Santa Ana City Council Ward 3 candidate Ana Urzúa Alcaraz is kicking off her campaign on Sunday, Sep. 4, 2016, from 4 to 7 p.m. at 2801 Waverly St., in Santa Ana.
Ward 3 is currently held by Angie Amezcua, who was accidentally elected four years ago when she ran for the office but did not spend a penny on her campaign and did not campaign. She was the only woman on the ballot and her ballot title, “teacher”, did not hurt. Nor did her familiar-sounding last name. Continue reading
BIRTHDAY FUNDRAISER AT ANTONELLO’S
Santa Ana City Council Ward 3 candidate Jose Solorio is hosting his annual birthday fundraiser at Antonello Ristorante on Wednesday, September 28, 2016, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Antonello Ristorante is located at 3800 South Plaza Drive, in Santa Ana.
Solorio is a former Santa Ana City Councilman and a former State Assemblyman. He currently works as a lobbyist at a law firm in Irvine. He is endorsed by the Santa Ana Police Officers Association. Continue reading
Santa Ana Ward 5 City Council candidate Juan Villegas, a law enforcement officer with 25 years of experience fighting crime, is hosting the kick-off to his campaign on Wednesday, Sep. 7, 2016, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the Santa Ana Police Officer Association Hall, located at 1607 N. Sycamore, in Santa Ana.
Villegas is running against an incumbent, Councilman Roman Reyna, who recently voted against hiring more police officers despite the huge increase in violent crime over the past three years. Reyna’s brother reportedly died in prison and Reyna himself has admitted to being shot and wounded at a park when he was younger. When Reyna ran for Mayor of Santa Ana he was caught posing with members of the Mexican Mafia, in a picture that was widely circulated on social media. He refused to explain why he was hanging out with these individuals. Continue reading
Santa Ana City Council Member Michele Martinez, who is running for the First District of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, appeared on the John and Ken radio show yesterday afternoon, on AM 640. I don’t think she knew in advance that John and Ken are conservatives – and they only invite politicians onto their show to embarrass them. The interview was hard to listen to as John and Ken yelled at Martinez throughout the interview and barely let her get a word in edgewise. You can hear the interview here.
The issue they were upset about is the homeless problem at Santa Ana’s Civic Center. If you have not been out there recently you will be amazed and disgusted by the situation. Our Civic Center has essentially become a homeless camp with trash and human waste all over the place. The matter has been somewhat improved with the addition of more portable bathrooms but it is still far from optimal and is certainly not safe for those who have business at the Civic Center. Continue reading
SAUSD School Board candidate Mark McLoughlin appears to be trying to hide his financial information from the public. McLoughlin was appointed to the Santa Ana Planning Commission in January so he had to turn in a Form 700, to the Santa Ana City Clerk. That Form, which you can see here, is completely devoid of any investments/businesses/loans/income information!
McLoughlin claims he is the General Manager of SKYCO Architectural Shading System and President of High School, Inc — yet he does not disclose any of these business connections on his Form 700 filed with the City of Santa Ana. In fact, he discloses absolutely NOTHING on his 700 Form. It surely seems that McLoughlin is avoiding disclosing info about himself. Continue reading
Supervisor Andrew Do to Expand Community Service Center Providing Taxpayers with Expedited Services
(Westminster, CA) – Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do is making it easier for taxpayers to access county services with the launch of an expanded community service center.
Next Friday, September 2nd, the public is invited to attend the grand opening of the upgraded Orange County Community Service Center. Continue reading
Today was Women’s Equality Day but we have not made much progress in Santa Ana. Our local education unions endorsed three men for the SAUSD School Board election in November. They did not even bother to interview the women in the race.
Now I cannot blame the Santa Ana Educators Association (SAEA) and the California School Employees Association (CSEA) Chapter 41 for not backing SAUSD School Board incumbent Cecilia Iglesias. She is a conservative who believes in school choice and wants to spend the district’s money on hiring more teachers and more teacher’s aides instead of just paying the teachers more. So of course the education unions don’t like her.
