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Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Todd Spitzer

Caltrans proposes modifications to the 55 Freeway

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Caltrans Proposes Modifications to State Route 55

By: O.C. Supervisor Todd Spitzer, Portions courtesy of Lauren Averill

After years of discussion with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has finally agreed on a solution to the present issue of highway congestion on State Route 55. Orange County voters approved a measure in 2006 to add new highway lanes in each direction within the existing right-of-way. One of the measure’s newest projects specifically deals with the addition of lanes on SR-55, between the I-405 and I-5. Caltrans and OCTA have discussed several possibilities to decrease the ongoing congestion for this portion of the highway. After extensive collaboration, both entities settled on the addition of new traffic and HOV lanes. Continue reading→

Supervisors Spitzer and Do want to cut Bustamante’s government pension

Posted on by Posted in Andrew Do, Carlos Bustamante, Crime, Orange County, Santa Ana, Todd Spitzer 2 Comments

Supervisor Todd Spitzer and Supervisor Andrew Do Demand OCERS to Cut Convicted Felon Carlos Bustamante’s Government Pension After Guilty Plea

(Orange County, CA) – Supervisor Todd Spitzer and Supervisor Andrew Do called on the Orange County Employees’ Retirement System (OCERS) to strip Carlos Bustamante of part of his taxpayer pension in light of his criminal conviction and sentence on three felony counts that include attempted sexual battery by restraint, stalking, and grand theft by false pretenses.

“The public is sick and tired of people like Bustamante and Former Sheriff Carona being convicted of felony conduct while in office and then riding off into the sunset with their full taxpayer paid for pensions,” said Supervisor Todd Spitzer. Continue reading→

Free Pet Adoption event set for March 19 and 20 at OC Animal Care

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Orange County Third District Supervisor Todd Spitzer to Host Pet Adoption Event on Saturday, March 19 and Sunday, March 20, 2016

By: O.C. Supervisor Todd Spitzer

Supervisor Todd Spitzer is pleased to announce a free pet adoption weekend on March 19th and 20th. The event is going to be held at OC Animal Shelter located at 561 The City Drive South, Orange, CA 92868. The free pet adoption event is going to be held during normal working business hours of the OC Animal Shelter from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.

“I am really excited and pleased to announce this free pet adoption! This is a great opportunity for the pets in the shelter to be rescued and go to great homes. Please come out and support this event and bring home a new family member,” said Supervisor Spitzer. Continue reading→

Reward for the O.C. Men’s Central Jail escaped inmates increased to $200K

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Supervisors Increase Reward for Information on Jail Escapees

The Orange County Board of Supervisors approved increasing the reward for information leading to the apprehension of three escaped inmates from the Orange County Men’s Central Jail to a total of $200,000.

Board members unanimously approved adding up to $50,000 each for information leading to the capture of inmates Hossein Nayeri, 37; Jonathan Tieu, 20; and Bac Duong, 43, who escaped from the jail sometime on Friday, January 22, 2016. The U.S. Marshals Service already has pledged $10,000 each for information on the three inmates while the Federal Bureau of Investigation contributed another $20,000. Continue reading→

The County of Orange is dumping Mississippi’s Confederate flag at the Civic Center

Posted on by Posted in Civil Rights, Orange County, Politics, Racism, Santa Ana, Todd Spitzer Leave a comment
Orange County Flag

The County of Orange Flag

Supervisor Todd Spitzer Announces Plan to Place OC City and Military Flags at the OC Civic Center

By: Todd Spitzer, Chairman of the O.C. Board of Supervisors

This week at the Board of Supervisors meeting, Supervisor Spitzer requested that the County members of the Civic Center Joint Power Authority seek to replace the 50 state flags in the Plaza of the Flags with the flags of Orange County’s 34 cities, the County flag, the State flag, the U.S. flag, and the flags of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.

The request was made by Supervisor Spitzer to remove the Confederate Flag from flying in the Civic Center and to help build unity amongst the County and the cities. The Confederate Flag is currently part of the flag of the State of Mississippi. To many, the Confederate Flag represents one of the darkest and most shameful eras in the history of our country. Continue reading→

County approves purchase of a proposed homeless shelter site in Anaheim

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New homeless shelter site in Anaheim

County Approves Purchase & Sale Agreement for 1000 N. Kraemer Place Property

By: Todd Spitzer, Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors

This week the Board of Supervisors approved a purchase and sale agreement for the purchase of property at 1000 N. Kraemer Place in Anaheim with a 5-0 vote. Community Forums and meetings will be structured to give residents, businesses and other interested stakeholders the opportunity to discuss potential uses for the site, including a year-round emergency shelter and multi-service center.

