New Santa Ana | Monthly Archives: May 2014

OC DUI Task Force to crack down on drunk drivers on Memorial Day weekend

Posted on May 21, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, JHallock@ocsd.org; Emily Osterberg, EOsterberg@ocsd.org

Memorial Day Weekend Holiday DUI Crackdown

SANTA ANA, Calif. – (May 21, 2014) – The Orange County ‘Avoid the 38’ DUI Task Force is deploying deputies and officers this holiday weekend to DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoints and DUI Saturation Patrols countywide to stop and arrest drunk or drugged drivers and to heighten awareness of the deadly combination that alcohol, drugs and driving can have on this first holiday weekend of the summer season. Continue reading→

Santa Ana woman emerges from 10 years of captivity

Posted on May 21, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Detectives locate missing person after 10 years victim of kidnap and sexual assault

In August of 2004, a 15-year-old was reported missing to the Santa Ana Police Department by her mother. The mother reported that her daughter went missing along with her cohabitant boyfriend, Isidro Garcia, after a domestic violence incident. At the time, the mother suspected Garcia of sexually abusing her daughter; however she had no evidence to support this belief.

On 5-20-14, the Victim, now 25-years-old, disclosed the circumstances of her disappearance to law enforcement. Continue reading→

Will you vote to pay the City Council more and let them raise more campaign $?

Posted on May 21, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Civic Affairs, Santa Ana 4 Comments

The Santa Ana City Council voted 7-0 last night to place a measure on the November General Election ballot that will give them a pay raise and allow them to raise more money from companies and contractors who do business with or in our city. This means they want to be able to vote on matters that affect local businesses then hit them up right away for campaign cash. Some might call that pay to play.

Several Council Members are up for re-election in November including David Benavides, Michele Martinez and Sal Tinajero. Do they really think that advancing a self-serving measure like this will incline the voters to vote for them again? Continue reading→

Another young woman was shot in Santa Ana today

Posted on May 20, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Santa Ana 5 Comments

A 22-year-old woman was injured Tuesday morning in what police believe was a gang-related shooting, according to the O.C. Register.

The woman was walking with a group of people in the 300 block of North Jackson Street around 5:20 a.m. when the occupants of a northbound car opened fire, said Cpl. Anthony Bertagna of the Santa Ana Police Department. The pedestrians returned gunfire, and the woman was struck in the upper body, he said.
Continue reading→

CA Small Business Association endorses Solorio for Senate

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Business, california, Politics Leave a comment

For Immediate Release: May 19, 2014

For More Information Contact: Maria Unzueta – mobile: (657) 464-4742

CALIFORNIA SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION ENDORSES JOSE SOLORIO FOR STATE SENATE

The Association recognizes Solorio’s commitment to jobs and prosperity for California

Santa Ana, CA – The California Small Business Association has endorsed Jose Solorio as the Candidate for Small Business in the 34th Senate District. The endorsement comes less than one month away from the June Primary Election.

“We are proud to support Jose Solorio because of his strong record of fighting for small businesses, protecting jobs and having an open door for us,” said Betty Jo Toccoli, President of the California Small Business Association. Continue reading→

Council to cavort with a Telemundo host on 5/21 despite citywide crime wave

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, Entertainment, Santa Ana 3 Comments

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community: PUBLIC INVITED TO LIVE TELECAST OF TELEMUNDO’S NATIONAL NEWS WITH JOSÉ DÍAZ-BALART ON WED. IN DOWNTOWN SANTA ANA

SANTA ANA (May 19,2014) – The public is invited to join the City Manager, Mayor and members of City Council for a special live telecast of Telemundo’s National News Program “Noticiero Telemundo” with host José Díaz-Balart, one of the most respected voices in Hispanic journalism in the United States. The live taping will occur on Wednesday, May 21 at 3:30pm in Downtown Santa Ana’s Second Street Promenade near Lola Gaspar and the Gypsy Den. The public is encouraged to come out early by 3:00pm, before the 3:30pm live newscast, for a chance to appear live on-camera during the background & crowd shots, receive a Telemundo goodie bag and also enjoy Downtown Santa Ana’s restaurants and food specials.

