Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Monthly Archives: April 2016

Santa Ana celebrates Children’s Day and Book Day on April 23

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Community: SANTA ANA CELEBRATES CHILDREN’S & BOOK DAY / SANTA ANA CELEBRA DÍA DE LOS NIÑOS & LIBROS

On April 23, 2016, Santa Ana Public Library, finalist for the 2016 National Medal for Museum and Library Services, will celebrate Día de los Niños / Día de los Libros (Children’s Day/Book Day). The celebration, also known as Día, will take place at the Main Library on Saturday, April 23, 2016 from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The event will showcase a variety of fun-filled activities and services for children and their families.

Children’s Day began in 1925 and was designated as a day to bring attention to the importance and well-being of children. In 1996, nationally acclaimed children’s book author Pat Mora proposed linking the celebration of childhood and children with literacy, thus the creation of Día. Día annually celebrates children, families, and literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Continue reading→

Santa Ana to host free Confident Cycling classes starting on April 16

Posted on by Posted in Bicycles, Civic Affairs, Education, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community Alert: FREE CONFIDENT CYCLING CLASSES / CLASES PARA ANDAR EN CICICLETA CON SEGURIDAS GRATIS

The City of Santa Ana, through an Office of Traffic Safety grant, is offering free Confident Cycling Classes to any interested residents this spring and summer. The classes, taught by instructors certified through the League of American Bicyclists, will teach participants how to ride safely and with confidence along streets with vehicle traffic.

Sessions will take place at various locations on several weekends, beginning on April 16th at the Santa Ana Red Cross center. A limited number of classes will be taught completely in Spanish, and there will be a pair of class sessions exclusively for local teens. All class participants will receive a FREE bicycle helmet and set of bike lights.
More information about the classes and the registration form are online at www.santa-ana.org/bike-safety.

Santa Ana Confident Cycling Class

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CLASES PARA ANDAR EN CICICLETA CON SEGURIDAS GRATIS

Esta primavera y verano, Ia Ciudad de Santa Ana ofrece de manera gratuita clases para andar en bicicleta con seguridad para ciclistas principiantes y experimentados. Además de aprender habilidades para andar en bicicleta de manera segura. Todos los participantes recibirán un casco y un par de luces gratis.

Para conocer las fechas, horarios y registrarse, por favor visite www.santa-ana.org/bike-safety. Algunas de las clases se ofrecerán completamente en español.

More than 3,600 O.C. food establishments receive 2016 Awards of Excellence

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More Than 3,600 Orange County Food Establishments Receive Awards of Excellence

(Santa Ana) – The County of Orange Health Care Agency (HCA) has issued the 2016 Award of Excellence to 3,630 Orange County food facilities to recognize local businesses for their outstanding food safety and sanitation practices during 2015.

The annual Award of Excellence was created to provide an incentive for retail food businesses that consistently meet or exceed health and safety standards for food facility operations. In 1999, the first year of the program, 584 food establishments received the recognition. With increased outreach and improved compliance with food safety laws, the number of recipients has grown significantly since its inception. Continue reading→

O.C. victims’ rights advocates honored at 12th annual victims’ rights conference

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Garden Grove, Orange County 2 Comments

12th ANNUAL VICTIMS’ RIGHTS CONFERENCE HONORED VICTIM ADVOCATES AND OFFERED CUTTING-EDGE EDUCATIONAL TRACKS

Community Service Programs’ 2016 Victims’ Rights Luncheon Featured Dr. Kathie Mathis, President/CEO of California Cognitive Behavioral Institute

Garden Grove, Calif. (April 11, 2016) – “Serving Victims, Building Trust, Restoring Hope” was the theme of nonprofit Community Service Programs’ (CSP) 12th annual Victims’ Rights Conference on Thursday, April 7, 2016 at the Embassy Suites in Garden Grove. The event hosted more than 220 law enforcement officers, therapists, nonprofit staff, service providers, victims and community members to learn valuable training through cutting-edge educational tracks and to honor local heroes who work tirelessly to advocate for victims’ rights throughout Orange County.

