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Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Michele Martinez

The Santa Ana City Council explains why they think the homeless problem is the County’s fault

Posted on by Posted in Crime, homeless, Michele Martinez, Orange County, Politics, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 2 Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 1, 2016

CONTACT: Alma Flores, Communications Manager, City of Santa Ana (714) 647-5200, aflores@santa-ana.org

Mayor Pro Tem Sarmiento along with Councilmembers Martinez and Reyna Seek to Declare Public Health and Safety Crisis Related to Homelessness

Urging County of Orange to Open Former Transit Terminal for Homeless Services

Santa Ana, CA – Facing mounting public health and safety impacts in the Civic Center and throughout Santa Ana, Mayor Pro Tem Vicente Sarmiento, Councilwoman Michele Martinez and Councilmember Roman Reyna will bring forward a resolution before the Santa Ana City Council declaring a public health and safety crisis related to the large concentration of homeless and urging the County of Orange to take immediate action to provide services to the homeless at the Santa Ana Transit Terminal which the County owns and controls. The item will appear on the September 6th Council Agenda for consideration of the full City Council. The resolution also calls for a number of improvements to enhance public health and safety within the Civic Center and for the support of all Orange County cities to adopt a resolution encouraging action by the County of Orange. Continue reading→

Man shot and injured while standing in front of his residence on W. St. Gertrude

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Last night another attempt murder shooting occurred at 1401 West St. Gertrude, in Santa Ana. An adult male (27 years of age) was standing in front of his residence when a vehicle drove by and fired several times striking the victim.

Incredibly, the victim drove himself to a hospital where he was then transported to another hospital’s trauma center where he is currently listed in stable condition. Continue reading→

The Santa Ana City Council has declared Aug. 26 to be Women’s Equality Day

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento, Women Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community: Tomorrow, August 26th is “Women’s Equality Day”

The Santa Ana City Council has proclaimed August 26, 2016 as “Women’s Equality Day”. This day commemorates the U.S. Congress’ designation at the behest of Rep. Bella Abzug (D-NY), in 1971.

The date was selected to commemorate the 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. This was the culmination of a massive, peaceful civil rights movement by women that had its formal beginnings in 1848 at the world’s first women’s rights convention, in Seneca Falls, New York. Continue reading→

There was another shooting today near Birch Park and S.A. High School

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Early this morning at about 1 a.m., several 911 calls were made to the Santa Ana police department regarding a shooting at 400 South Birch.

Callers reported hearing several gunshots. A residence at 416 South Birch sustained a broken window and a vehicle also sustained a shattered windshield. Continue reading→

70-unit affordable workforce housing project breaks ground in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Affordable Housing, Civic Affairs, Development, Housing, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana

Community Alert: 70-Unit Affordable Workforce Housing Project Breaks Ground in Santa Ana

C&C Development and Orange Housing Development Corporation broke ground on their new affordable housing project in Santa Ana last week. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on August 4th for the Depot at Santiago, a 70-unit, workforce housing project.

Partners from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the County of Orange, the Kennedy Commission, and the City of Santa Ana, including Council Members Michele Martinez and David Benavides, participated in the groundbreaking ceremony. Continue reading→

Michele Martinez is hosting a First District campaign kickoff on July 28

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Andrew Do, Michele Martinez, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Santa Ana City Councilwoman Michele Martinez is hosting a kickoff to her campaign for the First Supervisorial District on July 28, 2016, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Chapter One: The Modern Local, located at 227 N. Broadway, in Downtown Santa Ana.

Campaign contribution amounts range from $125 to 1,900. RSVP to michelemartinezfundraiser@gmail.com. Continue reading→

SAPD Police Chief Rojas gets caught promoting Supervisor Do while in uniform

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Andrew Do, Carlos Rojas, Crime, David Cavazos, Garden Grove, Michele Martinez, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana 4 Comments

In yet another screw-up by SAPD Police Chief Carlos Rojas, he allowed himself to be included in a picture that featured him in his uniform on a political mailer promoting O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do (a Republican from Garden Grove). Never mind the fact that Do is running against one of Rojas’ bosses, Santa Ana City Councilwoman Michele Martinez, the fact is that it is a a violation of Government Code and Departmental Policies for our Police Chief to appear, in uniform, in a campaign mailer.

The matter was investigated at City Hall and while it was determined that Rojas was “unaware the picture was taken” and Rojas claimed that he did not give permission for the photo to be used by Do’s campaign.

How can our Police Chief be so clueless that he would not observe someone taking his picture in a crowded room during an important meeting?  Continue reading→

Gunshots fired in Santa Ana road rage incident on South Main Street

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Rojas, Crime, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana briefly turned into a scene from the Mad Max movie on Sunday, at 7:45 p.m., as two vehicles that were traveling north on South Main Street became involved in a road rage incident, according to the SAPD.

