Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Monthly Archives: January 2016

Should the Santa Ana City Council have given a $17,000 bonus to our overpaid City Manager?

Posted on by Posted in Angelica Amezcua, Civic Affairs, David Benavides, David Cavazos, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana 7 Comments
Did City Manager David Cavazos deserve a huge bonus?

The Santa Ana City Council majority has granted a 5 percent, $17,000 performance bonus to City Manager David Cavazos, who is the highest-paid city manager in Santa Ana history, according to the O.C. Register.

Kudos to Mayor Miguel Pulido and Councilwoman Michele Martinez for opposing this ridiculous bonus. To pay Cavazos even more money while our nation is slipping into another recession and while our city is in the midst of a gang war that the City Council refuses to acknowledge is simply mind-boggling. Continue reading→

Community forum on community policing set for Jan. 21 at the Delhi Center

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Neighborhood Associations, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The Delhi Neighborhood Association is hosting a special presentation on Community Policing and a Toolkit for Residents to Utilize by Jennifer Rojas of the American Civic Liberties Union (ACLU) on Thursday, January 21, 2016, at 6:00 p.m. Continue reading→

The OCTA will host a public hearing about their proposed bus service plan on 1/25

Posted on by Posted in OCTA, Orange County, Transportation Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community Alert: Public Hearing – OCTA Proposed Bus Service Plan

OC Bus 360° is an initiative that looks at improving the bus system from all angles. As part of OC Bus 360°, OCTA is proposing to add, reduce, and/or eliminate services in 2016 to optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of the overall bus system. Your input is important to us. Please attend one of the public meetings and give us your comments on the Proposed 2016 Bus Service Plan. Continue reading→

MainPlace Mall shopper arrested after leaving her toddler in an unattended vehicle

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Crime, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Officers Arrest Mother For Leaving 4 Year Old Child In Unattended Vehicle At Mall While She Shops

Arrested: Arica Jenee Ayala (27) Anaheim

At approximately 8:30 pm, officers responded to a parking lot located at the Main Place Mall, 2800 block of North Main Street, regarding a child left unattended inside a vehicle. A witness advised the involved vehicle arrived at approximately 7:50 pm.

Officers found a 4 year-old male sitting in a car seat, crying and screaming. The doors to the vehicle had been left unlocked. The child told officers his mother left him alone in the car. Mall security made announcements over their P.A. system and officers checked the registered owner’s address in Anaheim and were unable to locate anyone. Continue reading→

O.C. Sheriff Hutchens endorses Correa for Congress

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Democratic Party, Lou Correa, Politics Leave a comment

For Immediate Release: January 19, 2015

Contact: Dave Jacobson, (818) 943-2348, Shallman Communications

ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF CALLS LOU CORREA “BEST CHOICE” FOR CONGRESS

Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchins Endorses Lou Correa for CA-46

SANTA ANA, CA— Catapulting his campaign forward with renewed momentum, today former State Senator Lou Correa garnered a milestone endorsement from Orange County’s widely respected top law enforcement officer, and Orange County’s first woman Sheriff — Sandra Hutchens— as he campaigns to represent California’s 46th Congressional District seat.

In announcing her support of Correa’s bid for Congress, Sheriff Hutchens released the following statement: Continue reading→

Santa Ana’s Arts Future Community Engagement Week set for Jan. 27-30

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Civic Affairs, Santa Ana Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community: Santa Ana Arts Future Community Engagement Week, January 27th – 30th

We need your voice! The City of Santa Ana wants to know what you love about your community and what you want to see more of locally. Your insight will assist in the development of the Santa Ana Arts Master Plan, a comprehensive plan to strengthen arts and culture for all of those who live, work, or play in Santa Ana. The City will be holding a Community Engagement Week which will have a kick-off town hall meeting and discussion groups to gather your input on Monday, January 27th from 6:30 – 8:30 PM at Santa Ana College’s Phillips Hall Theater (1530 W. 17th Street, Santa Ana, CA).

Visit www.santa-ana.org/cda/acmp.asp for a schedule of events and more information. Continue reading→

Westminster man wanted for allegedly shooting his girlfriend

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Westminster Leave a comment

Abdul Rashad Bynum, a resident of Westminster, is believed to have shot his girlfriend during an argument on Monday, at around 5:30 p.m., at a home located at the 15100 block of Vermont St., southwest of Bolsa and Goldenwest, according to the O.C. Register.

