Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Tag Archives: Orange County

Orange County’s financial crisis exposed by California lawsuit

Posted on by Posted in Education, John Moorlach, OC Treasurer, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Op Ed: CALIFORNIA LAWSUIT EXPOSES ORANGE COUNTY FINANCIAL CRISIS

By: Chriss W. Street

The ballooning Orange County financial crisis continued to spiral down as the State of California filed a law suit to force return of $73.5 million of property tax revenue the County skimmed from local schools and community colleges last November.  It seemed bazaar at the time that the supposed “Most Conservative County in America” would increase spending by $145.8 million, then  grab the school’s cash and cancel planned layoffs of 490 union workers.

The new lawsuit has caused increased scrutiny of other dicey actions by the County.  The biggest shock came from the recently released Orange County 2010-11 Audited Financial Report, which discloses the County is short $30,146,000 in Reserves and out of accounting compliance:   Continue reading→

Gallegos convicted of sexually assaulting 8-year old on Christmas Eve

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

For Immediate Release: April 2, 2012
Contacts:
Susan Kang Schroeder,  Chief of Staff, Office: 714-347-8408, Cell: 714-292-2718
Farrah Emami, Spokesperson, Office: 714-347-8405, Cell: 714-323-4486

Case # 09CF3141: MAN CONVICTED OF CHRISTMAS EVE SEXUAL ASSAULT OF 8-YEAR-OLD FEMALE RELATIVE INCLUDING ORAL COPULATION AND RAPE AND/OR SODOMY

SANTA ANA – A man was convicted today of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old female relative, including oral copulation and rape and/or sodomy, on Christmas Eve while family members slept in other rooms. Jorge Miguel Gallegos, 38, Santa Ana, was found guilty by a jury of one felony count of sexual intercourse or sodomy with a child, two felony counts of oral copulation or sexual penetration with a child, and one felony count each of digital penetration of a child under 10, lewd acts on a child under 14, and dissuading a witness from reporting a crime. Gallegos faces a sentence ranging from a minimum of 55 years to life to a maximum of 66 years to life in state prison at his sentencing May 11, 2012, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-36, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Did Daly remodel his records building without approval by the Supervisors?

Posted on by Posted in Orange County, Santa Ana, Tom Daly Leave a comment

Editor’s Note: This post was submitted to us by an anonymous source who calls himself “Honest Government.”

After much speculation as to what in the world is Tom Daly doing with the building at 433 Civic Center Drive, we can now tell you that Tom Daly has built a “Records Center” at the money eating building he bought almost four years ago. From what we can tell it might be a move to have something to show for more than 10 years at the helm of a lack luster career as Clerk-Recorder. But the real kicker is that he has built his crown­ing achievement with no Board approval and ap­parently no actual contracts. The vendors have been paid and now the de­partment is busy retroactively creating contacts to make this look all legitimate possibly before going to the Board for approval.

Since Daly has no original ideas, it appears that he took a play out of the good old boy’s remodeling play book. A play that got several O.C. Public Works officials in hot water. Daly has disregarded County policy in the past and can’t claim ignorance—read about it here. Continue reading→

Property tax payment deadline is next Tuesday

Posted on by Posted in Orange County, Santa Ana, Taxes 1 Comment

OFFICE OF THE TREASURER-TAX COLLECTOR SHARI L. FREIDENRICH, CPA, CCMT, CPFA, CPFIM
P.O. BOX 4515, SANTA ANA, CA92702-4515
http://bos.ocgov.com/octaxbill

PRESS RELEASE, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 2, 2012

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

Property Tax Payment Deadline is next Tuesday!

Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector Shari Freidenrich today reminds Orange County taxpayers that the second installment of property taxes is due no later than Tuesday, April 10, 2012. Payments not received by Tuesday, unless they have a United States Postal Service stamp on or before April 10, will incur a 10% late penalty fee. Current second installment secured tax receipts are approximately 1% ahead of the same time last year with $38 million more in property taxes being received. Total secured tax receipts are $71 million ahead of the same time same year. Continue reading→

Elizondo was forced to change his ballot designation as he is not a teacher

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Democratic Party, Education, Eleazar Elizondo, Elections, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

I reported on Thursday about O.C. Board of Education, Area One, candidate Eleazar Elizondo’s comments to an OC Weekly reporter about how teaching adults is not teaching.  Now that OC Weekly article has been published and his comments are as ridiculous as the reporter indicated when she called me.  But even worse for Elizondo, the true story about how he arrived at the awful ballot designation of “Public Affairs Consultant” has now been revealed.

I recall that Elizondo, when I ran into him on the last day of the filing period, at the Orange County Voter Registrar, desperately called an attorney, on his cell phone, and asked the unknown lawyer to be his campaign attorney.  I wondered then why in the world he needed a campaign attorney.  Well, now we know. Continue reading→

OC Board of Education candidate Elizondo slams adult education

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Art Pedroza, Democratic Party, Education, Orange County, Santa Ana 5 Comments

I just got off the phone with a reporter from the OC Weekly.  She called to tell me that one of my opponents, Eleazar Elizondo, a liberal Democrat who once worked for U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, doesn’t think I should be able to call myself a teacher because I work in Adult Education, at Cerritos Community College.  Well that is interesting – apparently Elizondo is not aware that the Orange County Department of Education is heavily involved in Career Technical Education for adults!

Here is what the O.C. Department of Education has to say about this on their website: Continue reading→

Carlos Bustamante’s former boss at the County of Orange placed on leave

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Orange County, Republican Party, Santa Ana 1 Comment

The placing of OC Public Works Director Jess Carbajal on administrative leave last week is just one of several personnel moves being made as county officials scramble to gain control over a department rocked by revelations that sexual harassment allegations against former executive Carlos Bustamante were not properly handled, according to the Voice of OC.

The Voice of OC also reported that Ignacio Ochoa, who now heads the department’s engineering division, will take over as interim head of the OC Public Works Agency. Continue reading→

Seasonal Orange County homeless emergency shelters closing on 4/10

Posted on by Posted in homeless, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 29, 2012

CONTACT: Karen Roper (714) 480-2805

SEASONAL HOMELESS EMERGENCY SHELTERS TO CLOSE

(Santa Ana, CA) – On April 10, 2012 the Armory Emergency Shelter Program will close. The Armory Program, which opened on December 1, 2012, is a seasonal program that provides up to 400 beds for homeless families and individuals. The program provides shelter to the homeless along with a nutritious meal, warm shower, safe place to sleep, warm clothes, a wide variety of supportive services, and a friendly and safe atmosphere. The shelters are located at the National Guard Armories in Fullerton and Santa Ana. To date this season, the Armory Program has served 1,475 unduplicated individuals; however, final figures are not available until after the program closes.
In recent years, Federal, state and local funding available for shelter, especially emergency shelter, has declined. The County of Orange funds over 65% of the program cost. Additional funding was provided by the State of California Emergency Housing and Assistance Program, private foundations, and neighboring cities of Anaheim, Fullerton, Santa Ana, and Tustin. Continue reading→

HUD $3.5 Million grant award to Orange County to fund homeless services

Posted on by Posted in Federal Government, homeless, Housing, Military, Orange County, Santa Ana, Veterans Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 29, 2012
CONTACT: Karen Roper (714) 480-2805

COUNTY AWARDED $2.5 MILLION IN NEW FUNDING FOR HOMELESS SERVICES
HUD GRANT WILL DIRECTLY ASSIST THE COUNTY’S POPULATION OF HOMELESS FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS

(Santa Ana, CA) – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently awarded $2,522,824 in new project funding to the County of Orange in homeless assistance funding under the 2011 Continuum of Care programs grant competition. The annual grant competition and the grant award to the County of Orange, with OC Community Services as the lead agency, is a direct result of the County’s partnership with cities and homeless service organizations to address the issue of homelessness in Orange County. This collaborative effort is part of a regional plan aimed at breaking the cycle of homelessness. Continue reading→

