News

OC to Offer Optional Digital Vaccine Record, Not a Mandate

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

(Orange County Register) Orange County health officials still plan to provide digital proof people can use to show they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19, but county leaders stress they will not mandate that anyone get a so-called “vaccine passport” and one won’t be required to get services from the county. The OC Board of Supervisors on April 13, faced an angry crowd demanding the county abandon plans to require that people carry proof of vaccination to go about their daily lives – but no such plans exist. Currently, when people get a vaccine shot, they’re given a white card issued by the Centers fo...

Orange County in Pandemic Holding Pattern in Orange Tier

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

(Orange County Register) Orange County is in a pandemic holding pattern as three critical coronavirus metrics maintain low altitudes as the mass vaccination campaign grows. Both the local case rate and share of swab tests coming back positive were unchanged since last week, according to a state Department of Public Health update on April 13. The county’s case rate held week-to-week at 3 cases per day per 100,000 residents, while testing positivity remained at 1.6%. The health equity metric – testing positivity among hard-hit neighborhoods where access to health care is limited – dipped to 1.8% from 2.1% last week. To advance to th...

Vincit USA Acquires Arizona Digital Development Firm VURIA™

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Ville Houttu, founder and CEO of Vincit USA, introduces Arizona Digital Development Firm VURIA™ to Vincit's portfolio: To our friends and customers: To remain a dynamic partner, we’re always seeking new ways to enhance our services and meet the changing needs of our clients and their customers—which is why we’re excited to announce that Vincit has acquired Vuria™, a website design and mobile app development firm based in Scottsdale, Arizona with more than 20 employees and nearly three hundred active customers. Not only will this acquisition expand our operations and join a growing tech boom in Phoenix, but it will also strengthen our abilit...

Irvine Company Goes Low-Rise With New Innovation Office Park

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

(Orange County Business Journal) The Irvine Company didn’t stop building during the pandemic. Now the region’s largest commercial real estate landlord has a slate of new buildings that are expected to draw plenty of interest from tenants wanting low-rise product as their workers return to the office. The state’s largest office owner, with more than 560 buildings in its portfolio—a bulk of which are in Orange County—has opened the first phase of its latest ground-up office campus, Innovation Office Park, in the Irvine Spectrum area. The loft-style office project is on 73 acres, roughly the size of Irvine Co.’s Fashion Island shopping center in Newpor...

Linda and Mike Mussallem donate $5 million to Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

A $5 million gift to the University of California, Irvine from Linda and Mike Mussallem will support integrative cardiology training and research in the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute and initiate a UC system-wide health coaching program. “We are thrilled to receive this very generous gift,” said Dr. Shaista Malik, associate vice chancellor for integrative health and executive director of the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute. “Linda and Mike’s commitment to further advance science-based research and provide educational opportunities for the next generation of healthcare providers truly speaks to their long-standing partnership with us in transforming how healthcare is delivered to patients.” Th...

UCI’s Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe Named a 2021 Guggenheim Fellow

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe, an acclaimed biologist known for her work on the evolution of vision in butterflies, has been awarded a 2021 Guggenheim Fellowship. The University of California, Irvine professor of ecology & evolutionary biology is among a diverse group of 184 artists, writers, scholars and scientists worldwide to receive the prestigious award this year from a pool of almost 3,000 applicants. Briscoe will use her fellowship to support a project titled “Light, Heat and Butterflies: Adaptations of Insects to a Warming Planet.” She will conduct field research and write a book weaving together the biophysics, genetics, physiology and evolutio...

Irvine Biopharmaceutical Company Partnership Potentially Worth $250 Million

Monday, April 12, 2021

(Orange County Register) Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company in Irvine, has formed a partnership worth potentially $250 million with LianBio, a biotech company in China, to develop and commercialize its proprietary eye drops in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau. Tarsus in January 2020 raised $60 million in a funding round for late-stage clinical trials of its therapeutic treatment called TP-03. The eye drops were engineered to treat Demodex blepharitis, an eyelid disease affecting millions of Americans, and Meibomian Gland Disease. As part of the partnership, LianBio will gain exclusive rights to develop and commercialize TP-03 in greater China, while Tarsus wil...

Orange County’s Housing: $820,000 Record Price, Most Sales in 15 Years

Monday, April 12, 2021

(Orange County Register) Orange County’s homebuying binge continued in February with sales up 13% and prices increasing 9.6% over 12 months to a record high. The selling spree came as recovery quickened from the pandemic’s broad economic challenges. Interest rates remained low but are rising. Severely limited housing inventory also hindered house hunters seeking new or larger living spaces. Here’s a look at DQNews/CoreLogic’s report on February’s closed transactions in the county … Sales: 2,725 residences sold, existing and new — up 13% in a year. The last time the county had more sales in February was 2006. Sales in the past 12 months totaled 35,692, u...

SBA Opens Applications for Shuttered Venue Operators Grants

Thursday, April 08, 2021

The U.S. Small Business Administration officially opened the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) application portal on April 8 for operators of live venues, live performing arts organizations, museums and movie theatres, as well as live venue promoters, theatrical producers, and talent representatives to apply for critical economic relief, as those eligible entities are some of the first that had to shutter their doors a year ago in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Concerts, plays, dance performances, movie premieres, museum exhibits – these are the lifeblood of culture and community, and often the anchor for travel, tourism, and neighborhood food and retail stores. We know tha...

California Travel Looks to Bounce Back After Dramatic Decline During COVID-19

Wednesday, April 07, 2021

March marked one year since the coronavirus changed the way Californians live and work. This spring carries a sense of optimism as vaccines become more widely available. But recent data outlining the pandemic’s devastating effects on the state’s tourism economy illustrate just how challenging a year it was for the travel industry and how much work it will take to climb back to 2019 travel spending levels. The coronavirus halted a record 10 years of growth for California’s tourism economy in 2020, erasing $86 billion in visitor spending and 518,000 travel and hospitality jobs throughout the state. More than one-third of the jobs lost i...

Fowler School of Law Names Inaugural Wylie A. Aitken Professor of Law, Race, and Social Justice

Wednesday, April 07, 2021

Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law Professor Janine Young Kim has been selected as the inaugural Wylie A. Aitken Professor of Law, Race, and Social Justice. Nationally recognized Top 100 trial lawyer and Chair Emeritus of Chapman University’s Board of Trustees Wylie A. Aitken established the new professorship to support a faculty member whose teaching, scholarship, and/or service furthers Chapman University’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. “Law and justice are the foundation of this country, which recognizes that social justice gives equal recognition to all without regard to race, country of origin, or economic status,” said Aitken. “This professorship an...

U.S. Job Openings Jump to Two-Year High in February

Wednesday, April 07, 2021

(Reuters) U.S. job openings rose to a two-year high in February while hiring picked up as strengthening domestic demand amid increased COVID-19 vaccinations and additional pandemic aid from the government boost companies’ needs for more workers. The Labor Department’s monthly Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or JOLTS report, was the latest indication that the labor market had turned the corner after shedding jobs in December as the nation buckled under a fresh wave of COVID-19 infections and depleted government relief. “Labor demand should continue to heat up as companies brace for a post-pandemic burst in pent-up demand,” said Lydia Boussour, lead U.S...

UCI’s Brilliant Future Campaign Surpasses $1 Billion in Gifts

Wednesday, April 07, 2021

Alumni and friends of the University of California, Irvine have raised more than $1 billion to support scholarships, groundbreaking research, top-notch patient care, and world-class educational facilities, among other initiatives. The $1 billion total pushes UCI across the halfway mark in its $2 billion philanthropic effort, Brilliant Future: The Campaign for UCI, which has also engaged 44,000 alumni so far – more than half the goal of 75,000 by 2024. The Brilliant Future campaign publicly launched in October 2019. It is the most ambitious fundraising and alumni engagement effort in UCI’s history. To date, more than 68,000 supporters have given to th...

Business Executives Eager to Return Employees to the Office

Tuesday, April 06, 2021

(CNBC) The days of working from home may be numbered. While some companies, including JPMorgan Chase, Salesforce, and PricewaterhouseCoopers, are dumping office space, others are ramping up their return-to-work plans. Just this week, Google, one of the first major U.S. companies to send employees home last year because of the coronavirus, told staffers it is accelerating plans to get back in the office ahead of the Sept. 1 return deadline. In a memo to Bloomberg employees first reported by Business Insider, Michael Bloomberg said he expects workers to return to the office as soon as they are vaccinated. In a survey of more than 350 CEOs and human resources and financ...

California to Fully Reopen June 15

Tuesday, April 06, 2021

(Patch) Sixteen California counties will move into less restrictive tiers as officials look to lift all COVID-19 restrictions on businesses, gatherings, and recreational activities June 15, though a statewide mask mandate will remain in place. Assuming continued availability of vaccines and no spikes in COVID-19 hospitalizations — particularly among people who have been vaccinated — the state on June 15 will do away with its Blueprint for a Safer Economy, the four-tier, color-coded system that has guided economic reopening through a series of restrictions and capacity limits. That system has been in place for 31 weeks, Gov. Gavin Newsom said during ...

Irvine HS Students to Exhibit Ethics Presentations During Greater Irvine Chamber Virtual April 20 Business & Workforce Development Meeting

Tuesday, April 06, 2021

Five teams of Irvine High School students have completed a semester-long Ethics Forum program created by the Greater Irvine Chamber Business and Workforce Development Committee (BWD) in partnership with Irvine Unified School District and Vital Link. The students will showcase their work during the BWD virtual meeting on Tuesday, April 20, 4–5:30 p.m. Parents and the public are invited to attend. Join the Zoom meeting here. Student presentations will cover: Drug Regulation Government Intervention in the Financial Industry Government Subsidy of Dollar Tree/99 Cent Stores Ethics of Electronic Tracing with COVID-19 Racial Bias in Healthcare The Ethics Forum program, led by Dr. Brian Dozer, president of Vital Link, is designed to teach students by introducing, instructing...

Celebrate Irvine to Honor Frontline Community Heroes

Monday, April 05, 2021

After a year faced with the Coronavirus pandemic, the Greater Irvine Chamber will honor some of the community's frontline heroes during the 2021 Celebrate Irvine virtual event, live-streamed Wednesday, June 9 at 12 p.m. Celebrate Irvine will also feature a welcome from Greater Irvine Chamber President & CEO Bryan Starr and an update about the city, celebrating its 50th anniversary, from Irvine Mayor Farrah N. Khan. Join us in the spirit of gratitude as we honor those who have gone above and beyond to serve our community during the pandemic. They have performed their work duties in close proximity to the public or colleagues...

California to Allow Indoor Events, Gatherings As Cases Near Record Low

Friday, April 02, 2021

(Patch) In a major about-face from the state's strict and stringent reopening plan, California officials on April 2 announced that the state will allow indoor concerts, theater performances, and gatherings starting April 15. The announcement comes as officials said the state's coronavirus test positivity rate nears a record low, according to the California Department of Public Health. To attend indoor gatherings, Californians will have to get tested for coronavirus or show proof of full vaccination, the state said. Guidance on indoor events and gatherings will also vary by the level of restrictions in each county's tier assignment. It remains to be seen just ho...

OC is Reopening! Schedule a Business Celebration

Friday, April 02, 2021

Orange County is rapidly moving toward reopening businesses and venues as COVID-19 cases continue to fall and more people are vaccinated in the county. And the Greater Irvine Chamber is ready to help you celebrate your milestone. We have implemented mandated safety guidelines to ensure a successful celebration. Is your business celebrating a milestone anniversary or grand opening? Let us know! To learn more and to schedule your business celebration, contact Jessica Welch.

Robotics Research Leader Magnus Egerstedt Named Dean of UCI Engineering School

Friday, April 02, 2021

Highly respected robotics and control systems researcher Magnus Egerstedt will become the new dean of The Henry Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine, following a nationwide search. Egerstedt will take up his new post in July at a time when UCI will be preparing to resume in-person classroom and laboratory instruction and increase in-person research after more than a year emphasizing remote operations due to the coronavirus pandemic. “Our amazing and impactful Samueli School of Engineering is central to our ability to fulfill our public mission of improving lives and solving the great challenges of our time, an...

Orange County Soccer Club Announces 2021 Schedule

Thursday, April 01, 2021

Orange County Soccer Club has released its full schedule for the 2021 season. The club will play 32 league matches stretching from May 16 to Oct. 30. The schedule will feature 10 Saturday night and 5 mid-week matches at Championship Soccer Stadium located in the Orange County Great Park in Irvine. View complete Orange County SC Schedule The 2021 Championship regular season will see each of the league’s teams play a 32-game schedule over a 28-week regular season, with the league divided into four divisions and two conferences. Playing in the USL Championship Pacific Division, OCSC will open the season on the road against Tacoma Defiance o...

