Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Michele Martinez

Why did Santa Ana Occupy fail to support affordable housing last night?

Posted on by Posted in Affordable Housing, Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Development, Michele Martinez, Orange County, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 56 Comments

Why should Santa Ana Occupy care about affordable housing?  

Their leader is a wealthy lawyer who lives in Brea!

About 40 members of Santa Ana Occupy showed up at Santa Ana’s City Council last night.  Thanks to them the meeting went on until midnight.  In the end the City Council rejected their demand to camp out at night on city property.

That much you know by now – but did you know that the Occupy members also completely failed last night – when they were given an opportunity to help the “99%?”

That’s right.  The City Council finally voted on an ordinance that would force developers to include affordable housing in their residential developments. Continue reading→

Updated: Santa Ana Council rejects Occupy camping bid

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Orange County, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 22 Comments

This guy says he is almost homeless…

UPDATE: The Santa Ana City Council rejected Santa Ana Occupy’s request to camp out in Downtown Santa Ana, according to O.C. Register reporter Andrew Galvin, who commented on his Facebook page.  The Council meeting lasted until midnight but turned out to be an epic fail for Santa Ana Occupy, as we predicted earlier.

The Santa Ana City Council just got underway a few minutes ago.  The Council Members are still giving away various awards and commendations.  It could be awhile before Occupy Santa Ana gets to argue that the City should allow them to camp out at night…

I will be watching the meeting from home and you are invited to comment as the meeting unfolds.

Click here to watch the meeting online, live. Continue reading→

Update: Santa Ana Occupy’s camping bid is D.O.A.

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Civil Rights, Crime, David Benavides, Drugs, Michele Martinez, Orange County, Politics, Public Safety, Santa Ana 47 Comments

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UPDATE: Barely over 20 Occupy protesters marched at the Santa Ana Art Walk on Saturday, according to the OC Weekly.  Obviously this is a very small movement…no doubt our Santa Ana City Council will take that into account on Monday night.

“Santa Ana’s City Council on Monday will undertake a discussion of the city’s no-camping ordinances in response to the Occupy OC movement’s wish to establish a long-term presence in the Civic Center,” according to the O.C. Register.

Santa Ana Council Members David Benavides and Michele Martinez put the 85B item on the agenda – forcing the rest of the City Council to consider allowing the Occupy movement to camp out overnight in Downtown Santa Ana.

Is this a good idea?  Well, consider what has happened in other communities that have allowed their city centers to be overrun at night by Occupy protesters: Continue reading→

A Daly primary win will hurt Obama, with less Latino voters in the general

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Anaheim, Democratic Party, Elections, Jose Solorio, Latinos, Loretta Sanchez, Michele Martinez, Politics, Santa Ana 22 Comments

There are already so many good reasons not to support O.C. Clerk Recorder Tom Daly’s pending campaign for the 69th Assembly District.  While he has not formally announced his campaign, Daly did hold a fundraiser, in Santa Ana, this week.

The 69th Assembly District is currently held by Jose Solorio.  The two other candidates for the Latino majority district are Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez and first time candidate Julio Perez, a labor consultant.

“Obama needs both an overwhelming edge among Latino voters and a heavy turnout,” according to the L.A. Times.  It is not likely however that Latino voters in the 69th will be going to the polls in November, 2012, if Daly is the Democratic nominee for the 69th.   Continue reading→

Tom Daly is a threat to Latinos in the 69th Assembly District

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Anaheim, Civil Rights, Democratic Party, Elections, homeless, Latinos, Michele Martinez, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana, Tom Daly 10 Comments

O.C. Clerk-Recorder Tom Daly held a fundraiser last night, at Original Mike’s in Santa Ana, although he is still being coy as to whether or not he will actually run for the 69th Assembly District, which has a distinctly Latino voter base.

Daly trotted out Santa Ana bookstore owner Rueben Martinez, who told the few people that were there that “Daly was good to Latinos when he was mayor of Anaheim, appointing many to prominent commissions,” according to the Voice of OC .

