New Santa Ana | Tag Archives: Orange County

Former Santa Ana Councilman Bustamante convicted of sexual assaults and theft of public funds

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Crime, OCDA, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana 10 Comments

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 12CF1964

Date: December 18, 2015

FORMER SANTA ANA CITY COUNCILMAN AND HIGH-RANKING EXECUTIVE FOR COUNTY OF ORANGE CONVICTED OF SEXUAL ASSAULTS AND THEFT OF PUBLIC FUNDS

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A former Santa Ana City Councilman and high-ranking executive for the County of Orange was convicted today of sexually assaulting subordinates and committing grand theft of public funds. Carlos Bustamante,50, Santa Ana, pleaded guilty today, Dec. 18, 2015, to one felony count of stalking, one felony count of attempted sexual battery by restraint, one felony count of grand theft by false pretense, two misdemeanor counts of false imprisonment, one misdemeanor count of assault, and one misdemeanor count of attempted sexual battery. He is expected to be sentenced to one year in jail, five years of formal probation, restitution, and mandatory lifetime sex offender registration in January 2016, in Department C-30, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. The date and time are to be determined.

“I want to thank all victims and witnesses that bravely came forward in the face of fear and retaliation from a well-connected politician,” said District Attorney Tony Rackauckas. “No one is above the law, especially those who abuse their power of authority over their subordinates to sexually assault and harass them.” Continue reading→

Schatzle endorsed for OC Superior Court Judge by the Santa Ana Police Officers’ Association

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2016 Elections, Courts, Crime, Lawyers, Orange County, Politics Leave a comment

SANTA ANA POA ENDORSEMENT BOLSTERS KAREN SCHATZLE’S CAMPAIGN FOR JUDGE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 15, 2015

Orange, CA – The Santa Ana Police Officers’ Association became the latest public safety organization to announce their enthusiastic endorsement of Karen Schatzle’s campaign for Superior Court Judge today.

In announcing their endorsement, Santa Ana POA President John Franks stated:

“Ethical, honest, and committed to justice, are just a few of the terms that can be used to describe Karen Schatzle. The Santa Ana Police Officers’ Association is proud to announce our enthusiastic endorsement of her campaign to restore integrity to this seat on the bench.” Continue reading→

Serve on the next Orange County Grand Jury

Posted on December 14, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Courts, OC Grand Jury, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Serve on the Next OC Grand Jury

The Orange County Superior Court seeks OC residents to serve on the next Orange County Grand Jury. The deadline to apply is January 22, 2016, and the one-year term is scheduled to begin July 2, 2016.

Members receive a $50 per day stipend as well as mileage reimbursement. Continue reading→

The O.C. property tax payment deadline is Thursday, December 10

Posted on December 9, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in OC Treasurer, Orange County, Santa Ana, Taxes Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 7, 2015

Contact: Shari L. Freidenrich, (714) 834-7625, Treasurer@ttc.ocgov.com

Property Tax Payment Deadline is Thursday, December 10!

Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector Shari Freidenrich reminds Orange County property owners that the first installment of property taxes is due no later than Thursday, December 10, 2015. Payments not received by Thursday will incur a 10% late fee penalty unless they have a United States Postal Service stamp dated on or before December 10. Current first installment secured property tax receipts are nearly 2% ahead of the same time last year, with $136 million more in property taxes being received.

“Last year, we received over 50% of property tax payments electronically. Taxpayer payments online by eCheck are the fastest growing payment method and property tax payments by eCheck have almost doubled in the last several years” Treasurer Freidenrich said. “This secure online payment option using a bank account does not charge any service fees to the taxpayer, and the taxpayer receives same day payment credit to their property tax account.” Taxpayers can make payments using this method up to midnight on December 10 by going to ocgov.com/octaxbill or scanning the QR code below. Taxpayers can also include their e-mail address to have their payment receipt e-mailed directly to them and have it printed as well. The receipt now includes the property address and the APN. Continue reading→

World AIDS Day is on Dec. 1, 2015

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Disease, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

For Immediate Release:November 30, 2015

Contact: Tricia Landquist tlandquist@ochca.com, 714-834-2178

World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, 2015

(Santa Ana) – More than 60 million people have been infected with the HIV virus and approximately 30 million people have died of AIDS worldwide. In Orange County, 11,987 people have been diagnosed with HIV and using CDC criteria, 938 people are estimated to be infected but do not know it.

