New Santa Ana

Was the shooting of Elmer Perez, by the SAPD, justified?

Posted on December 18, 2010 by Editor Posted in Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Working Families 17 Comments

Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) officers shot and killed a man Thursday who was high on drugs but posed no threat to officers or his family, the victim’s sister-in-law said, according to the L.A. Times/OC Now.

The gun held by Elmer Alexander Perez, 27, turned out to be a replica, Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said. “There were no safety markings on the gun to indicate it was anything but a real gun,” Bertagna said, as reported by the O.C. Register.

I had a long conversation today with a friend who visited Perez’ family. He saw the bullet holes in the walls. He spoke to Perez’ pregnant wife, whose son saw his daddy die.

Was the shooting justified?

My friend said that the family told the SAPD that Perez was high and was not a threat to anyone but himself. They hoped he would get into rehab. That is not going to happen now.

The problem with such incidents is multifaceted. The police are not trained to wound. They are not equipped to bring a suspect down non-violently. They don’t like to use tasers as it puts them too close to the suspects. And the police know that domestic calls quite often turn into violent episodes that often claim the lives of police officers.

One has to wonder if the nation’s police departments are looking at better ways to arrest people, non-violently.

Cops in Great Britain and in Japan do not carry guns, for the most part. Is that something we should consider here, where so many criminals are armed to the teeth? Is there some other solution?

Back to the Perez case. According to my friend, one of the SAPD cops started asking Perez’ family, after the shooting, if they were here legally. If that is true, I find it most disturbing. I would have to believe that this was an attempt to intimidate this family. The family also reported that a senior officer showed up after the shooting and he yelled at the shooters, asking them why they did not call for back-up. This too was not reported in the Register or in the Times.

Clearly we need to investigate this incident thoroughly. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is investigating the incident, which is standard procedure for any officer-involved shooting, according to ABC News. Can we trust them to be objective? I hope so.

Don’t get me wrong, I think we have a lot of good police officers in town. But if we have some bad apples we need to know. And we need to stop them.

Downtown Santa Ana businesses rebelling against PBID assessment

Posted on December 18, 2010 by Editor Posted in Business, Santa Ana, Taxes 6 Comments

On the heels of the artist revolt in downtown Santa Ana comes yet another uprising – a group of businesses who want to get rid of the PBID – an annual assessment that business owners in that area have to pay in order to market, clean up and secure the downtown area.

There is no question that the PBID has succeeded in cleaning up the downtown area. And I think it is safer as well, despite the murder of a bar patron a few weeks ago when he was robbed and shot in a parking structure. But has the marketing worked?

The PBID is administered by a non-profit, Downtown, Inc. They have engaged in all sorts of creative marketing, bringing various events to the city and providing a lunchtime trolley.

The disgruntled business owners are arguing that the marketing has been ineffective, but the reality is that the marketing alone will not help some of these businesses.

For example, one of the upset business owners runs a laundromat. That business most definitely won’t benefit from the PBID, at least the marketing aspect of it. Their clients are largely renters who come from working families.

Many of the other rebellious owners run businesses that market to Santa Ana’s immigrant community. But that community is in disarray. Many of these residents have fled California, because of the recession, and quite a few have gone back home.

Many critics also question how the assessment was created in the first place. The city put it to a vote of the property owners, but weighted the ballots based on how much each would pay. One dollar, one vote, according to the O.C. Register.

I spoke to one of our Santa Ana Council Members about this. What the Council Member told me is that the issue is frustrating – the PBID is needed and if it goes away the city has no money to accomplish the same means. Goodbye safety and cleanliness in the downtown.

All of this leads me to wonder if there might be a third option? Instead of getting rid of the PBID, why not refine it? Get everyone together, redo the boundaries, assess the annual budget and slash it if there is consensus to do so. That would lower the assessments and given the boundary changes it might liberate a few of the business owners who are complaining.

Another thought – consider changing the assessment in terms of which businesses it applies to. I see no good reason to charge a laundromat four thousand a year for this program.

