Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Monthly Archives: October 2013

Free flu shots for the uninsured offered at O.C. Health Care as of 11/7

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

Free Flu Shots

Orange County Health Care Agency

Press Release

Orange County Reports Season’s First Influenza Case Free Flu Vaccinations Every Thursday

(Santa Ana) – The Orange County Health Care Agency is reporting the first locally-acquired case of influenza signaling that flu season is officially here. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting vaccinated. Anyone who has not already received flu vaccination should get it now before flu season peaks.

The Health Care Agency is offering free seasonal influenza vaccinations for people 6 months of age and older who do not have a medical provider or health insurance coverage. They are available on a walk-in basis: Continue reading→

Man faces trial for causing explosion that damaged a Santa Ana hotel

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

Thanh Van Quang

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release,  Case # 12CF3471: October 23, 2013

THIRD STRIKER FACES TRIAL FOR CAUSING EXPLOSION THAT STARTED FIRE INSIDE HIS MOTEL ROOM

SANTA ANA – A third striker faces trial tomorrow for causing an explosion that started a fire inside his motel room. Thanh Van Quang, 39, Fountain Valley, is charged with one felony count each of arson of an inhabited property and possession of a flammable material with sentencing enhancements for arson with use of an accelerant, and four prior strike convictions from 1998 for voluntary manslaughter, assault with a firearm, and two felony counts of robbery. If convicted, Quang faces a maximum sentence of 31 years to life in state prison. Opening statements are expected to begin tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2013, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-28, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Indie Fest USA Int’l Film & Music Festival set for Oct. 24-27 in Garden Grove

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Entertainment, Garden Grove, Movies, music 3 Comments

Indie Fest USA International Film Festival

Indie Fest USA is taking place on the Historic Main Street and Village Green Park of beautiful Garden Grove in Southern California from October 24-27, 2013.  This event will feature over 65 films and 14 bands!

The 7th annual Indie Fest USA Int’l Film & Music Festival is an exciting and entertaining eclectic mix of outstanding independent films from the US and International filmmakers and over 14 local and regional bands and solo artists in genres including rock, alt. rock, jazz, folk, cover and indie. Add to this red carpet events, special guests and celebrities including an Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe Winners plus hundreds of fans and followers.

Opening Night: Thursday, October 24th, 2013 Continue reading→

Guys in Blue will surprise O.C. residents with FREE PUMPKINS this Saturday!

Posted on by Posted in automobiles, Charities, Entertainment, Family, irvine, Youth Activities 2 Comments

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The SoCal Honda’s Helpful Guys in Blue will be surprising thousands of families, including Irvine residents, with complimentary pumpkins this Sunday. You are invited to join them on Saturday, Oct. 26th at the Johnson Brothers Pumpkin Patch, located at 15500 Jeffrey Rd., in Irvine. Click here for more info on their Facebook event page.

The Guys in Blue will be surprising residents with free pumpkins as they enter the patch, carrying pumpkins for visitors and more! Just ask! Walking ponies, shoveling up after the animals, providing complimentary waters, etc.. they’re here to help. They have surprised Irvine residents with large and small acts of helpful multiple times a month for the last 7 years –including pumping and paying for driver’s gas, cleaning up local parks, helping college students move-in, recognizing local teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week and much more. Continue reading→

LA Deputy Sheriff who lives in O.C. convicted of beating up his girlfriend

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Crime, OCDA Leave a comment

LA Sheriff's Badge

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 13NF0734: October 23, 2013

LOS ANGELES SHERIFF’S DEPUTY CONVICTED OF REPEATEDLY ASSAULTING WOMAN, WITH WHOM HE WAS IN A RELATIONSHIP, AFTER SHE DISCOVERED SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH ANOTHER WOMAN

*Defendant also convicted of threatening to kill the victim and the mother of his children

SANTA ANA – A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy was convicted yesterday of repeatedly assaulting a woman, with whom he had a relationship, after she discovered on Christmas Day that he was sexually involved with another woman. Mark Eric Hibner, 44, Anaheim, was found guilty by a jury yesterday, Oct. 22, 2013, of two felony counts of domestic battery with corporal injury and three felony counts of criminal threats. He faces a maximum sentence of eight years in state prison at his sentencing Nov. 15, 2013, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-29, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

