New Santa Ana | Monthly Archives: November 2016

The SAPD cracked down on the Lopers Gang today, arresting nine of them

Posted on November 9, 2016 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Perhaps SAPD Chief Carlos Rojas finally is doing something about the gang problem in our city because Mayor Miguel Pulido now has a new City Council majority that just might fire Rojas? That just might be why the SAPD arrested nine members of the Lopers Gang today, on suspicion of weapons and drug offenses as part of a multi-agency crackdown, according to the O.C. Register.

The suspects included eight adults and a juvenile, who were all documented gang members, according to the SAPD.

The SAPD did not release the names of those arrested. They were booked into the Santa Ana City Jail. SAPD police investigators were able to recover a small amount of cocaine, methamphetamine and a rifle in the operation. Continue reading→

The SAPD is conducting a DUI and Drivers License Checkpoint on Nov. 11

Posted on November 9, 2016 by Art Pedroza Posted in Alcohol, Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Fri, November 11th, 2016, 9:30 PM to 2:30 AM, 1500 E. McFadden Ave.

SANTA ANA POLICE STEP UP DUI ENFORCEMENT

The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI / Drivers License checkpoint on Friday, November 11th, 2016. It will begin at 9:30 PM and is scheduled to conclude at 2:30 AM. It will be conducted in the area of 1500 E. McFadden Ave., in the City of Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Mayor Pulido is back in charge with a new City Council majority firmly on his side

Posted on November 9, 2016 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2016 Elections, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana 11 Comments

While the Democrats are completely stunned this morning by the loss of the White House to Donald Trump here in Santa Ana another big upset has occurred as our embattled Mayor, Miguel Pulido, has not only won his reelection campaign – he now has regained control of the Santa Ana City Council.

The election last night of Jose Solorio in Ward 3 and Juan Villegas in Ward 5 has given Pulido a firm City Council majority as he can now count on Mayor Pro Tem Vince Sarmiento in Ward 1 as well. Sarmiento owes Pulido a huge debt as there is no doubt that Sarmiento only survived his battle against Jessica Cha because of Pulido’s support. Continue reading→

The Santa Ana voters passed a 700% pay raise for the City Council but Reyna got fired

Posted on November 9, 2016 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2016 Elections, Juan Villegas, Measure PP, Politics, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana 4 Comments

The voters in Santa Ana unfortunately approved a 700% pay raise for our City Council last night as Measure PP passed with over 67% of the vote.

However the man that this measure was designed to benefit, high school dropout and Councilman Roman Reyna, got the boot as he lost to Juan Villegas, a member of the O.C. Sheriff’s Department for over 25 years. Continue reading→

Mayor Pulido is leading in early election results as are Council candidates Solorio and Villegas

Posted on November 8, 2016 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2016 Elections, Santa Ana 2 Comments

The early 2016 General Election results are in and as we predicted Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido is cruising to an easy victory over his ultra-liberal opponent Ben Vazquez. And we are very excited to report that Santa Ana City Councilman and high school dropout Roman Reyna is losing right now to his opponent, Juan Villegas, in Ward 5, by about 1,600 votes. Meanwhile over in Ward 3 Jose Solorio is leading a large pack of candidates with over 44% of the vote and in Ward 1 the incumbent, Vince Sarmiento, is barely edging out his challenger, Jessica Cha, by about 1,300 votes.

The bad news is that Measure PP, which will hand the City Council a 700% pay raise, is easily winning, by a margin of two to one. The good news is that if Reyna loses he won’t be getting this money. Continue reading→

A man was shot and killed by SAPD police officers on Sunday night near Diamond Elem. School

Posted on November 7, 2016 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, David Benavides, Santa Ana Leave a comment

A Latino in his 30s was shot dead by Santa Ana police during a Sunday night altercation that also injured an officer, according to the O.C. Register.

SAPD police officers in a patrol car found the man in a parked, white truck in the parking lot of a strip mall on Edinger Avenue and Sullivan Street at about 11:30 Sunday night, according to the SAPD. Continue reading→

Several lame Santa Ana political candidates are blowing off almost half the voters…

Posted on November 7, 2016 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2016 Elections, Alfonso Alvarez, Angie Rosario Cano, Benjamin Vazquez, Cecilia Iglesias, Claudia Alvarez, Democratic Party, Education, Jessica Byulnim Cha, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Republican Party, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Vietnamese, Vince Sarmiento 2 Comments

You are probably as sick of this year’s general election as I am. The last few weeks have given us all plenty to dislike about the top two presidential nominees – Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. And here in Santa Ana several candidates aligned with the Democratic Party have tried to use Trump against Republicans running for non-partisan offices, in one of the most underhanded schemes I have ever seen in my over 20 years of covering Orange County politics.