About José Díaz-Balart: Continue reading→

Crime is increasing but our City Council Members say it’s an anomaly

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, David Benavides, Michele Martinez, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana 10 Comments

Santa Ana’s City Council Members are finally reacting to the increasing violence and crime in our city – but their reaction is not what anyone might have expected. In a city where the Council Members have in the past led marches against violence and conducted town hall meetings to discuss the issue, our elected officials are now ducking and covering.

Consider what several of the Council Members told the O.C. Register after five shootings and three fatalities in the past month: Continue reading→

Click It or Ticket campaign to start in Orange County on Monday

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Orange County, Public Safety Leave a comment

Orange County Sheriff’s Department

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Lt. Jeff Hallock (714) 647.7042, JHallock@ocsd.org; Emily Osterberg (714) 647.1840, EOsterberg@ocsd.org

Life Saving Click It or Ticket Mobilization Begins

SANTA ANA, Calif. (May 16, 2014) – The Orange County Sheriff’s Department wants to remind motorists to Click It or Ticket. In order to enforce this reminder, beginning Monday, May 19, 2014, deputies will be joining the 2014 National Seat Belt Enforcement Mobilization in cracking down on motorists who are not seat belted in.

Even with a seatbelt usage rate of 97.4 percent, California still has 800,000 or more motorists who fail to buckle up. In a crash, they stand a 50 percent greater chance of being killed than those who have taken the two seconds to buckle up. In an on-going effort to reach those remaining safety hold-outs, police and sheriff departments across the state, as well as the California Highway Patrol (CHP), will be taking part in Click It or Ticket from May 19th through June 1st. Continue reading→

MacArthur’s music students win a $5K prize package from Yamaha

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Education, Entertainment, music, Santa Ana Leave a comment

On Monday, May 19 at 10 a.m., MacArthur Fundamental Intermediate School in Santa Ana will host a special assembly with Buena Park-based Yamaha Corp. of America, to celebrate the school’s recent win of a $5,000 musical instrument prize package in Yamaha’s Quest for Music Education online contest. MacArthur is one of eight schools to win the contest nationwide out of 1,600 that entered.

MacArthur is a high-achieving school despite the fact that many of its students come from underprivileged homes. Indeed, the school community marshaled an impressive degree of student, teacher and parent involvement to succeed in the Quest for Music Education contest, which awarded prizes based on the level of participation by each school.

Educators at MacArthur chose a viola, a cello and a euphonium to enhance the school’s musical offerings. (A euphonium is the second-lowest pitched brass instrument after the tuba.) The Quest for Music Education contest consisted of a series of online quests undertaken at usa.yamaha.com that covered a variety of music and education topics. Continue reading→

Santa Ana resident Leonicio Banuelos killed in drive by shooting this morning

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana 11 Comments

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Homicide Detectives investigating shooting death 200 block South Newhope

Details: On 5-18-14 at approximately 0235 a.m. officers responded to the 300 block of south Newhope regarding a shooting victim. Upon arrival, they located the victim a 22 year old male who had been shot in the upper torso. He has been identified as 22-year-old Leonicio Banuelos.

Orange County Fire Authority and paramedics responded to the scene and transported the victim to UCI Medical where he later died from his injuries. Continue reading→

Lupe Moreno and her sidekick Rosie Avila put Sherry Walker on the 69th A.D. ballot

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Lupe Moreno, Politics, Santa Ana, Sherry Walker, Thomas Gordon, Tim Whitacre, Tom Daly Leave a comment

Lupe Moreno

We have been wondering for a few weeks now how it is that an unknown former Democrat from Lake Forest named Sherry Walker ended up on the ballot as a Republican nominee for the 69th Assembly District in this June’s Open Primary Election. Now we know. A reader forwarded us the nomination signatures that Walker turned in to the Orange County Registrar of Voters. You can check out the signatures for yourself by clicking here.

