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Category Archives: Westminster

Westminster Councilman Contreras is leading in fundraising in the race for District 1 of the O.C. Board of Supervisors

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Elections, Orange County, Santa Ana, Sergio Contreras, Westminster Leave a comment

WESTMINSTER, CA — In another significant boost of momentum and demonstration of the strength and viability of his campaign for Orange County Board of Supervisors District 1, today Westminster City Councilmember Sergio Contreras’s campaign announced that he has by far the most net cash-on-hand of anybody in the race, with $78,862 after debts.

Incumbent Supervisor Andrew Do has $60,345 more in debt than cash-on-hand, while Contreras’s main Democratic opponents Miguel Pulido and Kim Nguyen have $25,706 and $6,972 cash-on-hand after debts, respectively.

In response to today’s campaign finance filings, Sergio Contreras’s campaign consultant Mac Zilber released the following statement:

“The people of Orange County are rallying around the common sense, forward-thinking message that Sergio is putting forward, and the Q4 report is just the latest testament to that. This report represents a stunning blow to incumbent Andrew Do — that voters want less politics and more problem solving from their representative on the Board of Supervisors– and underscores Sergio’s place as the best-positioned Democrat in the race. Sergio leads the field of candidates in endorsements and fundraising by a wide margin, demonstrating his broad-based support and that he is far and away the strongest candidate to flip the seat red-to-blue. We are encouraged by Councilmember Contreras’s strong performance and deeply grateful for the support our campaign has received from constituents across the 1st District and will continue working hard to expand his coalition of support in the weeks ahead.”

Previously, Councilmember Sergio Contreras announced the following endorsements:

Organizations:

Democratic Party of Orange County
Orange County Labor Federation (OCLF)
California Nurses Association (CNA)
SEIU – USWW
SEIU 2015
American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees (AFSCME) District Council 36
American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees (AFSCME) United Domestic Workers (UDW) Local 3930
American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2076
American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1734
Laborers International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 652
International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 12
International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 501
National Union of Healthcare Workers
United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers & Allied Workers Local 220
Painters & Allied Trades District Council 36
UNITE HERE Local 11
Ironworkers Local 433
Ironworkers Local 416
UFCW Local 324
Community Action Fund of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties

Elected Officials:

U.S. Congressman Alan Lowenthal
U.S. Congresswoman Linda Sanchez
U.S. Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (Ret.)
California State Senator Lena Gonzalez
California State Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva
California State Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris
California Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell
California State Senator Josh Newman (Ret.)
Garden Grove School Board Trustee Walter Muneton
Garden Grove School Board Trustee Teri Rocco
Garden Grove Councilmember Kris Beard (Ret.)
Westminster School Boardmember Jamison Power
Westminster School Boardmember Amy Walsh (Ret.)
Costa Mesa Mayor Katrina Foley
Costa Mesa Councilman Manuel Chavez
Rancho Community College Trustee Lawrence Labrado
Santa Ana Unified School District President Valerie Amezcua
Santa Ana Councilmember Sal Tinajero (Ret.)
Santa Ana Councilmember David Benavides (Ret.)
Santa Ana School Board Trustee Alfonso Alvarez
Anaheim Elementary School Boardmember Juan Gabriel Alvarez
Anaheim Elementary School Boardmember Ryan Ruelas
Anaheim Elementary School Boardmember Dr. Jose Pablo Magcalas
Anaheim Elementary School Boardmember D.R. Heywood (Ret.)
Anaheim Union High School District Clerk of the Board, Annemarie Randle-Trejo
Huntington Beach Union High School District Trustee Duane Dishno
Fullerton School Boardmember Aaruni Thakur
Oceanview School District Vice President Gina Clayton-Tarvin
Midway City Sanitary District Director Margie L. Rice

The first Supervisorial District includes the cities of Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Westminster, the unincorporated community of Midway City, and parts of Fountain Valley. The first Supervisorial District is 42% Democratic and 24% Republican by registration – making it one of the most flippable major local offices in California.

Sergio Contreras, a husband, father, homeowner, and registered Democrat, has served on the Westminster City Council since 2012, where he successfully championed the largest upgrade to Westminster’s park system since 1996, encompassing 22 park facilities and representing a $10.4 million investment in the community. Contreras oversaw the city’s first general plan update in decades. He also placed emergency call boxes in all Westminster parks to enhance public safety, and fought to place outdoor exercise equipment in local parks to improve public health.

