Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Monthly Archives: November 2015

World AIDS Day is on Dec. 1, 2015

Posted on by Posted in Disease, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

World Aids Day

For Immediate Release:November 30, 2015

Contact: Tricia Landquist tlandquist@ochca.com, 714-834-2178

World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, 2015

(Santa Ana) – More than 60 million people have been infected with the HIV virus and approximately 30 million people have died of AIDS worldwide. In Orange County, 11,987 people have been diagnosed with HIV and using CDC criteria, 938 people are estimated to be infected but do not know it.

World AIDS Day is commemorated on December 1st; it is a day to reflect and remember those who have lost their lives and those who are still living with HIV disease. The 2015 theme for World AIDS Day is “Getting to Zero. Zero new HIV Infections. Zero Discrimination. Zero AIDS Related Deaths.” Eliminating stigma about HIV, encouraging everyone to know their HIV status, and making sure people living with HIV have access to medical care and medications are all important steps to “Getting to Zero” in Orange County. Continue reading→

Man killed with skateboard identified as a registered sex offender

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Orzo Lee

Earlier in the day the SAPD and the Coroner identified the 50-year-old man who was killed by a 20-year-old on Nov. 24, with a blow to the head by a skateboard, as Orzo Lee. Now we know that Lee had a lengthy criminal record, according to the O.C. Register.

Lee was first convicted of a felony in Orange County back in January of 1997.  He plead guilty to trying to possess a controlled substance.  Lee was also convicted of felony theft with a prior conviction back in 2000.

In 2011, Lee did something even worse. He broke into a home in Stanton and exposed himself to a grandmother and her two young granddaughters.  He was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison. And he was forced to register as a sex offender. Continue reading→

Mayor Pulido to recognize the Mercy House’s founder and exec. director on 12/1

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Entertainment, Miguel Pulido, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Father Jerome T. Karcher

City of Santa Ana

Community Alert: MAYOR PULIDO RECOGNIZES MERCY HOUSE FOUNDER, FATHER JEROME KARCHER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LARRY HAYNES

Mayor Miguel Pulido will recognize Father Jerome T. Karcher and Larry Haynes from Mercy House for their outstanding service to the City of Santa Ana at Tuesday’s City Council Meeting

With its headquarters in Santa Ana, Mercy House provides housing and comprehensive supportive services for a variety of homeless populations which includes families, adult men and women, mothers and their children, persons living with HIV/AIDS, individuals overcoming substance addictions, and some who are physically and mentally disabled. This year, Mercy House served close to 5,000 homeless individuals in their emergency services programs and prevented or ended homelessness for over 800 individuals. Continue reading→

Orzo Lee identified as the man fatally struck with a skateboard at a Santa Ana Starbucks

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Starbucks at 3345 South Bristol in Santa Ana

Starbucks at 3345 South Bristol in Santa Ana

Orzo Lee has been identified as the 50-year-old man who was struck in the head with a skateboard, outside the Starbucks located at 3345 South Bristol St., in Santa Ana, by a man in his 20s, on Nov. 24 at around 1 p.m., according to the O.C. Register.

Lee fell backward after being hit by the skateboard and he hit his head on the sidewalk.  At the time of the incident the SAPD had reported that Lee had gone into full cardiac arrest after the incident. Continue reading→

Jorge Lopez-Lobato killed in hit and run accident at First Street and Baker Street

Posted on by Posted in Accidents, Crime, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Hit and Run Accident

Jorge Lopez-Lobato, a 35-year-old man, was hit and killed by a speeding, dark blue, newer model Honda Accord early on Sunday morning, just before 1:43 a.m., on First Street near Baker Street, in Santa Ana, according to the O.C. Register.

The driver fled after striking and killing Lopez-Lobato.

The accident was reported by witnesses who said that Lopez-Lobato was walking westbound on First Street when he was hit by the Honda Accord. Lopez-Lobato died at the scene. Continue reading→

85 firefighters put out a three alarm fire at a plastics recycling company in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Fires, OCFA, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Santa Ana Plastics Fire

A 3 Alarm fire broke out today at the 2500 block of S. Susan St. at 10:15 a.m. according to the OC Fire Authority.

Over 85 firefighters from the OC Fire Authority and the Fountain Valley and Costa Mesa Fire Departments fought the blaze and the OCFA Hazmat team was there too.  No injuries were reported. Continue reading→

The Santa Ana City Council is considering banning all fireworks next year

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Crime, Fires, OCFA, Public Safety, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana 25 Comments

Santa Ana Fireworks ban

Should the Santa Ana City Council ban all fireworks?

