New Santa Ana | Category Archives: Anaheim

Assemblyman Solorio invites you to the 2011 Cesar Chavez Celebration

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Entertainment, Jose Solorio, Labor, Latino Leaders, Latinos, Santa Ana 4 Comments

For Immediate Release: March 22, 2011

For More Information Contact: Carol Chamberlain – Office: (916) 319-2069, cell: (916) 804-5355

ASSEMBLYMAN SOLORIO INVITES PUBLIC TO CESAR CHAVEZ CELEBRATION

Wide variety of activities planned in honor of the farm worker labor leader

ANAHEIM – State Assemblyman Jose Solorio invites the community to the 11th Annual Cesar E. Chavez State Holiday and Learning Day on Saturday, March 26, 2011, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The event will be held at Jerome Park located at 2201 W. McFadden Avenue, Santa Ana. Assemblyman Solorio and Maria Elena Chavez, niece of Cesar Chavez, will be on hand to greet and address the crowd.

Assemblyman Solorio marched with other attendees at last year’s Cesar E. Chavez State Holiday and Learning Day. Publications: click for larger image.

“It is always a privilege and honor to work with the community to host this event,” Solorio says. “Cesar Chavez’s example of hard work and dedication to public service played a critical role in my farm worker upbringing in the Central Valley. This event is a great way to pay tribute to an esteemed leader who exemplified the importance of education and serving the community.”

A “¡Si Se Puede! – Yes We Can!” march and rally will kick off the festivities. State Senator Lou Correa and Santa Ana Councilmember Vince Sarmiento will also join Assemblyman Solorio in a special tribute honoring the members of the United Mexican American Veterans Association who have served our country with great distinction.

There are several activities planned for the entire family. Scheduled entertainment includes performances by the “Cuatlatoa” Aztec Dancers, Ballet Folklorico, and a K-9 Unit demonstration and puppet show by the Santa Ana Police Department.

State Assemblyman Jose Solorio is the Chair of the Assembly Insurance Committee and also serves on the Assembly Appropriations and Transportation committees. He represents the Sixty-Ninth Assembly District, which includes the cities of Anaheim, Garden Grove, and Santa Ana. For more information about Assemblyman Solorio, visit www.assembly.ca.gov/solorio.

State Assemblyman Jose Solorio represents the cities of Anaheim, Garden Grove and Santa Ana. To learn more about State Assemblyman Solorio and his legislative work, visit his official website. This e-mail communication was authorized and paid for by Solorio for Assembly, ID 1314073, P.O. Box 26063, Santa Ana, CA, 92799.

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Assemblyman Solorio honors Lucy Santana-Ornelas, Exec. Director of Girls Inc.

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Democratic Party, Jose Solorio, Politics, Santa Ana, Women Leave a comment

Assemblyman Solorio Honors Advocate for Girls at Woman of the Year Ceremony

Lucy Santana-Ornelas, Executive Director for Girls Inc., receives award on Assembly floor

SACRAMENTO – State Assemblyman Jose Solorio’s (D-Anaheim) choice for the Sixty-Ninth Assembly District’s Woman of the Year is Executive Director for Girls Inc. Orange County, Lucy Santana-Ornelas. She traveled to Sacramento today to receive the honor at a recognition ceremony held on the Assembly floor.

“Lucy has dedicated her heart, soul, time and talent to the girls and young women in our community,” says Solorio. “She exemplifies the mission of her organization, ‘inspiring all girls to be strong, smart and bold.’”

Born in Santa Ana, Lucy Santana-Ornelas is a graduate of Santa Ana High School, Santa Ana College and obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Fullerton (CSUF). Santana-Ornelas frequently tells her story of overcoming the advice of a high school counselor who told her to not bother pursuing college. Thankfully, she didn’t listen. In 2008, she was highlighted as one of 50 distinguished Latino graduates of CSUF at the university’s 50th Anniversary.

Santana-Ornelas’s entire career and adult life have been spent in public service. She has an extensive awareness of Orange County community issues and needs and is passionate about creating opportunities for underserved youth, especially girls age 4-1/2 to 18.

