Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Author Archives: Editor

The Santa Ana Water Tower has been illuminated in patriotic colors

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Santa Ana, Water Leave a comment

The iconic City of Santa Ana Water Tower has been illuminated in red, white and blue lights to celebrate America’s 244th birthday this Fourth of July.

This beautiful photo of the 1928 Water Tower, which is visible from the Santa Ana (5) Freeway, provides a close-up view without having to leave the safety of your home.

During these difficult times and unusual circumstances in which to celebrate the holiday, the City of Santa Ana would like to thank the public for your strength and efforts to help us keep the community safe. Please wear masks when in public, maintain social distancing and don’t use illegal fireworks.

The Santa Ana City Council and City Manager Kristine Ridge also shared a Fourth of July video message with the community. To watch it, please go to www.youtube.com/cityofsantaanavideos/.

La Torre de Agua de Santa Ana Se Ilumina de Colores Patrióticos

La Torre de Agua de la Ciudad de Santa Ana se ha iluminado con luces rojas, blancas y azules para celebrar el cumpleaños número 244 de Estados Unidos este 4 de julio.

Esta foto hermosa de la Torre de Agua de 1928, que es visible desde la autopista de Santa Ana (5), ofrece una vista de primer plano sin necesidad de dejar la seguridad de su casa.

Durante estos tiempos difíciles y circunstancias inusuales en que celebrar la festividad, la Ciudad de Santa Ana quisiera agradecer al público por su fortaleza y esfuerzos para ayudarnos a mantener segura a la comunidad. Por favor, use mascarillas cuando esté en público, mantenga el distanciamiento social y no use fuegos artificiales ilegales.

El Concejo Municipal de Santa Ana y la gerente municipal Kristine Ridge también compartieron un mensaje de video del 4 de julio con la comunidad. Para verlo, visite www.youtube.com/cityofsantaanavideos/. Se puede escoger subtítulos en español.

The acting O.C. Health Officer issues amended orders in support of the State of CA closures

Posted on by Posted in Disease, Emergencies, Health and Medical, OC Health Care, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana 5 Comments

Santa Ana, Calif. (July 3, 2020) — Acting County Health Officer Dr. Clayton Chau issued new Amended Orders and Strong Recommendations, effective immediately today in support of directives made earlier this week by the California Department of Public Health and the Governor’s Office.

The Amended Orders replaces the July 1, 2020 version and includes the mandatory closure of bars (with certain exceptions) while also closes indoor operations of certain sectors including:

  • Dine-in restaurants
  • Wineries and tasting rooms
  • Movie theaters
  • Family entertainment centers (for example: bowling alleys, miniature golf, batting cages and arcades)
  • Zoos and museums
  • Cardrooms

To read the Order in its entirely as well as related Frequently Asked Questions, please visit https://occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/article/oc-health-officers-orders-recommendations

The City of Santa Ana receives a $544,000 grant for Triangle Park Restoration on the Santa Ana River Bike Trail

Posted on by Posted in Bicycles, Civic Affairs, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The Board of the California State Coastal Conservancy has awarded a $544,000 grant to the City of Santa Ana for final design and restoration of the Santa Ana River Parkway Triangle Park along the Santa Ana River Bike Trail.

The 17th Street Triangle project develops the undeveloped area to provide a rest stop along the Santa Ana River Bike Trail and to increase public use of the bike trail system. The 17th Street Triangle/Rest Stop includes renovation of the viewing deck with ADA accessibility, riparian landscape, benches, site signage, location/interpretive signage and fencing.

“This grant will aid the City of Santa Ana in its efforts to enhance and expand our infrastructure to serve all modes of transportation,” Santa Ana Mayor Miguel A. Pulido said. “Creating additional outdoor recreational opportunities is critical to improving our residents’ quality of life in one of the most densely populated cities in the country.”

The Santa Ana River Bike Trail is approximately 28 miles long in Orange County. Five miles of the Trail run parallel to the Santa Ana River through Santa Ana and provides bicycling and hiking connections to six parks within the city.

The Triangle Park improvement is one of 18 projects statewide that received a total of $18 million from the Coastal Conservancy to protect and restore the California coast and San Francisco Bay, and increase public access to these natural resources.

“I encourage staff at both the Orange County Water Department (OCWD) and the City of Santa Ana to look for opportunities to revitalize the areas surrounding the Santa Ana River and Santiago Creek,” said Ward 1 Councilmember Vicente Sarmiento. “Through projects such as this, we can beautify the community while simultaneously preserving water resources and enhancing environmental sustainability.”

“This grant will help encourage safe mobility, promote healthier lifestyles and increase usage of our bike trail and growing bike lane system by the Santa Ana community,” Ward 2 Councilmember David Penaloza said. “Happy to see this type of investment and looking forward to seeing more.”