Contreras previously served on the Westminster School Board from 2004 to 2012, including serving as president of the board in 2012. On the School Board, Contreras helped pass a $130 million school bond to modernize Westminster’s school facilities and make them safer. In that role, he established an all-day kindergarten system, making Westminster School District the first in Orange County to provide day-long kindergarten at all school sites. Contreras also increased access to music and arts programs districtwide, while expanding after-school programs.

Now, Contreras works as the Senior Director of Education and Healthy Schools for the Orange County United Way where he creates strategic community partnerships to empower students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. Contreras lives in Westminster with his wife Adriana, where their children Sergio III and Chloe attend local schools.

Recently, Contreras’s upbringing and life’s story was featured in the OC Weekly, which you can find here.

For more information visit: https://www.sergiocontrerasforsupervisor.com

Westminster man arrested in $20 million health care insurance fraud and kickback scheme

Posted on by Posted in Fraud, OCDA, Westminster Leave a comment

LOS ANGELES/ORANGE, Calif. — Bradley Dean Groscost, 59, of Westminster, and Felix Koltsov, 57, of Beverly Hills, self-surrendered last week to the Orange County Central Justice Center after being charged with multiple felony counts of insurance fraud, money laundering, and unlawful referrals for allegedly conspiring to bill insurers in excess of $20 million as part of a kickback referral scheme.

“These co-conspirators allegedly ordered screenings and prescriptions for patients in order to enrich themselves, as part of a kickback referral scheme,” said Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. “By investigating health care fraud, my department is helping keep insurance costs down for all California consumers and businesses.”

From 2014 to 2017, Groscost operated five workers’ compensation clinics in Southern California. Doing business as DSJ MGT, Inc. in Fountain Valley, Groscost controlled treatments, referrals, and medical and financial records at the clinics even though he was not licensed to practice medicine.

The Department of Insurance’s investigation, with the assistance of the National Insurance Crime Bureau, discovered that Groscost allegedly received approximately $2.1 million in kickbacks from Koltsov, owner of LFPS Inc. and Resource Pharmacy Inc., for patient referrals for urine drug screenings and compound cream prescriptions. Koltsov’s companies billed workers’ compensation insurance carriers over $20 million for these claims.

The investigation also revealed that Groscost allegedly failed to report employees to the Employment Development Department (EDD) and paid them as independent contractors. He failed to report over $5.1 million in wages to EDD and as a result, avoided paying over $510,000 in taxes. As of July 5, 2019, Groscost owed EDD over $1.6 million in taxes, penalties, and interest.

“These fraudulent workers’ compensation claims funnel resources away from injured workers and make it more difficult to provide the treatment to those workers who truly need it,” said District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is collaborating with the California Department of Insurance to crack down on workers’ compensation fraud and preserve resources for the truly injured.”

This case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Christine Oh of the Insurance Fraud Unit of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. Koltsov surrendered to the court on January 22, 2020, and posted bail of $500,000. Groscost surrendered to the court on January 24, 2020, and remains in custody. His bail is set at $500,000.

Supervisor Do to host free flu shot events in Santa Ana, Westminster, and Garden Grove

Posted on by Posted in Andrew Do, Disease, Garden Grove, Health and Medical, OC Health Care, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Westminster Leave a comment

Next month, Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do – in conjunction with the OC Health Care Agency – will be hosting free flu shot events in Santa Ana, Westminster, and Garden Grove.

“Getting a flu vaccine every year is the best way to protect yourself and your family from the flu and its potentially serious complications,” said Supervisor Andrew Do. “You can protect yourself and those around you by getting a flu shot at one of our three clinics.”

OC Supervisor Andrew Do’s Free Flu Shot Clinics
Date: Tuesday, November 12
Time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Location: Delhi Center
505 E. Central Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92707

Date: Thursday, November 21
Time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Location: Orange County Community Service Center
15496 Magnolia St. #111, Westminster, CA 92683

Date: Friday, November 22
Time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Location: Coastline Community College
12901 S. Euclid St., Garden Grove, CA 92840

For more information regarding these events, you can contact Supervisor Andrew Do’s office at (714) 834-3110 or by sending an email to Joyce.Rivero@ocgov.com.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone 6 months and older get the flu vaccine, however, the vaccines suitable for children under 3 years of age are not available at these events. Vaccines for all others, including pregnant women, will be available at these events. You can learn more about what’s new for the 2019-2020 flu season by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.

Please note that you CANNOT receive a flu vaccine if any of the following apply to you:
• You are sick on the day of the vaccination.
• You are allergic to eggs.
• You have previously had a reaction to the flu shot.
• You were diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome within 6 weeks of a previous flu shot.

