Please join me on Memorial Day weekend as Irvine honors the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation and pays special tribute to our local service members and veterans.

Irvine has a long and proud military tradition. From 1942 to 1999, Irvine was home to Marine Air Station El Toro, the largest Marine Corps Air Station on the West Coast. During World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War, thousands of United States Marines, as well as airmen, sailors and soldiers, departed for war from MCAS El Toro.

Many never returned.

Irvine has now dedicated   125 acres of the former El Toro Marine Base to serve as an Orange County Veterans Cemetery, providing a final resting place for those served, close to their families and loved ones.

As the daughter of a combat veteran, as the cousin of a Marine who was killed in action, and as an Irvine City Councilmember, I am proud of Irvine's firm commitment to our veterans. 

Irvine will honor our fallen heroes in two ceremonies this Memorial Day weekend:

Sunday, May 27, 2018 at 4:00 p.m.

Candle Lighting Ceremony: Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial

4531 Bryan Avenue, Irvine CA 92620

The Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial, dedicated in 2010, is the nation's first and only memorial dedicated exclusively to listing the names of all the fallen American service members in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The names of every service member who has died in Afghanistan and Iraq are engraved in granite in a permanent memorial, to assure that future generations of Americans will remember and honor them with gratitude as we do today.

The ceremony will honor our fallen heroes from all generations, with special tribute to those fallen heroes of the recent and ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The candle lighting ceremony will include presentations from and honor Gold Star families. Please bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating.

Monday, May 28, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.

Memorial Day Ceremony: Col. Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park

4 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine CA 92606

Col. Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park, located next to City Hall, is named in honor of Korean War Medal of Honor recipient and Irvine resident Marine Corps Colonel William E. Barber (1919-2002).

Attendees will have the opportunity to memorialize our troops' sacrifice by writing a brief Remembrance Card to be posted on a memory board.

As I have done in past years, I will be filling out a memorial card for my cousin, PFC Irwin Handler, USMC, who was killed in Korea, and for the son of family friends, LCPL Donald J. Hogan, USMC, Navy Cross, who was killed in Afghanistan.

Cards will be also available for well-wishers to send a message of appreciation and support to Irvine's adopted 211/Marine Battalion.

As stated so beautifully and appropriately by the Veterans of Foreign Wars:

"Pausing to remember and honor America's fallen service members is a practice dating back more than 100 years. Since the days of the Civil War, humble Americans have gathered together on Memorial Day to remember and pay tribute to all who have fought and selflessly surrendered the precious gift of life, so that other could live free.

Again we gather this Memorial Day, as a nation solemnly united in remembrance of the fallen defenders of our great nation. Freedom is not free. It has come at great cost, paid for with the lives of our sons and daughters, husbands and wives, sisters and brothers, friends and comrades.

Every American owes a great debt to the courageous men and women who have selflessly given their all to defend and protect our way of life. And while giving back to the extent they deserve is impossible, celebrating their memory and honoring their most selfless deeds offers a start.

This Memorial Day, pause to reflect on the absolute selflessness of the 1.3 million members of our nation's military who paid the price needed to ensure our way of life endures, and let us not forget the families whose pain will never go away, but may lessen with our thanks and prayers."

God Bless our fallen, their families, and our men and women in uniform all over the world. 

You can watch a video of last year's Irvine Memorial Day Ceremony at Bill Barber Park here.

Irvine City Councilmember with A Whale of a Tale owner Alex Uhl

As your Irvine City Councilmember, I like to promote Irvine businesses, especially small or family-owned businesses that serve the community. 

One of my favorite Irvine businesses -- and my favorite independent bookstore in Irvine -- is A Whale of a Tale Children's Bookshoppe.

When my son, Max, was little, we loved to go to A Whale of a Tale together to hear famous authors read from their books or just to browse their shelves. I believe our favorite was Dave Shannon, author of "No, David!" and "How I Became a Pirate."

We especially loved their magical late-night parties when the newest Harry Potter books were first released!

Here is what they say about themselves:

"Our store is filled to the brim with wonderful books and collectibles. We cater to children of all ages, and their parents. We continue our tradition of Integrity + Service + Respect + Love of books and community.

Our store has been host to numerous award-winning children's book authors, including J. K. Rowling, Brian Jacques, Julie Andrews, Sharon Creech, Henry Winkler, T.A. Barron, Dav Pilkey and of course our very own local stars: Robin Preiss Glasser, and Steve Bjorkman.

Come in and experience A Whale of a Tale, as your beloved books and characters are brought to life by the people who know them best. Our staff will help you as much as you need in this warm and cozy store or if you prefer, leave you to browse in the wonderful book selection.

A Whale of a Tale has been honored with the prestigious Lucille Pannell Award. This national award is given to one bookstore annually in recognition of its excellence in stimulating, promoting and encouraging young people's interest in books. Whale of a Tale embodies the unique creativity and effectiveness in bringing children and books together." 