“We are seeing girls experience low self-esteem and body image issues at a younger age than ever before,” Santana-Ornelas says. “Girls Inc. can help break the barriers to success for those girls by providing girl-focused programs, adult role models and exposure to the world beyond their neighborhoods.”

Santana-Ornelas is particularly proud of integrated projects that increase girls’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and math by involving students in solving authentic problems, working with others, and building real solutions. Last year, Girls Inc. served 4,700 girls in Orange County. In an age of shrinking social services, Girls Inc.’s budget is projected to grow from $1.7 million to $ 2.5 million.

“We are so fortunate that our funding has increased during these tough economic times. Our proven success in helping girls achieve their potential and the recognition of the growing need for our services are huge factors in our growth,” says Santana-Ornelas. The agency is scheduled to serve over 54 outreach program locations this year. Girls Inc. is funded mainly by public/private foundation grants, corporate giving and individual donations.

“This honor is the California Assembly’s way of saying thank you for your dedication,” said Solorio. “And thank you for changing the lives of thousands of Orange County’s young women.”

Think Together’s annual benefit dinner set for June 11

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Charities, Education, Entertainment, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Working Families, Youth Activities 1 Comment

THINK Together’s annual major fundraiser brings together hundreds of compassionate, generous individuals and corporations who share our vision of surrounding schools with learning and helping California’s children close the achievement gap. This year’s dinner event will feature a fascinating dialogue with a nationally leading educational expert followed by dessert and a book signing; public acknowledgment of our remarkable donors; and an inspirational progress report by THINK Together Founder and CEO Randy Barth.

Date/Time/Place

Saturday, June 11, 2011
6:00 to 8:00 p.m. (end time approximate)
Hilton Anaheim

Keynote Speaker: “Dialogue with Geoffrey Canada”

THINK Together proudly presents this year’s keynote speaker, Geoffrey Canada, President and CEO of the extraordinary Harlem Children’s Zone. A nationally renowned advocate for educational reform, Mr. Canada was prominently featured in the eye-opening documentary about America’s educational system, “Waiting for Superman.” During a Dialogue with Geoffrey Canada, he invites the guests to an open conversation about the dire state of America’s public education system – and what we as a collective group can do to impact local change.

Online RSVP

Click here to reserve your seat for this important event. Each year the event sells out, so be sure to register today.

Contact Us
We’d love to hear from you and answer any questions you may have about THINK Together and our upcoming fundraiser. You can reach us at:
Phone: 714.543.3807 ext. 8118
Fax: 714.543.3852
Email: MCastillo@THINKtogether.org
Physical Address (Home office) : 2100 E. Fourth St., Ste.200 Santa Ana, CA 92705

Rep. Sanchez to present a $172,500 grant check to fight foreclosures

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Affordable Housing, Anaheim, Charities, Entertainment, Housing, Loretta Sanchez Leave a comment

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, Representing California’s 47th Congressional District

MEDIA ADVISORY, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 15, 2011

MEDIA CONTACT Adrienne Watson 202-309-0825

REP. LORETTA SANCHEZ TO PRESENT $172,500.00 GRANT CHECK, DISCUSS FORECLOSURE CRISIS AT NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES OF ORANGE COUNTY

WHO: Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez; Glenn Hayes, President/CEO of Neighborhood Housing Services of Orange County (NHS-OC); Richard Castro, NeighborWorks; and personal testimonies (TBD).

WHAT: Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez will present NHS-OC with a check for $172,500.00 in grant funds awarded by NeighborWorks. Rep. Sanchez will also discuss what she and her colleagues in Congress are doing to combat the foreclosure crisis. Specifically, Rep. Sanchez will speak on her recently-introduced amendments to help struggling families stay in their homes by making mortgages more affordable and the need to save the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) that is slated to be eliminated by Congress this week. The other speakers will address similar concerns.

WHEN: Friday, March 18, 3:00p.m. (PST).

WHERE: Neighborhood Housing Services of Orange County
198 W. Lincoln Avenue, 2nd Floor
Anaheim

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez is proud to represent California’s 47th Congressional District, which includes the cities of Anaheim, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, and parts of Fullerton in Orange County. She serves as Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces and a senior member of the Committee on Homeland Security. Rep. Sanchez is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and sits on the bipartisan, bicameral Joint Economic Committee.

