Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Politics

Mayor Pulido is back in charge with a new City Council majority firmly on his side

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana 11 Comments

mayor-pulido-at-the-oc-film-fiesta

While the Democrats are completely stunned this morning by the loss of the White House to Donald Trump here in Santa Ana another big upset has occurred as our embattled Mayor, Miguel Pulido, has not only won his reelection campaign – he now has regained control of the Santa Ana City Council.

The election last night of Jose Solorio in Ward 3 and Juan Villegas in Ward 5 has given Pulido a firm City Council majority as he can now count on Mayor Pro Tem Vince Sarmiento in Ward 1 as well. Sarmiento owes Pulido a huge debt as there is no doubt that Sarmiento only survived his battle against Jessica Cha because of Pulido’s support. Continue reading→

The Santa Ana voters passed a 700% pay raise for the City Council but Reyna got fired

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Juan Villegas, Measure PP, Politics, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana 4 Comments

measure-pp-passes

The voters in Santa Ana unfortunately approved a 700% pay raise for our City Council last night as Measure PP passed with over 67% of the vote.

However the man that this measure was designed to benefit, high school dropout and Councilman Roman Reyna, got the boot as he lost to Juan Villegas, a member of the O.C. Sheriff’s Department for over 25 years. Continue reading→

Several lame Santa Ana political candidates are blowing off almost half the voters…

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Alfonso Alvarez, Angie Rosario Cano, Benjamin Vazquez, Cecilia Iglesias, Claudia Alvarez, Democratic Party, Education, Jessica Byulnim Cha, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Republican Party, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Vietnamese, Vince Sarmiento 2 Comments

You are probably as sick of this year’s general election as I am. The last few weeks have given us all plenty to dislike about the top two presidential nominees – Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. And here in Santa Ana several candidates aligned with the Democratic Party have tried to use Trump against Republicans running for non-partisan offices, in one of the most underhanded schemes I have ever seen in my over 20 years of covering Orange County politics.

These candidates, including Rancho Santiago Community College District Trustee Claudia Alvarez and the slate of SAUSD School Board candidates sponsored by the Santa Ana Educators’ Association (the teachers’ union) – including Rigo Rodriguez, Mark McLoughlin and Alfonso Alvarez, have forgotten that Santa Ana is not quite as Democratic as they think it is. Continue reading→

Has the Sarmiento family opened an illegal marijuana dispensary on S. Main St.?

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Drugs, Marijuana, Politics, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento Leave a comment
bobkin-sports-bar

The Sarmiento Family’s failed Bobkin Sports Bar

Has the Sarmiento family opened an illegal marijuana dispensary in Santa Ana on South Main St?

As we reported a few weeks ago, the 2531 S. Main St. property was owned by Daisy Sarmiento, sister of city councilmember Vincent Sarmiento, under the name Daisyland Corp. who operated the now closed Bobkin Sports Bar at this location until the state’s Alcohol Beverage Control closed it down over 2 years ago. Continue reading→

Santa Ana City Council Ward One Candidate Jessica Cha is hosting a reception on 10/20

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Jessica Byulnim Cha, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

jessica-cha-fundraiser

Santa Ana City Council Ward One challenger Jessica Cha is hosting her second campaign fundraiser on Oct. 20, at 6 p.m., at Robbins Nest Wine Bar and Bistro, located at 207 W. 2nd St., in DTSA.

The event is being hosted by Briana Kim of Briana Kim, PC and Eric J. Dubin of Dubin Law Firm. RSVP: Martin Medrano (626) 422-0183 or martin@presidiosc.com. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Councilman Roman Reyna caught endangering the lives of Godinez H.S. students

Posted on by Posted in Education, Fires, Politics, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana 7 Comments
Is that Roman Reyna parking illegally?

Is that Roman Reyna parking illegally?

A fellow who looks exactly like Santa Ana City Councilman Roman Reyna illegally parked his silver BMW, license plate #6PQT919, in the fire lane and within 15 feet of a fire hydrant directly in front of Godinez High School, on Sep. 28.

Reyna, who is up for reelection this year, previously served on the SAUSD School Board – and he once worked for the Santa Ana Parks and Recreation Agency. So one would hope that he knows better than to endanger the lives of Santa Ana’s students by parking in fire lanes and blocking fire hydrants in front of our schools. Continue reading→

SAUSD School Board candidate McLoughlin ditches his colleagues Rodriguez and Alvarez

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Alfonso Alvarez, Education, Mark McLoughlin, Politics, Rigo Rodriguez, Santa Ana, SAUSD 6 Comments

mark-mcloughlin-mailer

It looks like SAUSD School Board candidate Mark McLoughlin has ditched the other two candidates who were also endorsed by the Santa Ana Educators’ Association – Dr. Rigoberto Rodriguez and Dr. Alfonso Alvarez. McLouthlin’s campaign just dropped a mailer that omits any mention of Rodriguez and Alvarez and encourages voters to only vote for McLoughlin. Continue reading→

Mailer slams Council Members Reyna and Sarmiento for wasting taxpayer money

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Civic Affairs, David Cavazos, Politics, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento Leave a comment

reyna-and-sarmiento-get-slammed

A new campaign mailer was delivered to Santa Ana voters this week that absolutely slammed City Council incumbents Roman Reyna and Vince Sarmiento for wasting $479,615 of taxpayer money by overpaying our City Manager, David Cavazos, and handing out needless raises and bonuses to Cavazos and his fellow city executive cronies. Continue reading→