City of Hope Receives $50M to Support Cancer Care Center to Open in Irvine in 2022

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

(Orange County Register) The size of the gift Lennar Foundation just awarded City of Hope Orange County is eye-popping: $50 million. The gift will support the development of a $1 billion, 190,000-square-foot comprehensive cancer campus in Irvine. Made public March 31, the money represents the biggest gift yet in the three-year-old effort by City of Hope to bring its expertise in fighting cancer to Orange County. It’s also the second-largest donation in City of Hope’s 108-year history. The organization has been known for its hospital and research center in Duarte, but the move into Orange County is part of an expansion that will includ...

City of Irvine Joins National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation, April 1 – 30

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Mayor Farrah N. Khan is joining mayors across the country for the 10th Anniversary of the National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation by asking residents to make a long-term commitment to manage water resources more wisely. The annual challenge, April 1- 30, is a nonprofit national community service campaign that encourages leaders to inspire their residents to make a series of simple pledges at mywaterpledge.com to use water more efficiently, reduce pollution, and save energy. The program was started 10 years ago by a handful of mayors who were looking for alternative ways to engage their residents more deeply about the coming wate...

Influential Leadership: Podcast Interview with President & CEO Greater Irvine Chamber Bryan Starr

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Bryan Starr, president & CEO of the Greater Irvine Chamber talks with Nada Lena Nasserdeen, Chamber member and founder of Rise Up for You, during a recent podcast. Starr discusses leadership during crises and his priorities for his team. “The basics of leadership don’t change much. I think the challenges that arise for leaders are dynamic,” Starr said. He went on to say that being a transitional leader and being responsive to the needs of the people that rely on leaders is critical. Leaders should give their teams the tools and flexibility they need to be successful. “Your greatest resource is your people,&rdquo...

MemorialCare Expands partnership with Blue Shield of California

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

MemorialCare has announced that effective April 1, 2021, MemorialCare Medical Group, Edinger Medical Group, MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center, Saddleback Medical Center, and their many community-based surgery, imaging, and physical therapy centers will be added to the Blue Shield Trio HMO network in Orange County. MemorialCare was selected to join the Orange County network based on its proven ability to deliver high-quality care and service at a reduced cost with MemorialCare's expansive and growing network. The recent expansion follows MemorialCare's successful partnership with Blue Shield as an in-network provider in the Long Beach area with MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center, MemorialCare Miller Children’...

Orange County Moves To Orange Tier Today: What To Expect

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

(Patch) Orange County will move into the Orange Tier of the State's Blueprint for a Safer Economy after having successfully achieved Orange Tier metrics for two weeks, officials say. The California Department of Public Health announced that effective Wednesday, March 31, Orange County businesses can move toward the Orange Tier metrics that allow them to expand capacity or resume operations altogether. The orange tier is the second-least-restrictive tier, and the county does not intend to enact any additional restrictions on top of what the state already requires. Residents are advised to continue seeking vaccinations and wearing masks and social distancing. If the county i...

UCI’s Graduate Programs Shine in US News & World Report Rankings

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

The University of California, Irvine’s Ph.D. program in criminology, law & society placed second in the nation overall in U.S. News & World Report’s annual graduate school rankings – published online today – with 10 other fields of advanced study in the top 10 among public universities. Overall, 31 programs landed in the top 25 among publics, marking UCI as one of the leading locations in the country for students to pursue graduate degrees. “UCI has established itself as a world-class public research university in a wide range of fields,” said Gillian Hayes, vice provost for graduate education and dean of th...

Internationally Known Scholar Norma Bouchard Named New Provost of Chapman University

Monday, March 29, 2021

Norma Bouchard, an internationally recognized scholar and innovator with extensive experience leading diverse academic programs, has been selected as the new provost at Chapman University. The announcement by Chapman President Daniele C. Struppa follows a nationwide search to replace Glenn Pfeiffer, who is retiring in July after five highly effective years as provost. Following a sabbatical, Pfeiffer will return to his previous position as a professor of accounting in Argyros School of Business and Economics. Bouchard, Ph.D., will begin July 28, taking on the role of Chapman’s chief academic officer after serving most recently as dean of the College of Arts and Science...

Irvine Community Report Provides Insights from a Challenging Year

Monday, March 29, 2021

Highlights from the Greater Irvine Chamber Community Report covering 2020 have been published in the Orange County Business Journal. The report provides a snapshot of Irvine's demographics and workforce details. It also provides insights into the work of the Chamber and its Destination Irvine and Economic Development divisions to enhance the economic vitality of Greater Irvine. View / Download the full Irvine Community Report Below are excerpts as published in the March 29 Orange County Business Journal: View / Download the full Irvine Community Report

Orange County Hospitals Make Newsweek’s Best in US List

Monday, March 29, 2021

The coronavirus pandemic brought home the importance of access to high-quality health care, Newsweek said with a recent announcement of the world's best hospitals, which includes two facilities in Orange County and 36 in California. Greater Irvine Chamber Leaders Circle platinum-level partners with facilities in Orange County making the list are Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian (#15) and UC Irvine Medical Center (#21), as well as MemorialCare and Kaiser Permanente with Southern California locations. Newsweek ranked the Golden State’s best hospitals in the United States: Stanford Health Care - Stanford Hospital Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center Cedars-Sinai Medical Center UCLA Medical Center - Santa Monica UCSF Medical Center Universit...

Amazon Triples Southern California Delivery Hubs Including New Irvine Facility

Friday, March 26, 2021

(Orange County Register) The big trucks arrive in the dark, bearing Xboxes, bento boxes, printers, and playsets. After dawn, cargo vans load up with everything from apple slicers to yoga mats, then fan out into the neighborhoods, where drivers knock and drop, then speed off to their next delivery. Now, with online shopping skyrocketing amid last year’s pandemic lockdowns, e-commerce retailers are scrambling to open more and more “last-mile” delivery stations in a mad dash to speed up distribution. And no one is expanding faster than Amazon. Last year, the Seattle-based tech giant tripled its suburban logistics nodes from nine to 32 in Souther...

California Job Recovery Picks Up Steam, Accounting For Over One-Third Of All Jobs Added In U.S.

Friday, March 26, 2021

California’s labor market recovery picked up steam in February, with total nonfarm employment in the state expanding by 141,000 positions over the month, according to an analysis released jointly by Beacon Economics and the UCR School of Business Center for Economic Forecasting and Development. 37% CA Share Of All Jobs Added In U.S. While the late 2020 surge in COVID-19 cases and the associated health-mandated business restrictions took a toll on the state’s labor market in December and January, the February figures represent the highest monthly job gains for the state since June of last year. In contrast to its earlier trend, California helped t...

City of Irvine and MemorialCare Expand COVID-19 Vaccinations to More Irvine Residents

Friday, March 26, 2021

The City of Irvine expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to Irvine’s highest risk residents aged 55 and over through a continued partnership with MemorialCare. The City of Irvine continues to bring vaccines to Irvine residents through Mayor Farrah N. Khan’s COVID-19 Task Force. The state’s announcement to extend eligibility to California residents 50+ starting April 1 and all individuals 16+ April 15, will only continue these alliances and vaccination efforts. “MemorialCare continues to be an outstanding partner to help meet the vaccination needs of our residents,” said Mayor Farrah N. Khan. “We will continue to work together until every Irvine resident receives ...

Eight Women Named Greater Irvine Chamber 2021 Women of Influence

Friday, March 26, 2021

Eight outstanding Orange County women were selected from an impressive group of finalists and honored during the Greater Irvine Chamber’s 2021 Women of Influence virtual event live-streamed on March 24. GAME CHANGER Janeen Hill, Ph.D. Dean, Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences Chapman University EXECUTIVE Patty Juarez National Diverse Segments Director Wells Fargo ADVOCATE Farrah N. Khan Mayor City of Irvine ENTREPRENEUR Nada Nasserdeen CEO & Founder Rise Up For You AUTHENTIC LEADER Danni Remington Smithson Vice President & Regional Manager Bank of Southern California INNOVATOR Amy von Kaenel Founder & CVEO VolunteerCrowd RISING STAR Caitlyn Yang CEO & Founder StartSmart INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY AWARD Lynn Jochim Chief Operating Officer FivePoint To read how the honorees have positively impacted their industries and the Orange County community, view the event program booklet. 2021 WOME...

All Californians 16+ Will Be Eligible For Vaccine April 15

Thursday, March 25, 2021

(Patch) All Californians 16 and older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine as of April 15. Gov. Gavin Newsom made the announcement on March 25 at an Orange County vaccination site. Californians 50 and older will be able to sign up for a vaccination appointment beginning April 1, he added. This expanded eligibility comes as the state anticipates a significant increase in COVID-19 vaccine supply. Just last week, Newsom told reporters that all Californians would be eligible for the vaccine in early May. "The light at the end of the tunnel continues to get brighter," Newsom said in a tweet. California expects to receive 2.5 millio...

Many American Households Use Stimulus Payments to Pay Down Debt

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Americans are poised to receive a third round of stimulus checks through the new American Rescue Plan Act and data from the Census Bureau’s experimental Household Pulse Survey show past stimulus payments helped ease financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first round of COVID stimulus payments of up to $1,200 per adult and $500 per child began reaching households in April and May 2020. According to the survey, around a quarter of adults in those households were still using those payments to pay for usual expenses as of the first half of June 2020. But Household Pulse data also suggest many households may have accumulated deb...

OC Closer to Orange Tier, Improving Trends Rending

Thursday, March 25, 2021

(Orange County Register) Just one week after entering the red tier – which let restaurants, movie theaters, and gyms invite customers back indoors – Orange County is already on track to advance to the even less-restrictive orange tier for the first time since state officials introduced the four-tier framework of pandemic rules last summer. If local COVID-19 case rates and other critical metrics used to track the speed and spread of the coronavirus stay as low as they are now, the county could advance to the orange tier on March 31, said Dr. Clayton Chau, OC Health Care Agency director and county health officer. Th...

UCI to Lead Transfer of UC COVID-19 Patient Information to Federal Database

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Vaccines are here, but as COVID-19 cases continue and variants spread, researchers need easy access to a wide variety of data to better understand the disease. Led by the University of California, Irvine, UC hospitals have received a $500,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to make this possible. Dr. Dan M. Cooper, associate vice chancellor for clinical and translational science at UCI, will manage a transfer of UC information on COVID-19 cases into the National COVID Cohort Collaborative’s centralized data resource at the NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. “We were very involved in the pandemic from Day One,” sai...

Governor Signs New Paid Sick Leave Mandate Into Law

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

(CalChamber) Governor Gavin Newsom on March 19 signed legislation that mandates the addition of up to 80 hours of employer-paid COVID-19 sick leave retroactive to Jan. 1, 2021. The new law applies to employees who work for a public or private employer with more than 25 employees. Upon signing the legislation into law, Governor Newsom said, “Even as case rates and hospitalizations decline and vaccinations ramp up, we can’t let our guard down and must do all we can to stop this virus from spreading.” The California Chamber of Commerce and a coalition of more than 110 allied groups, strongly opposed the proposal. Th...

Orange County Eyes Orange Tier, Blue Shield Vaccine Distribution

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

(Patch) Orange County has met the coronavirus metrics to move to the less-restrictive orange tier under the state's blueprint for reopening the economy. Still, the county must maintain these figures until April 7 to officially graduate up to that level. A new relationship with Blue Shield will see to a more streamlined vaccine delivery across the county, though details are still being made known as of March 23. The latest weekly update from the state, issued on Tuesdays, shows the county's test positivity rate improved from 2.2% to 2.1%, and the adjusted case rate per 100,000 people on a seven-day average wit...

City of Irvine Green Ribbon Environmental Committee Accepting Applications for Members-at-Large, Student Vacancies

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

The City of Irvine is accepting applications to fill two member-at-large and two student vacancies on its Green Ribbon Environmental Committee. The Committee advises the City Council and makes recommendations on matters related to energy, recycling and waste management, mobility, open space, and water issues. Applicants may be an Irvine resident, student, or businessperson. At-Large members will serve two-year terms, while students who are currently in middle school or high school will serve one-year terms. Committee meetings are held every other month at 4:30 p.m. Due to COVID-19, meetings will take place virtually until further notice. Selection will be based on: Professional or civi...

Orange County Soccer Club Home Opener Set For May 22, Capacity Pending

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

The Orange County Soccer Club will open its home schedule on Saturday, May 22, 7 p.m. PST, the USL Championship announced today. OCSC’s home slate at Championship Soccer Stadium opens with a Western Conference matchup against in-state rival Sacramento Republic FC, in what will be the team’s first matchup since the 2020 playoffs. Under California’s current COVID-19 protocols, OCSC will open at 20% capacity, with current and new season ticket holders receiving priority seating. Fans can still purchase season tickets by visiting orangecountysoccer.com. Gameday seating capacity is subject to change based on California COVID-19 protocols and tier levels. More details on the 2021 USL Championshi...