Ward 3 Councilmember Jose Solorio stated:
“Santa Ana wasn’t built with a lot of parks, but we’re bringing in new ones every chance we get. This Triangle Park is much welcomed and I can’t wait to take a stroll through it.”

“It is wonderful that the City of Santa Ana has been awarded a grant for the final design and restoration of the Santa Ana River Parkway Triangle Park,” said Ward 4 Councilmember Phil Bacerra. “I grew up near this park, so I know that when it is completed, this project will enhance the environmental and recreational opportunities along the Santa Ana River.”

Mayor Pro Tem Juan Villegas of Ward 5 added:
“I am looking forward to the final design and restoration of the park and trail. This will create new job opportunities and will benefit the community. Bikers, hikers, joggers and other trail users in Santa Ana will have more options for their outdoor activities.”

“I am thrilled to have the bike trail upgraded for the public’s comfort and to enhance nature’s beautiful view,” said Ward 6 Councilmember Nelida Mendoza. “As a bike rider myself, it is important to have rest areas where the public may feel safe and take a moment to re-energize, check your bike, and take a drink of Santa Ana’s cool and purified water. When you see me on the bike trail, give me a smile and a wave. I hope you enjoy this rest stop often!”

For more information on the Coastal Conservancy grants, visit https://scc.ca.gov/.

(IMAGES: Current bike trail by Triangle Park and project concept drawing.)

A Santa Ana student defends charter schools as the State acts to defund them

Posted on by Posted in California, Charter Schools, Education, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

By: Ivan Joseph Ramirez

A quality school education makes students more likely to be accepted into a four-year university, and a college education is the key to having a better life.

Arguably, the highest quality school education can be found in charter schools, schools founded by parents, teachers, and community members and meant to best serve the student population. These schools are based around a charter and are highly supervised and held to a high level of accountability by either local school districts or the state board of education.

Charter schools typically have a more diverse student population, a smaller class size, greater curricular freedom, and more S.T.E.A.M. based programs than a traditional public school. They allow parents to choose what school their child attends, instead of them having to take their child to the neighborhood school in their zone, which may not be nearby the parent’s work or may not best serve the individual student.

I personally know about the higher quality and improved environment of a charter school, I am a junior at Magnolia Science Academy, a S.T.E.A.M. based charter school located in Santa Ana. After spending my first five years as a student in a highly awarded district fundamental school, I switched to a charter school, and the difference was tremendous.

At the new charter school, I became President of the School Newspaper, the Pirate Press, and got to help advocate for my school at the state capital in order to help renew the school charter.

Charter schools allow students to have more one-on-one time with the teacher, allow students to pursue their own interests and not just focus on the state testing curriculum, and they help students grow and find what is interesting to them, whereas district schools are all about conformity and teaching student only what they need to do well on state tests.

Unfortunately, the California State Legislature recently passed SB-98 Education finance: education omnibus budget trailer bill, which allows public schools to take in state funding that should be allocated to charter schools.

Currently, schools receive funding based on how many students they have and how many hours those students are in school. The bill, which passed with 29 aye votes in the state senate and 57 aye votes in the state assembly, allows public district schools to claim funding for students who attended that school during the 2019-2020 school year during the 2020-2021 school year, even if the students no longer attend that school. They also put a cap on how much funding charter schools can receive, meaning that the already underfunded schools will receive even less.

The legislature said that these changes are due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the state budget and the changes to the school environment, however, what SB-98 does is provide a vast safety net for district schools while forcing charter schools to handle all of the fallout.

Moreover, many district schools did very little to educate students during the COVID-19 shutdown, making it more of a vacation, while charter schools such as the one I attend worked extremely hard to ensure students continued to learn and succeed.

It is not unlikely that parents will move their children to charter schools due to the quality of education during the quarantine, meaning that charter schools will now have less money and more students, while district schools will have more money and fewer students.

The SB-98 Education finance: education omnibus budget trailer bill is designed to provide district schools with a vast safety net while forcing the often higher quality, S.T.E.A.M. oriented charter schools to cope with all of the fallout, which will cause students to suffer for the state legislature’s political objective.

Statement from O.C. Sheriff Barnes on the enforcement of face coverings

Posted on by Posted in Disease, Don Barnes, Health and Medical, OC Sheriff, Public Safety Leave a comment

SANTA ANA, Ca. (July 2, 2020) – Please see the following statement from Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes regarding the wearing of face coverings and enforcement.

“Wearing a face covering is important to mitigate the risk and spread of COVID-19. We have to be practical when considering enforcement of face coverings. With limited exceptions, not wearing a face covering is a violation of the public health order, but it is not a practical application of a criminal law violation. As many other industries are gaining compliance through an education-first approach, deputies will continue to educate the public about the statewide face-covering requirement and will request voluntary compliance.