The property consists of a 24,384 square foot industrial warehouse building and approximately 13,824 square foot of office space that is situated on an approximate 1.87 acre parcel with 68 parking spaces. The building is currently occupied by a commercial air condition repair shop. Continue reading→

2015 Orange County Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremony set for 5/28 in Tustin

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Orange County Peace Officers’ Memorial Monument

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, 714.904.7042, JHallock@ocsd.org; Emily Osterberg, 714.647.1840, EOsterberg@ocsd.org

2015 Orange County Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremony

Law enforcement officers representing 40 Orange County agencies pay tribute to our fallen officers

TUSTIN, CA – (May 22, 2015) – Charged with protecting those they serve, police officers put themselves in harm’s way to enforce the law. Unfortunately, some officers pay the ultimate price, laying down their own life in valiant service of others. In honor of these fallen heroes, the Orange County Sheriff’s Advisory Council and the Orange County Chiefs’ of Police and Sheriff’s Association (OCCPSA) each year sponsor the Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremony.

WHAT: Memorial Ceremony and Candlelight Vigil at the Orange County Peace Officers’ Memorial Monument

To include: Continue reading→

What the politicians had to say at the 2015 O.C. Victims’ Rights March & Rally

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Janet Nguyen, Michelle Steel, OCDA, Orange County, Santa Ana, Todd Spitzer, Tony Rackauckas Leave a comment

2015 OC Victim's Rights March and Rally

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Remarks for Orange County Victims’ Rights March & Rally

April 24, 2015

Tony Rackauckas: 

Good Morning!

Every year we’ve had this event it’s been too hot. This year I prayed for cooler weather… I must have prayed just a little too hard.

Come rain or shine:

Remembering those we have lost, honoring those who have survived, and celebrating the tenacity and strength of the people who carry on the fight for justice – Welcome to the 7th Annual Orange County Victims’ Rights March & Rally. Continue reading→

Victims denounce the OCDA’s lame response to the Dekraai case

Posted on by Posted in Crime, OCDA, Orange County, Susan Kang Schroeder, Todd Spitzer, Tony Rackauckas 1 Comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 26, 2015

Victims Denounce District Attorney’s Response to Dekraai Case

Victims Applaud Spitzer for his Support

In honor of the victims: Victoria Buzzo, David Caouette, Laura Elody, Randy Fannin, Michele Fast, Michelle Fournier, Lucia Kondas, Hattie Stretz and Christy Wilson.

(Orange County, CA) — In response to the recent statement made by District Attorney’s Chief of Staff Susan Krang Schroeder that, “Spitzer is running for D.A. on the graves of eight murdered people,” (A Fight They Won’t Take On, Supervisors Hesitant to Act Against D.A. Over Dekraai Case Orange County Register, March 2015) families of Dekraai’s victims stepped forward to denounce the callous and insensitive remarks made on behalf of the District Attorney. Continue reading→

Supervisors Do and Spitzer commend the UCI student leaders who killed the flag ban

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UCI Students against the flag

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 9, 2015

Supervisors Spitzer and Do Commend UC Irvine Student Leader Veto on Ban of American Flag

(Orange County, CA) — To show unwavering support for the American flag, Supervisors Todd Spitzer and Andrew Do, both alumni of the University California system, commended the student leaders who vetoed the unwise decision to pass a resolution that banned the flag from being displayed in the lobby of the student government offices.

