Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana’s playgrounds, volleyball courts and tennis courts to close
March 31, 2020 - Civic Affairs, Disease, Emergencies, Parks and Recreation, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Sports, Youth Activities - No Comments

The City of Santa Ana is closing its playgrounds, volleyball courts and tennis courts beginning Wednesday, April 1, in order to prevent gatherings and protect the public from COVID-19. The City has already shuttered its enclosed parks, recreation and other facilities and canceled all programs and classes except the take-out senior meals program. Those include:…

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The County of Orange has launched an Economic & Business Recovery Call Center
March 31, 2020 - Business, Disease, Emergencies, Orange County, Santa Ana - No Comments

Effective March 30, Orange County Community Services has implemented a call center to meet the needs of businesses impacted by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The Economic & Business Recovery Call Center will offer information and resources to help Orange County businesses navigate the current economic climate. These resources will support businesses with challenges such…

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Santa Ana businesses can get help from a Small Business Incentive Grant
March 31, 2020 - Business, Civic Affairs, Emergencies, Santa Ana - No Comments

The City of Santa Ana is offering a grant of $2,500 to $5,000 for Santa Ana-based microenterprises through the Santa Ana Small Business Incentive Program. Applicants must qualify for the Small Business Incentive Grant. Details are available at www.santa-ana.org/SBIP. Eligibility Qualifications The program provides a reimbursement grant for eligible businesses on a first-come, first-served basis. Grant…

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Understanding Santa Ana’s moratoriums on evictions and foreclosures
March 31, 2020 - Business, Disease, Emergencies, Housing, Real Estate, Santa Ana - No Comments

The City of Santa Ana has created webpages in English, Spanish and Vietnamese to help residential and commercial tenants understand the City and State moratoriums on evictions and foreclosures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The webpages include frequently asked questions, a sample letter that renters can use to advise their landlord of their inability to pay…

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Thai Viet Phan for the Santa Ana City Council

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Man busted by the SAPD to be arraigned for sex trafficking and pimping

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

OCDA Seal

Orange County District Attorney, Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 13CF0801: June 3, 2013

MAN TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR SEX TRAFFICKING OF FEMALE VICTIM AND PIMPING HER AND TWO OTHERS AFTER POSTING AD ON SEX WEBSITE

*Defendant was arrested in undercover sting operation

SANTA ANA – A man arrested in an undercover sting operation will be arraigned tomorrow for sexually trafficking one woman and pimping three women for financial gain after advertising the victims on a sex website. Harvey Rashad McNight, 29, San Diego, is charged with one felony count of human trafficking, three felony counts of pimping, and three felony counts of pandering by procuring. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 28 years in state prison. McNight is being held on $150,000 bail and is scheduled for a post-preliminary hearing arraignment tomorrow, Tuesday, June 4, 2013, at 8:30 a.m. in Department C-5, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Man sentenced to life for killing his lover with a rock and stealing his stuff

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Jose Fuentes

Orange County District Attorney, Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 10ZF0093: June 3, 2013

MAN SENTENCED TO LIFE IN STATE PRISON WITHOUT POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE FOR MURDERING LOVER BY BEATING HIM WITH ROCK TO STEAL VICTIM’S MONEY, CAR, AND ELECTRONICS

SANTA ANA – A man was sentenced Friday, May 31, 2013, to life in state prison without the possibility of parole for murdering his lover by beating him to death with a rock in order to steal the victim’s car, money, and valuables. Jose Fuentes, 26, Santa Ana, was found guilty by a jury, March 20, 2013, of one felony count of murder with special circumstance sentencing enhancements for murder by lying in wait, murder in the commission of a robbery, and murder in the commission of a burglary. He was also found guilty of one felony count each of first degree robbery and first degree residential burglary. Continue reading→

Man sentenced for killing wife after fighting about his gambling and cheating

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Agustin Armaraz Espinoza and Marisela Espinoza

Orange County District Attorney,  Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 11CF0864: June 3, 2013

MAN SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR MURDERING WIFE AFTER MARITAL DISCORD OVER HIS GAMBLING AND CHEATING

SANTA ANA – A man was sentenced Friday, May 31, 2013, to 25 years to life in state prison for murdering his wife after she asked him to move out of their home for gambling away $100,000 in pension money and learning of his extra-marital relationship. Agustin Armaraz Espinoza, 58, Santa Ana, was found guilty by a jury, Feb. 27, 2013, of one felony count of first degree murder. Continue reading→

Onofre to host a free seminar on education at her office on June 12

Posted on by Posted in Education, Entertainment, Jobs, Karina Onofre, Latino Leaders, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Karina Onofre

Karina Onofre didn’t win when she ran for the Santa Ana City Council last year, but while her opponent at the time, Roman Reyna, is now struggling with a massive city budget deficit and is being questioned about what he did as a member of the SAUSD’s School Board, which is also having deficit problems, Onofre is busy building a grassroots organization based in educating the local community.