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United States House of Representatives
1114 Longworth House Office Building • Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-2965 • Fax: 202-225-5859

O.C. Clerk-Recorder Tom Daly’s 14th annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration

Posted on March 9, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Democratic Party, Entertainment, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Orange County Clerk-Recorder Tom Daly is hosting his 14th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration on Thursday, March 17th, from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., at the Catch, located at 2100 E. Katella Ave., in Anaheim. The cost to attend is only $75 per person. Sponsorships are also available.

For more information or to RSVP, call: 714-842-8683 or E-mail: rsvp@deborahdudleyandassociates.com.

Click here to see the event flyer.

40th Anniversary OC Human Relations Awards nominees announced

Posted on March 9, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Charities, Civil Rights, Entertainment, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

OC Human Relations is proud to announce the 40th Anniversary Human Relations Awards Honorees:

Lifetime Achievement Award: Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, for almost 100 years, the Sisters have demonstrated their compassion by serving the needs of the most vulnerable in our communities.

Civil Rights in History Award: Sandra Robbie, the writer/producer of the Emmy Award-winning PBS documentary Mendez vs. Westminster: For All the Children.

Community Leader Awards: Ralph Bauer, “The Father of Human Relations in Huntington Beach,” has dedicated his adult life to creating an environment where all have equal opportunities and are valued and treated with respect.

Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi has served for the past 30 years in Garden Grove as the Imam of the first and largest mosque in Orange County. He works to build understanding of the commonality that exists between all religions.

Felipe Heras is an advocate for families of children with disabilities. As a volunteer with the Orange County Children’s Therapeutic Art Center, Heras has become a role model and an outstanding leader.

For over 16 years Sundaram Rama has given underprivileged, at-risk youth a chance to complete their education and become productive adults through his service to refugee and immigrant communities.

Dr. Thomas Parham has worked for civil rights for over 26 years. Through 100 Black Men, the Oden Commission, Christ Our Redeemer AME Church and more he has left a legacy of social advocacy and community improvement.

Before retiring, Rabbi Allen Krause of Temple Beth El co-founded the South County Interfaith Clergy, held interfaith dialogues and lead an interfaith volunteer expedition to Mexico.

Distinguished School Awards: Los Amigos High School (GGUSD) for their campaign, “Educate to Empower,” which promotes the idea that education should encourage students to be “teachers” who can help educate their peers.

Newport Harbor High School (NMUSD) for its efforts to end the toxic language that fills so many high school campuses via their campaign “That’s W.H.A.C.K.” (Words Hurt And Can Kill).

Community-Policing Award: The Tustin Police Department’s “Project Alliance,” is a successful partnership between law enforcement, the City and community organizations to reduce crime and increase the livability of Tustin’s Alliance Avenue neighborhood.

Please join us May 5th at the Grove of Anaheim as we honor these remarkable members of our community.

Table sponsorships are from $3,000 to $10,000 and individual tickets are $200 each. To be listed in the AWARDS 40 invitations, sponsorship must be received by March 16th and by April 18th to be listed in the AWARDS 40 Event Progam.

Please click here for more information or contact Barbara Hunt at 714-834-7181.

National Association for Equal Justice in America, O.C. meeting on Saturday

Posted on February 25, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Civil Rights, Entertainment, Justice, Labor, Orange County, Politics, Transportation Leave a comment

National Association for Equal Justice in America, Orange County Community Liaison Committee

GENERAL COMMUNITY MEETING

DATE: Saturday, February 26th, 2011
Time: 2: pm – 4: pm
Location: West Anaheim Youth Center
320 S. Beach Blvd, Anaheim Ca, 92804

THE PUBLIC IS CORDIALLY INVITED!!!!!!!!

Guest Speakers:

Representatives from the City of Anaheim
Arctic Transportation System: Arctic Transportation the Largest Construction Project In
Orange County
Representatives from EEOC

For more information please contact Mary Jones, Chairperson Orange County Community Liaison Committee: (714) 499-8987 or (310) 608 – 5878.

N.A.E.J.A. A Non -Profit Civil Rights Organization www.naeja.bizland.com.

