Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Monthly Archives: October 2012

Dr. Mijares is already making a difference as our new Supt. of O.C. Schools

Posted on by Posted in Al Mijares, Education, Latinos, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

“Dr. Al Mijares has stepped into his new role as Orange County’s new Superintendent of Schools. On Wednesday, Marian Bergeson, retired California legislator and former California secretary of education, administered the oath of office to Dr. Mijares, who was selected by the Orange County Board of Education,” according to OC Metro Magazine.

I emailed Dr. Mijares today and asked him to please consider adding a translator tool to the O.C. Department of Education’s website.  His predecessor, Bill Habermehl, blew me off when I made the same suggestion to him.  But Mijares came through! Continue reading→

Updated: Why is the SAUSD letting hundreds of pounds of food rot?

Posted on by Posted in Food, Health and Medical, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, SAUSD 70 Comments

Picture courtesy of the OC Weekly

NEW UPDATE: SAUSD Superintendent Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana just sent me an email indicating that:

“The Santa Ana Unified School District is looking into programs that will allow us to donate excessive food that we are not able to use because of over ordering or food that was not used in production. We are in communication with other districts such as Los Angeles Unified that have similar donation programs.”

The District is committed to continuing best practices that ensure that the investments made to our schools are utilized in an efficient and effective manner that best serves our students.” Continue reading→

Mark McLoughlin goes full raza in his campaign for the RSCCD Board

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Education, Loretta Sanchez, Mark McLoughlin, Politics, Santa Ana 24 Comments

Overheard: “Is this guy the Colonel from KFC?”

One of the funniest campaign mailers I have ever seen arrived in my mail box today, from Mark McLoughlin, a Rancho Santiago Community College District Trustee who is running for re-election in Area 3.  He went full raza!

The flier is in Spanish and it erroneously states that McLoughlin is an educator. no he isn’t!  His opponent, Dave Chapel, actually is an educator.  McLoughlin is just a suit with zero experience as an educator. Continue reading→

Solorio Scholars awards dinner set for Dec. 8, in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Charities, Education, Entertainment, Jose Solorio Leave a comment

Dear Friend,

As you make end-of-year decisions for worthy non-profit organizations to support, I hope you’ll consider the Orange County Leadership Fund. Your support would not only help our Solorio Scholars cause, but also provide you with an eligible tax deduction.

The Orange County Leadership Fund supports leadership workshops, innovative education initiatives, neighborhood clean-up projects, and programs addressing local and state policy issues. Continue reading→

Santa Ana College’s Veterans Program benefit reception set for Nov. 8

Posted on by Posted in Education, Entertainment, Military, Santa Ana, Veterans Leave a comment

Roxy Barragan (left) & Anthony Jianuzzi (right) Santa Ana College Veteran Students

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 16, 2012
Contact: Judy Iannaccone, Director, Communications, Phone: (714) 480-7503, e-mail: iannaccone_judy@rsccd.edu

November 8th Soldiers to Scholars Reception Benefits Veterans Programs at Santa Ana College

(Santa Ana)—It’s an uphill battle for returning veterans as they transition to civilian life. For many Santa Ana College veteran students who are utilizing their veteran benefits to access higher education, the Veterans Resource Center (VRC) is the first place they turn. Last year, there were 502 veterans enrolled in classes at Santa Ana College. Continue reading→

Orange Education Center to host a free Fall Job Fair on 10/19

Posted on by Posted in Education, Entertainment, Jobs, Orange Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 15, 2012

Contacts: Judy Iannaccone , Director, Communications, Phone: (714) 480-7503, e-mail: iannaccone_judy@rsccd.edu

Orange Education Center Hosts Free Fall Job Fair on October 19

*Fair Features More Than 20 Employers with Job Openings*

(Orange)— Santiago Canyon College’s Orange Education Center (OEC) invites the community to attend its annual fall job fair. The event is scheduled on Friday, October 19, from 9:00 a.m. to noon at the Orange Education Center, 1465 N. Batavia St., Orange, CA 92867. Entrance and parking are free. Continue reading→

Santa Ana sets the grand opening of three new Santa Ana river parks

Posted on by Posted in Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana 3 Comments

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community: The City of Santa Ana Announces the Grand Opening of Three New Santa Ana River Parks

SANTA ANA, CA (October 16, 2012) – The City of Santa Ana, Parks, Recreation and Community Services Agency proudly announces the opening of three new parks along the Santa Ana River Trail: 17th Street Triangle (.66 acres), Fairview Triangle (.30 acres) and McFadden Triangle (.78 acres). On Saturday, October 20, 2012 the city will officially open the three parks with a Ribbon Cutting ceremony at each site. Continue reading→

Registration available now for new O.C. flag football league for kids

Posted on by Posted in Santa Ana, Sports Leave a comment

There are a lot of concerns today about youth football – in fact the coach of a Pop Warner team here in Orange County has allegedly been paying kids to hurt other kids – and he was allegedly doing this before the NFL’s New Orleans Saints got busted for the same thing.  And many are growing concerned about head injuries incurred while playing football.

