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Irvine is now at 75 COVID-29 cases and there are 834 cases countywide
April 6, 2020 - California, Disease, Emergencies, Health, Irvine, News, OC Health Care, Orange County, Public Safety - No Comments

COVID-19 cases in the City of Irvine are now at 75 according to the O.C. Health Care Agency. There were 51 new cases Countywide yesterday. Countywide there are now 834 cases and we are still at 14 deaths. There are 137 victims in the hospital as of today and 56 are in Intensive Care Units.…

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City of Irvine to follow California State guidelines regarding face coverings
April 3, 2020 - Disease, Emergencies, Irvine, News, Public Safety - No Comments

IRVINE, Calif. (April 2, 2020): Today, California’s public health officials released guidance on the use of cloth face coverings to protect against COVID-19 for those who must leave their homes to conduct essential activities. The guidance does not require people to wear face coverings – and is not a substitute for the state’s current guidance…

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Governor Newsom has issued a mandatory stay at home order
March 19, 2020 - News - No Comments

CA is issuing a statewide, mandatory stay at home order, according to Governor Gavin Newsom’s Twitter page. Those that work in critical sectors should go to work. Grocery stores, pharmacies, banks and more will stay open. Everyone is required to stay home except to get food, care for a relative or friend, get necessary health…

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All IUSD Schools to close effective 3-16
March 13, 2020 - Disease, Irvine, Irvine Unified School District - No Comments

After careful deliberation, the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) has made the decision to close all IUSD schools and facilities effective Monday, March 16 with an anticipated return date of Monday, April 6. The public health crisis created by COVID-19 has put our institutions, including K-12 school districts, in uncharted territory and we must take…

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Irvine Police seek to identify a suspect in a home invasion robbery

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The Irvine Police Department is seeking information from the public regarding an armed home invasion robbery.

On the evening of Monday, October 14, the Irvine Police Department responded to a report of an armed robbery at a residence in the area of Bosque and Irvine Blvd. The victim reported that at approximately 8:45 p.m., he was inside his residence when an unknown male suspect appeared and brandished a handgun. Another resident returned home during the robbery and the suspect fled in an unknown direction taking cash and credit cards.

The suspect is described as an African American male, approximately 25 years old, wearing a navy blue hooded sweatshirt.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Irvine Police Department Detective Gavin Hudson at 949-724-7168 or ghudson@cityofirvine.org(link sends e-mail)

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Since its incorporation in 1971, Irvine has become a nationally recognized city, with a population of 276,176 that spans 66 square miles and is recognized as one of America’s safest and most successful master-planned urban communities. Top-rated educational institutions, an enterprising business atmosphere, sound environmental stewardship, and respect for diversity all contribute to Irvine’s enviable quality of life. This family-friendly city features more than 16,000 acres of parks, sports fields and dedicated open space and is the home of the Orange County Great Park. For more information, please visit cityofirvine.org.

Former Irvine motorcycle cop charged with stealing more than $68K in State grant funds

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Santa Ana, Calif. – A veteran Irvine Police Officer has been charged with 36 felonies for stealing more than $68,000 in state grant funds by submitting time cards falsely claiming he worked overtime that he never worked.

Matthew Christian August, 47, of Aliso Viejo, has been charged with 34 felony counts of presenting a false claim and two felony counts of grand theft by an employee.

He is facing a maximum sentence of 25 years in state prison if convicted on all counts.

August joined the Irvine Police Department in November 2005. As a traffic sergeant, August authored the Irvine Police Department’s annual grant application from California’s Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), which funds law enforcement operations directed at improving traffic safety. August also coordinated filling OTS grant shifts.

Between February 25, 2017 and October 19, 2018, August filed 34 timecards requesting pay for overtime shifts that he never worked.

The Irvine Police Department initiated an internal investigation in 2018 after inconsistencies in August’s work activity failed to match the overtime hours he reported on his time card. Police referred the case to the District Attorney’s Office for further investigation and prosecution.

“Stealing precious taxpayer dollars while wearing the badge only tarnishes that badge, and casts an unwanted shadow over the hundreds of thousands of hard-working law enforcement men and women across the United States who want nothing more than to serve their communities ethically and justly,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer.

Deputy District Attorney Steven Schriver is prosecuting this case.

L.A. man charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old Irvine girl he met online

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SANTA ANA, Calif. – A 22-year-old man has been charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old Irvine girl he met online, and videotaping at least one of the assaults. Investigators are asking for the public’s help in identifying other potential victims.

