Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Author Archives: Art Pedroza

Solorio will be hard to beat in Santa Ana’s Ward 3 election this November

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Angelica Amezcua, Civic Affairs, David De Leon, Jose Solorio, Patrick Yrarrazaval-Correa, Politics, Santa Ana, Shane Ramon Barrows Leave a comment

Santa Ana’s Ward 3 City Council Member, Angie Amezcua, was accidentally elected four years ago when she ran for the seat but did not spend a dime, nor did she campaign. But she was at the time the only woman on the ballot and she ran as a “Schoolteacher.” She won then but this November she is stepping off the City Council and so her seat is wide open.

Former Santa Ana City Councilman Jose Solorio, who also spent a few years in Sacramento as our State Assemblyman in the 69th Assembly District, has moved into Ward 3 in order to run for the open seat. Solorio, who is now a lobbyist with a law firm in Irvine, tells me he already has over $200K in campaign funds ready to go. Continue reading→

Santa Ana gangbanger arrested for shooting at two SAPD police officers

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

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Suspect Arrested For Attempted Murder Of Two SAPD Police Officers

Arrested: Oscar Freddie Torres (19) Santa Ana

On Saturday, August 13, 2016, at 4:43 PM, SAPD Officers responded to a family disturbance on the 400 block of South Hesperian Street. As the Officers arrived near the scene of the call, they encountered a Hispanic male armed with a pistol. The suspect fired the pistol multiple times in the direction of the officers. The officers did not return fire. No one was struck by gunfire. Continue reading→

Divorce attorney Jessica Cha is challenging Vince Sarmiento in Ward 1 this November

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Jessica Byulnim Cha, Politics, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 1 Comment

It looks like Santa Ana City Councilman Vince Sarmiento won’t be getting a free pass in November after all, as he has drawn an General Election challenger – Jessica Byulnim Cha, a divorce attorney who lives in Santa Ana and also has a law practice on 1851 East First Street.

Cha has an undergraduate degree from U.C. San Diego and a law degree from Syracuse University, according to the California State Bar Association. Unlike Sarmiento she actually practices law and is pretty good – she has a “Superb” rating from AVVO. Sarmiento has a much lower AVVO rating. Continue reading→

Two more shootings in Santa Ana including one this evening

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

There was a shooting in Santa Ana last night at 2500 West Borchard, at about 8PM.

An adult male victim was driving and making a turning movement in front of his house when the suspect vehicle almost collided with him. The victim apologized and the suspect stopped his vehicle and a passenger exited and fired a gun at the victim. The victim’s car was hit and fortunately, the victim was not injured. Continue reading→

Will the voters close the book on Rancho College District Trustee Claudia Alvarez this November?

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Cecilia Aguinaga, Claudia Alvarez, Education, Politics, Santa Ana, Steven Nguyen Leave a comment

Claudia Alvarez, the former Santa Ana City Council Member and current Rancho Santiago Community College District Trustee, is facing a serious challenge to her seat this November as several candidates have filed to run against her.

One of the candidates, Cecilia Aguinaga, has run for office several times and has come close to winning a seat on the SAUSD School Board. Another candidate, Steven Nguyen, has had more recent electoral success as he was elected to the OC GOP Central Committee in this year’s June Primary Election. You might know his dad – OC Clerk-Recorder ∫ç. Continue reading→

Local schoolteacher is challenging Mayor Pulido this November

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Benjamin Vazquez, Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 13, 2016

Benjamin Vazquez, an Educator and Community Organizer will bring his values to the City Council Chambers

Santa Ana — Mayoral Candidate Benjamin Vazquez is pleased to announce his candidacy on August 11, 2016. After 14 years of teaching as an SAUSD Educator and close to 6 years as a Community Organizer, Benjamin has decided to try to impact the larger Santa Ana Community.

In July, Benjamin announced to community leaders that he would be running for Mayor of Santa Ana. He has garnered the support of many. Continue reading→

Garden Grove man charged with selling bogus travel reservations to his customers

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

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 16WF1775

Date: August 11, 2016

OCDA SEEKS PUBLIC’S HELP IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL VICTIMS OF TRAVEL AGENT CHARGED WITH DEFRAUDING $40,000 FROM CUSTOMERS WITHOUT BOOKING TRAVEL ACCOMMODATIONS

SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is seeking the public’s help identifying potential additional victims of a travel agent who was charged today for defrauding approximately $40,000 from customers without booking or paying for their travel accommodations. Abdel Luis Rojas, 50, Westminster, is charged with nine felony counts of grand theft and two misdemeanor counts of petty theft. If convicted, Rojas faces a maximum sentence of seven years and four months in state prison. He is being held on $100,000 bail and is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on Aug. 19, 2016, at 8:30 a.m. in Department W-1, West Justice Center, Westminster. Continue reading→

Angie Cano will launch her SAUSD School Board campaign on Sep. 9

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Angie Rosario Cano, Education, Politics, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Angie Cano for the SAUSD School Board (400x319)

SAUSD and UCI grad Angie Cano is running for the SAUSD School Board again this year and will be hosting a campaign kickoff on Friday, Sep. 9, 2016, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at 2024 Victoria Drive, in Santa Ana.