And yes, it sounds like the revised assessment should be put to another vote. If indeed folks did not know what was up last time, then lets put it to another vote. That would be the fair thing to do.

What really concerns me – and should worry the Council majority – is that the election is barely over and already we are seeing multiple flare-ups of discontent. In two years Mayor Miguel Pulido will likely face challenger Alfredo Amezcua, again. I doubt Mayor Pulido will roll over him so easily next time around if by then Amezcua has managed to continue to fan all of these fires.

One of Amezcua’s biggest supporters, Dr. Art Lomeli, is in fact a leader of the PBID rebellion. And he has a few followers in the Artists Village too. Amezcua promised that he would be a stone in Pulido’s shoe, and so far he is living up to that promise. The City Council better pay heed to all of this discontent as it looks to be snowballing and the year isn’t even over yet!

Christmas celebration at the Episcopal Church of the Messiah, in Santa Ana

Posted on December 18, 2010 by Editor Posted in Arts and Culture, Churches and Religion, Entertainment, Music, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

You’re invited to celebrate Christmas at the Episcopal Church of the Messiah! The program begins at 4 pm on Christmas Eve with the Children’s Christ Mass, a qualitatively different kind of children’s service. This Christ Mass is especially designed to speak to children “in their own language” and to draw them into the service as participants. Little kids (and their “big kid parents” as well!) are given costume head pieces and bells as they enter the church, and, as the Christmas story is told, everyone finds him or herself included, until we are all ringing our bells and worshiping, head pieces askew, around the manger! It’s a delightful experience for old and young alike.

Then at 10:30pm on Christmas Eve, the parish choir, accompanied by a brass quartet and the mighty Moeller pipe organ (the oldest in Orange County), will present a concert of carols, including three works by Z. Randall Stroope– one of which is his magnificent Hodie! Immediately following the concert, the festive Christ Mass will begin. We guarantee a short –but significant– sermon, and lots of music. Come early to ensure a good seat; everyone is welcome at God’s table. Invite a friend!

The Church is at 614 North Bush Street (corner of Bush and Civic Center) in Santa Ana.

www.messiah-santaana.org

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Episcopal-Church-of-the-Messiah-Santa-Ana-CA/160859177265515?v=wall

Supervisor Janet Nguyen gives birth to her first child

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Editor Posted in Garden Grove, Janet Nguyen, Orange County, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

County Board of Supervisor Chair Janet Nguyen gave birth to her first child, a baby boy, Wednesday afternoon.
Thomas Bonikowski III was born 12:46 p.m. and weighed in at just 7 lbs and 13 ounces, said the supervisor’s spokeswoman Kathryn Feath, according to the O.C. Register.

This took me by surprise! I had no idea that Nguyen was pregnant. Congratulations to her and to her husband, Bonikowski, who also serves as a Planning Commissioner in the City of Garden Grove. Bonikowski also co-owns a Lee’s Sandwiches franchise, along with former Nguyen Chief of Staff Andrew Do, in the City of Stanton. It should be noted that Do is a City Councilman in Garden Grove. He now runs his own law office.

In retrospect, Nguyen did look quite pregnant in the pictures above, which I found in Nguyen’s photo gallery.

Nguyen’s Supervisorial District includes the City of Santa Ana. She is supposedly working on redistricting before her re-election campaign in 2012. It remains to be seen if most of Santa Ana will still be in her district after that.

It is a little known fact that Nguyen honeymooned at a Mexican resort, with her former ally, Van Tran, who she endorsed this year in his race against Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez. Tran is way ahead of her as I believe he has two kids to her one.

Having a child is a life-changing experience. I believe this will be a benefit to Nguyen as she will now have something in common with families in her district. Santa Ana is the youngest city in Orange County.

Ben Franklin exhibit coming to the Bowers Museum on Dec. 18

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Editor Posted in Arts and Culture, Entertainment 3 Comments

Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World, at the Bowers Museum, from Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010, through Sunday, March 13, 2011.