Onofre has been hosting seminars at her office, in Santa Ana, on subjects including immigration and jobs and is now planning to host another seminar on the subject of education, on Wednesday, June 12, at 7pm, at 726 S. Main St., in Santa Ana.  There is a good chance that State Senator Bob Huff will be their guest speaker.  He is the leader of the California Republican Party’s State Senate delegation. Continue reading→

Sixth Annual Lowrider and Custom Car Show at Roosevelt Elementary today

Posted on by Posted in automobiles, Charities, Education, Entertainment, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Youth Activities Leave a comment

The Sixth Annual Lowrider and Custom Car Show will be held today, Sunday, June 2, 2013, from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., (Roll-in begins at 8:00 a.m.), at Roosevelt Elementary School, located at 501 S. Halladay, in Santa Ana.Come out and support Roosevelt’s Kinder-5th Graders!Event open to all: Lowriders/Bombs/Kustoms/Classics/Imports/Trucks…

Have your car or bicycle judged by the kids! Trophies Presented!

Every penny of the proceeds benefits the school and community. Family event / Entertainment / Food Continue reading→

Take the OCTA buses to the Tustin Street Fair and Chili Cookoff today

Posted on by Posted in Family, OCTA, Orange County, Santa Ana, Tustin, Youth Activities Leave a comment

The Chili Cook-Off is Back!

The 29th annual Tustin Street Fair and Chili Cookoff will take to the streets of Old Town Tustin on Sunday, June 2, 2013 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The event will feature the Chili Cookoff, craft booths, food vendors, entertainment, kids area, music, and much more. Admission is free.

Avoid the hassles of traffic and parking and let OCTA get you there stress free! OCTA has several bus routes that can get you to the fair. While you’re there, stop by OCTA’s bus/booth on 2nd St. and El Camino Real and show your valid bus pass for free chili tasting coupon. Continue reading→

Will the controversial Ed Heatley become the next SAUSD Superintendent?

Posted on by Posted in Education, Santa Ana, SAUSD 6 Comments

Inside sources are reporting that outgoing SAUSD Superintendent Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana, who is retiring after the school year, is pushing the SAUSD School Board to hire a controversial guy named Edmond Heatley.

Heatley is a retired U.S. Marine Corp Master Sgt. who, when he was serving as the Superintendent in the Chino Valley Unified School District, wrote a memo in 2008, urging Chino Valley’s Board of Education to approve a resolution in support of Proposition 8, the measure to prohibit marriage equality in California, according to Berkeleyside. Continue reading→

Bike and hike the Santiago Creek bike path on June 9

Posted on by Posted in Bicycles, Entertainment, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Bicycle Tree

The Bicycle Tree is teaming up with Naturalist for You to bring together two of our favorite things – biking and hiking, on Sunday, June 9th at 9:00 am.  We will meet up in the plaza outside Mother’s Market Santa Ana. Join us for an easy-paced 8 mile ride (16 miles round trip), mostly on the Santiago Creek bike path, which will take us to Santiago Oaks Regional Park, where a wise naturalist from Naturalist for You will lead us on an easy-paced guided tour of the park.

Learn about native plants, geology, and wildlife, even a little local history, while enjoying the beauty of Santiago Oaks park! The overall physical challenge of the trip is moderate. Be sure to pack water and snacks. A Bicycle Tree volunteer will stay with the bikes as a precaution during the hike. We will leave the park at around noon to return by 1:00 pm. Continue reading→

New affordable apartment homes to open in Santa Ana on 6/3

Posted on by Posted in Affordable Housing, Development, Entertainment, Santa Ana 14 Comments

Triada Court

Santa Ana Community Alert:

Related California and City of Santa Ana Celebrate Grand Opening of Triada

New Residential Community Offers 114 New Affordable Homes in Santa Ana Station District

SANTA ANA, CA (May 31, 2013) – Related California, the City of Santa Ana and community members celebrate the grand opening of Triada Court, Triada Gardens and Triada Village, which together form a new community of affordable apartment homes in the Lacy Neighborhood of the Santa Ana Station District. Continue reading→

Updated: Occulus VR founder killed during high speed chase

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana 4 Comments

The pedestrian who was struck and killed during a police chase in Santa Ana was identified Friday as 33-year-old Andrew Scott Reisse. Coworkers described him as a “brilliant mind.”  Reisse, a Santa Ana resident, was walking in a crosswalk when he was struck and killed at the end of a police chase Thursday, according to ABC News.

