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Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Tustin

The OC Public Libraries launch curbside pick-up

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SANTA ANA, Calif. – Beginning on June 16, 2020, library patrons can now pick up their holds thanks to OC Public Libraries new contactless Curbside Pick-up service. This announcement follows the reopening of book drops on June 9 as OC Public Libraries continues to follow State and County guidelines.

This service is available today at all County library branches with the exception of Costa Mesa Donald Dungan library, which will launch contactless Curbside Pick-Up on June 20.

Contactless Curbside Pick-Up will be available Tuesday through Friday from 12-6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hours for contactless Curbside Pick-up vary at the Laguna Hills Technology library and Laguna Woods library. Please contact those locations directly for curbside service availability.

Library users who wish to pick-up new library books through contactless Curbside Pick-Up can do so in six easy steps:

  1. Place items on hold online at catalog.ocpl.org.
  2. After receiving notice via email or phone that the item is ready, drive to the library.
  3. Call the number on the sign upon arrival.
  4. Wait for staff to place items on the outside table and return inside.
  5. Once staff returns inside, retrieve the items.
  6. Enjoy your reading, and return items to the book drops when done!

OC Public Libraries continues to provide a wide variety of virtual programs, including Virtual Storytimes, Do-It-Yourself (DIY) crafting projects, food literacy demonstrations, teen gaming, fun activities, and more. These can all be accessed at ocpl.org/virtualprograms.

Additionally, the library has curated a dynamic list of resources that can be used for at-home learning for all ages available at ocpl.org/elib/elearning.

Book donations are not being accepted at any library location until further notice.

For more information about OC Public Libraries and updates on service expansion, visit ocpl.org.

To find an O.C. Public Library near you click here. There are two Public Libraries in Garden Grove and one in Tustin. Santa Ana residents may sign up for free Orange County Library cards!

OC Animal Care will host a pet food drive through for needy families on June 13

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TUSTIN, Calif. (June 3, 2020) – OC Animal Care will be kicking off the Family Fur-st Drive Thru Pet Pantry to support Orange County families in need of pet food. The Family Fur-st Pet Food Pantry events will take place on the second Saturday of every month while food is available, and the need is still present in the community.

In collaboration with the Animal Assistance League of Orange County, SoCal Animal Rescue Team, and The Shamrock Foundation, the first event will take place on Saturday, June 13, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the OC Animal Care facility located at 1630 Victory Road in Tustin.

“This event will provide a helping hand to families with pets who are experiencing financial strain during these challenging times,” said Chairwoman Michelle Steel, Second District Supervisor.

Pet owners will get a bag of food for their dog, cat, or rabbit while supplies last.

“The financial burden suffered by many people because of COVID-19 has made it very difficult for people to feed and provide for their pets,” said Vice Chairman Andrew Do, First District Supervisor. “The goal of the drive-thru pantry is to support Orange County residents and make it easier for them to hopefully keep their pets and not give them up for financial reasons.”

The event will follow public health recommendations and allow attendees to remain in their vehicle while volunteers load the food. Families are asked to leave their pets at home to make this event run as efficiently as possible.

“The County recognizes pets have played an important role during this stressful time and is focused on connecting families with available resources.” added Supervisor Donald Wagner, Third District.

Pet owners will also get information on other resources for their pet. Anyone interested in supporting this effort can donate food directly to the Animal Assistance League Amazon wish list.

“We are happy to partner with organizations who are focused on providing help to our community during difficult times,” said Supervisor Doug Chaffee, Fourth District. “By partnering and working together, we can make Orange County a better place for everyone.”

OC Animal Care is still closed to visitors but continues to provide essential services including adoptions by appointment only. For more information about the Family Fur-st Pet Food Pantry and future events, please visit the OC Animal Care website at ocpetinfo.com.

“We will continue to find new ways to help support the pet owners in Orange County.” Said Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, Fifth District. “Together we can help keep families whole.”

OC Animal Care is the largest municipal animal shelter in Orange County. It services 14 cities and takes in over 18,000 animals each year. For more information about OC Animal Care please visit www.ocpetinfo.com.

Santa Ana Man charged with beating, raping and carjacking a 75-Year-Old homeless woman at a Tustin church parking lot

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SANTA ANA, Calif. – A 24-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder for beating a 75-year-old homeless woman unconscious and sexually assaulting her in the parking lot of a Tustin church on April 30, 2020. After the attack he dragged the badly beaten woman into nearby bushes and stole her car.

