Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Monthly Archives: August 2013

Only 13 SAUSD schools are meeting the state’s minimum 800 API target

Posted on by Posted in california, Education, Santa Ana, SAUSD Leave a comment

sausd logo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Deidra Powell-Williams, Chief Communications Officer, (714) 558-5555

Santa Ana Celebrates Overall Growth of API in last five years

SANTA ANA, CA – August 29, 2013 – In just five years, the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) has made significant growth districtwide on the State Academic Performance Index (API) according to results recently released by the California Department of Education.

In 2009, SAUSD had an overall API average of 706 points. Since then, the District has increased its average to 742, making a 36-point jump towards the State target of 800. Out of 56 schools, 1 school has an API above 900, 13 have an API between 800 and 899 and 30 have an API between 700 and 799. Continue reading→

O.C. Labor Day event set for this Saturday, Aug. 31, at the Santa Ana Zoo

Posted on by Posted in Entertainment, Labor, Orange County, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Join your brothers and sisters of the Orange County Labor Federation at the Santa Ana Zoo this Saturday, Aug. 31, from 10 am to 3 pm,  for a Labor Day Celebration, as we celebrate the value and highlight the struggles of everyday working people.

We’ve got hot dogs, goodie bags, jumpers, raffles and tons of fun planned for the day! Bring your family and friends along for the biggest labor day celebration in the county! Continue reading→

Orange International Street Fair set for Aug. 30 – Sep. 1

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Orange International Street Fair Opens Aug. 30

(ORANGE, CA) The streets of downtown Orange will be filled with filled with people, bands, vendors and food for the annual Orange International Street Fair, which begins Friday, Aug. 30 and runs through Sunday, Sept. 1.

The three-day event allows local groups to get exposure and raise funds by selling food and crafts. This year’s theme is “Sweet on Summer,” marking the 40th continuous year of the Street Fair. Continue reading→

Are the Chivas USA coming to Santa Ana after all?

Posted on by Posted in Santa Ana, Soccer, Sports 6 Comments

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The Chivas USA are coming to Santa Ana – but our local NIMBY’s need not fret.  This won’t be the Major League Soccer Squad that plays at the Home Depot Center in Rancho Dominguez.

The Santa Ana Sentinel is reporting that “we’ll see a newly-formed Orange County branch of the Chivas USA Youth Academy, presided by first team Chivas USA player Jorge Villafaña, who is the first ever Sueño MLS Winner. As some of you may know Villafaña was born in Anaheim and played in Santa Ana growing up.” Continue reading→

Get comp tickets to see Lucha Libre at the Yost Theater on Sunday, 9/1

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

Get ready for high-flying action, crippling holds and larger-than-life characters as the best lucha libre wrestlers from Mexico and Southern California step into the ring at the Yost Theater this Sunday, September 1, 2013. The doors open at 2 pm.

Tickets are $10 however our friends at Goldstar are offering comp tickets at no cost except for a small service fee of $3.50.  Click here to get your comp ticket!  Click here for VIP seating and bottle service. Continue reading→

So how will our new City Manager, Dave Cavazos, cut our city budget?

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, David Cavazos 14 Comments

David Cavazos

Santa Ana’s new overpaid millionaire City Manager, Dave Cavazos, was hired in part, if you believe what the Council Members are saying, because he cut the budget at his last job, in Phoenix.  But how is he going to cut Santa Ana’s budget when it has already been cut to the bone?

Our last City Manager, Paul Walters, saved the city from its last budget crisis, by outsourcing the Santa Ana Fire Department, to the Orange County Fire Authority.  Will Cavazos have the cojones to outsource the Santa Ana Police Department to the Orange County Sheriff?

What else can he cut?  Well here are a few items he should cut right away: Continue reading→

Men from L.B. and the I.E. busted for trying to solicit sex in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Crime, OCDA, Santa Ana Leave a comment

OCDA Seal

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 13CM05592/13CM07073: August 28, 2013

TWO SEX PURCHASERS SENTENCED FOR SOLICITING SEX FROM WOMAN WHOM THEY BELIEVED TO BE PROSTITUTE

SANTA ANA – Two sex purchasers were convicted and sentenced today for soliciting sex from a woman whom they believed to be a prostitute. Jose Hernandez Rojas, 35, Long Beach, and Javier Quiroz Serrano, 35, Riverside, pleaded guilty today to one misdemeanor count each of agreeing to engage in prostitution. Both defendants were sentenced to three years of informal probation, 10 days in jail with the possibility of CalTrans in lieu of jail, and must submit to AIDS testing and education. Continue reading→

Santa Ana cosmetics company goes up in flames early this morning

Posted on by Posted in Business, Fires, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Crews from multiple fire departments knocked down a four-alarm blaze that erupted early Wednesday outside at a Santa Ana warehouse belonging to the La Rosa Company, located at the 2100 block of South Anne Street.  Emergency personnel responded to the fire at about 1:15 a.m. after multiple callers reported the fire, which threatened at least four buildings, according to the KTLA.