Angel Leonel Alonzo, 22, of Los Angeles, was arrested Thursday morning by the Irvine Police Department.

Alonzo has been charged with three felony counts of oral copulation of a victim under the age of 16, two felony counts of unlawful sexual intercourse, one felony count of sodomy of a victim under the age of 16, one felony count of sexual penetration by a foreign object of a victim under the age of 16, one felony count of using a minor in the production of child pornography, and one felony count of sending child pornography to a minor.

He has also been charged with one misdemeanor count of possession of child pornography.

Alonzo faces a maximum sentence of 11 years, six months if convicted on all charges.

He is currently being held at the Orange County Jail on $100,000 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday, September 23, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. in CJ1.

“The internet provides predators with unfettered access to children who they can select and groom in order to abuse them,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “As parents, teachers, coaches, and mentors, we must do everything we can to educate our children about the dangers of the internet and prevent them from becoming victimized. And as law enforcement, we will hold these predators accountable.”

“The Irvine Police Department aggressively investigates crimes perpetrated against children and we are committed to safeguarding these vulnerable members of our community,” said Irvine Police Chief Mike Hamel.

Detectives are asking for anyone with information regarding other potential victims to contact the Irvine Police Detective Jameson Roberts at (949) 724-7170.

Deputy District Attorney Sarah Rahman of the Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting this case.

Free family-friendly STEM fair coming to Irvine on Oct. 12

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The Help Group’s STEM3 Academy, the only K-12 school in the nation to provide a STEM curriculum to students with social and learning differences, announces the return of the Very Special Innovation Fair to Los Angeles and its first year in Orange County. The free, family-friendly event is a showcase of discovery and imagination that is equal parts science-fair, high-tech exhibition, art show and community carnival.

Inspired by the maker movement, the Very Special Innovation Fair will include activities and experiences for children of all ages and abilities. Hundreds of young STEM enthusiasts and their families will have the opportunity to build things, get involved in experiments and demonstrations, and take various gadgets for a test drive. Attendees will have a first-person experience in a range of STEM-related fields, including rocketry, robotics, and virtual reality – all straight from some of the region’s most innovative companies.

A sample of activities and exhibitors confirmed for this year include:

  • Virtual Reality with Farmers Insurance
  • Coding, 3D Painting and Mixed Reality by Microsoft
  • LA Zoo Interactive Exhibit
  • Hands-on Science Project by Discovery Cube
  • Aerospace Hardware Display by Raytheon
  • ISS-Above: Mission Control
  • The Ultimate Drone Demonstration by DroneBase
  • PAGO Paper Engineering
  • Banana Music by GEARup4Youth
  • Stomp Rockets by STEMup4Youth

The Very Special Innovation Fair is hosted by STEM³ Academy, a pioneering school operated by The Help Group that serves K-12 students who are passionate about STEM topics and benefit from more individualized educational instruction due to social and learning differences. With two existing campuses in the Los Angeles area, STEM³ Academy recently opened the doors to its first campus in Irvine for the 2019-2020 school year. The school prepares students for meaningful careers in a variety of fields, such as engineering, cyber-security, biomedical, coding, game development, accounting, web design, IT and the humanities. In addition to STEM3 Academy, The Help Group Learning Center is also housed on the same campus and supports both special needs and general education K-12 homeschooled students in academic and nonacademic subjects.

“There is a growing need for qualified STEM talent in Southern California and the Very Special Innovation Fair helps cultivate and nurture young talent. The fair is a place where children can explore and experience various STEM-related activities that they are interested in,” said Dr. Ellis Crasnow, director of STEM³ Academy and STEM education at The Help Group.

Dr. Susan Berman, Chief Operating Officer of The Help Group added, “We’re excited about the amazing group of local companies and organizations that are joining us this year and are greatly appreciative of their support.”

The Very Special Innovation Fair in Los Angeles will take place on Saturday, Sept. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the STEM³ Academy Valley Glen campus (6455 Coldwater Canyon, Valley Glen). The Orange County Innovation Fair will be hosted on Saturday, Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the new STEM³ Academy Orange County campus (17861 Von Karman Ave, Irvine).

To learn more, visit: https://stem3academy.org/innovation-fair/.

