Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Santa Ana

Orange County curfew sweep resulted in the arrest of 15 minors last night

Posted on by Posted in Crime, OCDA, Santa Ana 3 Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 28, 2017

LAW ENFORCEMENT NETS 15 MINORS IN 7TH OC GRIP CURFEW SWEEP

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. – Orange County Gang Reduction and Intervention Partnership (OC GRIP) partnered with 13 law enforcement agencies to conduct a curfew sweep in the county. Last night, 130 officers patrolled the cities and unincorporated areas of Orange County and detained 15 minors who were out past curfew and in violation of city laws. This annual event is hosted by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA), organized by OC GRIP, and works to heighten parental awareness and prevent local youth from joining or participating in gang activity.

The 15 minors were taken by police car to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) until their parents arrived and picked them up. Before releasing the youths, OCDA and OC GRIP representatives and officers met with the detained minors’ parents and discuss the dangers and legal consequences involved for those who violate curfew. Legal ramifications could include misdemeanor criminal prosecution with penalties ranging from fines up to six months in jail for the parent, or juvenile hall for the child, plus the associated financial costs. Parents and children also met with probation officers who provided helpful resources for substance abuse treatment, parenting classes, and family therapy. Continue reading→

Local Millennial prog rock band will debut their new album in Santa Ana on May 6

Posted on by Posted in music, Santa Ana Leave a comment

A band in Southern Orange County called The Taco Truck is holding a release party at Recess Studios in Santa Ana on May 6, 2017, at 2700 South Main St., in Santa Ana. Doors open at 6:30, and the show starts at 7:00 p.m.

Taco Truck just released their most recent album, “Lexell’s Guide” on April 14, to various online digital outlets, such as Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, and more. Continue reading→

Deputy Chief Jim Schnabl, an H.R. guy, is the new Acting Police Chief of the SAPD

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Rojas, Crime, David Benavides, Doug McGeachy, Jim Schnabl, Michele Martinez, Robert Cortez, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 2 Comments

Jim Schnabl

Deputy Chief Jim Schnabl has been selected as the new Acting Police Chief of the SAPD, according to a message sent to SAPD employees by outgoing Chief Carlos Rojas, who resigned when he was hired to serve as the new Chief of the BART Police in San Francisco.

Schnabl has been running the SAPD’s Administrative Bureau, which oversees Human Resources, Training, Information Services, and the Central Distribution Center (CDC). The Bureau is also responsible for the Communications Center which is often a point of first contact with the community in providing emergency and non-emergency services. Continue reading→

Mayor Pro Tem Martinez reacts to the effort to recall her pro-gang City Council colleagues

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, Civic Affairs, Michele Martinez, Politics, Santa Ana 8 Comments

Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Michele Martinez reacted to the announcement that efforts are underway to recall her pro-gang colleagues on the Santa Ana City Council, in a rambling post on Facebook today:

I am being told that various members of the Santa Ana City Council are being threatened by a recall because of recent actions taken. I have also been informed that if I don’t get on board with the program, I to will be recalled. If they wish to recall me for protecting the city from bankruptcy and protecting the residents interest, so be it. The city is not in the position of hiring any new employees or giving raises. We have no surplus…. It is facing a 15- 20 million dollar structural deficit that I have been speaking of for years. With the increase of pension and health care cost this year and the next few years , it will only create a bigger burden on the general fund. We have to manage expectations but unfortunately, some of my colleagues want to give raises after they have been told that we are not in a position to do so. This is reckless and irresponsible and I will not be silent or threaten because I am trying to do the right thing. Continue reading→

McFadden Intermediate to celebrate the opening of their new Math/STEM building on 4/28

Posted on by Posted in Education, Santa Ana, SAUSD Leave a comment

McFadden Intermediate School Community to Celebrate Opening of Math/STEM Building with Public Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

The building has 10 classrooms and a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) lab

(April 27, 2017) – The McFadden Intermediate School community will celebrate the opening of its new building and outdoor learning environment at a public Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 4 p.m. on Friday, April 28, 2017 at the school, 2701 S. Raitt St. in Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Uber driver charged with raping a Santa Ana woman who was intoxicated

Posted on by Posted in Costa Mesa, Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Angel Sanchez

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Case # 17CF1023

Date: April 26, 2017

UBER DRIVER CHARGED FOR RAPE OF FEMALE PASSENGER

SANTA ANA, Calif. – An Uber driver was charged yesterday with raping a female passenger in Santa Ana.

Defendant/Charges/Maximum Sentence/Court Date

  • Angel Sanchez, 37, Costa Mesa
  • One felony count of rape of intoxicated victim
  • Eight years in state prison
  • Arraignment: May 1, 2017, 8:30 a.m. at Department C-55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana

Circumstances of the Case Continue reading→

Santa Ana’s pro-gang City Council Members are now facing recalls

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, David Benavides, Miguel Pulido, Nativo Lopez, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 14 Comments

Council Members Tinajero, Martinez and Benavides

Apparently efforts are now underway to recall Santa Ana City Council Members Sal Tinajero, David Benavides and Vince Sarmiento. All three of them have opposed hiring more cops and supported our lame former SAPD Police Chief, Carlos Rojas, who did us all a favor by quitting and moving to the Bay area. This means they have been pro-gang City Council Members – which is now what the people of Santa Ana elected them to do.

