Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Civic Affairs

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→

Councilwoman Michele Martinez seeking support for 3rd Nutrition and Fitness Fair

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Health and Medical, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Santa Ana Nutrition Fitness Fair

Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez is working on her 3rd Nutrition and Fitness Fair.  You can see the flier for the 2nd Fair, which took place in 2008, in the graphic above.

Martinez is asking those who “have any ideas” to please email her at councilwomanmartinez@gmail.com.

Martinez is also looking for organizations that might be interested in participating, or wanting to volunteer. Continue reading→

City of Santa Ana seeks resident input regarding use of federal grant funds

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Federal Government, homeless, Housing, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Seniors, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Santa Ana City Logo

The City of Santa Ana is currently in the process of developing a new Consolidated Plan for the use of federal grant funds for the fiscal years 2010/11-2014/15.

The Consolidated Plan will be used to establish goals and spending priorities based upon the priority needs of Santa Ana’s low- to moderate- income residents for the following four U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG); HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME); Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG); and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA.)

The City of Santa Ana is looking for input from local residents “to gain a better perspective on the critical needs in the community,” according to an email sent out by Scott Kuttner, a District Manager in the City’s Community Development Agency.

Kuttner states that ” By participating in the Federal Funding Needs Survey, you will help shape the creation of this important planning document. The survey will be available on-line until January 15, 2010.”

Click here to take the City of Santa Ana’s survey. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Station District community meetings coming up on Jan. 14 and 21

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Development, Real Estate, Redevelopment, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Station District MapThe City of Santa Ana is presenting two community meetings this month regarding the “Station District” development, on January 14th and 21st at 6:30 p.m., at St. Joseph Church, in their Parish Hall.

The meetings are about improvements proposed for the Santa Ana neighborhood located between the train station and civic center.

Station District Goals and Objectives:

  • Global Vision for The Station District
  • Enhancing Public Spaces and Streets
  • Linking Neighborhoods & Business with Public Transit
  • Providing Local Retail Services
  • Incorporating High Quality Architecture
  • Providing a Variety of Housing Types: For-Rent & For-Sale Homes with a Range of Affordability Continue reading→

Trade in your old Christmas lights for free LED lights today

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

Christmas Light Exchange

Santa Ana residents can trade in two strings of their old Christmas lights today for 2 strings of multicolor or white new energy efficient LED lights, at the Santa Ana Corporate Yard, located at 215 S. Center. St., in Santa Ana.  Click here for a map to the Corporate Yard.

Call (714) 647-5022 or click here to see the flier provided by the City of Santa Ana.  Click here for the Spanish flier.

The yard will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Bring a copy of your Edison bill or your driver’s license to prove residence.  Supplies of the LED lights are first come, first serve.  The lights are free while supplies last. Continue reading→

O.C. Human Relations Commission seeks nominations for 39th Awards

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Civil Rights, Orange County Leave a comment

 

The Orange County Human Relations Commisison, which is based in Santa Ana, is seeking nominations for their 39th Annual Human Relations Awards.

The O.C. Human Relations Commission has been honoring law enforcement, schools and community members for their contributions to human relations in Orange County for 39 years.

Now they are inviting you to nominate individuals or groups who have made extraordinary contributions to Orange County in the area of human or civil rights. For example, people who:

  • Advocate for human and civil rights in the areas of health, education, immigration, labor, justice, housing, or employment.
  • Foster mutual understanding and respect among county residents.
  • Provide community dispute resolution or mediation services. Continue reading→

Will the ICE immigration raids in Santa Ana hurt the 2010 Census?

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Federal Government, immigration, Jose Solorio, Latinos, Loretta Sanchez, Lou Correa, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Census Immigrant Awareness Poster

How can the 2010 U.S. Census reach out to immigrants when ICE keeps raiding their communities?

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agency could not be conducting immigration raids in Santa Ana at a worst time.  Two such raids were spotted this weekend, and yet another today.

The 2010 U.S. Census is beginning in March, and will run throughout 2010.  In fact the Santa Ana office of the Census is opening this week, on January 7. 

In fact the City of Santa Ana is promoting the Census on their website.  Why?  Simple.  If we don’t accurately count everyone in our city, we will pay for it.  “The information the census collects helps to determine how more than $400 billion dollars of federal funding each year is spent on infrastructure and services,” according to the U.S. Census.

Simply put, we need everyone to participate in the Census – but these ICE raids are going to scare many residents in our city.  They won’t want to talk to the Census takers.  That is a disaster for Santa Ana! Continue reading→

Is the City of Santa Ana’s anti-graffiti ordinance working?

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Youth Activities 1 Comment

Graffiti at Park Santiago

Is the City of Santa Ana’s anti-grafitti ordinance working?  I walked from my house in the Park Santiago neighborhood this afternoon over to the Barnes and Noble bookstore on Main St., and you would not believe the amount of graffiti I saw en route!

The picture above shows some of this graffiti, over in Park Santiago, in the area that leads under Main St., to the Discovery Science Center.

It really does not seem like the new ordinance has done anything to stop our graffiti problem.

