Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Monthly Archives: February 2012

SAPD arrests another public school teacher, at OCHSA, for sexual comments

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Education, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Women, Youth Activities 4 Comments

Unbelievable.  Another Santa Ana public school teacher has been arrested for making sexually suggestive comments to students, the day after a wrestling coach and biology teacher, Joseph Manuel Orduna, was arrested at Godinez High School. This time the SAPD arrested John Juul Nielson, of Cerritos, a dance instructor at a Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) charter public school, the Orange County High School of the Arts (OCHSA).

There is no mention of this new arrest yet on the SAUSD’s website.  Nor is there any mention of this on the OCHSA website, or on their Facebook page.  I don’t think the OCHSA’s Board was ready for this. You can email the OCHSA board here.

Here is the SAPD’s press release: Continue reading→

Assemblyman Solorio urges residents to apply for earned income tax credits

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Jose Solorio, Orange County, Santa Ana, Taxes Leave a comment

For Immediate Release: February 29, 2012
For More Information Contact: Carol Chamberlain – office: (916) 319-2069, mobile: (916) 804-5355

Assemblyman Solorio Urges Residents to Apply For Earned Income Tax Credit if Eligible

“The sooner you file, the sooner you’ll get that refund,” he says.

SACRAMENTO – Assemblyman Jose Solorio (D-Anaheim) is encouraging working families with limited income to take advantage of free tax preparation and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a government tax refund. The Earned Income Tax Credit, designed to help alleviate the tax burden of low and middle-income American families, often goes unclaimed by those who need it the most. Continue reading→

Was the SAUSD prepared for the arrest of a Godinez teacher, on sex charges?

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Education, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Youth Activities 24 Comments

UPDATE: The OC Register’s online article about this has some interesting comments, here.

Joseph Manuel Orduna, an Irvine resident and wrestling coach/teacher at the Santa Ana Unified School District’s (SAUSD) Godinez Fundamental High School, has been arrested and charged with “making sexually suggestive comments and inappropriately touching two female students.”  The SAPD and the OCDA are seeking the public’s help in identifying additional victims.

A running back, Orduna starred at the University of Nebraska before going on to play for the New York Giants and Baltimore Colts in the 1970s, according to Fox News.

FYI, this one hits close to home, as I have a son who is a sophomore at Godinez and another son who graduated from Godinez and is now at UCLA.  Godinez is a great school with top administrators and teachers – as such this case is a real shocker.  Continue reading→

Leading 69th A.D. candidate Martinez endorsed by S.A. police managers

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Democratic Party, Elections, Michele Martinez, Politics, Santa Ana 1 Comment

For Immediate Release: February 28, 2012
Contact: Lupe De La Cruz, Cell: (714) 564-0130

Michele Martinez Receives Endorsement from Key Law Enforcement Leaders

Santa Ana, CA – Santa Ana City Councilwoman Michele Martinez received the endorsement of the Santa Ana Police Management Association (SAPMA) today. The endorsement was announced by Jim Schnabl (Police Commander and Secretary/Treasurer of the SAPMA), on behalf of the association that represents the Command Staff of the Santa Ana Police Department. Continue reading→

Will sex tape prod force SAUSD Trustee Nadia Lockyer out of politics?

Posted on by Posted in 2010 Elections, california, Democratic Party, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana, Women Leave a comment

Good grief.  Just when you thought the Nadia Lockyer affair and rehab scandal could not get any worse, a sex tape has allegedly emerged, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, which reported that Nadia’s husband, California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer, “believed that the man, who has a history of arrests for alleged methamphetamine use, might make the tape public if forced to break off a romantic relationship with the supervisor.”

Bill accused Nadia’s “ex-lover” of beating her up after she met him at a motel.  “Stephen Chikhani (pictured above), the man Nadia Lockyer is accusing of attacking her, denied her account. He told the Oakland Tribune that the only truths were “that I have a record and that they were separated. … Pretty much everything else was made up by her husband.” The 35-year-old San Jose man has not been charged,” according to the Oakland Tribune, which refused to endorse Nadia when she ran for the Alameda County Board of Supervisors in 2010. Continue reading→

Santa Ana’s LA Fitness to host a Member Appreciation day this Wednesday

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

If you are a member of Santa Ana’s LA Fitness, located on Tustin Ave., just south of 17th, you can bring family or friends with you for free this Wednesday, Feb. 29, as they are hosting a “Member Appreciation Day.”

And if you are not a member, they do have a great deal right now.  Click here to contact Martin, he will hook you up with zero down and $29.99 a month – no contract and everything is month to month, with access to everything at the gym! Continue reading→

Get a free Metrolink pass to the Dana Point Festival of Whales on 3/3

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

The Dana Point Festival of Whales attracts nearly 100,000 visitors each year. With a parade, whale watching excursions, contests, a block party, shopping and more, the festival is a great way to celebrate the annual return of the migrating gray whales.

Join us in Orange for a FREE Metrolink ticket and more!