Southern California Gas Company Sets Bold Net Zero Emissions Pledge

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas), the largest gas utility in the U.S., today announced the company's bold commitment to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in its operations and delivery of energy by 2045. View/Download the Report This commitment makes SoCalGas the largest gas distribution utility in North America to set a net-zero target including scopes 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions, which would eliminate not only its own direct emissions but also those generated by customers' energy delivered by SoCalGas' energy infrastructure. SoCalGas' commitment aligns with the Paris Climate Agreement's recommendations and reflects the company's focus on supporting California with a resilient gas grid through the energy transition t...

City of Irvine and Hoag Continue COVID-19 Vaccine Partnership

Monday, March 22, 2021

Mayor Farrah N. Khan’s unwavering pledge to vaccinate all Irvine residents continued March 22, with another COVID-19 vaccine clinic held through an ongoing partnership with Hoag. Higher-risk Irvine residents aged 60 and over received COVID-19 vaccines at Lakeview Senior Center. “Continuing to expand COVID-19 vaccine parameters to more Irvine residents brings me great satisfaction,” said Mayor Farrah N. Khan. “My COVID-19 Task Force continues to be successful in meeting the needs of my constituents and I’m extremely grateful for these fruitful partnerships. I’m certain that in coming weeks the City will be able to provide even more vaccines to eligible Irvine residents.” O...

Irvine Police Announce New Online Hate Crime Reporting Tool

Saturday, March 20, 2021

(Orange County Register) As public officials and activist groups around the country demand an end to attacks on Asian Americans, Irvine police are rolling out a new online portal people can use to report hate crimes and incidents. It’s part of larger efforts by the Police Department and the city to discourage racism and bias and be more inclusive. Irvine Police Chief Mike Hamel announced the reporting tool at a March 19 press conference at the Irvine Civic Center. City leaders including Mayor Farrah Khan, representatives of Asian American organizations, and several residents also spoke about their experiences and their goal of ending racism. Orange Count...

City of Irvine Holds Press Conference in Light of Recent Hate Incidents Toward Asian Pacific Islander Community

Friday, March 19, 2021

The City of Irvine takes great pride in its diverse community and continues to set the standard for taking proactive measures to maintaining a quality of life that includes safety and inclusion for residents, businesses, and visitors. In early 2021, Mayor Farrah N. Khan and City Councilmembers unanimously adopted the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resolution and launched a diversity campaign, We Are Irvine. In light of recent hate crimes and incidents toward the Asian Pacific Islander community throughout the United States and Irvine, the City has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting its residents from hate and discrimination with the launch of ...

New Dining Center Near JWA to Include Four Restaurants with Ample Outdoor Patio Space

Friday, March 19, 2021

(Orange County Business Journal) The McCormick & Schmick’s restaurant and brewery stood like a fortress for more than 20 years at the corner of Main Street and Gillette Avenue in Irvine. “They built a solid wall with not too (many) windows—so as to lock in clients,” said Michael Robinson, a partner at Robinson Hill Architecture Inc. “It was a protected environment that didn’t really embrace the community. It was its own little box that had no connection to anything.” Since that restaurant closed in 2019, the property’s owner, Emmes Group, picked RHA to design a new concept for the property at 200...

Transportation Corridor Agencies Earn Engineering Award for Oso Parkway Bridge Project

Friday, March 19, 2021

The Transportation Corridor Agencies’ (TCA) Oso Parkway Bridge Project was recognized by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Orange County Branch as Outstanding Bridge Project of the Year during a recent virtual ceremony. The project, which celebrated its grand opening in January, enhances mobility for South Orange County residents and commuters by connecting the 241 Toll Road and Los Patrones Parkway. A new sidewalk and dedicated bike lanes improve safety for students and families traveling to Tesoro High School. Additionally, businesses in cities such as Rancho Santa Margarita, Mission Viejo, Rancho Mission Viejo, San Juan Capistrano, and San Clemente benefit from increase...

City of Irvine Continues to Prioritize Diversity through City Council Initiatives

Thursday, March 18, 2021

The City of Irvine has always been a leader in celebrating diversity and has continued this proactive approach through recent council initiatives. In early 2021, Mayor Farrah N. Khan and City Councilmembers unanimously adopted the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resolution and launched a diversity campaign, We Are Irvine, confirming their commitment to the City’s values. As part of this effort, the Irvine Police Department has implemented a hate crime reporting portal. In light of the recent increase in hate crimes and incidents throughout the nation, the City’s proactive and thoughtful approach will help with the ongoing effort to inform and educate our community tha...

Transportation Corridor Agencies and CHP Partner to Put the Brakes on Excessive Speeders

Thursday, March 18, 2021

The Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) are partnering with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to increase the presence of law enforcement officers on The Toll Roads to encourage drivers to respect posted speed limits. During the COVID-19 pandemic, TCA and the CHP have observed a complete disregard for posted speed limits by some drivers on The Toll Roads, prompting the Boards to act in the best interest of public safety. As a result, TCA will fund nearly 200 hours of targeted enforcement through the end of June. “As a Director at TCA, public safety is my top priority. Just because fewer cars ar...

Destination Irvine, Irvine Hotels Partner to Advocate for State Guidance in the Reopening of Business Meetings

Wednesday, March 17, 2021

Leaders from Greater Irvine Chamber and Irvine hotels met with Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan at the Irvine Marriott on March 16 as part of the California Hotel & Lodging Association’s hotel demo program advocating for state guidelines on safe reopening of business meetings. “Every other state released protocols and has been safely holding meetings during the pandemic, but California has prohibited meetings of any size since the state’s stay-at-home order went into effect on March 19, 2020. As a result, other states are exploiting California's lack of guidelines for meetings and poaching business intended for Irvine,” said Wendy Haase, vice president of Destination Irvine, a division of th...

Largest Charitable Auction Site, shopgoodwill.com®, Hits $1 Billion in Sales

Wednesday, March 17, 2021

The first and largest ecommerce auction platform created and operated by a nonprofit, shopgoodwill.com, has surpassed $1 billion in sales. Half of the $1 billion sales total was earned in just the last three years; the site had previously announced hitting the $500 million sales mark in September 2017. Last year, the site saw nearly 22 percent growth in sales over the previous year with $171.3 million in sales. shopgoodwill.com is receiving more than 21 million unique page views each week, and currently has more than 2.4 million registered customers. The site brings together the best-donated items from 129 local Goodwill® sellers fro...

Orange Tier May Be Within Weeks for OC Provided Pandemic Improving Metrics Continue

Wednesday, March 17, 2021

(Orange County Register) Two days after Orange County entered the red tier of pandemic rules – allowing restaurants, movie theaters, and gyms to invite customers inside once again – the county’s latest coronavirus metrics suggest another leap toward normalcy isn’t far off. If promising trends hold, Orange County is poised to spend only a few weeks in the red tier before advancing to the even more relaxed orange tier, which would bring back another wave of shuttered businesses, including bars and bowling alleys, with pandemic modifications in place. The county’s COVID-19 case rate fell for the ninth week in a row to ...

Orange County Restaurants, Movie Theaters Welcome Customers Back Indoors Under New Red Tier Rules

Tuesday, March 16, 2021

(Orange County Register) Some restaurants, gyms, and movie theaters across Orange County shot out of the gates Sunday, March 14 as other owners and managers prepared to bring back and retrain staff, replenish supplies and get the word out to customers that they are welcome indoors once again. State public health officials announced Friday that California had met a 2 million vaccination goal in disproportionately impacted areas, meaning Orange County and some others – Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties included – with improving pandemic metrics would shift Sunday from the strictest purple tier of the state’s four-tier monitoring system to the more relaxed re...

Cox Enables Customers with Physical Disabilities to Control Contour Video Guide with Eyes

Monday, March 15, 2021

Cox today unveiled a new feature that empowers people with disabilities to control their TV with their eyes. The Accessible Web Remote for Contour gives those who have lost fine motor skills – whether from degenerative conditions or paralysis – the ability to browse the video guide with a glance. Specifically, a free web-based remote control is navigable using various assistive technologies owned by customers, including eye gaze hardware and software, switch controls, and sip-and-puff systems, which the user controls by gently blowing into a tube. Eye-tracking technology gives people living with conditions like paraplegia, Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) the same acces...

CA Has 11th Lowest Tax Rate In The Country

Friday, March 12, 2021

(Patch) If you feel as though you have been working harder than you have ever been, but your paychecks are somehow lighter, it's not your imagination or some coronavirus-fueled fever dream. WalletHub released its annual Taxpayer Survey, a snapshot of each state's taxation obligations. The Golden State ranked 11th, just behind Tennesee, in the category of Overall State & Local Tax Rate. WalletHub comes up with the scores by factoring in a variety of tax obligations, none of which were anything California could really shout about: Tax Rates in California (1=Lowest; 25=Average): 11th – Overall Effective State & Local Tax Rate 13th – Income Tax 16th – Real-Estat...

Parker Aerospace and Parker Foundation grant WISEPlace $10,000 contribution

Friday, March 12, 2021

Irvine-based Parker Aerospace, and Parker Foundation recently presented a grant to a local women's shelter, continuing its longstanding commitment to the local community health. The $10,000 check was presented to WISEPlace by Parker Aerospace’s Group Vice President of Program and Contract Management Barry Draskovich. The Parker Foundation is a bronze sponsor partner with the organization. “The critical work of leading nonprofits in Orange County is essential to creating a brighter, healthier, and stronger community. WISEPlace is an example of how one organization can make a difference in the lives of neighbors in need,” said Draskovich. “Our goal is to provide women hope, a saf...

Steps to Consider When Employee Telecommutes from Another State

Friday, March 12, 2021

As a result of COVID-19, we’ve had a lot of employees working remotely, but now some of them are planning to move out of state and wish to continue to work for us on a remote basis. Is there anything special we have to do for our employees working in other states? Once your employees begin working in another state, they will, in most circumstances, be subject to the laws of the state in which they are performing services for the employer. You will need to work with your workers’ compensation carrier, or an insurance broker to secure coverage in each stat...

California Could Get $150B From Federal Virus Relief Bill

Thursday, March 11, 2021

(AP) The massive COVID-19 relief bill Congress approved on March 10 will pump more than $150 billion into California’s economy, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration said, including a $26 billion windfall for the state’s already burgeoning budget surplus. Nearly half of the money will go to Californians directly in the form of $1,400 checks and expanded unemployment benefits. Another $15.9 billion will go to public and private schools while $3.6 billion will boost the state’s vaccination, testing, and contact tracing efforts. There’s also money for public transit agencies, airports, and child care. About $16 billion will go to local governments and will be split betwee...

California Economic Recovery Forecast to Outpace the US

Thursday, March 11, 2021

(Los Angeles Times) The U.S. and California economies will experience near-record growth this year thanks to widespread vaccinations for COVID-19 and massive federal relief for struggling workers and businesses, UCLA forecasters predict. “A waning pandemic combined with fiscal relief means a strong year of growth in 2021 — one of the strongest years of growth in the last 60 years — followed by sustained higher growth rates in 2022 and 2023,” according to the quarterly economic outlook released March 10. California, buoyed by high-earning technology and professional sectors that shifted to at-home work during the pandemic, will recover somewhat faster than the U.S., even thoug...

Governor Newsom Delivers State of the State

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

Last night, as California passed a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Gavin Newsom delivered his third State of the State address in a virtual presentation from an empty Dodger Stadium – a striking visual display of the approximate Californians lost to COVID-19. The Governor highlighted the state’s continued progress in battling the pandemic, reflected on those lost, and recognized everyday Californians who have risen to meet the challenges of this unprecedented time – including the health workers now vaccinating some of the most vulnerable Californians at the stadium. The Governor also highlighted the urgent relief the state is providing to the hardest hi...

Orange County May Move to More Relaxed Red Tier Next Week

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

(Orange County Register) Orange County notched week one of two in qualifying to move to the less restrictive red tier of pandemic rules, according to a state Department of Public Health update on March 9. If three key coronavirus metrics continue their downward tumble from pandemic peaks in early January, the county will officially move out of the strictest purple tier next Tuesday, March 16, meaning a range of businesses, including restaurants, movie theaters, and gyms, could begin letting masked customers indoors the following day. Orange County rounded out a second full month of improving pandemic figures this week as the rate of coronaviru...

COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance Released

Tuesday, March 09, 2021

(CalChamber) On March 4, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) updated its COVID-19 guidance, addressing several vaccination-related questions. The updated guidance replaces the version last updated on July 24, 2020. The DFEH answers one of employers’ biggest questions — can they require employees to get vaccinated? Yes, says the DFEH, an employer may require employees to receive an FDA-approved vaccination so long as the employer complies with the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), meaning it “does not discriminate against or harass employees or job applicants on the basis of a protected characteristic, provides reasonable accommodations related to disability or sincerely-hel...