Featuring seventy-five rare and important artifacts from Franklin’s life, this exhibition is an immersive, interactive visitor experience for all ages. The exhibition presents the stories of Franklin’s life through his personal belongings used during his early years in Boston as a rebellious teenager, during his life as a printer and during his years of service to the American colonies and the newly formed United States.

A scientist, inventor, diplomat, humorist, philanthropist and entrepreneur, Franklin’s dynamism comes to life further through hands-on and interactive activities and animations geared toward a school-aged audience.

Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World was originally organized and presented by the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary to mark the 300-year anniversary of Franklin’s birth (1706-2006). Supported by a lead grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary was founded by a consortium of Philadelphia cultural institutions: the American Philosophical Society, The Franklin Institute, the Library Company of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the University of Pennsylvania.

Learn more at www.BenFranklin300.org. After its international tour ended in March, 2008 it was redesigned by the Minnesota Historical Society who made it available to travel to other venues.

City of Santa Ana cancels trial valet parking program in Artists Village

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Editor Posted in Arts and Culture, Business, Civic Affairs, Santa Ana Leave a comment

There was a stunning development this afternoon in Santa Ana’s Artists Village, where the artists had been upset and had begun to organize because of concerns about a trial valet parking program run by the City of Santa Ana and the Downtown Santa Ana Restaurant Association.

The trial valet parking program has been canceled, according to an email sent by City of Santa Ana employee Gaby Lomeli, who has been working with the artist community.

Apparently the valet program will remain suspended until all of the parties involved, which also includes Downtown Inc., a marketing organization funded by building owners in Downtown Santa Ana, agree on how the program should function.

This is good news for the artists, who recently formed an organization called the Artists Village Alliance of Santa Ana (A.V.A.S.A.).

It is great to see all of the stakeholders in Downtown Santa Ana now working together for their mutual benefit. This can only bode well for everyone in that area.

AVASA is supposed to meet again on Friday. Click here to contact them.

There are still quite a few issues that the artists would like to see resolved, but this is a step in the right direction. I think that a valet program is a good idea, but now the different parties involved can work together to come up with a program that will work for everyone.

A transplant for Daniela Rodriguez, but not without our help!

Posted on December 16, 2010 by Editor Posted in Charities, Health and Medical, Santa Ana, Youth Activities 2 Comments

If you have children then you know that the worst thing in the world is for one of them to get sick – or worse. That is what my friend Luis Rodriguez has been contending with for some time now.

Many of you may remember Luis. He was a schoolteacher at the SAUSD. He was very involved in local politics for a time, but had to focus entirely on his family after his daughter, Daniela, took ill.

I heard from Luis tonight. He finally got some good news regarding his little girl’s medical condition, but he needs our help. Here are the details:

Dear Friends and Family,

As many of you may know, I have been posting over the last couple of years on Face book, the situation my daughter, Daniela, has been dealing with as a result of her kidney failure and a very rare disease known as Goodpastures Syndrome.

I am proud to say, I believe the end is near. Dr. Peter Stock of the University of California, San Francisco has accepted and agreed to perform the operation. He will be performing a double transplant which has never been done on a minor, ever. Unfortunately, he works in San Francisco and I live and work in Orange County. I need to raise money for lodging, food, transportation, and all other costs associated with the commute to San Francisco, the costs associated with the operation and the subsequent post operation expenses which will include several months of commuting to SF and back. Therefore, I am reaching out to you for assistance.

I need to raise money as soon as possible. I do not have a deadline, nor do I have timeframe, as we can receive a phone call at any minute to fly to San Francisco and have the surgery take place. Daniela is listed as a top priority on the transplant list. According to most experts, Daniela has a 3-5 year life span if she remains as a type 1 diabetic, and a dialysis patient, as dialysis uses sugar to do its job, the very same sugar which she is supposed to stay away from as a diabetic. We have currently entered into year 3 of being on dialysis and being diabetic.
.
I have 372 friends as of today. If I can reach out to you, and ask for $100, I will have almost reached my entire goal, and Daniela will have what she needs. I am asking each one of you, my friends, and my family to please, if you are able to assist, I would appreciate it. If you are able to give more, I thank you. If you are able to give less, I too am extremely grateful. I thank you in advance for your contribution and your continued friendship and love.

