Who will be the next Santa Ana City Manager?

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• Is the public going to have access to what this "interim consultant" actually discovers or suggests?

• Cook has it right. That makes tremendous sense. We'll see.

  As for the first poster "Gerard Sucks" saying that someone mis represented things at El Sol is like saying someone ripped off the Corleone family. El Sol, is a project based on LIES, perpetuated by North of 17th devils (to use Gustavo's term) which did incredible harm to a number of families.

  Follow your instincts folks when people come along and tell you they are going to "blend" the community. It either happens or does not. It can't be forced.

• More Vagueness about El Sol. Admin do a post about that please, and then maybe we can weed out some information.

• Matt (Mateo), heres EXACTLY what I mean,

  Back in 1998 Cynthia Criollis a Floral Park Mom along with several others began to get nervous about their safe haven Santiago Elementary, while they still had Linda Bell, the principal in their pocket, political control was shifting ever so slightly.

  Real Estate was rising and Santiago was a huge part of it. Still the problem of 6-7-8 grade middle school (SAUSD's model loomed large). Options were send your kid to St. Joseph (which was less diverse), Holy Family or Fairmont. These were really expensive options.

  So Criollis began the charge to start a new school, a english/spanish immersion hybrid called El Sol. they began to recruit earnestly, (For the Lays the answer was clear when Dianne Easton told me this was a HUGE waste of resources and predicted it's collapse).

  The list of families that first year was impressive:

  The Pulido's (as in Mayor)
  The Correa's
  The Ross Laguna's
  The Gee's
  The Dunn's (as in Sen. joe Dunn
  The Olivos

  Now in order for this plan to work, you needed an equal number of English learners. So recruit they did, picking (really conning) countless families with limited resources to enroll in a school Downtown, where they're kids would go to school with the Mayors...............

  It suffices to say that by the end of the first year, Pulido, Gee, Dunn and Olivios had bailed, Soon the mastermind Criollis bailed too and ended up suing the district for $$$$.

  So who was left, a bunch of people who were left holding the bag. Mostly the English learners whose parent now had to drive across town each day to attend this crumbling idea.

  It's worth noting that this was about the same time Richardson and company unhooked the school at the Farmers site, and Joe Dunn sucessfully created a "special" five student SIXTH GRADE at Santiago, so his daughter would not have to attend Willard. The following year she transferred.

  Hindsight being 20/20 you see the signs: the White folks fought hard to keep ANY hispanic off the PTA or School Site Council, The Principal was ignorant to the plight of the latino's. But eventually, despite the realators money (which averaged $5k per year dried up and Linda Bell left on medical leave and the sea change began. Now it is a much different place. Where recent surveys show 70% of North of 17th kids attend Non-SAUSD schools.

  So thats what I was referring to. It's interesting to see these same kids now, Mater Dei, Foothill HS, Orange HS and of course OCHSA.

• I understand that El Sol has made many strides and is a much different place.

  My kids are in college so I am far removed.

  KL

• I still don't see the Gerardo Mouet connection to El Sol.

  Regardless, Gerardo has done much on a meager budget, and was humble enough to lay off his own secretary before laying off others. He lives in Santa Ana and often bicycle commutes. We truly need a dedicated Santa Ana resident to do Ream's job, and although I'd be sad to see Gerardo leave the Parks Dept., I think he'd do a terrific job managing our city.

• Thank you for this crash course in Santa Ana history Kenlaysnotdead. What happend with Lou Correa's children? Was he the only one to leave them in. I live in Riverview and have heard of a special 6th grade being created so politicians kids did not have to go to Williard. But sources say Miguel Pulido is the mastermind, not Joe Dunn. You seem to know, please put these rumors to rest for those of us without all the facts.

• This is all very informative. but still nothing about a "Harrah property?"

• I don't know what happened w/ "Miguelito" he was in Kindergarden in those days, Dunn's kids in 6th (So that means Pulido's son is likely in Jr. High now) but I don't know what the Pulido's chose.

  Two thisngs nobody begrudges families for making decisions with their kids education, it's when they do so at the expense of others. Since posting the original comment a number of friends have emailed and said, El Sol actually flourished after the the founders ditched it, and does well now. I don't now.

  TAXMANDAN another FP neighborhood guy emailed me that Criollis in fact started a second school across the street as he put it: "I don't think she expected so many Mexicans would need to learn spanish". Of course he was joking.......kinda.

  SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL AND PTA!

• I am starting to think that I am in the Santa Ana Twilight Zone. Still, nothing here about "Gerardo" and "Harrah property". move on I guess.

  • Gerardo is a good guy. I am not sure what you are referring to though re the Harrah Property? OBP? It should be built. We need the jobs.