Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Monthly Archives: May 2017

Costa Mesa suspect arrested after he pepper sprayed two victims and stole their goods

Posted on by Posted in Costa Mesa, Crime Leave a comment

Costa Mesa Police Department

Advisory: Man arrested for robbery after pepper spraying victim before fleeing with stolen goods

*Suspect connected to similar previous robbery

COSTA MESA, Calif. – The Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) arrested Costa Mesa resident Matthew Chima Udechukwu, 18, yesterday after he met a stranger under the guise of purchasing goods but instead pepper spraying the victim in the face before fleeing with stolen property.

At about 12:15 p.m. on May 30, 2017, CMPD officers responded to a report of a robbery that had just taken place. The 18-year-old male victim was selling a pair of designer shoes that he had advertised on a resale app, and Udechukwu had met with the victim to purchase the shoes. After inspecting the shoes, it is suspected that Udechukwu pepper sprayed the victim in the face, incapacitating him, and fled on foot with the stolen shoes. Continue reading→

An apartment caught fire this evening at the Villas at Tustin in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Fires, OCFA, Santa Ana Leave a comment

A fire at the Villas at Tustin apartment complex on Wednesday, May 31, at 8:33 p.m., displaced two people, according to the O.C. Register.

The fire was reported at the back bedroom of a first-floor apartment at 2414 Tustin Ave., just north of a Stater Brothers Supermarket, in Santa Ana, on Wednesday evening, according to the OCFA. Continue reading→

The Trumpers disrupted an immigration Town Hall meeting at the Delhi Center yesterday

Posted on by Posted in Crime, immigration, Lou Correa, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana 2 Comments

https://youtu.be/YadrOjJSMLs

U.S. Rep. Lou Correa tried to conduct an Immigration Workshop and Town Hall meeting yesterday at Santa Ana’s Delhi Center but a fracas broke out between Trump supporters and immigration supporters.

In the end a man was arrested for assault and two women who got into a fight were also detained, according to the O.C. Register. Continue reading→

The anti-immigrant Trumper event set for July 9 in DTSA has been cancelled

Posted on by Posted in Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The ESports Arena has decided to cancel the “Summer of Conservatism” event planned for DTSA. Apparently the ESports Arena was not affiliated with the event, instead the event was booked using an online form and they were not aware that their venue was being used by anti-Latino Trumpers until we posted about it. Here is the full notice from the ESports Arena: Continue reading→

Two men arrested on gun charges after a police pursuit near Garfield Elementary School

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Guns, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Two men were attested by the SAPD on Monday afternoon, while the rest of us were enjoying the Memorial Day holiday, after they were pulled over and three guns were found in their car, according to the O.C. Register.

The police officers spotted the suspects, who were in a silver Nissan Sentra that was believed to have been carjacked last week, at about 4:30 p.m., at the 600 block of North Lacy St., near Garfield Elementary School, according to the SAPD. As is usually the case in these incidents the driver sped off when the police officers tried to pull them over. Continue reading→

The Santa Ana City Council simply cannot afford to hire the wrong police chief again

Posted on by Posted in Crime, David Benavides, Jim Schnabl, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Former SAPD Police Chief Carlos Rojas

Have you noticed that violent crime in Santa Ana appears to have dropped since our last Police Chief, Carlos Rojas, left to become the new BART Police Chief, up in San Francisco/Oakland? Perhaps this is due to the fact that the SAPD has cracked down on any news about shootings – crimemapping.com no longer reports on ANY crimes committed in our city.

An inside source told me today that the home of Santa Ana Councilman David Benavides was shot at on Saturday night. But don’t look for this in the local newspaper. The SAPD has squelched the story. Continue reading→

Saddleback High School student’s artwork to be displayed in the U.S. Capitol

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Education, Santa Ana, SAUSD Leave a comment

Linda Yanez

SADDLEBACK STUDENT’S ARTWORK TO BE DISPLAYED IN U.S. CAPITOL

Linda Yanez, a photography student at Saddleback High School, has won First Place in the Congressional Photography contest sponsored by Congressman Lou Correa representing the 46th Congressional District. The award ceremony was held May 20, 2017 at the Cal State Fullerton Grand Central exhibition space on Second Street in Santa Ana.