The victim was still unconscious when she was discovered the following morning. Fernando Valdovinos, 24, of Santa Ana, was arrested by Tustin police on May 2, 2020 after they saw him riding in the victim’s car.

Valdovinos has been charged with one felony count of attempted murder, one felony count of sexual penetration by foreign object and force, one felony count of attempted forcible rape, and one felony count of carjacking.

Valdovinos has also been charged with two felony enhancements of causing great bodily injury on an elder, one felony enhancement of attempted premediated murder, and one felony enhancement of inflicting great bodily injury during the commission of certain sex offenses.

He faces life in prison if convicted on all counts. Valdovinos is scheduled to be arraigned on May 20, 2020 in CJ1 and is being held without bail at the Orange County Jail.

“The depravity with which this heinous attack was carried out demonstrates just how vulnerable the homeless population – and especially homeless women – is to violence,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is committed to getting justice for this woman who shouldn’t have been living on the streets and couldn’t fend for herself. No one should be forced to endure that kind of viciousness.”

Deputy District Attorney Mena Guirguis is prosecuting this case.

Santa Ana man arrested for attacking, sexually assaulting and carjacking an elderly woman in Tustin

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On May 1, 2020, at approximately 10:30 a.m., Tustin Police Officers were dispatched to the area of 600 W. 6th St. in reference to a partially nude, unresponsive female laying in the bushes near a parking lot. When officers arrived, they located a 75-year-old female with extensive facial injuries. Paramedics from the Orange County Fire Authority responded and immediately transported the victim to a local hospital where she remains in critical condition. Further investigation revealed the suspect, 24-year-old Fernando Valdovinos, struck the victim in the face numerous times with his hands and then sexually assaulted her. After the assault, Mr. Valdovinos and his 16-year-old female juvenile acquaintance stole the victim’s vehicle.

On May 2, 2020, at approximately 2:40 p.m., an officer from the Tustin Police Department spotted three people driving in the victim’s stolen vehicle. The officer stopped the vehicle and three people were taken into custody without incident. Mr. Valdovinos and the female juvenile were in the vehicle. The third adult male occupant was not involved in this incident and was released.

Based on our investigation, it was determined the crime occurred on April 30, 2020, at approximately 8:00 p.m. and the victim was left critically injured in the parking lot after the vicious assault until she was found the following day, about 14-hours later.

Mr. Valdovinos was booked into the Orange County Jail on multiple charges including attempted murder, attempted rape, carjacking, elder abuse, and other sexually related crimes. He is on formal probation for auto theft.

The 16-year-old female juvenile was nearby when the crime occurred but did not participate in the assault. She was booked into the Orange County Juvenile Hall for carjacking and conspiracy. She is on formal probation for robbery.

The investigation is ongoing and detectives are looking for any other victims who may have had contact with Mr. Valdovinos. If anyone has information on this case, please contact Detective Newton at 714-573-3249.

Arrested – Fernando Valdovinos, 24-year-old Santa Ana resident.

Tustin adjusts facial covering requirements to align with new County orders

Posted on by Posted in Business, Disease, Orange County, Public Safety, Tustin 3 Comments

Following new facial covering requirements issued by the County of Orange on Tuesday, April 21, the City of Tustin rescinded its emergency order issued on Monday, April 20 to align with county guidance and reduce confusion for residents.

The Countywide order, which goes into effect at midnight on Friday April 24, requires all employees who have contact with the public in any grocery, pharmacy, drug, convenience store, gas station, restaurant, food preparation, and retail store to wear a cloth face covering as described in the California Department of Public Health Face Covering Guidance.

“Since the onset of COVID-19, the City of Tustin has remained focused on protecting our first responders and essential workers in order to continue providing essential service to the community,” Mayor Dr. Allan Bernstein said. “The County’s new facial covering requirements help to prioritize our commitment to the health and safety of our community, flattening the curve, and being able to get back to normal as soon as possible.”

In addition to implementation of facial covering requirements, Tustin officials stressed the importance of already-mandated measures such as staying home and social distancing, adding a strong recommendation for compliance with BOTH social distancing and face coverings when conducting essential activities.

