. Tickets are non-refundable. For your convenience, a Schools First automatic teller machine (ATM) is located at the Irvine Civic Center, adjacent to the Irvine Police Department entrance.

Parking: There is no on-site parking at the event. While parking is not available at the event site, FREE shuttle buses will be in service to transport guests to and from the Festival’s satellite parking locations at Main and Jamboree and Woodbridge Community Park. Shuttles will be running from 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Disabled Person Parking will be available at the San Juan or Civic Center parking lots adjacent to Bill Barber Park. Please have the appropriate placard visible when entering the parking lot.

Bike to the Festival – that’s how I’m getting there!  By far the easiest way to get to the Festival is by bike. The City of Irvine has an extensive system of bike trails to get you to and from the event, and once inside, riders can safely and securely store their bikes at the Festival’s free Bike Valet area, hosted by the Bicycle Club of Irvine and the Orange County Bicycle Coalition. Use the City’s Interactive Bike Map to plan your trip. Enter the destination address as “4 Civic Center”.

Pets: Dogs are welcome at the Irvine Global Village Festival! However, owners must be responsible for their pets; dogs must be on leash, interact well in a large crowd and remain in the charge of a person competent to restrain them.

See you there!

Remembering the Anniversary of Black April and Honoring Those Who Fled to Freedom

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April 30th is the anniversary of the Fall of Saigon.  It is a time to remember and honor our more than 58,000 fallen and missing soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines, our half a million Vietnam War veterans, and a million and a half South Vietnamese allies, as well as our allies from Australia, South Korea, Thailand, New Zealand and the Philippines, who fought and died in the pursuit of freedom and democracy.

We must never forget their sacrifice.

Rescued refugees fly the flag of the Republic of Vietnam, 1980.

This anniversary is also a time to recognize and celebrate the tremendous contributions that Vietnamese Americans have made to our nation and to our shared American way of life.

We must also use this anniversary to renew our commitment to ensure that human rights and freedom are one day respected in Vietnam.

Like many people in Orange County, I have been moved to tears by the heartbreaking stories of the suffering of many of my Vietnamese friends and their families — stories of their tremendous struggles and their remarkable strength in coming to this country as refugees in one of the largest mass migrations in modern history.

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Honored to stand with our Vietnamese friends and the Vietnamese community at Black April ceremony in Westminster.

We must never forget the incredible hardships they endured and never cease to admire their courageous determination to live in freedom.

Irvine Unified Presents Free Public Concert Series!

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The Irvine Unified School District, in partnership with the Irvine Public Schools Foundation, presents the Music Series, which features four free performances by two Irvine high schools.

University High School’s string quartet and Irvine High School’s jazz band will perform on the following dates:

April 9, 6-7 p.m. – Quail Hill Shopping Center (University High School String Quartet).

April 16, 6-7 p.m. – University Center (Irvine High School Jazz Band 1).

April 23, 6-7 p.m. – Orchard Hills Village Center (University High School String Quartet).

April 30, 6-7 p.m. – Woodbridge Village (Irvine High School Jazz Band 1).

Bring your family and friends to enjoy a fun-filled evening of music!

Important Message from Seven-Year-Old Amin, My Favorite Campaign Volunteer!

Melissa Fox, Melissa Fox for Irvine City Council, Melissa Fox Irvine, melissafoxblog, melissafoxblog.com, votemelissafox, votemelissafox.com, Irvine Commissioner Melissa Fox

Here is a message to all Irvine voters from seven-year-old Amin, my favorite campaign volunteer.

As Amin says: “I am seven-years-old. I can not vote, but YOU CAN! Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote Vote!”

Listen to Amin: 

Click here to visit Melissa’s campaign website.