Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Author Archives: Art Pedroza

Time for back-to-school immunizations!

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Orange County Health Care Agency

Release: August 18, 2014
 
Contact: Nicole Stanfield, nstanfield@ochca.com, 714-834-2178

Back-to-School Immunizations

(Santa Ana) – With the new school year starting, vaccinations should be included in every back-to-school list.  Parents are reminded to have their children up-to-date on required vaccinations before school starts.  “Immunizations are a safe and effective way to help children stay healthy in school and protect them, and the people around them, from vaccine preventable illnesses that can be very serious,” said Dr. Eric Handler, Orange County Health Officer.  Continue reading→

Summer/Labor Day Avoid DUI Campaign update

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Orange County Sheriff’s Department

NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE           

Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, 714.904.7042, JHallock@ocsd.org; Emily Osterberg, 714.647.1840, EOsterberg@ocsd.org

Summer/Labor Day AVOID DUI Campaign Update

DUI Arrests Up & No DUI Fatalities

SANTA ANA, Calif. (August 18, 2014) – The first weekend of the end of summer DUI Mobilization has resulted in a number of DUI arrests from local routine traffic enforcement and special ‘Avoid the 38’ DUI deployments in Orange County.

From 12:01 AM Friday, August 15, 2014 through Midnight Sunday, August 17, 2014 officers countywide arrested 169 individuals for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.  In 2013, 149 DUI arrests occurred during the same three day time frame.  There were no DUI related deaths over the weekend (NOTE: These numbers are only provisional with some agencies yet to report).
Continue reading→

Harbor Corridor Plan meeting set for Aug. 25

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City of Santa Ana

Community Alert: DRAFT HARBOR MIXED USE CORRIDOR PLAN PROPOSES A NEW VISION FOR HARBOR BLVD. WITH NEW HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES

The City of Santa Ana is committed to identifying opportunities for urban and transit-oriented mixed-use development and more affordable housing along key transit corridors such as Harbor Boulevard.

The Draft Harbor Mixed Use Corridor Plan proposes a new vision, through polices and design guidelines that promote: Continue reading→

Burglary suspect caught when he fell asleep in victim’s home

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 2 Comments
Jonathan Phan

Jonathan Phan

SAPD Advisory: Suspect breaks into victim’s home, removes clothes, falls asleep. Flees scene leaving clothes, id behind

On 7/22/14, a residential burglary occurred at 2100 block of West Civic Center. Suspect Jonathan Phan forcibly entered the residence, removed his clothing and went to sleep in the victim’s bed. The victim awoke and when she saw Phan she screamed. The screams woke Phan and he jumped out through the window leaving behind his wallet, pants, and cellphone. Patrol officers identified Phan by his CA Driver’s License that was in his wallet. Continue reading→

The owner of American Barbershop is opening a German sausage restaurant in DTSA

Posted on by Posted in Alcohol, Bars, Carlos Bustamante, Food, George Mendoza, Restaurants, Santa Ana 16 Comments

Wurst Haus

By now you have surely read about the racial fracas that occurred near the American Barbershop, in Downtown Santa Ana, last Friday.  But did you know that the owner of that enterprise, George Mendoza, is also working on opening a new restaurant called Wursthaus, across the street from his barber shop, at 305 E. 4th St., #106?

The Wursthaus restaurant plans to open at 305 E. Fourth St., near the Frida Cinema. Gabriel Ruiz and George Mendoza plan to serve gourmet sausages, side dishes, wine and craft beers at the German-themed eatery. The 2,000-square-foot space will seat 85 and operate from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday to Thursday and until 4 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, according to the O.C. Register.

What you may not know is that reportedly disgraced former Santa Ana Councilman Carlos Bustamante is an investor in this new business.  That could lead to some odd marketing – come try Bustamante’s hot sausage!  No bueno… Continue reading→

Garden Grove man shot his victims during a possible drug transaction

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Drugs, Santa Ana 7 Comments
Dustin Sean Ross McDonald

Dustin Sean Ross McDonald

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release: August 15, 2014

Case# 14CF2681

DEFENDANT TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES SHOOTING-MURDER OF ONE MAN AND INJURING TWO WOMEN

SANTA ANA – A Garden Grove man will be arraigned today for the special circumstances shooting-murder of a man and attempted murder of two women in Santa Ana. Dustin Sean Ross McDonald, 23, is charged with one felony count of special circumstances murder by lying in wait, and two felony counts of attempted murder with premeditation and deliberation. He also faces sentencing enhancements for the personal discharge of a firearm causing death or great bodily injury. If convicted, he faces a sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole. McDonald is scheduled to be arraigned today, Friday, Aug. 15, 2014, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined. Continue reading→

