Reporter

Tomoya Shimura

Tomoya Shimura covers Irvine for the Orange County Register. Prior to his stint at the Register, Tomoya had worked as a news reporter and sports writer for the Daily Press in Victorville. He won several awards for his work there, including the best business story from the California Newspaper Publishers Association. Tomoya received his M.S. in sports studies from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He earned his B.A. in liberal arts from International Christian University in Tokyo.

A championship baseball field at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine is slated to open in the summer 2018. (City of Irvine)

Progress continues at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine; sports fields should be ready this summer

April 27, 2018 at 8:25 a.m.

IRVINE — If you haven’t visited the Orange County Great Park – where you see that big orange balloon from Interstate 5 – in the past few years, you may...

Rendering of what the OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa could look like after renovation. (OC Fair and Event Center)

Orange County fairgrounds in Costa Mesa is looking at $169 million makeover

April 22, 2018 at 4:49 p.m.

The OC Fair & Event Center, home of the Orange County Fair, could undergo a $169 million makeover, including a bigger administration building, more parking and the demolition of an...

Fire cadets raise flags during a ceremony for the opening of the Library of the Canyons at Silverado Gateway in Silverado, California, on Thursday, July 20, 2017. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

South Orange County mayors propose former Silverado Elementary School site for homeless shelter

August 1, 2018 at 12:12 p.m.

South Orange County mayors met Thursday, April 19, to discuss potential locations for an emergency homeless shelter, singling out the former Silverado Elementary School property owned by the county, Irvine...

Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course in Irvine is up for sale. (File art)

Irvine residents worried about potential sale of Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course

April 19, 2018 at 10:02 p.m.

A flyer regarding development on the land indicates it could be high-density, which concerns neighbors.

The intersection at University Drive and Culver Drive is among the locations in Irvine that will be undergoing widening to alleviate heavy traffic. (File photo by Leonard Ortiz)

Ballot initiative to control growth, developments in Irvine misses deadline for filing

April 19, 2018 at 9:29 a.m.

Proponents of an initiative to give voters the power to weigh in on whether sizable development projects in the city could move forward failed to submit enough signatures by deadline.They...

The city of Irvine and the Irvine Co. celebrated the 30th anniversary of the passing of the open space ballot initiative on April 14, 2018, at Quail Hill Traihead. (City of Irvine)

Irvine celebrates 30th anniversary of agreement protecting more than 8,000 acres of open space

April 17, 2018 at 11:23 a.m.

On Saturday, April 14, the city celebrated the 30th anniversary of voters approving a open space ballot initiative, permanently protecting thousands of acres of Irvine’s natural areas.To mark the milestone,...

Cattle Operation on Irvine Ranch. Long before lima beans and Valencia oranges, there were cattle on the Irvine Ranch. The cattle operations were located in the old 1864 San Joaquin Ranch house, next to the present day golf course. By the 1960s there were as many as 4,000 head of cattle, making The Irvine Ranch the largest cattle ranch in Orange County.

Celebrate Orange County’s agricultural past at Irvine Ranch Jamboree

April 16, 2018 at 12:32 p.m.

The Irvine Ranch Jamboree will be held on Saturday, April 21, for visitors to celebrate and learn about the farming history of Orange County.IWN-L-GODO-0419The family-friendly event will feature agricultural-themed crafts, a...

Irvine will begin installing protected-permissive left turn signals at some intersections. (City of Irvine)

Irvine to install new traffic signals to cut down left-turn wait times

April 17, 2018 at 9:46 a.m.

IRVINE — The light is red, but the path for turning left is clear.Starting with five test intersections, Irvine drivers will no longer have to wait for a traffic signal...

Give your input on renovation of the Bommer Canyon Cattle Camp event space

April 12, 2018 at 4:21 p.m.

IRVINE — The city will host a workshop Wednesday, April 25, to get public input on its plan to renovate the Bommer Canyon Cattle Camp, a rustic site used for...

Fans cheer as Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani, of Japan, heads to the dugout after the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Sunday, April 8, 2018, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Ohtani fever? They’re catching it from Osaka to Anaheim

April 11, 2018 at 5:11 p.m.

The Angels pitcher is big news in Japan. "Ohtani fever is unbelievably high," says one fan visiting from a suburb of Osaka, the nation's second-largest city.

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