Emergency protests for Libya’s people, on Friday & Saturday, in Anaheim

Posted on February 24, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Arab Americans, Civil Rights, Entertainment, Politics 1 Comment

DATES AND TIME: FEB. 25 AND 26. 2011 @ 2:00PM-6:00PM.

Location: 512 South Brookhurst St. Anaheim, CA 92804–LITTLE ARABIA.

The Arab World Newspaper invites you to show your support for the Lybian people who are facing the tyranny of the Lybian dictator Muammar Al-Gaddafi!

In Libya more than 800 have been shot dead in the protests against Gaddafi’s 42 years dictatorial regime. They have been using live ammunition, machine gus and last night security forces started using anti aircraft guns. Also, Jet fighters are flying all over Libya and tanks are moving down every street! they even brought snipers and foreign mercenaries to hurt people! internet is down & no foreign media allowed in. It’s a GENOCIDE!

Click here to RSVP on Facebook.

Hooter’s Public Safety Appreciation Day, on Monday, Feb. 21

Posted on February 20, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Entertainment, Military, Orange County, Public Safety 4 Comments

Hooter’s is celebrating President’s Day by hosting a Public Safety Appreciation Day, on Monday, Feb. 21. They are offering a free half-burger or a free grilled chicken sandwich to any firefighters, law enforcement, military, EMTs, and active duty military, with a purchase of a drink. Valid I.D., or proof of service must be presented, or show up in uniform, to redeem the offer. This offer is dine-in only and is only valid on the 21st. This offer cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts and is only valid at these locations:

Anaheim Hooters	2438 East Katella Ave	Anaheim	92806
Burbank Hooters	600 North 1st Street	Burbank	91501
Costa Mesa Hooters	1507 South Coast Drive	Costa Mesa	92626
Hollywood Hooters	6922 Hollywood Blvd Suit 109	Hollywood	90028
Lake Forrest Hooters	24356 Swartz Drive	Lake Forest	92630
Long Beach Hooters	130 Pine Ave	Long Beach	90802
Ontario Hooters	725 North Milliken Ave	Ontario	91764
Moreno Valley Hooters	6225 Valley Springs Pkwy., #17	Riverside	92507
Santa Monica Hooters	321 Santa Monica Blvd	Santa Monica	90401
West Covina Hooters	3041 East Garvey Ave North	West Covina	91791

Assemblyman Solorio reminds students of upcoming financial aid deadline

Posted on February 14, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Education, Jose Solorio, Politics, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

For Immediate Release: February 14, 2011
For More Information Contact: Carol Chamberlain – Office: (916) 319-2069, Cell: (916) 804-5355

ASSEMBLYMAN SOLORIO REMINDS STUDENTS OF UPCOMING FINANICAL AID DEADLINE

Key Deadline to Apply for Financial Aid and Cal Grants is March 2, 2011

ANAHEIM, CA – State Assemblyman Jose Solorio (D-Anaheim) is reminding students about an important upcoming deadline for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

“With tuition and related fees on the rise, many students and their families find college to be very expensive,” Solorio says. “However, there are many programs available to help families obtain the support they need, and they all require an accurate FAFSA application. The deadline to file a FAFSA application is March 2, so I am encouraging students to start working on it now.”

The FAFSA is the form the U.S. Department of Education requires to determine eligibility for federal, state, and college-sponsored financial aid, including grants, educational loans, and work-study programs. The FAFSA application is used to apply for the Federal Pell Grant and the State’s Cal Grant Program.

A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not need to be repaid. The amount a student receives is dependent on financial need, the cost to attend school, status as a full-time or part-time student, and plans to attend school for a full academic year or less.

Students may also be eligible to receive a Cal Grant from the State. Like a Federal Pell Grant, a Cal Grant does not need to be repaid. With a Cal Grant, a student can receive up to $11,124 a year to pay for college expenses at any qualifying California college, university, career or technical school. For more information on Cal Grants, visit www.calgrants.org.

Information on FAFSA can be found at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The deadline to apply for financial aid, including the Cal Grant, is March 2, 2011.

Affordable education is one of Assemblyman Solorio’s top priorities in the Legislature. He supports efforts to extend educational and college opportunities to everyone, and works to ensure that financial aid for students is protected.