The Associated Students’ Legislative Council at UC Irvine approved the ban on the flag with a vote of 6-4 on Thursday but the Associated Students’ Executive Cabinet vetoed the ban on a 4-1 vote. The resolution also banned all other nations’ flags from the common lobby area of student council offices. Continue reading→

Rackauckas’ rips Spitzer’s allegations about the OCDA’s outsourcing

Posted on by Posted in Orange County, Politics, Todd Spitzer, Tony Rackauckas 2 Comments

Tony Rackauckas responds to Spitzer

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE

February 2, 2015

Via electronic & U.S. Mail

The Honorable Todd Spitzer, Chair Board of Supervisors, County of Orange Hall of Administration 333 West Santa Ana Blvd., 5th Floor Santa Ana, CA 92701

Dear Supervisor Spitzer:

I am once again disappointed in your uninformed and unproductive public comments made during the last Board of Supervisors meeting held on Jan. 27, 2015. As I have stated both verbally and in writing on many occasions, you are welcome to contact me, or any of my top managers, at any time if you have any questions or criticisms about any actions taken by the Orange County District Attorneys Office (OCDA). When you use the power of your position to grandstand, or “ready, fire, aim” with unsubstantiated and misleading allegations, the People are ultimately harmed because they are not getting the true information. Releasing misinformation to the public is bad government. I respectfully urge you to obtain facts before you speak and to discontinue unmeritorious attacks that affect the hard working professionals of the OCDA, and ultimately the public. Continue reading→

Orange County awarded $19.5 million in grant funding for homeless services

Posted on by Posted in homeless, Orange County, Santa Ana, Todd Spitzer 2 Comments

Orange County Logo

County Awarded $19.5 Million in Grant Funding for Homeless Services

(Santa Ana, CA) — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded $19.5 million to the County of Orange and its community partners for homeless housing assistance and other programs under the 2014 Continuum of Care grant competition.

“This much-needed funding will assist the County in our regional approach to helping move families and individuals out of homelessness and into self-sufficiency,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Todd Spitzer said.

OC Community Services applies annually for grant funding to continue a host of critical homeless assistance programs, including the Shelter Plus Program administered by the Orange County Housing Authority and OC Health Care Agency. Shelter Plus provides rental assistance and supportive care to a targeted population that is both homeless and disabled, suffering from serious mental illness, chronic addictions or HIV/AIDS. Continue reading→

Deadline to apply for Grand Jury service extended to January 30

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Orange County Grand Jury

Orange County Grand Jury

Deadline to Apply for Grand Jury Service Extended to January 30, 2015

By OC Supervisor Todd Spitzer, Portions courtesy of Superior Court of California

Assistant Presiding Judge Charles Margines of the Superior Court of Orange County and chair of Grand Jury Recruitment/Selection Committee has extended the deadline to apply for Grand Jury service to January 30, 2015.

The Grand Jury performs civil oversight of local government by reviewing and evaluating county and city agencies, jails, schools, and special districts within Orange County and writes a final report with its findings and recommendations. The Grand Jury also considers evidence for possible indictment of individuals in felony cases and reviews complaints submitted by citizens. Continue reading→

OCTA delivers their end-of-year report highlighting initiatives and an action plan

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OCTA Delivers the End-of-Year Report Highlighting Initiatives and Action Plan

By: OC Supervisor Todd Spitzer, Portions courtesy of the Orange County Transportation Authority

At the Orange County Transportation Authority’s meeting this week, Chief Executive Officer Darrell Johnson summarized the activities and accomplishments from the 2014 Chief Executive Officer’s Initiatives and Action Plan for calendar year 2014. The Chief Executive Officer’s Initiatives and Action Plan supports the values, vision, mission, and goals of the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA).

Supervisor Spitzer, who serves as a Director on the Board commended OCTA for the great work that they have done in delivering projects in the Third District and the County. “Transportation is a vital part of the County’s infrastructure, I’m committed to supporting OCTA’s mission to enhance the quality of life and keep Orange County moving.” Continue reading→

Spitzer to Chair and Bartlett to Vice Chair the O.C. Board of Supervisors

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Supervisor Todd Spitzer, Chairman

Supervisor Spitzer Will Serve as Board Chairman for 2015

(Santa Ana, CA) — Supervisor Todd Spitzer has been chosen unanimously by his colleagues to serve as Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors for 2015. Supervisor Lisa

Bartlett will serve as the Board’s vice chair.

This is Supervisor Spitzer’s second round on the Board, having served from 1997 to 2002, when he was elected to the State Assembly. He thanked his colleagues for supporting his chairmanship: “I’m grateful for the respect and confidence that my colleagues showed in me by selecting me as Chair.” Continue reading→