Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Monthly Archives: December 2011

Happy New Year Santa Ana – no SAPD DUI checkpoints this weekend

Posted on by Posted in Alcohol, Bars, Crime, Paul Walters, Public Safety, Restaurants, Santa Ana 23 Comments

The Santa Ana Police Department’s (SAPD) Public Information Officer, Anthony Bertagna, and Santa Ana Chief of Police Paul Walters both confirmed today, via email, that the SAPD is not going to be conducting any DUI checkpoints this weekend.

Now that doesn’t mean that our residents and out of town visitors should get drunk and drive on New Year’s Eve, but it does mean that our residents who don’t have documents can feel free to drive without having to worry about their cars being impounded.

If you do get wasted this New Year’s Eve there is good news.  The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is providing free bus rides between 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31 and 2:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day, Jan. 1. Continue reading→

Unique, family-friendly fun at the Great Park on New Year’s Eve

Posted on by Posted in Entertainment, Family, irvine, Orange County, Parks and Recreation Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DECEMBER 27, 2011

CONTACT: JENN STARNES, 949-724-6574

Unique, Family-Friendly Fun at the Great Park on New Year’s Eve

Southland Mega Groove, Aerial Artists and Magicians Will Be Featured at Great Park’s Family New Year’s Eve Celebration

IRVINE – Celebrate New Year’s Eve with exciting entertainment performed by local musicians, dancers, aerial artists and magicians at the Great Park’s inaugural Great Night! Family New Year’s Eve on Saturday, December 31 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The evening will feature something for everyone with a variety of performances on the main stage and throughout the Park. Continue reading→

Poll closes tonight: Who will be Santa Ana’s Woman of the Year in 2011?

Posted on by Posted in Claudia Alvarez, Janet Nguyen, Loretta Sanchez, Michele Martinez, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana, SAUSD 3 Comments

Our readers enjoyed voting yesterday for Santa Ana’s Man of the Year in 2011 – now it’s the ladies turn as we consider who was Santa Ana’s Woman of the Year in 2011?  We had a very strong field last year, and many of those nominees are back in this year’s poll, but I also expanded the poll to include many of the leaders of our top non-profit organizations.  If I missed someone you think should be in the poll, please be sure to let me know in the comments.

This will be a tough decision as there are many great candidates!  One of my favorite choices is Santa Ana Council Member Michele Martinez, who had a tough year in 2011, with the passing of her mom and her great grandmother, but Martinez persevered and she is now the leading candidate to replace Jose Solorio in the 69th Assembly District.

Here is the poll – you can vote for up to three choices:

Continue reading→

Poll closes tonight: Who was Santa Ana’s Man of the Year in 2011?

Posted on by Posted in Alfredo Amezcua, Arts and Culture, David Benavides, Jose Solorio, Miguel Pulido, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 22 Comments

Santa Ana Youth Commissioner Jonathan Espinoza is leading the vote for “Man of the Year”

We started the tradition of asking our readers to vote for the “Santa Ana Man of the Year” last year, when my friend Naui Huitzilopochtli won easily.  I believe he now lives in Costa Mesa, so he won’t be repeating – but we do have some great choices in the poll below.

As 2011 draws to a close, it is time one more to ponder, who was Santa Ana’s Man of the Year?  Vote below – and yes you can vote for up to three choices (if I missed someone you think should be on the list, please let us know by commenting!): Continue reading→

Are two downtown Santa Ana businesses going to violate city code tonight?

Posted on by Posted in Alcohol, Bars, Civic Affairs, Crime, Dance, Restaurants, Santa Ana 24 Comments

A Cover Charge at Proof?  No bueno!

UPDATE: Santa Ana City Manager Paul Walters sent me an email today confirming that the City is looking into the issues raised in this post!

Chapter One: the Modern Local, a restaurant in Downtown Santa Ana, is promising a fun night tonight, which includes dancing – as per their Facebook event page.  However, I am told that their Conditional Use Permit (C.U.P.)  does NOT allow dancing.  As far as I know, they did not petition the Santa Ana Planning Agency for an exception.

You may recall that one of the owners of Chapter One went off on Mexican owned businesses in Downtown Santa Ana, a few months ago, when he questioned the number of Quinceanera stores in the Downtown area.  Well, I guarantee you that none of those shops will be flouting the law tonight! Continue reading→

New Year’s Eve restaurant specials, concerts and parties in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Alcohol, Bars, Dance, music, Restaurants, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Are you ready for New Year’s Eve?  There are a lot of New Year’s Eve events happening right here in Santa Ana!