That is actually not true.  Martinez is either lying or misinformed. Continue reading→

Never mind Umberg, is Daly the new Jim Prince?

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Anaheim, Democratic Party, Elections, Loretta Sanchez, Michele Martinez, Politics, Santa Ana, Tom Daly 8 Comments

Orange County Clerk-Recorder Tom Daly has inexplicably decided to run for the 69th Assembly District – the only Orange County Assembly seat the Democrats have a shot at – and the only such seat that has a Latino edge in voters.

As one might expect, the usual blue hacks are lining up behind Daly – and are scoffing at the campaign of Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez.  This is not however the first time that Orange County’s Democrats have lined up behind the wrong, white, candidate.

Consider that way back in 1996, the Democratic Party of Orange County (DPOC) endorsed a real estate developer named James M. Prince for the 46th Congressional District.  The Democrats had correctly figured that the Republican incumbent, Bob Dornan, was vulnerable.  But they bet on the wrong candidate. Continue reading→

Who is Tom Daly?

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Anaheim, Democratic Party, Elections, Jose Solorio, Julio Perez, Michele Martinez, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana, Shawn Nelson, Tom Daly 3 Comments

I first asked the question, “Who is Tom Daly,” back in March of 2009, on the Orange Juice blog.  Now that Daly is running for the 69th Assembly District, where Jose Solorio is terming out next year, it is time once again to ponder just who this political hack is.

As you may recall, Daly ran to replace Chris Norby on the O.C. Board of Supervisors back in 2009.  But then he got cold feet and pulled out – but only after he held a couple of fundraisers and padded his campaign account.

What do we really know about Daly in the first place?  I tried looking him up online and found little information.  But here is what I did find: Continue reading→

Martinez for Assembly campaign fundraiser on Oct. 13 at Karmina Restaurant

Posted on by Posted in Democratic Party, Entertainment, Jose Solorio, Latinos, Michele Martinez, Politics 6 Comments

Adolf Lopez, Edgar Sebastian Vazquez, Jesus Rodriguez, Sergio Buenrostro, Manauel Quintana, Abel Torres, Jose Antonio Meza, Hector Pineda, Raul Yanes, Humberto Murillo, Jesse Murillo, Art Rosiles, Manuel Las Vegas, Florencio Ramos, Felipe Sosa, Jose Zamora, Tony Tejeda, Comite Civico Mexicano, Tres Estrellas de Oro invite you to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Councilwoman Michele Martinez, Candidate for 69th Assembly District.

Thursday, October 13, 2011 @ 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., at Karmina Restaurant and Grill located at 515 N. Main Street, in Santa Ana.  (Arcade Restaurants Building and parking is in the back). Continue reading→

Could Tom Daly end up becoming the new Tom Umberg?

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Anaheim, Claudia Alvarez, Democratic Party, Elections, Janet Nguyen, Jose Solorio, Julio Perez, Latinos, Lou Correa, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana 12 Comments

Will Tom Daly become the new Tom Umberg?  (And who knew these two had so much in common!)

Brea blogger Greg Diamond offered a breakdown of the electorate in the redistricted 69th Assembly District today, in a comment he posted here on NSA.  Here is his comment, followed by my own analysis:

Population of AD-69: 465,317.  Population of Santa Ana: 324,528.  So you might think so — but you’d probably be wrong.

Here are the results for the Santa Ana Mayor’s race in 2010: Continue reading→

Will Solorio endorse Daly for a job at the Clerk-Recorder’s office?

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Democratic Party, Elections, Jose Solorio, Michele Martinez, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana 7 Comments

It looks like Orange County Clerk-Recorder Tom Daly will be holding a fundraiser on Oct. 19, at Original Mike’s in Santa Ana.  He is expected to announce his campaign for the 69th Assembly District at this event.

I am also hearing that Assemblyman Jose Solorio will be endorsing Daly at this event – even though he has also endorsed the leading candidate to replace him, Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez.

