Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Tag Archives: downtown santa ana

Downtown Santa Ana will be celebrating Black Friday too!

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Business, Santa Ana 1 Comment

For Immediate Press Release

Santa Ana, CA – Nov.21, 2016 – Black Friday has always been about big box retail establishments sharing the biggest deals of the season but in 2016 Downtown Santa Ana will provide an eclectic, easy going and interesting approach to Black Friday while offering customers tons of shopping fun. For example, our Downtown Santa Ana Black Friday will be topped off with a whole roasted pig by Chef Ross at the grand opening of Mix Mix Kitchen Bar where carvings and cocktails will be handed out to the whole community. Continue reading→

The DTSA Farmers’ Market is back!

Posted on by Posted in Food, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Community: The DTSA Farmers’ Market is Back!

After our closure for Fiestas Patrias, the Downtown Santa Ana Farmers’ Market is back this Sunday!

You’ll find fresh produce, artisan foods, rotating food trucks, family-friendly entertainment, and more every Sunday from 10am-2pm at 3rd & Bush, including some special surprises for #SantaAnaSundays. CalFresh/EBT is accepted market-wide and matched up to $15. Continue reading→

The County is installing new bathrooms for the homeless at the Civic Center

Posted on by Posted in Andrew Do, homeless, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Tackling Homelessness: County of Orange to Install New Bathrooms at Civic Center – Providing 24/7 Access for Homeless

By: First District Supervisor Andrew Do

(Santa Ana, California)— As part of its comprehensive response to homelessness, the County of Orange is moving forward with plans to install new bathrooms at the Orange County Civic Center, providing 24-hour access for hundreds of people who are currently homeless.

Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, who has spearheaded the county’s homeless response, said that bathroom access is one of the most frequent complaints he’s heard from his discussions with homeless residents. Continue reading→

Savor Santa Ana set for September 16 in DTSA

Posted on by Posted in Alcohol, Food, Restaurants, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Downtown Inc. presents: Savor Santa Ana on Friday, September 16, 2016 from 5:00 pm-9:00 pm. Savor Santa Ana is a fun night of friends and food. $10 gets you five tastings at your choice of nearly 50 distinctive restaurants and artisanal food producers across Downtown Santa Ana!

Savor Santa Ana is a walkable food festival that gets you into downtown’s restaurants: your tastings will occur at downtown restaurants that you will walk around to. Stroll the sidewalks and enjoy live music along the way, or hop on to our free historic trolley for a ride to your next destination. Continue reading→

Downtown Santa Ana barber arrested for lewd acts with a minor

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment
Ruben Olguin

Suspect: Ruben Olguin

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Detectives Arrest Barber For Lewd Acts With A Minor. Request Public Assistance In Identifying Additional Victims

On Friday, August 14, 2015, at 11:00 AM, Santa Ana Police Detectives arrested 51-year-old Ruben Olguin of Santa Ana, for PC 288(c)(1), Lewd Acts with a Child. Olguin was arrested from his place of employment, the Salon De Belleza Nuevo Guadalajara, 118 E. 4th St. in Santa Ana.

In July, a 14 year old victim and his mother went to their usual barber, Ruben Olguin, who works in the Salon De Belleza Nuevo Guadalajara in Santa Ana. The victim and his mother had been to the same barber several times and trusted him. Olguin took the victim to a private location to the rear of the Salon to wash and shampoo the child’s hair. There, it is alleged Olguin molested the victim while the mother waited in the front of the store. Continue reading→

Transient robs the B of A in Downtown Santa Ana but a tracking device leads to his arrest

Posted on by Posted in Banking, Crime, FBI, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Dia Chanh Diep

Dia Chanh Diep, a 43 year-old transient who robbed a  Bank of America branch located at 102 W. Fourth Street in Downtown Santa Ana, on Tuesday at 5 p.m., was arrested minutes later because the bundle of money he stole contained a dye pack and a tracking device inside, according to the SAPD.

Diep presented the teller with a note, which stated he had a gun and demanded money. Out of fear for her safety, the teller provided the suspect with an undisclosed amount of U.S. currency. The suspect fled the location on foot.  Continue reading→

Man arrested after using a pickaxe to threaten a man taking pictures of the homeless in DTSA

Posted on by Posted in Crime, homeless, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Isaiah Gassaway

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Suspect Arrested For Assaulting Victims With A Pickaxe And Possession Of A Stolen Vehicle

Arrested: Isaiah Gassaway (23) Santa Ana

Summary: Thu, 7/2/15 at approx. 9:06 a.m., SAPD Communications received calls of a subject who had reportedly pulled out a pickaxe and began waving it around at the intersection of Ross and Civic Center.

Officers responded to the area and detained the suspect (Isaiah Gassaway) without incident. Investigation determined that a subject had been taking photographs of the homeless population and this angered the suspect. The suspect then brandished the pickaxe at the photographer and chased him with it. Continue reading→

Downtown Santa Ana community update presentation set for May 13

Posted on by Posted in Business, Entertainment, Santa Ana 3 Comments

Downtown Santa Ana Community Update

For Immediate Release

Media Contact: Ryan Chase President, Downtown Inc. info@downtown-inc.com (949) 292-1404

Downtown Community Update Presentation

The Community is invited for an update on downtown hosted by Downtown Inc. Wednesday, May 13th – The Frida Cinema (305 E. 4th St.)

May 8, 2016 – Downtown Inc. is asking neighbors, artists, residents, businesses, and friends to attend a presentation and update on downtown Santa Ana.

