New Santa Ana | Monthly Archives: September 2014

Man who is alleged to have knifed his wife and shot her with a pellet gun is arrested

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Homicide Detectives locate suspect wanted in Attempt Murder Case

Arrested: Juan Carlos Guadarrama (42) Santa Ana

Details: On 09/20/14, Juan Carlos Guadarrama arranged to meet his estranged wife at a location in the 1200 block of East Dyer Road in Santa Ana. During their encounter the suspect assaulted his estranged wife with a knife, stabbing her multiple times; the suspect also shot the victim with a pellet gun, causing great bodily injury. The victim was transported to a local trauma center in critical condition. Continue reading→

Why were wealthy residents allowed to encroach on public land by the Santiago Creek?

Posted on September 23, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Bicycles, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana, Transportation 6 Comments

I met with a Santiago Creek bike trail enthusiast the other day and she had some disturbing news for me. When the City of Santa Ana recently plotted the land adjacent to the Santiago Creek’s unfinished bike trail they found out that a number of wealthy home owners had slowly encroached onto public property and no one at City Hall stopped them!

The property owners who have built onto public land include:

Barbara Russell, 410 W. Park Lane
Marsha Vandermolen, 414 W. Park Lane
Fernando Ospina, 502 W. Park Lane
Dale I. Cole, 506 W. Park Lane
Eugene Charles Andres III, 2467 N. Riverside Drive

These residents all live north of the creek except for Andres III. Continue reading→

Have Council Members Martinez and Reyna really left their pasts behind?

Posted on September 23, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Crime, David Benavides, Gangs, Michele Martinez, Mirna Velasquez, Politics, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana 23 Comments

Roman Reyna and Michele Martinez may tell you that they have left their criminal pasts and gang lives behind but we don’t think this is true. Don’t be fooled for even a second by the self-proclaimed “reformed” drug dealer and tough guy.

Reyna allegedly verbally threatened Martinez’ top opponent, Mirna Velasquez, warning her that something may physically happen to her if she ran for the City Council against Martinez. Luckily, that did not deter Velasquez from running; she filed her papers in spite of these threats. Reyna even tried to talk Velasquez into moving and running against Mayor Pro Tem Sal Tinjero, telling her that he is the weakest link on the city council and that she could easily beat him. Continue reading→

Santa Ana to start process of granting CDBG funds to non-profits on 10/6

Posted on September 23, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Charities, Santa Ana Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community Alert: SANTA ANA TO START APPLICATION PROCESS FOR $340,000 AVAILABLE CDBG FUNDS ON OCT. 6 FOR EXPERIENCED NON-PROFITS

The City of Santa Ana will make available an estimated $340,000 of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to experienced nonprofit organizations for the provision of public services for fiscal year 2015-16 (July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016). The minimum funding amount per grant will be $30,000. The expected grant awards will range from $30,000 to $75,000. Funding will be provided through reimbursements for eligible CDBG expenses. Continue reading→

Why isn’t Mayor Pro Tem Tinajero running much of a reelection campaign?

Posted on September 23, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Alfredo Amezcua, John Palacio, Mike Gonzalez, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana 21 Comments

Santa Ana’s Mayor Pro Tem, Sal Tinajero, is up for reelection in Ward 6, in this November’s General Election, but you would hardly know that as he still doesn’t have a campaign website. Tinajero has a personal Facebook page but hasn’t even bothered to launch a Campaign Facebook page.

What is up with Tinajero? I know he is a busy guy but the message he is sending to the voters is that he isn’t interested in their vote.

This is the wrong year for Tinajero to take a vacation during campaign season as he has a challenger who is working hard and who is known in the community, in the form of Miguel “Mike” Gonzalez. Continue reading→

Tustin Tiller Days set for Oct. 3 through 5

Posted on September 22, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Charities, Education, Family, Food, Tustin, Youth Activities Leave a comment

The 57th Annual Tustin Tiller Days will be held on: October 3rd, 4th, and 5th, 2014. The hours the festival will be open are:

Friday, October 3rd: 4:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Saturday, October 4th: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Sunday, October 5th: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Note: Carnival will remain open until 10:00 PM on Sunday.
Parade: Saturday @ 10:00 AM. The parade will start at the corner of Main and Pacific and end at Prospect and Beneta at the Festival Grounds.

