News

From the Freeway to the State Parks

BV Luong

13 Jan 2026 — 4 min read

Photo by Christian Joudrey / Yosemite National Park

Hello, Tustin! How are we almost half way through January already? Anyhow, it's been a busy Tuesday with lots of new news to share. I'll get to the point.

In today's Tustin Brief

SR-55 Improvement Project
Southern California Edison (SCE) Rate Changes
CA State Library Parks Pass Renewed

Warmly,

— BV Luong

THE DIGEST

SR-55 Improvement Project
The SR-55 Improvement Project continues with overnight and weekend closures affecting the Tustin corridor. Specific closures for the week of January 5-13, 2026, include various on-ramps and off-ramps between MacArthur Boulevard and Edinger Avenue. The project is expected to continue through 2027.

Commuters and residents should plan for delays and use alternate routes during construction periods. The SR-55 project will ultimately improve traffic flow with restriped lanes and new merge lanes.

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Current Projects Under Review or Construction
Several projects are progressing through city review and construction phases, per the City's Current Projects page:

Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen (14982 Prospect Avenue): Progressing through plan check; visible progress anticipated in 2026
KB Home (14042 Newport Avenue): Construction underway; three of six buildings finalized; homeowners moving in as of Fall 2025
Platform Tustin Project (Red Hill Avenue): Industrial buildings; demolition and grading underway; anticipated completion mid-2026

Current Projects: https://www.tustinca.org/1080/Current-Projects

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CA State Library Parks Pass
The California State Library Parks Pass program has been renewed through December 31, 2026, allowing library card holders to check out free vehicle day-use passes to over 200 California state parks. Orange County Public Library branches, including the Tustin Library (345 E Main St), participate in this program.

The Parks Pass program provides free access to state parks for families with library cards—an excellent opportunity for outdoor recreation and environmental education. Tustin Library cardholders can take advantage of this program.

Consider this your sign to visit a CA National Park this weekend!

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TUSTIN LOCAL BUSINESSES

Mess Hall Market
A chef-driven food hall at Tustin Legacy featuring diverse dining options including Mexican, Mediterranean, Italian, seafood, and more. The venue includes a full-service bar, games (cornhole, ping pong, basketball), and outdoor seating overlooking Tustin Legacy Park. Parking is validated for 90 minutes for diners.
Instagram: @messhallmarketoc

The Lost Bean Organic Coffee & Tea
A locally-owned organic coffee roaster celebrating 20 years in business (since 2005). The Lost Bean has three Orange County locations, including the original Tustin location at 13011 Newport Ave, #104. They roast coffee in-house and offer organic loose-leaf teas from around the world.
Instagram: @thelostbean

Zov's Restaurant
A Mediterranean-inspired restaurant celebrating 35 years in business. Zov's Tustin offers dine-in, takeout, and a bakery with fresh pastries and espresso drinks. Recent menu additions include harissa roasted chicken and kofta. The restaurant is now open until 8:30 PM on Sundays for "Sunday Supper" family meals.
Instagram: @zovsrestaurant

Put your business in front of families who care about where they live, shop, and spend their time. Sponsoring Tustin Brief is a simple way to spotlight what you do and connect directly with the Tustin community—right in their inbox. Interested? Email us at sponsor@tustin.blog to learn more.

_{Nothing in this section is sponsored—just what you need to know. We’ll always be clear when something is.}

ACTIVITIES

Happenin' This Week 🗓️

Tuesday, January 13
Orange County Organic Gardening Club, 7:00 PM at Centennial Farm, Costa Mesa

Wednesday, January 14
Free Chess Meetup, 7:00 PM at The Pizza Press, Santa Ana

Saturday, January 17
OrangeDCOM:Live! (Disney Tribute Concert), 6:00 PM at Old World Biergarten, Huntington Beach

_{Nothing in this section is sponsored—just what you need to know. We’ll always be clear when something is.}

WEATHER

Wednesday, January 14, 2026
☀️ High 79° | Low 54° | 💧 0% | 💨 4 mph

Thursday, January 15, 2026
☀️ High 76° | Low 51° | 💧 0% | 💨 4 mph

Friday, January 16, 2026
☀️ High 81° | Low 46° | 💧 0% | 💨 10 mph

Clear, sunny skies dominate the next four days with warm daytime temperatures in the upper 70s to low 80s and cool overnight lows in the 40s to 60s. No rain is expected, and wind speeds will remain light to moderate. Conditions are ideal for outdoor activities, perhaps you can even visit a CA national park this weekend.

BOXSCORE

Foothill High School
Upcoming Games

🏀 Boys Basketball
Jan 13: vs. Crean Lutheran (away game)

Tustin High School
Upcoming Games

🏀 Boys Basketball
Jan 13: vs. Valencia High School (away game)

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CIVIC NEWS

City Council Meeting
The regularly scheduled City Council meeting of January 6, 2026, was cancelled due to lack of quorum. The next City Council regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 20, 2026, at 6:00 PM at City Hall Council Chamber, with participation also available via web conference via Zoom (Meeting ID: 940 8640 1921, Passcode: 600222). City offices will be closed Monday, January 19, 2026, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, with regular business hours resuming Tuesday, January 20.

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