Topics will include some exciting reveals and also popular topics of discussion from Parking and Biking to Economic Development, the Arts and more. The presentation will highlight recent accomplishments and downtown milestones, and announce Downtown Inc.’s 2015-2016 strategies to create a mutually-supportive and better connected DTSA. Continue reading→

Poll – should Santa Ana double public parking fees in DTSA?

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, David Cavazos, Santa Ana 8 Comments

Grinch David Cavazos

Santa Ana City Manager David Cavazos was known for nickle and diming the residents of Phoenix when he worked in that city. We warned Santa Ana’s City Council that he would do the same thing here but they hired him and overpaid him anyway.  Now our predictions are coming true, sad to say.

This time Cavazos wants to increase public parking fees in Downtown Santa Ana (DTSA).  “He is working to convince city officials and merchants that higher rates would benefit the city,” according to the O.C. Register.

In downtown Santa Ana, meter rates are 75 cents an hour. Parking garages charge $1 per hour, $7 per day and $40 per month. To Cavazos, it’s mind-boggling that the nearby Health Care Agency parking structure charges $4 an hour while the city’s meters charge 75 cents and off-street parking facilities charge $1 per hour.

Continue reading→

Black Friday DTSA deals are on all weekend!

Posted on by Posted in Business, Deals, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Black Friday Santa Ana

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Ryan Smolar, Consultant to Downtown, Inc., (213) 268-4924, info@downtown-inc.com

Shop Black Friday in Downtown Santa Ana

Downtown Santa Ana is OC’s “Shop Local” Headquarters this Black Friday Weekend

Downtown Santa Ana’s eclectic mix of independent clothing stores, record shops, restaurants and craft beer establishments are offering incredible sales, deals and cool events this Black Friday weekend.

“DTSA is an unexpected hub for unique gifts, deals and a great shopping experience” said Ryan Smolar, consultant to Downtown Inc., “where else can you buy special release albums and sneakers, get 40% off both suits and and street clothes, enjoy live and cultural performances and checkout handmade goods from over 200 local makers?” Continue reading→

Women sentenced for beating a woman to death in Downtown Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 7 Comments

Candace Brito and Vanesa Zavala

Vanesa Tapia Zavala, 26, and Candace Marie Brito, 27, were convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the beating death of a 23-year-old woman outside a Santa Ana nightclub were each sentenced to to six years in state prison Friday in an Orange County courtroom, according to NBC News.

They were earlier found guilty of voluntary manslaughter and assault in the death of Annie Kim Pham, an aspiring writer who died two days after the January fight when she was taken off life support, according to the Press Telegram.

Witnesses testified that Pham and her group of 11 friends were waiting in line to get into The Crosby, a downtown Santa Ana bar and restaurant, as Brito, Zavala and several of their friends were exiting.  At some point, the groups bumped into each other and Brito and Zavala’s friend exchanged words with Pham. The friend was not charged in the case, according to ABC News. Continue reading→

SAPD looking for DTSA hit and run vehicle

Posted on by Posted in Accidents, Crime, Santa Ana 3 Comments

Santa Ana Hit and Run Accident

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Investigation looking for information on hit and run vehicle

On 9/01/2014, officers responded to the scene of a traffic collision involving a sport utility vehicle and a passenger car at the intersection of North Broadway and West Santa Ana Boulevard.

At about 1852 hours, a 2000 Nissan Xterra driven by the registered owner was traveling north on Broadway with his wife riding as passenger. As the Nissan drove through the intersection at Santa Ana Boulevard, it was struck by a passenger car traveling west on Santa Ana Boulevard. Continue reading→

Gentrifiers and Latinos protesting against police brutality face off in DTSA

Posted on by Posted in Civil Rights, Latinos, Police Brutality, Racism, Santa Ana 39 Comments

American Barber Shop employees

Employees of a business called the American Barbershop allegedly hurled racist insults at a group of mostly Latino protesters who had gathered on Friday, August 15, 2014 to held a vigil last night at Plaza Santa Ana, against police brutality.

A number of employees of this business were reportedly caught on video and in photos saying racial slurs and giving the middle finger to the crowd and members of the press.  Members of the Santa Ana Police Department were there at the time acting as personal security to the East End businesses. Continue reading→

Updated: Man killed and two women wounded when shot in a parked car in DTSA

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Crime, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana 18 Comments
Aaron Johnathan Chavez

Aaron Johnathan Chavez

UPDATED: SAPD detectives arrest 23-year-old Dustin Sean Ross McDonald yesterday evening in a car stop near his residence in Garden Grove. Charges are pending, case has been submitted to the District Attorney’s office for filing. Charges will be murder (187), two count of attempt murder (664/187) and special circumstances enhancement (190.2) and weapons enhancements (12022.5) 

Aaron Johnathan Chavez, a 23-year-old from Anaheim, was killed and two women were injured late Tuesday when another man came up to a parked car they were sitting in and fired 10 to 12 shots at them, according to Santa Ana Police, according to the OC Weekly. Continue reading→

The Santa Ana Streetcar will travel along Santa Ana Blvd. and 4th St.

Posted on by Posted in OCTA, Planning, public works, Santa Ana, Transportation Leave a comment
Simulation of Streetcar in Santa Ana

Simulation of Streetcar in Santa Ana

Santa Ana City Council Tuesday night decided on Fourth Street as their preferred route for a streetcar system envisioned to begin transforming the transit landscape in Orange County, despite a signed letter of opposition from businesses along the iconic Latino shopping corridor, according to the Voice of OC.

In a unanimous 4-0 vote, the City Council approved a $238 million streetcar option that would travel along Santa Ana Boulevard and Fourth Street. Mayor Pro Tem Sal Tinajero and council members Vincent Sarmiento and Roman Reyna were absent, according to the O.C. Register. Continue reading→