First O.C. mosquitoes test positive for the Saint Louis Encephalitis virus

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Disease, Health and Medical, Insects, Orange County Vector Control District, Westminster Leave a comment



Garden Grove, CA. The Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District (OCMVCD) has confirmed the first mosquito samples to test positive for Saint Louis encephalitis (SLE) in Anaheim and Westminster. The mosquitoes were collected from Old Bolsa Chica Road in Westminster and in the area of Dale Ave and Orange Ave in Anaheim. OCMVCD has not seen SLE positive mosquito samples in these areas since 1987. OMCVCD staff will conduct additional mosquito surveillance and canvass the area to look for additional mosquito breeding sources.

“This is the first detection in these areas in three decades. We are encouraging residents to take the necessary precautions to keep themselves and their families safe. The best way to protect yourself from mosquito bites is to discard any standing water around your home to eliminate potential breeding sources,” said OCMVCD Public Information Officer, Heather Hyland.

Saint Louis encephalitis (SLE) is a viral disease spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito. Most people infected with SLE virus have no apparent illness. Initial symptoms of those who become ill include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and tiredness. Severe neuroinvasive disease (often involving encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain) occurs more commonly in older adults. In rare cases, long-term disability or death can result. There are no vaccines to prevent nor medications to treat SLE. There are no confirmed cases of human infection at this time in Orange County.

Residents should take the following precautions to help reduce the chances of getting bitten by mosquitoes:
• Dump and drain any containers filled with water at least once a week
• Clean and scrub bird baths and pet water bowls weekly
• Dump water from potted plant saucers
• Do not transport or share plant stems rooted in water
• Drill a hole or puncture containers to eliminate standing water
To prevent mosquito bites, the District offers the following tips:
• Apply mosquito repellents to exposed skin before going outdoors; reapply as recommended
• Wear repellent containing DEET®, Picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus
• Close all unscreened doors and windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering your home or space; repair broken or damaged screens
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and opt for lighter-colored clothing
Visit ocvector.org to learn more about what you can do to prevent mosquito breeding in and around your property.



Westminster mother and daughter charged in the largest Section 8 housing fraud case in O.C. history

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Fraud, Housing, OCDA, Westminster Leave a comment

SANTA ANA, Calif.- A mother and daughter from Westminster have been charged with felony welfare fraud charges for bilking Orange County’s Housing Authority (Section 8) and the County’s In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program out of more than $190,000. The pair is accused of engaging in the largest housing fraud scheme in Orange County history.

Errica Madkins Mickens 55, of Westminster and Brittany Monet Mickens, 29, of Westminster, were arrested Thursday by investigators from the Orange County District Attorney’s Public Assistance Division.

They are currently being held at the Orange County Jail on $190,000 bail each.

Errica Mickens and Brittany Mickens are each facing one felony count of grand theft public housing fraud, one felony count of grand theft of housing funds, one felony count of medical insurance fraud of IHSS, and one felony count of grand theft of IHSS funds. They are also facing four enhancements of aggravated white collar crime over $100,000 and under $500,000.

They face a maximum of eight years in state prison if convicted on all charges.

“The County’s In Home Supportive Services program provides the ability for relatives to provide the compassionate care to loved ones in need,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “The brazen way this program was exploited by these two individuals to steal taxpayer dollars is beyond disturbing. If you’re going to cheat the system, we will find out and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”

Errica Mickens and Brittany Mickens used multiple birth certificates and identification cards in order to gain eligibility for public programs while concealing their true identities.

Errica Mickens is a current IHSS client who receives the maximum benefit, which is reserved for the most severely disabled clients who require 285 hours of assistance per month. Brittany Mickens was serving as her in-home care provider under the guise that her mother was unable to speak or walk.

While under surveillance by the District Attorney’s Public Assistance Division, Errica Mickens was observed moving trash cans, carrying vehicle tires, driving a vehicle, shopping in grocery stores and handling large suitcases without assistance.

The pair did not disclose their familial relationship when applying for public assistance. The investigation revealed that Brittany Mickens was the owner of the house for which her mother was illegally receiving a housing voucher.

Applicants are not eligible to receive housing vouchers while they are living in a home owned by a relative.

Errica Mickens and Brittany Mickens also recently flew to France, Belize, and Italy, posting pictures on their Facebook profiles of riding around Italy and touring Belize. Errica Mickens also posted a photo of her and her daughter on a rollercoaster at Disneyland Paris despite claiming to be bedridden.