At the time of the crimes, Hibner was a 22-year deputy with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He was involved in a romantic relationship with Jane Doe #1 for several years. Continue reading→

Correa ObamaCare Town Hall meeting set for 10/25 in Westminster

Posted on by Posted in Entertainment, Health and Medical, Lou Correa, Westminster Leave a comment

Correa Obamacare

Senator Lou Correa is having a Town Hall on Health Care coverage (ObamaCare) on Friday, October 25, 2013 2:00pm – 4:00pm at the Westminster Senior Center 8200 Westminster Blvd. in Westminster.

The town hall discussion will include:

  • Who is eligible to enroll in Covered California
  • Financial assistance for those who qualify • What is covered by health insurance plans
  • Who is eligible to enroll in the Medi-Cal expansion  Continue reading→

Make a Difference Day at the Santiago Creek Nature Reserve set for 10/26

Posted on by Posted in Charities, Entertainment, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Back to Natives and USFS

SANTA ANA, Calif., October 23, 2013 – Back to Natives Restoration, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit public charity and community volunteers will restore habitat at Santiago Creek Nature Reserve in celebration of Make a Difference Day on Saturday, October 26 from 9AM to 12PM. Volunteers will remove non-native invasive weeds from around Santiago Creek.

Volunteers will come from: Continue reading→

O.C. man charged with illegal sex with boy he met on Craigslist

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Huntington Beach, OCDA, Stanton Leave a comment

Mark Aime Brosseau

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release,  Case # 10WF2381: October 22, 2013

57-YEAR-OLD MAN TO FACE TRIAL FOR ENGAGING IN SEXUAL CONDUCT WITH 14-YEAR-OLD BOY HE MET ON CRAIGSLIST

FULLERTON – A 57-year-old man will face trial tomorrow for engaging in illegal sexual conduct with a 14-year-old boy he met on Craigslist. Mark Aime Brosseau, Stanton, is charged with one felony count each of lewd acts upon a child, contacting a child with the intent to commit lewd acts, and meeting a child with the intent to engage in lewd conduct. He faces a maximum sentence of five years and four months in state prison if convicted and mandatory lifetime sex offender registration. Opening statements are scheduled to start tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013, at 9:00 a.m. in Department N-13, North Justice Center, Fullerton. Continue reading→

Bilingual drug abuse information for teens goes mobile

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ondcpoct

NIDA’s drug abuse information for teens goes mobile

NIH also improves access for parents, teachers, and Spanish language readers

Teens — and adults who care for them — can now find answers  to questions about drug abuse and addiction more easily, and through  smartphones and tablets. Spanish language versions of easy to understand  resources on drug abuse and addiction are now also available. The updates,  announced today by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the  National Institutes of Health, are being launched as part of National  Substance Abuse Prevention Month events in October. Continue reading→

Poll: Did the SAUSD blow it by tossing out fundamental school dress codes?

Posted on by Posted in Education, Santa Ana, SAUSD 5 Comments

saggy pants

Should the SAUSD have a dress code?

Efforts by Santa Ana Unified to restore uniformity to a patchwork of inconsistent and occasionally stringent dress code policies across the district is being met with resistance and even anger by teachers at one of the city’s top schools, according to the O.C. Register.

District trustees say some of the different campus dress codes were not in keeping with the state Education Code, and that parents are complaining to them about students being pulled from class for minor violations, such as not wearing a belt. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Public Library TeenSpace Haunted House set for Oct. 24-25

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Entertainment, Family, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community Alert: Santa Ana Public Library TeenSpace Haunted House

SANTA ANA, CA (October 21, 2013) – The Santa Ana Public Library invites the community to the annual TeenSpace Haunted House at the Jerome Recreation Center and Santa Ana Central Library. These events are free and open to the public.

The Jerome haunted house will be open to the public on October 24th & 25th from 6-8pm. TeenSpace staff will be giving out free candy while supplies last. Community members are asked to line up along the south side of the Recreation Center facing the soccer field. The Jerome Recreation Center is located on 726 S. Center Street Santa Ana, CA 92704. Continue reading→