Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Business

Is the O.C. Register’s employee bonus an illusion?

Posted on by Posted in Business, Jobs, Labor, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The O.C. Register has had a tough time over the past few years.  They remain one of Santa Ana’s largest employers, but we are told that their employees had to take a 5% pay cut.

Now their executive editor, Ken Brusic, has promised a bonus of “$1,377 for every full time associate, and half that for part time workers,” according to the L.A. Observed blog.

Brusic claims the money is “courtesy of the company’s Pay for Performance program. It is the 4th quarter payout, recognizing the company’s strong efforts in achieving its 2009 financial goals.”

So what is wrong with that?  Apparently many O.C. Register employees haven’t a clue about the supposed bonuses!  And those that have heard about it are wondering why the O.C. Register won’t just restore their pay to what it used to be. Continue reading→

Senator Correa is tops on small business issues, according to the NFIB

Posted on by Posted in Business, california, Lou Correa, Santa Ana Leave a comment

State Senator Lou Correa, at the grand opening of Lee’s Sandwiches, in Santa Ana

“State Senator Lou Correa was ranked the top Democrat in Sacramento, in matters pertaining to small business, by the National Federation of Independent Businesses released its annual scorecard this week, awarding 100 percent scores to 35 members,” according to the Sacramento Bee.

Scores were based on votes on 11 pieces of proposed legislation. Click here to view the full scorecard. Continue reading→

Santa Ana’s Twin Towers are now available for rent!

Posted on by Posted in Business, Development, Real Estate, Redevelopment, Santa Ana Leave a comment

A few years back there was much ballyhoo about the fact that so called high-rise condominium buildings were going up in Orange County. Advertisements pictured happy couples enjoying the “good life” from their condo with a view, watching the sunset from their balcony while sipping wine. It all looked so glamorous.

One such project is in south Santa Ana, near the intersection of MacArthur Boulevard and Main Street. The twin towers of this residential project are clearly visible from the 55 freeway. The developers and city fathers had touted this project as a boone for Santa Ana and destined to succeed. Images of wealthy condo owners moving into Santa Ana sparked hope of a boom in this part of town.

Then the housing bubble burst.

Click here to read the rest of this post.

The New Santa Ana blog is a huge success after six months

Posted on by Posted in Blogs, Business, Santa Ana Leave a comment

I started the New Santa Ana blog last year, on September 1.  Through December we averaged less than two hundred visits a day.  But the new year has seen a huge increase in our readership.  We are now averaging closer to 300 visits a day,and over six thousand visits a month, as you can see in the graphic above, according to Sitemeter.  Most blogs our size average only 140 visits a day, according to Google Analytics.

Blogs take time to develop an audience.  We are lucky that we have a very popular sister blog, the Orange Juice, that has helped us build our audience.  The Orange Juice is one of the top-rated political blogs in California.  It was also the very first political blog here in Orange County.  I started the Orange Juice in July, 2003 –  back then we got less than 100 visits a day.  Today the Orange Juice averages over 45,000 visitors a month!

We have added a lot of bloggers to our team here at the New Santa Ana blog, but there is always room for more.  If you work with a non-profit or community organization, we want you on our team!  That way you can post about the great things your non-profit or community organization is up to, here in Santa Ana.  Click here to contact me if you are interested. Continue reading→

Santa Ana is the fourth most expensive city in the O.C. to do business in

Posted on by Posted in Business, Civic Affairs, Miguel Pulido, Santa Ana 1 Comment

In 2008, Santa Ana was found to be the third most expensive Orange County cities to do business in, “according to the 14th annual Cost of Doing Business Survey from the Rose Institute of State & Local Government at Claremont McKenna College and Kosmont Companies in Los Angeles,” as published in the O.C. Register.

In 2009, the same study found that Santa Ana was the fourth most expensive city in Orange County, to do business in.  Click here to read that article in the O.C. Register.

Santa Ana also has some of the highest property taxes in the O.C. due to the passage of numerous SAUSD and Rancho Santiago Community College District bond measures.  A large chunk of the college bond was used to build a training academy for O.C. Sheriffs that we just didn’t need – our County is ringed by similar academies that are easily within thirty minutes of Orange County.

Isn’t it interesting that some of the BEST cities in Orange County charge the LEAST for business licenses?  Irvine, Tustin, Yorba Linda and Costa Mesa all rank amongst the cities with the LOWEST business costs.  Even Newport Beach has a much lower cost than Santa Ana.  Continue reading→

Xerox appoints Dave Pritts Region Vice President for greater Orange County region

Posted on by Posted in Business Leave a comment

Dave Pritts

Photo: Dave Pritts, Region Vice President, Xerox, Greater Orange County Region

News from Xerox

For Immediate Release

Xerox Appoints Dave Pritts Region Vice President for Greater Orange County Region

SANTA ANA, Calif., Jan. 22, 2010 – Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX) has appointed Dave Pritts region vice president, Greater Orange County region. This region includes Orange County, Inland Empire and southern/eastern areas of Los Angeles County.

