Former SAUSD School Board Trustee Nadia Davis Lockyer survived a brief addiction to meth and a resignation from the Supervisor’s office she was elected to – and has apparently restored her marriage to former State Treasurer Bill Lockyer. Now she has announced a huge surprise on her Facebook page – she is expecting a baby!
Nadia is 43 years old and her husband is 74 years old. They have an 11-year-old son, Diego.
Here is what Nadia posted on her Facebook page: Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Contact: Kelsey Eiben (714) 676-8879
Advocates of Recall Judge M. Marc Kelly From The Bench Campaign Release Statement On Judge Kelly Response
(Santa Ana, CA)-Today, Bryan Scott, Founder and Chairman of the Recall Judge M. Marc Kelly campaign, and Patricia Wenskunas, Founder and CEO of Crime Survivors, Inc., released a statement in reaction to Judge Kelly’s official response to the petition of notice to recall.
“Judge Kelly can talk about other decisions he has made throughout his career, which I find to be arrogant, but it will never make up for his horrific decision to go easy on a child sexual predator. This recall is a way to show support and protection for crime victims everywhere; past, present, and future,” said Patricia Wenskunas. Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 11, 2015
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Joel Zlotnik (714) 560-5713; Eric Carpenter (714) 560-5697
Future is on Track for OC Streetcar Project
OCTA, city officials and community leaders gather to mark milestones toward getting the project in Santa Ana and Garden Grove operational as soon as 2019
SANTA ANA – Transportation, city and community leaders gathered at the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center on Monday afternoon to mark a number milestones toward the construction of Orange County’s first modern streetcar.
The OC Streetcar project, planned to travel through the cities of Santa Ana and Garden Grove, has advanced significantly in recent weeks. Plans for the streetcar project have been approved by city councils in both cities and received environmental clearances from the Federal Transit Administration. Continue reading
ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE
Case # 15CF0964
Date: May 7, 2015
MAN CHARGED WITH DRIVING GETAWAY CAR IN MULTIPLE CONVENIENCE STORE ROBBERIES IN ORANGE COUNTY
SANTA ANA – A man has been charged with being the getaway car driver in multiple convenience store robberies in Orange County. Richard Gomez-Quiroz, 20, Riverside, is charged with four felony counts of second degree robbery. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of eight years in state prison. Gomez-Quiroz is out of custody on $50,000 bail and his arraignment is scheduled for June 3, 2015, at 8:30 a.m. in Department C55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
At approximately 11:00 p.m. on April 7, 2015, Gomez-Quiroz is accused of being a getaway driver during the commission of a robbery at a Chevron in Orange. Approximately 30 minutes later, Gomez-Quiroz is accused of being the getaway driver during the commission of a robbery at a Mobile gas station in Santa Ana, and 30 minutes after that, he is accused of being the getaway driver during the commission of a robbery of a 7-Eleven in Newport Beach. Continue reading
Simulation of the Santa Ana Streetcar
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 6, 2015
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Joel Zlotnik (714) 560-5713, Eric Carpenter (714) 560-5697
NEWS ADVISORY: OC Streetcar Project Celebrates Milestones
WHAT: Officials from the Orange County Transportation Authority, Santa Ana and Garden Grove will mark important milestones leading toward the construction of the OC Streetcar. Elected leaders and stakeholders will be recognized for their ongoing support of the project and updates will be provided.
The four-mile long streetcar is planned to run from the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center through Downtown Santa Ana and the Civic Center, operating through important employment, restaurant and retail centers along Fourth Street and Santa Ana Boulevard. It will also travel to a new multimodal transit hub at Harbor Boulevard and Westminster Avenue in Garden Grove. The project is planned to be operational by the end of 2019. Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 4, 2015
Contact: Jenny Wedge, (949) 252-5182, jwedge@ocair.com
JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT CELEBRATES NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM WEEK; UNVEILS COLLECTIBLE TRADING CARD
SANTA ANA, Calif. – As part of National Travel and Tourism Week and in conjunction with U.S. Travel Rally Day, John Wayne Airport (JWA) will debut its first ever trading card. The “SNA” card reflects JWA’s official airport code and is part of the North American Airport Collectors Series™, which was created to offer aviation enthusiasts a unique collectible to commemorate their travels through U.S. and Canadian airports.
