Santa Ana Police Department
Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas and Santa Ana Police Department Chief Carlos Rojas will hold a press conference today immediately following the 9:30 a.m. hearing in Department C-14. Continue reading
Monthly Archives: July 2014
Why is the SAPD ticketing bicycle riders?
Is Council Member Michele Martinez’ bike registered?
Igmar Rodas, an outspoken activist on homeless and police issues, was cited by Santa Ana Police Officer S. Lopez on May 20 for riding an unlicensed bicycle and cycling on a sidewalk in the city’s Civic Center, according to the Voice of OC.
Rodas runs the SAPD – Stop Abusing People’s Derechos Facebook page. He is going to go to court this week on Wednesday to fight the bike ticket he received from the SAPD.
The city of Long Beach, which many biking advocates consider a regional leader on bike-friendliness, eliminated its bike license requirement in 2011. Los Angeles suspended its licensing program in 2009. Continue reading
Why would two Planning Commissioners vote against transparency?
Santa Ana Planning Commissioner Phil Bacerra
Why would two Santa Ana Planning Commissioners vote against transparency? That is what happened at tonight’s Santa Ana Planning Commission meeting when Planning Commissioners Phil Bacerra and Bruce Bauer voted against disclosure of communications by Planning Commissioners regarding agendized projects with third parties such as business owners and residents
Now why in the world would Bacerra and Bauer opt to hide in the shadows? This is particularly disturbing when you consider that Bacerra was appointed to the Santa Ana Planning Commission by Santa Ana Councilman David Benavides. You may recall that when Benavides ran for Mayor in 2012 he made transparency the cornerstone of his campaign. What happened? Continue reading
Teen calls 911 while hiding from burglars in her home
NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, 714.904.7042
JHallock@ocsd.org
Emily Osterberg, 714.647.1840
EOsterberg@ocsd.org
Deputies Arrest Two Suspects in Residential Burglary Following 911 Call
ROSSMOOR, Calif. – (July 28, 2014) – On Monday, July 21, 2014, Orange County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a residential burglary in-progress in the Rossmoor community. As deputies arrived, two male subjects fled on foot from the rear of the residence, jumping over fences onto the property of adjacent homes in the neighborhood. After coordination of responding deputies, two male juveniles were detained and taken into custody for residential burglary.
The informant to the Sheriff’s Department was a 14 year-old female who was inside the residence when the two male juveniles attempted to make entry through several doors and windows. The 14 year-old hid inside a bedroom closet and called 911, providing dispatchers with information about what was occurring, ultimately leading to arrests of the two suspects. The quick actions and calm demeanor demonstrated by the young informant led to an immediate response and arrest of the suspects. Continue reading
Playground design day at Willard Park set for July 31
KaBoom! and The Illumination Foundation are co-hosting an event from 4-8 pm at Willard Park this Thursday, July 31, 2014. Willard Park community (parents and kids alike) are invited to drop by and give their input on a new park they are planning.
The goal of this event is to give local residents a voice in the design and to be able to express their community’s needs. Continue reading
Free Shakespear play at Santa Ana’s Birch Park set for July 31
Join the City of Santa Ana in partnership with Shakespeare by the Sea for the 3rd Annual, Shakespeare in the Park event. They will present “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare on Thursday, July 31, 2014 at 7 p.m., at Birch Park, located at 210 N. Birch in Santa Ana.
Admission is FREE and for the whole family!
Bring your picnics, blankets and beach chairs along with your friends and family to settle in under the stars for a night of classic entertainment in the City of Santa Ana.. Continue reading
Fundraiser for SAUSD School Board candidate Aguinaga set for August 15
Cecilia Aguinaga is hosting a fundraiser and silent auction to benefit her campaign for the SAUSD School Board on August 15, 2014, at Las Palomas Restaurant, located at 400 South Euclid St., in Anaheim, from 6 pm to 8 pm.
Cecilia was born in Jalisco, México and immigrated to the United States in 1978. She has lived more than 35 years in Santa Ana. Cecilia and her husband Armando have two sons (Ramsey and Allan) and a daughter (Sylvia). Ramsey was a police officer for the Santa Ana and Los Angeles Police Department, Allan graduated from the Culinary School of the Arts, and Sylvia graduated from University of California, Berkeley, is teaching for the Los Angeles Unified School District and is currently working towards her masters degree. Cecilia and her husband own a business in Santa Ana. Continue reading
Santa Ana artist arrested after he tried to beautify our downtown
Local Santa Ana artist Tony Pedraza was arrested and charged with a felony for merely painting a utility box mural that he felt would enrich and beautify the city, according to an online petition page that is asking that all charges against him be dropped.
The OC Weekly reported the details of what happened to Tony:
Tony Pedraza, a young muralist and painter from SanTana, painted the gunmetal gray caja after noticing other utility boxes in the city’s downtown were being decorated through a city-commissioned art beautification program. Three days into his own project, a police officer approached Pedraza and asked if he had a permit; Pedraza answered no. Continue reading
The OCTA now says they have to include HOV toll lanes on the 405 Freeway
Great LA Times photo: SR-91’s Lexus Lanes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 25, 2014
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Joel Zlotnik (714) 560-5713; Eric Carpenter (714) 560-5697
I-405 Project to Deliver Measure M Promise, Caltrans Intends to Phase in HOV Lanes
OCTA to add one regular lane in each direction between Costa Mesa and Seal Beach
ORANGE – The Orange County Transportation Authority was informed today by Caltrans that the I-405 Improvement Project should include the Measure M commitment of one regular lane in each direction and add high-occupancy toll lanes at a later date.