O.C. Housing Authority receives $884,560 grant to assist homeless veterans

Posted on by Posted in Federal Government, homeless, Housing, Military, Orange County, Santa Ana, Veterans Leave a comment

Orange County Housing Authority receives $884,560 to assist homeless Veterans through the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 29, 2012

CONTACT: Karen Roper (714) 480-2805

(Santa Ana, CA) – The Orange County Housing Authority (OCHA) has been awarded $884,560 to further expand its ongoing Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program (VASH). This funding is a portion of $75 million appropriated to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for 2012 in a coordinated effort involving HUD, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and local housing authorities to provide permanent housing for homeless veterans in conjunction with supportive services. Continue reading→

O.C. Poltical blogger rips Moreno’s and Stroud’s lame ballot designations

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Orange County, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana 1 Comment

OC Political blogger Chris Nguyen posted an article today poking fun at the top 10 worst ballot designations, pertaining to Orange County political candidates in the upcoming June primary.  His list includes a couple of Santa Ana residents – Lupe Moreno and Glen Stroud.  Both are Republicans who are running for the obscure Republican Party of Orange County (OC GOP) Central Committee, in the 69th Assembly District.

Here is what Nguyen had to say about Moreno and Stroud’s ballot designations: Continue reading→

OCTA bus terminal is no place for the homeless, according to city planners

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, homeless, Housing, Orange County, Paul Walters, Santa Ana 3 Comments

The Santa Ana Planning and Building Agency fired back today at those who are trying to force the City of Santa Ana to turn the vacant OCTA terminal building into permanent housing for the homeless.   The Planning Agency  sent a memo to City Manager Paul Walters, that you can read here, explaining in great detail why this is a very dumb idea.  Walters, in turn, sent that memo to the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

The memo makes it clear that the City of Santa Ana wants to do its share to end homelessness, but the OCTA bus terminal building simply is not an appropriate place to shelter the homeless, for a number of reasons, including: Continue reading→

Help the O.C. Dream Team at Calacas’ Loteria Fundraiser, this Friday night

Posted on by Posted in Charities, Education, Entertainment, immigration, Latinos, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Calcas is hosting the Orange County Dream Team’s 4th Annual Loteria Fundraiser, this Friday night, March 30th, from 6:30-8:30pm.  They are asking for a $10 Donation.

Location: Calacas, Inc., located at 324 W. 4th St. #B, in Santa Ana.

Prizes • Snacks • Beverages Continue reading→

Solorio selects Marisol Rivera, an O.C. labor leader, as Woman of the Year

Posted on by Posted in Democratic Party, Jose Solorio, Labor, Latinos, Politics, Santa Ana, Women Leave a comment

Assemblyman Jose Solorio Selects Orange County Labor Leader as “Woman of the Year”

Marisol Rivera, prominent Orange County labor organizer, travels to Sacramento to receive prestigious award

SACRAMENTO – Assemblyman Jose Solorio’s (D-Anaheim) choice for his Sixty-Ninth Assembly District’s Woman of the Year is one of Orange County’s most dedicated labor leaders.

“I would like to personally thank Marisol Rivera for her passion to discover the potential in her fellow workers,” says Solorio. “Marisol’s life story and how she rose above her own circumstances to help others serves as an inspiration to all of us. She is special.” Continue reading→

OCTA Seeks Applicant for Measure M Taxpayers Oversight Committee

Posted on by Posted in Orange County, Santa Ana, Taxes, Transportation Leave a comment

OCTA Seeks Applicant for Measure M Taxpayers Oversight Committee

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is seeking qualified volunteers to serve on the Measure M Taxpayers Oversight Committee (TOC).

The eleven-member committee monitors OCTA’s use of Measure M funds and ensures that all revenue collected from both Measure M1 (M1) and the Renewed Measure M2 (M2) is spent on voter-approved transportation projects. The independent committee was formed after the passage in 1990 of Measure M, a half-cent sales tax to fund transportation improvements in Orange County. Continue reading→