On Tuesday, May 5, JWA employees will distribute the new SNA trading card to passengers on selected flights. Two airports, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Salt Lake City, will hand out their own trading cards to passengers arriving from Orange County. JWA is encouraging passengers to take pictures of themselves with their SNA trading card and share them on social media using #AirportCards. Continue reading
NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, 714.904.7042, JHallock@ocsd.org; Emily Osterberg, 714.647.1840, EOsterberg@ocsd.org
Dana Hills High School Teacher Arrested for Child Molestation and Pornography
DANA POINT, Calif. – (May 4, 2015) – On Monday, May 04, 2015, Ezequiel Barragan, 48, Aliso Viejo, was arrested following allegations of child molestation and possession of child pornography. (Editor’s Note – Barragan reportedly was a teacher at Santa Ana High School where he also was a varsity baseball coach).
On Monday, May 04, 2015, the Orange County Child Exploitation Task Force (OCCETF) was notified by a United States Postal Service (USPS) agent regarding an ongoing child pornography investigation. Barragan has been the target of a USPS investigation resulting in discovery of information that he also engaged in sexual relations with a male juvenile over the last two years. Today’s investigation has included interviews, search warrants and review of evidence obtained by investigators. Continue reading
ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE
Case # 15CF0925
Date: May 1, 2015
OFF-DUTY OCSD DEPUTY ARRESTED ON CHARGES OF ILLEGALLY OBTAINING PRESCRIPTION PILLS BY FRAUD
SANTA ANA – An off-duty Orange County Sheriff’s deputy was arrested today on charges of illegally obtaining prescription pills by lying to doctors about what prescription pills he was already taking. Mark Wayne Hewlett, 35, Yorba Linda, is charged with five felony counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, subterfuge, and/or concealment. If convicted, he faces a sentence ranging from probation to a maximum sentence of five years and eight months in jail. Hewlett is in custody on $20,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday, May 5, 2015, at 10:00 a.m., in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. If the defendant bails out, the arraignment date and time is subject to change.
On five occasions between Sept. 9, 2013, and Nov. 15, 2013, Hewlett is accused of going to four different doctors to obtain a prescription for the controlled substance hydrocodone, more commonly known as Norco or Vicodin. When at a doctor’s office, Hewlett is accused of fraudulently omitting that he was recently prescribed and currently taking hydrocodone in order to illegally obtain an additional prescription of the same drug. Continue reading
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Press Release
Date/Time Occurred: Friday, May 1, 2015
Suspect(s): Oddie, Anthony Edward, 20 years old, Chino Hills and Gomez-Quiroz, Richard, 20, Riverside
Summary: Chino Hills detectives arrested two men late Friday night and early Saturday morning in connection with more than 16 robberies throughout four Southern California Counties in which the suspect wielded a firearm and a machete.
Anthony Edward Oddie and Richard Gomez-Quiroz were each arrested on a $1,000,000 arrest warrant after an extensive investigation, spanning nearly two months, regarding a series of robberies that started in Chino Hills and spanned throughout neighboring cities and counties. Oddie and Gomez-Quiroz robbed more than 16 convenience stores throughout the cities of Chino Hills, Artesia, Fountain Valley, Diamond Bar, Riverside, Santa Ana, Orange and Newport Beach, often returning to a store more than once during the series. Chino Hills stores were victimized a total of six times, with a Circle K and Pizza Hut each getting hit twice. Continue reading
Vince Sarmiento’s Estate. Picture Courtesy of Google Maps.
In these times of drought we are all trying to cut back on water usage. But a recent expose by the Orange County Register revealed that a number of Orange County’s local politicians are actually wasting more water now than ever before.
Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Vince Sarmiento was one of the politicians highlighted in the article. He said that “he plans to abandon his expansive front lawn and switch to drought-tolerant landscaping and synthetic turf.”
