Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Author Archives: Art Pedroza

Garden Grove woman convicted of torturing her husband and severing his penis

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

Catherine Kieu, 50, Garden Grove

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 11ZF0127: April 29, 2013

WOMAN CONVICTED OF TORTURING MAN, WITH WHOM SHE HAD A ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP, BY CUTTING OFF HIS PENIS AFTER TYING HIM TO BED

SANTA ANA – A woman was convicted today of torturing a man, with whom she had a romantic relationship, by cutting off his penis after tying him to his bed following an argument. Catherine Kieu, 50, Garden Grove, was found guilty by a jury of one felony count of torture, one felony count of aggravated mayhem, and a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a knife. She faces a maximum sentence of life in state prison with the possibility of parole at her sentencing June 28, 2013, in Department C-30, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Retired cop whose son was involved in a pot dispensary is being investigated

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Crime, Drugs, Marijuana, Public Safety, Santa Ana 5 Comments

SA Superior Care

The Santa Ana City Attorney’s office has opened an investigation into Hank Cousine, a recently retired police sergeant who received a controversial payout for unused time off, according to the Voice of OC.

The Voice of OC reported that “For years, Couisine logged dozens of hours of overtime each month, records of overtime sheets obtained by Voice of OC show. And upon retirement he cashed out more than 3,000 hours in vacation, holiday, compensatory and sick time, equivalent to more than a year of eight-hour workdays.”

But there is more to this story that the Voice of OC is not reporting.  Cousine was supposedly an “outstanding narcotics officer,” according to one of his former colleagues in the SAPD.  In the 1980s he was shot in the neck during a standoff with a drug dealer. He not only recovered from the wound, which left him disfigured, but remained in top physical condition throughout his years on the force. Continue reading→

Santa Ana’s Annual May Day March set for May 1 at Sasscer Park

Posted on by Posted in immigration, Labor, Santa Ana 6 Comments

Come out on May 1st at 2 pm, for the annual May Day March in Santa Ana, at Sasscer Park (near 564 W Santa Ana Blvd, in Downtown Santa Ana)! This year’s campaign is around keeping families together.

Stop police cooperation with ICE! No Secure Communities & 287G! Stop the deportations in Santa Ana! Stop the raids!

Supervisor Nguyen’s Deputy Chief of Staff works less than 13 hours a week

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Janet Nguyen, Little Saigon, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Janet Nguyen and Nick Lecong

From the OC Politics Blog

Supervisor Janet Nguyen’s highest ranking aide, her deputy chief of staff Tam “Nick” Lecong, collected $105,420 a year while spending an average of just 13 hours a week at the county office – far fewer than the other 36 executive assistants working for the county’s supervisors, public records show, according to the O.C. Register.

The Register reported that “Lecong, showed up at the county hall an average of three days a week and spent only a few hours there on each of those days, according to an analysis of access cards for the county garage between February 2012 and February 2013. The card data, showing both entrances and exits, was obtained through the California Public Records Act.” Continue reading→

SAUSD Asst. Superintendent suddenly quits to take another job

Posted on by Posted in Education, Santa Ana, SAUSD 7 Comments

Chad Hammitt

Chad Hammitt, the SAUSD’s  Assistant Superintendent in charge of Personnel Services has quit, after 16 years in Santa Ana, not long after SAUSD Superintendent Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana announced her retirement.

Hammitt is joinin the Saugus district. He grew up in Ventura and is in the process of earning his doctorate in education from the University of Southern California, according to the Santa Clarita Valley Signal. Continue reading→

SAPD to crack down on Cinco de Mayo cruising

Posted on by Posted in Cars, Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department Advisory: Santa Ana Police May 5th (Cinco de Mayo) Cruising Enforcement

Each May 5th (Cinco de Mayo), the City of Santa Ana experiences a high volume of unsanctioned cruising activity. This unsanctioned activity produces public safety concerns, numerous calls for service and grid-lock. In an effort to provide a safe environment and minimize the impact on our local neighborhoods, the Santa Ana Police Department will be deploying extra police personnel to deal with the influx of cruiser activity. Continue reading→

OCDA declares war on pimps and other human traffickers

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Orange County, Santa Ana, Women 2 Comments

Tony Rackauckas

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release: April 26, 2013

OCDA TO PUT THEIR “HEAT” ON SLAVE-OWNER PERPS

*DA Rackauckas introduces new Unit to combat human exploitation and trafficking

SANTA ANA – Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) Tony Rackauckas announced today at the Victims’ Rights March and Rally a new unit to prosecute Human Exploitation And Trafficking (HEAT) cases. Orange County is a diverse melting-pot with a large ethnic population, multiple tourist attractions, and is surrounded by large, urban counties, which has made it susceptible to human traffickers. Human trafficking cases have recently increased in Orange County, with many cases involving underage victims and/or brothels. The new Unit was created to deal with this increasing problem. Continue reading→

Santa Ana man gets 61 years to life for impregnating an 11-year old relative

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Mariano Antonio Castro

Orange County District Attorney, Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 11CF1301: April 26, 2013

MAN SENTENCED TO 61 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR IMPREGNATING 11-YEAR-OLD FEMALE RELATIVE AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTING HER FOR NINE YEARS