Bauer endorsed for the SAUSD School Board by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Bruce T. Bauer, Democratic Party, Education, Politics, Santa Ana, SAUSD Leave a comment

bruce-bauer-and-gavin-newsom

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Bruce Bauer, 949-293-5311 – bruce@bauer4sausd.com

GAVIN NEWSOM, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA, ENDORSES BRUCE BAUER FOR SANTA ANA SCHOOL BOARD

Santa Ana, CA – Demonstrating his potent force in the race for the Santa Ana Unified School District Board race, Bruce Bauer, currently the Vice-Chair of the City of Santa Ana Planning Commission collected yet another major statewide endorsement from California’s Lieutenant Governor, Gavin Newsom. Gavin Newsom is currently the Lieutenant Governor for the State of California and was elected to that position in 2010. Prior to Lieutenant Governor, Gavin Newsom was the Mayor of San Francisco. He is considered a top-contender for the 2018 governor’s race.

Responding to news of the endorsement, Bruce Bauer remarked: Continue reading→

Supervisor Do will help to launch Santa Ana’s newest charter school on 10/14

Posted on by Posted in Andrew Do, Education, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

October 13, 2016

Contact: Molly O’Brien, Larson Communications, (703) 863 – 8773

MAGNOLIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS CELEBRATES OPENING OF FIRST STEAM-FOCUSED K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOL IN SANTA ANA

Demand for the new school far exceeded original projection and rising enrollment numbers reveal high-demand for STEAM-based school in region

Santa Ana – Parents, students, teachers, Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do and the greater Santa Ana community will come together Friday, Oct. 14, 2016 in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Magnolia Science Academy (MSA) Santa Ana campus—a state-of-the-art facility funded by $17.4 million from the State of California. About 645 students have enrolled in the first K-12 STEAM-focused public school in Santa Ana—115 students more than original expectations—and there is also a waiting list. The Santa Ana campus is one of the 10 schools in the high-performing Magnolia Public Schools network in Southern California. Continue reading→

Norberto Santana is a terrible Santa Ana candidates’ forum moderator

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Crime, Juan Villegas, Norberto Santana, Politics, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana 1 Comment

https://youtu.be/-OEvxAP63ZU

I attended the Latino Health Access City Council candidates forum tonight. Well part of it. After hearing their moderator, Voice of OC Editor Norberto Santana, harass Santa Ana City Councilman Roman Reyna and his Ward 5 challenger, Juan Villegas, I had to leave.

The problem is that Santana is anything but an objective moderator at these functions. As you can see in the video above Santana harangued the candidates when they refused to give the answer he wanted them to give. Continue reading→

Santa Ana students can win an IPad Air2 by encouraging millennials to vote

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Civic Affairs, Education, Politics, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

student-ambassador-competition

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community: Ready Set Start…. 30-Day Challenge of Student Ambassador Competition Starts October 8th

The City of Santa Ana is pleased to partner with Santa Ana Unified School District and Santa Ana College to sponsor the “Student Ambassador Competition” that is set to run from October 8 through November 8, 2016.

This competition will provide an opportunity for youth in our community, 13 to 21 years of age, to showcase their creativity and win great prizes by utilizing communication means that are relevant to our millennial’s about the importance of voting and the electoral process. Participants have a choice of categories to select from including: Continue reading→

The SAUSD school board candidates all agreed with each other at tonight’s forum

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Alfonso Alvarez, Beatriz Mendoza, Bruce T. Bauer, Democratic Party, Education, Mark McLoughlin, Politics, Rigo Rodriguez, Santa Ana, SAUSD 3 Comments

Latino Health Access hosted an SAUSD School Board candidates forum tonight. All of the candidates participated except for Cecilia Iglesias and Angie Cano.

Norberto Santana, the Editor of the Voice of OC, a digital publication, served as the event moderator. The questions however were not posed by him. Instead a panel of local intermediate and high school kids asked the questions. Continue reading→

The next SAUSD School Board Candidates Forum is set for Oct. 17

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Education, Politics, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Youth Activities Leave a comment

sausd-board-candidate-forum-on-october-17-2016

Santa Ana Youth and Government is hosting an SAUSD School Board Candidates Forum on October 17, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at 1532 E Chestnut, Santa Ana, CA 92701.

This is the 3rd candidates’ forum hosted by the Santa Ana Youth and Government Delegation.

I am told that all of the SAUSD School Board candidates will be appearing at this forum. They include: Continue reading→

Could campaign funds solve everybody’s rent woes in Santa Ana?

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Ana Urzua Alcaraz, Jose Solorio, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment
Ana Urzua Alcaraz and Santa Ana City Councilwoman Michele Martinez

Ana Urzua Alcaraz and Santa Ana City Councilwoman Michele Martinez

By: Ana Urzua Alcaraz, Courtesy of the Voice of OC

Learning about candidate Jose Solorio’s use of election funds to pay for his new apartment got me thinking about how many more people could use some funds to pay their owns rents this month.

Renters make nearly half of our City of Santa Ana, and in neighborhoods like Lacy, by the train station, it’s more like 94%. Homelessness lies at the feet of this housing crisis and has residents of my ward and others yearning for a solution. Housing insecurity is made real by an economic “recovery” that has not reached everyone equally. Continue reading→