New Santa Ana | Monthly Archives: June 2013

O.C. Clerk-Recorder’s branches open for special Saturday hours on 6/22

Posted on June 8, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Entertainment, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Hugh Nguyen, Orange County Clerk-Recorder
News Release

Special Saturday Hours Planned for June 22

Plan now to take advantage of special Saturday hours available at the Orange County Clerk-Recorder Department on Saturday June 22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Old County Courthouse in Santa Ana and the department’s branch offices in Laguna Hills and Fullerton.

The Old County Courthouse will be offering marriage license, civil wedding ceremonies and passport application services only. Copies of property records and birth, death and marriage certificates will be available at the Laguna Hills and Fullerton branch offices, as well as obtaining marriage licenses and having civil wedding ceremonies performed. Free parking will be available at all three locations. Continue reading→

Man carjacked on Bristol and Segerstrom Ave., near South Coast Plaza

Posted on June 8, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana 6 Comments

Well this is depressing. Apparently a man driving a Volkswagen was carjacked in Santa Ana today at about 12:30 p.m. by at least two people. The victim called the SAPD to report this. The good news is that the cops caught the bad guys after a high speed chase that ended in a car accident on Harbor Bl.

The bad guys ran but “police sent a K-9 unit, helicopter, strike force, gang unit and police detectives after the man, who was arrested in the 1100 block of North West Street,” according to the O.C. Register.

The bad news? The carjacking happened at Bristol Street and Segerstrom Avenue. Yep. Right near what is referred to as South Coast but is actually Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Pulido garners praise as he works to shut down SONGS and save the fire pits

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Alfredo Amezcua, David Benavides, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Raul Godinez, Santa Ana 6 Comments

It has been a tough ride for longtime Santa Ana Mayor Miguel A. Pulido since his successful re-election last November. He easily defeated Councilman David P. Benavides in that election, but Bneavides came out on top as part of a City Council that appears to be united in their pettiness towards Pulido.

The City Council fired City Manager Paul Walters, although he saved the city from a massive budget deficit by outsourcing our expensive Fire Department to the Orange County Fire Authority. And someone on the Council leaked damaging information to the Voice of OC about the embarrassing investigation of Deputy City Manager Jill Arthur, who has always been loyal to Pulido. She will almost certainly retire and not return to City Hall.

But despite all the attacks on him, Pulido has been in the news, a lot, because he has been heavily involved in two regional issues. Pulido has been leading the charge to save the fire pits on our Orange County coastal beaches. He has been doing so in his capacity as a member of the Southern California Air Quality Managment District’s Board of Governors. Even OC Weekly editor Gustavo Arellano, who has no love for Pulido, has to begrudgingly admit that he is rooting for Pulido: Continue reading→

SAUSD and Guaranty Chevrolet to give a car away for perfect attendance on 6/8

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in automobiles, Education, Entertainment, Santa Ana, SAUSD Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 7, 2013
Contact: Deidra Powell, Chief Communications Officer, (714) 558-5555 Office, (714) 673-4995 Mobile
MEDIA ADVISORY: Saturday, June 8 Car Giveaway

One High School Student with Perfect Attendance Will Win a 2013 Chevy Spark!

Event: Guaranty Chevrolet is donating a brand new 2013 Chevy Spark to one lucky student in the Santa Ana Unified School District who has had perfect attendance all year long. This is the seventh year that Guaranty Chevrolet has offered the incentive to keep high school students’ attendance on track. Nearly 700 high school students in grades 9 through 12 are eligible to participate in the drawing for a new car. Continue reading→

Santa Ana’s Gilbert Melendez, a UFC title contender, honored by the City Council

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, Latino Leaders, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana, Sports 1 Comment

Santa Ana City Council proclamations are usually overlooked, however one that should have been noted was the honoring of Santa Ana’s own Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title contender Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez for winning the Strikeforce Lightweight Championship and ranking #2 in his weight division.

Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez issued the proclamation at the Council meeting on Monday, June 3, 2013. The City Council also honored Melendez for being a positive influence and representative of Santa Ana in the sports world. Continue reading→

Free movies and live music under the stars at Fairhaven Memorial this summer

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Entertainment, Movies, music, Santa Ana Leave a comment

LIVE MUSIC AND MOVIES UNDER THE STARS COMING TO FAIRHAVEN MEMORIAL PARK THIS SUMMER

Free Summer Entertainment Series to offer fun and thrills for the whole family

SANTA ANA, Calif. – June 7, 2013 – Fairhaven Memorial Park is celebrating the summer with one of Orange County’s most popular local bands and two of Hollywood’s most spine tingling movies. The free Summer Entertainment Series will feature three family-friendly events open to the public in one of Orange County’s most historic and beautiful settings.

