Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Anaheim

Amazing video of the Santa Ana River Trail before and after the homeless were removed

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, homeless, Orange, Orange County, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Chairman’s Homelessness Update: After Clearing the Riverbed, Orange County Invests in Long-Term Solutions for Homelessness

Santa Ana, Calif. (March 2, 2018) – Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairman Andrew Do provides the sixth edition of his weekly update on the continuous and consistent progress in addressing homelessness.

SANTA ANA RIVERBED: BEFORE AND AFTER

The County delivered on its promise to motel-shelter all those living on the riverbed. Here is an aerial view of the riverbed before and after sheltering over 700 homeless individuals: Continue reading→

The OC Sheriff will enforce trespass laws on the Santa Ana River Trail as of today

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Crime, homeless, OC Sheriff, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OCSD to enforce trespass laws following the voluntary transition of homeless individuals encamped along the Santa Ana River Trail

SANTA ANA, Ca. (Feb. 26, 2018) – As of 2 p.m. today, all individuals encamped along the Santa Ana River Trail in the project area between Ball Road in the city of Anaheim and Memory Lane in the city of Orange have voluntarily complied with the request to relocate. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will now actively enforce state trespass laws and will maintain high visibility patrols in the area. Continue reading→

Over 4,000 needles and more than 115.94 tons of waste were removed from the Santa Ana River Trail

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, homeless, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Supervisor Todd Spitzer returned to the Santa Ana River Trail (SART) on February 20 to hand out warm breakfast sandwiches he purchased as County employees worked to connect individuals with services.

Judge David O. Carter held a hearing in the field at the Santa Ana River Trail and lifted the temporary restraining order, allowing the County to resume removing the homeless population from the Santa Ana River Trail and continue the necessary environmental remediation project.

There are two exit doors, a) accept temporary shelter, assessment, and County services, or b) continue in the spiral of aimless existence and be removed from the river trail. Continue reading→

Orange County pays to house 477 homeless transients at local motels

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Crime, homeless, Orange County, Santa Ana 1 Comment

County Connects 477 Individuals Encamped on the Santa Ana Riverbed with Motels Stays, Shelter

Santa Ana, Calif. (February 21, 2018) — Delivering on its promise, the County of Orange and its contracted non-profit, CityNet, have connected 477 encamped individuals with motel stays and shelter since February 14, 2018.

Yesterday alone, which was the first day the Temporary Restraining Order was lifted by U.S. District Court Judge David O. Carter, Orange County Health Care Agency provided 180 homeless residents in the Santa Ana Riverbed with housing in motels throughout the County. These homeless residents also receive transportation services as well food vouchers for the duration of their motel stay. Continue reading→

Santa Claus is coming to town for the 25th annual OCTA Stuff-A-Bus

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Charities, OCTA Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 4, 2017

Santa Claus is Coming to Town for 25th Annual Stuff-A-Bus

The yearly event brings people together to help collect toys for local kids in need during the holidays

ORANGE – Those looking to make Santa’s nice list this year can do so by donating toys at the 25th annual Stuff-A-Bus event on Friday, Dec. 15 at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

The public is encouraged to bring new, unwrapped toys or sporting equipment to the Honda Center west parking lot at 2695 E. Katella Ave. in Anaheim from 4:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Toys will be distributed to children in need throughout the community. Continue reading→

Three suspects arrested for possession of narcotics, weapons, and a stolen scooter in Costa Mesa

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Crime, Drugs Leave a comment

Costa Mesa Police Department

Advisory: Anonymous tip lead CMPD to suspects in possession of narcotics, weapons, and stolen scooter from Costa Mesa

Incident/DR#:17-15008

COSTA MESA, Calif. – The Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) arrested three people for unlawful possession of narcotics, weapons, and a stolen scooter, after receiving an anonymous narcotics tip.

Prior to Nov. 10, 2017, CMPD detectives received an anonymous tip about unlawful possession of narcotics. Continue reading→

Music producer gets 10 years in prison for pimping and pandering women in Orange County and L.A.

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Crime, OCDA, Orange County 1 Comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 8, 2017

Case # 17CF0684

MUSIC PRODUCER SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR PIMPING AND PANDERING FOUR WOMEN IN ORANGE COUNTY AND LOS ANGELES

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A music producer was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in state prison for pimping and pandering four women in Orange County and Los Angeles.

Defendant: Brandon Christopher Ramsay, 25, Granada Hills (AKA “Ramsay Tha Great”)

Pleaded guilty on Nov. 7, 2017, to: Continue reading→

Avoid outdoor exercise due to the Canyon 2 fire in Anaheim

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Environment, Fires, Santa Ana Leave a comment

SCAQMD Continues Smoke Advisory for Canyon 2 Fire

This advisory is in effect today, Tuesday, Oct. 10, through Wednesday morning, Oct. 11.

SCAQMD will issue an update if additional information becomes available.

A brush fire, named the Canyon Fire 2, is burning in Orange County near Gypsum Canyon, Anaheim Hills and towards the cities of Tustin and Orange. The burn area is reported to be 7,500 acres this morning, with 5 percent containment. Smoke is currently heavy in the vicinity. Breezy winds from the east will transition to a sea breeze from the southwest starting around 11 a.m. Smoke and ash impacts will be greatest in the vicinity of the fire and downwind into portions of Orange County this morning and likely into Riverside County this afternoon, depending on evolving fire conditions. Air quality may
reach Unhealthy levels or higher in areas directly impacted by smoke.

