Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Monthly Archives: August 2011

Velvet Lounge gay bar job fair set for this Saturday and Sunday

Posted on by Posted in Bars, Entertainment, Jobs, LGBT, Restaurants, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Velvet Lounge, a new gay full-service restaurant/bar/nightclub is now hiring all positions to prepare for their upcoming Grand Opening. This weekend they are seeking experienced candidates for Front of House and Swing positions, including:

  • Servers
  • Bartenders
  • Hosts / Door Staff
  • Barbacks/Bussers

Guest service and integrity is their top priorty. Experience and personality are a both a must. Must be able to fluently speak, read, and write in English, and experience with the gay community is a plus! Continue reading→

Camino de Amistad scheduled to promote high school registration in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Education, Entertainment, Latinos, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Working Families, Youth Activities Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Angela Burrell, APR, 714-558-5555

Camino de Amistad Scheduled to Promote High School Registration in Santa Ana

SANTA ANA, CA – August 4, 2011 – To spread the word about high school registration dates in preparation for the first day of instruction on August 24, Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) in partnership with Padres Promotores de la Educación will host the annual Camino de Amistad (Friendship Walk) on Saturday, August 6 beginning at 8 a.m. More than 200 secondary school parents, their children and supporters will fan out from SAUSD’s comprehensive high schools to disseminate 20,000 promotional door hangers containing important information for high school students and their parents to be aware of for the coming 2011-12 school year. High school registration dates span the week of August 8 through August 15. Students are invited to contact their respective school for specific dates and times based on their grade level as follows: Continue reading→

Cafe Calacas’ grand opening set for Saturday, August 6

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Business, Coffee, Entertainment, Food, Latinos, music, Restaurants, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Cafe Calacas is celebrating their Grand Opening en el Corazan de Santana this Saturday, August 6.  Click here to RSVP on Facebook.

They are open right next door to their shop, which is also owned by Rudy and Jackie Córdova, so you can buy a snack and some cafe and then stroll over to their store and buy a t-shirt or some Mexican curios.

They are actually open now – I stopped by there yesterday morning.  But it is a soft opening while they work the kinks out. Continue reading→

Santa Ana man to be arraigned for abusing another infant, in 2009

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

Photo Courtesy of the SAPD

TONY RACKAUCKAS, ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Date: August 4, 2011

Susan Kang Schroeder, Office: 714-347-8408, Cell: 714-292-2718

Chief of Staff Farrah Emami, Spokesperson, Office: 714-347-8405, Cell: 714-323-4486

Case # 11CF1806: MAN CHARGED WITH BEATING-MURDER OF 18-MONTH-OLD TODDLER TO BE ARRAIGNED ON AMENDED COMPLAINT FOR 2009 CHILD ABUSE

SANTA ANA – A man previously charged with the beating-murder of his girlfriend’s sister’s 18-month-old daughter will be arraigned tomorrow on an amended complaint for abusing another child in a similar way in 2009. Juan Carlos Aguilar, 25, Santa Ana, is charged with one felony count of murder, one felony count of assault on child with force likely to produce great bodily injury resulting in death, and two felony counts of child abuse. Continue reading→

Latin Showcase & Music Festival at Santa Ana’s East End Promenade on Aug. 6

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Business, Fashion, Latinos, music, Restaurants, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Visit Santa Ana’s East End promenade this Saturday, August 6, from 6 pm to 10 pm, for a Latino Showcase, Music (+ More) Festival that not only celebrates the renovated Promenade, but also the grand opening of The Yost Theater, the new Friday Night Downtown Summer Concert Series, Posse on Broadway, the extended Downtown Artwalk, new Downtown businesses and neighbors, and the future of Downtown Santa Ana as it continues to grow and develop as the cultural epicenter of Orange County.

Come visit the 4th Street Mall & listen to some great music!!!  Continue reading→

Santa Ana City Council to revise Usual Suspects’ anti-soccer ordinance

Posted on by Posted in Parks and Recreation, Sal Tinajero, Soccer 14 Comments

Nothing sums up the “go to meetings, we know better than you” culture of Santa Ana’s infamous “Usual Suspects” quite like the “5-on-5” rules governing pick-up soccer games in our city’s parks.  Well thanks to Councilman Sal Tinajero the City Council’s Parks, Recreation, Education and Youth Committee has taken a new look at the ordinance and is going to send it packing, much like the council did to the “Usual Suspects” who used to infect our city commissions.

The ordinance, which was pushed through doing the “Usual Suspects” heyday, limits the number of people that can play soccer in our parks to teams of 5 to a side.  Traditionally soccer consists to 11 players on each team, but in soccer-crazy Santa Ana that is illegal in our parks!  Somewhere former councilmember and anti-Chivas USA activist Tom Lutz is still smiling at the thought of the “5-on-5” rule. Continue reading→

Correa and Rackackaus go after massage parlor prostitution with SB 285

Posted on by Posted in california, Civic Affairs, Courts, Lawyers, Lou Correa, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana 5 Comments

Senator Lou Correa’s Office & Orange County District Attorney

Press Release, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 2, 2011

John Scribner, Capitol Director, Senator Lou Correa’s Office, 916-651-4034
Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff, Orange County District Attorney, 714-347-8408, 714-292-2718
Farrah Emami, Spokesperson, Orange County District Attorney, 714-347-8405, 714-323-4486

CALIFORNIA PASSES ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING LEGISLATION TARGETING SALE OF FRAUDULENT MASSAGE DIPLOMAS AS FRONT FOR FORCED PROSTITUTION Continue reading→

Free Pertussis/Tdap vaccines at Northgate Market, August 5-7

Posted on by Posted in california, Education, Health and Medical, Public Safety, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Working Families, Youth Activities Leave a comment

The Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) is enforcing a new state law requiring that all students that are entering the 7th to 12th grades be inoculated with the Pertussis or Tdap vaccine prior to beginning the school year.  Click here to learn more about this new law.

