Advisory: Detectives Investigating Homicide – 1300 Block Of South Bristol
On Friday, December 15, 2017, at 10:42 PM, the Santa Ana Police Department received reports of shots fired and a traffic collision in the area of Bristol Street and McFadden Avenue. Officers responded to the area and located the scene of an apparent single vehicle traffic collision. Officers observed a compact pick-up truck on the green belt east of the east sidewalk at 1300 South Bristol Street. Continue reading
The City of Santa Ana has spent a fortune over the years accommodating the requests of Mater Dei High School, a private Catholic school. Now Mater Dei is asking for more city funding, to the tune of $2.5 million dollars, to come out of our city’s beleaguered General Fund, to help them as they go about building a new parking structure and a 30K sq. ft. academic building. They are asking the City to pay for construction and engineering work associated with the removal/realignment of several streets where homes have been acquired by Mater Dei High School, to expand their campus.
Is this an appropriate expenditure for our City? Consider that Mater Dei is a private, not public school. While they do give out scholarships to low income students, the reality is that many of Mater Dei’s students don’t live in our city and quite a few of them come from high income families. Continue reading
An unidentified man was shot twice and critically injured in Santa Ana on Tuesday evening, according to the O.C. Register.
The shooting apparently happened at around 6:30 p.m. at the 1300 block of South Bristol Street, according to the SAPD.
A man in his 30s was found by SAPD police officers sitting in the driver’s seat of a vehicle with two gunshots wounds to his upper body. Continue reading
A reader told us yesterday that there were a lot of SAPD police cars and a police helicopter near the Smart & Final store, located at 1308 W. Edinger Ave. Now we know why.
Fernando Ceja, a 32-year-old wanted parolee with a long history of crime, and his girlfriend, Martha Carraco, 24, both of Santa Ana, were arrested yesterday and charged with stealing a pickup truck and then trying to hide in the unfortunate Smart & Final store, according to the O.C. Register.
This mess started at 12:30 p.m. yesterday when a man left his Toyota Tundra running, outside his home at the 2600 block of South Baker Street, next to Coastal Communities Hospital, while he went inside his home. Continue reading
I get a little tired about the constant bashing of Santa Ana. Yes the ongoing gang war sucks but there is still a lot to love about our city, such as:
$3 movies at the MainPlace Mall
When a new movie comes out my kids and I will quickly label it as either a “must-see” or a “$3 movie.” Most films are in the latter category (and a lot of them end up on our Redbox and Netflix list). While I would love it if there was a first run movie theater in Santa Ana I really like being able to go to the Picture Show at the MainPlace Mall to see movies that have been out for a few weeks, if not months, for only $3 (and only $2 on Tuesdays).
The MainPlace Mall
I really dislike South Coast Plaza. Who can afford what the stores there have to offer? But the MainPlace Mall is just the ticket with a decent array of stores and anchors and a great food selection that now includes wood-fired pizza at Blaze Pizza and bbq ribs at the new Lucille’s. There is ample parking and two frozen yogurt places – plus my eye doctor. The previous owners of the MainPlace Mall, Westfield, just sold the shopping center to a group of developers. I hope they don’t mess it up! Continue reading
The SAPD arrested two robbery suspects on Monday, a few hours after a gang-related attack in which a pedestrian was struck by a car that appeared similar to the one used in the robbery, according to the O.C. Register.
SAPD police officers got a call at 6:30 p.m., on Monday, regarding some teenagers who were robbed of their money and their skateboards while they were at Centennial Regional Park, which has a skate park, located at 3000 W. Edinger Ave., in Santa Ana,. The robbers were a man and a teenage boy, who was armed with a handgun. Continue reading
A 13-year-old boy was shot while walking early Wednesday afternoon at around 12:30 p.m., at the intersection of South Pacific Avenue and West Wilshire Avenue, in Santa Ana, just north of Mater Dei High School, according to the SAPD, as reported by the O.C. Register.
The victim said that he heard three or four shots coming from a vehicle. The boy was hit by bullets in a forearm and thigh and he was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries described as non-life threatening. His identity was not revealed by the police. Continue reading
On May 23, from 5:30 to 8:30 pm, the Mater Dei High School Alumni Association, in conjunction with the Alumni Circle, will launch a speaker series to share the experiences of highly accomplished alumni, offer a networking opportunity, and raise money for the Alumni Heritage Fund.
The kickoff speaker of the series is Juan C. Zarate, senior national security analyst for CBS News, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and a national security consultant. Zarate, who graduated from Mater Dei in 1989, served as the deputy assistant to President Bush and Deputy National Security Advisor for Combating Terrorism (2005 – 2009), and was responsible for developing and implementing the U.S. Government’s counterterrorism strategy and policies related to transnational security threats.
Zarate will present on the topic, “Crises and Opportunities: One Monarch’s Journey through the World of National Security After 9/11,” timely to recent national events sparking public concern and great discussion on national security.
“We are honored to have Juan Zarate return to his alma mater, Mater Dei, as the first presenter in our new alumni speaker series,” says Patrick Murphy, president of Mater Dei High School. “Juan has made great contributions to the safety and security of our nation, and is one of the most respected experts on the topic of national security, which concerns us all. Juan Zarate represents the outstanding achievements of countless Mater Dei graduates who have gone on to exceptional careers.”
The presentation, which has already garnered interest, is open to the public. Zarate’s presentation will take place at 6:30 p.m. in Mater Dei’s LeVecke Center located at 1202 W. Edinger Avenue, Santa Ana. Tickets are $20 for adults, and $10 for high school students and children.
The Alumni Circle will host a networking mixer at 5:30 p.m. prior to Zarate’s presentation to facilitate an opportunity for individuals 21 years old and over to develop business relationships.
All proceeds from the event will benefit the Alumni Heritage Fund (AHF). The AHF provides need-based financial aid to Mater Dei students who are children and grandchildren of alumni. Tickets and information are available on the school’s website at www.materdei.org