The suspect vehicle cut off the victim’s vehicle then proceeded to honk at the victim. The suspect, a male Latino, then pulled up next to the victim’s car and pointed a handgun at him. Continue reading→

The City Council is reportedly scheming to dump Cavazos if Martinez gets elected in Nov.

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Civic Affairs, David Benavides, David Cavazos, Janet Nguyen, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Phil Bacerra, Santa Ana 5 Comments

Apparently several Santa Ana City Council members are scheming to get rid of our overpaid City Manager, David Cavazos, if Santa Ana City Council Member Michele Martinez is successful in her campaign for the First Supervisorial District, in the upcoming November Primary Election, according to one of our City Hall pajaritos.

The plan, which appears to be the work of City Council Member David Benavides, is to convince the rest of the City Council to replace Martinez on the City Council, should she move on to the O.C. Board of Supervisors, with Planning Commissioner Phil Bacerra. He would then join Benavides and three other City Council Members, and Mayor Miguel Pulido, in voting to fire Cavazos. Continue reading→

Santa Ana’s City Manager wrongfully accused Council Member Martinez of sexual harassment

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, David Benavides, David Cavazos, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Santa Ana 1 Comment

The depravity of Santa Ana’s overpaid City Manager, David Cavazos, seemingly knows no end. A private investigation, by the law firm Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo, which was initiated after Mayor Miguel Pulido and Council Member Michele Martinez complained about Cavazos in an email to City Attorney Sonia Carvalho, on Sep. 27, found that Cavazos failed to disclose a romantic relationship with a Santa Ana employee until a year after the fact, and that his complaint of sexual harassment by Martinez was without merit, according to the O.C. Register.

While the investigative report did not indicate that Cavazos violated the city’s personnel policies, Pulido rightfully said that Cavazos’ behavior exposed the city to millions of dollars of potential liability. Pulido intends to continue to go after Cavazos, which we applaud.  Continue reading→

Martinez will face off against Supervisor Do in the November General Election

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Andrew Do, Democratic Party, Michele Martinez, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana City Councilwoman Michele Martinez advanced to the November General Election as she made the top two in the Primary Election in the First Supervisorial District, according to the O.C. Voter Registrar.

The incumbent Supervisor in the First District, Andrew Do, came in first place in the Primary Election with 20,730 votes. Martinez was right behind him with 20,530 votes. Do’s fellow Republican, Garden Grove City Councilman Phat Bui, was a distant third, with 11,026 votes. Continue reading→

Councilwoman Martinez appointed President of the So. Cal. Assn. of Governments

Posted on by Posted in california, Michele Martinez, Planning, Santa Ana 3 Comments

City of Santa Ana

Advisory: Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez Sworn in as President of the Nation’s Largest Metropolitan Planning Organization

Today, May 5, 2016, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) swore in Councilwoman Michele Martinez for a one-year term as President at its 2016 Regional Conference & General Assembly in La Quinta. At 36, she is the youngest President in the 51-year history of SCAG and the first to hail from Santa Ana. Goods movement, multimodal transportation, earthquake retrofits and economic equality are among the top priorities for the incoming president.

Martinez has spent the past year as Vice President of SCAG, during which the organization approved its 2016-2040 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS). The plan, which serves as a blueprint for meeting the six-county region’s growth over the next quarter-century, identifies $556.5 billion in transportation investment during that period, including $70.7 billion in goods movement strategies. Freight, logistics and related industries represent one-third of all jobs and economic activity in the SCAG region. Continue reading→

Stabbing attack confirmed at the parking lot of Big Saver Foods on Friday night

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana Leave a comment

As we reported last night on our Facebook page, a victim was stabbed at the parking lot of Big Saver Foods, at 420 W. 17th St., as corroborated by the O.C. Register today.

The victim had multiple stab wounds and was in critical condition this evening. Continue reading→

25-year-old woman killed in a gang shooting near St. Joseph Church in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Gangs, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana 6 Comments

Vanessa Elizabeth Rodriguez, a 25-year-old woman, was killed late Wednesday night in a gang-related shooting inside a residential garage behind a Catholic church the west alley of the 700 block of North Lacy Street, according to the O.C. Register.

The SAPD said that two suspects entered an alley, pulled open a garage door and began shooting at the three people inside, hitting all of them, according to ABC News.

The victim was shot inside a single-car garage that had been converted into a living space , at around 11:30 p.m. Continue reading→

Councilwoman Martinez is launching her Supervisorial campaign on 3/30

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Andrew Do, Democratic Party, Michele Martinez, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez is launching her campaign for the First Supervisorial District on Wednesday, March 30, 2016, from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm at The Estate on Second, located at 207 W. Second Street, in Santa Ana.

Martinez is challenging the incumbent, Supervisor Andrew Do. He previously served as Chief of Staff to his immediate predecessor in the First District, Janet Nguyen. She has since been elected to the State Senate.

Martinez sent the following message to her supporters today, via email: Continue reading→