How can you help?

Please go to this website created by my very good friend and owner of A-Z Techs, Belinda De La Libertad – www.danielastransplant.com.

At the website you can learn more about Daniela and her disease, and how you can donate.

If you are not comfortable giving through the internet, please feel free to contact me at this email; donate@danielastransplant.com, as well as contacting me through facebook and I will be more than happy to give you other alternatives.

Your help is greatly appreciated/

Luis Rodriguez.
Daniela’s Transplant
www.danielastransplant.com

Can the artists thrive in Santa Ana’s Artists Village?

Posted on December 16, 2010 by Editor Posted in Arts and Culture, Business, Santa Ana 21 Comments

When I first heard that an Artists Village was going to be created in downtown Santa Ana, I had my doubts. I had never heard of such a place being created artificially by a city. I was quite familiar with the Melrose District, a place where the arts sprang up unbidden. Generally when this happens it does so in areas that are somewhat dilapidated. But, eventually these areas become gentrified, and the artists get squeezed out.

So the Artists Village concept worried me. I wondered if it was just an exercise in gentrification. I wondered how the artists would be able to become financially self-supporting. Now, many years later, some of those worries have returned.

Don’t get me wrong, Downtown Santa Ana is thriving. But many of the artists are struggling to survive. Some of the artists have fallen behind on their rent. And many of them are beginning to get disgruntled, over a number of issues.

The Voice of OC published a post on Wednesday, about one of the artists at the Santora, Matthew Southgate. I have been working with him to help start up an organization to represent the interests of the artists.

In the Voice of OC post, Southgate appears to be quite angry. He is actually a pretty mellow guy, but he is indeed perturbed about a few things, as are many of his peers.

But will that anger result in any positive changes? I think not. The problem is that the artists have no leverage. Founding their own organization will help, but they need to become a non-profit organization as soon as possible. And they need to stay positive instead of going negative.

I do think the artists can thrive in Downtown Santa Ana, but not if they continue to engage in business as usual. For the artists to survive, I think they are going to have to look at a few new ideas, including:

Gaining non-profit status for their association, so they can apply for government grants, including CDBG grants.
Find a way to work with the folks at Downtown, Inc. and the Downtown Santa Ana Restaurant Association. These folks are all about bringing people with money to spend to the Artists Village. How in the world is that a bad thing? Join them at the table and be sure to add your voices to the mix. Tossing stones at them will accomplish nothing.
Find a way to work with the City of Santa Ana’s administrators and local elected officials. Attacking them is just going to anger them. There are good people at City Hall. It is time for diplomacy, not guerra! And forget about working with Alfredo Amezcua. He was soundly rejected by the voters this year. Work with Mayor Miguel Pulido. He has always been a patron of the arts. His son goes to OCHSA. Pulido is himself a musician. He is married to a writer. He is your friend, not your enemy!
Find a way to work with Mike Harrah. He has contributed a lot to the Artists Village, yet many artists readily attack him and don’t cut him any slack. He is a businessman. He has a right to make a profit. Why attack him? That is just nonsense! So he is advertising Original Mike’s on the Santora Building. Perhaps the sign is ugly – I don’t know as I have not seen it – but he has invested a ton of money in that restaurant. I cannot blame him for wanting to market it. Harrah is currently allowing many artists to stay at the Santora even though they owe back-rent. The guy deserves kudos for that, not slaps to the face!
Why not have a Faces of Harrah event? Get everyone to paint a unique Harrah portrait and sell them to raise money to help the artists who are struggling. He is a good sport. I bet he would show up to the event and pose for pictures. He could cater the event with food from Original Mike’s!
Partner with local education organizations and get involved with existing non-profits that help to expose taggers to the arts. They may discover the next Diego Rivera or Frida Kahlo!
Develop a marketing fund so they can buy advertising targeting architects, interior designers and corporate buyers (such as the folks that buy artwork for hotels). And make use of free marketing tools. Every artist in Santa Ana should have a Facebook page and a Twitter feed, just for starters. They also should load pictures of all their products in a Flickr feed, or use Google Picasa.
Start a “Friends of the Artists Village” organization so Santa Ana residents can pitch in to help – they could buy annual memberships for a low price, such as $25, receiving a monthly newsletter, a t-shirt, a bumper sticker and invites to exclusive member-only events.
How about taking the Santa Ana Artists Village on tour? Get a van and go set up exhibits throughout the County. Let folks outside the city know who you are, what you do, and where they can go to meet you and buy your products on a regular basis!
Organize a Santa Ana international food festival, like the one that has been such a success in Orange for so many years. We are the most culturally diverse city in Orange County. Surely we can pull this off! And it would bring a lot of folks to our downtown area. How about a Viet-Mex Festival? Wouldn’t that be something!
Actually, why not a Tet Festival too?
And why not an annual Gay Rights event? A big one with musical acts, stage performances, performance art, and food vendors. Money raised could go to AIDS research.
How about setting up a program to exhibit artwork produced by local artists in prominent Santa Ana businesses and organizations? Let’s put some local art in the O.C. Register’s lobby; and throughout the MainPlace Mall; and at the CityPlace, and at the Hutton Centre – and at local restaurants.
How about working to convince the City of Santa Ana to allow tattoo shops and Hookah bars in our downtown area? We need edgier businesses like that to bring more patrons to our downtown!
How about partnering with El Centro Cultural de Mexico on a few joint projects and events? How about starting an artist exchange program with artists in Mexico?
And when are we bringing Lucha Libre to Downtown Santa Ana?

If the artists are to survive at our Artists Village we all need to pitch in and help them. Mention their products to your friends at work. Link to their Facebook pages and websites. Promote them in social media. Join the Friends of the Artists Village. Don’t just sit there and watch them fade away. They are and should remain a vital part of Downtown Santa Ana.

Council installation ceremony quite upbeat

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Editor Posted in Alfredo Amezcua, Carlos Bustamante, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 7 Comments

Last evenings city council installation ceremony was great success that had a very upbeat vibe about it. Mayor Miguel Pulido and Councilmembers Michele Martinez, David Benavides and Sal Tinajero all reaffirmed their oath’s of office and the 2010-2012 Santa Ana City Council was seated joining their colleagues Claudia Alvarez, Carlos Bustamante and Vince Sarmiento.

Despite a small gathering of protesters organized by the failed Amezcua campaign the evening went off without a hitch and each of the councilmembers and the mayor offered up encouraging words for our city’s future. It looks like all seven members of the council are committed to moving forward with an agenda that will help improve the quality of life for all of our residents and not let the naysayers and malcontents hold us back.

The highlights of the evening had to have been Councilmember Benavides daughter holding Benavides late father’s Bible during his swearing in and the moving tribute to Councilmember Martinez late mother. Benavides father passed away last year and Martinez mother died the day before the election this year.

It was great to see the families of all of our elected officials and many of our city staff. Sometimes in the brutal battles that take place in the political arena we lose sight of the fact that these folks are human like the rest of us and have families that love them very much. Last night allowed us all to see that very human side of our leaders. Mayor Pulido’s son Miguelito even helped entertain the crowd at the Bowers Museum reception by playing classical guitar along with his classmates from the Orange County High School of the Arts.

There was one matter of business before the council last night and that was the selection of Mayor Pro Tem. The council unanimously selected the current Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez to continue on in that position. The solid support from her colleagues is a testament to the leadership shown by Alvarez durin her tenure on the council.

