Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Tag Archives: irvine

Former SAPD Police Chief Paul Walters hired by Irvine firm

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Former SAPD Chief Paul Walters

Evidence Based Inc., a private Irvine-based company that provides risk-assessment services to courts, police agencies and municipalities, has hired Paul Walters, the former Santa Ana police chief as its executive vice president, according to the OC Business Journal.

Walters retired last year after serving in the role of police chief since 1988. During his tenure, he was recognized by President Bill Clinton for “community policing innovations,” as well as by President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, California Attorney General, the Governor of California, the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate and the Orange County Board of Supervisors. Continue reading→

Man gets 107 years in prison after raping women in Irvine and Newport Beach

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Travis Dewayne Batten Jr

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 11HF1885: May 23, 2014

MAN SENTENCED TO 107 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING TWO WOMEN IN IRVINE AND NEWPORT BEACH

SANTA ANA – A man was sentenced today to 107 years to life in state prison for sexually assaulting two women in Irvine and Newport Beach. Travis Dewayne Batten, Jr., 32, Irvine, was found guilty by a jury March 27, 2014, of two felony counts of forcible rape, one felony count each of assault with intent to commit a sexual offense, assault with intent to commit a sexual offense during the commission of first degree burglary, sodomy by force, sexual penetration by foreign object by force, and kidnapping to commit a sex offense. The sentencing enhancement allegations for committing sexual offenses during the commission of a burglary and tying up or binding a person were found true.

Between May 2005 and November 2006, Batten broke into the residences of two women, whom he did not know, while wearing a mask. He raped an Irvine woman and sexually assaulted a woman who lived in Newport Beach. Continue reading→

OC Public Libraries hosting the Young Authors’ Faire on Saturday, May 10

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Young Authors’ Faire

OC Public Libraries Hosting Young Authors’ Faire Tomorrow

By: Orange County Supervisor Todd Spitzer

From 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM on Saturday, May 10, 2014, OC Public Libraries and the Orange County Department of Education will be hosting the 13th Annual Young Authors’ Faire. This event will showcase original works by Orange County students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

“I was an English major, and I’m still a voracious reader, which makes me so proud that there are so many Orange County students who are creating their own literary works,” Supervisor Todd Spitzer said. “As a former English teacher and school board member, I’m always excited when young people put their creativity to work at school.” Continue reading→

Learn about a free online school for K-12 students, on 5/20 in Irvine

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Capistrano Connections Academy

The Capistrano Connections Academy is hosting a free Family Information Session on Tuesday, May 20, 2014, from 12-1:30 p.m. at the Courtyard Irvine John Wayne Airport/ Orange County, located at 2701 Main St., in Irvine.

This information session in Irvine is for families interested in learning about the Academy’s online program and individualized approach to education. Capistrano Connections Academy is chartered through the Capistrano Unified School District and is available to students in grades K-12 who reside in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties. Continue reading→

UCI student wins scholarship and will create an SAUSD after school program

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Strauss Foundation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE APRIL 9, 2014

STRAUSS FOUNDATION AWARDS CHRISTINE PHAM $10,000 PUBLIC SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP TO CARRY OUT PROJECT IN HER SENIOR YEAR

The Donald A. Strauss Public Service Scholarship Foundation, established as a memorial to the late Don Strauss of Newport Beach and now designed to award $10,000 scholarships to as many as 15 California college juniors annually, has announced that among the foundation’s new group of recipients is University of California, Irvine student Christine Pham.

The Strauss scholarships fund public-service projects that the students have proposed and will carry out during their senior year. Pham, who hails from Fountain Valley, will create My Healthy Start: an after school program that will educate students from the thirty-six elementary schools of the Santa Ana Unified School District and their parents on proper nutrition and physical activity on a monthly basis. Approximately 34.8% of children living in Santa Ana are obese, one of the highest rates of a city in California and double the national average. By focusing on simple habit changes for proper nutrition and physical activity, this program works to empower families to take care of their health in order to curb the obesity rates. Continue reading→

“Families w/o Borders” presentation at Reclaiming Democracy set for 4/12

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May Day in Irvine

Reclaiming Democracy’s monthly gathering will feature a presentation by the OC May Day Coalition on Saturday, April 12 from 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm, at the Irvine Ranch Water District, located at 15600 Sand Canyon Ave., in Irvine.

