• Irvine Insider
  • Posts
  • Friendly Neighbors: Irvine Resident and Dog Assist During Late-Night Medical Incident in Irvine

Friendly Neighbors: Irvine Resident and Dog Assist During Late-Night Medical Incident in Irvine

Issue # 0553

Author

Joshua Tjia
22 Jan

In this Irvine Insider Issue . . .

😁Laugh of the Day

🌤️ Irvine Weather

🎻🎶 Pacific Symphony Performs Beethoven’s Violin Concerto & Strauss’ Don Quixote, Feb. 5–7

❤️🤍💙 City of Irvine Cancels Major Independence Day Celebration at Great Park for 2026

🚑🐩 Friendly Neighbors: Irvine Resident and Dog Assist During Late-Night Medical Incident in Irvine

👕🎉  Columbia Sportswear Opens at Irvine Spectrum on January 23

👦🧩 Irvine Public Library Offers Weekly Stay & Play Sessions for Young Children

🤒When to Seek Urgent Care for Animal Bites and Scratches

🌳🚶🏻‍♀️ Start Your Morning on the Trail: Thursday Trek Through Bommer Canyon on Feb. 5

🩰💐 A Decade of Dance: ABT Gillespie School Celebrates 10 Years in Orange County

🎼🎼 Upcoming High School Music Calendar

🐈‍⬛🐕 Community Generosity Raises Over $90,000 for Irvine Animals

🏀Jada Wynn Named Anteater of the Week After Standout Basketball Performance

🏀🏐🎾⚽️ UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

🏀🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS

🏀 Crean Lutheran Boys Basketball Pulls Away Late to Beat Cypress 57–41

🏈🎾 High School Athletics Calendar

🍏🥭🍑 Local Farmers Markets

🌟🏪🎉Irvine’s Best Kept Secrets: Is Your Business One of Them?

📅📅 Lots of Local Events

📞💡 Useful Contact Information

Why were the apple and the orange all alone?

Because the banana split

We hope this joke brings some laughter to your day! 😁

Pacific Symphony Performs Beethoven’s Violin Concerto & Strauss’ Don Quixote, Feb. 5–7

Pacific Symphony presents Beethoven’s Violin Concerto and Strauss’ Don Quixote from February 5–7 at Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. Led by Music Director Laureate Carl St.Clair, the concert features violinist Paul Huang in Beethoven’s beloved concerto, followed by Strauss’ vivid musical story of Don Quixote, starring principal cellist Warren Hagerty.

City of Irvine Cancels Major Independence Day Celebration at Great Park for 2026

Irvine will not host a large-scale Fourth of July celebration at the Great Park in 2026, the year marking the nation’s 250th anniversary, after city leaders and staff determined there was insufficient time to secure vendors, sponsors, and logistical support.

  • During a Jan. 13 City Council meeting, officials cited widespread vendor unavailability, staffing concerns, and lessons learned from last year’s event, which drew an unexpectedly large crowd and caused significant traffic and operational challenges.

  • Although the city had increased the event budget from $250,000 to $600,000 following those issues, leaders agreed that proceeding would overburden staff, and all allocated funds will instead return to the city’s general fund.

Friendly Neighbors: Irvine Resident and Dog Assist During Late-Night Medical Incident in Irvine

Longtime Irvine resident Avram Grossman and his loyal Samoyed, Bo, are being recognized as true community heroes. During a late-night walk on January 15 near the Light of Christ Church by Culver Plaza, Bo’s keen instincts alerted Avram to something out of the ordinary, leading them to discover an unresponsive teen in a dark parking lot. Avram immediately contacted Irvine Police, who arrived along with OCFA paramedics and transported the teen for medical care. With the cold, darkness, and late hour, Bo’s alertness and Avram’s quick action played a crucial role in getting help when it mattered most.

Columbia Sportswear Opens at Irvine Spectrum on January 23

Columbia Sportswear is opening a new store at Irvine Spectrum, with a Grand Opening Weekend from January 23–25. The outdoor brand—founded in 1938 and based in Portland, Oregon—will celebrate with in-store offers and complimentary coffee and matcha from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., inviting shoppers to gear up for their next adventure.

Irvine Public Library Offers Weekly Stay & Play Sessions for Young Children

Irvine Public Library invites parents and caregivers to weekly Stay & Play sessions at the Heritage Park and University Park Libraries, offering fun, hands-on activities where young children can explore, play, and learn alongside their caregivers. These interactive sessions support early literacy and social-emotional development through play.

View upcoming sessions here

When to Seek Urgent Care for Animal Bites and Scratches

Animal bites and scratches can happen unexpectedly, and even minor-looking wounds deserve a little extra care. Getting checked early can help prevent infection and provide peace of mind—especially when a bite or scratch is painful, slow to heal, or caused by an unfamiliar animal.

Helpful Tips

  • Seek care if the bite or scratch is on the face, neck, hands, feet, or near a joint

  • Get checked if bleeding doesn’t stop after applying pressure

  • Be cautious if the injury was caused by a wild, stray, or unusually behaving animal

  • Watch for redness, swelling, warmth, pain, or discharge, which may signal infection

  • Always seek care for deep, large, or painful wounds, even if they seem manageable at first

Start Your Morning on the Trail: Thursday Trek Through Bommer Canyon on Feb. 5

Join a Thursday Morning Trek at Bommer Canyon on Thursday, February 5, featuring a 7-mile loop hikewith 1,430 feet of elevation gain through historic Irvine ranch land and the Laguna Coast Wilderness. This level-4 hike offers sweeping ocean and city views and runs from 7:30 to 11:00 a.m., starting and ending at Bommer Canyon Cattle Camp.