Areas of direct smoke impacts and Unhealthy air quality include portions of: Continue reading→

Man heads to jail after pretending to be a fire marshal and ripping off local O.C. businesses

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

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

Case # 16NF2636

Date: September 18, 2017

MAN SENTENCED TO 6 MONTHS IN JAIL FOR POSING AS FIRE MARSHAL AND CHARGING SMALL BUSINESSES FOR FRAUDULENT INSPECTIONS

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man was sentenced to six months in jail for posing as a fire marshal and charging small businesses across Orange County for fraudulent inspections.

Defendant: Brian Lee Carsten, 37, Newport Beach

Pleaded guilty on Sept. 15, 2017, to the following counts: Continue reading→

Security guard who pretended to be a cop and raped a woman heading to prison for 24 years

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Crime, Santa Ana, Westminster Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Case # 15NF3329

Date: July 26, 2017

FORMER SECURITY GUARD SENTENCED TO 24 YEARS IN PRISON FOR POSING AS POLICE OFFICER AND FORCIBLY RAPING HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIM

*Incident captured on GoPro camera

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A former security guard pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 24 years in state prison yesterday for posing as a police officer and forcibly raping a human trafficking victim.

Defendant: Raul Antonio Ramos, 28, Westminster

Pleaded guilty on July 25, 2017, to one felony count each of: Continue reading→

Trump picked a 19-year old realtor to decide who gets drafted in Orange County

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Federal Government, Military, Politics, Republican Party Leave a comment

Mark Vladimir Prizmic, a 19-year-old Realtor from Anaheim, California, was recently appointed by president Trump to serve as the new board member of the Orange County Selective Service System (SSS) Board.

According to the official site of the United States Government: Selective Service System, the mission statement of the SSS is “to furnish manpower to the Defense Department during a national emergency, to manage alternative service for men classified as conscientious objectors, and to register, with only a few exceptions, all male U.S. citizens and male immigrants residing in the United States who are ages 18 through 25…”. Continue reading→

Santa Ana man charged with stabbing and trying to murder four Anaheim residents on the 4th of July

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

Gino Liam Fuentes, a 20-year-old Santa Ana man, was charged on Thursday, July 6, with four counts of attempted murder for allegedly going on a Fourth of July stabbing rampage, injuring four family members, before being subdued by a Good Samaritan, according to the O.C. Register.

Fuentes could be looking at a mandatory life sentence if convicted as he is facing a sentence-enhancing allegation of premeditated attempted murder. He is also charged with inflicting injury on an elder adult and criminal threats, both felonies, and additional sentence-enhancing allegations of the personal use of a deadly weapon and inflicting great bodily injury. Fuentes is set to be arraigned on July 21.  Continue reading→

The SAPD is looking for an armed and dangerous kidnapping, robbery and carjacking suspect

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

Pedro Vazquez Espinoza

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Detectives Request Assistance In Locating Armed and Dangerous Suspect For Kidnapping/Robbery/Carjacking

On 6/10/2017, Suspects Pedro Vazquez Espinoza and Graciela Campos (currently in custody for this crime) committed an armed kidnap for robbery. Both suspects ordered the victim to drive them to Anaheim, where they then carjacked her vehicle and fled.

Campos was later arrested in the victim’s vehicle with one of the two firearms used in the original crime. Suspect Vazquez Espinoza is believed to still be armed and dangerous. There is currently a $200,000.00 warrant out for his arrest in this case. Continue reading→

O.C. man who posed as a police officer facing several felony charges including kidnapping

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

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

Case # 17NF1372

Date: June 9, 2017

OCDA SEEKING PUBLIC’S HELP IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL VICTIMS OF MAN CHARGED WITH POSING AS POLICE OFFICER AND KIDNAPPING VICTIM TO COMMIT SEX OFFENSE

SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) is seeking the public’s help identifying potential additional victims of a man who is scheduled to be arraigned today for posing as a police officer and kidnapping a woman to commit a sex offense.

Defendant: Sean Michael Vasquez, 35, Los Alamitos

Charged today in an amended complaint with the following counts: Continue reading→

Death penalty conviction of former Marine who raped and killed six O.C. women upheld

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Crime, Orange County, Tustin Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Case # 96F00267

SUPREME COURT AFFIRMS DEATH PENALTY VERDICT FOR 1970s SERIAL RAPIST AND MURDERER DUBBED THE “BEDROOM BASHER”

SANTA ANA, Calif.— The California Supreme Court affirmed yesterday the death penalty verdict for the “Bedroom Basher,” a serial rapist and murderer who committed a string of home invasion rape-murders in Orange County in the late 1970s. This affirmation followed the defendant’s automatic death penalty appeal.

In October 1998, Gerald Parker, a former Marine, was convicted by a jury of the first degree murders of Sandy Fry, Kimberly Rawlins, Marolyn Carleton, Chantal Green, Debora Kennedy, and Debora Senior, with the special circumstances enhancements for committing multiple murders and murder during the attempted commission or commission of a rape and burglary. Continue reading→