Community Link Newsletter: June 20-27, 2024

General Plan Update Question & Answer Session

Join the City of Irvine for a Question & Answer (Q&A) session about Irvine's 2045 General Plan Update. Following extensive community conversations and engagement, the state-required document representing the City's vision for the next 25 years and beyond, is ready for adoption.

A Q&A session will be held Monday, July 8, from 6 to 7 p.m. at Irvine City Hall for the community to learn more about the update and ask questions. 

Visit irvine2045.com for more information and to view the draft General Plan Update elements. 

Irvine is Home to Historic Speed of Light Experiment 

In 1929, Dr. Albert Michelson, to which the Irvine street is named, built a mile-long steel vacuum tube to measure the speed of light in the area of what is now the business district. 

In 1931, Albert Einstein joined Dr. Michelson in Irvine to discuss that experiment, which helped Einstein develop his theory of relativity and the famous  E=mc² equation. 

The City of Irvine recently held a ceremony at 1920 Main Street to dedicate a plaque featuring Albert Michelson, Albert Einstein, and the speed of light experiment. View photos of the ceremony online. 

Make Irvine CONNECT Part of your Travel Plans

Do your summer plans have you running errands and traveling around town? Plan your day with ease using Irvine CONNECT! It’s commuting made simple with Irvine's free shuttle service!

From 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends, enjoy a bus every 20 minutes starting at Culver Drive/Irvine Boulevard & Irvine Station. Your ride awaits! Visit irvineconnect.com for more details and to track the shuttles in real-time. 

Great Park Live Entertainment Venue is now Open

Have you heard Great Park Live is now open for live performances and events? The 5,000 seat amphitheater opened June 14 with Irvine Nights. Check out what's possible at Great Park Live! 

Throughout the summer there will be more than a dozen additional Irvine Nights events, plus five performances by Pacific Symphony, beginning with a July 4 Spectacular. Great Park Live will welcome country artist Clay Walker on October 25 and the unique sounds of Brooks Nielsen on October 31, with more shows announced as the 2024 season continues.  
 
Additionally, Great Park Live will serve as a reimagined food and beverage facility with a new weekend gourmet eatery, The Layover, opening Saturday, July 6. Visit greatparklive.com for more information. 

Mosquitoes Suck!

Invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are well-established in Orange County and have the potential to spread dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika. During National Mosquito Awareness Week, June 16-22, protect yourself from mosquitoes.

To protect yourself and your family from bites, follow these tips:

• Eliminate all sources of standing water, including water in flowerpots, old tires,
  buckets, pet dishes, and trash cans.
• Install screens on doors and windows and keep them in good repair.
• Repair leaky faucets and broken sprinklers that can create standing water.
• Follow label instructions to apply insect repellent containing an EPA-registered
  active ingredient such as DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535.
• Wear long sleeves and pants, especially while outside during dawn and dusk when
  the mosquitoes that can spread West Nile virus are most active.

For more information on how to stay protected, visit mosquitoessuck.org. 

This Week in DE&I

There are many cultural and religious holidays celebrated and recognized throughout our community this month. Learn about some of the significant dates being observed in Irvine below and on our DE&I calendar.

June 19: Juneteenth
Juneteenth dates back to June 19, 1865, and is the oldest known annual observance commemorating the abolishment of slavery in the United States. It became a celebration of freedom and achievement, bringing family and communities together with food, entertainment, spiritual and religious ceremonies, and cultural storytelling. Today, Juneteenth takes on a symbol of pride in African American experiences and ancestral roots that is recognized annually across the country and is now a federal holiday. 

Join us this Saturday, June 22, at the Great Park for the third annual Juneteenth Freedom Celebration. Presented in partnership with BIPOC Orange County, the event takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is a celebration of freedom, hope, and joy that honors the history and contributions of Black Americans to the cultural fabric of our nation. Visit irvinejuneteenth.com for more information. 

Upcoming Meetings & Events

Road Construction and Capital Improvement Projects