Cano is allied with current SAUSD Trustee Ceci Iglesias, who is also up for re-election this November.

Both Cano and Iglesias are supporters of charter schools and are allied with former OC School Board Trustee Robert Hammond, who lost his seat in this year’s June Primary Election, to Becky Gomez, a Tustin City Council Member. Continue reading→

OC Streetcar community meetings set for August 13 and 17

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

City of Santa Ana

Community: Help Create a Vision for the OC Streetcar Stops. Community Meetings on August 13 and 17

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is hosting two community meetings where you can find out the latest on the OC Streetcar project, meet RNL – the streetcar stop design consultant, and provide your thoughts regarding your community’s character and preferences:

Saturday, August 13, 10:00 to 11:30 am, Ebell Club, 625 French Street, Santa Ana

Wednesday, August 17, 6:00 – 7:30 pm, Santa Ana City Corporate Yard, 220 S. Daisy
Avenue, Santa Ana Continue reading→

The County is installing new bathrooms for the homeless at the Civic Center

Posted on by Posted in Andrew Do, homeless, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Tackling Homelessness: County of Orange to Install New Bathrooms at Civic Center – Providing 24/7 Access for Homeless

By: First District Supervisor Andrew Do

(Santa Ana, California)— As part of its comprehensive response to homelessness, the County of Orange is moving forward with plans to install new bathrooms at the Orange County Civic Center, providing 24-hour access for hundreds of people who are currently homeless.

Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, who has spearheaded the county’s homeless response, said that bathroom access is one of the most frequent complaints he’s heard from his discussions with homeless residents. Continue reading→

The SAPD is looking for a man who snatched a purse from a 73-year-old lady

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

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD DETECTIVES REQUEST ASSISTANCE IN IDENTIFYING SUSPECT WHO COMMITS ROBBERY/PURSE SNATCH OF 73 YEAR-OLD FEMALE

Location: 3911 S. Bristol / CVS Pharmacy parking lot

Suspect Vehicle: Newer 4 dr. white sedan, stock condition with damage on rear bumper.

Suspect Description: Male, White, 24 yrs., 5’07”, 145 lbs., wavy brown hair, wearing blue jeans torn at the knees and blue shorts under his jeans. Continue reading→

Police are looking for a young man who sexually assaulted a woman at the South Coast Plaza

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

The Costa Mesa Police are searching for a male believed to be in his late teens to early 20s, who is suspected of sexually assaulting a female yesterday in a parking area at South Coast Plaza, according to the O.C. Register.

Tuesday evening, at around 5:45 p.m., the Costa Mesa police responded to a call about a male suspect who had followed a female to her vehicle in the parking area and then sexually assaulted her. Continue reading→

Two O.C. men convicted of trying to hook up with prostitutes

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

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

August 10, 2016

TWO MEN CONVICTED OF LOITERING WITH INTENT TO COMMIT PROSTITUTION OR AGREEING TO ENGAGE IN PROSTITUTION

*Conviction details of sex purchasers are featured on the OCDA website

SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) convicted two men in July 2016 of loitering with the intent to commit prostitution or agreeing to engage in prostitution. The defendants in these cases approached a woman whom they believed to be a prostitute, or loitered in areas known for prostitution and human trafficking in Orange County. Each of the defendants below agreed to engage, or loitered with the intent to engage, in commercial sex with a woman and were subsequently arrested by law enforcement.

Defendant/Conviction/Sentence:
Continue reading→

Vietnamese entertainer from Garden Grove convicted of sexually assaulting a minor boy

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, OCDA Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 16WF0648

Date: August 10, 2016

VIETNAMESE ENTERTAINER “MINH BEO” CONVICTED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING MINOR BOY AND ATTEMPTING TO COMMIT LEWD ACT ON FICTITIOUS MINOR

WESTMINSTER, Calif. – Vietnamese entertainer “Minh Beo” was convicted today of sexually assaulting a minor boy and attempting to commit a lewd act on a fictitious minor. Minh Quang Hong, who goes by the stage name “Minh Beo”, 38, Garden Grove, pleaded guilty today to one felony count of oral copulation of a minor and one felony count of attempting to commit a lewd act upon a child under the age of 14. Hong is expected to be sentenced to 18 months in state prison and mandatory lifetime sex offender registration at his sentencing on Dec. 16, 2016, at 8:30 a.m. in Department W-2, West Justice Center, Westminster. Continue reading→

Man who stabbed a concert-goer at Underground DTSA to be tried for murder

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

Juan Angel Rivera, a 22-year-old man, can face trial for stabbing a fellow concert-goer to death during a punk show at Underground DTSA , a downtown Santa Ana club, a judge ruled Wednesday, according to the O.C. Register.

Prosecutors are also going to pursue a murder charge against Rivera  in connection to the fatal March 3 fight  involving Rivera and Nathan Joe Alfaro inside the club. Continue reading→