New Santa Ana | Tag Archives: beth krom

Who are Walker and Nick and why are they carpetbagging in Santa Ana?

Posted on May 25, 2014 by Editor Posted in 2014 Elections, Adam Nick, Carlos Vazquez, Cecilia Iglesias, Democratic Party, Loretta Sanchez, Republican Party, Santa Ana, Sherry Walker, Tom Daly 4 Comments

Lake Forest couple Sherry Walker and Adam Nick

Who in the world are Sherry Walker and Adam Nick? They are Orange County political candidates with minute social media profiles. Nick was elected to the Lake Forest City Council in 2012. He is pictured with his wife Sherry on his Facebook page. But Sherry is running for the 69th Assembly District, which includes parts of Santa Ana and Anaheim, while Nick is running for the 46th Congressional District, which includes the same areas. These are carpetbaggers – the question is who are they and what are the up to?

My sources tell me that Walker and Nick are reportedly Iranians who changed their names. Nick owns a gas station and actually sued his own city in a fit because the city granted an alcohol license to a 7-11 but Nick wanted to monopolize alcohol sales in his area. What sort of Councilman sues his own city – forcing taxpayers to waste money in the legal defense process? Continue reading→

The Santa Ana Zoo shouldn’t be handed to organizations that lack diversity

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Editor Posted in Charities, Latinos, Nature, Orange County, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana, Santa Ana Zoo 9 Comments

The financially struggling city will seek proposals early next year for a private entity to take over Santa Ana Zoo operations,” according to the O.C. Register.

Sooner or later the City of Santa Ana is going to have to cut the Santa Ana Zoo loose. “There seems to be consensus that the city-owned zoo should be privatized. But very much in play has been who would run it: The Friends of the Santa Ana Zoo (which made its public pitch last year), the Discovery Science Center (the subject of recent rumor), or some third entity,” according to Frank Mickadeit over at the O.C. Register. Continue reading→

Will Orange County Democrats run away from Obama in November?

Posted on June 21, 2012 by Editor Posted in 2012 Elections, Democratic Party, Elections, Loretta Sanchez, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana, Tom Daly 1 Comment

Will Orange County’s Democratic candidates run away from the increasingly unpopular President Barack Obama in November? He is likely to win the State of California, but I can’t see him doing well in Orange County. Obama won U.S. Representative John Campbell’s district in 2008. That is highly unlikely to happen this November. In fact the only Congressional District that Obama might pick up is the one held by his fellow Democrat, Loretta Sanchez.

On the other hand, I expect Republican nominee Mitt Romney to come to Orange County perhaps more than once. He should be a boon to the local Republican candidates, with the exception of Jerry Hayden, who is running against Sanchez in the 47th Congressional District. That district’s Latino voters won’t likely be very impressed by Romney, who has been very harsh on immigrants during his campaign this year. Continue reading→

Why not name the O.C. Great Park after Harvey Milk?

Posted on August 25, 2011 by Editor Posted in Democratic Party, Irvine, Orange County, Parks and Recreation, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Will Irvine Mayor Beth Krom support naming the O.C. Great Park after Harvey Milk?

While everyone has been focusing on the ruckus between Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez and the Chase family, at last night’s special session of the Santa Ana City Council, there was one other controversial item on the agenda.

The Council named a city-owned plaza that is in the East End Promenade, formerly the Fiesta Marketplace. They chose to name it the Plaza Santa Ana.

An Irvine blogger ripped this decision and he questioned why the City Council did not name the Plaza after Harvey Milk, the gay San Francisco politician who was murdered by another Supervisor. Milk has since become an icon of the gay movement. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Political Chismes: Pulido regains control

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Editor Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Miguel Pulido, Santa Ana 21 Comments

Can’t let a rainy day go by without a new edition of Santa Ana Political Chismes, can we? Church doesn’t start for another hour, so here goes…