Continue reading→

Garden Grove’s Broadwater and Beard endorse Solorio for the 34th State Senate District

Posted on September 22, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Democratic Party, Garden Grove, Jose Solorio, Politics Leave a comment

Bruce-Broadwater

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 22, 2014

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Maria Unzueta (657) 464-4742 (Cell)

GARDEN GROVE MAYOR BRUCE BROADWATER ENDORSES JOSE SOLORIO FOR STATE SENATE

Mayor Joins Garden Grove Councilman Kris Beard In Supporting Solorio’s Candidacy For 34th State Senate District

GARDEN GROVE – State Senate Candidate Jose Solorio announced today that Garden Grove Mayor Bruce Broadwater and Councilman Kris Beard have endorsed his campaign for Senate.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Jose Solorio on a wide variety of important policy issues over the last 15 years,” said Garden Grove Mayor Bruce Broadwater.” I have found him to be an independent minded, commonsense and pragmatic leader who isn’t afraid to buck the political establishment and do the right thing. I enthusiastically support him for State Senate.” Continue reading→

Estranged husband stabbed his wife and shot her with a pellet gun

Posted on September 22, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana police officers were called to the 1200 block of East Dyer Road about 9 p.m. Saturday after reports of a woman screaming and a man running from a parking lot, Santa Ana police Cmdr. Jason Viramontes said, according to the O.C. Register.

The police reported that the woman was stabbed multiple times and was also apparently shot with a pellet gun. They found a knife and a pellet gun at the scene. Continue reading→

The SAUSD will take over their after school program on January 5, 2015

Posted on September 22, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Education, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Youth Activities 4 Comments

SAUSD Maintains and Improves its Commitment to After School Programs

Since 2008, the Santa Ana Unified School District has utilized outside companies (Think Together) to manage its after school programs. Due to changing conditions, there will be a District-run after school program staffed by employees of the Santa Ana Unified School District. This program will begin after the winter break on Monday, January 5, 2015. The current after school program companies will continue to provide services through December 19, 2014.There will be a seamless transition for students.

The new after school program called “Engage 360°”, will provide increased opportunities in such areas as physical activity, academic support, visual and performing arts, science, technology, mathematics, engineering, specialized movement, and leadership. All students currently enrolled in the after school program will automatically be placed in the new after school program Engage 360°. Parents do not need to submit any additional paperwork. The program will continue to be offered at no charge to parents.

The Engage 360° after school program will include the following components: Continue reading→

Mayor Miguel Pulido to host a State of the City reception on 9/30

Posted on September 22, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Civic Affairs, Entertainment, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido is hosting a campaign breakfast reception that will include a “State of the City” update on September 30, 2014, from 7:30 am to 9:30 am at the Bowers Museum, in the John Lee Court, at 2002 N. Main St., in Santa Ana.

Tables are available for $2,000 and individual tickets are available for $200. Please RSVP to Alisha Mendoza at (213) 891-2965 or via email here.

About Mayor Pulido

Since he was first elected to the Santa Ana City Council in 1986, Mayor Miguel Pulido has been a major force in the renaissance and economic revitalization of the City. He is currently serving his sixth term as Mayor and has proven to be a leader, not only within the community, but regionally and nationally. Mayor Pulido has focused his efforts on improving the quality of life for all Santa Ana residents. During his tenure the City has experienced a 58 percent reduction in crime, an increase in home values, a rise in the number of business licenses, an enhancement of the economic opportunities for the private sector, an overall revitalization of the City’s infrastructure and an expansion in social and culture venues. Continue reading→

Check out DTSA’s restaurants at Savor Santa Ana on 10/16

Posted on September 21, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Entertainment, Food, Restaurants, Santa Ana 5 Comments

Savor Santa Ana

You’ve been reading about Downtown Santa Ana or maybe even checked out one or two new award-winning restaurants and venues. Coming this October, Savor Santa Ana lets you sample a rainbow of DTSA restaurants all in one glorious epicurean evening.

At Savor Santa Ana on Thursday, October 16 from 5:30 PM to 9 PM, pick up a booklet of 12 tasting tickets for $10. With your booklet and a route map in hand, you will be free to walk DTSA’s tree-lined brick sidewalks on a lovely autumn evening to exchange your tickets for your most-wanted food tastings at local eateries. Exchange tickets for local art and other goodies, too!

