Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Author Archives: Art Pedroza

Latino Health Access planning a Wellness Corridor in Downtown Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Bicycles, Health and Medical, Latino Leaders, Latinos, Michele Martinez, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana 22 Comments

Wellness Corridor, from Council Member Michele Martinez’ Newsletter

Latino Health Access (LHA), one of Santa Ana’s most successful non-profits, mission is to assist in improving the quality of life and health of the most marginalized members of the community. Since 1993, LHA has provided quality preventive services and educational programs that enable such individuals to take responsibility and fully participate in decisions affecting their health. LHA has been highly effective in reducing health disparities among Orange County’s severely under-served, underinsured Latino community. Now, LHA is embarking in a new endeavor, promoting the creation of a Wellness Corridor in Central Santa Ana.

The Wellness Corridor is a project that Council Member Michele Martinez fully support as it addresses the health issues of Central Santa Ana’s residents by encouraging active lifestyles, healthy eating options, engages residents and businesses—adding resources for all while building community. The Wellness Corridor will promote active healthier living by using non-traditional open spaces to create urban fitness walking and biking routes with supporting amenities and exercise stations which will be located at the organization’s park currently under development and scheduled for completion summer of 2012. Continue reading→

Will Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez run for the SAUSD School Board in 2012?

Posted on by Posted in Claudia Alvarez, Elections, Politics, Santa Ana, SAUSD 8 Comments

Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez most likely won’t be able to run for a fourth term on the Santa Ana City Council, according to an article posted in the Voice of OC today.  Alvarez is going to term out in 2012, but if she wants to stay in politics she has a lot of options.  Alvarez will have served three terms on the Santa Ana City Council, after extending term limits by one term via the successful passage of Measure D, a few years ago.

Alvarez chose not to run for the 69th Assembly District again.  Her colleague, Council Member Michele Martinez is the leading contender for that seat.  Alvarez could run for the First Supervisorial District, against incumbent Janet Nguyen.  But it is more likely that State Senator Lou Correa may do so.

So where should Alvarez go?  How about the Santa Ana Unified School District’s (SAUSD) School Board?  She could walk on easily.  Three SAUSD Trustees are up for reelection in 2012, including Rob Richardson, Jose Hernandez and Roman Reyna.  Of the three, it is likely that only one of them, Reyna, will opt not to run.  He is likely to run for, and win, Alvarez’ seat on the Santa Ana City Council. Continue reading→

Carlos Bustamante named as one of the top 100 worst bosses in America

Posted on by Posted in Business, Carlos Bustamante, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana 1 Comment

eBossWatch just published the 2011 America’s Worst Bosses list, and Santa Ana Councilman Carlos Bustamante, who quit a high-paying job as a middle manager at the County of Orange this year after being accused of sexual harassment, was named as one of the 100 worst bosses in America. To date, the 2011 America’s Worst Bosses have cost their employers over $145 million in monetary damages and lawsuit settlement payments.

19 California managers were named among the nation’s worst bosses: Continue reading→

SAPD to conduct DUI checkpoint this Friday night, at 2100 W. McFadden

Posted on by Posted in Alcohol, Bars, Civic Affairs, Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Thursday December 22, 2011
Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Friday, December 23rd, 2011. It will begin at 7:30

NEWS RELEASE: SANTA ANA POLICE STEP UP DUI ENFORCEMENT

The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Friday, December 23rd, 2011. It will begin at 7:30PM and is scheduled to conclude at 1:30AM. It will be conducted in the area of 2100 W. McFadden Avenue, in the City of Santa Ana. Continue reading→

OneOC Holiday Directory highlights volunteer opportunities in Orange County

Posted on by Posted in Charities, homeless, Orange County, Santa Ana, Working Families Leave a comment

OneOC and 2-1-1 Orange County are pleased to collaborate on the 2011 Holiday Directory, a comprehensive guide to volunteer opportunities and agency wish lists during the holiday season.

