Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Author Archives: Art Pedroza

A Costa Mesa man associated with gangs was arrested for burglarizing a vehicle in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Costa Mesa, Crime, Drugs, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Bryan Colin arrested

Bryan Colin, a 19-year-old Costa Mesa man known to associate with gangs, was arrested this week on suspicion of stealing a handgun, ammunition and prescription medication from a vehicle in Santa Ana, according to the L.A. Times.

Colin was arrested by Costa Mesa police gang investigators at about 1 p.m. this Tuesday in the area of Monrovia Avenue and West 15th Street in Costa Mesa on suspicion of vehicle burglary, possession of a stolen firearm and possession of narcotics. Continue reading→

The SAPD is looking for a huge shoplifter who got punched at a Santa Ana Stater Bros.

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Santa Ana, SAPD 1 Comment

A huge shoplifting suspect identified by the SAPD as Jose Prado was caught on video as he was loading up his truck with grocery items he did not pay for, at a Santa Ana Stater Bros. supermarket parking lot, when store employees confronted him, according to ABC News.

Prado went into angry bear mode when a man in shorts and a brown shirt sauntered up to him and laid him out with one big punch! Continue reading→

The SAPD has arrested an alleged serial child molester

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Santa Ana, SAPD 2 Comments

Javier Ortiz Pichardo

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Detectives Arrest Suspect for Ongoing Sexual Abuse of Minors & Believe There May Be Additional Victims

Santa Ana Police Detectives arrested Javier Ortiz Pichardo for child molestation. Pichardo began molesting children in 1999 when he was a cook at the New China restaurant in Santa Ana. The restaurant closed in 2004.

Pichardo’s first victim was only seven-years-old when the child’s family were regular customers at the restaurant. Pichardo molested the victim in the restaurant bathroom. He then befriended the family and gave them free food, which gained the victim’s family’s trust. He was eventually allowed to pick the victim up from school. Pichardo repeatedly abused the victim for seven years. The abuse stopped when the victim was 14-years-old and the victim’s family lost contact with Pichardo. Continue reading→

Orange County will install new fences to keep the homeless out of the flood control channels

Posted on by Posted in Andrew Do, Crime, homeless, OC Sheriff, Orange County, Public Safety, public works, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Current fencing at Fisher Park

Public Safety: Orange County Installs Secure Fencing at 24 Sites along Flood Control Channels to Prevent Homeless Encampments

Santa Ana, California – The County of Orange is installing new fencing at 24 sites along flood control channels to keep neighborhoods safe and prevent homeless encampments.

Supervisor Andrew Do, Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, worked with city leaders, county staff and law enforcement agencies on the fencing projects in Santa Ana, Garden Grove and Westminster after reports of criminal activity, including a series of fires set by a homeless arsonist. Continue reading→

A little girl was allegedly killed by her stepdad and her mom was wounded in Garden Grove today

Posted on by Posted in Domestic Violence, Garden Grove Leave a comment

Tanh Thien Tran, 73-years-old, was arrested today by the Garden Grove police after he allegedly stabbed his 11-year-old stepdaughter to death and shot and stabbed his 36-year-old wife at about 6:30 a.m. this morning, according to the O.C. Register.

The police investigators are unsure as to Tran’s motive but did describe the situation as being “domestic-violence related.” Continue reading→

Neighbors are upset about a new charter school in the Marbury Park neighborhood

Posted on by Posted in Education, Miguel Pulido, Neighborhood Associations, Planning, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Traffic 3 Comments

A new charter school that opened up this month at 1500 17th St., at a church located at the corner of 17th St. and N. Wright St., in Santa Ana has riled up the Maybury Park Neighborhood. The school is called Legacy College Prep. It is part of the Ednovate program sponsored by USC.

The issue that has the neighbors perturbed is that this school opened up suddenly at Calvary Chapel Tustin. There were no public hearings or meetings. Apparently the Santa Ana Planning Agency did not get involved as the church likely has the proper zoning to support a school. Continue reading→

Man arrested for running an unlawful marijuana dispensary in Costa Mesa

Posted on by Posted in Costa Mesa, Crime, Drugs, Marijuana, OCDA, Orange County Leave a comment

Omid Delkash

Orange County District Attorney

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Case # 18WM12128

MULTI-AGENCY EFFORT LEADS TO ARREST AND CHARGES OF MAN FOR UNLAWFULLY OPERATING MARIJUANA DISPENSARY IN COSTA MESA

COSTA MESA, Calif. – On Friday, Aug. 24, 2018, the Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) and Code Enforcement,  along with the Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC), the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Division of Investigation-Cannabis Enforcement Unit (DOI-CEU), California Department of Taxes and Fee Administration, and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) arrested a man, who was unlawfully operating a marijuana dispensary in Costa Mesa.