  • Antonello Ristorante – Where Orange County’s power elite and private groups dine on Northern Italian cuisine and drink from an extensive wine list.  SPECIAL NEW YEARS EVE DINNER MENU. $69.95 per person (excludes tax & gratuity). Enjoy a 25% discount from our entire wine list when ordering this prix fixe menu.
  • Bistro 400 – ‎8th Annual NEW YEARs EVE PARTY!!!! 6p to Close.  Wow!! 2012!!! Party with us and D.J.Serge! Serving Dinner from 6p to 10pm then the COUNTDOWN PARTY BEGINS!!! With Fan fair and all! Drink specials all night with a free champagne toast at Midnight! Come and dance the night away and help us bring in the NEW YEAR! Not to mention (he is going to kill me) It’s the one and only PIERRE’S Birthday! And if you know Pierre, your sure to have a great night!
  • Black Angus – Open at 10am ‘Featuring our full Dinner and BullsEye Bar Menus.  1350 No. Tustin, Santa Ana, CA 92705. Continue reading→

Check out the TOTS exhibition closing reception tonight at Raven Studios

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

For Immediate Release

Jaydee Dizon (310) 962-4520

Invitation to the TOTS Exhibition’s Closing Reception at Raven Studios!

Artist collaborators: Michael Chomick, June Korea, Yamila Lee Tomas, Michael Costantino, Gilda Paige, Dodd Holsapple, Heather Boucher (HAB), and Jaydee Dizon, a group exhibition’s closing reception of Thinking Outside the Square (TOTS).  Join us on Friday, December 30 from 5-9 PM at 207 N. Broadway St., Suite E, which is located inthe heart of Santa Ana’s historic Santora Arts Building on the 2nd Floor.   Continue reading→

The O.C. Register touted Irvine’s safe city ranking but ignored Santa Ana’s

Posted on by Posted in Blogs, Crime, Democratic Party, irvine, Latinos, Media Links, Public Safety, Santa Ana 2 Comments

OJ Blogger Greg Diamond ripped Santa Ana’s safe city ranking but was silent about Irvine’s ranking

My colleague, Sean Mill, wrote a post earlier this week regarding the lack of attention paid by the O.C. Register, and in particular by their Santa Ana beat reporter Andrew Galvin, to the recent Forbes ranking of Santa Ana as the “4th Safest City in the U.S.” The Register briefly noted Santa Ana’s ranking in an article about the FBI crime data that was used by Forbes. But we found that the Register wrote an entire article on Dec. 13, touting a similar story, when the City of Irvine was ranked as the Safest City in the U.S. by an obscure entity (as compared to Forbes) – CQ Press.

The Santa Ana ranking was heavily criticized by the Liberal OC’s Chris Prevatt and by Orange Juice blogger Greg Diamond. Neither of them had anything negative to say about Irvine’s ranking, and Prevatt’s colleague, Dan Chmielewski, even wrote an entire post praising Irvine’s ranking. Diamond and Prevatt were silent about that too. Continue reading→

Why did Register & Galvin ignore Santa Ana’s Forbes safe city ranking?

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana 22 Comments

Pick up the print edition of the Orange County Register or visit their website online and you will certainly come across article after article focusing on negative issues pertaining to Santa Ana.  In what can only be described as biased reporting against our city and our city leaders, the Register and its staff appear to be treating Santa Ana like their personal punching bag.  It has only worsened since we elected an all-Latino city council and the old guard led by Dave Ream left town.

I thought that perhaps things would improve when Andrew Galvin began writing his column entitled The Santa Ana Register but he too seems to like taking swipes at our city and our leadership team led by Chief Paul Walters and the great council majority.  Sure Galvin has written some positive pieces like the one about Santa Ana Public Works Executive Director Raul Godinez IIbut those are few and far between. Continue reading→

Why should Councilwoman Michele Martinez answer to out of town bloggers?

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Blogs, Democratic Party, Elections, Julio Perez, Michele Martinez, Politics, Santa Ana, Tom Daly 80 Comments

Does Michele Martinez really need to worry about what out of town bloggers are saying?

A ruckus has broken out on two Orange County political blogs that are staffed by bloggers who do not live in Santa Ana.  They are all upset because Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez isn’t answering their questions about her campaign for the 69th Assembly District, but really – why should she?

