Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Author Archives: Art Pedroza

2014 Santa Ana May Day March set for May 1 at Sasscer Park

Posted on by Posted in Entertainment, immigration, Labor, Santa Ana 4 Comments

2014 Santa Ana May Day March

The Santa Ana 2014 May Day March is set for May 1, 2013 with registration at 2 pm at the corner of 4th St. and Ross St., with the March starting at 3 pm, at Sasscer Park, located at 500 West Santa Ana Blvd., in Santa Ana.

May Day in Orange County!
Families Without Borders: Human Rights Not Broken Ties

SANTA ANA – The movement for social justice in Orange County will once again demonstrate its growing strength and diversity Thursday, May 1 in downtown Santa Ana. Hundreds of community members and allies will convene on this International Workers’ Rights Day to demand national and local solutions that expand human rights for all regardless of immigration status. Continue reading→

Supervisor Janet Nguyen takes a pass on improving OC restaurant health ratings again!

Posted on by Posted in Health and Medical, Janet Nguyen, Orange County, Santa Ana, Todd Spitzer Leave a comment

Janet Nguyen at Anqi

Here we go again.  The Orange County Supervisors are finally admitting that they blew it when they set up our current restaurant health rating system – the only one in Southern California that does NOT include letter grades for restaurants.

The board voted 3-1, with Supervisor Janet Nguyen abstaining, to send a plan back to staff for some tweaking. A majority of supervisors want signs in the window that make it more obvious to customers if a restaurant has passed or failed an inspection.

Restaurants that pass would get green signs, ones that fail would have a red sign in the window, and a business that has been “conditionally” passed, but requires a re-inspection, would have a yellow sign. (Source: RSM Patch)

Continue reading→

Carlos Rojas appointed to head the Santa Ana Police Department

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Rojas, Civic Affairs, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Acting Chief Carlos Rojas

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community Alert: Newly Appointed Chief of Police Rose Through the Ranks

SANTA ANA, CA (April 29, 2014) –After an exhaustive nationwide recruitment and interviewing process, City Manager David Cavazos has appointed twenty four year veteran Carlos Rojas as the new Chief of Police for the City of Santa Ana. Rojas has served as the Interim Chief of Police since March 2012.

“Chief Rojas has had a long outstanding career in law enforcement and performed exceptionally as the City’s Interim Chief of Police for the last two years. Crime has continued to decrease under his leadership and the City is very proud to make this appointment,” said City Manager David Cavazos. Continue reading→

Annual Silent Art Auction to benefit Santa Ana Wrestling set for June 5

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Charities, Entertainment, Santa Ana, Sports, Youth Activities Leave a comment
Santa Ana Art Auction to help SAHS Wrestling
MC Gallery will host its 2nd Annual Silent Art Auction on June 5, 2014, with proceeds to benefit the Santa Ana Wrestling Program and the Santa Ana Athletic Foundation.
This year, the goal of MC Gallery is to raise funds for Summer Camps, team trips, uniforms and other much needed practice equipment. The auction will include works of
art by well-established and seasoned artists in Orange County and Los Angeles County.

Continue reading→

Burglars targeting homes in north Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 9 Comments

Park Santiago Burglar

Neighbors in north Santa Ana’s Floral Park and Park Santiago neighborhoods have been buzzing about an increase in burglaries in their areas over the past few weeks.  This comes just after the Santa Ana police officers got a new contract and, I am told, that the City Council has extended an offer to their current Temp Chief of Police, Carlos Rojas.

The City of Santa Ana generally looks out for these neighborhoods as they are filled with VIPs, including Mayor Miguel Pulido, who lives in Floral Park, and Parks and Agency Director Gerardo Mouet, who lives in Park Santiago.

One suspected burglar, pictured above, has been seen zipping around Park Santiago on a motor bike and he was even followed by a resident, who asked him if he lives here.  He threatened to call the police but left after the concerned resident invited him to do so. Continue reading→

Daly and Nguyen agree when it comes to opposing Latino voter turnout

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Carlos Vazquez, Cecilia Iglesias, Janet Nguyen, Jose Solorio, Politics, Santa Ana, Tom Daly 5 Comments

Janet Nguyen, Scott Baugh and Tom Daly

Think about it. Tom Daly, a career Democratic politician who is representing the 69th Assembly District – the most Hispanic legislative seat in Orange County, and Janet Nguyen, the Republican County Supervisor who is running for the 34th State Senate District, are both in the same hot seat. Both have been challenged by popular Latino candidates. Daly is facing off in the June Primary against SAUSD Trustee Ceci Iglesias while Nguyen is being opposed by a college Trustee, Jose Solorio, who previously served in the 69th Assembly District.

I know for a fact that Solorio is thrilled that Nguyen is in the race as she is so corrupt that it is going to be easy for him to slam her in the mail. He won’t do that now as he will hold his fire for the November General Election. And as we wrote earlier this week, Solorio is very busy overseeing a massive Latino voter registration effort in Central Orange County.