Last night’s event left me feeling very good about the future of our city and I am excited to watch what our city leaders do to move our city forward over the next two years. Lets hope the malcontents and the naysayers will get on board and help make Santa Ana a better place.

Pulido keeps it positive at swearing in ceremony

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Editor Posted in 2010 Elections, Alfredo Amezcua, Civic Affairs, Miguel Pulido, Santa Ana 1 Comment

While failed Santa Ana mayoral candidate Alfredo Amezcua and about 15 of his unhappy followers froze outside, the Santa Ana City Council Members and Mayor Miguel Pulido were sworn in on Tuesday evening. Later on they convened at the Bowers Museum for more festivities.

For Council Member Michele Martinez the evening was special. She asked Jeff Bishop, an administrator at the SAUSD, to swear her in. Some years ago he decided to work with her rather than expel her from Santa Ana High School. As we all now know, his decision directly led her to where she is today. Martinez wrote about this on her blog, where she also mentioned her mother, who recently passed away.

Pulido laid out a list of priorities that included more jobs, a mass-transit line through downtown, more street trees and a renewed focus on health. He described Santa Ana as a “magical place.” “At the end of the day,” he said, “if things are working well, you’re seeing good results, then we’re doing our jobs,” according to the O.C. Register.

Congratulations to all the Council Members and to Mayor Pulido. Kudos to Pulido for keeping his message positive. What a contrast between his message and Amezcua’s “discontented vigil.”

I look forward to working with our City Council to find ways to better ways to serve the public.

New organization formed to represent artists and others in the Santa Ana Artist Village

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Editor Posted in Arts and Culture, Business, Santa Ana 6 Comments

When the City of Santa Ana partnered with the Downtown Santa Ana Restaurant Association to begin a trial valet parking program, utilizing metered parking spaces on the streets surrounding the Artist Village, the local artists felt left out as they were not consulted.

Now the artists have organized themselves into a new organization of independent artists and citizens called the Artists Village Alliance of Santa Ana (A.V.A.S.A.). This group has formed out of their mutual concern for the future of the Artist Village.

This new group feels that the most urgent issue in the Artist Village that needs to be addressed is the valet parking program, according to an email distributed this evening by A.V.A.S.A.

The founding board of A.V.A.S.A. (Artists Village Alliance of Santa Ana) include:

Margie Zuliani
Matt Southgate
Kalim Quevedo
Moises Camacho
Joseph Hawa
Theo Hirsch
Alicia Rojas
Yenny Bernal
Salvador Ruiz

Click here to contact A.V.A.S.A..

Lyon Street Community “Christmas In The Neighborhood” on Dec. 18

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Editor Posted in Charities, Entertainment, Santa Ana, Working Families, Youth Activities 2 Comments

In The Lyon St. Neighborhood – Annual Street Fair!

Saturday, December 18, 2010

11:00 am – 2:00 pm

801 S. Lyon Street (Between Village Meadows & Las Fuentes Apartments)

Entertainment includes:

Music
Fun & Games
Refreshments
BRING YOUR CAMERA & TAKE Pictures with Santa
Face Painting
Bouncers
Popcorn
Food
Kids Play Zone
Design Your own Ginger Bread Man

Sponsored By:

LYON STREET COMMUNITY
FAMILIES TOGETHER OF O.C.
STARBRIGHT
Participating Apartments:
VILLAGE MEADOWS
LAS FUENTS
WARWICK SQUARE
CHATHAM VILLAGE
REGENCY WEST

Click here to see the event flyer.

OC Fire Authority desperately needs more holiday toys for needy children

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Editor Posted in Anaheim, Charities, Entertainment, Working Families, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Toys are desperately needed in Orange County this Holiday Season and all OC Fire Stations are collecting toys. Please help! The toy warehouse, which is staffed by volunteers, is ready to fill orders for toy distribution but is in dire need of new unwrapped toys and gift cards.

With the poor economy and people without jobs, the need for toys this year is up dramatically.