Acclaimed author and advocate Dr. Kathie Mathis, President and CEO of the California Cognitive Behavioral Institute, was the luncheon’s plenary speaker. During her career, Dr. Mathis has developed and introduced national models in mentoring, abuse prevention and school-based stop bullying programs. Dr. Mathis is a state and national advocate who participated on the taskforce reforming the California Dept. of Parole/Rehabilitation Adult Outpatient Mental Health Programs. Dr. Mathis discussed Secondary Trauma, or Vicarious Trauma, and shared how first responders can decrease their chances of “work burnout” and understand how the work they do every day can have a lasting impact on them. Continue reading→

Therapy dogs to comfort sexual assault victims when they meet with OCDA prosecutors

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Orange County, Pets, Santa Ana 2 Comments

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Date: April 8, 2016

OCDA UNVEILED “PAWS”ITIVE PROGRAM PAIRING “PUPS” WITH PROSECUTORS TO HELP SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS

SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) Tony Rackauckas unveiled today the newly launched PAWS Assist the Needs of the District Attorney (PANDA) program, where Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS) volunteers and their therapy dogs will be on-site to comfort sexual assault victims as they meet with prosecutors. Continue reading→

Suspect arrested in the stabbing murder of Bryan Torres at a party in Santa Ana

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Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Detectives Arrest Suspect In Homicide Case Looking For Additional Witnesses To Come Forward

Arrested: Nicholas James Tadlock (22)

Victim: Bryan Alberto Torres (19)

On Saturday, 04-09-16, at approximately 0335 hours, officers were dispatched to 2837 W. Edinger, reference a stabbing that occurred. When officers arrived, they located Bryan Alberto Torres, suffering from several stab wounds to the upper torso. OCFA paramedics responded and Torres was subsequently transported to UCI Medical Center where he later died. Continue reading→

The O.C. property tax payment deadline is Monday, April 11

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Property Tax Payment Deadline is Monday, April 11!

Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector Shari Freidenrich today reminds Orange County taxpayers that the second installment of property taxes is due no later than Monday, April 11, 2016. Payments not received by Monday, unless they have a United States Postal Service postmark on or before April 11, will incur a 10% late penalty plus a $23 fee. Current second installment secured property tax receipts are ahead of the same time last year with 13% more in property taxes being received. Total secured property tax receipts are $663 million ahead of the same time last year. Continue reading→

Kidworks’ Día del Niño Celebration in Santa Ana set for Saturday, April 16th

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For Immediate Release

MEDIA CONTACT: Dan Pittman, dan@pittmanpr.com, 714-282-9994

Día del Niño Celebration in Santa Ana set for Saturday April 16th

A Day For The Children Includes Free Food and Resources

SANTA ANA, CA (April 8, 2016) – Healthy kids make for a healthy community. On Saturday April 16th, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., KidWorks will host a Día del Niño celebration in partnership with other local non-profits, community leaders and educators. The event will be located between the 1900 and 2200 blocks of Myrtle Street. That Saturday marks the culmination of the Week of the Young Child, which has been celebrated across the nation for over four decades.

“Since 1993, KidWorks of Santa Ana has known that when kids are healthy the community is healthy,” said David Benavides, KidWorks executive director and a Santa Ana city councilman. “Day in, day out, it is the mission of KidWorks to provide all of the tools necessary for at-risk children to grow up and prosper and find their own unique identity.” Continue reading→

SAPD DUI and driver’s license checkpoint set for April 9 at 500 W. First St.

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

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Saturday, April 9th, 2016, 9:00PM – 3:00AM, 500 W. First Street.

SANTA ANA POLICE STEP UP DUI ENFORCEMENT

The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Saturday, April 9th, 2016. It will begin at 9:00PM and is scheduled to conclude at 3:00AM. It will be conducted in the area of 500 W. First Street, Santa Ana, CA.

The primary purpose of a DUI Checkpoint is to deter impaired driving, not to increase arrests. All too often, members of our community are senselessly injured or killed on local roadways by impaired drivers. This DUI/Drivers License checkpoint is an effort to reduce those tragedies, as well as ensuring drivers have a valid driver’s license. The DMV reports that unlicensed drivers are 4.9 times more likely to cause a fatal crash than a licensed driver. Continue reading→

Parolee robbed a Santa Ana bank then was caught while fleeing in an OCTA bus

Posted on by Posted in Banking, Crime, David Benavides, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Imagine getting out of jail then, as a parolee, making the decision to rob a bank?  Well that happened this morning when an unarmed Joseph Springer Erickson, 34, robbed the Chase Bank branch located at 3600 South Bristol Street, at around 11:20 a.m., according to the O.C. Register.