“During this time of strained police community relations, one only needs to look to New York and other jurisdictions where enforcement has resulted in uses of force and negative outcomes to recognize that an education-first strategy, aimed at obtaining voluntary compliance, is the most sensible and realistic approach.

“I expect that Orange County residents will continue to use common sense and responsibly wear a face covering, in addition to other recommended best practices such as frequent hand washing and maintaining physical distance, for the benefit of their own health as well as the collective health of the community. We must do what is necessary to stop the transmission of COVID-19.”

City of Santa Ana construction ahead of schedule due to COVID-19

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Public Works, Santa Ana, Traffic Leave a comment

The City of Santa Ana Public Works Agency has successfully taken advantage of the historically low traffic volumes due to COVID-19 impacts to accelerate construction activities and deliver projects ahead of their scheduled completion. The types of projects that were accelerated and should be completed ahead of schedule include street and alley reconstruction, new protected bicycle lanes, utility improvements, park improvements, new residential speed cushions, and lighting enhancements. The following are highlights of the various projects near completion:

• Thornton Park Neighborhood Water Main Improvements:

Water system improvements includes a new 8-inch polyvinyl chloride water main and fire hydrants, followed by a slurry seal and striping for the streets. The improvements will enhance the roadway ride quality, surface drainage, and appearance of the neighborhoods. In addition, the potential for disruption due to water main breaks in the future will be substantially reduced.

• Santa Ana Delhi Channel Diversion Project:

The Santa Ana-Delhi Diversion project is a regional collaboration between the City of Santa Ana, the County of Orange, the Orange County Flood Control District, and the cities of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. The City of Santa Ana greatly benefits from this project because it will help meet federal storm water program requirements mandated by the California State Water Resources Control Board for the Delhi watershed in Santa Ana. Compliance with these federal requirements would otherwise prove to be very costly to Santa Ana. The project is located south of SR-73 and east of SR-55 in the Newport Beach Golf Course.

• Center Street Urban Greening Project at Jerome Park:

Several years ago, bollards were installed to close Center Street between McFadden and Monta Vista Avenues to address safety concerns from children running across the street mid-block to access park space on both sides of the street. The City with community support, agreed to transform the abandoned street into a permanent, aesthetically pleasing area connecting and expanding open space for the park use. This project dramatically improves the area by converting approximately 33,000 square feet of asphalt roadway into a passive, landscaped open space.

• Citywide Sewer Main Improvements:

This project includes approximately 4,000 linear feet of new 8-inch polyvinyl chloride sewer main pipes, sewer laterals, sewer manholes, asphalt concrete pavement, and striping. The results of the project will improve the sewer system by eliminating sewer main obstructions, preventing sewer overflows, and reducing sewer maintenance requirements. In addition, the pavement improvements will enhance the roadway ride quality and surface drainage.

• Edinger Avenue Rehabilitation and Protected Bike Lanes from Santa Ana River to Bristol Street:

This project includes the installation of approximately 1.7 miles of protected bike lanes along Edinger Avenue from Santa Ana River to Bristol Street. A portion of Edinger along the south side also gets new sidewalk curb and gutter. The protected bike lanes will improve the routes to and from schools, parks, trails, local shopping centers, and high-density residential areas.

• New Lighting at 6 Parks – Angels, Cabrillo, Chavez, Portola, Riverview, and Rosita:

The project removes deteriorated wooden light poles, and replaces them with new concrete poles with energy efficient LED fixtures. These improvements will enhance lighting levels and safety for these parks.

• Local Street Rehabilitation within the Memorial Park, Madison Park, and Heninger Park neighborhoods:

The improvements include concrete pavement reconstruction, replacing damaged concrete curbs, gutters, sidewalks, cross gutters, and curbs ramps, and sealing cracks to prevent deterioration from water infiltration. The improvements will enhance the roadway ride quality, surface drainage, and appearance of the neighborhoods.

• Mabury Park Stormwater Capture:

The project includes the construction of a cross-gutter and parkway culverts to divert stormwater into the bioretention basin in Mabury Park as well as the installation of an interpretive sign that highlights the project’s benefits and provides an opportunity for water quality and watershed public education. This is the first regional stormwater infiltration project in the City of Santa Ana. The project not only enhances the aesthetics of the surrounding area; it also improves water quality, increases local water supplies, and ensures long-term sustainability, safety and quality of life for the Santa Ana community.

• Raitt Street Rehabilitation from 1st Street to Civic Center Drive:

The project is near completion in rehabilitating the entire roadway to enhance the roadway ride quality. The improvements included replacing damaged curbs, gutters, sidewalks, curb ramps, and new drive way aprons.

The Public Works Engineering Division conducted outreach meetings in efforts to seek the community’s input to deliver enhancements to the above projects. For details on construction projects visit www.santa-ana.org/pw/construction-project-map.