Attendees are invited to bring a picnic basket, blanket, beach chairs and an appetite for fun and adventure to the following events:

Sunday, June 30 – 4 pm: Rock out with one of Orange County’s most popular bands, The Tijuana Dogs, for a free concert in the park. The Dogs’ power packed blend of rock and pop is the perfect soundtrack for summer fun. The event area opens at 3:30pm.
Saturday, July 27 – 8:15 pm: Don’t go in the water, but do stop by for a special screening of “Jaws.” Enjoy this classic thriller like never before, under the stars in front of Fairhaven’s Historic Mausoleum. The event area opens at 7:30pm.
Saturday, August 17 – 8:15 pm: Jaws returns for one last reign of terror, as the Summer Entertainment Series concludes with “Jaws 2.” The event area opens at 7:30pm.

The Summer Concert Series will be held at Fairhaven’s Santa Ana location at 1702 Fairhaven Avenue. Guests are permitted to bring their own food and beverages. For additional information, please contact Cynthia Adair at 714-532-8921 extension 289.

About Fairhaven Memorial Park

Founded in 1911, Fairhaven Memorial Park is Orange County’s most beautiful independently owned and operated full-service mortuary, crematory and cemetery. Fairhaven provides funeral, cremation and burial services both at the time of need and through advanced planning, maintaining its steadfast commitment to care and compassion. Fairhaven is dedicated to celebrating the individual, providing services that are as unique and wide-ranging as the people they celebrate. Additional information is available at www.fairhavenmemorial.com.

# # #

Gang banger sentenced for shooting a man during a robbery in Santa Ana

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Courts, Crime, Gangs, Garden Grove, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Orange County District Attorney, Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 08CF2288: June 7, 2013

GANG MEMBER SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE PLUS 25 YEARS FOR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES SHOOTING-MURDER OF MAN DURING ATTEMPTED ROBBERY

*An unidentified accomplice is outstanding in this case

FULLERTON – A criminal street gang member was sentenced today to life in state prison without the possibility of parole plus an additional 25 years to life in state prison for the shooting-murder of a man, whom the defendant had intended to rob. Albert Lubo Ruedas, 25, Garden Grove, was found guilty by a jury June 15, 2011, of one felony count of special circumstances murder in the commission of a robbery and for a criminal street gang purpose and one felony count of street terrorism. The sentencing enhancements for the personal discharge of a firearm and criminal street gang activity were found true.

The defendant is a member of an Anaheim Hispanic criminal street gang. At approximately 12:30 a.m. on July 29, 2008, 46-year-old Daniel Jimenez Lopez was walking home alone on Sullivan Street in Santa Ana. The victim is not a gang member. Armed with a firearm, Ruedas and an unknown accomplice ran up to the victim with the intention of robbing him. Continue reading→

SAPD DUI checkpoint set for June 8

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Alcohol, Bars, Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana 2 Comments

SAPD DUI ENFORCEMENT on Saturday, June 8th, 2013

The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Saturday, June 8th, 2013. It will begin at 7:30PM and is scheduled to conclude at 1:30AM. It will be conducted in the area of 1000 E. Fourth Street, in the City of Santa Ana.

The primary purpose of a DUI Checkpoint is to deter impaired driving, not to increase arrests. All too often, members of our community are senselessly injured or killed on local roadways by impaired drivers. This DUI/Drivers License checkpoint is an effort to reduce those tragedies, as well as ensuring drivers have a valid driver’s license. The DMV reports that unlicensed drivers are 4.9 times more likely to cause a fatal crash than a licensed driver. Continue reading→

City of Santa Ana to close their City Manager survey on June 30

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, Santa Ana Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community: Community Input Survey For Nationwide City Manager Recruitment Ends June 30th

SANTA ANA, CA – (June 5, 2013) – At the City Council’s direction, the Personnel Services Department initiated the recruitment process for a new City Manager. City Council members are interested in obtaining feedback from the community to guide the recruitment and selection strategies by establishing a community input survey in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Continue reading→

Former City Manager Walters should get the credit for the new City budget

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, Crime, Kevin O'Rourke, Paul Walters, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Santa Ana’s police union is negotiating a new contract

The Santa Ana City Council Monday passed what could be called its first post-crisis budget, adopting a two-year spending plan that beefs up reserves, potentially restores furlough hours to city employees and provides small increases to the police and code enforcement budgets, according to the Voice of OC.

