Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Monthly Archives: September 2011

Tom Daly gets caught flaunting County of Orange purchasing policies

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Democratic Party, Jose Solorio, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana, Tom Daly 12 Comments

Bad news for Tom Daly, the O.C. Clerk-Recorder who is supposedly thinking of running for termed-out Assemblyman Jose Solorio’s 69th Assembly District.  I just got a hold of the “Final Findings by the County Purchasing Department for a Purchasing Compliance Review” of Daly’s agency. This 2009 report clearly shows that Daly thinks he is above County policy, as he continues to skirt the County’s purchasing guidelines, enrich his friends and waste hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Click here to read the full report for yourself.

Here are the “lowlights” of Daly’s shady purchasing practices: Continue reading→

SAUSD to host a Latino Achievement Gap Summit today

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

The Santa Ana Unified School District is hosting a “Closing the Latino Achievement Gap, Orange County 2011 Summit,” on September 30, at Santa Ana College.  Click here to see the event flier.

Some 350 federal, state, local educational and community leaders, students and parents will come together at Santa Ana College to focus on the challenge, data and projections, legislative policy and fiscal issues, and best practices for bridging the achievement gap for Latino students and English language learners.

You may attend in person by registering at this link, or click here to sign up for the webinar version of the event.

Here are the event details: Continue reading→

Alvarez and Sarmiento lost money while serving on municipal boards

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 6 Comments

The Liberal OC blog’s Chris Prevatt feels that it is an FPPC violation for Council Members to vote to appoint themselves to municipal commissions and boards that pay a stipend.  Prevatt, a high school grad who did not complete college, has purposefully misinterpreted Government Code §§ 87100 which states:

No public official at any level of state or local government shall make, participate in making or in any way attempt to use his official position to influence a governmental decision in which he knows or has reason to know he has a financial interest.

The question is whether or not a stipend constitutes a “financial interest.”  Does it?  I don’t think so.  This law was meant to stop people from getting onto boards so they could vote in a way that would benefit them financially.  Getting compensated for your time does not, as such, constitute a “financial interest.”  In fact, I can prove that Alvarez and Sarmiento LOST money by serving on these boards. Continue reading→

DJDC to try to break the world record for longest DJ set, at the Yost

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

Starting Sunday, October 2nd, 2011 through October 8th, 2011 DJDC will attempt to play the world’s longest DJ set to date! He is prepared to spin for 150 hours straight at Downtown Santa Ana’s historical Yost Theater. Be sure to come to the Yost Theater to cheer on DJDC while he pushes through to out-spin the current record of 120 hours and 19 minutes held by his rival, DJ Swiss. Continue reading→

Free mammogram sign-up at Northgate Market Santa Ana on 9/30

Posted on by Posted in Charities, Entertainment, Health and Medical, Santa Ana, Women Leave a comment

FOR YOU, FOR THEM. GET A MAMMOGRAM.

Free mammogram sign-ups at Northgate Market to kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month

WHAT: Eligible women have the opportunity to sign up for free clinical breast exams and screening mammograms through a partnership between Komen Orange County, Northgate Market and YWCA North Orange County

To kick off October as breast cancer awareness month, Puerto Rican actress Adamari Lopez will be attending the Sept. 30 event for a special in-store appearance. Continue reading→

Is FPPC complaint selectively targeting Latino officials?

Posted on by Posted in Blogs, Carlos Bustamante, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Latinos, Orange County, Politics, Racism, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 20 Comments

 

Glenn Stroud - Complainer in Chief

When Santa Ana resident Glenn Stroud, at the urging of Liberal OC blogger Chris Prevatt, filed a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission against Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez and Councilmember Vincent Sarmiento it was no doubt a case of “selective” complaining.  The question is did Stroud and Prevatt selectively target the two because they are Latino?

The complaint filed last week alleges that Alvarez and Sarmiento violated state law by voting for their own appointments to the Orange County Water District Board and the Transportation Corridor Agency respectively.  Elected officials voting on their appointments to such boards has been going on for years and it happens in communities across the state including right here in Orange County.  Stroud and Prevatt ignored history and the others and simply zeroed in on two Latino Democrats. Continue reading→

Could alleged tampering with witnesses be Bustamante’s downfall?

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Orange County, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana 3 Comments

The Voice of OC reported on Sep. 16, that Santa Ana Councilman and County of Orange Public Works Administrator Carlos Bustamante, “who first began working at the county in 2000, was placed on administrative leave this week after county officials received what they considered credible reports that he was talking to potential female witnesses in the probe, sources confirmed Friday.”

The Voice of OC also reported that “The feeling among senior officials in the county administration is that Bustamante will not return to work for the county, according to sources close to the investigation.”