Construcción en Santa Ana antes de lo Previsto

La Agencia de Obras Públicas de la Ciudad de Santa Ana ha aprovechado exitosamente los volúmenes de tráfico históricamente bajos debido a las repercusiones del COVID-19 para acelerar las actividades de construcción y entregar proyectos antes de su finalización programada. Los tipos de proyectos que fueron acelerados y se deben finalizar antes de su conclusión programada incluyen la reconstrucción de calles y callejones, nuevos carriles protegidos para bicicletas, mejoramientos a los servicios públicos, mejoramientos de parques, nuevos cojines de velocidad residenciales y mejoras de iluminación. Estos son algunos puntos destacados de los diferentes proyectos que están cerca de ser terminados:

• Mejoras de la tubería principal del vecindario de Thornton Park:

Las mejoras de la tubería principal incluyen una nueva tubería principal de agua de cloruro de polivinilo de 8 pulgadas y cinco hidrantes, seguida de un sello de lechada y pintado de rayas para las calles. Las mejoras aumentarán la calidad del desplazamiento por las calles, el drenaje de la superficie y la apariencia de los vecindarios. Además, se reducirá substancialmente la interrupción potencial debido a rupturas en las tuberías principales en el futuro.

• Proyecto de desvío del Canal Santa Ana Delhi:

El proyecto de desvío de Santa Ana-Delhi es una colaboración regional entre la Ciudad de Santa Ana, el Condado de Orange, el Distrito de Control de Inundaciones del Condado de Orange, y las ciudades de Newport Beach y Costa Mesa. La Ciudad de Santa Ana se beneficia enormemente de este proyecto porque ayudará a satisfacer los requisitos federales del programa de aguas pluviales exigidos por la Junta de Control de Recursos Hídricos del Estado de California para la cuenca de Delhi en Santa Ana. De lo contrario, el cumplimiento de estos requisitos federales resultaría muy costoso para Santa Ana. El proyecto está ubicado al sur de SR-73 y al este de SR-55 en el Campo de Golf de Newport Beach.

• Proyecto de reverdecimiento urbano en la Calle Center en el Parque Jerome:

Hace varios años, se instalaron bolardos para cerrar la Calle Center entre las avenidas McFadden y Monta Vista para abordar las inquietudes de seguridad de los niños que cruzan la calle a mitad de la cuadra para tener acceso al espacio del parque a ambos lados de la calle. La Ciudad, con el apoyo comunitario, accedió a transformar la calle abandonada en un área permanente, estéticamente agradable que conecta y expande el espacio abierto para el uso del parque. Este proyecto mejora drásticamente el área al convertir aproximadamente 33,000 pies cuadrados de camino de asfalto en un espacio abierto pasivo y ajardinado.

• Mejoras de alcantarillado principal en toda la Ciudad:

Este proyecto incluye aproximadamente 4,000 pies lineales de nueva tubería de alcantarillado principal de cloruro de polivinilo de 8 pulgadas, laterales de alcantarillado, hoyos de alcantarillado, pavimento de concreto asfáltico y pintado de rayas. Los resultados del proyecto mejorarán el sistema de alcantarillado al eliminar obstrucciones del alcantarillado principal, prevenir desbordamientos de alcantarillado y reducir los requisitos del mantenimiento del alcantarillado. Además, las mejoras del pavimento aumentarán la calidad de la carretera y el drenaje de la superficie.

• Rehabilitación y carriles protegidos para bicicletas en la Avenida Edinger del Río Santa Ana a la Calle Bristol:

Este proyecto incluye la instalación de aproximadamente 1.7 millas de carriles protegidos para bicicletas en la Avenida Edinger del Río Santa Ana a la Calle Bristol. Una porción de Edinger por el lado sur también recibe una acera y cuneta nuevas. Los carriles protegidos para bicicletas mejorarán las rutas hacia y desde escuelas, parques, senderos, centros comerciales locales y áreas residenciales de alta densidad.

• Iluminación nueva en 6 parques: Angels, Cabrillo, Chávez, Portola, Riverview y Rosita:

El proyecto remueve postes de luz de madera deteriorados, y los reemplaza con postes de concreto nuevos con accesorios eficientes LED. Estas mejoras aumentarán los niveles de iluminación y la seguridad de estos parques.

• Rehabilitación de calles locales dentro de los vecindarios de Memorial Park, Madison Park y Heninger Park:

Las mejoras incluyen la reconstrucción del pavimento de concreto, el reemplazo de bordillos de concreto dañados, canaletas, aceras, canaletas transversales y rampas de bordillos, y sellar grietas para evitar el deterioro por infiltración de agua. Las mejoras aumentarán la calidad de la carretera, el drenaje de la superficie, y la apariencia de los vecindarios.

