April 7, 2024 Edition

Barton Mound Plaque Installation Ceremony It was an honor to speak at the Barton Mound Memorial Plaque Installation Ceremony. We heard the story of the tragic events of January 23, 1857, where Los Angeles County Sheriff James Barton and three of his men were killed by a gang of outlaws. We were joined by Tom Laing, retired L.A. County Field Operations Chief and coordinator of the Barton Mound Memorial Plaque Project. We were also joined by L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna, L.A. County Lieutenant John Stanley, and Irvine Police Chief Michael Kent. Thank you to all of the brave men and women, past and present, who serve to protect our community. To listen to my remarks, click here.

Tax season ends soon! Fortunately, free tax preparation is available for individuals living, working, or attending school in Irvine who earned less than $60,000 in 2023. Get tax filing assistance from IRS-trained and certified volunteers who will also assist eligible taxpayers in applying for tax credits. Tax prep services are available on Tuesdays from now until April 16 from 12:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Harvard Community Center. Please schedule an appointment, as walk-ins are not accepted. For more information on how to schedule an appointment, click here.

Councilmember Mike Carroll's Team Meeting My team of Commissioners and Committee Members joined us for our quarterly breakfast meeting. I had the opportunity to hear about what everyone was working on in their committees and discuss what we can do to improve our City. They are an excellent resource for residents and for myself with keeping up to date on local concerns. It was a pleasure to introduce Nakia Best, who I recently appointed to serve on the Irvine Children, Youth, and Families Advisory Committee. I am so appreciative to everyone who attended, as well as the Citizens Academy alumni who joined and are actively engaged in the community. To learn more about my team, click here. 

Our new free shuttle service, Irvine CONNECT, is now open to all community members and visitors! This shuttle travels from the northern end of Irvine to Irvine Station, with stops at various parks, schools, hospitals, and shopping centers. Shuttle frequency is every 20 minutes and operates from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekdays and 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on weekends. Bike racks are located on the front of the buses and service animals are allowed to ride. To see a complete list of destinations and to track the shuttle in real time, click here.

Women of the Year Event Congratulations to these honorable women who were recognized at the 6th Annual Women of the Year Celebration: Annette Walker, President of City of Hope Orange County; Soledad Rivera, Community Relations Manager at CalOptima; and Joyce LaPointe, Deputy Police Chief at Costa Mesa Police Department! How they lead by example inspires our community. To read more about these honorees, click here.

Thank you for reading this edition of my Community Update. Hope you enjoyed it. 

Mike Carroll