As Mayor Eric Garcetti considers his top education appointment, one name is generating more buzz than any other — Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana, according to the LA School Report.
She quit her job as Superintendent of the Santa Ana Unified School District after a huge scandal broke out – at Spurgeon Intermediate, where 12 year old kids were openly smoking pot, tagging and disrupting their classrooms, as we reported a few months ago. Continue reading
André Birotte Jr., United States Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney, Central District of California
For Immediate Release: October 25, 2012
Contact: Thom Mrozek, (213) 894-6947
SANTA ANA, California – A dozen people associated with a chain of nine marijuana stores that operated across Orange and Los Angeles counties were arrested this morning on federal drug trafficking charges. The 12 arrested are among 14 people named in a 14-count indictment returned last week by a federal grand jury. Continue reading
WANTED: ARMED AND DANGEROUS SUSPECTS:
1) Darnell Washington, male Black, 24 yr-old, 6’2,” 197 lbs.
2) Tania Washington, female Black, 25 yr-old, 5’3,” 130 lbs.
On August 28, 2012, Suspect Darnell Washington escaped from the San Bernardino County Jail with the aid of his wife, Suspect Tania Washington. Continue reading
Santa Ana Ward 3 candidate Eric Alderete is hosting another fundraiser – but this time it is going to be held in Los Angeles, not in Santa Ana, at the offices of mega-corporate law firm DLA Piper.
Here are the event details, courtesy of Facebook: Continue reading
CALLING ALL NON-PROFIT GROUPS:
Citadel Outlets to Host 7th Annual Shopping Extravaganza, Raising Money for Local Charities
Los Angeles, Calif.—Citadel Outlets is inviting all local non-profit organizations and charities to raise money and awareness for their individual causes at the center’s 7th annual Shopping Extravaganza, a special day devoted to shopping and pampering on Saturday, October 6 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Continue reading
Some folks take Santa Ana Council Member Michele Martinez for granted, but consider for a moment how much support she has for her campaign for the 69th Assembly District – not just here in Santa Ana but statewide. You see over the past few years Martinez has been very busy contributing to an organization called NALEO (the National Association of Latino Elected Officials) and another one called SCAG (the Southern California Association of Governments).
Martinez is in fact very popular – unlike her Democratic opponents. Sure, O.C. Clerk-Recorder Tom Daly has a following, but so did Tom Umberg, and what did that get him? A lopsided loss to Supervisor Janet Nguyen. I suspect Daly is headed for a similar end. And what about labor hack Julio Perez? The fact is, no one knows who he is. It will cost him a million dollars to develop the name I.D. that Martinez already has!
This Friday, March 23, Martinez’s supporters in L.A. County are hosting a fundraising event for her, in El Monte. Check out who is on the Host Committee: Continue reading
Julio Perez – the choice of union hacks
Sixty three year-old LAUSD teacher Mark Berndt has been charged with 23 counts of lewd acts on children. Berndt allegedly regularly told children they were going to play a “tasting game”, then blindfolded them and in some cases put tape over their mouths. He then fed students a “milky” substance on a spoon and on top of cookies. Later DNA testing confirmed that this substance was indeed Berndt’s own semen. He also ran cockroaches over the faces and mouths of the children. Berndt took pictures of these encounters, according to USA Today.
Berndt is going to keep getting his benefits – and he even kept his job back in 1993 when he was first charged with molestation. And he got a $40K payment so that he would retire. How did all this happen? Because of rules that the teachers’ union bartered for – the same union that is now supporting ultra-liberal Democratic Assembly candidate Julio Perez, who is running for the 69th A.D. 
Continue reading
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is admitting he goofed by allowing his city to be occupied. The price tag for the clean up and eviction could top one million dollars, according to the L.A. Times.
“Every cent that’s going to go into the park is coming from taxpayer dollars, and that could mean less programming when we get to springtime at our rec centers,” said Jon Kirk Mukri, general manager for the Department of Recreation and Parks.
While the Santa Ana City Council voted to support the Occupy movement they were smart enough to reject their camping request. Thank goodness for that! Our city is already broke. The last thing we need is to blow a million cleaning up Occupoo! Continue reading
Julio Perez, a political director with O.C. Labor, is holding a fundraiser for his campaign for the 69th Assembly District – in Los Angeles. It should be noted that the 69th Assembly District is entirely in Orange County – not in L.A.
Here is Perez’ Host Committee:
AFSCME Local 741
IBEW Local 11
UFCW Local 324
Al Austin, II
Marcos Cardenas
Brenda Gonzalez
Ana Grande
Kian Kaeni
Maria Ochoa
Eric Robles
Carolina Sarmiento
How much does it cost to support this guy? Here you go:
Co-Hosting:
$3900 Madrina / Padrino $1000 Hermana / Hermano
$500 Prima / Primo
$250 Comadre / Compadre
$150 Amiga/amigo
$69 Individual
$30 Student
Please make contributions payable to: Julio Perez for Assembly 2012, ID #1338367, PO Box 6984, Santa Ana, CA 9 92706
or through ACT BLUE, https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/entity/27098?refcode=directory
Perez is running against Santa Ana Councilman Vince Sarmiento, who is going to most likely soundly thrash him in the Democratic primary. Sarmiento is holding a fundraiser on June 30 – in Santa Ana, at a local restaurant. Click here for details. Sarmiento’s host committee is a Who’s Who of local elected officials, including the entire Santa Ana City Council and Assemblyman Jose Solorio.
