City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County
SANTA ANA, CA (December 18, 2013) – As a reminder, please be aware that the City of Santa Ana does not provide street sweeping on City observed Holidays. The 2013 Christmas week and 2014 holiday street sweeping schedule is provided below for your information. This includes the trash collection holiday schedule, which indicates the days where there will be a one-day collection delay. Continue reading
The Santa Ana Police Department continues to seek information regarding the disappearance of three women in the Santa Ana area since August 13th. These three women – Kianna Jackson, Josephine Vargas, and Martha Anaya- all went missing during this period and two of them (Vargas and Anaya) were known to frequent the area of 1st Street, between Grand Avenue and the 55 Freeway. Jackson arrived in Orange County via bus at the Santa Ana terminal; however, she immediately checked into a motel in Costa Mesa, but then disappeared several days later. At this time, detectives cannot connect Jackson to the East 1st Street area. Continue reading
City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County
Community Alert: CITY OF SANTA ANA NOTICE: SEEKING APPLICANTS FOR THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMISSION
SANTA ANA, CA (December 17, 2013) – On December 16, 2013 the City Council approved the establishment of the Arts and Culture Commission and is now accepting applications to fill seats. The City of Santa Ana encourages interested residents to apply for appointment and become involved in the community to serve in an advisory capacity on the commission. Below is a summary of the commission, including duties, compensation, requirements and instructions on the application process. Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock (714) 904-7042/Gail Krause, (714) 647-1840
Winter Holiday DUI Campaign Update – DUI Arrests Down & No DUI Fatalities
SANTA ANA, California (December 17, 2013) – The Winter Holiday Anti-DUI crackdown has resulted in a significant number of DUI arrests from local routine traffic enforcement and special ‘Avoid the 38’ DUI Task Force deployments over the weekend in Orange County.
From 12:01 a.m. on Friday, December 13 through midnight Sunday December 15 officers representing 38 county law enforcement agencies have arrested 209 individuals for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In 2012, 227 DUI arrests occurred during the same three (3) day time period. There were no DUI deaths over the weekend. (NOTE: These numbers are only provisional with some agencies yet to report) Continue reading
Photo: Jay Trevino pictured with the current members of the Santa Ana Planning Commission
The City of Santa Ana’s Executive Director of their Planning and Building Agency, Jay Trevino, will be retiring on December 30 after a 32-year career serving four cities. In addition to his ten years in Santa Ana, Trevino previously worked for the cities of Santa Monica, Brea and Pomona. He is an Orange County native, having grown up in Westminster. Trevino studied architecture initially and has a degree in urban and regional planning from the California State University at Pomona.
Trevino accomplished a lot in the City of Santa Ana during his tenure including: incorporating health and wellness into the planning process; emphasizing the quality of design in development projects; adopting award-winning plans like the Transit Zoning Code and the Housing Element; creating a balanced approach for affordable housing in the Housing Opportunity Ordinance; and, collaborating on the streetcar, to name a few of his many accomplishments. Continue reading
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
Contact: Reginald Durant, Executive Director, Back to Natives Restoration, (949) 509-4787
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH BACK TO NATIVES AT SANTIAGO CREEK NATURE RESERVE IN SANTA ANA
SANTA ANA, Calif., December 17, 2013 – Back to Natives Restoration, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit public charity and at least 50 community volunteers will restore habitat at Santiago Creek Nature Reserve in Santa Ana on Saturday, December 28 from 9AM to 12PM. Volunteers will remove non-native invasive weeds and plant native plants in and around Santiago Creek.
Volunteers will come from: Continue reading
Santa Ana Underground RETURNS with one last Open Mic of the YEAR, on Dec. 19, at 9 pm, at the Rankin Basement, located at 117 W. 4th St. in Santa Ana.
In addition to our VERY special last open mic, we are adding festiveness to our spot & inviting artists to come and sell any affordable art pieces / threads / goods they may have to offer as well!
Tis the season of giving and helping to support Local Artists instead of mass produced junk made with slave labor half way around the world! We ALL want to see this community come up and maintain the Artists Village here in DTSA! What better way than to share our talents? Continue reading
NON-PROFIT OFFERS ENROLLMENT ASSISTANCE ON DEC. 21 AS DEADLINE TO SIGN UP FOR OBAMACARE COVERAGE APPROACHES
December 23rd Marks Deadline to Sign up for Obamacare Coverage Effective on January 1, 2014, AltaMed Health Services to Offer Enrollment Assistance for Orange County Residents
December 23rd marks the deadline to sign up for health care coverage effective January 1, 2014 under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Navigating through the new health insurance plans under the ACA can be overwhelming for many, especially for those who may be purchasing health insurance for the first time.