SANTA ANA – A man was sentenced today to 61 years to life in state prison for sexually abusing a female relative for nine years and impregnating her at the age of 11. Mariano Antonio Castro, 58, Santa Ana, was found guilty by a jury Feb. 13, 2013, of two felony counts of lewd acts on a child under 14, three felony counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14, one felony count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and sentencing enhancement allegations for substantial sexual conduct with a child and inflicting great bodily injury were found true. Continue reading→

LULAC to discuss immigration at their convention in Santa Ana on Saturday

Posted on by Posted in Entertainment, immigration, Latinos, Santa Ana Leave a comment

“State Sen. Richard Polanco will discuss the California Voting Rights Act when the Orange County District #1 of the League of United Latin American Citizens holds its 63rd annual convention Saturday, April 27,” according to the O.C. Register.

Here is the event agenda:

LULAC OC District #1 Convention

Site: RSCCD Office Building – Board room, at 2323 North Broadway St., Santa Ana, CA Continue reading→

Santa Ana General Plan community meeting set for April 27

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Development, Entertainment, Santa Ana, Transportation Leave a comment

Santa Ana in Motion

Santa Ana General Plan Circulation Element Update

The General Plan contains the City’s values and vision for its future. The General Plan Circulation Element (9.8 MB) communicates goals, policies and programs to address Santa Ana’s local and regional transportation and travel needs.

You can weigh in on the General Plan at a Community Open House that is set for Saturday, April 27, 2013, at the Southwest Senior Center, located at 2201 W. McFadden Avenue, in Santa Ana.  The meeting will run from 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. A presentation will take place at 10:00 a.m. Event Flyer. Continue reading→

National Hispanic Business Women’s Association scholarship dinner set for 5/30

Posted on by Posted in Business, Education, Entertainment, Santa Ana, Women 2 Comments

MEDIA CONTACT:
Patty Homo – Director (949) 636-7800 patty@nationalhbwa.com

ORANGE COUNTY’S LEADING NATIONAL HISPANIC BUSINESS WOMEN ASSOCIATION AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS TO DESERVING COLLEGE STUDENTS

(Santa Ana, CA) April 25, 2013 – At its 13th Annual Awards and Scholarship Dinner on May 30, 2013, the National Hispanic Business Women Association (NHBWA) will award educational scholarships to 20 students. Continue reading→

OCTA Bike Festival set for 4/28 in Huntington Beach

Posted on by Posted in Bicycles, Entertainment, Huntington Beach, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The OCTA Bike Festival will be held on Sunday, April 28, from 9 am to 1 pm, at the Huntington Beach Pier Plaza. The festival will feature local bike shops, bike clubs, and advocates. Come for a free tune-up, safety demonstrations, and a chance to win great prizes such as a Boreas backpack! It’s all designed to kick-off National Bike Month! Continue reading→

Take back unwanted prescription drugs on 4/27, in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Drugs, Entertainment, Health and Medical, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Got Drugs? Dispose of Unused RX, DEA

Orange County Health Care Agency, Press Release

TAKING BACK UNWANTED PRESCRIPTION DRUGS ON APRIL 27, 2013

(Santa Ana) – In an effort to help prevent prescription drug abuse and theft, the Orange County Health Care Agency, local law enforcement agencies and community partners will collaborate with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to collect expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs on National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day – April 27, from 10 am to 2 pm. There are more than 25 collection sites in Orange County and the service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. To find a collection site in your community, visit the DEA website. Continue reading→

Family clinic with free healthcare for kids 5 or younger opening on 5/1

Posted on by Posted in Entertainment, Health and Medical, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Hurtt Family Health Clinic

FAMILY HEALTH CLINIC OPENS NEW OC LOCATION WITH FREE HEALTHCARE FOR CHILDREN AGED 5 AND YOUNGER

The Hurtt Family Health Clinic will hold a Grand Opening event for its new clinic location in Santa Ana, Calif., giving media, donors and providers an opportunity to tour the new facility and witness the impact that this clinic has had on the lives of those in need, on Wednesday, May 1, 2013.

This is the organization’s second location in Orange County, through which it will provide free health services to patients who are five years old and younger, including immunizations. These services are reflective of the Hurtt Family Health Clinic’s core belief that a strong foundation of healthcare from a young age is key to protecting against preventable childhood diseases and health issues. The clinic also provides healthcare services at little or no-cost for families, as well as individuals, of all ages. Continue reading→

Let’s tell the City of Santa Ana to finish the Santiago Creek Bike trail!

Posted on by Posted in Bicycles, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana 20 Comments

Unfinished Santiago Creek Bike Trail

Bruce Bauer, a Santa Ana resident who has been one of our top leaders with regard to finishing the “missing link” of the Santiago Creek Bike trail updated this situation via email today.  He said that consultants have come in and made proposals to the City of Santa Ana on the bike trail plan and that the City is looking for our input.

The City of Santa Ana is hosting two open houses for residents to review and comment on concepts and recommendations contained in the city’s draft update of the General Plan Circulation Element and ways to improve neighborhoods, housing affordability, and mobility as part of the General Plan Housing Element.

The open houses will be held on: Continue reading→