Rene Gomez joins field running for Santa Ana City Council’s Ward 2

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Elections, Michele Martinez, Mirna Velasquez, Politics, Rene Gomez, Santa Ana 10 Comments

Rene Gomez

Rene Gomez, a graduate of Santa Ana High School who studied at CSU Long Beach, is running for Ward 2 of the Santa Ana City Council.  He joins a field of candidates that includes the incumbent, Michele Martinez, and another challenger, Mirna Velasquez.

The local Republican Party tried to recruit Velasquez but she opted to continue as a Decline to State voter.  Martinez is a liberal Democrat.  Gomez is a Republican and he stands to get support from the OC Lincoln Club and the OC GOP.

Gomez lists his birthplace as Tijuana, Mexico. He appears to be friendly with Mike Gonzalez, the head of Los 32, an organization that supports Mexican Americans.  Gonzalez is also running for the Santa Ana City Council, in Ward 6. Gomez supports immigration reform and immigrant rights. Continue reading→

Can Alex Padilla beat Councilman David Benavides in the November election?

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Alex Flores, Alex Padilla, David Benavides, Elections, Politics, Santa Ana 9 Comments

Alex Padilla for City Council

Santa Ana Councilman David Benavides got a free ride when he ran for reelection in 2010.  No one ran against him.  He got just over 34,000 votes according to Smart Voter.  There were about 43,000 votes cast in that year’s Santa Ana Mayoral contest, according to Smart Voter.  That means that over 9,000 voters chose not to vote for Benavides in 2010, even though his was the only name on the ballot in Ward 4.

Benavides ran for Santa Ana Mayor in 2012.  His campaign was very ill-advised.  He ended up with 14,995 votes, according to Smart Voter.  The incumbent, Mayor Miguel Pulido, got 27,092 votes.  The rest of the vote was split among three gadfly candidates.  Benavides raised a ton of money in that campaign but it was for naught.

Perhaps Benavides was distracted as his marriage was reportedly falling apart during his mayoral campaign.  He is supposedly divorced now.  Ironically he came to town with his wife years ago and took advantage of a program that allowed his wife, a teacher, to buy a home in Santa Ana at a low interest rate.  I believe that Benavides is still living in that home.  He has since scrubbed his official city bio of any mention of his wife and kids. Continue reading→

Gentrifiers and Latinos protesting against police brutality face off in DTSA

Posted on by Posted in Civil Rights, Latinos, Police Brutality, Racism, Santa Ana 39 Comments

American Barber Shop employees

Employees of a business called the American Barbershop allegedly hurled racist insults at a group of mostly Latino protesters who had gathered on Friday, August 15, 2014 to held a vigil last night at Plaza Santa Ana, against police brutality.

A number of employees of this business were reportedly caught on video and in photos saying racial slurs and giving the middle finger to the crowd and members of the press.  Members of the Santa Ana Police Department were there at the time acting as personal security to the East End businesses. Continue reading→

Michigan man indicted for a sextortion plot against a 16-year-old Santa Ana teen

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Nicholas Glenn Wilcox

A Southern California Grand Jury has indicted Nicholas Glenn Wilcox, who resides in Michigan, for allegedly threatening a 16-year-old Santa Ana boy and demanding the teen take pornographic photos and videos of himself, court filings show, according to the O.C. Register.

Michigan law enforcement authorities list the 5-foot-9 inch and 250-pound Wilcox–who used monikers that include “rapegod666,” “Kypkilla12,” “that1kid014,” “Flame” and “Heretik”–as a sex offender with a 2009 felony conviction for possession of “child sexually abusive material,” according to the OC Weekly.

Here are additional details about this case, courtesy of the OC Weekly: Continue reading→

Orange County Bike Loop update

Posted on by Posted in Bicycles, Orange County, Parks and Recreation, Shawn Nelson Leave a comment

OC Bike Loop Update

By Supervisor Shawn Nelson

Supervisor Nelson visited Anaheim City Hall on Tuesday, August 12 to update council members and residents about the progress on the Orange County Bicycle Loop. This 66-mile trail for commuting and recreational activities is about 70% complete with only a few remaining gaps to fill along Pacific Coast Highway and the northern portion of the county.