Omid Delkash, 47, Newport Beach, was charged today with four misdemeanor counts of unlawful transportation, sale, and furnishing marijuana. He is currently in custody and is being held on $150,000 bail. He was arraigned today and is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on Aug.31,2018, at 8:30 a.m., Department C-5, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Ward 6 candidate Velasquez hits back at her opponent Mendoza with an Anti-SLAPP motion

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, Courts, Mirna Velasquez, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Nelida Yanez

Mirna Velasquez, Candidate for Ward 6, responds to Nellie Mendoza lawsuit with an Anti-SLAPP motion for attorney fees

Santa Ana City Council Ward 6 candidate Mirna Velasquez responded to Nelida Mendoza lawsuit about her ballot designation and residency with facts and an Anti-Slapp motion for Attorney Fees.

Mendoza alleged that Velasquez was not a resident of Santa Ana Ward 6. However, Mendoza acknowledged in her complaint that Velasquez has lived in Ward 6 since at least her registration date of November 21, 2017. Not only did she register in the district more than 30 days before filing but Velasquez moved into the Ward on November 1, 2017 per her response. So there was no merit to the 1st cause of action by Ms. Mendoza. Continue reading→

A man was stabbed multiple times today near Mile Square Park

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Fountain Valley police officers found an unidentified man in his 40’s who had been stabbed multiple times, when they responded to the intersection of Brookhurst Street and Edinger Avenue at about 2:30 p.m. after receiving a call, according to the O.C. Register.

The Fountain Valley police are now searching for a person of interest following in that stabbing. However they have no description of the suspect.  Continue reading→

The City of Santa Ana is holding public meetings regarding the Ward Map re-boundary process

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, Ballot Measures, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana

Community: City Ward Map Re-Boundary Process

The City of Santa Ana encourages the public to participate in the decision-making process. The following information is being provided so that you can ask questions, make comments and stay informed about the proposed Ward re-boundaries that may be important to you. We encourage you to contact us prior to the meetings, if you have any questions.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN: The Santa Ana City Council will hold a series of Community Meetings and Public Hearings to consider modifying the Ward boundaries to comply with both the Federal and California law, including the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA). Continue reading→

Santa Ana woman charged with hate crimes after vandalizing two Buddhist temples

Posted on by Posted in Churches and Religion, Courts, Crime, Garden Grove, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Trang Thu Pham

Case # 18CF2388

Date: August 24, 2018

WOMAN CHARGED WITH VANDALISM AND HATE CRIMES AGAINST TWO BUDDHIST TEMPLES IN ORANGE COUNTY

*Defendant was out of custody after being convicted of vandalism of a religious property

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A woman was charged today with vandalism and hate crimes against two Buddhist Temples in Orange County.

“An attack on one religion is an attack on all. We must stand up to bigotry and respect everyone’s right to worship,” stated District Attorney Tony Rackauckas.

Defendant: Trang Thu Pham, 49, Santa Ana

Charged today with the following felony counts: Continue reading→

The Santa Ana Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Monday re the 2525 N. Main St. apartment development

Posted on by Posted in Development, Housing, Planning, Real Estate, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The City of Santa Ana Planning Commission will allow residents to speak at their meeting on Monday, August 27, at 5:30 p.m. regarding the contentious plan to develop the property at 2525 N. Main St. into the Magnolia at the Park apartment complex. This has the adjacent Park Santiago Neighborhood up in arms.

Here is a note from the Park Santiago Neighborhood leaders regarding this development and this meeting: Continue reading→

Critical Santa Ana missing person has been found

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Lily Huang

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Update – Critical Missing Person Located

Update -Critical Missing Person Lily Huang has been located and with family

Missing Person, Lily HUANG was last seen around midnight on August 25, 2018. Around 9:00am, HUANG’S family discovered that HUANG was not home. Prior to going missing, HUANG told her daughter that she was going to injure herself and left a note behind apologizing for past family issues. According to family members, HUANG has been diagnosed as being bipolar. It is unknown if HUANG has been taking her prescribed medication. Continue reading→

OCTA Transportation Plan and Streetcar Open Houses coming in Sep.

Posted on by Posted in OCTA, Orange County, Santa Ana, Transportation Leave a comment

OCTA Seeks Input into Transportation Future

Draft Long-Range Transportation Plan serves as Orange County’s mobility blueprint for next 20 years, public participation a critical factor in shaping outcome

The Orange County Transportation Authority is seeking public input to help plan for Orange County’s transportation needs for the next 20 years.

A draft copy of the Long Range Transportation Plan, called Designing Tomorrow, was recently presented to the OCTA board and is now up for public review and comment on the OCTA website at www.octa.net/lrtp. Continue reading→