Tinajero should have been recalled some years ago. If you recall he was a friend and colleague of Nativo Lopez, when they were both on the SAUSD School Board. Lopez got recalled but Tinajero was allowed to stay on the School Board. Now he will finally have to face the music. Continue reading→

Armed suspect who robbed a cell phone store sought by the SAPD

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZlmNcbeMKM%20

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Detectives Requesting Assistance Identifying Metro PCS Robbery Suspect

Location: Metro PCS located at 2547 W. McFadden #A

Occurred 4/22/2017 at 7:45 p.m., the suspect described as a Male (White or Hispanic), 30-40 y/o, 5’5-5’7”, thin build, wearing a navy blue hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans. The suspect pulled the hood of the sweatshirt over his head in an attempt to conceal his identity. The suspect points a handgun at store employees and demanded money. Employees provide the suspect with an undisclosed amount of U.S. currency which he takes and flees the business in a westbound direction on McFadden from the business. Continue reading→

The SAPD is looking for two suspects who robbed the JC Penney at the MainPlace Mall

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Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Detectives Requesting Assistance In Identifying Suspect In A Robbery

Location: JC Penny at MainPlace Mall / 2890 N. Main Street

On 04/08/2017 at approximately 4:47 p.m., the above two suspects entered the JC Penny store, took merchandise, and fled the store without paying. Suspect #1 produced a knife from his pants pocket and walked in front of loss prevention, blocking him as suspect #2 ran away with the merchandise. Continue reading→

Santa Ana’s Animal Control won’t rescue a peacock on the loose at a mobile home park

Posted on by Posted in Pets, Santa Ana 9 Comments

A Santa Ana resident has been trying to get City Hall to help an injured peacock that showed up at her Mobile Home park two days ago, at 1527 S. Standard Ave., in Santa Ana.

The resident has called the Santa Ana Police Department, which is supposed to run our Animal Control department, and has been ignored. The Santa Ana Zoo ignored her too. She is at her wits end! The poor peacock appears to have some twine or ripe around its feet. Continue reading→

Is the Santa Ana City Council going to push for ward-specific elections and full time pay?

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, Civic Affairs, Santa Ana 4 Comments

I heard today from a Santa Ana City Hall insider (yes one of my pajaritos) that the Santa Ana City Council is seriously looking at changing our City Council elections to a Ward-Specific model. Currently we elect our Council Members at large – but they have to live in a specific Ward (unless they move of course).

But that’s not all – the City Council majority – which includes Mayor Pro Tem Michele Martinez, and Council Members David Benavides, Sal Tinajero and Vince Sarmiento, are also allegedly going to ask the voters to make them full time elected officials – with six figure salaries. Continue reading→

New indoor virtual golf facility opening soon in DTSA

Posted on by Posted in Santa Ana, Sports Leave a comment

One-of-a-Kind Social Golf Experience Opening Doors in Santa Ana

A new golf facility unlike anything seen before is opening its doors to the public via an open house at 208 N. Broadway in downtown Santa Ana from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, May 6.

The NextLinks facility promises real indoor golf in a fun, entertaining and social environment for golfers and non-golfers. Continue reading→

Mouet sent back to the Parks Dept. and will no longer be Santa Ana’s Acting City Manager

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Gerardo Mouet, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Robert Cortez, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Mayor Miguel Pulido and Gerardo Mouet

The Santa Ana City Council has voted to send Gerardo Mouet back to the Parks Department. He is no longer the acting Santa Ana City Manager.

Mouet has been replaced by Deputy City Manager Robert Cortez, who will be the acting city manager while the City Council looks for a permanent replacement for fired former City Manager David Cavazos. Continue reading→

A man working on a car ended up trapped under it early this morning in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

An unidentified man was injured early this morning at 1:20 a.m., at the 500 block of North Harbor Blvd., in Santa Ana, when a vehicle he was repairing rolled over him, according to the O.C. Register.

The man asked a woman to put the vehicle in reverse while he was standing on the hood of the car, working on the engine, according to the SAPD. Continue reading→

Suspect arrested by the SAPD for contacting a 13-year old on Facebook to commit lewd acts

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

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Detectives Arrest Suspect For Contacting 13 Year Old Minor On Facebook To Commit Lewd Acts

On 4/22/17, Santa Ana Police Detectives arrested German Martinez, 29, of Los Angeles, for PC 288.2(a) – Sending harmful matter to seduce a minor, and PC 288.3(a) – Communicating with a minor to commit lewd acts.

The case began when a 13-year-old victim was allowed to use Facebook by her parents. Shortly after the victim started using Facebook, German Martinez introduced himself by messaging the victim. The messages became highly inappropriate, soliciting sex from the victim. Martinez was well aware the victim was underage. Santa Ana Police Detectives took over communications, using the victim’s cell phone to communicate with Martinez. Continue reading→