“Families w/o Borders: Human Rights, not Broken Ties” is the Coalition’s campaign which coincides with the annual May 1st May Day March. Come hear about the struggle to stop collaboration between local police and federal immigration. Learn about the struggles of undocumented families, day laborers and undocumented students in Orange County. Continue reading→

Irvine man convicted of raping women in Irvine and in Newport Beach

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Travis Dewayne Batten Jr

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 11HF1885: March 27, 2014

MAN CONVICTED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING TWO WOMEN IN IRVINE AND NEWPORT BEACH

SANTA ANA – A man was convicted today of sexually assaulting two women in Irvine and Newport Beach. Travis Dewayne Batten, Jr., 31, Irvine, was found guilty by a jury of two felony counts of forcible rape, one felony count each of assault with intent to commit a sexual offense, assault with intent to commit a sexual offense during the commission of first degree burglary, sodomy by force, sexual penetration by foreign object by force, and kidnapping to commit a sex offense. The sentencing enhancement allegations for committing sexual offenses during the commission of a burglary and tying up or binding a person were found true. Batten faces a maximum sentence of 120 years to life in state prison at his sentencing, May 23, 2014, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-27, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Irvine man to face trial for raping two women in Irvine and Newport Beach

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Travis Dewayne Batten Jr

Picture courtesy of KABC

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 11HF1885: March 17, 2014

MAN TO FACE TRIAL FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING TWO WOMEN IN IRVINE AND NEWPORT BEACH

SANTA ANA – A man is scheduled to face trial tomorrow for the sexual assaults of two women in Irvine and Newport Beach. Travis Dewayne Batten, Jr., 31, Irvine, is charged with two felony counts of forcible rape, one felony count each of assault with intent to commit a sexual offense, assault with intent to commit a sexual offense during the commission of first degree burglary, sodomy by force, sexual penetration by foreign object by force, dissuading a witness by force or threat, kidnapping to commit a sex offense, and first degree residential burglary. He also faces sentencing enhancement allegations for committing sexual offenses during the commission of a burglary and tying up or binding a person. If convicted, Batten faces a maximum sentence of 176 years to life in state prison. Opening statements are expected to begin tomorrow, March 18, 2014, at 10:30 a.m. in Department C-27, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. Continue reading→

The newly renovated Irvine OC Airport Wyndham Hotel is a real gem

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Wyndham Irvine

The hotel we know today as the Wyndham Irvine – Orange County Airport opened on August 1, 1986 and was initially operated as a Holiday Inn. It was purchased by the Wyndham Hotel Group, the world’s largest and most diverse hotel company with approximately 7,490 hotels worldwide, in August of 2013.

The Wyndham Hotel Group invested ten million dollars in a renovation of their Irvine hotel and the rooms are now fully renovated. New furniture is going to be installed in the lobby this week along with new carpeting.

My wife and I decided to take a weekend “staycation” at the Irvine Wyndham Hotel this weekend. We don’t get to be by ourselves much but our adult daughter was happy to look after our ten-year-old son, and so we headed for Irvine. Continue reading→

Former Servite teacher posed as a girl on Facebook to get nude pics of boys

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Zachary Joshua Reeder

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 13HF0513: January 29, 2014

MALE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR POSING AS TEENAGE GIRL ENCOURAGING SEX ACTS AND OBTAINING NUDE PHOTOS OF OVER 100 UNDERAGE BOYS THROUGH FACEBOOK

SANTA ANA – An Anaheim high school teacher was convicted and sentenced today to 10 years in state prison and mandatory lifetime sex offender registration for encouraging sex acts and soliciting and possessing nude photos and videos of over 100 underage boys by posing as a teenage girl on Facebook. Zachary Joshua Reeder, 31, Orange, pleaded guilty today to four felony counts of distributing pornography to a minor, two felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14, two felony counts of contacting a child with the intent to commit a lewd act, one felony count each of using a minor for sex acts, lewd act upon a child, possession and control of child pornography, and distribution of child pornography.