Erickson handed a bank clerk a note demanding money. The teller gave him cash, but for perhaps he had second thoughts as Erickson then handed the money over to another bank employee before taking off on foot.

That is when this story got very weird.  Erickson did not have a getaway car. So instead he got onto an OCTA bus that was working Route 57. Continue reading→

Five O.C. pharmacies including Santa Ana’s Med-Zone targeted in burglary spree

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Santa Ana’s Med-Zone Pharmacy, located at 800 North Tustin Ave., was one of five local pharmacies in Orange County that were burglarized early Wednesday morning, according to the O.C. Register.

Garden Grove police officers found about 100 prescription bottles belong to Med-Zone near Euclid Street and Trask Ave. just after 7 a.m.

The initial suspect descriptions were similar in all five burglaries. Continue reading→

Super King Markets is hiring in Santa Ana

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City of Santa Ana

Community Alert: Super King Markets is Hiring in Santa Ana!

Super King Markets will be conducting interviews at the Santa Ana WORK Center on the following dates and times. Interviews are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

  • April 7, 2016 10:00 am-2:30 pm
  • April 14, 2016 10:00 am-2:30 pm
  • April 21, 2016 10:00 am-2:30 pm Continue reading→

The OCDA announces the speakers for their 8th annual Victims’ Rights Rally

Posted on by Posted in Crime, OCDA, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Date: April 6, 2015

MEDIA ADVISORY

Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas is pleased to announce the speakers for the 8th Annual Victims’ Rights Rally

WHEN: Monday, April 11, 2016, at 4:00 p.m. (Reception) and 5:00 p.m. (Rally)

WHERE: County of Orange Hall of Administration, 333 West Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana

SPEAKERS: Janelle Weinberg, mother of 21-year-old Ariel Johnson, who was killed in a DUI collision in March 2013. She was a passenger in a car being driven by 21-year-old Shauna Ahyen, who was driving under the influence. Ahyen pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence while intoxicated and driving with a blood alcohol content of .08% or more causing bodily injury and was sentenced to six years and eight months in state prison in 2014. Continue reading→

The world’s leading discount supermarket, Aldi, is opening in Orange County on 4/21

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ALDI Arrives in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, Brings Quality and Freshness for Less

One of America’s Favorite Grocers* to Open 10 New Stores on Thursday, April 21

Batavia, Ill. – April 7, 2016 – Residents in Los Angeles and Orange Counties will soon be able to experience a whole new way to grocery shop at ALDI, one of America’s favorite grocers. On Thursday, April 21, ALDI will open 10 new Southern California locations, six of which are in Los Angeles County, three in Orange County and one new store in San Bernardino County. The easy-to-shop food market takes a simple approach to grocery shopping that translates into big savings for ALDI shoppers. In fact, shoppers have found that switching from national brands to ALDI exclusive brands can save them up to 50 percent** on their grocery bill. Continue reading→

Bowers Thirsty First Thursday features John Zeretzke and the Salaamuna Ensemble tonight

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Bowers Thirsty First Thursday “Champagne with Flutes Across The World” featuring John Zeretzke and Salaamuna Ensemble on April 7 from 5-8pm

Sip champagne and make your own flute while enjoying live music and learning about music’s influence on cultures across the world as part of the Bowers’ new Thirsty First Thursdays monthly evening program. This special event includes a happy hour presented by Tangata. This Thursday, master musicians from the Salaamuna Ensemble will perform on a variety of exotic and rare wind instruments from varying regions and cultures in the Middle East. These world renowned instrumentalists will dazzle and amaze you with their virtuosity, expertise, storytelling and good humor. The performance is followed by an engaging presentation in the Norma Kershaw Auditorium by John Zeretzke, Founder and Artistic Director of Flutes Across the World.

The Bowers Museum’s permanent exhibits will be open from 5-8pm and will be included with the Thirsty First Thursday admission price: Members $20 (includes free drink); General $30 (includes free drink); Students $10. Continue reading→