Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Tag Archives: 2014 Elections

Four more years of Michele Martinez?

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Elections, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana 16 Comments

Michele Martinez speaking

Santa Ana Michele Martinez announced her intention to run for re-election in 2014, today on her Facebook page: “It’s with great excitement to announce my re-election campaign for 2014! Re-Elect Michele Martinez for City Council, Ward 2, Facebook Page and Website coming soon!”

Sigh.  I supposed this grammatical disaster is about the best we can expect from Martinez, but what’s her excuse?  She was born and raised here.  She grew up speaking English – it wasn’t her second language.  Yet after finishing college she still reels off “It’s with great excitement to announce my re-election campaign for 2014!”  Wow. Continue reading→

Council to consider the marijuana dispensary measure, which is a hot mess

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Civic Affairs, Drugs, Elections, Health and Medical, Marijuana, Planning, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Kids smoking pot

One of our readers asked me to have a look at the information that the Santa Ana City Council will be reviewing and voting upon at tomorrow night’s Council meeting, regarding the medical marijuana dispensary ballot initiative that may end up on the ballot in November, 2014.

You can read the info yourself by looking over the Council’s agenda, however note that the medical marijuana info is way back towards the end of the document.

The initiative specifies that the dispensaries will be allowed in the City’s commercial, industrial and professional office zones, but they cannot be closer than 600 feet from any public or private schools, grades K-12. Continue reading→

So you think you can beat Mayor Pulido?

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Alfredo Amezcua, David Benavides, Michele Martinez, Politics, Santa Ana, Stanley Fiala, Thomas Gordon 14 Comments

Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido tells the Nicholas Academic Centers’ 4th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner Celebration that the NACs are profoundly changing education

There appears to be an anti-Mayor Pulido cult in town and I find it rather laughable.  Simply put, these folks can’t beat him.  So why is that?

Well, here are my Top Ten reasons why the Pulido haters can’t beat him:

  1. You cannot beat Pulido if you are a criminal defense lawyer who specializes in getting gang bangers out of jail.  (Alfredo Amezcua – lost badly to Pulido in 2010)
  2. You cannot beat Pulido if your campaign gets derailed when your half-brother gets arrested, for violating parole (Michele Martinez in 2008)
  3. You cannot beat Pulido if you look like a white supremacist (Thomas Gordon in 2006)
  4. You cannot beat Pulido if you use the word “vibrant” 2,000 times but never offer up any ideas as to how exactly you will make Santa Ana more “vibrant” (David Benavides in 2012)
  5. You cannot beat Pulido if you hate Mexicans (Stanley Fiala in 2004) Continue reading→

Time for the Supervisors to vote for letter grade restaurant health ratings?

Posted on by Posted in Food, Health and Medical, Janet Nguyen, Orange County, Politics, Public Safety, Safety, Santa Ana, Todd Spitzer 15 Comments

c grade restaurant.jpg

From the OC Politics Blog

UPDATE: Supervisor Todd Spitzer now says that he is going to ask the Supervisors to reconsider restaurant letter grade health ratings!  Thank you Supervisor Spitzer!

Despite a warning from the county grand jury, the Orange County Board of Supervisors declined, back in December of 2008, to impose a letter grading system designed to inform would-be diners about the health safety record of restaurants, according to the L.A. Times.

Supervisor Janet Nguyen cast the key vote against the letter grading system for restaurants.   I broke the news afterwards that O.C. Supervisor Janet Nguyen’s husband, Tom Bonikowski, owned a Lee’s Sandwiches franchise in Stanton that had been fined many times by the O.C. HCA.  She never reported that when she voted against the letter grade ratings – and it blew up in the press.  Bonikowski has since sold the restaurant. Continue reading→

Will Ackerman be picked to be the O.C. Clerk-Recorder?