So the time is right for a new youth football league that involves flag football, not contact football.  The Action Flag Football league is now forming youth teams in Orange County.  Click here to check out their website. . Continue reading→

Study reveals that Rancho Community College Trustees are overpaid

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Education, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Mike Moodian, a candidate for South Orange County Community College District board of trustees in Area 7, where he is running against disgraced former public administrator John Williams, has written a new report, which exposes Orange County’s community college trustees’ wasteful spending (all four districts).

Moodian’s report is based on extensive research of documents gained through public records requests. The report is posted here.

Moodian’s key findings and recommendations are: Continue reading→

Why did Benavides blow off the ribbon cutting at the Bao Quang Temple?

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Churches and Religion, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Elections, Karina Onofre, Little Saigon, Miguel Pulido, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, Vietnamese, Vince Sarmiento 13 Comments

“After a long time, through many difficulties, under the enthusiastic help of effort and money from donors and Buddhists in many places, especially Council Member Santa Ana, Bao Quang Temple was officially inaugurated on Sunday morning, with the spacious, majesty and the splendor, before hundreds of religious clergy, visitors and community members,” according to Nguoi Viet.

Mayor Miguel Pulido was there.  So was Ward 5 Council candidate Karina Onofre.  They were joined by Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez, a candidate for the Rancho Santiago Community College District’s Area 3, and Santa Ana Council Member Vince Sarmiento.  But mayoral challenger David Benavides and his clip-on tie wearing sidekick, Ward 5 challenger Roman Reyna, were missing in action. Continue reading→

SAUSD School Board candidate Ceci Iglesias addresses the Dream Act

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Cecilia Iglesias, Dream Act, Education, immigration, Latinos, Santa Ana 8 Comments

I asked SAUSD School Board candidate Cecilia Iglesias to clarify her position on the Dream Act.  You may recall that her fellow Republicans, Robert Hammond and Charles Hart, brow beat her at a meeting of the OC GOP Endorsement Committee into disavowing the Dream Act.

But now Iglesias says she is not against it at all although she does not refer to the Dream Act by name in her statement.  Here then is her statement clarifying her position on the Dream Act: Continue reading→

Tony Tapia launches his RSCCD Trustee, Area 3, campaign website

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Education, Santa Ana, Tony Tapia 3 Comments

Tony Tapia has launched his campaign website, for Area 3 on the Rancho Santiago Community College District’s Board of Education.

Tapia is the only candidate running for Area 3 who actually has business experience.  He helps to manage a family business and he also works as a construction laborer, out of a trade hall here in Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Georgetown student Jonathan Espinoza thanks the people of Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Education, Jonathan Espinoza, Latino Leaders, Latinos, Santa Ana, SAUSD 5 Comments

A letter from Georgetown University student Jonathan Espinoza to the residents of Santa Ana:

October 14, 2012

Dear Fellow Residents of Santa Ana:

Three months ago, I gathered what little belongings I had to my name, packed them in my bags and headed out to LAX to catch a plane that was scheduled to depart at 6:00 am en route to Washington, DC. As my family and friends said their goodbyes, I did not know what to make of everything going on. I saw my mother burst into tears as I walked away into the terminal (I don’t know if they were tears of sadness as she saw me leave, or tears of happiness because I was going out and finally chasing my American Dream). I remember the smile on my friend’s face as he said his goodbye, and I remember the feelings that suddenly took over me as I realized that a new chapter in my life had just begun. After I passed the TSA checkpoint I had to wait about an hour to board the plane, and so emotions and memories began to rush through my mind. I felt happy, sad, joyful, anxious but most of all – afraid. Continue reading→

Assemblyman Solorio asks Santa Ana’s voters to support Mayor Pulido

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Elections, Jose Solorio, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana 34 Comments

Assemblyman Jose Solorio has always been a staunch supporter of Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido.  He stepped that up a notch this week sending a personalized letter to every voter in Santa Ana, asking them to vote for Pulido on Nov. 6.

Solorio’s letter focused on Pulido’s many achievements, including: Continue reading→