With Caltrans selection of the project alternative, OCTA can now begin delivering the board-approved Measure M improvements as promised to voters. Caltrans intends to pursue funding for the high-occupancy toll lanes that will be added to help speed up commutes in one of the most heavily traveled stretches of freeway in the nation. Continue reading
Surveillance video catches several Santa Ana cops beating up a suspect
They say that police often reflect who their leaders are and if that is true then we need to start pondering what is going on at the Santa Ana Police Department. Surveillance video caught three Santa Ana police officers beating the heck out of a meth addict and suspected burglar, who according to witnesses was on the ground and not resisting at the time.
Olivia Arzate, the suspect’s mother, said her son’s face was all scratched and full of bruises, as were his hands, legs and back as a result of the beating, according to KTLA. Continue reading
Assemblywoman Grove to speak at the Santa Ana Republican Women Federated meeting tonight
The Santa Ana Republican Women Federated are hosting a celebration of their 60th anniversary tonight, July 25, 2014, at 7 pm, at the Ebell Club of Santa Ana, located at 625 French St. in Santa Ana.
The speaker will be Assemblywoman Shannon Grove. Continue reading
Grantburgers’ New Chile Relleno Pretzel Burger ranked top OC Fair food item
Grantburgers’ New Chile Relleno Pretzel Burger Ranked Top OC Fair Food Item for 2014
Best of OC Fair Food Named During Concessionaire’s Cup
Costa Mesa, Calif. (July 25, 2014) – Amid all things fried or on a stick, it was a spicy, loaded burger that won the Best of the Best award in the 2014 OC Fair Concessionaires’ Cup Contest. Grantburgers’ new Chile Relleno Pretzel Burger made it through four rounds of judging to be the top food item in the annual contest held July 18.
The 70 entries submitted by Fair food vendors were first judged on a set standard for Gold, Silver and Bronze rankings. All Gold-ranked items were then judged on creativity and originality for the Special Rosette round and these items were further judged based on value for menu price in the value round. Judges included The Bikini Chef Susan Irby, Foodie-A-GoGo Blogger Rich Manning, Chef Lindsey Smith Rosales of Laguna Beach’s Nirvana Grille and Master Food Preserver and OC Fair demonstrator Ernest Miller. Continue reading
IT worker charged with using social media to reach out to minors to molest them
Orange County District Attorney Press Release
For Immediate Release: July 25, 2014
Case # 14WF2704
WESTMINSTER – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA), Cypress Police Department (CPD), and Garden Grove Police Department (GGPD) are seeking the public’s help identifying potential additional victims of a man charged with contacting underage victims through social media with the intent of committing lewd acts. Michael Theodore Mordaunt, 45, Cypress, is charged with 14 felony counts of contacting a child with the intent to commit a specified crime, five felony counts of lewd acts upon a child, two felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14, two felony counts of meeting a minor with the intent to engage in lewd conduct, one felony count of possession and control of child pornography, and a sentencing enhancement allegation for substantial sexual conduct with a child. If convicted, Mordaunt faces a maximum sentence of 27 years and four months in state prison and mandatory lifetime registration as a sex offender. He is out of custody on $300,000 bail and is expected to be arraigned Monday, July 28, 2014, at 8:30 a.m. in Department W-2, West Justice Center, Westminster. Continue reading
USAgain launches an OC clothing drive to support job seekers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Clothing Drive to Support Job Seekers
USAgain announces a clothing drive to support the mission of WHW (Women Helping Women/Men2Work), empowering disadvantaged job seekers to succeed.
Santa Ana, California (July 7, 2014) – USAgain, a local textile recycling company, announces a clothing drive to support one of WHW’s employment support programs, providing business clothing to empower disadvantaged men, women and teens to achieve economic self-sufficiency through employment success.
WHW has been serving men, women and teens in the Orange County Community since 1993. Based in Santa Ana, the organization has served more than 50,000 people since its inception. “WHW has played an instrumental role in equipping men, women and teens to seek gainful employment. This year was a record-breaking year, serving over 6,500 people and the clothing that is donated truly does change lives by equipping our job seekers to look professional, which is a critical part of securing the job,” Robyn Williams, director of programs at WHW, said. Continue reading
Turns out those creepy dolls were a kind gesture!
NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, 714.904.7042
JHallock@ocsd.org
Emily Osterberg, 714.647.1840
EOsterberg@ocsd.org
Investigators Locate Person Responsible for Porcelain Dolls
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. – (July 24, 2014) – On Thursday, July 24, 2014 Orange County Sheriff’s Department investigators began pursuing information related to reports that several porcelain dolls were left on porches of homes in the Talega community of San Clemente. Based on initial reports, the porcelain dolls were left on porches over the course of the last week. Though initially there was not a specific criminal component being pursued, Sheriff’s investigators immediately dedicated time and resources in attempt to resolve the issue and identify the person or people responsible.
Investigators immediately began examining the dolls in attempt to locate any evidence as well as meeting with the impacted families to determine similarities or commonalities amongst the group. Following conversation and questioning of several parents, information was learned that focused on a female adult who lived in the local community and attended church with many of the impacted families. Continue reading