“It should be underscored that one measure does not replace the other,” stated Mayor Bernstein. “Just because someone is wearing a face mask does not make it safe to be closer than six feet apart.”

Essential Tustin businesses required to have employees wear face coverings

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On April 20, 2020, Tustin City Manager, Matthew West, acting in his capacity as Director of Emergency Services, approved an order requiring all essential businesses operating in the City of Tustin to require their employees to wear face coverings whenever one or more co-workers or patrons are present.

“Since the onset of COVID-19, the City of Tustin has remained focused on protecting our first responders and essential workers,” West said. “This order further prioritizes our commitment to the health and safety of our community, flattening the curve, and being able to get back to normal as soon as we can.”

The order also strongly encourages those businesses that provide services or sales of retail goods food, or banking services to require their patrons to wear face coverings, and strongly encourages grocery stores to establish dedicated shopping hours for those aged 60 and older and for other at-risk populations, such as those with physical disabilities, pregnant women, or those with compromised immune systems, who have been advised to avoid leaving home as much as possible.

Face coverings, as outlined in guidance from the California Department of Public Health and Orange County Health Officer, may be factory made or sewn by hand, or can be improvised from household items. Essential workers and patrons are discouraged from using medical-grade face masks, such as N95 masks, in order to preserve the limited supply of such masks for medical personnel, medical facilities, and first responders.

The order went into effect immediately and shall remain until further notice. West further stated “this order is intended to be yet another tool in the fight against COVID-19. Tustin is a great community and we will continue to rise to the occasion.”

Ratification of the order will be considered by the City Council at a Special Council meeting on April 21.

The Tustin Police Department remains optimistic our businesses will comply with this order. We are asking for voluntary compliance. We are in this together and getting through it requires a team effort.

How one man is helping to feed the needy in Orange County

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D. Scott Walker, a local Johnson & Johnson employee, has been making good use of his time during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He’s been working with the Orange County Rescue Mission for over six years, donating 1,560 hours of his time to the cause to date.

Walker visits local restaurant franchises/locations to “rescue” food and deliver it to the Orange County Rescue mission. He has been able to continue his food rescues and deliveries even during the COVID-19 pandemic – as the need remains and is even more essential during this time, as more people lose their jobs and face resource constraints as a result.

While daily deliveries have scaled back during COVID and he’s taking extra safety precautions, Scott has still been able to continue this important work. That said, total donations have been down recently, with restaurants either closing or scaling back operations so there is less food waste to “rescue.”

The O.C. Rescue Mission is currently supporting these food distribution efforts:

Calvary Church of Santa Ana
1010 N Tustin Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92705
(714) 973-4800
Come to pick up a food box Monday – Thursday 9:00 am- 4:oo pm

Family Assistance Ministries
929 Calle Negocio, Suite G, San Clemente, CA 92673
(949) 492-8477
Food Distribution: M, 9-6; T-TH, 9-3; F, 9-12

Main Place Christian Fellowship
1631 El Camino Real. Apt 1, Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 505-1734
1190 N. Tustin St., Orange, CA
(714) 744-4263

Motel Church
Food box distribution is the third Saturday of every month at a motel in Orange County (usually in Stanton). Please call (714) 975-0555 for location and time.

The Neighborhood Church
2147 Oak Street, Santa Ana, CA 92705
Wed, NOON
(714) 545-1095
Monday and Thursday, 1:30pm to 3:30pm
Community referrals available on Thursdays during the food distribution.
Pardoned Prodigals

St. Paul’s Church
2580 W Orange Ave, Anaheim, CA 92804
Meetings 6:30pm, Friday nights
Community referrals the fourth Friday of the month

Tustin Family Youth Center
14722 Newport Ave, Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 573-3370

Tustin Family Senior Center
200 S. C St., Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 573-3340
Both sites: Food Distribution third Tuesday of every month 1:00-2:00pm
Community referrals available during distribution

Click here for ways to donate to the O.C. Rescue Mission.

Easter is less than a week away and you can help keep hope alive for a better tomorrow by donating Easter meals to families in need! Click here to find out how to help.