Pritts and his team are responsible for delivering business results through the sales and marketing of Xerox’s complete portfolio of offerings – including office systems, production printing systems and global services – throughout the region. Continue reading→

Valentine’s Day dining and events in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Business, music, Restaurants, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Vintage Valentine's Day at the Santa Ana Historical Society

Click here to read about the 2011 Valentine’s Day Restaurant Specials, in Santa Ana.

You can spend a vintage Valentine’s Day with the Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society

Are you trying to figure out what to do this Valentine’s Day? There is a lot going on in Santa Ana. Here are just a few of your choices:

Santa Ana Historical Society. Bring your sweetheart to a special celebration of Valentine’s Day at the Dr Willella Howe-Waffle house on Saturday, February 6 from noon to 4:00. Included with your tour of this 1889 Victorian gem is a display of exquisite vintage valentines, delicious tea and valentine sweets, and a reproduction of a vintage valentine card to take home.  Learn about the history of Valentine’s Day, and as a special treat, enjoy a performance by “Marryin’ Judge” Cox (actor John Erratt), who enlightens us about law and love in Santa Ana of the early 1900s. Adults $5, Seniors and Members $4, Students K-12 $3.

Timeless Melodies, at the Bowers Museum.  Special Valentine’s Day music and lecture program presented by Larry Maurer, educator and music historian. Fee: Members $7 / General $10.  Feb. 18, at 1:30 pm.  Click here for more info.

O.C. Clerk Recorder’s Office.  Want to get married?  Couples planning Valentine’s Day vows won’t have to trek to Las Vegas this year to tie the knot. To accommodate couples, Orange County Clerk-Recorder Tom Daly will open his Fullerton office for wedding ceremonies on Valentine’s Day even though it falls on a Sunday when the office normally is closed.

Santa Ana Zoo.  Give your sweetheart the Santa Ana Zoo Valentine’s Day Family Membership Gift Bag this year! Contains a full 1 yr. Family membership, SAZOO monkey plush and lots more! On Sale now through Valentine’s Day.  Click here for more info.

And here are the best dining and entertainment choices for Valentine’s Day, in and around Santa Ana: Continue reading→

McCormick & Schmick’s announces their Valentine’s Day menu

Posted on by Posted in Business, Restaurants, Santa Ana Leave a comment

McCormick's and Schmick's Valentines Day Meal

Click here to read about the 2011 Valentine’s Day Restaurant Specials, in Santa Ana.

McCormick & Schmick’s has announced their Valentine’s Day menu – and it looks like a great deal.  For $29.95 you get your choice of soup or mixed salad; filet mignon or lobster tail; and a crab cake or grilled fillet of salmon, or skewers of shrimp, plus seasonal vegetables.

The special will be good for the entire weekend, from February 12 to 14. Continue reading→

City of Santa Ana plans a high-rise district near the train station

Posted on by Posted in Business, Civic Affairs, Miguel Pulido, Real Estate, Redevelopment, Santa Ana 5 Comments

Santa Ana Transit Zone


There are big changes planned for the City of Santa Ana.  City officials recently debuted their plans for the “Transit Zone” which was formerly called the Renaissance Plan area.

“The new development rules at the heart of the city’s proposal would clear the way for more than 4,000 new homes and some 387,000 new square feet of shops and eateries. It would create a new high-rise district near the train station, with towers as tall as 25 stories,” according to the O.C. Register.

Guy Ball, a Santa Ana historian, commented about this plan thusly, on the Register’s website: Continue reading→

The County of Orange appears to be negotiating to move into One Broadway Plaza

Posted on by Posted in Business, Civic Affairs, Development, Janet Nguyen, Neighborhood Associations, Orange County, Real Estate, Redevelopment, Santa Ana 8 Comments

One Broadway Plaza

One Broadway Plaza has surfaced on today’s County agenda under a supplemental portion. It appears the County of Orange is negotiating (or considering such) with developer Mike Harrah regarding One Broadway Plaza, or OBP. 

The City of Santa Ana put OBP on the ballot a few years ago after residents complained about what was supposed to be the biggest office tower in Orange County, at 500 feet, going up right in our downtown area.  The voters passed the measure, but the tower was never built.

OBP is supposed to be built 4 blocks west of French Park amid the several charter schools around Tenth and Broadway.  The French Park Neighborhood remains deeply concerned about traffic and the lack of requirements on the project to mitigate such.