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Orange County’s Egypt supporters celebrate in Anaheim

Posted on February 13, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Arab Americans, Civil Rights, Politics, Santa Ana 3 Comments

Santa Ana resident Naui Tetl was all set to lead a rally against Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak, on Saturday, but then Mubarak stepped down, after 30 years in power. But Naui went forward with the rally – which was now a celebration for the people of Egypt.

You can see the results in the video above. Anaheim has had an Arab population for some time – but now they have come together – too late to help Bill Dalati, who ran for the Anaheim City Council last year, but just in time to celebrate the new freedom in Egypt.

Dalati was there on Saturday. So was Orange Juice blog editor Vern Nelson. And a lot of other folks. Click here to see more pictures.

The big debate now is whether the Muslim Brotherhood will take over Egypt when they hold elections in about six months. If they do, so be it. That is democracy. It isn’t always pretty. But if that is what the Egyptians want, who are we to deny them that?

Local job workshops and resources, in Anaheim, Garden Grove and Santa Ana

Posted on February 11, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Garden Grove, Jobs, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Veterans Workshop – Westminster

Location Date/Time Other Information

Orange County One-Stop Center
5405 Garden Grove Blvd., Suite 100
Westminster

Tuesday, February 15, 2011
8:30 a.m. – 12 noon

The workshop will provide information on veteran services, job search techniques, résumé writing, and more.

Must register at www.caljobs.ca.gov and www.oconestop.com prior to workshop.

For more information, call Steve DeFord (714) 241-4954.

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Veterans Job Search Workshop – Anaheim

Location Date/Time Other Information

Anaheim Workforce Service
2450 East Lincoln Avenue, Suite 200
Anaheim

Wednesday, February 16, 2011
8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Please arrive by 9:15 a.m. Topics include job search techniques, labor markets information, job referrals, and networking.

Please call (714) 518-2342 to register.

For more information, call Dan Sanchez (714) 518-2342.

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Labor Market Information Workshop – Westminster

Location Date/Time Other Information

Orange County One-Stop Center
5405 Garden Grove Blvd., Suite 100
Westminster

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Topics include labor market growth projections and career exploration resources.

Please register at www.caljobs.ca.gov and www.oconestop.com prior to workshop.

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For more information, call Joleen Le (714) 241-4948.

Overcoming Barriers Workshop – Westminster

Location Date/Time Other Information

Orange County One Stop Center
5405 Garden Grove Boulevard Suite 100
Westminster

Thursday, February 17, 2011

9 a.m. – 11 a.m. This workshop will prepare ex-offenders to re-enter the job market.

Must register at www.caljobs.ca.gov and www.oconestop.com prior to workshop.

For more information, call Steve DeFord (714) 241-4954.

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The Santa Ana W/O/R/K (Work, Opportunity, Resources, and Knowledge) Center combines energy and resources from many city agencies and local business assistance organizations such as:

Santa Ana Workforce Investment Board, Employment Development Department, Southland Economic Development Corporation, Santa Ana Enterprise Zone, Santa Ana College and Orange County Social Services Agency, to name a few.

Among the Santa Ana W/O/R/K Center’s many goals and services, they are committed to providing:

Job search assistance
Employee referrals and job placement
Industry specific job listings
Unemployment insurance claim filing
Enterprise Zone hiring program assistance
On-line labor market information
Networking groups
Case management and career counseling
Career assessment
Financing and business development referrals
Career research library
Workshops including: resume writing and interviewing techniques
Free use of phones, faxes, computers and Internet service
On-The-Job Training
Older worker program
Annual reports & business profiles
Santa Ana Youth Employment
Right in the Community.

The Santa Ana W/O/R/K Center is easy to reach. It’s conveniently located at the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center just minutes from the I-5 and 55 freeways, as well as Amtrak, MetroLink and city and county bus lines. The W/O/R/K Center provides easy access to the services and resources businesses and employees need!

Call today (714) 565-2600 or Fax (714) 565-2601.