The Voice of OC recently reported that “As the Santa Ana City Council goes about choosing a new city manager and city attorney — two decisions that will affect the city for years to come — it has become increasingly clear that Mayor Miguel Pulido is not controlling the process.” Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido has lost control of the Santa Ana City Council, however as it turns out he has actually regained control – in his usual fashion. He has a solid troika, with Councilmen David Benavides and Carlos Bustamante – and now he can add a fourth vote pretty easily. What changed? Well, Sarmiento is getting cold feet about running for the Assembly. One of the other Council Members is going to run for Solorio’s seat – who exactly is not yet known. What we do know however is that they will have to play ball with Pulido in order to get the support they will need to proceed to Sacramento. Continue reading→

Beth Krom to serve as new Chair of the O.C. Great Park’s Board of Directors

Posted on February 19, 2011 by Editor Posted in 2010 Elections, Irvine, Miguel Pulido, Orange County, Parks and Recreation, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Larry Agran stepped down as Chairman of the Orange County Great Park Board of Directors this week, according to the O.C. Register, which reported that “Agran gave no reason other than that it was a good time to step aside.”

Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido also serves on the O.C. Great Park Board. It also turns out that both Pulido and Agran received funds during their respective re-election campaigns last year, from the same PAC – the Victory Fund, according to a new article by O.C. Register columnist Frank Mickadeit.

The O.C. Weekly also reported that “local folks tied to sweetheart business deals at the Orange County Great Park, where Agran just stepped down as chairman, gave at least $174,500 in the last election to a political action committee based in Burbank. So what? Well, that group may have then funneled the money back to Irvine to quietly benefit Agran’s 2010 re-election efforts.”

On Thursday, this week, his colleague from the Irvine City Council, Beth Krom, was elected to replace Agran as the new Chair of the O.C. Great Park Board, according to a press release we are including below. It should be noted that Krom also serves on the Board of Directors of the Discovery Science Center, which is located in Santa Ana. She also ran for Congress last year, against incumbent John Campbell, who prevailed.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FEBRUARY 17, 2011

CONTACT: JENN STARNES, 949-724-6574

Beth Krom Elected Great Park Board Chair

Walkie Ray Elected Vice Chair

IRVINE – The Orange County Great Park Corporation Board today elected fellow director Beth Krom to serve as Chair of the Great Park Board. She has served as member of the Board since the Park was publicly dedicated in 2005, and was a leader in the effort to create the Orange County Great Park. Chair Krom also currently serves as Irvine Mayor Pro Tem.

Krom served as Irvine Mayor when the Lennar Corporation transferred 1,347 acres of land and $200 million to the City to begin development of the Great Park. Krom replaces Larry Agran as Chair, who will continue to be involved in key Park programs as a member of the Board and as an Irvine City Councilmember.

“I appreciate the leadership of Larry Agran and the support of my fellow directors,” said Chair Krom. “I dedicate my term as Chair to fulfilling our shared vision for creating a Great Park which serves people of every culture and interest.”

Beth Krom has a long history of public service. She was first elected to the Irvine City Council in 2000. She was elected Mayor in 2004 and again in 2006. Chair Krom also serves on a variety of civic and non-profit boards. She is a member of the Transportation Corridor Agencies boards, and the boards of Arts Orange County, the Discovery Science Center and the Laguna Canyon Foundation.

Fellow Board member and Councilmember Jeffrey Lalloway welcomed Krom to her new post. “I have been critical of some of the past practices of this Board,” said Director Jeff Lalloway. “On the other hand, it is my strong feeling that we can move forward together, as a unified voice for the public, to build this Great Park. So, I support Mrs. Krom for Chair of the Board. In doing so, I am extending my hand to her in an effort to work together, in the spirit of unity.”

The Board also elected Director Walkie Ray as Vice Chair. “Walkie is an experienced developer and one of Orange County’s leading philanthropists. His leadership, expertise and spirit of public service will be put to good use as Vice Chair of our Board,” said Agran.

Ray is co-owner of Sanderson J. Ray Corporation. Ray served as Chairman of the Board for both the Discovery Science Center and Orange County High School of the Arts. He was also Chairman of the Building Committee of Sage High School.