World AIDS Day is commemorated on December 1st; it is a day to reflect and remember those who have lost their lives and those who are still living with HIV disease. The 2015 theme for World AIDS Day is “Getting to Zero. Zero new HIV Infections. Zero Discrimination. Zero AIDS Related Deaths.” Eliminating stigma about HIV, encouraging everyone to know their HIV status, and making sure people living with HIV have access to medical care and medications are all important steps to “Getting to Zero” in Orange County. Continue reading→

The OC Clerk-Recorder will be open on Saturday on December 19

Posted on November 26, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in OC Clerk-Recorder, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

OC CLERK-RECORDER

For Immediate Release: November 25, 2015

Contact: David Cabrera, (714) 834-2083, david.cabrera@rec.ocgov.com

Special Saturday Hours Planned for December 19

Plan now to take advantage of Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen’s special Saturday hours this upcoming Saturday, December 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Old County Courthouse in Santa Ana and the department’s branch offices in downtown Fullerton and at the Laguna Hills Civic Center.

With the fast approaching end of the year, demand for services is expected to be high. The Old County Courthouse will be offering marriage licenses, civil wedding ceremonies and passport application services only. Copies of property records and birth, death and marriage certificates will be available at the Laguna Hills and Fullerton branch offices, as well as obtaining marriage licenses and civil wedding ceremonies. Please note that the department’s South County branch office in Laguna Hills is now offering passport services. Free parking will be available at all three locations. Continue reading→

Special OC Board of Supervisors meeting on proposed homeless shelter site set for 11/17

Posted on November 13, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Entertainment, homeless, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The Orange County Board of Supervisors are hosting a Special Meeting regarding the proposed Orange County homeless shelter at the Kraemer site in Anaheim on Tuesday, November 17, 2015, at 11 a.m., to consider finalizing purchase of a site at 1000 N. Kraemer Place in Anaheim for use as multi-service facility to serve the homeless.

If you plan on attending this meeting plan to arrive by 9 a.m. Entrance to the Board Hearing Room will be restricted once all of the seats are filled. Anyone leaving the building after the meeting starts will not be allowed back in. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido will be back on the S.C.A.Q.M.D’s Board in a few weeks

Posted on November 7, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in california, Curt Pringle, Democratic Party, Environment, Miguel Pulido, Orange County, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The Sacramento Democrats are looking forward to punking the OC GOP

The OC GOP’s Chairman, Fred Whitaker celebrated the Republican takeover of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) that took place this week when Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido, a moderate Democrat, was replaced by Lake Forest Councilman Dwight Robinson, a Republican.

But Whitaker’s celebration might be very short lived. A well-placed source told me today that the Democrats in Sacramento are livid about the GOP’s shenanigans – which were engineered, allegedly, by none other than former Anaheim Mayor, turned lobbyist, Curt Pringle , on behalf of the oil industry. Continue reading→

Rally in support of the proposed Anaheim homeless shelter set for 11/17 in Santa Ana

Posted on October 31, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Entertainment, homeless, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

A rally will be taking place in Santa Ana on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015, at 9 a.m., at the Orange County Hall of Administration, located at Building 19 at the Santa Ana Civic Center, in support of the proposed homeless shelter at Kraemer Place, in Anaheim.

The residents that live in the areas surrounding the location of the proposed homeless shelter have thus far shown up in great numbers to voice their opposition to the location of the shelter at several forums held over the past few months. Continue reading→

Woman convicted of stealing a car and driving to Santa Ana to pander another woman

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Graphic Courtesy of Grand Theft Auto

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15CF2404

Date: October 28, 2015

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WOMAN CONVICTED AND SENTENCED FOR STEALING VEHICLE AND DRIVING WITH ANOTHER WOMAN TO ORANGE COUNTY AND CONSPIRING TO PANDER HER

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A Northern California woman was convicted and sentenced today for stealing a vehicle, driving to Orange County, and conspiring to pander another woman. Courtney Charell Amos, 26, Pittsburg, pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to commit pandering, one felony count of unlawful taking of a vehicle, one misdemeanor count of false evidence of documents, devices, or plates, one felony count of receiving stolen property, and one misdemeanor count of driving on a suspended license. She was sentenced to one year in jail and four years in prison stayed pending completion of five years formal probation. Continue reading→

Santa Ana ranked almost last in Orange County in new jobs study

Posted on October 25, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, california, Economy, Jobs, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Six years ago California’s unemployment rate peaked at 12.2 percent. It is now done to a more reasonable 6.1%. California has created more than 1.5 million non-farm jobs since our last financial crisis, a growth driven primarily by the technology sector and other high-wage industries. But how is Santa Ana doing?