The investigation revealed more than $600,000 in bank accounts held by Errica Mickens and Brittany Mickens as well as a 2019 Land Rover that the pair recently purchased.

The District Attorney’s Public Assistance Division launched an investigation into Errica Mickens and Brittany Mickens after being notified of discrepancies by the Orange County Housing Authority. The Orange County Housing Authority administers federal funding allocated to the County to provide monthly rental assistance to more than 12,000 very low-income households.

The investigation was assisted by the Westminster Police Department, the Orange County Probation Department, Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and the California Department Health Care Service, which is the investigative arm of Medi-Cal.

Deputy District Attorney Demetra Lewis of the Major Fraud Unit is prosecuting this case.

I-405 set to close overnight Saturday near Magnolia Street

Posted on by Posted in Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, OCTA, Transportation, Westminster Leave a comment

A full freeway closure is planned in both directions from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. on Dec. 29 between Warner Avenue and Beach Boulevard

ORANGE – I-405 between Warner Avenue and Beach Boulevard is scheduled to fully close from approximately 11 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 29, to 8 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 30, as part of the I-405 Improvement Project.
The full freeway closure, along with an overnight closure of the Magnolia Street bridge and freeway ramps, is necessary to demolish part of the bridge over I-405. The bridge, which straddles the cities of Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach and Westminster, will be demolished and reconstructed in two stages, allowing it to remain open to traffic during construction.

During this weekend’s freeway closure, northbound drivers will be detoured off the freeway at Warner Avenue, and southbound drivers will be detoured off at Beach Boulevard.

Drivers should expect delays in the area and are encouraged to use alternate routes if possible. Up-to-date closure and construction information is available on the project’s interactive map at www.octa.net/405map.

The $1.9 billion I-405 Improvement Project will add one regular lane in each direction between Euclid Street and I-605, and a second lane in each direction in the center of the freeway from SR-73 to I-605 that will combine with the existing carpool lanes to form the 405 Express Lanes.

The bridge is the fourth of more than 18 bridges to be built, widened or replaced as part of the project, which will speed up travel times on I-405 between Costa Mesa and the Los Angeles County line, an area traveled by more than 370,000 vehicles a day.

The Magnolia Street bridge is expected to take approximately 18 months to reconstruct. Improvements to the bridge include increasing the total number of lanes from four to six and adding sidewalks and bike lanes in each direction.

This 16-mile segment of I-405 is one of the most heavily traveled stretches of highway in the nation, and both the regular lanes and carpool lanes are heavily congested during rush hour and on weekends. The project is critical to accommodate expected employment, population and housing growth throughout the region.

It currently takes drivers about an hour to travel this section of freeway during rush hour and without the project, the commute is projected to double in the next 20 years. Once the project is finished in 2023, it is expected to take about 30 minutes to drive the 16 miles during rush hour in the regular lanes and about 15 minutes in the 405 Express Lanes.

People are encouraged to visit the project website at www.octa.net/405improvement to sign up for construction alerts via automated call, text message or email.

Please click here for full detour information.

About OCTA: The Orange County Transportation Authority is responsible for planning, funding and implementing transit and capital projects serving 34 cities and 3.1 million residents. With the mission of keeping Orange County moving, this includes freeways and express lanes, bus and rail transit, rideshare, commuter rail and active transportation.

The I-405 is set to close overnight this Saturday in Westminster

Posted on by Posted in OCTA, Orange County, Toll Roads, Traffic, Transportation, Westminster Leave a comment

I-405 Set to Close Overnight Saturday in Westminster

A full freeway closure is planned in both direction from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. on Dec. 1 near Bolsa Chica Road/Valley View Street

ORANGE – I-405 through Westminster is scheduled to fully close from approximately 11 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1, to 8 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 2, as part of the I-405 Improvement Project.
The full freeway closure, along with an overnight closure of the Bolsa Chica Road bridge, is necessary to demolish half of the bridge over I-405. The bridge will be demolished and reconstructed in two stages, allowing it to remain open to traffic during construction. Continue reading→

An auto thief on parole was arrested in Santa Ana after a police pursuit

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, SAPD, Westminster Leave a comment

Kenneth Durazo

Garden Grove police set up surveillance on a vehicle that was stolen in a residential burglary on Oct. 25. The vehicle was left in the area of Euclid and W. First Streets, in Santa Ana, according to the O.C. Register.