Local resident and community activist Jeff DIckman is asking residents to “consider contacting your Supervisor, in this case Janet Nguyen of the First District (or all if you like), to express your opinion.”  She can be emailed: janet.nguyen@ocgov.com.  Nguyen is also the Chairman of the Board. Continue reading→

Greater Santa Ana Business Alliance confirms that Mike Metzler is retiring

Posted on by Posted in Business, Orange, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Mike Metzler

We reported in December of last year that Mike Metzler, the President of the organization that used to be known as the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce, has ben asked to retire, by his board of directors.  Now the Greater Santa Ana Business Alliance has confirmed, in an undated press release on their website, that Metzler is indeed stepping down.

Here is an excerpt from the press release:

The longtime Santa Ana resident, recognized throughout California and by national business and trade associations as a visionary and transformative leader in his industry, has chosen to retire from the Business Alliance effective January 10. He will serve an additional six months as a special consultant to facilitate an orderly transition for the organization.

Perhaps now the Greater Santa Ana Business Alliance can go back to being the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce.  Continue reading→

City of Santa Ana offers free business seminar on Jan. 28

Posted on by Posted in Business, Civic Affairs, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa ana 100 days

Press Release, For Immediate Release

Santa Ana Offers Action Plan to Help Businesses Cope With Economy, Changing Markets

SANTA ANA, Calif., Jan. 19, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The City of Santa Ana wants to make sure new and existing businesses not only survive during this tough economy, but thrive and prosper.

In an unprecedented/pioneering two-hour seminar, the city and its partners will provide Santa Ana businesses the strategies and resources to remain competitive and succeed in a tough business environment.

Advice in these demanding times is easy to come by, but the City of Santa Ana and facilitator OPIS Network have developed a program that provides not only a blueprint for success but the tools to implement these business-changing steps. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Business Bank sold to a bank holding company in Los Angeles

Posted on by Posted in Banking, Business, Civic Affairs, Santa Ana 4 Comments

The Directors of the Santa Ana Business Bank will now have more time on their hands for other activities

The Santa Ana Business Bank celebrated their grand opening on Nov. 29, 2007.  Yesterday, the O.C. Register reported that “Santa Ana Business Bank will be acquired by Grandpoint Capital Inc., a bank holding company in Los Angeles, for an estimated $6 million.”

The idea behind this bank was positive, but from the start the bank was mired in controversy.  And local blogs questioned whether the bank’s directors had chosen a good time to open their enterprise.

By 2008, the U.S. economy was crashing, and money to lend became hard to come by.  And local businesses weren’t looking for cash.  Many were looking for the exit.  And the Santa Ana Business Bank shares dropped from $10 to $4.40, according to online reports.  Currently they are valued at $3.50, according to NASDAQ.

It didn’t help that there were reports that the bank’s president had a chauffered Escalade.  And that the main investor in the bank, George Pla, had apparent conflicts of interest given that a Santa Ana Councilman, Carlos Bustamante, was on the bank’s board, as were several Santa Ana City Commissioners.  Continue reading→

Santa Ana is the place to be on New Year’s Eve

Posted on by Posted in Business, Entertainment, Orange County, Restaurants, Santa Ana Leave a comment

New Years at Geisha House in Santa Ana

Many of Santa Ana’s finest restaurants and organizations have announced their plans for New Year’s Eve.  Don’t wait too long to RSVP!

Let’s start with a look at what Geisha House will be offering on New Year’s Eve.  Geisha House is located at the CityPlace, in north Santa Ana, across from the MainPlace Mall.  For $250 you will get four tickets, including 3 mixers, an appetizer, four different sushi rolls, Edamame and an entire bottle of Absolut Vodka.  Geisha House will offer two other specials on New Year’s Eve, as per the graphic above.  To order a bottle package, contact Kevin McVearry. Continue reading→

Conference for Latino Entrepreneurs coming to Santa Ana on Jan. 30

Posted on by Posted in Business, Education, Latinos, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Conferencia Empresarios Latinos

The Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the Small Business Administration (SBA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Orange County Board of Equalization (BOE), consulates of Mexico, El Salvador and Colombia, and various private enterprises engaged with the proper development of Hispanic businesses in Southern California invite you to attend the Latino Business Entrepreneurs Conference on January 30, 2010 from 8 am to 4 pm.  The conference will be held at Santa Ana’s Valley High School, which is located at 1801 S. Greenville St. 

The main objective of this conference is to benefit the Hispanic entrepreneur through workshops including Starting a Business, Improving an Established Business, and Having a Successful Entrepreneurial Attitude. These seminars will be taught by experts in various fields such as taxes, finance, licenses, insurance, marketing, advertising, planning, personal development, etc..

This is a FREE conference.  Click here to register.  Be advised that this conference will be offered in Spanish only. Continue reading→