One of the blogs is run by a pair of bloggers who live in Irvine and Long Beach.  The Irvine blogger was questioned earlier this year by the Santa Ana Police Department after they caught him sending creepy anonymous packages to a Santa Ana appointed official.  He and the Long Beach blogger also stalked Irvine Councilman Steven Choi when he was running for the State Assembly – creeping up to and taking pictures through the windows of his house! Continue reading→

Santa Ana resident charged with accepting bribes as a prison guard

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Westminster 1 Comment

Orange County District Attorney & Seal Beach Police Department Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 28, 2011
Contact: Sgt. Steve Bowles, Public Information Officer, Seal Beach Police Department, Office: 562-342-7391
Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff Orange County, District Attorney, 714-347-8408, Cell: 714-292-2718
Farrah Emami Spokesperson Orange County District Attorney, 714-347-8405, Cell: 714-323-4486

Case # 11WF2999: CITY JAIL GUARD CHARGED WITH ACCEPTING iPAD AND OTHER BRIBES IN EXCHANGE FOR ALLOWING INMATE PROHIBITED CONTRABAND AND UNAUTHORIZED PERSONAL VISITS

WESTMINSTER – A detention center officer at the Seal Beach City Jail has been charged with accepting bribes,including an iPad and money, in exchange for allowing an inmate prohibited contraband and visitor contacts. Jose Alday,32, Santa Ana, is charged with one felony count of an officer receiving bribes, one felony count of possession for sale of a controlled substance, and one misdemeanor count of possession of controlled substance paraphernalia. Continue reading→

O.C. Auditor-Controller releases new O.C. Citizens’ Report

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

DAVID E. SUNDSTROM, CPA AUDITOR-CONTROLLER

PRESS RELEASEFor Immediate Release: December 28, 2011

For further information contact: David Sundstrom, 714.834.2456

“Orange County Auditor-Controller David SundstromReleases the OC Citizens’ Report”

(Santa Ana, CA) – The Auditor-Controller’s office has just released its Annual OC Citizens’ Report. This is the eighth year the report has been published. The County has received the prestigious Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Reporting for the past seven years from the Government Finance OfficersAssociation. This report presents financial highlights for the County of Orange, California for the fiscal year(FY) ended June 30, 2011 and provides a high-level summary of information contained in the County’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). Continue reading→

Assoc. of O.C. Deputy Sheriffs raising $100K for deputy’s injured son

Posted on by Posted in Charities, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana 3 Comments

Picture courtesy of the O.C. Register

Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs
Media contact: Kimberly Edds, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Phone: 714-357-4654
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 28, 2011

Bring Jimmy Pequeno Home

Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs helping to raise $100,000 for deputy’s injured son

LAKE FOREST, CA, December 22, 2011 – Jimmy Pequeno, the 18-year-old son of an Orange County Sheriff’s deputy, remains in a coma after being badly injured in a car accident on July 1. Jimmy, a senior at El Toro High School, suffered multiple brain traumas, broken bones and other injuries. He has endured numerous surgeries and procedures in his fight towards recovery but six months later he has yet to regain “full consciousness.” Continue reading→

Who is Julio Perez?

Posted on by Posted in 2010 Elections, Democratic Party, Elections, Jose Solorio, Julio Perez, Michele Martinez, Politics, Santa Ana, Tom Daly 41 Comments

Who is Julio Perez?  He is the virtually unknown Democrat and labor consultant running to replace Jose Solorio in the 69th Assembly District.

His endorsers are a Who’s Who of failed Santa Ana mayoral candidate Al Amezcua’s backers and other lame Democrats.  However Perez could affect this race by handing the primary election to Tom Daly, a truly terrible Democrat who is as bad as most Republicans when it comes to immigrants and the working poor.  If Perez takes enough Latino votes from leading candidate Michele Martinez, who is a Santa Ana Council Member, the vote split could put Daly on top.

I don’t think Perez has ever had a real job, in the private sector.  Here is what I found on his Facebook page: Continue reading→

Santa Ana’s unionized service employees stick it to the people of Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Democratic Party, Elections, Jose Solorio, Labor, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana 8 Comments

Santa Ana’s service workers are going all in with the unknown Julio Perez

The City of Santa Ana’s service employees aren’t happy with City Manager Paul Walters and our City Council – “”The day after council members approved the new agreement with service employees, union leaders announced their endorsement of Julio Perez, who is running against Martinez and Orange County Clerk-Recorder Tom Daly for the 69th Assembly District seat,” according to the Voice of OC.

Imagine that.  These union workers have decided to stick it to the people of Santa Ana by endorsing a candidate from Anaheim, Perez, instead of Councilwoman Martinez, who grew up here, graduated from our schools, and still lives here.  Amazing. Continue reading→