Closing the gaps in the OC Loop would increase connectivity, expand transportation options and enhance recreational opportunities. OCTA and other stakeholders, including local cities, are working with the County of Orange on a feasibility study to close the remaining gaps. The study will provide the cities with grant-ready information to help them secure funding. Learn more about the OC Loop and the study here.
 Continue reading→

SAUSD Board V.P. Hernandez endorses Rodriguez for the School Board

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Education, Jose Hernandez, Politics, Rigo Rodriguez, Santa Ana, SAUSD Leave a comment

Dr. Rigo Rodriguez for the SAUSD School Board

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Eric Hogensen, 323-761-9514

Santa Ana School Board Vice President José Alfredo Hernández Endorses Rigo Rodríguez for School Board

(Santa Ana) – Today, Santa Ana School Board Vice President José Alfredo Hernández joined School Board Clerk Rob Richardson and President Audrey Yamagata-Noji in endorsing Dr. Rigo Rodríguez for School Board.

Vice President Hernández was appointed to the School Board in January 2007. Prior to that, he served as a member of the Whittier Law School Trial Advocacy Honors Board and was a Fellow at the Center for Children’s Rights. In addition to serving on the School Board José Alfredo Hernández works as a criminal and immigration defense attorney for the Santa Ana community. Continue reading→

Fake OC cop made a traffic stop and stole his victim’s wallet, cell phone and keys

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Orange County Leave a comment
Fake OC cop

The above sketch is a composite image and not an actual photo depicting the suspect

Orange County Sheriff”s Department

NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, 714.904.7042, JHallock@ocsd.org; Emily Osterberg, 714.647.1840, EOsterberg@ocsd.org

Investigators Seeking Public’s Assistance Identifying Suspect Impersonating an Officer

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. – (August 15, 2014) – On Thursday, August 14 at approximately 9:20 p.m., an adult male victim was contacted by a suspect believed to be impersonating a police officer. The suspect conducted a traffic stop of the victim in the city of San Clemente and stole personal property from inside the vehicle.

The victim was travelling northbound on the Interstate 5 freeway when he observed red and blue flashing lights behind his vehicle. The victim exited the freeway and yielded in the Jack-in-the-Box parking lot located at 2938 S. El Camino Real. Immediately after yielding, the victim was contacted by the suspect who was extremely aggressive and ordered him out of the vehicle and to sit on the curb. While the victim was sitting on the curb, the suspect stole a wallet, cell phone and keys from inside the vehicle. Continue reading→

Groundbreaking for new SAUSD Sports Complex set for 8/18

Posted on by Posted in Entertainment, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Sports, Youth Activities 1 Comment

SAUSD Sports Complex

Contact: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 15, 2014

Deidra Powell, Chief Communications Officer , (714) 558-5555 Office, (714) 673-4995 Mobile

Media Advisory: Groundbreaking for Highly Anticipated SAUSD Sports Complex

What: Celebrate the groundbreaking of the highly anticipated Santa Ana Unified School District Sports Complex. Thanks to the passage of Measure G, a facilities improvement bond to construct and maintain the condition of the district’s school facilities, students in the city of Santa Ana can finally have a sports complex to call their own. Although the Sports Complex is located on the grounds of Valley High School, it will be jointly used by all of the district’s high schools.

Who: Members of the SAUSD Board of Education, Superintendent, Elected Officials (State, County, and City), students, athletes, coaches, parents, and community members.

Continue reading→

OC Sheriff’s Department destroys marijuana operation in Laguna Wilderness Park

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Drugs, Marijuana, Orange County Leave a comment

Orange County Sheriff

NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, 714.904.7042, JHallock@ocsd.org; Emily Osterberg, 714.647.1840, EOsterberg@ocsd.org

Marijuana Cultivation Eradicated by Narcotics Investigators

LAGUNA WILDERNESS PARK, Calif. – (August 15, 2014) – On Friday, August 15, Orange County Sheriff’s Department narcotics investigators are conducting a marijuana cultivation eradication operation in the Muddy Canyon area of the Laguna Wilderness Park. The location is south of the SR 73 toll road, east of Newport Coast Drive near East Coastal Peak Park and Ridge Park Road. The plants are located on property in OC Parks jurisdiction, outside city limits. Investigators have estimated there to be approximately 2500-4000 marijuana plants in various stages of maturity. Continue reading→