The Orange County Great Park, with its 1,347-acre master plan, is the focal point of the redevelopment of the publicly-owned portion of the 4,700-acre former Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro. The Great Park is currently 27.5 acres and includes an iconic tethered helium balloon that rises 400 feet in the air, providing an aerial view of Park development. A $70 million development plan to expand the Park to more than 200 acres is currently underway. The plan will build out a core section of the Park for the most immediate and wide-ranging public benefit, including the initial components of the sports park, a 114-acre agricultural area, and an art and culture exhibition space. For more information, please go to www.ocgp.org

###

Krom makes more than the other Council Members in Irvine and Santa Ana

Posted on August 27, 2010 by Editor Posted in Civic Affairs, Irvine, Miguel Pulido, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The Voice of OC, which is funded by OCEA union boss Nick Berardino, the man who created the OC public employee pension crisis, has been teeing off on the Santa Ana City Council and Mayor Miguel Pulido in particular, this week, over their compensation packages.

I ran the numbers and it turns out that Pulido makes $36,913 a year. I wanted to compare that to what other Council Members nearby make, so I looked up the Irvine City Council.

Beth Krom, who is just a Council Member in Irvine, makes more than all the other Council Members. She pulls in more than Pulido too. She makes $37,114 per year. That means she makes more than Pulido – and more than the Mayor of Irvine, Sukhee Kang, and the other Irvine Council Members.

And if Krom gets elected to Congress in November, which is the longest of long shots, she will triple that salary, and then some.

Of course the Voice of OC won’t point this out. Nor will they go after all the other Council Members, like Jon Dumitru and Denis Bilodeau, in Orange, who are milking their local elected offices for all their worth.

The head of the Voice of OC’s board, which is made up primarily of lawyers who sue businesses, is former State Senator Joe Dunn. He hates Pulido because when Dunn tried to move the 4th District Court of Appeals to Irvine, Pulido punked him. Kudos to Pulido for keeping this institution in Santa Ana!

No wonder the Voice of OC keeps picking on Pulido and company. These guys sometimes get it right but it sure looks like, more often than not, they are as vendetta-oriented as their pals at the Lib OC blog.

OCYD meeting in Santa Ana, this Thursday at 7 pm

Posted on August 9, 2010 by Editor Posted in Democratic Party, Elections, Entertainment, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

The August Orange County Young Democrats (OCYD) Meeting is coming up this Thursday, from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm, at Bistro 400, which is located at 400 W. 4th Street, in Santa Ana.

Guest speakers will be Dan Jacobson, chair of the Democratic Foundation of Orange County, and Beth Krom, Candidate for the Ca 48th Congressional District.

The OCYD will also be endorsing the Propositions that will be on the November ballot.

Click here to RSVP on Facebook.

Loretta Sanchez to appear at Fundraising Breakfast in Newport Beach on Monday

Posted on July 30, 2010 by Editor Posted in Democratic Party, Elections, Loretta Sanchez, Politics, Santa Ana, Women Leave a comment

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez Invites You This Monday Morning to Join Her For a Fundraising Breakfast and Discussion Panel

at the Balboa Bay Club, located at 1221 West Coast Highway, in Newport Beach, CA 92663

Monday, August 2, 2010, at 8:00 am – 10:00 am

Start your day with breakfast with Congresswomen Loretta Sanchez, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Carol Shea-Porter (NH) and Diane Watson (CA). Joining Loretta will be Costa Mesa Councilwoman Katrina Foley, Fullerton Councilwoman Sharon Quirk, Fullerton Mayor Pro-Tem Pam Keller, Irvine Councilwoman (and fellow Congressional candidate!) Beth Krom and Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez.

Loretta has been doing many great things for her district – securing funds for dredging of Upper Newport Bay, supporting border security, and securing funds to improve our state’s water infrastructure.

Loretta is one of our great women elected leaders from Orange County, come out and support her for her re-election run. Call Kelly Martinez at 714-839-4431 or kmartinez@lorertta.org to reserve your seat.

Let’s keep turning Orange County BLUE!

Sincerely,

Frank Barbaro
Chair
Democratic Party of Orange County