The Chivas will be at the Santa Ana Fiesta Marketplace Promenade from 4-7 pm all week selling “two for $8 tickets” for this Saturday’s “SuperClasico” Chivas vs. Galaxy game at the Home Depot Center. This is a $40 value!
Or buy one adult ticket for $8 and get two kids’ tickets for free! This is an $80 value!
The biggest match of the year is almost here. Chivas USA hosts the LA Galaxy in a challenge for Los Angeles bragging rights on Saturday, May 21st at 7 p.m. here at The Home Depot Center! Reserve your seats today and be here live and in person for Major League Soccer’s biggest rivalry match! Catch world class Chivas USA soccer as they host Landon Donovan, David Beckham, Juan Pablo Angel and the LA Galaxy in a match representing “Real Passion” and “Real Action”. Be here as a real life David vs. Goliath storyline unfurls itself when the underdog Goats face the glitz and glamour of the LA Galaxy.
Galaxy face a confident Chivas USA
Chivas USA brimming with confidence ahead of SuperClasico
CARSON, Calif. – As far as bitter rivalries go, the SuperClasico between the Galaxy and Chivas USA lately has left something to be desired.
The Galaxy leads the all-time series 12-3-5, including 5-0-3 in the last eight matches, and haven’t lost to their co-tenants since a 3-0 loss on Sept. 13, 2007. The Galaxy have had a decided edge almost from the moment the series began in 2005.
But that may be about to change Saturday at The Home Depot Center (7 p.m., ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes) in this season’s first leg of the series. Chivas, under first-year coach Robin Fraser, has a 3-3-3 record that includes a stunning 3-2 victory over the Red Bulls last weekend in New York.
“They’re probably full of confidence,” Galaxy midfielder Chris Birchall said. “We see them every day and speak to a couple of their players, and from what (Chivas defender Ante) Jazic said to me is they’re feeling more of a team every weekend.
“That’s good. We want to play any team when they’re at their best. At the moment Chivas is playing really well and it should be a great game and hopefully a lot of fans will turn out.”
The Galaxy’s Todd Dunivant, who counts Chivas’ Simon Elliott – “He’s a Stanford guy,” Dunivant joked – and Heath Pearce among his closest friends, said the proximity with their Chivas rivals makes it difficult for him and his Galaxy teammates not to keep track of them during the season.
“We talk to each other every day, we park next to them in the parking lot … it’s a unique situation in this league, probably any league,” Dunivant said. “They have a lot of confidence right now, they have a new direction and they’re buying into it.
“That makes for a dangerous team.”
This weekend’s game marks a reunion of sorts for Fraser and Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena. Arena coached Fraser from 1999-2001 with the U.S. National Team and always was impressed with Fraser’s approach to the game.
If there was someone who had coaching potential, Arena said, it was Fraser.
“What always impressed me about Robin was the kind of character he had,” Arena said. “He wasn’t one of those players where you had to measure every word when you spoke to him. He wasn’t a guy with a major ego or attitude about him.
“I think because the way he always conducted himself you would expect that he could become a good coach. The biggest mistake people make is saying a former player could be a good coach. Most people don’t realize they’re players, not coaches, and to be a coach is a whole different mindset.
“I think he was one of the few that you would say if he wanted to be a coach that he would do a good job.”
The Galaxy’s Mike Magee said Fraser and Chivas certainly have the Galaxy’s attention with their progress to date.
“They’re definitely good. Even when they weren’t getting results, they were playing really well,” Magee said. “Things just weren’t going their way, but they’re one of the hottest teams in the west.
“It’s a tough time to be playing them right now.”
The Galaxy face Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center on Saturday, May 21 at 7 p.m. on ESPN 2/Deportes. Fans that can’t make it to the match can join other supporters at Galaxy viewing parties at ESPN Zone at LA Live or Bier Academy in Santa Clarita. MORE INFO
“The City of Santa Ana has received an application for the Park View at Town and Country Manor project, proposing to construct additional structures and facilities within the existing Town and Country Manor campus. The proposed project would add 174 independent living units to the existing campus. Also constructed would be a new expanded entry lobby, a covered pool area and fitness center proposed within an aquatic and wellness center, modifications to the existing parking lots, and creation of a main entrance driveway, connecting the two existing entrances on Memory Lane and Lawson Way and having one lane in each direction,” according to the City of Santa Ana’s Planning and Building website.
The Santa Ana Planning commission was presented with an environmental impact report for this proposed EIGHT story building for assisted living to be built next to the current Town and Country space. You can read the entire report online at this link. The site is not far from the CityPlace center.
As one might expect, this project is going to have a big impact on local traffic: Continue reading