Connect-to-Council is hosting a Ward 6 event tonight from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. featuring Santa Ana Councilman Sal Tinajero, at the Salvation Army, located at 1710 W. Edinger Ave., in Santa Ana.
Current resource information will be provided at this meeting on topics such as: Continue reading
A Santa Ana City Hall insider confirmed today that Santa Ana City Clerk Maria Huizar has accepted the signatures to mount a recall election against Santa Ana City Councilman David Benavides. She had previously approved a recall election against Councilman Sal Tinajero.
The forces that are working to recall Benavides and Tinajero have money and they have volunteers. Now we will find out if Benavides and Tinajero can defend themselves. It will likely be very difficult for them to raise money. Continue reading
Jim Schnabl
Deputy Chief Jim Schnabl has been selected as the new Acting Police Chief of the SAPD, according to a message sent to SAPD employees by outgoing Chief Carlos Rojas, who resigned when he was hired to serve as the new Chief of the BART Police in San Francisco.
Schnabl has been running the SAPD’s Administrative Bureau, which oversees Human Resources, Training, Information Services, and the Central Distribution Center (CDC). The Bureau is also responsible for the Communications Center which is often a point of first contact with the community in providing emergency and non-emergency services. Continue reading
Council Members Tinajero, Martinez and Benavides
Apparently efforts are now underway to recall Santa Ana City Council Members Sal Tinajero, David Benavides and Vince Sarmiento. All three of them have opposed hiring more cops and supported our lame former SAPD Police Chief, Carlos Rojas, who did us all a favor by quitting and moving to the Bay area. This means they have been pro-gang City Council Members – which is now what the people of Santa Ana elected them to do.
Tinajero should have been recalled some years ago. If you recall he was a friend and colleague of Nativo Lopez, when they were both on the SAUSD School Board. Lopez got recalled but Tinajero was allowed to stay on the School Board. Now he will finally have to face the music. Continue reading
Finally had a chance to see last week’s City Council meeting. Wow, what a meeting! Long discussion about the ICE contract and city jobs that may be lost and bunch of other stuff. Unfortunately, Councilmembers Sal Tinajero, Vincente Sarmiento and David Benavides did not vote for continuing the ICE contract as Councilman Jose Solorio 
wanted.
So that means that the city will have $8-$9 million dollars less for the general fund every year now and could lose 20 to 30 part time and full time city jobs at the jail. Continue reading
Isaac Gonzalez RIP
Isaac Gonzalez, a 15-year-old boy, died at a local hospital Sunday, March 26, after being shot multiple times Saturday night, according to the O.C. Register.
On Saturday, March 25, 2017, at 11:51 p.m., Santa Ana Police Department Communications received a call of a male down and bleeding in the area of 2302 W. St. Gertrude. Santa Ana Police Officers and Orange County Fire Authority personnel arrived on the scene and found the 15 year old male victim, Gonzalez, suffering from several gunshot wounds. Fire department personnel transported Gonzalez to an area hospital where he ultimately died. Continue reading
On Saturday, March 25 at about 4:30 p.m. SAPD police officers responded to 317 E. 17th Street after receiving a phone call regarding shots fired. A witness told the police officers that he approached a couple in the parking lot involved in an argument when the male threatened him with a gun. The couple left and later the male returned with a handgun and shot at the witness narrowly missing him but striking the building, according to SAPD Case # 17-08025.
This shooting happened near the 5 Freeway in in Santa Ana’s Ward 3, which is represented by Councilman Jose Solorio. Continue reading
On Monday, March 20 at about 7:30 p.m., SAPD police officers were dispatched to 627 E. Pine Street reference calls of a shooting and multiple shots being heard. When police officers arrived they found a male suffering from a gunshot wound to his leg. A witness reported seeing the suspect(s) flee in a vehicle, according to SAPD Case # 17-07497. Continue reading
On Saturday, March 11 at about 9 p.m. SAPD police officers responded to the area of 215 South Hickory after reports of a shooting. When they arrived they located a vehicle struck by gunfire, according to SAPD Case # 17-06591.
This shooting occurred northwest of Roosevelt Elementary School in Santa Ana’s Ward 2, which is represented by Mayor Pro Tem Michele Martinez. Continue reading
In response to the “Shame on Santa Ana Teacher/Councilman Sal Tinajero for allowing worker layoffs” post, on our 
Facebook link Councilman Tinajero now complains: “What?!? I’m in the minority! I don’t have the votes! Your trying to discredit me because you get paid! I refer you to real reporting i.e. Voice of OC, OC Register, LA Times, or New York Times.” Give me a break!!
As was said in the Facebook thread, the vote was tied (3-3) and Sal could have voted to have staff negotiate to keep the contract with ICE and help protect city jobs and keep $7-$8 million in annual revenue. With his vote, it could have been 4-2! (Embarrassed by his comments and actions, Sal had them deleted overnight, but we took a screenshot before he did!)
This may be too late to fix or not, but if city workers get laid off, they will remember who made an effort to help and who did not. Just sayin…
On Tuesday, March 7 at about 3 p.m. a female was driving in the area of 800 North Raitt when she heard multiple gunshots. She told SAPD police officers that she saw three suspects running and after the shots were fired her rear window was struck and shattered, according to SAPD Case # 17-06152.
This shooting happened a block east of the Santiago Little League which operates at El Salvador Park, next to Fremont Elementary School.
Continue reading
School Board Member Ceci Iglesias just informed us here on New Santa Ana that 287 pink slips are being given to school employees. Now Santa Ana teacher and City Councilman Tinajero is allowing layoffs too.
Register article says: “The jobs listed for possible elimination include 100 K-6 teachers, 50 middle school teachers, 47 in the high schools and another 21 K-12 teachers who provide special education services and several assistant principals and program specialists. The list includes 70 teachers who hold temporary positions.” Continue reading
On Saturday, February 25, 2017, at about 5:30 p.m. SAPD police officers responded to 700 South Townsend Street, just northeast of Jerome Park, after receiving multiple calls of about a shooting. When officers arrived they located a 17 year old Hispanic male with a gunshot wound to the lower body. The victim was taken to a local hospital for his injuries, according to SAPD Case # 17-05222.
This shooting happened in Santa Ana’s Ward 4, which is represented by Councilman David Benavides. Continue reading
U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order today that will cut some federal money to so-called “sanctuary cities” without defining which funding will be cut or what communities the administration will define as sanctuaries, according to the O.C. Register.
Santa Ana gets about $123 million in federal funds every year – although I heard a report on a radio news station today that the funding is closer to $30 million a year. Santa Ana Councilman Sal Tinajero told that news station that the City of Santa Ana can afford to lose that $30 million a year as we have a rainy day fund with $40 million in it. His comments were also reported by Fox News. Continue reading
There have been 22 shooting incidents reported by SAPD so far this January. As bad as last year was this year is starting off even worse.
So you would think that with all of these violent crimes happening in our neighborhoods on almost a daily occurrence, that the Santa Ana City Council’s Public Safety and Neighborhood Improvement Committee would want to meet to discuss these shootings, right? Well you would be wrong. The meeting that was slated for Jan. 24 was canceled. Continue reading