• Captura de aguas pluviales del Parque Mabury:

El proyecto incluye la construcción de una alcantarilla transversal y alcantarillas para desviar las aguas pluviales hacia la cuenca de biorretención en el Parque Mabury, así como la instalación de un rótulo interpretativo que destaque los beneficios del proyecto y brinde una oportunidad para educación pública sobre la calidad del agua y las cuencas hidrográficas. Este es el primer proyecto regional de infiltración de aguas pluviales en la Ciudad de Santa Ana. El proyecto no sólo mejora la estética del área circundante; también mejora la calidad del agua, aumenta el suministro de agua local, y garantiza la sostenibilidad, la seguridad y la calidad de vida a largo plazo para la comunidad de Santa Ana.

• Rehabilitación de la Calle Raitt de la Calle 1a a Civic Center Drive:

El proyecto está casi terminado en la rehabilitación de toda la calle para mejorar la calidad de desplazo de la calle. Las mejoras incluyeron el reemplazo de bordillos dañados, canaletas, aceras, rampas de bordillo y nuevos accesos vehiculares.

La División de Ingeniería de Obras Públicas realizó juntas comunitarias con el fin de solicitar aportaciones de la comunidad para presentar las mejorías de los proyectos arriba mencionados. Para los detalles de los proyectos de construcción visite www.santa-ana.org/pw/construction-project-map.

Santa Ana City Hall closed, no street sweeping on July 3 and no fireworks show on July 4

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Santa Ana, Street Sweeping Leave a comment

Santa Ana City Hall will be closed on Friday, July 3, 2020, in observance of Independence Day.

There will be no street sweeping on July 3. Trash collection will take place as scheduled.

As previously announced, this year the City of Santa Ana is not having the annual Fourth of July Celebration at Centennial Park in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

When celebrating the holiday, everyone is required to wear a mask when inside public spaces, and must wear a mask when outside if unable to stay at least 6 feet away from others. Members of the public should not gather in large groups or with anyone outside of the household.

Fireworks labeled “Safe and Sane” are legal in Santa Ana July 1-4 on the following schedule:

• Wednesday, July 1 – 12 p.m. (noon) to 10 p.m.
• Thursday, July 2 – 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Friday, July 3 – 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Saturday, July 4 – 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Click here to find safe and safe fireworks booths in Santa Ana.

The use of illegal fireworks may contribute to serious injuries and fires in our community. Possession and/or use of illegal fireworks is a crime. Violators may be subject to $1,000 fines and up to one year in jail.

Community members can anonymously report the use of illegal fireworks at (714) 245-8771 or via email at reportfireworks@santa-ana.org.

El Ayuntamiento de Santa Ana Está Cerrado y No Hay Barrido de Calles el 3 de Julio; Este Año No Hay Evento de Celebración del 4 de Julio

El Ayuntamiento de Santa Ana estará cerrado el viernes 3 de julio de 2020 en celebración del Día de la Independencia.

No habrá barrido de calles el 3 de julio. La recolección de basura se llevará a cabo según lo programado.

Como se anunció previamente, este año la Ciudad de Santa Ana no realizará la celebración anual del 4 de julio en el Parque Centenario para evitar la propagación de COVID-19.

Al celebrar el día festivo, todos deben usar una mascarilla cuando estén dentro de espacios públicos, y deben de usar una mascarilla cuando están afuera si no pueden mantenerse al menos a 6 pies de distancia de los demás. Los miembros del público no deben reunirse en grupos grandes ni con nadie fuera del hogar.

Los fuegos artificiales que llevan el sello “Safe and Sane” (“Seguro y Sano”) están autorizados para uso en Santa Ana solo durante los siguientes días y horas:

• miércoles, 1 de julio – 12 p.m. (mediodía) a 10 p.m.
• jueves, 2 de julio – 10 a.m. a 10 p.m.
• viernes, 3 de julio – 10 a.m. a 10 p.m.
• sábado, 4 de julio – 10 a.m. a 9 p.m.

El uso de fuegos artificiales ilegales puede contribuir a lesiones graves e incendios en nuestra comunidad. La posesión y el uso de fuegos artificiales ilegales es un delito. Los infractores pueden estar sujetos a multas de $1,000 y hasta un año de cárcel.

Miembros de la comunidad pueden reportar el uso de fuegos artificiales ilegales anónimamente al (714) 245-8771 o por correo electrónico a reportfireworks@santa-ana.org.

The SAPD arrested the hit and run driver who caused a fatal crash on June 26

Posted on by Posted in Accidents, Crime, SAPD 2 Comments

During their investigation of this collision, Santa Ana Police Department’s Collision Investigation Unit was able to identify the driver of the suspect vehicle as Joel Giovanni Andalon. On Thursday, July 2, 2020 at approximately 12:15 PM, Andalon was taken into custody with assistance from detectives from our Career Criminal Unit, Homicide Section, and Major Enforcement Team. Andalon was booked into the Santa Ana Jail on charges of Gross Vehicular Manslaughter and Felony Hit and Run.