Celebration for Egypt rally this Saturday, Feb. 12, in Anaheim

Posted on February 11, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in African Americans, Anaheim, Arab Americans, Civil Rights, Entertainment, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Bring your flags , signs and chant freedom for Egypt , dictator Hosni Mubarack must go, No to Omar Suleiman ! !

Join the celebration for Egypt rally, this Saturday, Feb. 12, from 12 pm to 4:00 pm. Bring your flags , signs and chant freedom for Egypt, dictator Hosni Mubarack must go, and no to Omar Suleiman!

INVITE YOUR FRIENDS AND PASS THE WORD!

Reply “Attending” if you are coming bring friends and family .

This will be a peaceful demonstration.

Location: Little Arabia , Brookhurst and Orange in Anaheim, at 512 S. Brookhurst St.

Click here to RSVP on Facebook.

This rally is being organized in part by Santa Ana resident Naui Tetl, aka Naui Huitzilopochtli.

Joe Matthews, author of California Crackup, to speak in Anaheim on Feb. 16

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, california, Entertainment, Politics Leave a comment

The League of Women Voters, Central Orange County Area and the Fourth District PTA present, on Wednesday, February 16, at 11:30 a.m., “Fixing California,” featuring Guest Speaker Joe Mathews, the co-Author of California Crackup, a new book about the reasons for California’s governance problems and how they might be solved.

Matthews is an Irvine senior fellow at the New America Foundation and a fourth-generation Californian, writes about his home state and its politics, media, labor, and real estate. He is the author of The People’s Machine: Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Rise of Blockbuster Democracy (PublicAffairs, 2006), an account of Governor Schwarzenegger’s first term and his use of ballot measures as governing tools.

Before joining New America, he was a reporter for eight years at theLos Angeles Times, where he covered state and presidential politics, education, labor, and the city of Compton. Previously, he covered the Justice Department for The Wall Street Journal. He began his career in 1994 as a reporter on the city desk of the Baltimore Sun, where he wrote about urban issues and the environment. His coverage of a down-on-its-luck neighborhood of former slaughterhouses earned him the incomparable title, “Bard of Pigtown.” His stories have appeared in The New Republic, The Washington Post, Politico, and Condé NastPortfolio. He writes regularly on the web at NBC’s Prop Zero, Fox and Hounds Daily, and The Daily Beast.

Contact Joe.

Buy California Crackup at UC Press
Buy California Crackup at Barnes and Noble
Buy California Crackup at Borders
Buy California Crackup at Amazon
Buy California Crackup at IndieBound

The event will be held at the The Red Lion Inn, located at 1850 S. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim 92802. The cost is $20, including lunch. It is payable at the door. There is also a parking fee: $5 (Carpooling is encouraged.)

Space is limited and reservations are required by February 9.

Lunch choices are a turkey, ham, roast beef or vegetarian sandwich, with potato salad and a soft drink or iced tea. Please indicate your lunch preference when you make your reservation.

To make your reservations contact:

Joan Hake (714) 245-0567 or hakehome@sbcglobal.net
Gisela Meier (714) 637-5698 or ghmstein@aol.com

New labor-backed study alleges that special interests influence planning decisions

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Affordable Housing, Alfredo Amezcua, Anaheim, Development, Planning, Politics, Redevelopment, Santa Ana 8 Comments

MEDIA ADVISORY: February 7, 2011

CONTACT: Robert Nothoff, 949-433-0541 (mobile)

New Research Documents Influence of Special Interests in Local Planning Decisions

ORANGE COUNTY, CA – Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible Development (OCCORD) today released a new report—The Rubber Stamp Process: Broken Governance in Planning and Development and How Communities Can Regain a Voice—which details structural flaws in the local planning processes in Anaheim and Santa Ana that favor special interests over local residents.

―Now more than ever, we need economic development in Orange County, but people won’t support it if they lose confidence in the political process, said Robert Nothoff, OCCORD Policy Analyst and Rubber Stamp Process co-author. ―The planning process is broken: Communities don’t have an equal voice to counter special interests, and elected leaders are between a rock and a hard place as they look for ways to balance the budget.

