Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

The SAPD is searching for a suspect who tried to rob a Wells Fargo bank
August 12, 2020 - Banking, Crime, Santa Ana, SAPD - No Comments

On March 23, 2020 at approximately 2:48 p.m., the wanted suspect entered the Wells Fargo located at 2301 S. Main Street, Santa Ana and attempted to commit a robbery. The suspect simulated a handgun, produced a note demanding money and gave it to the teller. The teller was able to cause a delay, resulting in…

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Former Councilman and School Board Member Rob Richardson’s memorial set for August 13
August 11, 2020 - Civic Affairs, Rob Richardson, Santa Ana, SAUSD - No Comments

Former Santa Ana City Council man and SAUSD Trustee Rob Richardson will be remembered at an invitation-only celebration at 1:30 pm on Thursday, August 13th. The service will be broadcast via Facebook Live on his Facebook page, so those who are not attending in person may join online and celebrate Richardson.

Supervisors Chaffee and Do expand COVID-19 testing capacity for schools
August 11, 2020 - Andrew Do, Disease, Education, Orange County, Santa Ana - No Comments

Santa Ana, CA – Today the Orange County Board of Supervisors approved a plan, authored by Supervisor Doug Chaffee and Vice Chairman Andrew Do, that will allow public and private schools to utilize county-run COVID-19 testing drive thru sites as part of the school re-opening waiver application “School closures were necessary to keep communities safe back in March and…

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Jose Solorio set for the Santa Ana Political Chismes podcast on 8/22
August 11, 2020 - 2020 Elections, Civic Affairs, Elections, Jose Solorio, Podcasts, Santa Ana - 1 Comment

Join us on Saturday morning, August 22, at 9:30 a.m. for our Santa Ana Political Chismes podcast with Santa Ana City Councilman Jose Solorio, who is running for Santa Ana Mayor in this November’s General Election. This will be our first morning podcast so be sure to get your cafe ready! To listen to the…

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Sneak peak of new anteater exhibit at the Santa Ana Zoo this weekend

Posted on by Posted in Education, Entertainment, Nature, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Enjoy a sneak peak of the Santa Ana Zoo’s new Tierra de las Pampas exhibit this Saturday!

Lots of fun coming up at the Santa Ana Zoo this month, including:

  • April 10: Zoo-B-Que and Tierra de las Pampas Sneak Peek!: 11am – 2pm.  Sneak Peek of new exhibit.  Members get FREE train rides, music, crafts, BBQ hot dogs, opportunity drawing and extra discounts. Model Train Show at the Santa Ana Zoo this weekend.  Train layouts by Del Oro Pacific Modular Railroad. Operation Lifesaver will have givaways for the kids to teach rail safety, on Saturday only. Ride the Zoofari Express train (did you know this is the old train from Santa’s Village?). Continue reading→

Calacas teams up with SolArt for Mexicali Relief, after 7.2 earthquake

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Charities, Latinos, Mexico, Santa Ana, Working Families Leave a comment

Courtesy of our friends at Don Palabraz:

In Southern Cali, last week’s Easter earthquake was a slow and easy roller. But to our hermanos in Mexicali where the epicenter of the 7.2 tremor was, the devastation took much more of a toll. Locally, SolArt and Calacas culture and clothing store will be collection donations to take down across the border this weekend. If you are in and around the Santa Ana area, you can drop off things like bottled water and toilet paper at Calacas during their operating hours all day Sunday. The store is located at 324 W. 4th Street in Santa Ana. Or you could drop an email those provided to the flyer above and arrange for a drop off with SolArt volunteers who will actually be taking the donated supplies down to Mexicali on Sunday.

New Facebook group asks Congresswoman Sanchez to co-sponsor the Dream Act

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Democratic Party, Education, Garden Grove, immigration, Latinos, Santa Ana, Youth Activities 1 Comment

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez dresses up for the Tet Festival but won’t co-sponsor the Dream Act

A new Facebook page is asking Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez to co-sponsor the Dream Act.  Here is what they are saying online:

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez is running for re-election this year and has refused to co-sponsor the DREAM Act once again. Every year that students have met with her, its the same story…that she will not co-sponsor. Ms. Sanchez has referred to a DREAM student as “selfish” for wanting to fulfill his professional DREAM. We are tired of Loretta NOT representing the community. It is time that our voices are heard once and for all! Enough is enough!! If you live in her district and demand that she support ALL students, please join this group.