On Saturday, Dec. 21, 2013 at 10 a.m. not-for-profit AltaMed Health Services, the largest network of Federally Qualified Community Health Centers in southern California, will provide the public with enrollment assistance at its Health Insurance Resource Center in Santa Ana. Certified enrollment experts will be available to address the public’s questions regarding who qualifies for coverage under health care reform, what’s covered, where to enroll, who are the plan providers and more. Continue reading
Orange County District Attorney Press Release
For Immediate Release, Case # 13CF3891: December 16, 2013
SANTA ANA – Law enforcement is seeking the public’s help identifying potential additional victims of a man charged with sexually assaulting two women in a mall and church parking lot. Raymond Boykin, 18, Anaheim, is charged with one felony count each of forcible oral copulation, second degree robbery, unlawful taking of a vehicle, evading while driving recklessly, two felony counts of assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense, and sentencing enhancements and allegations for the personal use of a deadly weapon. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 27 years to life in state prison. Boykin is being held on $1 million bail and is expected to be arraigned tomorrow, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2013, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined. Continue reading
Orange County District Attorney Press Release
For Immediate Release, Case # 07NF2178: December 16, 2013
*Two co-defendants were convicted and one was sentenced in this case
SANTA ANA – A jury recommended the death penalty today for a man convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend’s father and sister and attempting to kill her mother. The two murdered victims were set on fire and a third was left in a coma after suffering life-threatening injuries. Iftekhar Murtaza, 29, Van Nuys, was found guilty by the same jury Nov. 22, 2013, of two felony counts of murder, one felony count of attempted murder, one felony count of conspiracy to commit murder, the special circumstance sentencing enhancements for multiple murders and murder during the commission of kidnapping. Murtaza is scheduled to be formally sentenced Jan. 10, 2014, at 1:30 p.m. in Department C-41, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. Continue reading
The Bowers Museum is hosting a special free holiday event – Las Posadas, on Saturday, December 21, 2013, from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at their North Parking Lot.
Las Posadas is a traditional Mexican Christmas Celebration re-enacting Mary and Joseph’s journey as they seek shelter in Bethlehem. This event will feature traditional music, dance and food and live entertainment by the Guitar ensemble of OCCTAC (Orange County Children’s Therapeutic Arts Center) and Cantamerica. Enjoy traditional Mexican hot chocolate and pan dulce (sweet bread). Continue reading
Two men were forced off the road, robbed and carjacked by armed bandits midday Saturday, according to the Santa Ana Police Department. The victims were driving in the 4700 block of West 1st Street at around 11:30 a.m. when a gray Toyota Camry cut them off, said Sgt. Richard Shin with the Santa Ana Police Department, as reported by the O.C. Register.
The robbers took a total of $1,200 from the two occupants of the Chevy Silverado, at gunpoint. Neither victim was hurt in the exchange. Continue reading
Santa Ana police Wednesday were investigating whether there was a connection in the disappearances of four women since mid-October, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. We have previously reported about two of these missing women here.
At this point, the only commonality in the disappearances is that the women – Martha Anaya, 28; Kianna Rae Jackson, 20; Josephine Monique Vargas, 34; and Andrea Nichole Palma, 29 – frequented a neighborhood along a half-mile stretch of First Street between Grand Avenue and the 55 freeway, Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said Friday, according to the O.C. Register.
Imagine if four white women had disappeared from Santa Ana’s wealthy Floral Park Neighborhood? There would have been an instant uproar. Instead these women have been mostly ignored by the media and the local police until just recently. Continue reading
The Santa Ana Unified School District Board of Education appointed David Haglund Ed.D to the position of Deputy Superintendent of Educational Services during the December 10, 2013 Board meeting. “I am excited to join the great work in which SAUSD students and staff are engaged and look forward to contributing in a way that ensures each student is well-prepared to achieve their future goals. Thank you to Dr. Miller and the SAUSD Board of Trustees for entrusting me with this important work.” Continue reading
The Santa Ana Unified School District Board of Education appoints new Police Chief
The Board of Education appointed Hector Rodriguez, Ed.D. during the December 10, 2013 Board meeting. “I’m truly excited to have the opportunity to help build upon the accomplishments of former Chief David Valentin and the strong reputation the current officers of the Santa Ana Unified School District Police Department have worked so hard to establish. I want to work collaboratively with the Board, educators, students and all of the District stakeholders to create the safest and highest achieving learning community in the nation,” Dr. Rodriguez said regarding his appointment. Continue reading