Irvine Public Schools Foundation Awards $200,000 in Innovative Grants to Irvine Schools

Tuesday, March 09, 2021

Each year, Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF) offers teachers, staff, and students in the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) the opportunity to apply for funds through the Innovative Grants Program. Given the challenging economic and educational environment created by the global pandemic, IPSF’s Board of Trustees pledged to maintain total grant funding at the 2019 level. This year’s program in total will award 25 projects and over $200,000 in grant monies to support innovative teaching and counseling methods in schools. The purpose of this grant program is to support innovation in schools by awarding funds to launch new curriculum or projects to improv...

Meet the Nominees for Greater Irvine Chamber 2021 Women of Influence Awards

Tuesday, March 09, 2021

The Greater Irvine Chamber’s 2021 Women of Influence virtual event to be live-streamed on Wednesday, March 24 at noon will recognize an outstanding woman in each of eight categories who have positively impacted their industries and the Orange County community. REGISTER FOR WOMEN OF INFLUENCE 2021 AWARD CATEGORIES: Entrepreneur is a woman who founded an organization and has excelled in strategy, operations, and finances. Achievement is measured by overall business success rather than business size. Innovator is a woman for innovations she has initiated, developed, or contributed in extraordinary ways to the organization or industry she serves. Executive is a woman who effectively leads al...

MemorialCare, UCI Health: The Only Two in Orange County to Make National Best Maternity Hospitals List

Monday, March 08, 2021

MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center and UCI Medical Center are the only two hospitals in Orange County recognized on Newsweek’s Best Maternity Hospitals 2021 list, which highlights hospitals that provide exceptional care to mothers, newborns, and their families. Newsweek developed the list in partnership with The Leapfrog Group, an independent nonprofit that monitors the quality and safety of health care. Hospitals that received the top maternity care honor had to fully meet all of Leapfrog’s rigorous targets in several quality and safety measures, including lower rates of early elective deliveries, C-sections, and episiotomies, as well as assuring newborn jaundice screenings are conducted along with techniques t...

Stadiums, Disneyland May Reopen with Limitations on April 1

Monday, March 08, 2021

(CalMatters) Californians holding out hope for spring baseball games, summer trips to Disneyland and outdoor concerts in the park are in luck. State officials today announced that outdoor sports and live performance venues, as well as amusement parks, will be allowed to begin reopening on April 1 — with restrictions. That is, if counties proceed through the state’s four-stage, color-coded reopening tiers as hoped with increasing vaccination rates and declining COVID-19 infections. And if would-be outdoor audience members are quick on the draw, since strict capacity limits and reservation requirements will be in effect. “We feel like this is a good time to begi...

Analysis of UK Trade with US, California After Brexit

Friday, March 05, 2021

The trade partnership between the United Kingdom and California can serve as an ideal model for how Anglo-American trade can go forward, political scientist Dr. Matt Beech said during an international virtual event hosted by the California Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 25. The event, titled California-UK After Brexit: Prospects for Partnership, was moderated by CalChamber President and CEO Allan Zaremberg, and featured a presentation by Dr. Beech where he provided analysis of what Brexit means for future trade partnerships; the pending trade deal between the U.K. and U.S.; and the trade relationship between the U.K. and California. Dr. Beech is a politica...

Big News in Irvine Retail

Friday, March 05, 2021

By Bryan Starr President & CEO Greater Irvine Chamber (Irvine Standard: March 3, 2021) Spring weather is calling us back outside to enjoy Irvine’s open-air shopping and dining. Irvine Standard asked Greater Irvine Chamber President & CEO Bryan Starr for his insights and forecasts on retail in 2021. What’s new and exciting with retail in Irvine right now? I spoke to the retail experts at Irvine Company about the past year and what to look for in 2021. There’s a lot of news to share. Two new H Marts are coming to Irvine – one in Northpark Plaza, the other at Westpark Plaza. Newfound Market at Spectrum Cente...

City of Irvine and Hoag Partner to Provide COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic

Friday, March 05, 2021

Through the continued efforts of Mayor Farrah N. Khan’s COVID-19 Task Force, the City of Irvine and Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian partnered to provide a small COVID-19 vaccine clinic for Irvine senior citizens. The small vaccine clinic took place March 4 at Lakeview Senior Center. A total of 300 seniors aged 65 and over received the COVID-19 vaccine. With nearly 28,000 seniors aged 65 and over in the City, the City of Irvine is making it a priority to get seniors vaccinated against the coronavirus. “My COVID-19 Task Force will continue to forge relationships and bring vaccines to the City of Irvine,” sai...

Employee Quitting Due to COVID May Still Collect Unemployment

Friday, March 05, 2021

(CalChamber) QUESTION: I have several employees who have quit for COVID-19 related reasons, including lack of child care and fear of being in the workplace. Why are they able to collect unemployment insurance when they were the ones who chose to quit? ANSWER: An employee who quits with good cause is eligible for unemployment insurance (UI) in California. According to the California Code of Regulations, good cause exists when the “motivating factor… is real, substantial, and compelling and would cause a reasonable person genuinely desirous of retaining employment to leave work under the same circumstances.” (22 CCR 1256-3(b)) Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, some commo...

Irvine is Frst O.C. City to Approve Hero Pay for Grocery Employees

Friday, March 05, 2021

(Los Angeles Times) Irvine became the first Orange County city in February to approve “hero pay” for grocery workers. The council voted 3-2 in favor of an ordinance requiring grocery store employees in the city to be paid an extra $4 an hour for 120 days. Councilmen Anthony Kuo and Mike Carroll dissented. The ordinance is set to be finalized at its second reading later this month. Irvine City Atty. Jeff Melching said the ordinance will come into effect in about 45 days. “From the onset of this pandemic, our grocery workers have come to work, interacted with the public, sanitized our carts, kept th...

Legislators Urge End to Business Tax Increase

Friday, March 05, 2021

A bipartisan group of 25 California legislators led by Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Campbell) is urging Assembly Budget leadership to immediately end a tax increase enacted on California employers last year and restore the net operating loss (NOL) deduction and business incentive tax credits as part of this year’s budget. In a Feb. 26 letter to Assembly Budget Chair Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Vice-Chair Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield) and Chair of Subcommittee 4 Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles), the group of Assembly members and senators calls on budget leaders to reverse course on measures taken during a period of pandemic-induced budget uncertainty last year. No Longer Needed Wit...

Irvine Public Schools Foundation Honors Top Companies That Helped Raise $1.75 Million for Irvine Schools

Thursday, March 04, 2021

Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF), a leading educational nonprofit organization focused on enriching the educational experience of each child in every school, has announced its annual list of Top Companies Supporting Educational Excellence. These socially responsible companies are investing in Orange County's future by ensuring local youth have access to educational resources that will enhance their academic and future success. “We are proud to live in a professionally-diverse community that allows us to build rich partnerships with companies across many industries. With their support, we are able to fulfill our vision of providing students with opportunities that prepare them for th...

UC Irvine Makes Top Ten Public Colleges in the West List

Thursday, March 04, 2021

(Wall Street Journal) The University of California system has the four highest-ranked public schools in the West in the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings. In all, it has six of the top 10 public schools in the region, with University of California, Irvine ranked seventh. The University of California, Santa Barbara ranked sixth. Among private schools, two of the country’s top 10 colleges of any kind are located in California—Stanford University, ranked No. 4 overall nationwide, and the California Institute of Technology, No. 7 overall. The WSJ/THE ranking is based on 15 factors across four main categories: Forty percent of each school’s overal...

Orange County Chief Executive Frank Kim Provides UPDATE OC

Wednesday, March 03, 2021

A partnership with local Chambers of Commerce to educate the community about relevant issues emerging in Orange County, County Executive Officer Frank Kim discussed how the County is doing financially including the progress of the Orange County vaccination program and the impact of the pandemic on the County. Watch the video:

City of Hope Orange County Unveils County¬wide Street Art Initiative, Uniting a Community Through Shared Messages of Hope

Tuesday, March 02, 2021

After a year of global crisis and loss, City of Hope Orange County is leading a countywide street art installation to share messages of hope at venues across the region, including COVID-19 vaccine Super Point of Dispensing (POD) sites. The top-ranked cancer research and treatment center is partnering with Orange County Health Care Agency, community organizations and businesses, and local artists in a visual expression of a shared vision for a more hopeful and healthier community. The Hope Lives in OC initiative comes after sustained waves of uncertainty and intense difficulty that include loss of loved ones, sickness, economic instability, racial injustic...

City of Irvine Launches $17.7 Million Emergency Rental Assistance Program

Tuesday, March 02, 2021

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 program will provide funding for unpaid rent from April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021. For eligible households, the program will pay for up to 80% of unpaid rent if the landlord agrees to forgive the remaining 20%. In cases where landlords are unwilling to participate, 25% of the unpaid rent wil...

Irvine TV Maker Vizio Tries Again for IPO

Tuesday, March 02, 2021

(Los Angeles Times) Smart-TV maker Vizio Holding Corp., backed by affiliates of Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group, has filed again to go public, this time with a growing entertainment platform. Vizio in its filing Monday listed the size of the offering as $100 million, a placeholder that will change. The number and proposed price for the shares to be offered by the company and selling stockholders will be disclosed in a filing later. Vizio filed to go public in 2015 but withdrew that plan the following year after reaching an agreement to sell the company for $2 billion. Vizio terminated that deal with an affiliate o...

Award-Winning Career Edge Program Goes Virtual with Record Attendance

Monday, March 01, 2021

As the Greater Irvine Chamber’s award-winning Career Edge program adapted to Coronavirus safety measures, it was delivered virtually, with a record attendance of 62 students from 20 colleges, universities, high schools, and academies in Orange County and a larger part of California. The digitally formatted February 2021 session, Successful Business Etiquette & Workplace Behaviors, received positive feedback. Out of 41 student survey respondents, 76% indicated they registered for the workshop because they wanted to learn more about the work world, and 80% indicated the session was interesting and kept their attention. Survey respondents ranked the skills covered during the workshop in order o...

California Still a Top Exporting State

Monday, March 01, 2021

(CalChamber) Trade statistics released this month by the U.S. Department of Commerce show that California remained a top exporting state in 2020. California exported $156.112 billion worth of goods to the world in 2020. As usual, computer and electronic products made up the bulk of exports at 24.1% ($37.56 billion), down from $40 billion in 2019. Transportation equipment and nonelectrical machinery made up 11.1% and 10.8% of total exports, respectively. Trade Overview In 2020, the United States exported a total of $1.431 trillion in goods to the world and imported $2.336 trillion, creating a goods deficit of $905.17 billion. U.S. exports decreased by 12.88...

MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center Earns Elite Honor for Maternity Care

Friday, February 26, 2021

MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center is one of only two hospitals in Orange County recognized on Newsweek’s Best Maternity Hospitals 2021 list. This high honor highlights hospitals that provide exceptional care to mothers, newborns, and their families. Newsweek developed this prestigious list in partnership with The Leapfrog Group, an independent nonprofit that monitors the quality and safety of health care. Hospitals that received the top maternity care honor had to fully meet all of Leapfrog’s rigorous targets in several quality and safety measures, including lower rates of early elective deliveries, C-sections, and episiotomies, as well as assuring newborn jaundice screenings are conducted along with techniques to preven...

Orange County Details Pandemic Spending

Friday, February 26, 2021

(Orange County Register) Over about nine months of last year, Orange County spent more than $500 million in coronavirus aid money to address the need for COVID-19 testing, food assistance, grants to struggling small businesses, places for the homeless to quarantine, help to prevent or manage nursing home outbreaks, and preparations for county employees to work remotely. Funding from the federal CARES Act (intended to cover pandemic-related public health and safety measures) had to be spent by the end of 2020. The Board of Supervisors authorized county CEO Frank Kim in March to bypass typical procedures so he could more nimbly deal wit...

UCI Medical Center recognized among the country’s Best Maternity Care Hospitals

Friday, February 26, 2021

UCI Health has again been recognized by Newsweek as one of America’s of Best Maternity Care Hospitals for 2021. The distinction recognizes facilities that have excelled in providing care to mothers, newborns, and their families, as verified by the 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Survey. Best Maternity Care Hospitals is part of the publication’s Best Health Care series, developed by The Leapfrog Group. “It is an honor to be recognized for the excellent maternity and newborn care UCI Health provides every day,” said Chad T. Lefteris, CEO, UCI Health. “Our team of committed physicians, nurses, and other specialists stop at nothing to offer each woman in our care the best treatment for her condition...

Irvine Mayor Farrah N. Khan Delivers State of the City Address

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Mayor Farrah N. Khan delivered her State of the City Address virtually from the Irvine City Hall Council Chamber on February 23. Topics included COVID-19 impact and City response, community investment and development, cultural diversity, City awards, and the celebration of Irvine’s 50th anniversary. In her address, Mayor Khan reiterated her commitment to investment in and the development of the City in the coming year. She highlighted the $17.7 million in rent relief, the formation of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, and the commencement of a $2 million transportation pilot program. She also emphasized the coming $27 million in librar...

