There is so much going on today in Santa Ana that I chose to report it all in our infamous Political Chismes format, rather than post several articles. Here we go!
- Bad news for Busty. Today was a bad day for former Santa Ana City Councilman Carlos Bustamante, as a “judge refused to dismiss a number of felony sex crime charges against him,” according to the O.C. Register. Bustamante is accused of sexually assaulting seven women he worked with in his former job in the county’s Public Works Department. The judge also denied a motion to have the Orange County District Attorney’s Office taken off the case. Bustamante worked to elect his former colleague, David Benavides, in last year’s Santa Ana Mayoral race. Luckily Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido prevailed. Will Benavides commisserate with Bustamante tonight? Stop by Chapter One, in Downtown Santa Ana, and see if they show up. Be sure to send us any pictures you get of these two tossing them down!
- Thank you Paul Walters! You can say goodbye and thank you to former Santa Ana City Manager Paul Walters, at tonight’s (Feb. 28) meeting of Santa Ana’s Communication Linkage Forum, the city-subsidized organization of neighborhood associations, at 7 pm. Their guest speaker is police operations Commander Ken Gominsky, a great guy, and Com Link will make a special recognition of Paul M. Walters, the city’s former police chief and city manager. Show up early at 6:30 p.m. for networking and free snacks, and then stay for the presentations beginning at 7 p.m. The event takes place in the Police Community Room, 60 Civic Center Plaza.
- Saint O’Rourke? New Santa Ana interim City Manager Kevin O’Rourke was once studying to be a priest, according to the O.C. Register. He says he wants transparency but he also said our City Council has a great reputation. Say what? What is becoming transparent is that this guy knows how to kiss up to his new bosses, who are paying him a fortune, over $22k per month. That is more than most of our residents make in a year!
- Playground Bully? A restaurant critic at the O.C. Register praised some of the food at The Playground, the allegedly gourmet restaurant in Downtown Santa Ana that is allegedly expanding and pushing a Mexican bakery out in the process. But the critic called the Playground’s chef a bully – because he won’t let you change your order at all. You can’t even order cream and sugar for your coffee! Priceless. Click here to read about the Playground’s health inspection record, which is no bueno as well. We need letter grade health ratings for our restaurants in Orange County!
- Is Rob in charge of appointments too? I asked yesterday if Santa Ana Council Woman Angelica Amezcua is being controlled by her husband, Rob Oliver. Today I found out that she appointed Joel Crespo, a lawyer who works at a firm that her hubby Rob used to work at, AlvaradoSmith, to the Santa Ana Planning Commission. Amezcua also appointed Crespo’s mom to the Santa Ana Historic Resources Commission. Is Rob making Amezcua’s Commission appointments? And is this a conflict of interest? AlvaradoSmith has a public and municipal law practice – in fact they work for the SAUSD. Won’t that cause conflicts for Crespo, as a Santa Ana Planning Commissioner? Bad move.
- Revenge at the SAPD? The guys who took over the Santa Ana Police Department, including new Chief of Police Carlos Rojas, after Paul Walters left couldn’t wait to get back at him. In fact they didn’t wait long. They reporetdly demoted his longtime secretary, Loretta Tafoya, in the past week, after 25 years of loyal service to the SAPD. I got news today that she resigned in the wake of the uncalled for demotion. Thank you Loretta for all of your faithful service to our city! Rojas and company also seized Walter’s uniforms. Word has it that Rojas in particular wants to undo Walter’s many accomplishments. Could Rojas be in cahoots with Santa Ana Council Woman Michele Martinez, who is still mad that her half brother was arrested for a parole violation, back when she was in the midst of her failed campaign for Mayor?
I don’t know what scares me most about this vato Crespo, his Goth/Emo photo at the law firm web site(Who still does Goth?) or the fact that he majored in Chicano studies to prepare for law school. Graduated in 2011? Glad she is looking for people with experience for her boards. Any photos of the Crespo Goth’s mom?
I noticed the Santa Ana Springsters allow Sean Mill to post comments below the Bustamonte article on line in the Register but he seems to be no longer allowed to post here at New Santa Ana. So sad…I think Sean is a cool dude.
Sean has been lying low. He may have commented on the Busty story as it is such great news.
“Sean has been lying low”…….. Hmmmmmmm
I wonder why?….. if he is such a supporter of Martinez and Tinajero for whom he is shilling at the planing commission.
“Santa Ana Council Woman Michele Martinez, who is still mad that her half brother was arrested for a parole violation”
say what? fill in your newer readers on this one!
Google Pedro Franco. The Register wrote about it when he was arrested.
what a month in SA huh? How is it that a once great police department can come tumbling down so quickly? How and why is this happening? Well boys and girls this is dirty nasty politics in its worse form and everyone involved will fall along the way. The integrity in the department is leaving along with the Walter’s crew and as they Axe the last of them with lies and slander. My hope is that the last good man ( or woman ) take the flag with them on the way out. God knows there won’t be a person at the top left to defend the flag the way it was meant to be. Chief Rojas, integrity is something that when you look in mirror each and every day, can you stare without turning away.The Chief should never do other peoples dirty work, he should take a stand , grow a pair and say “Enough, Enough I’m in charge and this is going to stop” but thanks to your dirty work this week and the way you handled it, you have upset and got the attention of those who are fed up and know the truth. Hold on Folks its gonna be an E ticket ride!
So what if he’s a Goth?
I am more disturbed by the conflict of interest issue…
If he is Goth, he is not Roman Catholic.
And that is an offense to the Alvarez Pieta. FAIL.
Is the Nazi Pope Gay?
Why is Santa Ana not more concerned?
Is the Fing POPE Gay?
I see Busty’s lawyers says all he did was a little “misdemeanor unwanted touching” with a few gals at work. I too work at the County and I saw the investigators cutting little pieces of “misdemeanor unwanted touching” out of the carpent, plaster, and covering of his desk chair! I think DNA testing will prove to be interesting in this trail.
Unwanted touching?, funny how they down play abuse and harassment. the victims are always forgotten in these type of cases. bet they didn’t think it was ” a little unwanted touching” they feared each day that they could be faced with termination, scandal or even rape! wonder what busty would think if it were his wife or family member?, “oh don’t worry dear, its just a little misdemeanor”
I saw in the OC Register and LA Times comment a poster call Benavide’s “BUSTAMONTE’S WINGMAN”! Great Stuff!
I think the springers are racheting down the cheerleaders after Lomeli insisted that David still lives with Emily. They are becoming afraid of any bad publicity.
What does it matter if Benavides is a playboy?
Who cares? Most of Santa Ana is occupied by single parents. David can do a fine job as a Council Memeber even if his kids live in another city!!
Stop acing like this is 1975!
I go to college in poli-sci ,have Netflix and live with my parents but, I didn’t need a Mom and Dad to get where I am and neither does Benavides kids. This is Santa Ana. We don’t need responsible parents we need help from the government!
GO David, PARTY LIKE A ROCKSTAR!
wonder what busty would think if it were his wife or family member?”
Adriana would bust thier chops!
You all are confusing “Playboy” with “Sexual Harasser”.
What don’t you understand about FREEEEEEEEEEDOM!
You silly tools.
Go back to church!
Admin. You need to write me back about the question that I just asked of you and all of your media buddies.