These candidates, including Rancho Santiago Community College District Trustee Claudia Alvarez and the slate of SAUSD School Board candidates sponsored by the Santa Ana Educators’ Association (the teachers’ union) – including Rigo Rodriguez, Mark McLoughlin and Alfonso Alvarez, have forgotten that Santa Ana is not quite as Democratic as they think it is. Continue reading→

A homeless man was struck by a vehicle this morning at the Civic Center

Posted on November 7, 2016 by Art Pedroza Posted in Accidents, homeless, Igmar Rodas, Santa Ana 3 Comments

Photo by Igmar Rodas

Homeless Man hit by vehicle

By: Igmar Rodas

This morning a homeless man crossing the street intersection was struck by a vehicle going east bound on Civic Center Dr and Sycamore St.

A witness named Manny reported that he saw the man get hit by the vehicle and he also said that the victim had minor injuries and complained of pain in his torso. Continue reading→

The SAPD is investigating the death of a 33-year old woman at her home

Posted on November 7, 2016 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Detectives Investigating Woman’s Death As A Homicide

Victim: Julie Nguyen (33) Santa Ana

On Sunday, November 6, 2016, at 3:30pm officers responded to the 800 block of North Louise Street for a welfare check. Upon arrival, they found a deceased female, 33-years of age, in her residence. Continue reading→

A Santa Ana man survived being shot in the chest this afternoon by jumping over a wall

Posted on November 6, 2016 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

While many of us are getting ready to fill out our absentee ballots, the violence continues unabated in Santa Ana. This afternoon a man was shot twice in his upper chest, but he survived by hopping over a nearby wall, escaping from the shooter, according to the O.C. Register.

How did the victim jump over a five foot wall? According to the SAPD it was pure adrenaline that saved the man’s life. He is now recovering at a local hospital and he is expected survive. Continue reading→

Suspect released after triggering a false alarm on one of the new Code Blue poles in DTSA

Posted on November 6, 2016 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Drugs, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Michael Sebreros, a 47-year old man, was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of making a false bomb threat using Santa Ana’s newly installed Code Blue Help Points emergency phone line just after being released from jail, according to the O.C. Register.

Sebreros walked up to an emergency pole across the street from the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and Courthouse, sometime after 7 p.m. on Thursday, then he pushed a 911 button and he said that there was a bomb in the area, according to the SAPD. Continue reading→

Has the Sarmiento family opened an illegal marijuana dispensary on S. Main St.?

Posted on November 6, 2016 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Drugs, Marijuana, Politics, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento Leave a comment

The Sarmiento Family’s failed Bobkin Sports Bar

Has the Sarmiento family opened an illegal marijuana dispensary in Santa Ana on South Main St?

As we reported a few weeks ago, the 2531 S. Main St. property was owned by Daisy Sarmiento, sister of city councilmember Vincent Sarmiento, under the name Daisyland Corp. who operated the now closed Bobkin Sports Bar at this location until the state’s Alcohol Beverage Control closed it down over 2 years ago. Continue reading→

Young man hit by two cars in Santa Ana on Saturday night remains hospitalized

Posted on November 6, 2016 by Art Pedroza Posted in Accidents, Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

There is no update yet regarding the young man who was struck by two vehicles on Saturday just past midnight, while he was walking across the street at 3500 W. MacArthur, in Santa Ana.

The boy was from out of town, according to the O.C. Register. Continue reading→

The SAPD is looking for robbery suspect Matthew Vinnie Vuyna Salazar

Posted on November 3, 2016 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Advisory: SAPD Detectives Asking For Media and Public’s Assistance In Locating Wanted Robbery Suspect
– 3^rd UPDATE –

Wanted Suspect: Matthew Vinnie Vuyna Salazar (21) LKA –Moreno Valley, CA

After doing news stories on this case SAPD Detectives received several tips as to the identity of the suspect in this case. Additionally Detectives received information from a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Crime Analyst that provided them with the identity of the suspect.

Based on the information obtained during their investigation Detectives were able to obtain an arrest warrant for suspect Salazar. Detectives have information that Salazar drifts from location to location throughout Riverside, Orange and Los Angeles Counties and believe the suspect knows that he is wanted by police. Continue reading→

Problems already developing at Santa Ana’s new transitional homeless center

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, homeless, Igmar Rodas, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Picture by Igmar Rodas

Issues at The Courtyard Transitional Center

By Igmar Rodas, Community Activist

I walked this homeless young man, Kyle from Indiana, out on the streets to the New Homeless Shelter ” The Courtyard Transitional Center” only to be chewed out by a Main Staff member regarding some photography issues that I have since resolved with The Main Person in Charge.

According to this man I’ve been taking photos inside the shelter. Of course the man had not seen me taking any photos but when asked when and what time I took the alleged pictures, he refused to answer. The unprofessionalism of The Los Angeles Midnight Mission Staff that runs the Courtyard is getting to be questionable as this is not the first time I’ve witnessed people being harassed by them. Continue reading→