Babymouse author Jennifer Holm coming to the Tustin Library

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SANTA ANA, Calif. (March 10, 2020) – Orange County Public Libraries is proud to present two bestselling author events: one with Heather Morris, author of the novel The Tattooist of Auschwitz, and the second with Jennifer Holm, author of the popular children’s series Babymouse. This second event is supported by OC READ Families for Literacy.

The authors will read from selected works and share their experiences as writers. Additionally, there will be a Q&A and an opportunity to meet each author. Both authors’ books will be available for purchase, and the authors will be signing their titles for booklovers.

Heather Morris is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz. This debut novel is a beautiful, illuminating tale of hope and courage based on interviews conducted with Holocaust survivor and Auschwitz-Birkenau tattooist, Ludwig Sokolov.

Jennifer Holm is three-time Newberry honor winning and New York Times bestselling author known for her graphic novel series, Babymouse. This popular series showcases the trials and tribulations of elementary school.

WHEN:

  • Heather Morris – Saturday, March 14, 2020 from 2:30-3:30 p.m.
  • Jennifer Holm – Saturday, March 14, 2020 from 2-3 p.m.

WHERE:

  • Heather Morris – Laguna Niguel Library; 30341 Crown Valley Pkwy, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
  • Jennifer Holm – Tustin Library – 345 E. Main St, Tustin, CA 92780

OC Public Libraries mission is to provide access to information and promote literacy at all ages. Access to world-class authors inspires reading communities to meet powerful role models in the literary world. For many, it is their only opportunity to meet an author.

No registration required.

OTHER LINKS:

Heather Morris – https://www.facebook.com/events/519273455633637/

Jennifer Holm – https://www.facebook.com/events/242262050102015/

A Santa Ana man suspected of murder was killed in a fight with an O.C. jail inmate

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ORANGE, Ca. (January 19, 2020) –At approximately 4 p.m. on Jan. 18, an inmate housed at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange was pronounced deceased at a local hospital. The inmate, 57-year old Kirk Price, was transferred to the hospital December 27, 2019 due to injuries he sustained during a fight with another inmate.

Price, a Santa Ana resident, was arrested March 25, 2016 by Tustin Police investigating the death of  OC Boxing MMA Academy owner Fahness Lutalo, who died the day before Price’s arrest by a man who walked into the gym and shot him several times, according to the O.C. Register.

Price was booked into Orange County Jail on March 25, 2016, by the Tustin Police Department on suspicion of murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office will investigate the in-custody death. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will conduct an in-custody death review. No additional information will be released at this time.

The SAPD arrested an Uber driver on charges of sexual assault

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Santa Ana Police Department Special Crimes Section detectives arrested an Uber driver on January 8, 2020, for a sexual assault that occurred in July of 2018. Amir Attia, a 45-year-old resident of Tustin, was arrested for the sexual assault. On the date of this incident, the victim, a 25-year-old woman, was involved in a traffic collision and arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) by the Tustin Police Department. The victim reported that upon her release from the Tustin Police Department, she requested an Uber respond to drive her home.

Attia, an Uber driver, drove the victim from the Tustin Police Department to her home in Santa Ana. Somewhere along the way, Attia stopped and sexually assaulted the victim. This was confirmed through DNA evidence.

Attia was arrested and confessed to sexually assaulting the victim. He was booked at the Orange County Jail for PC 289(d) Digital Penetration and PC 243.4(a) Sexual Battery. His bail has been set at $150,000.00. Attia has a previous conviction for sexual battery from 1993.

Santa Ana Police Department Detectives are asking that anyone with information regarding this case, or who may have been victimized by suspect Attia, contact Corporal Maria Lopez at 714-245-8542, mlopez15@santa-ana.org or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.

Santa Ana woman arrested for stabbing and killing a man during a robbery in Tustin

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Tustin police have arrested a couple, Miguel Orellana of Anaheim and Erika Pineda of Santa Ana, and they have been charged with stabbing 62-year-old David Nakaki in Tustin, according to the O.C. Register.

The Tustin police say the motive for the fatal attack was robbery. They did not indicate what was stolen.

Police said the victim, 62-year-old David Nakaki, was taking his evening walk on Dec. 9 when he was attacked. People driving in the area found Nakaki on the ground near the intersection of Prospect Avenue and Norwood Park, according to ABC News.

Nakaki is survived by two older children.