Transportation Corridor Agencies Begins Cattle Grazing Pilot Program at Live Oak Plaza Conservation Area

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

The Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) this week kicked off a pilot program in which cattle graze the land at the Agencies’ Live Oak Plaza Conservation Area in Trabuco Canyon. The first grazing period will continue for approximately two to three weeks. The program, approved by the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency (F/ETCA) Board of Directors last year, helps to mitigate wildfire risk and promote native vegetation. Conservation grazing, or targeted grazing, is the use of grazing livestock to improve and maintain the quality of biodiversity of natural areas. In May, the F/ETCA adopted conservation grazing as the preferred, science-based approach to manag...

Bank of Southern California Joins Greater Irvine Chamber as Bronze-Level Leaders Circle Partner

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Bank of Southern California has joined the Greater Irvine Chamber as a bronze-level Leaders Circle partner. “Our partnership with the Greater Irvine Chamber allows Bank of Southern California to further its commitment to the region’s business community,” said Danni Remington Smithson, executive vice president and regional manager, Bank of Southern California Orange County. “I’m honored to take part in advancing the mission of both organizations in serving the community.” Based out of the company’s Irvine office, Remington Smithson is responsible for growing the Bank’s customer base in Orange County by building lasting relationships with local businesses. Danni is well known in the Greate...

IVC Names Performing Arts Center Main Stage for Irvine Resident

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Irvine Valley College (IVC) and the Irvine Valley College Foundation are proud to announce the first-ever naming gift for the IVC Performing Arts Center. Masoud Rezanoor, an Irvine resident, pledged $250,000 to provide enrichment opportunities for the music department at IVC. To acknowledge Rezanoor’s generosity, the Main Stage of the Performing Arts Center will be renamed the Rezanoor Stage. Rezanoor is a longtime Irvine resident and retired CPA who loves the community he lives in. His connection with IVC first started when his daughter attended and graduated with her Associate in Arts degree in 2000. When the COVID-19 stay-at-home mandate wa...

UCI Researchers Join Forces to Tackle Challenges in Human Health and the Environment

Monday, February 22, 2021

The newly opened Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building at the University of California, Irvine was conceived with one goal in mind: providing a place where researchers in disparate academic fields could work together to address grand challenges, principally in human health and the planet’s climate crisis. Faculty, students and staff are now moving into the facility after three and a half years of construction. Made possible by seed financing from Susan and Henry Samueli, through the Samueli Foundation, combined with resources from the UC Office of the President and UCI, the gleaming, six-story edifice of glass, steel and concrete adds mor...

Bugatti Getting its Own Irvine Showroom for $2 Million Veyron, $3 Million Chiron

Friday, February 19, 2021

(Orange County Register) Bugatti Newport Beach in Irvine is expanding its operation with a 1,500-square-foot showroom and service center that will showcase some of the French automaker’s high-performance and ultra-pricey vehicles. The dealership at 44 Auto Center Drive recently broke ground on the $2 million expansion, which is expected to be completed in late 2021 or early 2022. The showroom will feature a “configuration table” where buyers can order custom options in regard to color, trim, and other details. “There was no Bugatti franchise in Orange County before, but we’ve been awarded the franchise so we’re building a dedicated showroom at this address,” said Pietr...

City of Irvine and MemorialCare Partnered to Provide COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic

Friday, February 19, 2021

Through the leadership of Mayor Farrah N. Khan, the City of Irvine and MemorialCare partnered together to offer a COVID-19 small trial vaccine clinic for Irvine’s most vulnerable seniors. “I’m thrilled to be able to provide vaccines to our City’s most vulnerable residents,” said Mayor Khan. “The City Council and I have listened to residents’ requests and needs to bring vaccines to the City, and this is just the beginning of the great work my COVID-19 Task Force is capable of achieving through our partnerships.” The small trial clinic took place Friday, Feb. 19 at Lakeview Senior Center. Seniors vaccinated include the City’s most vulnerable populatio...

Have Your Voice Heard: Participate in the Greater Irvine Chamber State of Business Survey

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

To remain in touch with Irvine businesses during the Coronavirus crisis and learn about their needs, challenges, and aspirations, the Greater Irvine Chamber is conducting a short online survey, now through March 26, 5:00 p.m. The survey results will inform the Chamber how to best focus its resources to help Irvine business during this challenging time and into the future. TAKE THE SURVEY HERE Your input is appreciated and will benefit the entire Irvine business community. The online survey allows the Chamber to keep in touch with businesses while adhering to social distancing measures and is part of the award-winning Business Outreach Rally, which is conducted twice a year. Ove...

Homes Priced From Low-$400,000 Coming to Irvine

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

(Orange County Register) Irvine will get 68 affordable homes for income-qualified buyers at roughly half the price of a typical residence in the city. Irvine Community Land Trust started construction on its first ownership project — the Sage Park development on 4 acres north of Irvine Blvd. in the Portola Springs neighborhood. The nonprofit housing developer’s attached-home project, expected to be ready in 2022, will have 16 units with two bedrooms, 36 with three bedrooms and 16 with four. The trust estimates pricing to start “in the low-$400,000s.” As a comparison, the typical Irvine home is valued at $933,518 by Zillow — up 4.6% i...

Irvine, Orange County: Leader in Patient Care

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

By Bryan Starr, President and CEO, Greater Irvine Chamber As published in the Feb. 15, 2021 issue of the Orange County Business Journal Irvine is a well-established global leader in life sciences, innovation, and medical technology and manufacturing. With companies like Allergan, B. Braun, Biolase Technologies, Edwards Lifesciences, and Kahala Biosciences located in Irvine, and Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Bausch & Lomb, and Beckman Coulter close by, Orange County is a life science innovation hub and has been fairly described as the medical device capital of the world. As reported right here in the pages of the Orange County Business Journal over the past severa...

Orange County’s Coronavirus Metrics Improve Again, Putting Red Tier Within Reach

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

(Orange County Register) Marking a fifth week of improving pandemic metrics from a rough start to the new year, Orange County has dipped one toe into the next, less restrictive tier of the state’s four-tier tracking system, which governs which businesses and public spaces can reopen. The county’s testing positivity – that’s the share of swab and spit tests coming back positive and is one of three critical metrics used to determine how strict pandemic rules should be – this week fell to 7.8%, barely making it over the 8% threshold into red tier territory, according to a state Department of Publi...

California Restaurant Jobs: Is The Industry Recovering?

Monday, February 15, 2021

(Patch) Restaurant workers are among the Golden State residents who have been most at risk of unemployment since the coronavirus pandemic began almost 11 months ago. California is one of the 46 states that have seen overall losses in restaurant industry employment from the beginning of the pandemic to the end of 2020. Only Indiana, Mississippi and Oklahoma ended 2020 with more people employed in the industry than in February of that year. Idaho saw no change. The trends are not going in the right direction nationally, however. A net 19,400 restaurant industry jobs were lost in January, according to early data from the Bureau o...

Irvine-Based Company Hiring 140,000 Delivery Drivers Nationwide

Saturday, February 13, 2021

(Orange County Register) Irvine-based Delivery Drivers Inc. (DDI), is planning to hire more than 140,000 last-mile drivers nationwide, including tens of thousands in Southern California, by the end of 2021. The drivers DDI provides work as independent contractors delivering for industries such as restaurants, courier services, grocers, medical and pharmaceutical outlets, and retail. Walmart is the company’s biggest client. DDI has experienced tremendous growth over the last five years due to a surge of delivery platforms coming to market and an ever-increasing need for last-mile delivery drivers in today’s gig economy. The company’s hiring boom is also being fueled by a surge in e-commerce buying. A...

John Wayne Airport Lands Direct Route to Hawaii, Resumes Flights to Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta

Saturday, February 13, 2021

(Orange County Register) After a nine-year hiatus, a direct flight to Hawaii from Orange County is returning to John Wayne Airport. As of Feb. 13, travelers were able to start booking summer flights from John Wayne Airport to Honolulu aboard a daily United Airlines flight. The daily route, according to an announcement by the airline, begins May 6 and is scheduled to depart SNA daily at 8:30 a.m. and arrive in HNL at 11:30 a.m. The return flight leaves Honolulu at 12:50 p.m. Hawaii time and lands at 9:10 p.m. in Orange County. Direct flights from Santa Ana to Hawaii’s islands have had a stop-and-star...

Cox Communications’ Sam Attisha named 2021/2022 board chair for the California Cable & Telecommunications Association

Friday, February 12, 2021

The California Cable & Telecommunications Association (CCTA) announced during its Winter Board Meeting that Sam Attisha, senior vice president and region manager for Cox Communications’ California operations, will serve as the 2021/2022 board chair, providing leadership as the association champions innovative approaches to how Californians live, work and connect. Attisha, who began his role as board chair today, will serve a two-year term. “Sam’s wealth of experience in the industry and his commitment to communities throughout California will be an asset as our board and organization continue to reshape how our industry innovates and supports our state’s future,” said Carolyn McIntyre, presiden...

MemorialCare Introduces SilverCloud to Address Mental and Behavior Health

Friday, February 12, 2021

MemorialCare is addressing mental and behavioral health conditions related to the Coronavirus pandemic, by providing access to a free online educational and therapeutic resource, SilverCloud, to help MemorialCare patients and members of the community, to think and feel better. SilverCloud, designed by experienced clinicians and based on proven therapeutic methods, provides digital tools and tactics to promote positive behavior changes that can help with mild to moderate levels of stress, anxiety, insomnia, and depression to improve well-being. It is safe, confidential, and can be accessed anytime, anywhere. A study conducted last summer by the Centers for Disease Control concluded that 40% o...

Federal COVID-19 Response Taps UCI Health as a Model for Delivering Monoclonal Antibody Therapy

Thursday, February 11, 2021

Monoclonal antibodies are showing promise for improving outcomes for COVID-19 patients, but when a hospital is already beyond capacity, administering them can be a challenge. As hospitalizations soared across California, clinicians with UCI Health created a system for delivering monoclonal antibodies that is keeping hospital beds available for patients with the greatest need. “The hospital bed is one of the most valuable resources that we have, which has been stretched thin by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Daniel S. Chow, an assistant professor in residence in radiological sciences and co-director for the Center for Artificial Intelligence in Diagnostic Medicine as well as th...

Destination Irvine Looks to Sports Groups to Lead Hotel Recovery

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

During 2020—a tumultuous year for the travel and tourism industry—Destination Irvine (a division of the Greater Irvine Chamber) was faced with a monumental task: to continue bringing groups to Irvine to support the community’s economic vitality. Despite California’s COVID-19 restrictions, which are stricter than any other states’ and include crippling restrictions for groups of any size to gather, and a lack of guidelines as to what hotel-based meetings and sports tournaments will look like in the months ahead, Destination Irvine found opportunities to bring visitors to Irvine. But it’s been an uphill battle. Prior to March 2020, Destination Irvine was on pac...

Qatar Donates $40,000 to OCSC Community Foundation

Tuesday, February 09, 2021

The Orange County Soccer Club Community Foundation has received a $40,000 donation from the Embassy of the State of Qatar in the United States to support healthy, active communities in Orange County in celebration of Qatar’s National Sports Day. The donation received from the people of Qatar helps OCSC Community Foundation fulfill its mission: to use soccer as a vehicle to promote health and wellness, develop youth leadership, advance social change and create positive community impact. "This generous support will allow us to continue making our community a better, healthier place through soccer clinics, mental health clinics, equipment distribution, and academic programs,"...

11 Great Things About Living in Irvine

Monday, February 08, 2021

Irvine residents already what makes it a great city in which to live, play, and work. And there are well beyond 11 reasons. But to help those who are interested in moving to Irvine, Extra Space Storage has put together a list of 11 of the master-planned city's desirable qualities. Recognized as one of the happiest cities in America and one of the best U.S. cities for raising a family, this California city is incredibly safe, offers a rapidly growing job market, and has an abundance of family-friendly activities. Here are 11 things you need to know about living in Irvine! Plant Roots in America’s Safest City Phot...

CBRE Ranks Irvine's Tech Talent Pool as Top in Growth Potential

Monday, February 08, 2021

(Site Selection Magazine) CBRE has identified Irvine as a growing market for tech workers. Home to the University of California, Irvine, the city is one of the CBRE’s 2020 Scoring Tech Talent report's top gainers, having climbed five ranking spots to No. 21. Download the report. Baltimore (No. 11) and Columbus, Ohio, (No. 24), both of which rose three ranking spots, enjoy the presence of major universities and research labs, as do Madison, Wisconsin (No. 27) and Pittsburgh (No. 30). Does tech investment follow tech talent or the other way around? It’s actually some of both. The question going forward, said Colin Yasukochi, executive directo...