Traffic Investigators are releasing video of the crash in hopes that the driver of the white van (seen in the video) will contact them with additional information, as they are believed to have witnessed the collision.

Anyone with information about this collision is asked to contact Investigator Cpl. Carrillo at (714) 245-8208 or the Santa Ana Police Department’s Traffic Division at (714) 245-8200.

– ORIGINAL MESSAGE –

On Friday, June 26th, 2020, at approximately 9:46 am, the Santa Ana Police Department received a call of a traffic collision involving multiple vehicles in the area of 1st and Lacy. Officers responded to the area and located the collision involving two vehicles. Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) personnel responded and began to treat the injured parties. All three of the injured parties were transported to the hospital for further medical attention. One of the injured passengers, who was eight months pregnant, underwent emergency surgery. During the surgery, the fetus was pronounced deceased as a direct result of the collision.

The preliminary investigation has revealed that one of the vehicles was traveling east on 1st making a left turn onto Lacy. A second vehicle, traveling west on 1st at a high rate of speed, struck the vehicle making the left turn onto Lacy. The driver traveling west on 1st fled the scene on foot prior to the arrival of police. Investigators are still determining if alcohol played a role in the collision, but speed is believed to be a factor. The cause of the collision remains under investigation.

The Santa Ana Police Department’s Collision Investigation Unit (CIU) is handling the investigation. Anyone having information about this collision is asked to contact Investigator Cpl. Danny Carrillo at (714) 245-8208 or the Santa Ana Police Department’s Traffic Division at (714) 245-8200.

O.C. beaches and parking lots will be closed on July 4 and 5

Posted on by Posted in Beaches, Disease, Orange County, Parks and Recreation, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

SANTA ANA, CALIF. (July 2, 2020) – The County of Orange will close all County operated beaches and beach parking lots on July 4 and 5 following a State recommendation meant to slow the spread of COVID-19.

State and many city beaches in Orange County are enacting closures during the July 4 weekend.

The County closure includes the following beaches:

• Aliso Beach
• Capistrano Beach
• Salt Creek Beach
• Baby Beach
• Bayside Beach
• Camel Point Beach
• Poche Beach
• Strands Beach
• Table Rock Beach
• Thousand Steps Beach
• Treasure Island Beach
• West Street Beach

Additional information regarding other beaches within Orange County may be available from coastal cities and California State Parks.

For the most current information regarding OC Parks modified operations, visit OCParks.com.

OC Parks manages nearly 60,000 acres of parks, historical and coastal facilities and open space for the County of Orange as part of OC Community Resources.

The Santa Ana City Council will resume in-person public comments at their July 7 meeting

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Politics, Santa Ana 2 Comments

The City of Santa Ana is pleased to announce that beginning July 7, 2020, the Santa Ana City Council will allow in-person public commentary during Council meetings. The public no longer will be able to make comments by phone during Council meetings.

As we slowly begin to lift restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the public is advised of the following:

Public comments will be held during the beginning of the meeting for ALL comments on agenda and non-agenda items, except for public hearings. Comments for public hearings will take place after the hearing is opened. This is being done to respect the time constraints of residents who cannot stay late into the evening to comment on items that they feel strongly about.

Individuals who would like to comment on an agenda item or make a general comment regarding a topic not in the meeting’s agenda may do so by filling out a comment card with staff prior to this time segment in the meeting and entering the Chamber when instructed.

The public is advised that the general seating area within the Chamber will NOT be made available in order to maintain social distancing and reduce the possibility of COVID-19 transmission. Seating with social distancing will be available outside the Council Chamber for members of the public to await their turn to speak.

All City employees and members of the public that attend public meetings MUST wear a mask or face covering and maintain a physical distance of 6 feet from persons who are not members of the same household when inside the Chamber. Individuals who do not want to wear a mask or face covering or attend in person are invited to provide their comments via email instead to ecomment@santa-ana.org. Additional safety measures, such as hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes, will be made available.

Members of the public who have tested positive for COVID-19, are displaying symptoms of the illness, or are immunocompromised and at a higher risk if exposed SHOULD NOT attend City Council meetings in person. If you are not sure if this applies to you, please refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.

All members of the public are encouraged to watch the meeting via three remote options:
• The City’s website at www.santa-ana.org/cc/city-meetings
• The City’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/cityofsantaanavideos/live
• The City’s television channel CTV3, available on Spectrum channel 3 and AT&T U-verse channel 99

For more information on City Council meetings, visit www.santa-ana.org/cc/city-meetings.