Loretta Sanchez represents the 47th Congressional District, which encompasses the Southern California cities of Santa Ana and Garden Grove and portions of Anaheim and Fullerton. Continue reading→

OC Young Democrats announce 2010 primary endorsements

Posted on by Posted in Democratic Party, Elections, Loretta Sanchez, Politics, Santa Ana 9 Comments

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez was endorsed by the OC Young Democrats

PRESS RELEASE: 4/09/2010

For Immediate Release

Contact Jose Vargas, Communications Director OCYD (562) 324-3097

Orange County Young Democrats Announce June 2010 Primary Candidate Endorsements

April 9, 2010, Santa Ana, CA – The Orange County Young Democrats yesterday voted to endorse a slate of Democratic candidates who will appear on the June 8th Primary ballot. At their monthly general meeting in Santa Ana more than 50 young democrats from around Orange County gathered to listen to local candidates and elected officials discuss their plans for the future of California. The candidates offered a vision of what change would look like at the county level, sharing their thoughts about healthcare, education, and the role young democrats will play the upcoming election cycle.

The following candidates received the endorsement of the Orange County Young Democrats: Continue reading→

Join the fight against women’s cancer, on April 16, in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Charities, Health and Medical, Latinos, Santa Ana, Women, Youth Activities 1 Comment

Join us in the Fight Against Women’s Cancers. Kim Garcia will be participating and raising funds for the EIF/Revlon Run/Walk for Women’s Cancers. This event is being produced by Vaults Of Fortune and Hosted by Lorena Maae Insurance Agency.

The fundraising event will include Art, Wine & Breads and Information on Earthquake preparedness.  Featured Artist Amber Orosco will be displaying beautiful works of art.

All proceeds will go towards supporting Kim’s goal of $500 to the EIF/Revlon Run/Walk. All donations are tax deductible.

Donations can be made on line at : https://www.revlonrunwalk.com/la/secure/MyWebPage.cfm?pID=526482 

Please join us in supporting the cause. You are not required to make a donation to attend the event. Continue reading→

SAPD DUI checkpoint set for Saturday night, near Delhi Neighborhood

Posted on by Posted in Civil Rights, immigration, Latinos, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The blue marker above are past SAPD DUI checkpoints.  The next one is coming this Saturday, at the pink marker.

The Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) will be conducting a DUI/driver license checkpoint on Saturday, April 10, from 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m., near the area of 500 W. Warner Ave., which lies just west of the historic Delhi Neighborhood, according to Theresa Cisneros, of the O.C. Register, in a Facebook comment.

As you might recall, I researched all of the DUI checkpoints conducted by the SAPD over the past two years and disclosed in a post on this blog that they never set up checkpoints in the extreme northern and southern areas of our city.  They set them up in Latino neighborhoods.  In my opinion, this is done so more cars can be seized from immigrants, although the SAPD says otherwise.

The numbers however don’t lie.  There have been 115 DUI arrests, out of over 17,000 vehicles that have passed through the checkpoints. Of those vehicles, 4,573 were actually screened, on a random basis. Only 125 field sobriety tests have been conducted. Continue reading→

Slow news day Norberto?

Posted on by Posted in Blogs, Media Links, Santa Ana 1 Comment
Voice of OCEA’s Norberto Santana Jr.

A new blog site rolled out earlier this month and thus far has not made too much of a splash.  The “Voice of OC”, or what it should more appropriately be called the “Voice of OCEA”, has glossed itself “Orange County’s Nonprofit Investigative News Agency”.   Yah right, just like the Liberal OC is “Challenging Orange County’s Right-Wing Noise Machine”.

Wednesday must have been a particularly slow news day for Editor-in-Chief Norberto Santana Jr. and the rest of the folks on his staff. Santana wrote a ridiculous post entitled “The Mellowing Effect of Elections in Santa Ana” in which he ridicules the Santa Ana City Council for presenting proclomations and for honoring folks, including veterans, at the city council meeting. I wonder if he’d be complaining if the “Voice’s” sugar daddy Nick Beradino was being honored.

Santana opines, “You can tell we’ve hit election season in Santa Ana just by showing up at a city council meeting and seeing how council members spend their time.”

Uhh Norberto the Santa Ana City Council meetings have been filled with all this fluff for decades election year or not. Your bio says you “spent a decade covering local governments across Southern California”, I guess you never made it to Santa Ana for a council meeting.

Click here to read the rest of this post.

Santa Ana could make money off Easter Cruising instead of losing thousands

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Cruisers, Culture, Latinos, Lowriders, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

I was pretty upset when I found out that the Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) assigned 125 cops to go after the Easter Cruisers this past weekend. 

I found a video on YouTube that chronicled what went on this Sunday.  I translated the text on that site below:

In the middle of Easter Sunday, the Police Department Santa Ana, was conducting traffic control in different areas of the city. Continue reading→

No Permit Issued By City For Amezcua Office Protest

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Elections, Latinos, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

One of the rallying cries we have been hearing from the supporters of mayoral candidate Alfredo Amezcua is that the city of Santa Ana issued Alex Vega a permit prior to his protest in front of Amezcua’s office on Monday evening.  I just spoke with a high ranking source within city hall and they told me that no permit was issued because no permit was required.  They stated Vega had a “First Amendment right” to protest.