Greater Irvine Chamber Earns Top Awards from Industry Association

Monday, February 08, 2021

The Greater Irvine Chamber was honored with top awards by the Western Association of Chamber Executives (W.A.C.E.) for its communications program and branded portfolio. The announcement was made during the 2021 W.A.C.E. Conference presented virtually Feb. 3-5. The Chamber received the top honor of Best Overall Communications Program. This is the Chamber’s fourth time to earn the title. The Chamber also earned three first-place honors: outstanding program for its Celebrate Resiliency campaign, best digital newsletter for Weekly Connection, and outstanding achievement in video for Greater Irvine Chamber: Here to Ensure You Are Part of Irvine’s Success, as well as special merit in the website category. The Western Association of Chamber Executives is the premie...

Hoag Orthopedic Institute Names Jay Patel, MD, New Chief Strategy Officer

Monday, February 08, 2021

Hoag Orthopedic Institute (HOI) has named Jay Patel, M.D., the new chief strategy officer. He replaces James Caillouette, M.D., a founder of HOI who held the position for more than 10 years. Dr. Caillouette assumed the board Chair position on January 1, 2021. The institute performs the most hip and knee replacement surgeries in California. “Dr. Patel is unique at HOI in that beyond his superb training as a hip and knee surgeon, he also worked as a consultant for McKinsey—a world-renown strategic consultancy group. This combination of expertise will be extremely valuable for the institution moving forward,” said Dr. Caillouette, wh...

Port Activity Surges as Pandemic Drives E-Commerce Imports

Sunday, February 07, 2021

(The Grunion) When 2020 dawned, the major concern at the Port of Long Beach centered around a burgeoning trade war with China. But then the global coronavirus pandemic quickly changed that, posing challenges the port had never before faced. The fallout from the pandemic was the focus of Executive Director Mario Cordero’s annual State of the Port address on Feb. 4, during which he touched on how the port marshaled resources to keep operations going, chronicled the year’s wildly inconsistent cargo numbers — which flatlined in the first half of 2020 and then boomed to record levels ahead of the holidays — an...

COVID-19 Shots Speed Up In Orange County As Health Networks Join the Race

Saturday, February 06, 2021

(Orange County Register) The Orange County government’s mass coronavirus vaccination drive is no longer the main option in town as traditional health networks ramp up immunizing their own elderly patients. Together, county representatives and health care providers – including large players such as Kaiser Permanente, Providence, and UCI Health – had administered about 265,000 first and second doses to 221,000 people by Jan. 31, according to the OC Health Care Agency’s latest figures. The shots are speeding up. Administrators have more than doubled the average number of shots given daily since mid-January to about 12,000 per day. The county Health Care Agency’s vaccination networ...

Why US Hiring Could Rebound Faster Than You Might Expect

Saturday, February 06, 2021

(Associated Press) Hiring has weakened for six straight months. Nearly 10 million jobs remain lost since the coronavirus struck. And this week, the Congressional Budget Office forecast that employment won’t regain its pre-pandemic level until 2024. And yet a hopeful view is gaining steam that as vaccinations reach a critical mass, perhaps around midyear, and the government provides further stimulus, the economy and the job market will strengthen much faster than they did after previous recessions. “I am not often optimistic,” said Heidi Shierholz, an economist at the Economic Policy Institute. “But I am optimistic now.” The brighter outlook rests on three premises. The first is tha...

California's Export Trade Rebounds In Latest Numbers Despite COVID's Ongoing Economic Fallout

Friday, February 05, 2021

(Beacon Economics) Despite the economic drag from recurring outbreaks of both old and new strains of the coronavirus, and from ongoing trade disputes inherited by the new Biden administration, California’s export trade in December nearly matched levels in December 2019, according to Beacon Economics’ analysis of the latest U.S. trade statistics released on Feb. 5 by the U.S. Census Bureau. Businesses in the state shipped a total of $14.019 billion in merchandise abroad in December, a nominal decline of less than one-tenth of 1% from the $14.033 billion in exports the state recorded in December 2019. By comparison, the value of al...

Free 2020 Tax-Preparation Services Available in Irvine

Friday, February 05, 2021

The City of Irvine, in partnership with Orange County United Way (OCUW), is offering free tax preparation services to taxpayers who earned less than $60,000 in 2020. Qualifying taxpayers who live, work, or attend school in Irvine can receive help filing their taxes from IRS-trained and certified volunteers, who will also assist eligible taxpayers in applying for tax credits, including the state and federal Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC). Free tax-preparation services are available at Cypress Community Park, 255 Visions in Irvine, from Feb. 10 through April 7, 2021, on Wednesdays between 12–7 p.m. An appointment is required; no walk-ins will b...

MemorialCare Participating in I-SPY COVID Trial to Evaluate Treatments for Severely-Ill COVID-19 Patients

Friday, February 05, 2021

MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center continues its fight against COVID-19 as a participant in the I-SPY COVID Trial (Investigation of Serial Studies to Predict Your COVID Therapeutic Response with Biomarker Integration and Adaptive Learning). The focus of the trial is to improve outcomes for severely-ill COVID-19 patients. The I-SPY COVID Trial is an adaptive platform trial that incorporates a single-study structure to evaluate multiple treatments independently within the same trial. This method allows for the rapid assessment of potentially impactful therapies. All patients admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 requiring high flow oxygen or mechanical ventilation are screened for potential participation in thi...

UCI Institute for Future Health to Harness Technology to Build Personalized Health Model

Thursday, February 04, 2021

A newly established Institute for Future Health at the University of California, Irvine will combine research and clinical work to address the movement toward a more personalized healthcare model. The institute aims to integrate lifestyle, community, environment, and socioeconomic factors in conjunction with biomedical and clinical knowledge to radically transform health systems away from hospitals and clinics and into the hands of each individual. “The mission of the Institute for Future Health is to empower people to better manage their health and quality of life with technology-enabled, personalized, and timely advice,” said Pramod Khargonekar, vice chancellor for research. “Our approach is to understand lifestyle an...

Destination Irvine Earns Global Hospitality Award: Irvine, USA’s Best Emerging Leisure & Recreation Travel Destination

Tuesday, February 02, 2021

LUXlife has awarded its 5th annual Hospitality Award to Destination Irvine for its work to market Irvine’s well-deserved status as “USA’s Best Emerging Leisure & Recreation Travel Destination.” “To be globally recognized with this award, during a truly challenging year, is quite an honor,” said Wendy Haase, vice president, Destination Irvine. “Irvine being recognized as the best U.S. destination for leisure and recreation will further our marketing efforts that highlight the city’s safe and responsible COVID-19 recovery.” LUXlife Magazine, one of AI Global Media’s most popular standalone publications, recognized that many firms whose work is vital to the industry were not bein...

Executive Coach Marsha Link, Ph.D., to Give Women of Influence Keynote on Emotional Intelligence & Self-Care in the Modern Workplace

Monday, February 01, 2021

Popular speaker and principal of Link Consulting Marsha Link, Ph.D., will provide the keynote presentation on emotional intelligence and self-care in the modern workplace, titled Time to Thrive, for the Greater Irvine Chamber 2021 Women of Influence virtual event on Wednesday, March 24 at 12:00 p.m. Dr. Link is an experienced clinician and consultant who has worked with individuals and groups in a variety of settings in business, education, and nonprofit organizations. Throughout her career, she has been passionate about advancing women in their respective roles and chosen directions. As an executive coach, Dr. Link has helped many women identify and achieve their professiona...

OCTA Plans New $38 Million Operations Facility

Monday, February 01, 2021

(Orange County Register) The Orange County Transportation Authority plans to move its security, dispatching, and emergency operations from Garden Grove to a new facility that will be built in Anaheim next to the 5 freeway. The $38 million, 32,000-square-foot building, known as the Transit Security and Operations Center, or TSOC, will be put on a 2.9-acre property at Lincoln Avenue and North Manchester Avenue. It will replace a three-decades-old facility that was not designed to accommodate emergency services or today’s technology, and that doesn’t have enough space, said Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, who chairs OCTA’s board. Trying to retrofit and maintain the ol...

Two H Mart Stores Expected in 2021 Will Bring Irvine’s Total to Three

Monday, February 01, 2021

(Orange County Register) Irvine will have two more H Mart supermarkets by year’s end when the Korean-American chain lands at Northpark Plaza and Westpark Plaza, bringing the city’s total to three. The stores are replacing Albertsons, which are due to close by the end of February. H Mart, which has an anchor location at Diamond Jamboree, offers a large selection of traditional Asian food plus the usual pantry essentials. The market is known for its kimchi bar, a selection of pickled and spiced cabbage. It also has an array of produce and fresh fish. The stores at Northpark Plaza and Westpark Plaza will span mor...

Chapman University Joins Greater Irvine Chamber Leaders Circle as a Platinum-Level Partner

Sunday, January 31, 2021

Chapman University has joined the Greater Irvine Chamber as a platinum-level Leaders Circle partner. “Chapman University is very proud to be a part of the Greater Irvine Chamber,” said Daniele C. Struppa, president of Chapman University. “With the establishment of our Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in 2014, Chapman took a decisive step forward in both health science education and research. Our Rinker Campus is home to our School of Pharmacy, and several graduate programs within Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences. In various and unique ways, this campus supports the community and enterprises of not only th...

COVID-19 Dominates California’s Latest Workplace Regulations

Sunday, January 31, 2021

(The Press-Enterprise) In response to the coronavirus pandemic, California lawmakers and regulatory agencies spent much of 2020 passing legislation and issuing regulations to prevent and address the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. Many of these laws and regulations went into effect Jan. 1 and will continue impacting California businesses well beyond 2021. New Measures in Workplaces California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health approved sweeping emergency temporary standards on COVID-19 infection prevention in November for all employees not covered by Cal/OSHA’s Aerosol Transmissible Diseases standard. The state’s ATD regulations commonly apply to workers in health care facilities, laboratories, public health as wel...

Irvine Ranked No. 1 in Fiscal Strength Survey for Fourth Year

Sunday, January 31, 2021

(Orange County Register) Truth in Accounting, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization devoted to translating inscrutable financial documents into a language everyone can understand, has ranked the City of Irvine as No. 1 in fiscal strength in the nation. In the group’s fifth annual report card on the nation’s 75 biggest cities, Irvine retains its title as the fiscally healthiest city in America for the fourth consecutive year—even while the vast majority of its brethren, both in California and across the nation, sink more deeply in debt thanks to promises they’ve made for pensions and retiree health care that are far more expensive than they ever expected. In its report, Truth i...

Progress Made by Great Park Developer FivePoint on Wildlife Corridor Connecting O.C. Coast with Cleveland National Forest

Sunday, January 31, 2021

(Los Angeles Times) During the Laguna Beach fire of 1993, many animals had difficulty retreating from the massive blaze due to a lack of open space. About 20% of Orange County’s gnatcatchers, an endangered songbird, were killed in the fire, which caused devastating damage, burning 16,000 acres and hundreds of homes. Then, in the wake of the fire, animals from the surrounding habitat could not access coastal areas to replenish their populations. Nearly three decades later, some progress has been made on a wildlife corridor funded, designed and constructed by Great Park developer FivePoint Holdings. The company is working alongside the environmental group Laguna Greenbelt, whic...

312-Apartment Complex Approved for Commercial Park Near John Wayne Airport

Saturday, January 30, 2021

(Orange County Register) Plans to make the commercial area near John Wayne Airport a bit more residential and reflect the rest of the seaside town’s look and feel is moving forward. On Tuesday, the Newport Beach City Council gave the OK for a local developer to begin work on a proposed 312-apartment building that will be stacked over an underground parking garage in the Koll Center Business Park. The project was approved unanimously 6-0, with Councilman Will O’Neill recusing himself because he is a member of the Pacific Club located nearby. The project will go back before the council on Feb. 9 fo...

In Case You Missed It: Greater Irvine Chamber Business Outlook Presentation and Slides Available Online

Friday, January 29, 2021

Whether you missed the Jan. 28 live-streamed presentation of the 2021 Greater Irvine Chamber Business Outlook event, would like to revisit it, or share it with others, the complete presentation, program booklet, and Chris Schwarz’s slide deck can be accessed here: Business Outlook 2021.

Irvine Company is Nation’s First Commercial Real Estate Co. to Partner with Environmental Quality Testing Leader to Confirm Ventilation, Filtration Systems Effectiveness

Friday, January 29, 2021

A healthy workplace environment starts with healthy air. The Irvine Company is the first commercial real estate company in the nation to partner with SafeTraces, an indoor environmental quality testing leader, to confirm the effectiveness of our ventilation and filtration systems. The Irvine Company also continues to proactively evaluate our building systems and wellness protocols: UL Verified Healthy Building Mark - Indoor Air. Irvine Company is the first commercial real estate provider in the United States to receive the UL Verified Healthy Building Mark for Indoor Air. Learn more about the comprehensive testing process and results. UCI Health - Workplace Wellness Protocols. Top epidemiologist...