Why would Solorio undermine the value of his endorsement, such as it is, by endorsing two candidates?  Simple.  He is angling for a job. Continue reading→

Councilwoman Martinez asks why not study outsourcing the SAPD?

Posted on by Posted in Business, california, Michele Martinez, Politics, Public Safety, Santa Ana 14 Comments

Santa Ana Council Member Michele Martinez did a very brave thing at tonight’s Santa Ana City Council meeting.  At the end of the meeting, during public comments, she spoke up and asked the question that has been on everyone’s minds – why isn’t the City of Santa Ana looking at outsourcing the Santa Ana Police Department?

The City of Santa Ana is looking at a minimum $30 million dollar annual deficit.  Of that, $25 million is paying for retirement funds for public employees.  And about half of the city’s general fund is spent on our police department! Continue reading→

Council Member Martinez to honor Chris Leo at Council meeting on 10/3

Posted on by Posted in Health and Medical, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana, Youth Activities 11 Comments

Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez, The leading candidate for the 69th Assembly District, is issuing a Proclamation at this Monday’s City Council Meeting, to Chris Leo, the Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at St. Joseph Hospital, recognizing his support for Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.

Leo formerly served as the Chief of Staff for Lou Correa when he was both a Supervisor and an Assemblyman.  Leo has degrees from the Georgetown University Law Center, Gonzaga University School of Law, and the University of California, Los Angeles. Continue reading→

Team Pulido and Solorio publicly endorse Michele Martinez at her fundraiser

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Alfredo Amezcua, Carlos Bustamante, Democratic Party, Elections, Jose Solorio, Michele Martinez, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 43 Comments

When OC Labor Political wannabe Julio (Wholio?) Perez held his fundraiser this month it turned into a reunion of the sad sacks who failed to elect Alfredo Amezcua last year, when he got thoroughly trounced by Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido.  In stunning contrast tonight, Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez was ringed by the entire Pulido political machine – including Assemblyman Jose Solorio, who enthusiastically endorsed Martinez.  So what do you think?  Will the failed Team Amezcua beat Team Pulido?  LOL!  Not in our lifetime…

Martinez and her supporters met at Chapter One: the Modern Local, a newish restaurant over on Broadway and 3rd.  Santa Ana Council Members David Benavides, Vince Sarmiento, and Sal Tinajero showed up to publicly announce their support for Martinez – and so did several Santa Ana Planning Commissioners, including Eric Alderete, Sean Mill and Mario Turner. Continue reading→

Michele Martinez to keynote at Career College of California’s graduation on 9/23

Posted on by Posted in Education, Entertainment, Jobs, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana 4 Comments

For Immediate Release

For additional information: Kayla Caceres, Director of Communications, Career College of California, 714-243-8635 

COUNCILWOMAN MICHELE MARTINEZ TO GIVE KEYNOTE SPEECH AT CAREER COLLEGE OF CALIFORNIA GRADUATION ON SEPT. 23RD

More Than 300 Guests Will Celebrate at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana 

Career College of California, based in historic downtown Santa Ana, is holding its Fall 2011 graduation ceremony at the Bowers Museum at 6:30 pm on Friday, September 23.  Councilwoman Michele Martinez will be the keynote speaker.  More than 80% of Friday’s graduates have already started new careers in their field of study.  Continue reading→

Michele Martinez to deliver keynote speech at Everest College graduation

Posted on by Posted in Education, Health and Medical, Jobs, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana Leave a comment

On Sept. 21, Everest College Santa Ana will hold its first graduation ceremony at the Grove in Santa Ana at 6 p.m.

Santa Ana City Councilman Michele Martinez will be the keynote speaker.  Martinez, a candidate for the 69th Assembly District seat, will address the more than 100 students graduating with diplomas in medical assisting, medical admin assisting, pharmacy tech, massage therapy, medical insurance billing and coding. Continue reading→