Reisse, the 33-year-old co-founder and lead engineer at Oculus VR in Irvine, Calif., ” was a brilliant computer graphics engineer, an avid photographer and hiker who loved nature, a true loyal friend, and a founding member of our close-knit Oculus family,” the company said in a statement, according to CNET. Continue reading→

Santa Ana is #3 on America’s 10 Best Cities for Women list

Posted on by Posted in Santa Ana, Women 3 Comments

Loretta Sanchez with students from Godinez H.S.

The Movoto Blog has put together a list of the top 10 cities in America which are ‘best’ for women. They weighed job factors, availability of single men, women’s health care and of course, retail. Surprise!  Santa Ana was 3rd and Anaheim was 4th (out of 100 metros in the country).

Here is their top 10 list: Continue reading→

Onofre to host a free employment seminar on May 29

Posted on by Posted in Business, Entertainment, Jobs, Karina Onofre, Mike Dalati, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Karina Onofre

Karina Onofre, a former Santa Ana City Council candidate and current representative of State Senator Bob Huff hosted a seminar about immigration reform at her office this Wednesday evening.  Over 50 people attended, including SAUSD Trustee Ceci Iglesias , who is also a District Representative for Senator Mimi Walters, Sergio Picchio, a District Representative for Assemblyman Don Wagner, Teresa Hernandez, owner of Cielito Lindo Restaurant and a member of the Orange County Lincoln Club’s Board of Directors, who spoke about the Lincoln Club’s 3 point common sense immigration reform, OC Board of Education Trustee Robert Hammond, former Anaheim Council candidate Bill Dalati, and Santa Ana businessman Mike Dalati, who is running for the SAUSD School Board in 2014.

Onofre is hosting a free employment seminar on Wednesday, May 29, 2013, at 7 pm . There will be a speaker from the City of Santa Ana as well as one from CAL Works.  The meeting will be at Onofre’s office, located at 726 S. Main St., in Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Indie pop band Bad Veins @ the Constellation Room on 6/12

Posted on by Posted in Entertainment, music, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The noted indie pop band Bad Veins will be performing at the Constellation Room, in Santa Ana, on June 12, 2013.  They’ve previously played in Santa Ana (with Two Door Cinema Club).

Doors open at 8 pm and the show starts at 9 pm.  This show is open to all ages and costs only $10.00 per ticket.  Tickets are sold online through Ticketweb. You can also place orders through the phone with Ticketweb at 1-866-777-8932. Continue reading→

Anti-war protesters to hand out fliers at Santa Ana High School on 5/30

Posted on by Posted in Entertainment, Military, Santa Ana, SAUSD, War Leave a comment

Peace activists will be providing information to students the military won’t provide – How to get out if you join, stats on jobs, giving up your rights, and more, at Santa Ana High School on Thursday, May 30, 2013, at 6:30 am, according to a Facebook event page.

The event organizers are asking their followers to “be polite and don’t walk on school property, and please don’t block sidewalks.”  And apparently they will have fliers in Spanish for parents, too. Continue reading→

U.S. Marshals assist SAPD with capture of wanted murder suspect

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Gangs, mexico, Public Safety, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Christian Medina

Santa Ana Police Department Advisory: U.S Marshals assist Santa Ana Homicide Detectives in capture of wanted murder suspect

Synopsis

On 2/20/2009 at approximately 1224 hours, officers responded to a shots fired call at 100 W. Memory Lane with one victim down. Upon arrival, they found the victim, identified as 18 year old Julio Cesar Zavala lying on the ground in the Main Place Mall parking lot. He was suffering from gunshot wounds to his upper torso. Witnesses stated a second victim, who was in the vehicle, fled the scene on foot into the mall. Santa Ana Fire Department Paramedics responded to the scene and transported the victim to UCI Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries. Continue reading→