Start your Savor Santa Ana experience at the Ticket & Info Booth on Spurgeon Promenade (located on Spurgeon between 3rd and 4th Streets). There you can buy ticket booklets and pick up a route map. The Ticket booth opens at 5 PM on Thursday, October 16. Explore Downtown Santa Ana’s culinary and arts district on a night of tasting and experiences! Continue reading→

Rep. Sanchez endorses Solorio for the 34th State Senate District

Posted on September 21, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Democratic Party, Jose Solorio, Loretta Sanchez, Politics, Santa Ana 1 Comment

For Immediate Release: September 19, 2014

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

CONGRESSWOMAN LORETTA SANCHEZ ISSUES ENDORSEMENT STATEMENT FOR JOSE SOLORIO IN STATE SENATE RACE

Congresswoman Sanchez Says She and Solorio Agree on Making College Access and Affordability a Priority

Santa Ana, CA – Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez issued a formal endorsement for Jose Solorio as her choice in the 34th State Senate District. Sanchez’s endorsement is key in the district which includes a large portion of Congresswoman Sanchez’s district. Congresswoman Sanchez’s district includes all or parts of Santa Ana, Garden Grove, Anaheim and Orange.

“I’m supporting Jose Solorio because we both believe in fighting to protect everyone’s right to a good education. Jose and I believe that higher education should be a real option for all students. As a State Assemblyman, he wrote laws to help eliminate price-gouging on school textbooks. He also fought to protect $35 million for local schools and championed efforts to cut college tuition up to 40% for middle-class families,” says Congresswoman Sanchez. “I recently introduced the ‘Middle Class Chance Act’ to combat increasing college costs by helping students pay for college with a strengthened Pell Grant.” Continue reading→

Why is SAUSD Trustee John Palacio hiding his contact info from the public?

Posted on September 20, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Education, Politics, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Only two of the elected members of the Santa Ana Unified School District’s Board of Education, Cecilia Iglesias and Rob Richardson, post their contact information on the district’s website.

Why is it that the rest of the Trustees, including longtime incumbent John Palacio, who is running this year for reelection, are hiding their contact information from the voters and residents of this city? Continue reading→

Santa Ana to participate in a County wide emergency alert test on 9/23

Posted on September 19, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, Emergencies, Santa Ana Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community Alert: CITY OF SANTA ANA JOINS 23 CITIES IN COUNTY WIDE ALERT OC REGIONAL TEST

Santa Ana, CA (September 19, 2014) – City of Santa Ana residents and over two million other Orange County residents will receive a call, email or push notification on Tuesday, September 23 for a Countywide regional test of Alert OC – the County’s regional mass notification system. This is the fifth annual regional test of the system and will include 23 participating cities and the County’s unincorporated areas.

The AlertOC drill will be held in conjunction with national Preparedness Month and will replicate a large scale, multi-jurisdictional emergency requiring thousands of numbers to be called simultaneously across Orange County’s entire region. The phone message will notify residents that it is a test and urge all residents to prepare for real-life emergencies by registering their cell numbers, text numbers and e-mail addresses at AlertOC.com for the best chance to receive vital, timely information when away from home. Continue reading→

Executive sentenced for not paying taxes on $180M in fraudulent income

Posted on September 19, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release: September 19, 2014

Case # 03HF1207

FORMER EXECUTIVE SENTENCED TO SEVEN YEARS IN PRISON AND RESTITUTION FOR FAILING TO PAY TAXES ON OVER $180 MILLION IN UNREPORTED INCOME FROM POWER PLANT REFURBISHING BUSINESS

*Co-defendant ex-wife has been convicted and sentenced in this case

SANTA ANA – A former executive was sentenced today to seven years in state prison for failing to pay taxes on over $180 million in unreported income from their power plant refurbishing business. Richard Engel, 70, pleaded guilty Dec. 16, 2011, to three felony counts of filing false personal tax returns and five felony counts failing to file tax returns for himself and his company. The defendant also admitted to sentencing enhancements for fraud in excess of $500,000 causing a loss in excess of $1 million. Engel will also be required to pay restitution in an amount to be determined by the Court.

Richard Engel’s ex-wife Jolene Engel, 63, pleaded guilty Dec. 16, 2011, to one felony count of failure to file tax returns for her corporation and one felony count of failing to provide material information in a tax return. She was sentenced today to three years of informal probation and will also be subject to restitution in an amount to be determined. Continue reading→