The Santa Ana City Council doesn’t seem to be doing much about the gang violence in our city but they are pondering making safe and sane fireworks illegal, according to the O.C Register.

I really don’t understand this.  The problem in Santa Ana is NOT the safe and sane fireworks but rather the illegal ones that the SAPD and the OC Fire Authority seem to ignore. Continue reading→

Suspects flee from a hit and run involving a stolen car at Ross and Civic Center

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accident at civic center and ross

PIcture by Igmar Rodas.

There was a traffic collision at 400 W. Civic Center Dr., at Ross, involving two vehicles, at around 6 p.m., according to local photographer Igmar Rodas.

Two males in one of the cars fled the scene.  There was one woman driver in the other vehicle. She stayed at the scene. Continue reading→

Diego Rivera’s watercolors will be at the Bowers from 12/12 to 5/19

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Watercolors of Diego Rivera

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Victor Payan, Latino Audience Engagement Specialist, VPayan@bowers.org, 714-567-3645

Bowers Museum presents Popol Vuh: Watercolors of Diego Rivera, Dec. 12 – May 19

Santa Ana Museum to Display Diego Rivera’s Watercolors Illustrating the Epic Mayan Narrative

Santa Ana, California (November 2015) – Bowers Museum in Santa Ana has announced the presentation of Popol Vuh: Watercolors of Diego Rivera, an exhibition that features 17 original watercolors inspired by the sacred text of the Quiché-Maya people.

The exhibition is on display at the Bowers Museum on December 12, 2015 through May 19, 2016 and is exclusive to the Bowers Museum. It will be the first United States presentation of these 17 compelling watercolors on loan from the Museo Casa Diego Rivera in Diego Rivera’s hometown of Guanajuato, Mexico and made possible with the support of the State Institute of Culture of Guanajuato. Continue reading→

Remorseful burglars have returned Milagros’ wheelchair

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 2 Comments

MIlagros in her wheelchair

Did the burglars feel guilty over the Thanksgiving holiday? We may never know but what we do know is that the wheelchair stolen from the back patio of four-year-old Milagros has been returned to her family’s Santa Ana home, at the 400 block of South Flower Street, according to the OC Register.

The wheelchair was returned, clean and in a plastic bag, sometime on early Friday morning. Milagros’ dad found it when he returned from delivering newspapers in the morning.  Continue reading→

The CHP will have maximum enforcement on our freeways through Sunday

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CHP Logo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 11/20/2015

CALIFORNIANS PREPARE TO RISE TO THE HOLIDAY TRAFFIC SAFETY CHALLENGE

​SACRAMENTO, Calif. – This Thanksgiving, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is partnering with law enforcement agencies across the nation for the third annual “Interstate 40 Challenge.” The goal of the traffic safety campaign is zero fatalities during the holiday travel period on the more than 2,500-mile stretch of I-40.

“Last year, California reported zero fatal traffic collisions on Interstate 40 during the challenge periods,” CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow said. “With the public’s assistance, we are striving to achieve the same success rate this year on I-40 and throughout the state.” Continue reading→

The OC Clerk-Recorder will be open on Saturday on December 19

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Hugh Nguyen presiding over marriages at the Old OC Courthouse

OC CLERK-RECORDER

For Immediate Release: November 25, 2015

Contact: David Cabrera, (714) 834-2083, david.cabrera@rec.ocgov.com

Special Saturday Hours Planned for December 19

Plan now to take advantage of Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen’s special Saturday hours this upcoming Saturday, December 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Old County Courthouse in Santa Ana and the department’s branch offices in downtown Fullerton and at the Laguna Hills Civic Center.

With the fast approaching end of the year, demand for services is expected to be high. The Old County Courthouse will be offering marriage licenses, civil wedding ceremonies and passport application services only. Copies of property records and birth, death and marriage certificates will be available at the Laguna Hills and Fullerton branch offices, as well as obtaining marriage licenses and civil wedding ceremonies. Please note that the department’s South County branch office in Laguna Hills is now offering passport services. Free parking will be available at all three locations. Continue reading→

What kind of scumbags would steal a wheelchair from a legless girl?

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Disabled, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana 1 Comment

MIlagro in her wheelchair

Someone stole a special wheelchair belonging to a four-year-old girl, right from her family’s back patio, at the 400 block of South Flower Street, in Santa Ana, according to the O.C. Register.

The little girl, named Milagros, was born without legs among several other medical issues and wasn’t expected to survive – but somehow she did.

The wheelchair was stolen early last Saturday morning and was reported to the SAPD on Tuesday night.  The family tried to find the wheelchair but was unable to do so. Continue reading→