Part One of an analysis by First 5 Orange County found child care challenges take a significant toll on Orange County companies and the overall economy, with billions of dollars lost in productivity, wages and tax revenue.

This Saturday, courtesy of State Senator David Min’s continuing leadership, people from Irvine and across Orange County will gather to recognize those we lost to Covid; and, also, to honor the front-line workers and first responders who put their lives on the line to protect us.

At the Council Meeting last week, Staff made available the Third Quarter Budget Update. The update includes details on how Irvine has fared through the Covid-19 crisis financially.

It was announced at this week’s City Council Meeting that beginning later this month Council Meetings will once again be open in-person public participation.

The City of Irvine is offering COVID-19 vaccinations at convenient neighborhood locations on weekends and evenings to provide more opportunities for the public (aged 12+) to get vaccinated.

As vaccinations, masking, and applicable social distancing continue, the City of Irvine is able to slowly but surely open up operations. This week, the City Council approved a preliminary reopening plan for the Community Services Department.

Do you work for, own, or know a food or beverage business that faced hardship as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic? If so, the business may be eligible for grants ranging from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars.