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Katie Wheeler Library Debuts Seed Library Program Beginning March 8

Issue # 0579

Author

Joshua Tjia
02 Mar

In this Irvine Insider Issue . . .

😁 Laugh of the Day

🌤️ Irvine Weather

📖📚 Help Plan the Future Great Park Library —Join a Community Meeting

🌱🧤  Katie Wheeler Library Debuts Seed Library Program Beginning March 8

☕️☕️ March Coffee Deal: 85°C Offers BOGO 50% Off Espresso Drinks

🚧 Heads Up, Irvine: Westbound Michelson Drive Closure This Saturday

🎸🌟 Woodbridge Teacher Daniel Pilchman Recognized as Outstanding STEM Educator

🐟🫘 Heart-Healthy Foods You Can Add to Your Meals

🌱🌾 Plant Native Seedlings and Help Restore Quail Hill Loop, Mar. 5

🎨 Irvine Fine Arts Center Opens Spring Exhibitions March 7

🎼🎼 Upcoming High School Music Calendar

🐈 Kitty Ear Care 101: Simple, Safe Tips for Happy Ears

🏀 UC Irvine Men’s Basketball Holds Off UCSB, 64–60

🏀🏐🎾⚽️ UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

⚾️ Irvine Valley Baseball Rallies Late to Defeat LA Valley, 5–3

🏀🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS

🏀 Crean Lutheran Boys Basketball Holds Off JSerra to Win CIF Division 1 Championship

🏈🎾 High School Athletics Calendar

🚔 Man Arrested in Irvine on Attempted Burglary Charges

🍏🥭🍑 Local Farmers Markets

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

📅📅 Lots of Local Events

📞💡 Useful Contact Information

Why did the cat take a nap?

Because it was feline tired.

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

Help Plan the Future Great Park Library —Join a Community Meeting

As the Great Park continues to take shape, a future library remains a key part of the vision outlined in the Great Park Framework Plan. The City of Irvine is inviting residents to share their thoughts and learn more at an upcoming community meeting on Monday, March 23 at 6 p.m. at Great Park Studio. Community input will help guide planning for a Great Park Library that reflects Irvine’s evolving needs.

Katie Wheeler Library Debuts Seed Library Program Beginning March 8

The Irvine Public Library is launching a new Seed Library at the Katie Wheeler Library starting March 8, inviting cardholders to borrow up to three packets of heirloom and seasonal seeds each month. Just browse the seed drawers, check them out at the Borrower Services Desk, and plant them at home—no returns needed. It’s a fun, easy way to try something new, grow your own plants, and connect with the community through gardening. 🌱

March Coffee Deal: 85°C Offers BOGO 50% Off Espresso Drinks

85°C Bakery Cafe is welcoming spring with a special perk for app members: enjoy a Buy 1, Get 1 50% OFF deal on espresso drinks, available one time anytime from March 1–31. The offer applies to popular favorites like Sea Salt Coffee, Café Lattes, Americanos, and more. Sip into spring—while supplies last.

Heads Up, Irvine: Westbound Michelson Drive Closure This Saturday

Westbound Michelson Drive between Carlson and Teller will be fully closed on Saturday, March 7, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. as part of the Jamboree & Michelson Pedestrian Bridge project.

The future bridge aims to improve pedestrian safety, reduce congestion, and serve as a gateway into the Irvine Business Complex, with completion expected in July 2027.

Woodbridge Teacher Daniel Pilchman Recognized as Outstanding STEM Educator

Woodbridge High School manufacturing teacher Daniel Pilchman has been named a 2025 Outstanding STEM Educator by the Orange County Department of Education, earning the Outstanding Career Awareness Educator honor. Recognized for bringing real-world STEM learning into the classroom, Pilchman helps students design and build hands-on projects—like electric guitars—that connect tools, materials, and technology to real careers. He was one of just 12 educators and community partners across Orange County honored for advancing STEM education.

Heart-Healthy Foods You Can Add to Your Meals

Taking care of your heart can start right on your plate. Adding a few heart-healthy foods to your everyday meals can help reduce inflammation, support healthy cholesterol levels, and keep your circulation strong.

Heart-Healthy Foods to Enjoy:

  • Fatty fish – rich in omega-3s that support heart and blood vessel health

  • Leafy greens – packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants

  • Whole grains – high in fiber to help manage cholesterol

  • Berries – full of antioxidants that support heart health

  • Nuts & seeds – provide healthy fats and plant-based nutrients

  • Legumes – a fiber-rich, plant-based protein that supports circulation

Plant Native Seedlings and Help Restore Quail Hill Loop, Mar. 5

Join a hands-on stewardship event at Quail Hill Loop on Thursday, March 5, from 9 a.m. to noon and help restore the area by planting native seedlings and plants. This activity is about 1 mile with 100 feet of elevation gain and is beginner-friendly with no experience needed.

Irvine Fine Arts Center Opens Spring Exhibitions March 7

The Irvine Fine Arts Center welcomes spring with a free opening reception on Saturday, March 7, from 2–4 p.m., celebrating two new exhibitions on view through May 16.

Event Info

  • Opening Reception: Sat, March 7 | 2–4 p.m.