To help California residents and inbound migrants find the best cities for employment, WalletHub analysts compared 250 cities in the state across 16 key metrics to determine the best and worst California cities in which to find a new job.

Here are some of the key findings of the new WalletHub jobs study with regards to cities in Orange County (note that you will have to scroll down quite a bit to find how Santa Ana ranked): Continue reading→

Ad-hoc Orange County committee will address mental health services

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Mental Health, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 14, 2015

Ad-Hoc Committee Will Address Mental Health Services

(Santa Ana, CA) — An ad-hoc committee comprised of two members of the Board of Supervisors will examine gaps within the County’s mental health system and present recommendations to their colleagues early next year, Board Chairman Todd Spitzer, Third District, announced this week.

The committee was suggested by Vice Chair Lisa Bartlett, Fifth District, who will serve with Supervisor Andrew Do, First District. Bartlett requested that a committee be created to formally review and analyze long-term policy solutions for the delivery of public psychiatric services. Input and collaboration will be sought from County agencies, hospital representatives, the medical community and law enforcement. Continue reading→

California’s newest grocer, ALDI, brings new jobs to Orange County

Posted on October 10, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in buena park, Food, Fountain Valley, Jobs, Orange County Leave a comment

California’s Newest Grocer, ALDI, Brings Jobs to Los Angeles, Orange Counties

Company to Fill Nearly 50 Shift Manager Positions During First Los Angeles Hiring Event on Oct. 16

LOS ANGELES. – October 8, 2015 – Offering wages and benefits that are higher than the national average for the retail industry, ALDI will host its first Los Angeles-area hiring event on Friday, Oct. 16. The event will fill Shift Manager positions for the grocer’s initial Los Angeles and Orange County stores. The March 2016 arrival of ALDI will expand grocery retail options with the ALDI difference of fresh, high-quality groceries at everyday low prices.

What: Hiring event for future ALDI stores at the following locations: Continue reading→

O.C. Health Care Agency providing outreach and services to DTSA’s homeless

Posted on October 9, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in homeless, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

HCA Provides Outreach and Services to Civic Center Homeless Population

By OC Supervisor Lisa Bartlett

HCA’s Behavioral Health Services Outreach and Engagement (BHS O&E) Program and Public Health’s Comprehensive Health Assessment Team Homeless (CHAT-H) provide expanded outreach and services to the Civic Center homeless population on Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

BHS O&E provide services to homeless and those individuals at risk of homelessness who are dealing with a behavioral health issue. Services are provided throughout Orange County to all ages which include: street outreach, coping skill psychoeducational groups, case management, and wellness screenings. The primary goal of BHS O&E is to link individuals to behavioral health and other supportive services by addressing participant’s barriers to accessing these services. This occurs by building trusting relationships with the homeless community and collaborating with other service providers. Continue reading→

Former Mrs. Orange County arrested on child porn charges

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Military, Orange County Leave a comment

NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, 714.904.7042, JHallock@ocsd.org

ICE Public Affairs, 949.360.3096, Virginia.C.Kice@ice.dhs.gov

Investigators Seeking Additional Victims of Child Pornography Suspect

SANTA ANA, Calif. (October 8, 2015) – Special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Orange County Sheriff’s Department investigators arrested an Irvine woman Wednesday who formerly held the title of “Mrs. Orange County” on state charges for producing and distributing child pornography. The investigation was initiated following information obtained from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).

Meghan Breanna Alt, 25, was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon in San Diego County by investigators assigned to the multi-agency Orange County Child Exploitation Task Force (OCCETF). Alt is suspected of using a 4-year-old family member to manufacture child pornography and electronically distribute it for financial gain and/or gifts. Continue reading→