About The Help Group

Founded in 1975, The Help Group is the largest, most innovative and comprehensive nonprofit of its kind in the United States serving children, adolescents and young adults with special needs related to autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, ADHD, developmental delays, abuse and emotional challenges and has recently expanded its reach to include LGBTQ+ young people and homeschooled students. www.thehelpgroup.org

Four people charged with kidnapping an Irvine woman for ransom

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SANTA ANA, Calif. – Four people were charged today with multiple felonies in connection with kidnapping an Irvine woman and holding her for ransom.

Ezra Schley, 71, and Yang “Rose” Wang, 37, both of Huntington Beach, Reha Soylular, 54, of Newport Beach, and George Armando Medrano, 34, of Norco, were each charged with one felony count of aggravated kidnapping for ransom and extortion, one felony count of residential burglary, and one felony count of attempted extortion.

Medrano was also charged with one felony count of a felon in possession of ammunition and one misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana for sale. Schley was charged with one misdemeanor count of carrying a loaded firearm in public.

All four defendants face a minimum of seven years and a maximum sentence of life if convicted on all charges. They are currently being held at the Orange County Jail on $1 million bail.

The four defendants are accused of kidnaping Jane Doe from her Irvine apartment on August 28, 2019 in an attempt to extort a large sum of money from Jane Doe’s husband and mother-in-law. They are also accused of sending pictures of Jane Doe being held captive to Jane Doe’s husband through a phone web chatting app.

Jane Doe was previously acquainted with at least one of the defendants. Authorities believe this is an isolated incident.

Jane Doe was rescued by the Irvine Police Department after her mother-in-law called police and requested a welfare check.

“Diligent police work by the Irvine Police Department helped locate this victim before further trauma could be inflicted on her and her loved ones,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer.

“I want to express my support for the victim and family as they recover from this traumatic event,” said Irvine Police Chief Mike Hamel. “I also want to thank the men and women of the Irvine Police Department who worked tirelessly to protect the victim and arrest those responsible for committing a heinous crime in our community.”

This case is being prosecuted by Laila Nikaien of the Special Prosecutions Unit.

Irvine man shot dead during an illegal marijuana deal in Garden Grove

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Garden Grove Homicide Detectives worked through the night and followed up on several leads. At approximately 1:30 a.m., detectives conducted a high risk car stop on a suspect vehicle leaving a hotel in Venice Beach, California. Three male suspects were taken into custody without incident and were transported to Garden Grove Police Department.

After further investigation, detectives learned this homicide was drug related and involved a marijuana sales transaction between the victim, Thien Hoang Phan, a 32-year-old resident of Irvine, and the suspects. All of the individuals were at the Garden Grove residence on Westminster Ave. to conduct the drug sales transaction when the shooting occurred. The three male suspects were booked at Orange County Jail for murder and other related charges.

This is the third homicide in Garden Grove this year where the sale of marijuana and other illegal narcotics was directly involved. These incidents were outside the operation of legal marijuana businesses. None of the homicides are linked to each other but the motive for each homicide was robbery for cash or illegal narcotics.

The first homicide occurred on 4-29-19 at a home in the 12000 block of Corvette Street. A suspect who came from another state, attempted to rob a courier for cash at a stash house for marijuana sales. The courier shot and killed the suspect claiming self-defense. The second homicide happened on 7-8-2019 in the 9100 block of La Grand Avenue where several suspects did an early-morning home invasion robbery. The suspects shot the victim while demanding cash and narcotics. No arrests have been made for the second homicide and it is currently still being investigated. This most recent homicide was committed by suspects who traveled to Garden Grove from Arizona to purchase marijuana. Recreational use of marijuana is illegal in Arizona and detectives believe this may be a reason why suspects are traveling from neighboring states to commit crimes.

Anyone with information about this most recent crime is encouraged to contact detectives at the Garden Grove Police Department.

ORIGINAL NARRATIVE:

Garden Grove Police Officers responded to a call of possible gunshots and a subject bleeding in the 9600 Blk. of Westminster Ave. in Garden Grove. Officers arrived on scene and located a male Asian adult in the rear yard of a residence with gunshot wounds who was deceased.

Garden Grove Police Detectives responded and are handling the investigation as a homicide. Details are unknown at this time as to the identity of the victim, his relation to the residence, as well as any suspect information. Further information will be forth coming as the investigation is on-going.