The Holiday Directory is designed to provide volunteers with an easy-to-use resource guide of volunteer opportunities throughout Orange County during the holiday season. Additionally, the directory lists agencies’ wish lists so community members can provide donations to organizations in need of additional support. Continue reading→

City Council reacts to Forbes article that named Santa Ana 4th Safest City

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 3 Comments

Thursday December 22, 2011, 8:18 AM
City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Advisory: Santa Ana City Council Reacts to Recent ‘America’s Safest Cities’ Article by Forbes

SANTA ANA, CA (December 22, 2011) – On December 15, 2011, Forbes published ‘America’s Safest Cities,’ which ranked the City of Santa Ana 4th in the entire country. In order to find the 10 safest cities in America, Forbes looked at cities with a population exceeding 250,000. The article then ranked the cities’ using their violent crime and pedestrian fatality rates to arrive at the final ranking. Continue reading→

Santa Ana named 4th safest U.S. city, by Forbes

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Paul Walters, Public Safety, Santa Ana 35 Comments

Santa Ana has been selected as the fourth safest city in the United States of America, by Forbes.

To find America’s 10 safest cities, Forbes looked at metropolises with populations above 250,000. They then ranked them by violent crime rates—the number of violent crimes (murder, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents in 2010, as reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Continue reading→

Santa Ana to close Bristol at 5th/6th for water main repairs

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, public works, Santa Ana, Water 1 Comment

Alert: Street Closure for Water Main Tie-ins

Due to new water main construction, water shutdowns are scheduled from 12/21/2011 thru 12/22/11. The hours of the shutdown will be from 9 am to 3 pm and will affect the areas of Bristol at 5th and 6th Streets.

Anyone with issues or concerns is asked to call Santa Ana Public Works at 714-647-5690. Continue reading→

Solorio Scholars awardees celebrate end of college application process

Posted on by Posted in Education, Jose Solorio, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Working Families, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Assemblyman Solorio (center) with the Solorio Scholars, Class of 2012

For Immediate Release: December 21, 2011
For More Information Contact: Carol Chamberlain – office: (916) 319-2069, mobile: (916) 804-5355

“Solorio Scholars” Awardees Celebrate End of College Application Process
Outstanding seniors received financial help and acquired additional writing skills for college application process

SANTA ANA – On a Saturday evening this holiday season, 25 outstanding high school seniors were recognized as “Solorio Scholars” at the Delhi Center in Santa Ana. The evening capped an intense college application season made easier for the Solorio Scholars through personalized help with their college applications and up to $250 for college application fees. The Solorio Scholars program was created in 2009 to inspire more high school students in central Orange County to apply for college. Continue reading→

Construction begins on Santa Ana’s Diamond Park water improvements

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Jose Solorio, Miguel Pulido, public works, Santa Ana, Water 2 Comments

Assemblyman Solorio (center) joins (from left) Diamond Park Mutual Water Company President Jose Espinoza, Interim City Manager and Police Chief Paul Walters, Mayor Miguel Pulido, Public Works Director Raul Godinez and Santa Ana City Councilmember David Benavides at a groundbreaking ceremony in Diamond Park celebrating infrastructure improvements to bring clean drinking water to the neighborhood.

For Immediate Release: December 21, 2011
For More Information Contact: Carol Chamberlain – office: (916) 319-2069, mobile: (916) 804-5355

Construction to Improve Water Quality for Santa Ana’s Diamond Park Neighborhood Begins
Community leaders gather to launch long-awaited water pipeline improvements to Santa Ana’s Diamond Park neighborhood Continue reading→

Christmas Eve service at the historic First Baptist Church of Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Churches and Religion, Entertainment, Family, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The historic First Baptist Church of Santa Ana is celebrating Christmas all throughout December.  You can join them this Saturday, Dec. 24, for their annual Christmas Eve candlelight program, which includes a service featuring Rev. Andy Quient, and Christmas Carols by candlelight, starting at 6 pm, in the patio and the Fireside Room.