Nguyen could not have been pleased to see Iglesias get into the race against Daly. Iglesias will bring out the Latino vote and they will surely vote for Solorio, not Nguyen, in the 34th State Senate District. I don’t see much crossover vote for Nguyen from Iglesias supporters. Not after what she did to CalOptima, the public agency that oversees health benefits for OC seniors. Continue reading→

Weebles Coast to Coast coming to the Discovery Science Center from 5/24 to 9/7

Posted on by Posted in Education, Santa Ana, Science, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Pack your bags for a 50-state adventure in the new exhibit WEEBLES Coast to Coast, coming to the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana from May 24 to Sep. 7.  Discover America alongside everyone’s favorite wobbling characters and learn about U.S. geography, history and culture.

Visitors can plan their “trip” with a giant U.S. map and a touch-screen kiosk featuring the country’s geographic regions, important state facts, national landmarks and popular tourist destinations. Murals of beautiful American landscapes provide the backdrop for engaging play areas that represent different regions of the United States.

Kids will get the chance to: Continue reading→

Additional victims of Anaheim man who used Facebook to obtain child sex photos sought

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Crime, OCDA Leave a comment

Victor Alfonso Pineda

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case #14NF1902: April 25, 2014

OCDA AND APD SEEK PUBLIC’S HELP IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL VICTIMS OF MAN WHO USED FACEBOOK TO OBTAIN SEXUALLY EXPLICIT PHOTOS AND VIDEOS FROM UNDERAGE GIRL

SANTA ANA – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office and Anaheim Police Department (APD) are seeking the public’s help identifying potential additional victims of a man who posed as a teenage boy on Facebook to obtain sexually explicit photos and videos from an underage girl through extortion. Victor Alfonso Pineda, 23, Anaheim, was charged today with seven felony counts of contacting a minor with intent to possess child pornography, three felony counts of threatening letter for extortion, two felony counts of extortion by force or threat, and two felony counts of attempting to use a minor for sex acts. Pineda faces a maximum sentence of 11 years and four months in state prison and mandatory lifetime sex offender registration. He was arraigned today and is being held on $100,000 bail. He is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on May 5, 2014, at 8:30 a.m. in Department N-12, North Justice Center, Fullerton. Continue reading→

Anti prostitution HEAT Rally set for October 2014 at Chapman University

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

OCDA Seal

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release: April 24, 2014

SAVE THE DATE: 2ND ANNUAL “KEEP CALM & BEAT H.E.A.T. ROCKING & RALLY” TO TAKE PLACE OCTOBER 2014 AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY

SANTA ANA – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) is hosting its 2nd Annual “Keep Calm and Beat H.E.A.T. Rocking & Rally” on Oct. 24, 2014, as a day-long symposium with a concert immediately after at Chapman University, One University Drive, Orange. This is the first year Chapman University will co-host and co-sponsor this event to fight against Human Trafficking and Exploitation (H.E.A.T.) as part of the initiative to go after perpetrators of human trafficking and exploitation with vigor, while taking a comprehensive approach to solve the problem and bring community stakeholders together. Continue reading→

Will Solorio’s efforts to register Latino voters cost Daly his Assembly seat?

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Anaheim, Cecilia Iglesias, Francisco Barragan, Janet Nguyen, Jose Solorio, Lou Correa, Politics, Santa Ana, Tom Daly 4 Comments

Crazy Tom Daly

Say what you will about Jose Solorio, but he knows the score. As the Democratic Party’s sole candidate in the race to replace Lou Correa in the 34th State Senate District, Solorio is quite aware that he must pull out all the stops in order to beat the leading Republican candidate, and Queen of corruption, Janet Nguyen, in what is a very purple district. Continue reading→

Man convicted for pimping three women after posting online ad

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

OCDA Seal

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 13CF0801: April 24, 2014

MAN SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS IN STATE PRISON FOR PIMPING THREE WOMEN AFTER POSTING AD ON SEX WEBSITE

*Defendant was arrested in undercover sting operation

SANTA ANA – A man was convicted and sentenced yesterday to four years in state prison today following an undercover sting operation for pimping three women for financial gain after advertising the victims on a sex website. Harvey Rashad McNight, 30, San Diego, pleaded guilty yesterday, April 23, 2014, to three felony counts of pimping. Continue reading→

Man convicted after raping women while pretending to cleanse their spirits

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

Alberto Flores Ramirez

Orange County District AttorneyPress Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 12CF1076: April 23, 2014

MAN CONVICTED OF FORCIBLE RAPE OF TWO WOMEN HE MET ONLINE UNDER PRETENSE OF PERFORMING SPIRITUAL CLEANSING

*Second victim came forward after seeing media coverage on the original case

SANTA ANA – A man was convicted yesterday of forcibly raping two women after luring them under the pretense of performing a spiritual cleansing. Alberto Flores Ramirez, 39, San Clemente, was found guilty by a jury yesterday, April 22, 2014, of two felony counts each of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, one felony count each of sexual penetration by foreign object by force, attempted forcible oral copulation, and a sentencing enhancement for sex crimes against multiple victims. He faces a maximum sentence of 75 years to life in state prison at his sentencing June 13, 2014, at 8:30 a.m. in Department C-43, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. Continue reading→