Articles
Celebrating Irvine’s Young Voices: 2026 Youth Writing Contest Winners
This summer, Irvine Watchdog hosted its first Youth Writing Contest, inviting Irvine middle school, high school, and college students to share their perspectives on civic issues affecting our community. Students were encouraged to explore an issue important to them—whether by proposing new ideas, examining something happening in our city, or advocating for greater civic engagement […]
Calling on Parents to Step Up: Keeping Irvine Safe Starts With Smarter Bike Choices by Lydia Berube
Over the past few years, e-bikes have become very popular in Irvine. Many kids and teens ride them to school, parks, stores, and their friends’ houses. A lot of people think e-bikes are fun and easy to use. Even though e-bikes can be helpful, they can also be dangerous. Many kids ride too fast or […]
A City Worth Walking Through by Grace (Seoeun) Sim
At 3:27 p.m., the sidewalks outside Irvine’s schools begin to fill. Students shoulder heavy backpacks under the afternoon sun, parents push strollers toward nearby parks, and older adults make the slow walk home with grocery bags in hand. They all share the same streets, yet they experience them differently. Some search for shade. Others look […]
Peace Without Freedom: On the Necessity of Expanding Transit Connectivity by Seoyoung Cho Peace
As a newcomer to Irvine from South Korea, I initially found the city incredibly peaceful. Unlike back home, the city is filled with trees, uniform housing, and plenty of open parks. Its multi-centric design encourages residents to stay within their villages, eliminating the need to travel downtown. There is an absence of honking, and everyone […]
Analysis: Who should be responsible for funding school buses in Irvine? By Jay Bruce
The Irvine City Council unanimously voted to continue subsidizing two routes for the school district’s University High School bus program as part of its June 23 budget review. But as councilmembers discussed cuts to mitigate projected deficits, some raised questions as to whether the city should be financially responsible for the program long-term. The school […]
I Pick Up What I Did Not Drop by Claire Chong
When I was eight, I was getting ready for an art competition. The theme was on the current issues in our environment, so I started looking things up online. Oceans filled with plastic, animals trapped in waste, glaciers disappearing. I was just a kid, but something shifted in me. Around that same time, I was […]