Orellana, 19, was charged with felony murder with enhancements for using a deadly weapon and special circumstances of it also being a robbery. Pineda, 25, was charged with felony counts of conspiring to commit a crime and being an accessory after the fact.

A fight at a Santa Ana laundromat turned into a stabbing and a carjacking

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

You may have noticed a ruckus last night, at a laundromat located at Grand and Fairhaven in Santa Ana. Turns out there was a fight that turned into a stabbing and then a carjacking, according to CBS.

Apparently a fight broke out among a group of young men at the laundromat. Not sure what they were doing there. Perhaps laundry? The other stores at that plaza include a massage business and a Big Lots as well as Buccaneer Pizza, which makes terrific gourmet pizzas.

One of the boys who was attacked in the fight called his mom and asked for a pickup. The fight then moved to nearby streets in Tustin.

The dutiful mom showed up to pick up her attacked son but then the situation got uglier as she was carjacked at Fairhaven and Eastwood. Thankfully she was not hurt.

The carjacked vehicle was a Ford Expedition. The police put out an alert about the vehicle and it was eventually spotted in the area by police officers. They subsequently arrested three juvenile suspects at about 10:45 p.m. Monday night at the 13300 block of Flint in Tustin.

Eventually a man showed up at a local hospital with stab wounds. He is expected to survive but he was arrested and police believe he is the one who started the fight at the laundromat.

The SAPD is also apparently looking for the young man who called his mom for a pickup, inadvertently setting off the carjacking incident.

A Tustin woman is the first person to get the West Nile Virus in the O.C. this year

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(Santa Ana, CA) — A Tustin woman in her 50s was diagnosed this week with West Nile Virus (WNV) fever. She is the first human WNV infection identified in Orange County this season, according to the O.C. Health Care Agency.

In 2018, there were 12 reported human infections of WNV and 1 WNV-related death reported in Orange County. Most people who become infected with WNV do not experience symptoms, but about 20% will develop fever and may have headache, body aches, nausea, tiredness and sometimes a skin rash. More serious symptoms, such as severe headaches, neck stiffness, confusion, muscle weakness or paralysis, occur more rarely, but people who develop these symptoms should seek medical care immediately. People over 50 years of age and those with certain medical conditions are at increased risk of serious complications from WNV infection.

“West Nile Virus is endemic in Orange County, recurring every year during the summer months and continuing into the fall,” said Dr. Nichole Quick, County Health Officer. “The best way to avoid West Nile Virus infection is to take precautionary measures to avoid mosquito bites.”

Recommended WNV precautions include:

  • Emptying all standing water on your property to reduce areas in which mosquitoes may breed, including flower pots and pet bowls.
  • Making sure your window and door screens are in good condition.
  • Using insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or products containing IR3535, always following label directions.
  • Limiting outdoor activity at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.
  • Wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors.

Information on mosquito control is available on the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District’s website at www.ocvector.org. Other websites with helpful information about WNV include:

A woman was arrested in Costa Mesa in a stolen pickup truck after a crash and a police pursuit

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An unidentified woman who fled the scene of a crash in Tustin in a stolen vehicle led police on a pursuit through Costa Mesa on Thursday, Aug. 15, according to the O.C. Register.

Tustin police officers reported to the scene of a reported collision at about 5:30 p.m.. However the driver of a blue pickup truck involved in that crash took off before the police arrived.

The police later found out that the truck in question had been reported stolen. Fortunately they spotted it later that day in Tustin.

The suspect however did not pull over and instead led the police officers on a pursuit through Costa Mesa. The pursuit finally ended at about 6 p.m. in the area of Bristol Street and Anton Boulevard, according to the Tustin Police.

The suspect was identified to be a woman and was arrested on Thursday evening. The police did not release her identity to the media.

No injuries were reported in either the initial collision, or the eventual police pursuit.

Police are looking for a man who conducted an armed robbery at the District in Tustin

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An male suspect conducted an an armed robbery with a handgun at an unidentified store at the Tustin District on Friday, July 26.

The suspect was seen in the area and may have brandished the gun at another victim.

The suspect was described as a male White or Hispanic, mid-40s, 5’7”, thin build, last seen wearing a white and black colored ball cap, plaid long sleeve shirt, and blue jeans.

If you have information regarding this incident or believe you may have seen the suspect, please contact the Tustin Police at 714-573-3225.