Orange County House Members Land Key Committee Roles

Wednesday, January 27, 2021

(Orange County Register) Orange County’s seven-member congressional delegation is settling into committee assignments for the upcoming session, with freshmen members getting word of their appointments from House leadership. The diverse committee appointments — ranging from Foreign Affairs to Transportation to Natural Resources — could play major roles in shaping what representatives do for their constituents over the next two years in office. Partisanship and the close political divide of the House of Representatives combine for a “national lawmaking environment (that) makes it incredibly difficult to get things done,” said UC Irvine political science professor Matthew Beckmann. But Beckmann added that gridlock isn’t a given...

Record-Breaking Half-Year for Leads Groups with $25 Million in Closed Business Referrals; David Feldberg Earns Q2 2020 FY Rainmaker Title with $10.3 Million

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

The previous (2019-2020) fiscal year was a record-breaking year for Greater Irvine Chamber Leads Groups. With more than 2,200 leads exchanged, the six leads groups generated $22,247,720 in closed business referrals during the period, surpassing any figure during the history of the program. But despite the limitations of COVID-19 related shutdowns, the groups were even more productive this fiscal year with a combined $25,035,558 in closed business in just the first six months of reporting for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. The top-performing members by closed business referrals for the first half of the fiscal year 2020-2021 are: $10,383,500– David Feldberg $4,200,290 – Mel Ray $1,445,923 – Jammi...

COVID Vaccine Given at Soka University, OC’s Second Mass Vaccination Site

Saturday, January 23, 2021

(Orange County Register) The county opened its second Super Point-of-Dispensing, or POD, vaccination site on Jan. 23 at Soka University in Aliso Viejo. With 1,500 doses of the Pfizer vaccine on hand, the inoculations began. Eventually, officials hope to ramp up to delivering 3,000 to 4,000 doses a day at the site, seven days a week, as long as supplies are available. Currently, the county has about 66,000 doses of vaccine, which are being delivered at the super PODs and smaller mobile sites. Disneyland was the first large site to open. The county receives only about 20% of the overall supply designated for Orang...

OC OKs Commuter Jet Operations at John Wayne Airport

Saturday, January 23, 2021

While the long-term future of commuter flights at John Wayne Airport is unclear, they’re no longer banned in contracts with companies that serve small planes and private jets. Commuter carrier JSX (formerly Jet Suite X) has developed a following in the two and a half years it’s flown out of JWA, but some airport activists and residents have complained about noise and air pollution from a service that isn’t covered by the legal agreement that governs commercial airlines using the airport. Residents and hobby pilots lobbied for several years to ensure more profitable commuter jets wouldn’t squeeze Cessnas and other personal aircraf...

UCI to Build $1 Billion, 144-Bed World-Class Hospital on Irvine Campus

Saturday, January 23, 2021

Plans to build a world-class, acute care hospital on the northern edge of the University of California, Irvine academic campus advanced significantly today, as the University of California Board of Regents granted approval of the project’s 144-bed acute care facility, ambulatory care center, and cancer center. The hospital joins the previously approved UCI Health Center for Advanced Care to create the new UCI Medical Center Irvine-Newport, a full-service academic health complex that will bring a broad spectrum of the most advanced healthcare services to coastal and southern Orange County, including access to the hundreds of clinical trials underway at UCI Health...

UCI Coronavirus Vaccine Could Protect Against All COVID Strains

Friday, January 22, 2021

(Patch) UC Irvine scientists are developing a vaccine to attack all strains of coronavirus, the university reported on Jan. 21. Along with the vaccine, scientists say they have identified a potential breakthrough that —if it works—would solve many of the problems related to distributing the medicine to patients across the world, a UCI professor on the project says. Lbachir BenMohamed— a UCI School of Medicine professor of immunology and the founder of the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology at the University of California, Irvine—says that his team is developing what they envision will be a vaccine that could work on al...

City of Irvine Cares Campaign

Thursday, January 21, 2021

The City of Irvine launched Irvine Cares, the first initiative of Mayor Farrah N. Khan’s newly assembled COVID-19 Task Force. The campaign invites the public to slow the spread of COVID-19 by pledging support of mitigation measures which includes acting as an advocate to ensure the health and safety of Irvine’s most vulnerable. Through Irvine Cares, community members pledge to protect one another by wearing a mask, washing their hands frequently, practicing social distancing, and staying home when sick. They commit to practicing kindness and good judgment by being respectful of others, especially those who are at increased risk for severe illness, and to be an advocate by promoting best practices in preventing COVID-19. Community members can take the pledge online at cityofirvine.org/irvinecares or download a pledge card and mai...

Irvine Unified Receives $2 Million From Irvine Company for Art, Music, Science Programs

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

(Orange County Register) The Irvine Unified School District on Jan. 19, received some much-needed financial assistance from one of its partners. A $2 million donation from the Irvine Company will help the district provide art, music, and science programs for students in grades fourth through sixth. The contribution is part of an ongoing 20-year, $45 million commitment by the Irvine Company’s Excellence in Education Enrichment program. Established in 2006, the program has helped Irvine Unified navigate declining state and local budgets and is now offering aid amid the coronavirus pandemic, officials said. “This commitment is essential in helping IUSD address the challenges brought o...

COVID-19 Vaccine: Can It Be Required?

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

(CalChamber) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Executive Vice President and General Counsel Erika Frank and employment law expert Jennifer Shaw discuss what employers need to consider before mandating that their employees get the COVID-19 vaccine. *This podcast was recorded on January 12. Listeners should be aware that given the unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic, information shared on this podcast episode may change at any time. The recent distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine has sparked a lot of questions from employers and many of them are asking whether employees can be required to get the vaccine, Frank tells podcast listeners. Because th...

Irvine Launches Third District Small Business Support Program

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

The City of Irvine received $722,000 from the County of Orange to assist small businesses affected by COVID-19 within the Irvine portion of Orange County’s Third Supervisorial District. One-time grants up to $5,000 are available to eligible small businesses to help cover the costs of business interruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and related stay-at-home orders. To qualify, the business must be in the 3rd District of Irvine and employ 10 or fewer full-time-equivalent employees. Additionally, businesses must not have received grant funding through the City of Irvine Small Business Support Program from June 2020, and must have an active City of Irvine Business License tha...

Hoag Orthopedic Institute Announces David Gazzaniga, M.D., as First Division Chief for Sports Medicine

Thursday, January 14, 2021

Hoag Orthopedic Institute (HOI), one of the largest providers of orthopedic care in the nation, announced the election of orthopedic surgeon David Gazzaniga, M.D., as its Division Chief for Sports Medicine. Dr. Gazzaniga, who serves as head team physician for the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers, will be the first Division Chief of Sports Medicine at HOI and will be responsible for the continuum of care for the entire sports medicine service line. “Hoag Orthopedic Institute would like to congratulate Dr. Gazzaniga on his appointment as our first Division Chief for Sports Medicine,” said Jennifer Mitzner, CEO of HOI. “Dr. Gazzaniga is ...

Disneyland, OC's First Large-Scale Vaccination Center Opens To Lines

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

(Patch) If you are trying to get a handle on how to get vaccinated in Orange County, you are not alone. On Jan. 13, Cars lined up on the streets near Disneyland Resort of hopefuls awaiting their dose of coronavirus vaccine. As of Jan. 13, only those who fall in Phase 1A of the vaccination plan, and those 65-years-old or older, can register. Still, the application designed to handle the registry was not working as of 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. Orange County officials planned to open a guest parking area off Katella, transforming that into a coronavirus vaccination center—one of five planned fo...

State Expects to Receive Surplus Revenue, But Sees Deficits on the Horizon

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

(CalChamber) Despite enjoying a record $34 billion budget surplus and prudent reserves from burgeoning but one-time tax revenues, California budget officials expect to see fiscal deficits in the next three years, state Finance Director Keely Martin Bosler told business leaders during a Jan. 12 California Chamber of Commerce webinar. These projections mean that it is critical to maintain funding reserves if the state wishes to preserve existing programs, and it means that the Legislature should not create new funding obligations, she explained. “We can’t afford additional ongoing spending at all,” Bosler cautioned. In fact, California’s strong financial foundation during this pandemic comes from years o...

Disneyland to be Orange County’s First Large-Scale Vaccination Site

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

(Orange County Register) On the day the coronavirus death toll in California reached 30,000, Disneyland and other locations such as Dodger Stadium were established as vaccination super sites. Newly confirmed infections are rising at a dizzying rate of more than a quarter-million a week and during the weekend a record 1,163 deaths were reported – Orange County surpassed 2,000 reported deaths. Bereft of visitors for months because of the pandemic, Disneyland will soon see thousands of guests when it serves as one of Orange County’s five planned mass vaccination sites. County officials announced the deal Monday, Jan. 11, to use the theme park i...

SBA and Treasury Re-Open PPP with New Guidance

Monday, January 11, 2021

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the Treasury Department, reopens the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for new borrowers and certain existing PPP borrowers. To promote access to capital, initially only community financial institutions will be able to make First Draw PPP Loans on Monday, Jan. 11, and Second Draw PPP Loans on Wednesday, Jan. 13. The PPP will open to all participating lenders shortly thereafter. Updated PPP guidance outlining Program changes to enhance its effectiveness and accessibility was released on Jan. 6 in accordance with the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Non-Profits, and Venues Act. This round of the PPP continue...

Mayor Farrah N. Khan’s COVID-19 Task Force Launches First Initiative

Saturday, January 09, 2021

Irvine: Focused on Economic Recovery

Friday, January 08, 2021

By Bryan Starr, President and CEO, Greater Irvine Chamber As published in the Dec. 21, 2020 issue of Orange County Business Journal To say this year has been a challenging time for the economy is an understatement. During the Greater Irvine Chamber’s Economic Forecast event last January, University of California, Irvine’s expert economist Chris Schwarz warned of “black swans” as potential disruptors for the perfectly healthy economy we enjoyed in what seems like a world away today. As it turned out, a magnitude of black swans swooped in on the coattails of COVID-19. The economy went from bustling in February to bust i...

California's Export Trade Drops In Latest Numbers But Still Beats The Competition

Thursday, January 07, 2021

(Bacon Economics) California’s export trade continued to be buffeted by resurgent waves of COVID-19 both here and abroad, by ongoing trade disputes, by a weaker dollar, and by a reported shortage of shipping containers available to exporters, according to a Beacon Economics’ analysis of the latest U.S. trade statistics released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. In a month that saw the value of all U.S. merchandise exports drop by 7.5% from one year earlier, California exporters did better. Businesses in the state shipped a total of $14.238 billion in merchandise abroad in November, a nominal 3.5% decline from the $14.757 billio...

Governor Newsom Plans $4 Billion for Economic Recovery

Wednesday, January 06, 2021

(NBCLA) California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Jan. 5 proposed a $4 billion spending plan he says will create jobs and help small businesses recover from the economic downturn brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. Close to half of that money — $1.5 billion — would help people purchase electric cars and build the charging stations necessary for drivers to use them. That proposal is part of Newsom's goal to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars in California by 2035. Small businesses would get $575 million. The money would pay for grants of up to $25,000 each to small business owners, with priorit...

Legislative Lifeline for Small Business Deemed Urgent

Wednesday, January 06, 2021

Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Laguna Beach), Senator Andreas Borgeas (R-Fresno), and Senator Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) unveiled new coalition support and legislative details of the Keep California Working Act during a Jan. 6 virtual press conference. The Keep California Working Act, otherwise known as Senate Bill 74, is a bipartisan small business relief package spearheaded by Senators Andreas Borgeas and Anna Caballero, and Assembly Member Cottie Petrie-Norris. The bill invests $2.6 billion (or 10% of California's projected windfall) in grants for small businesses and nonprofits impacted by COVID-19. "SB 74 may be an essential lifeline for California businesses that are struggling to maintain jobs an...

Sonesta Hospitality Portfolio Grows with Two New Irvine Hotels

Tuesday, January 05, 2021

Sonesta International Hotels Corporation has introduced two of its newest properties in the U.S. in Irvine: Sonesta Irvine - Orange County Airport (formerly the Wyndham Irvine–Orange County Airport) located at 17941 Von Karman Ave., and Sonesta Simply Suites Orange County–Spectrum Center (formerly Candlewood Suites) at 16150 Sand Canyon Ave. With the addition of these Irvine hotels, Sonesta’s national footprint expands in a key tourism and business region. Sonesta Irvine is the company’s third full-service hotel in the California. Minutes away from Orange County’s John Wayne Airport, Sonesta Irvine boasts 335 rooms and suites and 11 venues totaling 7,500 square feet of flexible meetin...