Posted on by Posted in Hugh Nguyen, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment
Photo Courtesy of the FFFF Blog

Photo of Dick Ackerman courtesy of the FFFF Blog

By the OC Politics Blog

Reportedly over 800 Orange County residents have sent in applications to become the next Orange County Clerk-Recorder. But will any of them really have a chance – or will the seat go to a political appointment?

Former State Senator Dick Ackerman and former State Assemblyman Chris Norby, both Republicans from Fullerton, could be the leaders of the pack. (Ackerman now lives in Irvine).

I am told that Ackerman will likely hire Laura Cunningham, who served as former Supervisor Bill Campbell’s Chief of Staff, if he gets selected to serve as Clerk-Recorder. Continue reading→

Who will the Santa Ana City Council blame now?

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Angelica Amezcua, Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Elections, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 63 Comments

Michele Martinez will be blamed

Well, the Santa Ana City Council got their way – and not even their own supporters can figure out why they fired City Manager Paul Walters.  But here’s the kicker – from now on whatever happens in this city is going to be blamed on the Council.

Remember that at the last Council meeting the entire cabal begged for respect, in their closing comments.  But what they are now going to get is the blame – if crime goes up, if tax revenue goes down, if businesses close it will all get placed at the Council Members’ doorsteps.

And you can forget about blaming Mayor Miguel Pulido.  He no longer appoints Council Members to Council commissions and the Council rejected his request to serve on just one committee – transportation and development.  Pulido has the support of the people but this Council has cornered him. Continue reading→

The race for the 34th State Senate District is already heating up

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Democratic Party, Janet Nguyen, Jose Solorio, Long Pham, Lou Correa, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana, Vietnamese 2 Comments

Jose Solorio and Jerry Brown

From the OC Politics Blog

Lou Correa has had a great run in the 34th State Senate District but he is terming out in 2014 and already both Democratic and Republican candidates are lining up for a shot at his seat.

The leading Republican candidate for the 34th is O.C. Supervisor Janet Nguyen.  She has not distinguished herself in any way but the DPOC gave her a free pass last year and so she is loaded – her fundraising advantage will make it hard for any other Republicans to challenge her in the Open Primary. Continue reading→

Who is Santa Ana’s most powerful politician?

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, 2014 Elections, Angelica Amezcua, Cecilia Iglesias, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Elections, Eric Alderete, Estela Amezcua, Janet Nguyen, John Palacio, Jose Solorio, Loretta Sanchez, Lou Correa, Mark McLoughlin, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Rob Richardson, Robert Hammond, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento Leave a comment

Public OpinionPoll Results

Who is Santa Ana’s most powerful politician?  U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez certainly made her case this year by helping to elect Anaheim Council Candidate Jordan Brandman and Assembly Candidate Sharon Quirk-Silva.  But Assemblyman Jose Solorio also was a key factor in the successful re-election of Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido and the victory of Assembly Candidate Tom Daly.

But what about Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez?  Has there ever been a more powerful termed out local politician?  She beat out two candidates who were incumbents, for the Rancho Santiago Community College District’s Board of Trustees.  And she helped elect unknown and unfunded Santa Ana Council Candidate Angelica Amezcua, in Ward 3, while giving Santa Ana Councilman Vince Sarmiento a scare in Ward 1 with Amezcua’s sister, Estela. Continue reading→

Joe Dovinh announces he will run for the 34th Senate District in 2014

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Anaheim, Democratic Party, Elections, Joe Dovinh, Jose Solorio, Latinos, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Democratic 72nd Assembly District candidate Joe Dovinh, who came in third in the Open Primary on June 5, has announced that he will be running for the 34th State Senate District in 2014, in an email message he sent to supporters today.  The 34th S.D. is currently held by Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana).

Dovinh lives in Garden Grove, which appears to be entirely in the 34th.  Other cities in the 34th include Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, Westminster, Midway City, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, and part of Anaheim.  According to the final voter registration data for the 34th, 19.4% of the voters have Asian surnames and 24% of the voters in the district have Latino surnames. Continue reading→