Sarmiento has used more water each year for the past five years, starting at 556,000 gallons in 2010 and jumping to nearly a million gallons last year. He blamed a family of five that is now renting a carriage house on his property, which is about three-quarters of an acre. Continue reading
OFFICIAL RECALL EFFORT TO REMOVE JUDGE KELLY IS NOW UNDERWAY!
By: Sara Flores
May 2, 2015 — I am pleased to inform you that a formal recall effort to remove Judge Marc Kelly from the bench has OFFICIALLY begun as of today, May 1st, 2015.
Today, Bryan Scott, Chairman of the Committee to remove Judge Kelly and creator of the Facebook page “Remove M. Marc Kelly From the Bench,” announced that Judge Kelly has been officially served with a recall notice.
The OCRegister reports that Judge Kelly is accused of making “unacceptable and unilateral reductions of criminal sentences or punishments of criminals convicted of heinous sex crimes committed against a minor or child,” according to the notice served to him. Continue reading
NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, 714.904.7042, JHallock@ocsd.org; Emily Osterberg, 714.647.1840, EOsterberg@ocsd.org
Body Discovered Off Ortega Highway Identified as Missing Woman
CLEVELAND NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – (April 28, 2015) – The body discovered in a remote area off Ortega Highway in the Cleveland National Forest has been preliminarily identified as Erica Alonso, 28, Laguna Hills; however, confirmation is pending fingerprint and/or dental record comparison. Alonso was a reported missing person since February 15, 2015.
On Monday, April 27, 2015 at approximately 10 p.m., the Orange County Sheriff’s Department was notified after a group of biologist working for Cal-Trans, discovered a decomposed body in a rugged area off Ortega Highway, approximately 12 miles east of Interstate 5. A crime scene was established overnight until homicide and coroner investigators could assemble and begin conducting an investigation. Continue reading
Costa Mesa Police Department
Advisory: Orange County Marathon Road Closures in Costa Mesa
This Sunday, May 3, 2015, is the Orange County Marathon. This year’s race will end at the Orange County Fair and Event Center. There will be several road closures in effect on Sunday throughout Costa Mesa.
Some of the major street closures include: Continue reading
ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE
Case # 15CF0737
Date: April 27, 2015
THREE BUSINESSMEN CHARGED FOR TAKING WORKERS’ WAGES ON PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT
SANTA ANA – Three businessmen have been charged for defrauding employees by taking their wages on a public works project. Saeed Kenari, 54, Tujunga, is charged with four felony counts of conspiring to take a portion of workers’ wages on a public works project, 34 felony counts of taking workers’ wages on a public works project, 20 felony counts of failure to pay taxes, four felony counts of conspiracy to commit a crime, and 10 felony counts of conspiring to file a false or forged document with a sentencing enhancement allegation for property loss over $200,000. If convicted, Kenari faces a maximum sentence of 56 years and three months in state prison. Kenari is being held on $340,000 bail and was arraigned today. He is scheduled for pre-trial on May 15, 2015, at 8:30 a.m. in Department C-55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
Co-defendant Rina Arakelian, 62, Glendale, is charged with four felony counts of conspiring to take a portion of workers’ wages on a public works project, 34 felony counts of taking workers’ wages on a public works project, four felony counts of conspiracy to commit a crime, and 10 felony counts of conspiring to file a false or forged document with a sentencing enhancement allegation for property loss over $200,000. If convicted, Arakelian faces a maximum sentence of 27 years in state prison. Arakelian is being held on $340,000 bail and is scheduled for continued arraignment on May 15, 2015, at 8:30 a.m. in Department C-55, Central Justice Center. Continue reading
ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE
Remarks for Orange County Victims’ Rights March & Rally
April 24, 2015
Tony Rackauckas:
Good Morning!
Every year we’ve had this event it’s been too hot. This year I prayed for cooler weather… I must have prayed just a little too hard.
Come rain or shine:
Remembering those we have lost, honoring those who have survived, and celebrating the tenacity and strength of the people who carry on the fight for justice – Welcome to the 7th Annual Orange County Victims’ Rights March & Rally. Continue reading