Irvine Police arrest 49-year-old Benjamin Laubbacher following an attempted robbery at the Irvine Spectrum Center and a robbery of a grocery store cashier.

The City of Irvine will host a second Virtual Community Budget Meeting on March 25 for the upcoming fiscal year 2021-23 Biennial Budget cycle. The meeting will include virtual presentations and dialogue to answer budget questions and discuss community insights. The workshop will be held Thursday, March 25 at 9 a.m. via Zoom and Facebook Live. A previous budget workshop was held March 11. 

When life around the globe returns to normal, our world cannot return to business-as-usual.

Our global community has been shocked by the largest global crisis in a generation. COVID-19 has shown us the necessity of thinking ahead, but the next crises are already on their way. Climate change, species loss, pandemics and massive natural disasters might define the future — unless we do something now. We have the solutions, both natural and technological… we just need the will.

Effective Friday, February 26, all OUTDOOR organized youth sports and recreation (including K-12 school programs, community sponsored recreational programs, and privately-organized clubs and leagues) involving “moderate” and “high-contact” between players will be permitted to resume in Orange County.  This modification is permissible because Orange County’s COVID-19 case rate is less than 14 cases for every 100,000 residents.  Below is a list of the permitted OUTDOOR youth sports (effective 2/26/21):

To continue to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on Irvine’s residential renters, the City of Irvine, in partnership with Orange County United Way, will be allocating approximately $17.7 million for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). The program is funded through a combination of federal and state dollars.

The Irvine Animal Care Center invites the community to support its Foster Donation Drive, March 1–31. Support the center’s new puppies, kittens, and young rabbits, as well as recuperating animals, by donating supplies such as formula, towels, and toys. View a complete wish list at irvineanimals.org.