Findings of The Rubber Stamp Process include:

Outside interests have disproportionate sway over local politics, as 70% of all individual and corporate political contributions in Anaheim and Santa Ana came from outside city boundaries.
The top five Economic Sectors (NAICS) accounted for 63% of overall contributions to successful Mayoral and City Council races, including several development-related sub-industries.
Local planning commissions do not represent every neighborhood or the general public as a whole. In Anaheim and Santa Ana, over half of all planning commissioners between 2000 – 2010 came from relatively affluent neighborhoods that represent less than 20% of the total population.
Development projects move forward even when the public strongly disagrees with them. In Anaheim and Santa Ana, 87 new development projects were presented between 2005 and 2010. 21 were met with overwhelming community opposition, yet 20 of the 21 were approved.
Other significant barriers to public participation exist: Inadequate notification, ineffective public hearings (public input sought at end vs. beginning of process), and constraints on city planners.

To produce The Rubber Stamp Process, OCCORD collected and tracked all 5,600 donations made to successful Mayoral and City Council candidates in Anaheim and Santa Ana between 2004 and 2010; reviewed occupational backgrounds and geographic locations of all planning commissioners in the two cities between 2000 and 2010; and based on 3,898 pages of City Council minutes, analyzed the City Council approval rate for all new development projects in those cities between 2005 and 2010. A copy of
The Rubber Stamp Process is available on OCCORD’s website at www.occord.org/rubberstamp.

The report offers four broad policy principles to remedy the current structural bias: (1) Encourage public participation early in the development process by raising public awareness and increasing outreach to neighborhoods before important decisions are made; (2) level the playing field by ensuring that all costs and benefits for a project are taken into account and increasing transparency in the decision-making process; (3) empower every neighborhood to have a voice in development decisions that affect its quality
of life; and (4) make elected and appointed officials more accountable to the communities they represent.

―The bias we observed goes beyond the actions of any single city, elected leader, or political party. It’s about who decides what happens to our communities: Out-of-town developers or the people who live and work there, said Nothoff. ―The solution is to give communities a real voice in the planning process.

Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible Development (OCCORD) is a nonprofit organization committed to economic development that benefits everyone who lives and works in Orange County’s diverse communities.

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Click here to see the graphics associated with this study.

In the interest of full disclosure, it should be noted that failed Santa Ana Mayoral candidate Alfredo Amezcua is listed as a “Champion Funder” of this organization, according to OCCORD’s website. Moreover, their Board of Directors is totally dominated by organized labor, which is of course a special interest. Their Board also includes Amezcua backer Amin David, of the Anaheim Los Amigos. David is also listed as a funder or this organization. Lastly, their Staff is also dominated by labor representatives.

OCCORD is an advocate for Community Benefit Accords – these are compacts with developers that force the developers to spend thousands of dollars mollifying the OCCORD activists. Close to 100% of the CBAs advocated by OCCORD fail when developers realize they don’t have to listen to these unelected people.

The study fails to note that organized labor spent hundreds of thousands of dollars last year trying, fruitlessly, to elect John Leos to the Anaheim City Council – and labor figured heavily in Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido’s campaign as well. Labor money often is hidden in Independent Expenditures or arrives in the form of precinct walkers, which does not show up on campaign finance reports.

It is not illegal to accept campaign donations from sources outside of one’s city. That is a common practice. In fact Amezcua has started a PAC called the Santa Ana Coalition for Better Government, which is led by three of Amezcua’s allies who don’t live in Santa Ana, including Art Lomeli, who lives in wealthy Orange Park Acres and John Acosta, who lives in Anaheim.

The Planning Commissioners in Anaheim and Santa Ana are appointed by City Council representatives elected by the people who live in those cities. It doesn’t matter where they live. They serve at the pleasure of the Council Members who appoint them.

While Planning Commissions often approve development projects that face community opposition, the question one must ponder is whether that opposition consists of more than a few dozen people. The most hotly contested development in Santa Ana – the One Broadway Tower, was approved by the voters, yet today a handful of opponents continue to tie this project up in court – even though the project will provide almost three thousand good-paying jobs to union contractors. How ironic.

The people involved in OCCORD are also allied with the folks who are suing to stop the Transit District development in Santa Ana, although it would have provided a substantial amount of affordable housing. Again, how ironic, as affordable housing is supposedly one of OCCORD’s missions.