City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County
SANTA ANA, CA (August 20, 2014) – The public is invited to attend the City of Santa Ana’s free Plaza Wellness celebration on September 6, 2014 in Downtown Santa Ana at French and Fourth Street from 8am – 1pm.
Plaza Wellness has something for everyone including a Health Fair, VIP Basketball game and Zumba competitions. Booths for the Health Fair are still available. Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 19, 2014
Contact: Jenny Wedge, (949) 252-5182 (office), jwedge@ocair.com
JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT COMMEMORATES ORANGE COUNTY’S
125TH ANNIVERSARY WITH SPECIAL EXHIBIT “OC 125: EXPLORING ORANGE COUNTY’S STORY”
SANTA ANA, Calif. – Visitors and residents can explore Orange County’s rich 125-year history through OC 125: Exploring Orange County’s Story, a curated exhibition of sites and experiences, now on display at John Wayne Airport. Through February 2015, viewers can take a historical journey through Orange County in the ORANGE COUNTY: Destination Art & Culture exhibition space located in the pre-security pedestrian walkway between Riley Terminals B and C. Continue reading
By now you have surely read about the racial fracas that occurred near the American Barbershop, in Downtown Santa Ana, last Friday. But did you know that the owner of that enterprise, George Mendoza, is also working on opening a new restaurant called Wursthaus, across the street from his barber shop, at 305 E. 4th St., #106?
The Wursthaus restaurant plans to open at 305 E. Fourth St., near the Frida Cinema. Gabriel Ruiz and George Mendoza plan to serve gourmet sausages, side dishes, wine and craft beers at the German-themed eatery. The 2,000-square-foot space will seat 85 and operate from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday to Thursday and until 4 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, according to the O.C. Register.
What you may not know is that reportedly disgraced former Santa Ana Councilman Carlos Bustamante is an investor in this new business. That could lead to some odd marketing – come try Bustamante’s hot sausage! No bueno… Continue reading
Dustin Sean Ross McDonald
Orange County District Attorney Press Release
For Immediate Release: August 15, 2014
Case# 14CF2681
SANTA ANA – A Garden Grove man will be arraigned today for the special circumstances shooting-murder of a man and attempted murder of two women in Santa Ana. Dustin Sean Ross McDonald, 23, is charged with one felony count of special circumstances murder by lying in wait, and two felony counts of attempted murder with premeditation and deliberation. He also faces sentencing enhancements for the personal discharge of a firearm causing death or great bodily injury. If convicted, he faces a sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole. McDonald is scheduled to be arraigned today, Friday, Aug. 15, 2014, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined. Continue reading
Rene Gomez, a graduate of Santa Ana High School who studied at CSU Long Beach, is running for Ward 2 of the Santa Ana City Council. He joins a field of candidates that includes the incumbent, Michele Martinez, and another challenger, Mirna Velasquez.
The local Republican Party tried to recruit Velasquez but she opted to continue as a Decline to State voter. Martinez is a liberal Democrat. Gomez is a Republican and he stands to get support from the OC Lincoln Club and the OC GOP.
Gomez lists his birthplace as Tijuana, Mexico. He appears to be friendly with Mike Gonzalez, the head of Los 32, an organization that supports Mexican Americans. Gonzalez is also running for the Santa Ana City Council, in Ward 6. Gomez supports immigration reform and immigrant rights. Continue reading
Santa Ana Councilman David Benavides got a free ride when he ran for reelection in 2010. No one ran against him. He got just over 34,000 votes according to Smart Voter. There were about 43,000 votes cast in that year’s Santa Ana Mayoral contest, according to Smart Voter. That means that over 9,000 voters chose not to vote for Benavides in 2010, even though his was the only name on the ballot in Ward 4.
Benavides ran for Santa Ana Mayor in 2012. His campaign was very ill-advised. He ended up with 14,995 votes, according to Smart Voter. The incumbent, Mayor Miguel Pulido, got 27,092 votes. The rest of the vote was split among three gadfly candidates. Benavides raised a ton of money in that campaign but it was for naught.
Perhaps Benavides was distracted as his marriage was reportedly falling apart during his mayoral campaign. He is supposedly divorced now. Ironically he came to town with his wife years ago and took advantage of a program that allowed his wife, a teacher, to buy a home in Santa Ana at a low interest rate. I believe that Benavides is still living in that home. He has since scrubbed his official city bio of any mention of his wife and kids. Continue reading
Employees of a business called the American Barbershop allegedly hurled racist insults at a group of mostly Latino protesters who had gathered on Friday, August 15, 2014 to held a vigil last night at Plaza Santa Ana, against police brutality.