A Whale of a Tale was founded in 1988 by Alexandra Uhl and continues to be a magical place for children and parents, enhancing community spirit and the education of young people.

It has also been a quiet community force and advocate for children's literacy, donating thousands of dollars in cash and merchandise to many charitable organizations, including the Junior League of Orange County, First Book, local schools, hospitals, and people in need.

A Whale of a Tale Bookshoppe is located at 16277 Laguna Canyon Rd, Ste G, Irvine, California 92618.

Their phone number is 949- 854-8288

Find their website here.

Their hours are Monday 12:00 p.m. - 3 p.m., Tuesday - Friday 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Saturday 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Closed on Sunday.

When you visit, please tell Alex that Melissa, Michael, and Max Fox say Hello!

The Orange County Great Park continues its latest art exhibition,  Golden Parks: Huell Howser, through Sunday, May 13.

Huell Howser (October 18, 1945 - January 7, 2013) was a beloved American television personality, actor, producer, writer, singer, and voice artist, best known for hosting, producing, and writing California's Gold, his award-winning human interest show produced by KCET in Los Angeles for California PBS stations, which began in 1991 and ran for for 24 seasons.

The legacy left behind by the late TV legend Huell Howser continues to educate generations on the history and beauty of the Golden State. 

This exhibition highlights the Golden Parks that Huell Howser documented throughout his career and emphasizes the importance of their role in cultivating healthy communities.

The exhibition is put on in partnership with Chapman University Leatherby Libraries, home of the Huell Howser Archives, which provides streaming of Huell Howser's video archives.  

Tour the diverse climates and communities of California through  Golden Parks:Huell Howser.

For more information, call 949-724-6247.

On This Wednesday, May 16, 2018, during National Bike Month, the Ride of Silence will begin in North America and roll across the globe - including Irvine. 

 
Founded in 2003 to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways, promote sharing the road, and provide awareness of bicycling safety, the Ride of Silence is a slow paced, single file bicycle ride in a silent procession. 

Irvine is a wonderful city for bicycling, whether for commuting, exercising, or just enjoying the outdoors. We currently have 301 miles of on-street bike lanes and 54 miles of off-street bikeways. Our bicycle trails are some of the most beautiful, and peaceful, places in Irvine. 

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

Too often, although cyclists have a legal right to share the road with motorists, the motoring public isn't aware of these rights, and sometimes not aware of the cyclists themselves.

Too many Orange County bicyclists have been hit and killed by motorists. Those who lost their lives were fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, friends, co-workers, as well as cyclists. We have no idea of the impact they may have had in this world because their lives was taken by a motorist.

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

When: Wednesday, May 16. Gather at 6:00 p.m. Assemble at 6:30 p.m. Ride at 7:00 p.m.

Where: Irvine Civic Center, 1 Civic Center Plaza (near the flag poles in front of the Irvine Police Department).

Route: The route is a flat 9.7 mile loop around Irvine; we'll take on-street bike lanes and off street bikeways. East on Alton then return on the San Diego Creek bikeway so we can be fully regrouped by the time we get back to the start.

Note: Helmet & Lights Required!

More information, click here for the Orange County Bicycle Coalition or click here for Ride of Silence Orange County.

You can also learn more, and show your support, on the Ride of Silence - Irvine Facebook page and the Ride of Silence - National Facebook page.

Irvine, CA -- Irvine City Councilmember Melissa Fox joined with Irvine residents and other officials on  Saturday, April 14, as the City celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the Irvine Open Space Preserve, permanently protecting thousands of acres of Irvine's natural areas, with a  free pancake breakfast before going on a hike through Quail Hill.

"It has been my great pleasure to know Dr. Hsu for many years and I am honored to be her guest tonight," Councilmember Melissa Fox said. "Dr. Alethea Hsu is an amazing role model for women who want to succeed in professional careers and business, while giving back to the community and being an inspiring champion of justice."

Dr. Hsu immigrated to the United States from Taiwan following medical school training. She owns and manages Irvine's Diamond Jamboree ShopingCenter and also continues to practice rehabilitative medicine.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Orange County (Advancing Justice-OC) is the Orange County regional office of the nation's largest Asian American legal and civil rights organization. Advancing Justice - OC's mission is to advocate for civil rights, provide legal services and education, and build coalitions to positively influence and impact Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and to create a more equitable and harmonious society.

According to their Facebook page, Advancing Justice - OC "opened an office in Garden Grove to more directly serve and connect with AANHPIs living in Orange County, particularly those who are low-income or recent immigrants. During the past decade, we have greatly expanded our legal services in Orange County, aiding thousands of clients and callers. Many have been amongst the most vulnerable in our community, such as domestic violence survivors, undocumented immigrants seeking deferred action status, and immigrants in the process of being deported.  

As we enter the second decade of our Orange County office, we recognize the need for a stronger advocacy voice and presence for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. With the support of key corporations, law firms, bar associations and foundations based in Orange County, we are re-envisioning our role in Orange County and building a coalition of diverse AANHPI community leaders, organizers and advocates who can work with us to address unmet needs, civically engage our communities, and advocate for racial and economic justice."

