Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Politics

Councilwoman Martinez is launching her re-election campaign on Oct. 3

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Michele Martinez, Politics, Santa Ana 1 Comment
Michele Martinez at Naleo Chicago

Several Santa Ana Council Members spent $10K of our money being wined and dined at the NALEO Conference in Chicago this year

Santa Ana Council Member Michele Martinez is hosting a “Re-Election Announcement Kick-Off” on Thursday, October 3, 2013
5:30p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at  Chapter One-the modern local, located at 227 N. Broadway, in  Santa Ana.

The Martinez campaign is asking Bronze Sponsors to donate $249.00, and individuals to donate $ 100.00. They want Gold Sponsors to pay $1000 and Silver Sponsors to pay $500.00. Continue reading→

Will anyone challenge Council Members Benavides, Martinez and Tinajero in 2014?

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Michele Martinez, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana 2 Comments

David Benavides at the 2013 Fiestas Patrias Parade

Several Santa Ana Council Members are going to have to run for re-election in 2014, including David Benavides, Michele Martinez and Sal Tinajero.

It may well be that by then a court will have already invalidated Measure D, which would mean these Council Members would be termed out, but that is by no means guaranteed.

So will anyone challenge these Council Members? Continue reading→

2013 Fiestas Patrias Parking, Traffic and Parade Route information

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Civic Affairs, mexico, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The 35th annual Fiestas Patrias celebration, commemorating Mexico’s independence, takes place this weekend in downtown Santa Ana, from Friday, Sept. 13 to Sunday, Sept. 15. Don’t miss the parade, at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 15. The Fiestas Patrias Parade will start at 4 p.m. on 15th Street and Main Street, mak­ing a right onto Civic Cen­ter, end­ing at N. Flower Street. The parade is a great opportunity to take pictures of Orange County politicians trolling for Latino votes.  I fully expect to see Assemblyman Tom Daly there despite his long record of anti-Latino votes as the former Mayor of Anaheim. And you have to believe that Supervisor Janet Nguyen will be there too – as she is now running for Lou Correa’s State Senate seat, which is up for grabs in 2014.  Continue reading→

Janet Nguyen’s kickoff was held at a restaurant that had a roach infestation

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Health and Medical, Janet Nguyen, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Janet Nguyen's stupid GOP supporters

From the OC Politics Blog

Orange County’s lame Republican leaders appear to be backing Supervisor Janet Nguyen for the 34th State Senate District.   This week at the Azteca Mexican Restaurant in Garden Grove, California Republican Party Chairman Jim Brulte joined county GOP Chairman Scott Baugh and a host of key Republican financiers and elected officials from across Orange County for a “kick off” fundraiser for Nguyen’s state Senate bid.

It is highly ironic that Nguyen held this fundraiser at Azteca – their Orange County health permit was suspended in July of this year due to a cockroach infestation!  Click here for the gory details. Continue reading→

Rep. Sanchez to participate in Latino vote panel moderated by Eva Longoria

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Democratic Party, Entertainment, Loretta Sanchez, Politics 3 Comments

Eva Longoria and Barack Obama and some old dude

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, Representing California’s 46th Congressional District

ADVISORY – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 23, 2013

REP. LORETTA SANCHEZ TO DISCUSS LATINO VOTE ON PANEL MODERATED BY EVA LONGORIA

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (CA-46) will discuss the importance of the Latino vote on a panel moderated by Eva Longoria at the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Conference at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, August 25, at the Anaheim Marriott Hotel, Platinum 1 Conference Hall, 700 West Convention Way, Anaheim, CA. Continue reading→

Annual WOC Suffrage Day Brunch set for 8/25 at The Hacienda

Posted on by Posted in Charities, Entertainment, Politics, Santa Ana, Women Leave a comment

The Women: For Orange County Annual Suffrage Day Brunch is set for Sunday, August 25, 2013, from 11:30 am to 2 pm, at The Hacienda, in Santa Ana, located at 1725 N. College Avenue.

This signature event will feature guest speaker Andrea Riggs, author of the book “Wake Up, American Women.” $40 Regular Price, $20 Student Price

This year’s honorees include: Continue reading→

Councilwoman Martinez has not forgotten to represent her own Ward

Posted on by Posted in Angelica Amezcua, Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Michele Martinez, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Michele Martinez speaking

We have been scrutinizing the public calendars of the Santa Ana City Council Members this week.  We already looked at Councilman David Benavides’ calendar, and that of Councilwoman Angie Amezcua.  Now we will have a look at Ward 2 Councilwoman Michele Martinez’ calendar:

  • Martinez organized a City Health & Fitness Fair on June 1, at Rosita park, located on the border of Wards 3 and 5.  On the same day Martinez appeared at the Grand Opening of the Latino Health Access Park/Community Center, which is located near 4th and Main St.  That center is indeed located in Ward 2. Continue reading→