Northgate Markets is offering free Tdap vaccinations this week at select stores, from August 5 to 7. Continue reading→

Great Park 2011 Flights and Sounds Summer Festival launches this weekend

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Entertainment, irvine, music, Orange County, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: AUGUST 2, 2011
CONTACT: JENN STARNES, 949-724-6574

Great Park 2011 Flights & Sounds Summer Festival Launches This Weekend

Disco August 5; Spend an Evening with Saxophonist Branford Marsalis August 6

IRVINE – The Orange County Great Park’s 2011 Flights and Sounds Summer Festival launches its fourth annual dance party and concert season this weekend. The fun begins August 5 with a theme, celebrating the City of Irvine’s 40th Anniversary featuring DJ HAPA, who will kick off the summer Friday night dance parties. On August 6 Grammy Award winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis will open the Saturday concert series with a mix of jazz, blues and funk. These free live events begin at 8:15pm on Friday and Saturday nights for five weeks straight. Continue reading→

The Santa Ana City Council rejects male go-go dancers at new gay club

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Bars, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, Dance, LGBT, music, Restaurants, Santa Ana 8 Comments

The City of Santa Ana spent hundreds of thousands starting up the Artists Village.  Then they made tattoo shops, hookah bars and massage parlors illegal in the Downtown area.  Now they have forced a gay bar that is opening up soon, called the Velvet Lounge, to go without male go-go dancers, according to the O.C. Register.

I don’t get it.  If you are going to have an Artists Village shouldn’t you leave the prudishness at the door?

The argument I get from City Council loyalists is that Santa Ana is a family city, which is true to a certain extent but most families don’t venture into the Downtown area after dark.  So why not let our hair down? Continue reading→

Dinner, Magic Show and Beringer Wines at McCormick & Schmick’s on Sep. 22

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Entertainment, Restaurants, Santa Ana Leave a comment

McCormick & Schmick’s in Santa Ana and Napa Wines from Beringer are showcasing an evening of mind games with Michael Matthews.  There will be a Dinner and Magic Show on Sep. 22, at 7 pm, featuring a 4 course gourmet dinner and 4 great Napa wines, plus tax and 18% gratuity.

Seating is very limited so be sure to call (714) 558-1963 to RSVP.

Here is the menu for this magical evening: Continue reading→

Santa Ana’s gay community is organized and having an impact in the city

Posted on by Posted in Charities, Civic Affairs, LGBT, Santa Ana 11 Comments

Santa Ana’s gay community has formed an organization called “Gay Neighbors, Families and Friends of Santa Ana,” (GNFFSA) and they are having a real impact in the city.  From what I could tell searching the Internet, they have been actively engaged now for at least a couple of years.

Their latest email newsletter highlighted a few past and upcoming activities they are involved in, including:

  • A Certificate of Recognition will be presented to Gay Neighbors, Families and Friends for helping to sponsor the Santa Ana Independence Day Celebration, on July 3.
  • Santa Ana City Council approval of The Velvet Lounge’s request for a Conditional Use Permit (C.U.P.)., which is on the agenda for Monday evening’s meeting, on August 1. Continue reading→

Santa Ana couple charged with stealing $400K by faking husband’s death

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

Photo courtesy of the O.C. Sheriff’s Department

TONY RACKAUCKAS, ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Date: August 2, 2011

Susan Kang Schroeder, Office: 714-347-8408, Cell: 714-292-2718

Chief of Staff Farrah Emami, Spokesperson, Office: 714-347-8405, Cell: 714-323-4486

MARRIED COUPLE CHARGED WITH STEALING OVER $400,000 IN SOCIAL SECURITY AND UNION PENSION DEATH BENEFITS BY FAKING HUSBAND’S DEATH

SANTA ANA – A married couple will be arraigned tomorrow for stealing between $400,000 and $500,000 in death benefits over a 7-year period by faking the husband’s death. Santiago Carrasco, 51, and Rosa Carrasco, 53, both of Santa Ana, are each charged with two felony counts of grand theft with sentencing enhancements for aggravated white collar crime over $100,000 and property loss over $200,000. Continue reading→

Should the Santa Ana City Council hire Paul Walters as the new City Manager?

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana 13 Comments

[poll id=”6″]

We broke the story that the Santa Ana City Council suspended the search for a new City Manager, and today the O.C. Register followed up with a new article indicating that SAPD Police Chief Paul Walters, who has been serving as the Interim Santa Ana City Manager, now wants to be considered as an applicant for the job on a permanent basis.

Santa Ana Council Member Michele Martinez told the Register that more than fifty candidates have applied for the City Manager job.  That is not surprising.  Santa Ana is the Orange County seat and the city has a lot going for it. Continue reading→

Celebrate National Night Out in Santa Ana on Tuesday night, August 2

Posted on by Posted in Charities, Civic Affairs, Entertainment, Public Safety, Safety, Santa Ana, SAUSD Leave a comment

Celebrate a FREE community event, “National Night Out,” in Santa Ana this Tuesday evening, August 2, from 4 pm to 7 pm, at Madison Elementary School, located at 1124 E. Hobart St.  This is America’s Night Out Against Crime!

Click here for additional information.

National Night Out is an event designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness while strengthening neighborhood spirit and police/community partnerships. Continue reading→