Linda is a 10th grade student who created the work, “Barrio Logan: Remembering the Fallen.” The photograph depicts the commemorative community mural in the Logan neighborhood. Linda and her parents will be honored at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C. at a ceremony on June 29, 2017 and the work will be hung in a gallery/corridor setting in the Capitol Building along with student artwork from other U.S. Congressional Districts. Congratulations Linda! Continue reading→

The Trumpers are coming to DTSA on July 9 to complain about immigration

Posted on by Posted in Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana 6 Comments

It is hard to believe this but apparently a bunch of very right-wing conservatives are hosting a “Make Cali Great” event called the “Summer of Conservatism” at the eSports Arena, in Downtown Santa Ana on July 9, 2017, right across from Mariscos Hector, to talk about subjects including Sanctuary State Policies, Over Taxation, Voter Fraud, 2nd Amendment Rights, Illegal Immigration, and Conservative Activism.

Do these people realize that the Santa Ana City Council recently declared Santa Ana to be a Sanctuary City? And that the Santa Ana City Council cost our city several million dollars a year by canceling a contract with ICE to hold their detainees at our City Jail? Continue reading→

Homeless man arrested for wrecking a Santa Ana Chevron gas station

Posted on by Posted in Crime, homeless, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Suspect In Assault Road Rage And Vandalism Case Now In Custody

UPDATE: Arrested: Corbalan Jorge Hernandez (57) Homeless

On 3/28/17 a suspect vandalized the interior of a Chevron gas station in 2100 block E. McFadden. The incident was captured on surveillance video and has gotten national media attention. Today at 1600 hours employees in 2700 block S. Fairview saw the suspect and recognized him from the video. Our officers responded and took him into custody without incident. The suspect has been booked into SAPD Jail for Felony Vandalism.

Original: Continue reading→

The SAPD is conducting a DUI checkpoint on Saturday night

Posted on by Posted in Alcohol, Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Sat, May 27th, 2017, 9:30PM to 2:30AM, 2400 W. 5th Street

SANTA ANA POLICE STEP UP DUI ENFORCEMENT

The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI / Driver’s License checkpoint on Saturday May 27th, 2017. It will begin at 9:30 p.m. and is scheduled to conclude at 2:30 a.m.. It will be conducted in the area of 2400 W Fifth Street, in the City of Santa Ana.

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 / Driver’s 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→

So. Cal. Edison’s bill assistance program helps customers in need

Posted on by Posted in Energy, Santa Ana, Working Families Leave a comment

Bill Assistance Program Helps Customers in Need

Money-saving, energy-conservation programs, services offered through SCE’s Energy Savings Assistance Program.

You, or someone you know, may qualify for a free replacement energy-efficient refrigerator, lighting, cooling system or various energy conservation services that can help save money on your Southern California Edison electricity bill.

Through the Energy Savings Assistance Program, income-qualified customers may be eligible for free appliances and no-cost installation. Customers may qualify based on current participation in an eligible public assistance program or their household income. Continue reading→

Will President Trump agree to spend $148.9M on Santa Ana’s Streetcar?

Posted on by Posted in OCTA, Politics, Santa Ana 4 Comments

OC Streetcar Rolls On as OCTA Seeks Federal Grant Agreement

Federal Transit Administration grant would fund nearly half of project’s cost if approved

ORANGE – Plans to build Orange County’s first modern streetcar took a major step forward today as the Orange County Transportation Authority board of directors approved seeking a federal full funding grant agreement that would cover nearly half of the overall cost to build the OC Streetcar.

OCTA, the lead agency planning to build the OC Streetcar in Santa Ana and Garden Grove, will seek a full funding grant agreement from the Federal Transit Administration for $148.9 million. Continue reading→

The OCTA is offering a youth summer bus pass for half off

Posted on by Posted in OCTA, Santa Ana, Transportation, Youth Activities Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OCTA Offers Youth Summer Pass for Half Price

Youth can ride June 1 through Aug. 31 for $20 per month, 50 percent off the regular fare

ORANGE – The Orange County Transportation Authority is encouraging youth to explore their community this summer by getting out and visiting Orange County’s many attractions using the discounted OCTA Youth Summer Pass.

For the past 16 years, OCTA has provided a summer bus pass for those 18 and younger as part of a youth ridership program. The pass gives youth the freedom to travel and have fun with their friends. Continue reading→

The OCDA is looking for more victims of a bus driver who sexually assaulted two children

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Garden Grove, OCDA, Santa Ana Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Case #17WF1120

Date: May 24, 2017

OCDA SEEKS PUBLIC’S HELP IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL VICTIMS OF MAN WHO SEXUALLY ASSAULTED CHILDREN UNDER 14

SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) is seeking the public’s help identifying potential additional victims of a man who sexually assaulted two victims under the age of 14.

Defendant: Victor Norman Ealey, 56, Garden Grove

Charged on May 22, 2017, with:

  • Two felony counts of lewd acts on a child under 14
  • Sentencing Enhancement: Multiple victims

Continue reading→