  • Exhibitions: March 7–May 16

  • Location: Irvine Fine Arts Center

  • Admission: Free

First Day of Spring Is Today

  • Features paintings, sculptures, fiber art, works on paper, and mixed media

  • Artists include Amanda Benefiel, Matthew Carter, Cheyne Ellett, Edgar Fabián Frías, Curtis Stage, and Angie Stalker

Sergio O’Cadiz Moctezuma: In Process

  • Retrospective of a major Orange County artist, architect, and muralist

  • Showcases archival sketches, ephemera, sculptures, and select drawings and paintings

  • Highlights his career from the 1960s–1990s

Upcoming Northwood High School’s Music Calendar

  1. March 4, 7:00 - 8:30 PM: Spring Orchestra Festival Concert, NHS Theater

  2. March 5, 7:00 - 8:30 PM: Spring Band Festival Concert, NHS Theater

  3. March 7, 12:00 - 8:00 PM: CSUF Wind Ensemble Festival, CSU Fullerton

  4. March 11, 7:00 - 8:30 PM: Spring Vocal Music Concert, NHS Theater

  5. March 13: Night of the Arts – Jazz Ensemble I, Wind Symphony, Philharmonic, NHS Theater

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

Upcoming Woodbridge High School's Music Calendar

  1. March 12: Orchestra Music Festival Concert, WHS Performing Arts Center

  2. March 13: Band Music Festival Concert, WHS Performing Arts Center

  3. March 16: Wind Ensemble & Philharmonic Festival, IHS Performing Arts Center

  4. March 20: WHS Carnival

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

Upcoming Woodbridge High School’s Vocal Music Calendar

  1. March 20, 7:00 PM: Spring Concert, WHS Performing Arts Center

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

Upcoming Irvine High Choral’s Music Calendar

  1. March 5: Performing Arts Assembly, IHS PAC

  2. March 13: Spring Rally

  3. March 15, 3:00 PM: Plotkin Foundation Performance, Plotkin Art Gallery

  4. March 17, 7:00 PM: Spring Concert, Irvine High PAC

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

Kitty Ear Care 101: Simple, Safe Tips for Happy Ears

Most cats don’t need regular ear cleaning, but for cats that get wax buildup or ear infections, gentle cleaning can help keep their ears healthy and comfortable. The key is knowing when to clean and keeping it simple.

Quick Tips:

  • Not every cat needs ear cleaning

  • Clean only if you notice odor, discharge, or visible wax

  • Use a veterinarian-recommended ear cleaner only

  • Avoid alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, which can irritate ears

  • Be cautious when using cotton swabs; they can cause injury or push debris deeper if not careful

  • Use cotton balls or gauze to wipe what you can safely reach

  • Be gentle and stop if your cat shows pain

  • If ears are red, inflamed, or painful, check with your vet first

  • Praise and treats help make the process easier

UC Irvine Men’s Basketball Holds Off UCSB, 64–60

UC Irvine men’s basketball rallied late to defeat UC Santa Barbara 64–60. Jovan Jester Jr. and Jurian Dixon led UCI with 13 points each as the Anteaters improved to 20–10 overall and 13–5 in the Big West, tying Hawai‘i atop the standings.

UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

Women's Tennis

  • Mon, Mar 2 – vs Bowling Green, 1:30 PM

  • Wed, Mar 4 – vs Oakland, 2:00 PM

  • Thu, Mar 5 – vs Seton Hill, 1:00 PM

Men's Tennis

  • Tue, Mar 3 – vs Villanova, 12:00 PM

Men's Basketball

  • Thu, Mar 5 – vs Cal Poly, 7:00 PM

Irvine Valley Baseball Rallies Late to Defeat LA Valley, 5–3

Irvine Valley College baseball rallied late to beat LA Valley 5–3, scoring two runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth to secure its 13th win of the season and improve to 13–3. Freshmen Jacob Ceja and Caleb Caparco led the comeback at the plate, while Andres Hernandez earned the win with strong relief pitching.

🏐⚽🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS 

Men’s Tennis

  • Mon, Mar 2 – vs Gustavus Adolphus, 2:00 PM

  • Thu, Mar 5 – vs Bakersfield, 1:00 PM

  • Fri, Mar 6 – vs Mt. San Antonio, 12:00 PM

Men’s Volleyball

  • Wed, Mar 4 – vs San Diego Miramar, 6:00 PM

Baseball

  • Thu, Mar 5 – vs Cypress, 2:00 PM

  • Tue, Mar 10 – vs Riverside, 2:00 PM

Women’s Basketball

  • Sat, Mar 7 – vs Fullerton, 3C2A Southern California Regional - Round 3, 7:00 PM

Women's Flag Football

  • Wed, Mar 4 – vs Ventura, 4:00 PM

Crean Lutheran Boys Basketball Holds Off JSerra to Win CIF Division 1 Championship

Crean Lutheran boys basketball won the CIF Division 1 championship with a 59–52 victory over JSerra at Toyota Arena. The title is the Saints’ third CIF crown and the first for head coach Austin Loeb, with both teams advancing to the CIF SoCal Regionals.

High School Athletics Calendar

**

Updated With March Schedule

Upcoming Irvine High School’s Varsity home games:

March 2026

Monday, March 2

  • Tennis, Boys - 3:15 PM vs Aliso Niguel

  • Beach Volleyball, Girls - 3:30 PM vs Bell Gardens

  • Lacrosse, Boys - 6:00 PM vs Mission Viejo

Tuesday, March 3

  • Volleyball, Boys - 5:15 PM vs Northwood

  • Lacrosse, Girls - 5:30 PM vs Dana Hills

Wednesday, March 4

  • Beach Volleyball, Girls - 3:30 PM vs Tarbut V Torah

Man Arrested in Irvine on Attempted Burglary Charges

Irvine Police arrested a 26-year-old Garden Grove man after officers responded to reports of someone trying door handles at multiple apartments on San Remo. Police located the suspect in the complex and took him into custody. Ricardo Donan was booked into Orange County Jail on charges of attempted burglary and resisting arrest.

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

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