The warehouse contained metal containers with corrosive materials, said Orange County Fire Authority spokesman Steve Concialdi. The structure did not burn, but chemicals stored outside the warehouse burned under an awning, fire officials said, according to NBC. Continue reading→

Should Santa Ana’s Cinco de Mayo and Fiestas Patrias be run by volunteers?

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, mexico, Santa Ana 18 Comments

Did you know that Santa Ana’s popular Cinco de Mayo and Fiestas Patrias festivals used to be run by local businessmen and volunteers?  That was before the City of Santa Ana decided to hire a promoter, MX Live, to run these events.

But is MX Live really doing a good enough job to justify this corporate takeover?  Check out their website,their Facebook Page and the City’s website, and you will find that there is no mention of this year’s Fiestas Patrias, which are coming up in mid-September – just a few weeks from now.  What gives? Continue reading→

Is crime in Downtown Santa Ana being under-reported?

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Downtown Santa Ana Security Guards

A friend of mine runs a small business in Downtown Santa Ana, over at what they now call the East End Promenade.  The other day he saw a drug dealer working nearby so my friend called the Downtown security guards and they came over and rousted the guy.  Before long the drug dealer was back so this time my friend called the police. They knew nothing about any of this.  And the truth dawned on my friend – the security guards in the Downtown are not passing their reports along to the Santa Ana Police Department.

Why should they?  They report directly to Ryan Chase, the son of Downtown Santa Ana landlord Irv Chase.  So of course they don’t give their reports to the police – but what this means is that the Santa Ana Police Department’s crime statistics are way off.  Most of the incidents going on in Downtown Santa Ana, at night, are not being reported to the cops.  The Downtown Inc. crowd is essentially cooking the crime books. Continue reading→

Orange County DUI Task Force arrests 12 DUI suspects

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

OCSD Badge

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock (714) 647 7042/Gail Krause, (714) 647-1840

Orange County DUI Task Force Arrests 12 DUI Suspects

SANTA ANA, CA – (August 27, 2013) – On Monday, August 26, deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department were successful in clearing a number of DUI warrants in several South Orange County communities. Deputies served warrants on individuals who failed to show up to court following their DUI arrest. Twelve individuals were arrested and booked into the county jail. Continue reading→

Son of OC Firefighter charged with arson for setting fires in Anaheim and Y.L.

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Crime, Fires, OCDA, OCFA, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Gabriel Michael Castillo

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # TBA: August 27, 2013

MAN CHARGED WITH ARSON FOR SETTING FIRES IN YORBA LINDA AND ANAHEIM

SANTA ANA – A man was charged today with arson for setting fires in Yorba Linda and Anaheim. Gabriel Michael Castillo, 19, Anaheim, (editor’s note: Castillo is the son of an OC Fire Authority Firefighter) is charged with five felony counts each of arson of forest, three felony counts of arson of another’s property, and one felony count of receiving stolen property. If convicted on all counts, Castillo faces a maximum sentence of 13 years and eight months in state prison. The People will request the defendant be held on $100,000 bail at his arraignment today, Aug. 27, 2013, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined. Continue reading→

Seven men convicted for trying to solicit sex from prostitutes in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

OCDA Seal

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release: August 27, 2013

SEVEN SEX PURCHASERS CONVICTED AND SENTENCED FOR SOLICITING COMMERCIAL SEX

SANTA ANA – Seven sex purchasers were convicted and sentenced yesterday, Aug. 26, 2013, for soliciting commercial sex from women in exchange for money. Primitivo Nava, 41, Santa Ana, Israel Ruiz, 29, Garden Grove, Jesus Flores, 39, Santa Ana, and Jonathan Perralta, 21, Westminster, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of agreeing to engage in prostitution and were sentenced to three years of informal probation, 10 to 15 days in jail with the possibility of CalTrans in lieu of jail, and must submit to AIDS testing and education. Continue reading→