But what about the other women who are running for the SAUSD School Board? Continue reading
In the Santa Ana Unified School District board race, with three seats open, candidate Bruce Bauer challenged fellow Santa Ana Planning Commissioner Mark McLoughlin’s designation as “Educator/Business Owner,” according to the O.C. Register.
The Orange County Registrar of Voters upheld Bauer’s challenge, and McLoughlin changed his designation to “Education Business Advisor.” Continue reading
Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido has won his seat eleven times. The last few years he has faced a string of challengers who at least on paper looked somewhat legitimate – but he beat them all, including Council Members Michele Martinez, David Benavides and Roman Reyna as well as criminal defense attorney Alfredo Amezcua.
Now Pulido, who his detractors at times refer to as “Papi” (Spanish for father) is facing perhaps his most interesting challenger yet – local teacher Benjamin Vazquez, who apparently likes to be referred to as “Don” (a Spanish honorific that is usually reserved for royalty, select nobles, and church hierarchs, it is also often used as a mark of esteem for a person of personal, social or official distinction, such as a community leader of long standing, a person of significant wealth, or a noble, according to Wikipedia). Can Don Vazquez beat Papi Pulido? Continue reading
Zeke Hernandez, a candidate for Area 1 of the Rancho Santiago Community College District, is trying to pull a fast one, using the ballot title of “Adult Education Director.” That is a complete falsehood!
Hernandez admitted in a letter he wrote to the Rancho Santiago Community College District’s Chancellor, just last year, to being retired. That letter was part of Hernandez’ application to the Measure Q Bond Oversight Committee.
Furthermore the application Hernandez completed to serve on the RSCCD Measure Q Bond committee states an applicant cannot be a district vendor. However during interviews this Monday with the current Rancho Santiago Community College District Trustees, it emerged that Hernandez is the chief executive of a district contractor, according to the Voice of OC. Continue reading
SAUSD School Board candidate Mark McLoughlin is willfully lying to the voters by alleging in his ballot title that he is an “Educator.” That is simply not true. And he has been called on this lie by a resident of Santa Ana who filed a challenge to McLoughlin’s ballot title today at the Orange County Voter Registrar’s office.
Here is the challenge to McLoughlin’s lie – it is well-researched and we hope that it will compel the O.C. Voter Registrar to change McLoughlin’s ballot title. Continue reading
The Santa Ana City Clerk has determined the order in which the candidates for the City Council will appear on the November ballot, as follows:
PREFIX/NAME/FIRST NAME/HOME ADDRESS/HOME ZIP/BALLOT DESIGNATION
Mayoral Election
Ordinarily a fellow named Matthew Schauer would not have much of a shot at getting elected to Area 1 of the Rancho Santiago Community College District, which includes central Santa Ana. But this year might be different. He is running against two Latino candidates who just might split the Latino vote, allowing Schauer to prevail in the November election.
Schauer was appointed to the Santa Ana Housing and Redevelopment Commission by Council Member Sal Tinajero. Schauer is the Warehouse & Inventory Control and Purchasing Manager at CalPack Foods, according to his Linkedin page. CalPack Foods is a manufacturing facility in Torrance that specializes in the production of high quality food, juice, and beverages. Continue reading
There are now six (and possibly seven) candidates running for The Santa Ana City Council’s Ward 3, which incumbent City Council Member Angie Amezcua is vacating. You might recall that she was accidentally elected four years ago when her name and her ballot title (she is a teacher) propelled her to victory even though she did not spend any campaign money or actively campaign.
The candidates who have qualified for the ballot include: Continue reading
Rancho Santiago Community College District Trustee Nelida Yanez will have her hands full this November fending off two challengers in the Primary Election, in Area Three.
OC GOP Central Committee Member Thomas Gordon, who works as an asbestos inspector for the L.A. Unified School District and Anthony “Tony” Tapia, a local resident and member of a construction labor union, both filed to run against Yanez. Continue reading