The surveillance trap worked! A suspect got into the stolen red Jeep Liberty at 11:45 a.m yesterday. and started to drive it away. Police attempted to stop the suspect but he sped off. Continue reading→

O.C. hitman gets life in prison for contract killing of a Westminster woman

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Anthony Edward Bridget

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Case # 13CF1025

Date: October 12, 2018

HITMAN SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE FOR 2004 SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES MURDER OF WOMAN WHOSE KILLING WAS SOLICITED BY ESTRANGED HUSBAND

*Husband of victim sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2014

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A hitman was sentenced today to life in state prison without the possibility of parole for the 2004 special circumstances murder of a woman whose killing was solicited by her estranged husband.

Defendant: Anthony Edward Bridget, 44

Found guilty by a jury on April 12, 2018, of the following felony counts: Continue reading→

Man pleads guilty to helping a Santa Ana psychiatrist to illegally sell prescription drugs

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Drugs, Federal Government, Health and Medical, Huntington Beach, Santa Ana, Westminster 2 Comments

William Jason Plumley, 41, a Huntington Beach man accused of conspiring with a Santa Ana psychiatrist to sell prescription opioids, pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal drug-distribution charges according to the O.C. Register.

Plumley accepted a plea deal that required him to admit to federal charges of distributing methamphetamine and conspiring to distribute controlled substances. Continue reading→

Man gets 35 years to life in prison after a deadly high speed police chase that started in Westminster

Posted on by Posted in Crime, OCDA, Westminster Leave a comment

Javier Homero Montoya

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Case # 14WF4277

Date:September 14, 2018

MAN SENTENCED TO 35 YEARS TO LIFE FOR MURDERING PASSENGER BY CRASHING TRUCK AND ASSAULTING TWO POLICE OFFICERS DURING HIGH SPEED PURSUIT

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man was sentenced to 35 years to life in state prison today for murdering his passenger after assaulting two police officers and leading police on two separate high speed pursuits in Westminster.

Defendant: Javier Homero Montoya, 44, Riverside

Found guilty by a jury on April 25, 2018, of the following felony counts: Continue reading→

An armed man was shot and killed by SAPD police officers after a police pursuit

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

A man fleeing from police on Sunday night, July 9, crashed his vehicle twice and ended up in Westminster where he was fatally shot by officers when he took out a gun, according to the O.C. Register.

The police pursuit began at about 10 p.m. on Sunday night, when SAPD police officers attempted to stop the suspect for a traffic violation and he threw a gun out the window and sped off westbound on 1st and Newhope streets in Santa Ana, according to ABC News. Continue reading→

Santa Ana psychiatrist arrested for alleged illegal opioid prescriptions

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Drugs, Federal Government, Health and Medical, Santa Ana, Westminster Leave a comment

Dr. Robert Perez’ office in Santa Ana

Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

O.C. Psychiatrist Arrested on Federal Charges Alleging Illegal Prescriptions for Opioids Without Medical Need

SANTA ANA, California – A psychiatrist who practices at a Santa Ana clinic has been arrested on federal charges that allege he issued prescriptions for dangerous and addictive narcotics, such as the opioid oxycodone, without a medical purpose.

Dr. Robert Tinoco Perez, 56, of Westminster, was arrested Friday by special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Continue reading→

H.B. woman gets five years in prison for pimping women at O.C. massage parlors

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Crime, Orange County, Santa Ana, Westminster Leave a comment

Quynh Thuy Nguyen

Hien Thi Nguyen of Huntington Beach, a 29-year-old woman, pleaded guilty Wednesday and was immediately sentenced to more than five years in prison for her part in pimping several women out of three brothels in Orange County, according to the O.C. Register.

Nguyen pleaded guilty to four felony counts of pimping but three felony counts of pimping and seven felony counts of pandering were dismissed as part of a plea deal. Continue reading→

Garden Grove man identified by his DNA pleads guilty to a sexual assault and robbery case

Posted on by Posted in Cochino Alert, Crime, Garden Grove, OCDA, Westminster Leave a comment

Danny Thien Nguyen, a 28-year-old Garden Grove man pleaded guilty Thursday to sexually assaulting a woman during a robbery in Fountain Valley in 2012, and he was immediately sentenced to 22 years in prison, according to the O.C. Register.

Nguyen accepted charges of sexual penetration by a foreign object and force, kidnapping, robbery and sexual battery, which are all felonies. Nguyen also admitted to a sentencing enhancement for the use of a gun in the attack. Continue reading→