Suspects arrested:

  • Larios, Victor Rene – 29 years old, resident of Arizona
  • Ruiz, Jacob Alexander– 24 years old, resident of Arizona
  • Ruiz, Joseph Anthony– 27 years old, resident of Arizona

Power outage impacting 28,000 in Irvine; Care and Reception Center set up at Northwood High

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An electrical fire at a substation at Jamboree and Michelson in Irvine has caused a power outage impacting 28,000 customers, Southern California Edison reports. Power is expected to be out at least through the night.

A Care and Reception Center for those affected by the power outage has been set up at Northwood High School, 4515 Portola Parkway. The facility will be open as a cooling center or for those who need shelter. Accommodations will be made for those with pets. Pet owners should bring food, water and other supplies for their animals. Dogs should be on a leash, and other animals should be in appropriate carriers.

Up to 50 intersections in Irvine were on “red flash” or blacked out as a result of the power outage. Additionally, 100 residents at Villa Siena Apartments on Palatine were briefly evacuated and have since been allowed to return to their homes.

The Irvine Police Department has increased patrols in areas impacted by the outage, which primarily consists of the Irvine Business Complex (IBC). The impact on traffic is also being monitored.

For more information or if you need assistance due to this incident, call the Irvine Police Department at 949-724-7000. Visit cityofirvine.org and follow the Irvine Police Department and City of Irvine on social media for updates

Church camp counselor arrested by the Irvine police after allegedly molesting a child

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The Irvine Police Department on Wednesday arrested a Mission Viejo man who committed lewd acts on a child he supervised while working as a part-time camp counselor at Mission Viejo Christian Church. Nicolas David Cruz, 19, was arrested at the church and taken to Orange County Jail, where he remains.

On the evening of Tuesday, July 23, the mother of an 8-year-old from Mission Viejo reported to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department that the suspect sexually assaulted her child during the bus ride home from a summer camp outing in Irvine. The case was turned over to the Irvine Police Department because the crime occurred in Irvine.

Cruz’s employment with the church was immediately terminated.

Detectives believe there may be additional victims in this case. Cruz began working at the church in December 2018. During summer, he worked part time with children who are between 8 and 9 years old. During the previous school year, he worked with children ages 5 to 11 years old.

Police urge parents who believe their children may have been a victim to contact Detective Mudassar Mahmood at 949-724-7130 or mmahmood@cityofirvine.org.

Man who took inappropriate pictures of a woman at an Irvine car wash arrested

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A man who was caught taking pictures underneath a woman’s skirt has been arrested following an investigation by Irvine Police Department Detectives. Nathan Martin Haley, 45, of Portola Hills turned himself in to police last month.

On July 31, 2018, Irvine Police received a report from a victim who stated that while at a car wash on the 3000 block of Main Street, a man approached her from behind. The victim turned to look at the man, who pretended to have dropped his phone on the ground directly beneath her dress. A moment later, the victim saw the same man attempt to place his phone on the ground near her while she vacuumed her car.

The victim quickly finished vacuuming and got into her vehicle. Before leaving the car wash, she took a picture of the license plate on the man’s blue Mini Cooper. She described the man as white with a thin build, strawberry blonde hair, approximately 35 to 40 years old.

Detectives identified Haley and obtained a search warrant for his phone, which provided evidence of this type of activity. The victim confirmed that Haley was the man she saw at the car wash.

Detectives believe there may be more victims in this case in Irvine and other cities. Anyone who believes they may have been a victim is asked to contact Irvine Police Department Detective Leticia Hernandez at 949-724-7245 or lhernandez@cityofirvine.org.

The Irvine police will be conducting a DUI checkpoint on Saturday night

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The Irvine Police Department (IPD) will conduct a sobriety checkpoint as part of the Department’s continued commitment to reducing injuries and deaths caused by impaired drivers. The checkpoint will be conducted Saturday, April 27, from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

The checkpoint will be clearly marked and vehicles will be selected for further screening on a pre-set basis to ensure objectivity. Motorists will be greeted and given information about the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Trained officers will direct suspected impaired drivers to a secondary area for further evaluation. Most motorists will experience little or no delay.

This checkpoint is being carried out with the use of grant funding awarded by the California Office of Traffic Safety.

High-visibility enforcement can reduce drunken driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration research has shown. IPD publicizes these highly visible sobriety checkpoints to deter impaired drivers, encourage the use of sober designated drivers and rideshare services, and bring increased awareness to the consequences of impaired driving.