Right now it looks like they just don’t have enough donations. Please do what you can to help!

How to Donate

You can donate online with a credit card through the California Community Foundation (CCF). All proceeds will go to buying toys or sports equipment for the children.

And you can also drop off your new, unwrapped toys or sports equipment at your local Fire Station or CVS/pharmacy.

For 18 years, ABC7 and firefighters from Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, along with the Los Angeles City Fire Department, have joined forces to run the “Spark of Love Toy Drive”. This campaign collects new, unwrapped toys and sports equipment for the under served children in our communities. Toys collected in the respective counties are distributed locally. Last year alone, “Spark of Love” collected over 500,000 toys within all five counties and we want to top that total this year, so please help the firefighter’s ignite a spark of love in a child’s heart.

Join Garth the Elf for Stuff-A-Bus events

This year there will be four Stuff-A-Bus events. On four days in November and December, from 5 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., you can help ABC7′s Garth Kemp (dressed as a giant elf) stuff a bus full of toys.

On Friday, Dec. 17, Garth the Elf will be at the Honda Center in Anaheim

View an interactive map and get directions to all the Stuff-A-Bus locations

Friday, December 17
ABC7 & Southland Firefighters
“Stuff a Bus”
5 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Honda Center
2695 East Katella Ave.
Anaheim, 92806
(818) 863-7220

LULAC reception for president of Coastline Community College, on Dec. 16

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Editor Posted in Anaheim, Education, Entertainment, Latino Leaders, Latinos, Youth Activities Leave a comment

The Orange County League of United Latino American Citizens (LULAC) Foundation is hosting a welcoming reception for the president of Coastline Community College, Dr. Lori Adria.

The reception will be held on Thursday, December 16 from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm at the Casa Garcia Restaurant located at 531 West Chapman Street, Anaheim, CA 92802

Your attendance to this reception will demonstrate LULAC’s precense in the community and it strong support for the obtainment of higher education for our Latino Youth.

If you need more information call Benny Diaz at (714) 357-4328 or email: bennydiaz@sbcglobal.net. Click here to RSVP on Facebook.

Amezcua’s vigil of malcontents

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Editor Posted in 2010 Elections, Alfredo Amezcua, David Benavides, Extremism, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana 4 Comments

On Saturday afternoon I received an email from a group calling itself “Santa Ana Coalition for Better Government” and they were announcing their plans for a protest at City Hall Tuesday. As Art Pedroza wrote on Saturday this group is just a front operation for failed Mayoral candidate Alfredo Amezcua. It is evident that Amezcua and his supporters have no plans on be gracious in defeat.

The protest, which they have labeled a “Vigil of Discontent”, is scheduled to take place prior to the inaugaration of three of our finest city leaders, Mayor Miguel Pulido, Councilmember Sal Tinajero and Councilmember Michele Martinez along with Councilmember David Benavides. Amezcua and his supporters want you to join the “community” in protest, doesn’t he realize that it was the community that overwhelmingly defeated him in November.

This event is nothing more than a side show created to make people think that the residents of Santa Ana are opposed to the great council majority that will lead our city for years to come. As we all saw from the election results the residents support our Mayor and council majority. This is sour grapes from the Amezcua camp and a demonstration that they lack any class whatsoever.

I find it laughable that Amezcua is now “discontented” with Mayor Pulido and company. It appears that Amezcua, a long time ally of Pulido and the “white” power structure here in Santa Ana, only started to express his discontent once Pulido refused to invest in Amezcua’s failed Santa Ana Business Bank and once Pulido turned his back on his old “angry white” voter base and began to allign himself with the more progressive Latino’s on the council.

The time for politics and campaign rally’s is over Al. It is time to help our elected officials and other city leaders move Santa Ana forward. Cheap publicity stunts like the one you have organized for Tuesday does nothing to bring the community together or help make Santa Ana a better place. You lost, move on. Stop with these silly vigil’s of malcontents.

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