The City of Santa Ana thanks residents for their ongoing patience and flexibility as we continue to balance safety and public participation.

El Concejo Municipal de Santa Ana Reanudará Comentarios Públicos En Persona para la Junta del 7 de Julio

La Ciudad de Santa Ana se complace en anunciar que a partir del 7 de julio de 2020 el Concejo Municipal permitirá comentarios públicos en persona durante las juntas del Concejo. El público ya no podrá hacer comentarios por teléfono durante las juntas del Concejo.

A medida que comenzamos a levantar las restricciones en respuesta a la pandemia de COVID-19 lentamente, se le informa al público lo siguiente:

Los comentarios públicos se llevarán a cabo al comienzo de la junta para TODOS los comentarios sobre temas de la agenda y no relacionados con la agenda, con la excepción de las audiencias públicas. Comentarios para audiencias públicas tomarán lugar después de que se abra la audiencia. Esto se hace para respetar las limitaciones de tiempo de los residentes que no pueden quedarse tarde para comentar sobre los temas que les interesan.

Las personas que deseen comentar sobre un tema de la agenda o hacer un comentario general sobre un tema que no está en la agenda de la junta pueden hacerlo completando una tarjeta de comentarios con el personal antes de este segmento en la junta e ingresando a la Cámara cuando se les indique.

El área general de asientos dentro de la cámara NO estará disponible para mantener el distanciamiento social y reducir la posibilidad de transmisión de COVID-19. Habrá asientos con distanciamiento social disponibles fuera de la Cámara del Concejo para que los miembros del público esperen su turno para hablar.

Todos los empleados de la Ciudad y los miembros del público que asisten a estas reuniones públicas DEBEN usar una máscara o cubierta facial y mantener una distancia física de seis (6) pies de las personas que no son miembros del mismo hogar cuando están dentro de la Cámara del Concejo. Las personas que no quieren usar una máscara o cubierta facial o asistir en persona están invitados a enviar sus comentarios por correo electrónico a ecomment@santa-ana.org. Se dispondrá de medidas de seguridad adicionales como desinfectante para manos y toallitas desinfectantes.

Miembros del público que resultaron positivos para COVID-19, muestren síntomas de la enfermedad o estén inmunocomprometidos y tengan un mayor riesgo si están expuestos NO DEBERÍAN asistir a las juntas del Concejo Municipal en persona. Si no está seguro si esto se aplica a usted consulte el sitio web de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC): www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.

Se alienta a todos los miembros del público a ver la reunión a través de tres opciones remotas:
• El sitio web de la Ciudad – www.santa-ana.org/cc/city-meetings
• El canal de YouTube de la Ciudad – www.youtube.com/cityofsantaanavideos/live
• El canal de television de la Ciudad CTV3, disponible en el canal 3 de Spectrum y canal 99 de AT&T U-verse

Para más información sobre juntas del Concejo Municipal visite www.santa-ana.org/cc/city-meetings.

La Ciudad de Santa Ana agradece a los residentes por su paciencia y flexibilidad continuas mientras continuamos equilibrando la seguridad y la participación pública.

Another annoying traffic circle now installed at Civic Center Drive and Minter Street

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Public Works, Santa Ana, Traffic 5 Comments

The intersection is now open at Civic Center Drive and Minter Street to through traffic in all directions. The intersection was temporarily closed for the construction of the new traffic circle and roadway surface for the “Civic Center Bike Boulevard” project. This project will help enhance pedestrian and bicyclist’s safety and should reduce excessive speeds along Civic Center Drive.

Thank you for your patience and understanding during the intersection closure.

Actualización: Intersección Volver a Abrir – Centro Cívico Drive/Calle

La intersección ahora está abierta en Centro Cívico Drive y la calle Minter para pasar el tráfico en todas las direcciones. La intersección fue cerrada temporalmente para la construcción del nuevo círculo de tráfico y la superficie de la calzada para el proyecto “Civic Center Bike Boulevard”. Este proyecto ayudará a mejorar la seguridad de los peatones y ciclistas y reducirá la velocidad excesiva a lo largo de Centro Civico Drive.

Gracias por su paciencia y entendimiento durante el cierre de intersección.

The SAPD reminds us to avoid illegal fireworks this 4th of July

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Fires, Public Safety, Santa Ana, SAPD Leave a comment

As 4th of July approaches, we would like to remind our community that only fireworks bearing the “Safe and Sane” seal are permitted to be used within the City limits, during the following days and hours only:

• Wednesday, July 1st – 12:00pm (noon) to 10:00pm
• Thursday, July 2nd – 10:00am to 10:00pm
• Friday, July 3rd – 10:00am to 10:00pm
• Saturday, July 4th – 10:00am to 9:00pm

The use of illegal fireworks may contribute to serious injuries and fires in our community. The Santa Ana Police Department wants to remind the community that “Possession and/or Use of Illegal Fireworks” is a CRIME. Violators may be subject to $1000 fines and up to one year in jail. Community members can anonymously report the use of illegal fireworks at (714) 245-8771 or via email reportfireworks@santa-ana.org.