I predicted all along that it would fail.  Taggers are not afraid of jail time or fines.  And they do their work late at night or in the early morning when our Santa Ana Police Department is busy fighting other crimes. Continue reading→

This is the last week to see the Holiday Projection Project in Downtown Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Civic Affairs, Entertainment, music, Santa Ana Leave a comment

This Saturday, Dec. 26, is your last chance to see the groundbreaking Holiday Projection in Downtown Santa Ana, from 7 pm to 10 pm.

Downtown Incorporated invites you to experience a visual journey through imagination, distorted perception, and holiday ambiance. Using unique animation modules and multiple high-powered projectors the facade of the historic Spurgeon Building will be illuminated in a spectacle of seasonal inspired extreme light and shadow morphing the existing architecture. Motion Graphics Presented by Matik Musical Accompaniments.  Produced by Chris Alfaro and The Definiens.  Project Projection performances continue Thursday – Saturday evenings from 7-9pm through December 27th. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Councilman Sal Tinajero has cut his water usage by over 50%!

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Green, Santa Ana, Water 4 Comments

Sal Tinajero

Santa Ana Councilman Sal Tinajero is a champion at water conservation

The Santa Ana City Council is going to be revising landscaping codes this Monday, to include water efficient landscaping, at their last meeting this Monday evening, according to the City of Santa Ana’s website.

Many cities are allowing home owners to use alternative landscaping that wastes less water.

With that in mind, shocking news emerged over at the O.C. Register this weekend, as they published the amount of water used by local elected officials in Orange County.  It turns out many of these officials are big-time water wasters! Continue reading→

Artesia-Pilar presents La Posada this Friday, Dec. 11

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Civic Affairs, Housing, Latinos, mexico, Neighborhood Associations, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Las Posada

The Neighborhood Housing Services of Orange County, El Salvador Park and Recreational Center and the Artesia-Pilar Neighborhood Association cordially invite you to attend  La Posada, on Friday, December 11, 2009.  The event starts at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 8:00 p.m., at El Salvador Park and Recreational Center, located at 1825 W. Civic Center Drive.

The Posada procession will promptly begin at 6:00 p.m.  Local entertainment will follow.  Food for Sale will benefit the after-school Adventures Program and the Artesia Pilar Neighborhood Association.

Free Santa Ana Business Emergency Response class on Dec. 10

Posted on by Posted in Business, Civic Affairs, Education, Health and Medical, Public Safety, Santa Ana 3 Comments

H1N1 Business Preparation

The Santa Ana Police Foundation is offering a FREE Business Emergency Response Team (BERT) class this Thursday, Dec. 10, starting at 7:10 a.m., to 8:45 a.m. at Temple Beth Sholom, which is located at Tustin Ave. & Fairhaven, at 2625 N. Tustin Ave., in Santa Ana.

If your business is willing to host a future event please let the foundation know by clicking here. 

Also, please RSVP by clicking here.

Session one: “What do YOU need this year?”

Bill Cunningham will lead a working session to identify the specific training YOU need for YOUR business. We have a powerful outline of sessions available to us already, and this session will fill in the blanks with specifics as you describe them to us. CLICK HERE to see the sessions in place.

**Please sign up now** Continue reading→

Independent Santa Ana Latina running against Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Civic Affairs, Elections, Latinos, Loretta Sanchez, Santa Ana, Women 8 Comments

The GOP is so unpopular in Santa Ana that a Latina candidate who is challenging Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez is running as an independent, although her views appear to be somewhat Republican in nature. Her name is Cecilia “Ceci” Iglesias.

Iglesias has already found out that running for office can expose you to creepy attacks. A Liberal OC blogger ripped Iglesias today in a post over at the Liberal OC blog – and he actually published her home address. I don’t know that Iglesias has qualified as a candidate for Congress, but thanks to the Liberal OC, her address is now out there for all to see, and her family has been put at risk.

Memo to the LOC – Iglesias has a right to run for Congress. That does not give you the right to publish her home address. That is irresponsible and threatening. If anything happens to Iglesias, her family or her property the S.A.P.D. will be calling you! Continue reading→

Retired Santa Ana city workers often make over six figures a year!

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

Santa Ana City Logo

Who knew that working for the City of Santa Ana could make you a rich man?  The O.C. Register investigated what many of our local cities are paying to their retired city employees.

While most of us have a bankrupt Social Security program to look forward to in our retirement, public employees make a ton of money in retirement, based on their last salary paid.  It is common practices for city’s to spike their employee’s pensions by giving them a raise in their last year of employment.  This happens a lot in Santa Ana, in particular.

Is this one of the reasons that the City of Santa Ana has such a huge budget deficit?

Here is the list of Santa Ana retired employees who are making over six figures in their retirement: Continue reading→

Santa Ana’s dog barking ordinance needs to be revised

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Pets, Public Safety, Santa Ana 9 Comments

Squirrel attacks dog

Sometimes the squirrels fight back!

My dog really hates squirrels!  And this year we have had a lot of them in our neighborhood.

Today we received a letter from anonymous neighbor threatening to call the police because my dog barks.

How ridiculous.  My dog sleeps in the house at night.  He barks during the day, but usually only for about five minutes at a time.  When he sees a squirrel or when the other neighbor’s dogs are out.

I reviewed the City of Santa Ana’s dog barking ordinance and sure enough it does not the time of day or the duration of a dog barking.  Here is the letter I sent to the City Council Members asking them to review and revise their dog barking ordinance: Continue reading→