The Voice of OC’s Santa Ana reporter, Adam Elmahrek, wrote that the SAPD is reorganizing in the wake of the departure of former Santa Ana police chief Paul Walters, who was fired by our City Council for no good reason earlier this year. But while Elmahrek tried to make it look like Walters wasted money on the SAPD in the past, he also had to admit that it was due to Walters that we have a budget at all this year – “This year, thanks in large part to the decision to outsource the city’s fire protection, the city is working with a reserve of between $27 and $30 million.” Continue reading→

SAUSD middle school violinists set for their final performance on June 8

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Education, Entertainment, music, Santa Ana, SAUSD Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 5, 2013

Contact: Deidra Powell, Chief Communications Officer, (714) 558-5555 Office, (714) 673-4995 Mobile

Media Advisory: SANTA ANA STRINGS WRAPS UP ITS FIRST YEAR WITH A FINAL PERFORMANCE FEATURING ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR

ALEJANDRO GUTIÉRREZ AT PACIFIC SYMPHONY’S “PLAZACAST,” JUNE 8

Event: Inspirational fourth and fifth-grade violinists from Santa Ana Strings (SAS)—a new program launched last summer as a three-way partnership between Pacific Symphony, Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) and THINK Together—show off all they’ve learned this past year during a final public performance at Pacific Symphony’s “Inside and Out” Plazacast and Community Celebration. Continue reading→

Residents can exchange an old oil filter for a new one through end of June

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Environment, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana residents can receive FREE oil filters just by recycling their old ones, through the end of June, courtesy of O’Reilly Auto Parts, AutoZone and Waste Management.

Every resident that brings in an old oil filter to select locations will get a new one for free! Take the old filters to O’Reilly Auto Parts, at 1312 W. Edinger, in Santa Ana (Phone: 714-754-1432) or to the AutoZone at 430 W. 17th. St., in Santa Ana (Phone: 714-547-7003.

How can I dispose of used motor oil? Continue reading→

Deloitte volunteers to make an impact at Taft Elementary School

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Business, Charities, Education, Santa Ana, SAUSD Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 4, 2013

Contact: Deidra Powell, Chief Communications Officer, (714) 558-5555 Office, (714) 673-4995 Mobile

Media Advisory: Deloitte Volunteers To Make an Impact at Taft Elementary School

Event: Taft Elementary will enjoy an all day campus ‘makeover’ this Friday, June 7, 2013. Annually, the Deloitte Company chooses a school to provide this special transformation. Close to 200 Deloitte volunteers will converge upon the Taft campus to install an education garden plot, paint murals, paint a map of the United States with directional arrows on the school’s blacktop, upgrade the library and book room, refurbish the preschool playground equipment, and much more. During this day, Deloitte volunteers, with support from Jr. Achievement, will also provide a ‘Money Matters’ math curriculum to 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students while the 6th graders enjoy a Math Camp program. Continue reading→

Tell the SAUSD what you’re looking for in a new District Superintendent

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Education, Santa Ana, SAUSD

LOL! The sinking Santa Ana Unified School District is paying a headhunting firm big bucks to find them a new Superintendent, but they still want our input, supposedly. You can take their survey below and let them know what you are looking for in a new Superintendent. Be sure to tell them you don’t want Ed Heatley to get the job.

Notice to the Public: Superintendent Search: Continue reading→

SAPD seeks public’s assistance to help identify bank robbers

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Banking, Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department Advisory: SAPD Seeks Public’s Assistance to Help Identify Bank Robbery Suspects

SANTA ANA, CA (June 4, 2013) – On 6/4/13 at approximately 9:40 am, a male suspect entered US Bank, located at 2740 N. Grand, armed with a black semi-automatic handgun. The suspect had his face concealed with a hoodie and mask and ordered all the customers to get on the ground face first. The suspect then ordered the bank employees to put money in a bag. The customers and bank employees complied with the suspect’s commands before the suspect fled out of the bank north on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. The suspect then met up with another suspect, acting as a lookout, and they both fled on foot west into an adjacent apartment complex. Witnesses reported the suspects’ actions and investigating officers located two separate areas where they dropped money. The money was recovered, however, the suspects avoided capture. Continue reading→