Bynum, 31-years-old, fled from the scene after allegedly shooting his girlfriend. She was taken to a local hospital with injuries described as non-life threatening. Continue reading→

Garden Grove man allegedly attacked his wife with a meat cleaver

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Garden Grove, Vietnamese Leave a comment

Thang Van Nguyen, 46, turned himself in at a Garden Grove fire station this morning, at about 6:45 a.m., and said he had murdered his wife in their apartment, according to the O.C. Register.

When he took officers to his home in the 12700 block of Flower Street, his 44-year-old wife Huong Nguyen was found conscious, but with several stab wounds from a large meat cleaver, officials said, according to CBS News. Continue reading→

Free lobby activities offered during IF/THEN at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Costa Mesa, music, Musicals, Plays Leave a comment

January 19, 2016

MEDIA ADVISORY

Free Lobby Activities Offered During IF/THEN at Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Audiences attending IF/THEN at Segerstrom Center for the Arts from January 19 – 24, 2016 are invited to partake in complimentary lobby activities one hour before all performances and during intermission.

• We all have If/Then Stories – what’s yours? Share your If/Then Story with us – a pivotal moment in your life guided by a seemingly insignificant decision or random act of fate that changed you! Stop by either Orchestra or Balcony Lobby levels to share your If/Then Story and decorate our skyline display! #IfThenStories Continue reading→

Sup. Andrew Do seeks public’s input on changes to the CalOptima Board

Posted on by Posted in Andrew Do, Caloptima, Health and Medical, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Sup. Andrew Do Seeks Public’s Input on Changes to CalOptima Board

Proposal Will Be Considered at January 26 Board of Supervisors meeting

(Santa Ana, California)— Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do is seeking the public’s input on proposed changes to the management structure of CalOptima, the county’s health care system for low-income children, adults, seniors and people with disabilities.

At its January 26 meeting, the Orange County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider changes designed to ensure proper oversight and management of the $3.2 billion health care program. Continue reading→

Young man injured in gang shooting in Garden Grove

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Gangs, Garden Grove Leave a comment

A young man was shot in his upper body early this morning, before 4 a.m.,at the 10600 block of Tibbs Circle, in Garden Grove, in what police are calling a gang-related attack, according to the O.C. Register.

The person who called 911 reported that the victim had been shot and was “screaming for help.” Continue reading→

Community policing forum set for Jan. 30 at Godinez Fundamental H.S.

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

PRESS RELEASE, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 15, 2016

Contact: Chris Schmidt, West End Community Oriented Policing, westendcop1@gmail.com; Connie Hamilton, Connect-to-Council, 714-745-1692

West End Community Oriented Policing to present Community Policing Forums for Santa Ana residents

Santa Ana, CA, –West End Community Oriented Policing, along with Connect-to-Council and Windsor Village Neighborhood Association, will present a Community Policing forum for the residents of Santa Ana. This forum will offer residents the opportunity to provide their input and assist in creating a community policing plan for Santa Ana. There will be a forum in each of the four policing districts (South Coast, West End, North East, and South East) in Santa Ana from January through April, with the first to be held on January 30, 2016. Continue reading→

A man was shot by an SAPD police officer on North Parton St. last night

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

We reported last night about a drive by shooting that wounded a man in his 20s at the 1000 block of North Parton. Our readers indicated that there was a second man injured as well. Today we know the details about that second victim.

It turns out the second man was shot by an SAPD police officer, according to the O.C. Register. The police have not indicated yet if the second shooting was related to the first one. Continue reading→

Another drive-by shooting in Santa Ana reported tonight on N. Parton St.

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Gangs, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana 7 Comments

A man in his early 20s was shot in the upper body tonight at around 7:20 p.m. at the 1000 block of North Parton St., according to the O.C. Register.

Igmar Rodas, a local community activist and photographer, told us that this was a drive-by shooting.  He also reported that two suspects are in custody. Witnesses he spoke to said that there was a second victim that was seen laying on the street.

The SAPD did not report any details. SAPD police officers were only told that people had heard shots in their neighborhood. Continue reading→

Free tax preparation for those who earned less than $60,000 in 2015

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

If you earned less than $60,000 in 2015 you can file your state and federal taxes for free this year at MyFreeTaxes.com, which is part of the United Way. You can save over $2,000 on your tax refund.

H&R Block is providing the filing software for all MyFreeTaxes returns. Once you login, you should see the MyFreeTaxes logo in the top left-hand corner throughout the filing process to receive free filing. Continue reading→