First Baptist Church of Santa Ana is located at 1010 West 17th St., near Flower St.   Continue reading→

Santa Ana City Council votes unanimously to change Council ward boundaries

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Civic Affairs, Elections, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Tuesday December 20, 2011, 6:22 PM
City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community: City Council Approves 1st Reading of Ordinance on Re-Boundary of Council Wards

SANTA ANA, CA (December 20, 2011) – The City Council at its regularly scheduled City Council Meeting, held December 19, 2011, approved, by unanimous consent, the first reading of an ordinance that will change the City Council Ward Boundaries. The second reading of the ordinance is set for Tuesday, January 17th at 6 p.m. in the Council Chamber. The City Council directed the Clerk of the Council to educate members of the community about the process taken to develop the proposed boundaries. If interested, please contact the Clerk of the Council Office at 714-647-6520 thru Friday, January 13, 2012, to schedule a session during regular business hours. Attached for review is a map with the proposed and current boundary lines. Continue reading→

Former Councilman Ted Moreno enters the Santiago Creek bike trail debate

Posted on by Posted in Bicycles, Civic Affairs, Health and Medical, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana 40 Comments

Former Santa Ana Councilman Ted Moreno is defending the Fisher Park residents’ right to a messy creek

Former Santa Ana Councilman Ted Moreno has returned at long last from a self-imposed exile from local community affairs and politics.  Moreno was drawn back into the fray by an article posted on this blog on Dec. 18, regarding the efforts by a handful of Santa Ana’s wealthier residents, in the Fisher Park neighborhood, to stop the Santiago Creek bike trail from being completed.

Moreno, was convicted of extortion and money-laundering in an alleged scheme to take control of the Santa Ana City Council and sentenced in February of 2001 to almost five years in prison, according to the L.A. Times.  Many residents then and now felt that Moreno was entrapped and my old friend Lou Lopez, who was the first Latino elected to the Anaheim City Council, told me that the same FBI informant who entrapped Moreno, also tried to ensnare him.  But Lopez, a retired police officer, ran the other way, while Moreno got caught. Continue reading→

Project SELF/Crowell & Moring intern gets a full ride to Georgetown Univ.

Posted on by Posted in Education, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Youth Activities 4 Comments

Past Intern of Project SELF Mentoring Internship for Low-Income Minority Teens Receives Full Ride to Georgetown University; Internship at White House

Crowell & Moring Intern Jonathan Espinoza sets example for future Project SELF participants

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Jess Block, 909-706-8525 or jessblockpr@gmail.com

SANTA ANA, CA- Segerstrom High School senior Jonathan Espinoza was introduced to the legal professional field through the Project SELF (Summer Employment in Law Firm) program as a summer 2011 intern, an experience that has guided him toward the ultimate goal of earning a Juris Doctor. Jonathan has been awarded a summer 2012 internship at the White House and full ride offer to Georgetown University for fall of 2012. Continue reading→

Anonymous “Save Santiago Creek Alliance” opposes finishing bike trail

Posted on by Posted in Bicycles, Green, Nature, Neighborhood Associations, Parks and Recreation, Public Safety, Santa Ana 31 Comments

A new website of people who are against finishing the Santiago Creek bike trail, called the “Save Santiago Creek Alliance,” is purporting to represent resident’s of Santa Ana’s Casa de Santiago, Fisher Park, Floral Park, Morrison Park, Riverview, and West Floral Park neighborhoods – but not one name appears anywhere on the website.  It is completely anonymous.

I did get an email today from a fellow named Ronald E Salem.  He claims to be the “interim director” of this mysterious anonymous organization, but his name is not to be found on their website.  I did find his Facebook page.  This guy is definitely part of the 1%.  His profile picture (see above) shows him piloting a yacht.  Nice.  He appears to be a psychologist with a family counseling practice based in Glendora.

It is terribly dishonest for these people to use the word “Alliance” in their name, given that the major proponents of finishing the Santiago Creek bike trail are the Santiago Creek Greenway Alliance. Continue reading→