The issue of a permit was first raised by Amezcua confidente Dr. Art Lomeli in comments posted on this blog.  “I understand Alex Vega sought and recieved from the city of Santa Ana a permit to protest in front of Mr. Amezcua’s legal practice,” said Lomeli.  “The city gave a permit to a political soldier of the Mayor who’s purpose is to attack a resident and political challenger to the Mayor for the purpose to defame and damge the protest target’s ability to earn a living.”

Lomeli went on to infer that Chief Paul Walters, the Santa Ana Police Department and city staff were complicit in Vega’s attack on a political rival of Mayor Pulido.  This is simply not true and I believe that Dr. Lomeli and the Amezcua campaign owe the Chief and others an apology for implying this

Continue reading No Permit Issued By City For Amezcua Office Protest

Councilwoman Martinez to host a Station District Town Hall meeting on April 21

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Michele Martinez, Real Estate, Santa Ana, Transportation Leave a comment

Santa Ana Council Member Michele Martinez is hosting a Station District Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, April 21, at 6:30 pm, at Garfield Elementary School, located at 850 Brown St., in Santa Ana.

City Staff and representatives from the Orange County Transportation Authority & Southern California Association of Governments will be available to discuss issues and concerns related to the Station District, which is in Ward 2, which Council Member Martinez represents.

Click here for more information about the Pacific Electric Right of Way, provided by SCAG.  Continue reading→

Chief Walters honors fallen hero

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Veterans Leave a comment
 
Photo courtesy of JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Thousands of people lined the streets and filled St. Martin De Porres Catholic Church in Yorba Linda to pay there respects to Lance Cpl. Rick Centanni.  Centanni was killed on March 24th along with another Marine from Yorba Linda Sgt. Major Robert Cottle when an improvised explosive device exploded in Afghanistan.

Centanni is the son of Santa Ana Police Sgt. Jon Centanni.  Hundreds of officers from Santa Ana and other agencies across the county were there to offer their support to Centanni and to honor his son.  Ironically Cottle was a police officer as well, he was a member of the LAPD.

Lance Cpl. Centanni hoped to follow in his fathers footsteps one day and become a Santa Ana police officer.  Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters made the younger Centanni a police officer today, presenting his father with an honorary badge, a nameplate and identification card.  The badge inscribed with number 3228 will never be worn again by a Santa Ana officer.

Click here to read the rest of this post.

O.C. Young Democrats endorsing candidates in Santa Ana this Thursday

Posted on by Posted in Democratic Party, Elections, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

The Orange County Young Democrats meet here in Santa Ana.  here is their latest announcement regarding their upcoming meeting, on Thursday, April 8.  They will be making endorsements for the upcoming primary election in June.

Election season is closer than you think!

Please join us this Thursday for our next meeting. We will be endorsing candidates for both statewide and local office who have elections on the June 8th primary. We will be making endorsements for:

  • Senate, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, Secretary of State, State Controller, State Treasurer, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Continue reading→

Ceci Iglesias’ Campaign Kickoff for 47th C.D. on April 17

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Elections, Latinos, Politics, Santa Ana 7 Comments

 

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 6, 2010
Contact: Sylvia Barriga,  (800) 947-0468, ext. 105

Cecilia Iglesias, Independent Candidate for the 47th Congressional District, announces her Campaign Kickoff

Cecilia Iglesias, Independent Candidate for the 47th Congressional District, is having her campaign kickoff on Saturday, April 17, 2010, starting at 6:00 p.m. at the Sheraton Park Hotel Anaheim Resort, located at 1855 South Harbor Blvd., in the city of Anaheim.

“As a resident of district 47 for more than 30 years, I know the needs of my community. I have been serving the community for 19 years, and it will be a great honor, and privilege to be your representative in Washington. I believe that united we can face our current and future challenges as a nation, and together we can find sustainable solutions.” “Unity has been the reason why our great nation has maintained its global leadership and has allowed us to succeed in the worst adversities.” said Iglesias. Continue reading→

Com-Link accepting applications for the 2010 Neighborhood Hero Awards

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Neighborhood Associations, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Washington Square resident Tim Rush was a Neighborhood Hero in 1999

The Com-Link Board is now accepting nominations for the 2010 Neighborhood Hero Award. The award was established in 1997 by the Com-Link Board in order to honor those residents of Santa Ana who have shown commitment and enthusiasm toward improving the quality of life in their neighborhoods.

All residents and other members of neighborhood associations are encouraged to nominate outstanding leaders. Nominations are due April 20th, selection of award recipients will take place on May 4th and the awards ceremony will be on June 24th.

Click here to download the nomination form.  Click here to see the 2009 Neighborhood Heroes.   Click here to see all the past winners.  For more information, go to the Com-Link website at http://www.ci.santa-ana.ca.us/cda/com-link.asp or call Neighborhood Improvement at 714-667-2260.

If you sign up you will receive a free pass for thirty days to 24 hour fitness. Continue reading→