OC Insider

The leaves don’t change much in Irvine during the fall; the best sense you’ll get that November is approaching in OC’s fastest-growing city is the fast-growing collection of political signs dotting the area’s main thoroughfares, which have been popping up since before Labor Day. Anyone hoping for a respite in negativity and obfuscation in the city’s campaigning (which peaked with June’s Veterans Cemetery referendum) is bound to be let down. Leading the charge thus far in the sign wars are those accusing Mayor Don Wagner of pocketing developer funds—a bit rich considering his opponents still can’t clearly explain where the first $250M in developer funds (that translates to more than $900 per Irvine resident, btw) they received for the OC Great Park went. How much do all those signs cost, anyway … No doubt voters will hear more from all sides in Irvine’s eclectic, and growing, base of agenda-driven community papers over the next seven weeks (see story, this page) … Commuters pondering the veracity of the anti-Wagner signs might notice that the mayor has come through on one key quality-of-life issue that he last campaigned on: rush-hour traffic has gotten a bit better in recent months, particularly on the main corridors of Jamboree, Culver and Von Karman. Credit in part goes to recently installed AI-fueled traffic lights, which our Peter J. Brennan profiled a few months back … The intersection of Jamboree & Michelson—often cited as the busiest in the city—is still a bear, though. Maybe Wagner can get VR whiz kid Palmer Luckey, whose Anduril Industies will be setting up shop at the intersection in a few months, to throw some additional technology the city’s way? … Winner of the Week goes to Reuben Franco, president and CEO of the OC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, one of six new directors named to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, which promotes the interests of the country’s 4.3 million Hispanic-owned businesses. Franco counts 16 years in the banking industry and seven years at the OCHCC, which serves about 30,000 local businesses … One month into the unveiling of the Spectrum Center’s $200M expansion, a few shops appear to be standouts in terms of customer traffic, 85°C Bakery Café, the new Apple spaceship/retail store, and sock maker Stance, profiled by our Subrina Hudson in a cover story this week. Stance employees tell us they’re working on opening an L.A. outpost soon … Irvine Co. didn’t put too much of that $200M into shading at the outdoor mall, but the developer’s got the heat covered—at a cost. It recently unveiled a line of Spectrum-branded hats, mist fans and towels for sale, in case you get stuck in an out-the-door line at 85°C Bakery.