MemorialCare is Presenting Sponsor for Greater Irvine Chamber Business Outlook

Monday, January 04, 2021

MemorialCare, a platinum-level Leaders Circle partner of the Greater Irvine Chamber, is returning for the second year as Presenting Sponsor for the Chamber's Business Outlook featuring UCI's economy expert Chris Schwarz, and live-streamed on Thursday, Jan. 28, at noon. "The Greater Irvine Chamber Business Outlook event couldn't come at a more important time, as our business community is focused on mitigating the fiscal impact that COVID-19 has had on employers," said Barry Arbuckle, Ph.D., president and CEO, MemorialCare. "MemorialCare is honored to once again sponsor this timely event, as we join the community of Irvine and all of Orange County in gaining the vita...

MemorialCare Recognized Nationally for Heroism During COVID-19 Pandemic

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

MemorialCare has been honored nationally with Special Recognition for Heroism for the Southern California health system's continued commitment to patient safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The prestigious Pandemic Heroes Award honor was selected by leaders and advisors of The Leapfrog Group, an independent national organization of employers and other groups focused on healthcare safety and quality. Selections were based on nominations from U.S. hospitals. MemorialCare was one of only two health systems on the West Coast to receive this prestigious honor presented to just 24 health care organizations and individuals nationwide. "We are honored, humbled, and enormously grateful for this honor," says Barry Arbuckle, Ph.D., MemorialCare president an...

California’s New Series of COVID-19 Reporting Requirements

Monday, December 21, 2020

(CalChamber) During the 2020 California legislative session, COVID-19 forced lawmakers to pivot from their routine business to addressing the growing pandemic, and answering the question: "One of my employees just reported that they tested positive for COVID-19. Do I have to report this positive case?" In response, the Legislature enacted SB 1159 and AB 685 that created certain reporting requirements for employers when learning of a positive case. Following up, Cal/OSHA recently approved and implemented COVID-19 emergency regulations that also create a set of reporting requirements. Outline of Requirements To help readers sort out these varied requirements, we have created the table below outlining th...

TIME Names Best Innovations of 2020

Friday, December 18, 2020

Some good things came out of 2020. Among them, were 100 Best Innovations changing how we live as named by TIME. The list includes Virti, a training platform that drops workers into high-stress augmented and virtual reality scenarios, where they can practice responding and receive feedback. Trauma surgeon Dr. Alex Young launched the U.K.-based Virti in 2018 to help medical professionals train for difficult situations, such as what to do when an artery is nicked during surgery. This year, the company found an important new use case: the pandemic. Virti’s COVID-19 modules teach frontline workers around the world skills like the proper wa...

CalChamber Joins California’s Community Vaccine Advisory Committee

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

(CalChamber) The California Chamber of Commerce will be joining a broad coalition of community stakeholders to serve on the state’s Community Vaccine Advisory Committee. The committee will help guide the state’s decision making about COVID-19 vaccine distribution and allocation. As the first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine arrive in California, state officials plan to leverage a well-established existing immunization framework and emergency response infrastructure to coordinate efforts between state, local, and territorial authorities to distribute and administer the vaccine. The Community Vaccine Advisory Committee will build on the work of the Scientific Safety Review Work Group and the Drafting Guidelines Work Group. The Committe...

Hydrogen's Role in Clean Energy to Take the Spotlight in SoCalGas' H2 Hydrogen Home

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

As part of its efforts to support California's climate change goals and its mission to become the cleanest, safest and most innovative energy company in America, Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today announced it will build a state-of-the-art demonstration project to show the role hydrogen could play in attaining California's goal of achieving carbon neutrality. Named the H2 Hydrogen Home, the project is the first of its kind in the U.S. and will include a home, solar panels, a home battery, an electrolyzer to convert solar energy into clean hydrogen, and a fuel cell to convert that hydrogen back to electricity. The hydrogen will also be blended with natural gas for us...

Pillsbury Law Joins Greater Irvine Chamber Leaders Circle as Silver-Level Partner

Sunday, December 13, 2020

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, has joined the Greater Irvine Chamber Leaders Circle as a silver-level partner. Pillsbury is an international law firm with a particular focus on the technology and media, energy, financial, and real estate and construction sectors. Recognized as one of the most innovative law firms by Financial Times and one of the top firms for client service by BTI Consulting, Pillsbury and its lawyers are highly regarded for their forward-thinking approach, their enthusiasm for collaborating across disciplines, and their authoritative commercial awareness. That’s how Pillsbury Law achieved the 12th-highest percentage of law Chambers-ranked lawyers among all AmLaw 100 firms. Leaders Circle members o...

City of Hope’s Annette Walker Named Among Most Influential People in American Healthcare

Friday, December 11, 2020

Annette Walker, president of City of Hope Orange County, was recognized by Modern Healthcare as one of 2020’s 100 Most Influential People. This is the second consecutive year Walker has been honored for her legacy of healthcare contributions and transformational leadership centered on making a difference in people’s lives. “I’m extremely humbled by this honor during a year when we saw remarkable leadership, bravery, and resilience from people on the front lines. Helping others and improving the lives of people in our communities is the most important thing a person or organization can do. This award speaks to our incredible City o...

UCI Researchers Develop At-Home Coronavirus Saliva Test

Wednesday, December 09, 2020

Researchers in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine announced promising results in the development of a noninvasive at-home antigen test to detect the spike of SARS-CoV-2 proteins in saliva. The team, led by Michelle Khine, professor of biomedical engineering, posted their findings on the preprint server medRxiv.org. Khine is proposing a point-of-care platform that uses saliva, an electrochemical reaction and the children’s toy Shrinky Dinks to create the low-cost electrodes. “A rapid, population-scale diagnostic and screening device is our goal, and we think our electrochemical aptamer-based assay could be an ideal candidate,” Khine said. Working with Khine...

Greater Irvine Chamber Recognizes Orange County's Best and Brightest

Thursday, December 03, 2020

Forty outstanding Orange County professionals under the age of 40 were recognized during the Greater Irvine Chamber’s 40 Under 40 digital awards presentation on Dec. 3, for their demonstrated leadership skills, integrity, and initiative, advancing their industries and the Orange County community. “The Chamber is honored to recognize 40 of Orange County’s most accomplished young professionals, each a promise of continued innovation for our region,” said Bryan Starr, president and CEO, Greater Irvine Chamber. “I congratulate them all for what they have achieved, the example they set, and I look forward to their future contributions.” Greater Irvine Chamber 2020 40 Under 40 Honorees: Kath...

Greater Irvine Chamber Website Features Resources for New Businesses and Members

Wednesday, December 02, 2020

The Greater Irvine Chamber recently added a Business Ready Checklist page to its website, which includes Building Better Businesses 1. 2. 3. resources aimed at helping new and existing businesses optimize disruption readiness and minimize vulnerabilities. Resources include a checklist of fundamental business operations, templates, and a list of partner organizations offering free or affordable business support programs, and opportunities for pro bono advice from business experts. Additionally, the Chamber’s website newly features a New Member Toolkit page of resources for new members to help them navigate the benefits of their membership and business growth opportunities. To become a Greater Irvine Chambe...

Vivian Atkinson Named November 2020 Member of the Month

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Vivian Atkinson, branch owner of Express Employment Professionals, has been named the Greater Irvine Chamber Member of the Month for November 2020. A Chamber member since 2012, Atkinson holds leadership roles, including serving on the Board of Directors since 2018 and chairing the Ambassadors Committee, for which she has been a member since 2013. She has volunteered to conduct primary research on behalf of the Greater Irvine Chamber through several Business Outreach Rallies, including the virtual event held in August amid the Coronavirus-related shutdown. Atkinson spearheaded another outreach: coordinating Ambassadors to connect with difficult-to-reach Chamber members by telephone to access thei...

Destination Irvine Earns Smart Meetings’ Platinum Choice Award

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Destination Irvine has earned a Platinum Choice Award by Smart Meetings, the nation’s leading meetings industry publisher and voice of inspiration for meeting professionals. Smart Meetings readers nominate hotels, conference centers, convention and visitors bureaus (CVB), and destination marketing organizations that consistently exceed expectations and help planners deliver on their goals. Destination Irvine is only one of five organizations in California to earn the distinction. “I am extremely proud of the Destination Irvine team and beyond grateful to all of our hoteliers for their continued support of our sales and marketing efforts,” said Wendy Haase, the organization’s vice president. “While COVID-1...

Community Heroes Recognized during Greater Irvine Chamber’s Virtual Celebrate Resilience Show

Monday, October 26, 2020

During its Celebrate Resilience awards presentation, the Greater Irvine Chamber recognized companies, organizations, and individuals that have made a positive impact on the greater Irvine community in response to the Coronavirus crisis. Congratulations to the 2020 Celebrate Resilience award recipients: Community Hero Chaplain Jeff Hetschel, Hoag Benefactor Award Google Fiber Community Impact Award OmniPrint International Community Impact Award B. Braun Community Impact Award Irvine Mayor Christina Shea and the Irvine City Council Corporate Responsibility Award FivePoint Corporate Responsibility Award University of California, Irvine Frontline Champion The Stand Frontline Champion Ampronix Innovation Award Second Harvest Food Bank Innovation Award Monica Pal Innovation Award Golden State Foods Nonprofit Hero Families Forward Partnership Hero UCI Beall Applied Innovation Service Award Genee Hansen Hospitality Award Wayne Lanthier, Hyatt House Supporting Celebrate Resilience are Presenting Sponsor: City of Hope Orange County; Sustainabilit...

Police Chief Mike Hamel and City of Irvine Employees Honored for Years of Service

Monday, October 26, 2020

The Irvine City Council recognized six employees for 25, 30, and 35 years of dedicated service to the City. City of Irvine employees work to keep the community safe, reduce Irvine’s carbon footprint, keep traffic flowing, and support events and activities for residents and visitors. Police Chief Mike Hamel, Irvine Police Department 25 Years of Service Irvine Police Chief Mike Hamel is a 27-year law enforcement veteran who has been with the Irvine Police Department since 1995. He is the first Irvine Police Chief to rise through the ranks from police officer to Chief. Chief Hamel began his law enforcement career in 199...

Irvine is Safest City of its Size for 15th Year

Tuesday, September 29, 2020

For the 15th consecutive year, Irvine is the Safest City of its size for violent crime, according to FBI data for 2019. Information released on Sept. 28 shows Irvine has the lowest rate of violent crime per capita of any city in the nation with a population of 250,000 or more. Irvine is also the Safest City of its size for violent crime for the first half of 2020, according to preliminary FBI data released earlier this month. The FBI’s Annual Uniform Crime Report measures crime, which includes murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, auto theft, and arson. Irvine Mayor Christina Shea congratulated the Irvine Police Departmen...

Best of Orange County 2020: Irvine Voted Best City to Live In

Saturday, September 26, 2020

(Orange County Register) For the past 24 years, Best of Orange County voters have been asked to name the county’s best city to live in. Irvine has never failed to place in the top 3, and it has been the top vote recipient for 13 of those years and ranked second for 10 more. Many reasons are cited for Irvine’s livability. It routinely ranks among the nation’s safest cities—including being ranked "America's Safest Big City" by the FBI crime ranking of cities over 100,000 in population every year since 2005—and has recorded the lowest per capita crime rate for cities with 250,000 o...

California’s Longstanding Partnership with the United Kingdom

Wednesday, September 02, 2020

California and the U.K. have strong, historic ties that have a sizable impact on both economies. The U.K. is the second-largest source of foreign investment in California––supporting more than 111,000 jobs in the state. In 2019 there was more than $11 billion in two-way trade between the economies. “I am proud to have the opportunity to work with many foreign partners in furthering our commercial and diplomatic activity, but also particularly glad to engage with our local economic development partners, including the economic development team in Irvine who has done such a fantastic job building a deliberate, long-term, and mutually-beneficial relationshi...

Coronavirus Trackers

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Tracking by County State’s Daily Actions Everything You Need to Know About California’s Response to Coronavirus Daily Coronavirus Tracker Coronavirus State by State

Greater Irvine Chamber CEO Bryan Starr and Member Company Executives Among Orange County’s 500 Most Influential People

Wednesday, December 02, 2020

Bryan Starr, president and CEO, Greater Irvine Chamber and more than 50 executives from Greater Irvine Chamber member companies were featured in Orange County Business Journal’s fourth annual OC 500 Directory of Influence. This is Starr’s second consecutive year on the list. The directory includes an impressive list of influential business and community leaders from a variety of Orange County companies, ranging from nonprofits to large corporations. As its President and CEO, Starr has raised the profile of the Greater Irvine Chamber and empowered its economic development work and impact for the City of Irvine and its business community. He has successfull...

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irvine

Irvine is the 3rd best place to live in California

According to Movoto Real Estate Online Magazine, The online Movoto Real Estate, which describes itself as an online real estate brokerage firm, ranks the 10 best places to live in California.