OCTA is kicking off the Festival of Whales with a celebration at the Orange Station on Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 8:30 a.m. The event will feature: Continue reading→

CA Dept. of Education considers the SAUSD to be in financial jeopardy

Posted on by Posted in california, Education, Fiscal Sustainability, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Youth Activities 7 Comments

 
The Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) is one of nine Orange County school districts that “have filed preliminary spending plans indicating they might not be able to meet their financial obligations over the next two years, part of a group of 137 districts statewide that the state considers to be in “financial jeopardy,”” according to the O.C. Register.

Although many districts have plans in place to absorb this worst-case scenario, nine of the county’s 28 districts don’t know yet where they’ll achieve the necessary savings, and thus filed interim budget plans in December with a “qualified” certification. The state Department of Education characterized these districts Thursday as being in “financial jeopardy.” Continue reading→

CA Supreme Court punts the Usual Suspects’ One Broadway Plaza lawsuit

Posted on by Posted in Business, Courts, Development, Jobs, Santa Ana 1 Comment

“The California Supreme Court has declined to hear an activist group’s lawsuit to block construction of One Broadway Plaza, a planned 37-story office tower near downtown Santa Ana,” according to the Voice of OC. 

The Coalition for Accountable Government Ethics (CAGE) had sued to stop developer Mile Harrah from proceeding with the project, arguing that the Santa Ana City Council illegally removed a condition that Harrah lease 50 percent of the building before beginning construction. Continue reading→

SAPD to conduct a DUI checkpoint tonight, at 3000 W. Edinger

Posted on by Posted in Alcohol, Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Advisory: The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Friday, February 24th,

SANTA ANA POLICE STEP UP DUI ENFORCEMENT

The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Friday, February 24th, 2012. It will begin at 7:30PM and is scheduled to conclude at 1:30AM. It will be conducted in the area of 3000 W. Edinger Avenue, in the City of Santa Ana. Continue reading→

69th A.D. candidate Martinez gets bipartisan & Vietnamese support at event

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Carlos Bustamante, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Elections, Jose Solorio, Little Saigon, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Republican Party, Santa Ana, Sean Mill, Vietnamese, Vince Sarmiento, Westminster 8 Comments

I expected a good turnout at Santa Ana Council Member Michele Martinez’ fundraising event tonight, which was hosted at the home of Council Member Vince Sarmiento and his wife Eva.  And sure enough, the place was packed – but that was not the entire story.

For one thing, a lot of Republicans were there tonight, including past CRP Vice Chair Mario Rodriguez, who was a high-ranking official in Governor Schwarzenegger’s administration; Break Mayor Ron Garcia, who works with Martinez in NALEO (the National Association of Latino Elected Officials); MWD Trustee Brett Barbre; developer and consultant Steve Sheldon; and Santa Ana Council Member Carlos Bustamante. Continue reading→

Martinez fundraising event tonight, at Sarmiento’s home

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Democratic Party, Elections, Jose Solorio, Michele Martinez, Politics, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 5 Comments

Santa Ana Council Member Vince Sarmiento, who is widely respected by both Democrats and Republicans, sent out a letter via email yesterday encouraging his supporters to back his colleague, Santa Ana Council Member Michele Martinez, for the 69th Assembly District.  Sarmiento and his wife are hosting a fundraiser for her on Thursday, Feb. 23.  Here is Sarmiento’s eloquent letter:

I am writing to urge you to join my wife and I in supporting Councilwoman Michele Martinez for election to the California Legislature. As a friend and colleague, Councilwoman Martinez has demonstrated that she is the best candidate for the 69th Assembly district. The district is currently represented by Assemblyman Jose Solorio, who is termed-out and has already endorsed Michele for his seat in the Assembly. Continue reading→

Disaster strikes as the SAUSD has apparently lost their QEIA funding

Posted on by Posted in california, Education, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Youth Activities 11 Comments

What will SAUSD Superintendent Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana do now?

Update: Fresno Unified is losing their QEIA funding too, due to low test scores, and San Bernardino Unified is losing 7 million in QEIA funding.

The Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) has apparently lost their Quality Education Investment Act (QEIA) funding, which will result in a huge excess of teachers – and no money to pay for them, according to a district insider who has asked to remain anonymous.  To make matters worse, the district did not “RIF,” (Reduction in Force) or lay off teachers, meaning they are now stuck paying the teachers.

I am hearing that the district is in complete scramble mode – and they are coming up with some truly ridiculous schemes.  They will say anything to avoid fessing up to screwing up royally.  Rumor has it that they are going to change to a six period day based on the premise that everyone should have an elective. Most of the students have an elective already in the current seven period day and the rest of them don’t have one because the district forced the schools to put them in two periods of math despite the objections of some teachers. Continue reading→

OC Lawmen open their football season in Santa Ana on March 10

Posted on by Posted in Charities, Entertainment, Orange County, Public Safety, Sports, Youth Activities Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Katie Cover, OC Lawmen Football, Public Relations/Marketing Director
PO Box 10572, Westminster, CA 92685, 909-680-0155, Facebook – OC Lawmen

Lawmen open the season with some Heat…

Westminster, CA, February 22, 2012 – This season the OC Lawmen will open their season taking on the LA Heat in a full contact football game at the Santa Ana Bowl on March 10 at 3pm. Continue reading→