Popular SAUSD Trustee Ceci Iglesias, a Republican as well, should have no problem advancing to the November Runoff Election but nevertheless putting Walker on the ballot was a dirty trick and now we know who did it.

Two names jumped out from the list of voters who signed Walker’s nomination papers – former SAUSD Trustee Rosie Avila and crazed Minuteman Lupe Moreno. Now isn’t that interesting? These two ladies like to pretend that they are Christian stalwarts but here they are trying to undermine the campaign of a fellow believer, Iglesias. What gives? Continue reading→

The SAPD is investigating the shooting death of Janet Jimenez

Posted on May 17, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 8 Comments

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Homicide Detectives investigating shooting death

On 5-16-14, at approximately 11:55 p.m. Officers responded to the gas station located at 1913 W. Edinger regarding a woman who was seated inside a car who had been shot. Upon arrival, they found a woman, possibly in her teens that had been shot in the upper torso. Orange County Fire Authority and paramedics responded to the scene and pronounced the woman deceased. Homicide detectives responded to the scene and are currently investigating the incident.

Homicide Detectives have identified victim as Janet Jimenez (17) of Santa Ana. There is currently no photo available. Continue reading→

The SAPD needs our help to identify the Check into Cash store robber

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Robbery Detectives request public’s assistance in identifying Check Into Cash store robber

On May 13, at approximately 4:45 pm, the suspect entered the Check Into Cash business (1601 W. 17th Street) and inquired about a title loan for a 1996 U-Haul commercial truck. The suspect left the business to find his cousin to co-sign for the loan and returned a short time later. The suspect stayed in the business for approximately forty minutes and then brandished a small black revolver at the employee, demanding cash and threatening to kill her. The employee placed an undisclosed amount into a small pink child’s backpack carried by the suspect. The suspect was last seen on foot heading westbound on 17th Street. Continue reading→

The County of Orange warns employees that the Bustamante hearings are starting

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Crime, Santa Ana 4 Comments

May 16, 2014

To: Orange County Employees
From: Chairman Shawn Nelson, Supervisor, 4th District
Michael B. Giancola, County Executive Officer

Subject: Bustamante Case

On Monday, a preliminary hearing will begin in the criminal case against former OC Public Works executive Carlos Bustamante. Mr. Bustamante is charged with 12 felony counts for alleged conduct between 2003 and 2011 when he worked for the County, including sexual assault, false imprisonment and stalking.

Preliminary hearings are held in criminal cases to determine if there is enough evidence to justify taking the defendant to trial on the charges. You will very likely be reading and hearing reports about the hearing, including comments and opinions about the County, its policies and procedures, and specific County employees, either past or current. We expect that all of the victims will be testifying. Continue reading→

High temps and wildfire smoke could pose a health risk

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Santa Ana Leave a comment

Orange County Health Care Agency

High Temperatures and Wildfire Smoke Pose Potential Health Risk

(Santa Ana) – Higher than normal temperatures are expected throughout the weekend in many inland Orange County cities, increasing the risk of heat related illnesses. In addition, smoke from the San Diego County wildfires may pose a health danger to some Orange County residents, especially those in certain high-risk groups. The South Coast Air Quality Management District has issued a Smoke Advisory for Orange County.

“Everyone should take precautions to stay cool and drink plenty of water to reduce health risks related to the heat and wildfire smoke,” said Dr. Eric Handler, County Health Officer. “Additional precautions are especially needed for older adults, those with preexisting medical conditions like heart or lung disease, those with disabilities, children, and those who may be working outdoors.” Dr. Handler also reminds residents to check on their family members, friends and neighbors this weekend. Continue reading→