A Decade of Dance: ABT Gillespie School Celebrates 10 Years in Orange County

The ABT William J. Gillespie School is celebrating 10 years at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, marking a decade of training young dancers in Orange County through American Ballet Theatre’s nationally recognized curriculum.

  • Founded in 2015 with support from arts philanthropist William J. Gillespie, the school has helped launch students into professional ballet careers and emphasizes whole-child development, live music, and exposure to world-class artists.

  • To honor the milestone, the school is hosting a special master class series from February through May, including a class taught by former ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

  • The school will also present its first off-campus year-end showcase at Chapman University’s Musco Center for the Arts on May 30.

Upcoming Northwood High School’s Music Calendar

No further events scheduled for this month.

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://timbmusic.org/events/

Upcoming Woodbridge High School's Music Calendar

No further events scheduled for this month.

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://www.whs-music.org/

Upcoming Woodbridge High School’s Vocal Music Calendar

No further events scheduled for this month.

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://woodbridgechoirs.weebly.com/calendar.html

Upcoming Irvine High Choral’s Music Calendar

  1. January 23 - 24: Advanced Choirs Retreat Weekend, Pali Retreat

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://www.ihschoralmusic.org/calendar.html 

Upcoming Portola High School Music’s Calendar

No further events scheduled for this month.

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://www.phsmusicbooster.org/buy-ticket

Community Generosity Raises Over $90,000 for Irvine Animals

Thanks to generous community support, the Irvine Animal Care Center’s 2025 Holiday Donation Drive raised more than $90,000, funding critical Special Programs such as:

  • emergency medical care

  • specialized surgeries

  • cruelty recovery

  • foster care for vulnerable animals

  • wildlife care

  • post-adoption training support

  • the Third Chance for Pets program (which has helped place over 14,000 at-risk animals into forever homes)

Learn more at cityofirvine.org/animals.

Jada Wynn Named Anteater of the Week After Standout Basketball Performance

Senior Jada Wynn was named Anteater of the Week after powering UC Irvine to a 73–42 win over UC Davis, leading all players with 24 points.

  • The 6-foot-1 guard also added eight rebounds, three assists, three steals, and a block, marking her fifth 20-point game of the season.

  • The win extended UCI’s streak to 15 straight victories (16–2 overall, 7–0 Big West).

UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

Women’s Basketball

  • Thurs, Jan 22– vs UC Riverside, 6:00 PM

  • Sat, Jan 24– vs UC San Diego, 2:00 PM

Baseball

  • Sat, Jan 24– vs Alumni Game, 12:00 PM

Men’s Basketball

  • Thurs, Jan 29– vs Hawai'i , 8:00 PM

🏐⚽🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS 

Men's Basketball

  • Fri, Jan 23 - vs Santa Ana, 5:00 PM

  • Wed, Jan 28 - vs Fullerton, 5:00 PM

Women’s Basketball

  • Fri, Jan 23 - vs Santa Ana, 7:00 PM

  • Wed, Jan 28 - vs Fullerton, 7:00 PM

Baseball

  • Sat, Jan 24 - vs Long Beach, 12:00 PM

Crean Lutheran Boys Basketball Pulls Away Late to Beat Cypress 57–41

Crean Lutheran’s boys basketball team earned a 57–41 road win over Cypress in a key Crestview League game. Jacob Majok and Chadrack Mpoyi led, scoring 18 points each, and the Saints remain tied for first place in league play.

High School Athletics Calendar

**

Updated With January Schedule

Upcoming Irvine High School’s Varsity home games:

January 2026

Thursday, January 22

  • Soccer, Girls - 5:00 PM vs Northwood

Friday, January 23

  • Soccer, Boys - 5:00 PM vs University

  • Basketball, Girls - 5:30 PM vs Northwood

Irvine’s Best Kept Secrets: Is Your Business One of Them?

We know our community is brimming with businesses that have fascinating stories and big hearts. If you’re a local business owner making waves, crafting unique experiences, or simply putting a smile on our faces, we want to chat with you! “Irvine Insider” is eager to shine a light on the unsung heroes of our city. Let’s collaborate and let the community know what makes your business special.

Click the link below and fill out the Local Business Spotlight Application Form to be featured and let’s celebrate the spirit of Irvine together!

Irvine Insider is sent to a local audience of Irvine residence Monday through Friday with 50% - 60% open rate. Our newsletter is a great way to reach Irvine residents.

  • Kaiser Permanente Irvine Farmers Market

  • Saturday Farmers Market at Mariners Church Irvine

    • When: Saturday, 8 AM - 12 PM

    • Where: 5428 Bonita Canyon Dr, Irvine, CA 92603

  • Great Park Certified Farmers Market

  • Manassero Farmers

    • When: Daily, 9 AM - 4:30 PM

    • Where: 33 Irvine Valley, Irvine, CA 92604

  • Tanaka Farms

    • When: Daily, 9 AM - 5 PM

    • Where: 5380 3/4 University Dr, Irvine, CA 92612

    • More Info:Tanaka Farms

January 22 Blade Runner 8 PM

January 24 Free Paper Shredding Event 9 - 11 AM

January 25 Jazz in the Palm Court 1 - 3 PM

January 28 Seong-jin Cho, piano 8 PM

February 3 Free Tax Filing Services 12 - 6 PM

February 12 Free Grocery Food Box 9 AM - 12 PM

February 14 Hide & Squeak 6th Anniversary 11 AM - 2 PM

February 14 - 15 Modern Makers Mart: Woodbury Town Center 10 AM - 4 PM

February 15 America 250 3 PM

February 21 Lunar New Year 8 PM

We could use your help

We’ve got big plans as we get up to speed! But we need your help!

One huge way that you can help us is to spread the word for us.

Know somebody who lives in the Irvine and surrounding areas and would benefit from being kept in the know?

Please share Irvine Insider with them! It’s simple!