SOLO SE PERMITE “SEGURO Y SANO” FUEGOS ARTIFICIALES

A medida que se acerca el 4 de julio, La Ciudad de Santa Ana les recuerda que sólo los fuegos artificiales que llevan el sello “Seguro y Sano” (“Safe and Sane”) están autorizados para uso dentro de los límites de la ciudad y solo durante los siguientes días y horas:

• miércoles, 1 de julio – 12:00pm (mediodía) a 10:00pm
• jueves, 2 de julio – 10:00am a 10:00pm
• viernes, 3 de julio – 10:00am a 10:00pm
• sábado, 4 de julio – 10:00am a 9:00pm

El uso de fuegos artificiales ilegales puede contribuir a lesiones graves e incendios en nuestra comunidad. El Departamento de Policía de Santa Ana quiere recordarle a la comunidad que “posesión y / o uso de fuegos artificiales ilegales” es un DELITO. Los infractores pueden estar sujetos a multas de $ 1000 y hasta un año de cárcel. Miembros de la comunidad pueden reportar el uso de fuegos artificiales ilegales anónimamente al (714) 245-8771 o por correo electrónico reportfireworks@santa-ana.org.

A Santa Ana mobile home fire was put out by OCFA firefighters

Posted on by Posted in Fires, OCFA, Santa Ana Leave a comment

OCFA firefighters fought a stubborn double-wide mobile home fire at the the 4000 block of W. MacFadden Ave. yesterday, according to the OCFA’s Twitter account.

The fire took place just north of Northgate Market, just a few blocks west of the busy W. McFadden and S. Harbor commercial intersection.

The fire crews encountered excessive storage conditions which made the firefight difficult. An adult couple was able to make it out without injury.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. There was no report as to the extent of the damage.

The O.C. Red Cross responded to the scene to assist the couple that was displaced. They were able to assist the couple with a SAVE card which provided them with funds to help out for the initial displacement.

The OC Fair & Event Center will launch the 2020 Virtual OC Fair on July 17

Posted on by Posted in Costa Mesa, Entertainment, Family, OC Fair, Youth Activities Leave a comment

COSTA MESA (July 2, 2020) – The 2020 OC Fair is going virtual! While fairgoers may not be able to hop on their favorite carnival ride or enjoy crazy Fair food in person, we are keeping the spirit of the Fair alive on social media and ocfair.com.

Starting July 17, several Virtual OC Fair elements will be highlighted each day on social media through July 27, with lots of fun content on ocfair.com all summer long.

Videos of your favorite performers, photo galleries of summer memories, family activities, special contests and more will bring that OC Fair connection to people no matter where they are. Even the OC Fair Fun Run 5K is going virtual and the prizes are terrific!

Virtual fairgoers can learn how to create Fair-style crafts at home, get the skinny on making deep-fried Oreos, take a tour of Centennial Farm, decipher a magic trick, get the best garden pesto recipe and more from OC Fair staff and partners. There is even a virtual dance party in the works.

Plus, there are ways to win virtual ribbons this year with contests; entrants just need to submit photos of their creations. There are 33 unique categories this year, including Doughmestic Baking, Home Landscapes, Best Hen House and photography categories like Bedhead, Empty Streets and Essential Workers. Deadline for entries is July 6.

In a twist to the virtual theme, We Care Wednesday will take place July 22 with our nonprofit partner Goodwill of Orange County. Participants can donate gently used clothing items at specific Goodwill locations instead of at the fairgrounds. Donors will receive a ticket to the 2021 OC Fair and a coupon for a free Wahoo’s taco as thanks for giving back to the community.

Through this year’s Virtual Market Livestock Show, 49 agriculture students who raised 82 animals to show at the Fair had the opportunity to be matched with buyers. Usually 4-H and FFA students can sell their animal projects at the Fair’s Junior Livestock Auction, but with that not possible this year, OC Fair staff wanted to help the students recoup costs and devised a virtual way to make that happen.

Here is a directory of vendors commonly found at the OC Fair who are offering online shopping. 

For more information on the 2020 Virtual OC Fair, visit ocfair.com or follow @ocfair on Facebook and @oc_fair on Instagram.

OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa is home to the annual OC Fair and Imaginology. Year-round attractions include Centennial Farm, Table of Dignity, Heroes Hall and Pacific Amphitheatre. Throughout the year, events ranging from recreation shows to cultural festivals are held at the Fairgrounds. For more information, visit ocfair.com.

Support of OC Fair & Event Center provides year-round educational opportunities and helps fund community give-back programs.