At the time of the crimes, Reeder was a history teacher at Servite High School, an all-boys college preparatory high school in Anaheim. Reeder previously worked as a history teacher and a walk-on assistant baseball coach for four seasons at Arnold O. Beckman High School in Irvine. Continue reading→

Santa Ana makes the list of the 10 highest cities in America

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The 10 Highest Cities In America

By Movoto Real Estate

In the wake of the new law that made marijuana legal in the State of Colorado, the Movoto Real Estate Blog set out to determine through the power of data, which are the top ten highest cities in America. After an amount of research that would seem like the most seriously difficult thing ever to a habitual toker, they concluded that, yes, the Mile-High City really is the best place for getting high in the 50 states–but it’s not alone.  And Orange County is very well represented.

These are the 10 highest cities in America: Continue reading→

Newsong Church to launch in Santa Ana on Jan. 26 at the new 10ten church

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10ten Church grand opening

Newsong Church is launching their new location in Santa Ana, at the former First Baptist Church that is now referred to as 10ten (that name is inspired by the address of the church, at 1010W. 17th St.) on January 26, 2014. Newsong has also announced that they will be closing their Irvine location on Jan. 12 and 19, 2014, while they make renovations. Combined services will be held at 10ten, in Santa Ana, at 9 am, 10:45 am and at 12:30 pm. on those dates.

Overflow parking will be available on Jan. 12 and 19, at lot 9 over at Santa Ana College, with shuttle service running almost non-stop.  Lot 9 is located off of Washington Ave., on the south end of the Santa Ana College campus.  There are no parking fees on Sundays.  Click here to see the parking lot map. Continue reading→

Man charged with operating a brothel in Irvine

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OCDA Seal

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 13HF3673: December 13, 2013

MAN ARRAIGNED ON CHARGES OF CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT PIMPING AND PANDERING BY OPERATING BROTHEL IN IRVINE

*Co-defendant charged in this case is a fugitive with a warrant out for her arrest

SANTA ANA – A man was arraigned today on charges of conspiracy to commit pimping and pandering by operating a brothel in Irvine and another in Torrance. Gao Yang Zhou, 34, Rowland Heights, is charged with 12 felony counts including three felony counts each of pimping, pandering, money laundering, and one felony count each of conspiracy to commit pimping, conspiracy to commit general pandering, conspiracy to commit money laundering, with a sentencing enhancement for money laundering over $50,000. If convicted on all charges, Zhou faces a maximum sentence of 11 years and eight months in state prison. The People requested Zhou be held on $500,000 bail at his arraignment today, and he must prove the money is from a legal and legitimate source before posting bond. He is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing Dec. 20, 2013, at 9:00 a.m. in Department H-1, Harbor Justice Center, Newport Beach. Continue reading→

Free workshop on how to create a culture of engagement set for 12/18

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Dale Carnegie Training

Dale Carnegie Training of Orange County is hosting a complimentary workshop, “How Great Organizations Create a Culture of Engagement” on December 18, 2014 – 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, at Concordia University, in Irvine, located at 1530 Concordia.

How Great Organizations Create a Culture of Engagement is a two hour workshop developed exclusively to introduce how leaders can build a culture of engagement. This workshop is unique because it leverages Dale Carnegie’s research to provide you with specific ideas and insights that can help you make the most impact while developing a culture of engagement. Get the tools you need to drive employee engagement in your organization today! Continue reading→