The FBI takes aim at the Orange County Supervisors

Posted on by Posted in FBI, Janet Nguyen, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Cartoon Janet Nguyen

FBI Investigating Orange County Supervisors

WRITTEN BY CHRISS W. STREET

The FBI confirmed today that a Task Force has been assembled from the FBI, IRS, District Attorney and U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate reports of political campaign corruption in Orange County, California. As America’s most Republican County, it is not surprising that a Democrat Attorney General under a Democrat Administration would put powerful Republican politicians in their cross-hairs. But with Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas, a Republican and former Superior Court Judge, as part of the Task Force, my sources believe that over the next two months it is very likely the Supervisors homes will be raided and indictments will be issued for “pay to play” campaign corruption charges. Continue reading→

Rep. Sanchez votes against HR 5, the Student Success Act

Posted on by Posted in Education, Loretta Sanchez, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Loretta-Sanchez-plays-the-flute

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, Representing California’s 46th Congressional District
PRESS RELEASE, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 19, 2013
MEDIA CONTACT: Barb Solish, 202-226-8373, Barb.Solish@mail.house.gov

REP. SANCHEZ VOTES AGAINST THE “LETTING STUDENTS DOWN ACT”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Loretta Sanchez (CA-46) today voted against H.R. 5, dubbed the “Letting Students Down Act,” a bill that undermines the foundations of America’s education system. (Editor’s Note: this bill is actually called the Student Success Act).

During consideration, Rep. Sanchez put forth an amendment that House Republicans denied debate on. The amendment would have created a grant program to fund international education supplemental activities for students including Model U.N., geography bees, and foreign language clubs. Continue reading→

Public Works Director goes to El Monte and won’t be our next City Manager

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Gerardo Mouet, Michele Martinez, Paul Walters, Politics, Raul Godinez, Santa Ana 3 Comments

Raul Godinez

Santa Ana Public Works Director Raul Godinez will depart Santa Ana to become the new City Manager of El Monte on July 15 at a salary of $195,000, according to OC Political blogger Thomas Gordon. (Gordon is a member of the OC GOP Central Committee and a past Santa Ana Mayoral Candidate).

Godinez was thought to be the leading candidate to become Santa Ana’s next City Manager, but guess what?  El Monte retained the services of executive search firm Bob Murray & Associates, the same company tasked with hiring a new City Manager for Santa Ana.  So they found Godinez a job, but not here in Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Senator Correa to host a Healthy Nail Salon Town Hall meeting on 7/17

Posted on by Posted in california, Entertainment, Garden Grove, Lou Correa, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

nail salon town hall meeting 

Senator Lou Correa Organizes California Healthy Nail Salon Town Hall

Santa Ana, CA – State Senator Lou Correa, in collaboration with the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (BBC) and Advance Beauty College, is hosting the California Healthy Nail Salon Town Hall. The event will take place on Friday, July 17th, 2013 from 10:00am to 12:00pm at Advance Beauty College located at 10121 Westminster Avenue, Garden Grove. 

The purpose of the workshop is to provide manicurists, salon owners, students from beauty colleges and others in the nail salon industry with a legislative updates and information on the health and safety regulatory requirements. In addition, agency representatives will provide information on how to comply with state standards to avoid citations, as well as the citation appeals process. Continue reading→

Mayor Pulido addresses the public employee pension fiasco

Posted on by Posted in california, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana 3 Comments

Pension Tsunami

Pension costs: Pushing cities to fiscal disaster

By San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed & Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido, The San Diego Union-Tribune 

The skyrocketing cost of public employee retirement benefits is one of the greatest challenges facing cities and other government agencies across California today. Annual taxpayer contributions to CalPERS, the state’s main retirement system, have jumped from about $2 billion to nearly $8 billion over the past decade. Many non-CalPERS agencies have seen similar retirement cost increases as well.

Despite these rising contributions, the state’s retirement systems are significantly underfunded, with their collective unfunded liabilities for pension and retiree health care benefits totaling hundreds of billions of dollars. Continue reading→

Activists to ask the SAPD to stop collaborating with ICE, on June 18

Posted on by Posted in Crime, David Benavides, Entertainment, immigration, Michele Martinez, Politics, Public Safety, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana 4 Comments

The OC May Day Coalition is asking the public and their members to join them at the next Santa Ana Public Safety Committee meeting, on Tuesday, June 18, 2013, at 5:30 pm, as they bring “awareness to the issue of the collaboration between the SAPD and ICE and demand that this collaboration be stopped.”

Their issue is on the agenda, so there will be discussion by the committee members on this topic as well as time for public comments.  Continue reading→