Visit the Advancing Justice website here.

Irvine, CA -- On Saturday, April 28, 2018, Councilmember Melissa Fox joined Irvine Mayor Don Wagner, Irvine Unified School District officials and art specialists, parents and students in opening the 27th Annual Young Masters Art Show at City Hall.

 "Our Community" is the theme of this year's exhibit, which runs through May 11 and is sponsored by the Assistance League of Irvine, in collaboration with the Irvine Unified School District, the City of Irvine, Arts Orange County, and Imagination Celebration of Orange County.

The Young Masters Art Show features more than 600 art works by s ome 500 students, one from every IUSD classroom, kindergarten through 6th grade.  The art work will be displayed at Irvine City Hall during the two-week show. 

For the opening ceremonies, the  Irvine City Hall Promenade was transformed into a celebration of the arts with multiple creative art activities, balloon artists, live entertainment and complimentary refreshments, all in an effort to provide opportunities for young people to explore art and creative expression.

"I am tremendously impressed with art work of Irvine's students," Councilmember Melissa Fox said. 

"I want to thank each of the 131 all-volunteer members of the Assistance League of Irvine for their dedication to Irvine and for nurturing the artistic talents of our students."

Guest post by Eliana Liss 

University of California, Irvine, School of Social Ecology 

Council Executive Assistant to Irvine City Councilmember Melissa Fox

Imagine getting out your phone after a long day of school and typing in a destination. A shuttle drives to you and the operator greets you with a smile as you walk into the beautiful vehicle. You sit yourself in a comfortable seat next to a smiling face and plug your dying phone into the USB port, only to end up at a beautiful park.  THIS COULD BE YOU! 

Last month, I had the pleasure of accompanying my boss, Irvine City Councilmember Melissa Fox, to a presentation showcasing Advanced Vehicle Manufacturing's (AVM) zero-emission shuttle.

We toured the Great Park in style and comfort, watching crews put the finishing touches on the new tennis courts, baseball and softball fields, and volleyball courts.

As a young woman starting out my career in transportation planning, I was excited by the prospect of having vehicles like this at our disposal. 

The batteries used to operate the autonomous shuttle are lithium-titanate, one of the safest and longest lasting batteries out there. 

The shuttle is also extremely environmentally friendly, a zero-emission vehicle that takes only 10 minutes to charge. 

Additionally, a shuttle such as this could play a big part in reducing traffic throughout a city like Irvine. With on demand service and features like USB ports that allow for ease and comfort, there may be no reason to operate a personal vehicle.  

I certainly would rather have an awesome shuttle like this come pick me up and aid in the effort to reduce emissions and traffic, given its convenience compared to my own vehicle. 

As Councilmember Melissa Fox said, we need more transportation choices, and these choices need to be clean, safe, and efficient.  

These vehicles seemed to be all of the above -- and fun!

With the shuttle's vast storage space, cool features, emissions reduction capabilities, and potential to reduce traffic, why would I ever want to drive my car?    

Volunteers are needed for the Irvine 2/11 Marine Adoption Committee Car Wash Fundraiser to directly benefit the 2/11 Marines.

The car wash is from 9:00 .m. to 2:00 pm on Saturday, June 2nd at the Lakeview Senior Center parking lot.  

Lakeview Senior Center is located at  20 Lake Road, Irvine, CA 92604 .

Approximately 150 vehicles are washed by our Marines but we need your help!

Volunteers will be asked to assist with various tasks before, during, and after the fundraiser such as: hanging and removing signs along the road as well as holding signs on the street. 

Food and drinks will be provided to all volunteers. 

If there is a task you are unable to do such as stand or sit for long periods, please let us know and we will accommodate you. 

If you are interested, please sign up here.

You are welcome to sign up for more than one time slot! 

The  Irvine 2/11 Marine Adoption Committee  is  a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides charitable and educational activities and support for the benefit and welfare of the United States Marines and their families assigned to Camp Pendleton, California, with special emphasis on the Marines and families of the 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines ("2/11 Marines"). 

Additionally, the Committee seeks to educate and inform the community regarding the 2/11's activities and responsibilities.  The Committee accomplishes its goal by soliciting private and public donations of cash, food, beverages, and new and used material goods to help underwrite the cost of sponsoring 2/11 Marines and their families.

Many Thanks!

• 5/19 OC Great Park at 10:00 a.m. -- Garden Shop: Unique Succulents

• 5/20 Irvine Ranch Conservancy at 10:00 a.m. -- Wildflowers and Pollinators: A Backstage Pass at the Native Seed Farm

• 5/20 OC Great Park at 10:00 a.m. -- Children's Workshop: Birdhouse Gourd

• 5/27 Northwood Community Park at 4:00 p.m. -- Northwood Memorial Candle Lighting Ceremony 2018 

• 5/28 Memorial Day

• 5/28 City of Irvine at 10:00 a.m. -- Memorial Day Ceremony 2018