I heard yesterday from a source that has connections both at the County of Orange and at Santa Ana’s City Hall.  She said that her sources were telling her that Bustamante is ultimately going to be charged with tampering with witnesses, which means that the senior officials who talked to the Voice of OC are correct – Bustamante is likely toast. Continue reading→

Santa Ana’s best kept secret – Niki’s Indian Food

Posted on by Posted in Business, Food, Restaurants, Santa Ana Leave a comment

I stopped eating meat about three weeks ago.  I cook dinner most nights for my family – and now I also cook a vegetarian dish for myself as well.  My wife and kids are still carnivores, and so I still prepare steaks, chicken and the occasional shrimp scampi or fish tacos for them.

My diet is pretty simple now, although I am very good at making soups and such.  On occasion, when I want to treat myself, I head for Niki’s Indian Food – a strip center restaurant located at 2031 East First St., Suite A-3.  They are just a few blocks west of Tustin Ave., at Golden Circle.  This restaurant is easily the best kept secret in town, when it comes to great comfort food. Continue reading→

Could Tran defeat Supervisor Nguyen in 2012, if the County goes bankrupt?

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Elections, Janet Nguyen, Loretta Sanchez, Orange County, Politics, Public Safety, Republican Party, Santa Ana 3 Comments

The honeymoon might be over between Van Tran and Janet Nguyen

If the County of Orange declares bankruptcy – again (due in part to Assemblyman Jose Solorio’s vote to take away $48 million in state funding, from the County), will that open the door for former Assemblyman Van Tran to challenge incumbent Supervisor Janet Nguyen, in the First District?

Tran has very high name I.D., due to his run for Congress last year.  He did not beat the incumbent, Loretta Sanchez, but he garnered a lot of press, both negative and positive.

Nguyen, on the other hand, fumbled last year’s Black April event, in Little Saigon, angering her Vietnamese-American voter base, and then endorsed Meg Whitman, which turned out to be an epic fail with her Latino constituents. Continue reading→

Isn’t it time for Santa Ana to outsource the Neighborhood Associations?

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Neighborhood Associations, Santa Ana 73 Comments

2010 – 2011 Comlink Board

Unless you’ve been in a coma or under a rock somewhere you are well aware of the fiscal crisis facing our community.  Municipalities are being asked to do more with less and tough decisions need to be made as to where budget cuts should take place.  According to our acting City Manager, Paul Walters, the City of Santa Ana is even considering outsourcing a number of services, including fire dispatch, the public library and even the Santa Ana Zoo.

Of course the last area we should cut is public safety (even though we do need to make sure our cops and firemen aren’t getting sweetheart deals), but there are areas of the budget that should be cut in order to save during this fiscal crisis.  One of those area’s city officials should cut immediately is the funding for neighborhood associations and Comlink. Continue reading→

Will the Chivas USA soccer team move to Santa Ana’s Willowick Golf Course?

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Development, Latinos, Parks and Recreation, Real Estate, Redevelopment, Santa Ana, Sports, Working Families 18 Comments

The City of Santa Ana has entered into negotiations with the Chivas USA soccer team, with a goal of relocating them to the Willowick Golf Course – with perhaps a temporary home at Eddie West Field.

According to a City of Santa Ana press release, “the potential move to Santa Ana would include their Major League team, reserve division, youth teams, and their non-profit foundation, which focuses on community service projects and programs.”

“In these trying economic times, I am pleased that a Major League Soccer team would consider relocating to our city to bring much needed resources. Chivas’ presence would create recreational amenities and programs for youth, bring economic development opportunities to our businesses, and revitalize areas within our city,” stated Mayor Miguel Pulido. Continue reading→

OC Wine Week begins today, Sep. 25, includes three Santa Ana restaurants

Posted on by Posted in Food, Orange County, Restaurants, Santa Ana Leave a comment

OC Wine Week starts today, September 25.  This two week event will take place at OC’s top restaurants and offer food, wine and beer aficionados fantastic dining options and really great prices.

This delicious event will begin with OC Wine Week September 25 – October 1. Menus will be prix fixe and offer wine pairings or wine flights with your meal. OC Beer Week takes place immediately following and will begin October 2 until October 8.

Locations participating in Central Orange County include: Continue reading→

Free identity theft seminar on 9/28, in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Entertainment Leave a comment

Orange County’s Credit Union has once again teamed up with Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Orange County to bring awareness to identity theft month in October.

They will be kicking it off on Wednesday September 28th with an identity theft workshop at Orange County’s Headquarters, located at 1701 E. St. Andrew Place, Santa Ana, CA, presented by Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Orange County. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce AT&T Golf Tournament is on 9/26

Posted on by Posted in Business, Charities, Entertainment, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce presents their annual AT&T Golf Tournament on Monday, September 26 at the Santa Ana Country Club, which is located at 20382 Newport Boulevard, in Santa Ana.  Proceeds from this event will benefit the economic programs of the Chamber.

The Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce has been working for over 120 years to improve the economy of Santa Ana and Orange County.  This has included training programs for a skilled workforce for the future and as well as ongoing business advocacy, education and networking programs. Continue reading→