A number of employees of this business were reportedly caught on video and in photos saying racial slurs and giving the middle finger to the crowd and members of the press. Members of the Santa Ana Police Department were there at the time acting as personal security to the East End businesses. Continue reading
A Southern California Grand Jury has indicted Nicholas Glenn Wilcox, who resides in Michigan, for allegedly threatening a 16-year-old Santa Ana boy and demanding the teen take pornographic photos and videos of himself, court filings show, according to the O.C. Register.
Michigan law enforcement authorities list the 5-foot-9 inch and 250-pound Wilcox–who used monikers that include “rapegod666,” “Kypkilla12,” “that1kid014,” “Flame” and “Heretik”–as a sex offender with a 2009 felony conviction for possession of “child sexually abusive material,” according to the OC Weekly.
Here are additional details about this case, courtesy of the OC Weekly: Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Eric Hogensen, 323-761-9514
Santa Ana School Board Vice President José Alfredo Hernández Endorses Rigo Rodríguez for School Board
(Santa Ana) – Today, Santa Ana School Board Vice President José Alfredo Hernández joined School Board Clerk Rob Richardson and President Audrey Yamagata-Noji in endorsing Dr. Rigo Rodríguez for School Board.
Vice President Hernández was appointed to the School Board in January 2007. Prior to that, he served as a member of the Whittier Law School Trial Advocacy Honors Board and was a Fellow at the Center for Children’s Rights. In addition to serving on the School Board José Alfredo Hernández works as a criminal and immigration defense attorney for the Santa Ana community. Continue reading
Contact: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 15, 2014
Deidra Powell, Chief Communications Officer , (714) 558-5555 Office, (714) 673-4995 Mobile
Media Advisory: Groundbreaking for Highly Anticipated SAUSD Sports Complex
What: Celebrate the groundbreaking of the highly anticipated Santa Ana Unified School District Sports Complex. Thanks to the passage of Measure G, a facilities improvement bond to construct and maintain the condition of the district’s school facilities, students in the city of Santa Ana can finally have a sports complex to call their own. Although the Sports Complex is located on the grounds of Valley High School, it will be jointly used by all of the district’s high schools.
Who: Members of the SAUSD Board of Education, Superintendent, Elected Officials (State, County, and City), students, athletes, coaches, parents, and community members.
Dustin Sean Ross McDonald
Santa Ana Police Department
Advisory Update: arrest made in homicide investigation
Arrested : Dustin Sean Ross McDonald, 23 years old from Garden Grove
Charges will be murder (187), two count of attempt murder (664/187) and special circumstances enhancement (190.2) and weapons enhancements (12022.5)
SAPD detectives arrest 23-year-old Dustin Sean Ross McDonald yesterday evening in a car stop near his residence in Garden Grove. Charges are pending, case has been submitted to the District Attorney’s office for filing. Continue reading
City of Santa Ana
SANTA ANA, CA (August 12, 2014) – The City of Santa Ana has been awarded $1,030,800 grant to develop a 1/2 acre park at Memory Lane and the Santa Ana River, adjacent to the Vista Del Rio Housing Project.
The grant was funded under the Housing Related Parks Program. The program provides funding for parks and recreation projects that benefit the community and add to the quality of life. The program awards funding on a per-bedroom basis for residential units in very low to low-income household. $25 million was available in this funding cycle for projects in the State of California. Continue reading
City of Santa Ana
SANTA ANA, CA – The public is invited to join the City Council as the City of Santa Ana’s youth program celebrates the end of summer with the City’s 15th Annual Summer Talent Show. Close to 200 young people from the Citywide summer recreation program will showcase their talents and perform on Saturday, August 16, 2014 at the Salgado Recreation Center, from 1 to 3:30 pm. Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 12, 2014
CONTACT
Victor Payan
Latino Audience Engagement Specialist
714-567-3645
vpayan@bowers.org
BOWERS MUSEUM FEATURES GREAT LATINO PROGRAMS IN AUGUST
Lineup includes Lecture about Buenos Aires, Spanish Masters Presentation and Lalo Guerrero Doc
The Bowers Museum is proud to present a number of wonderful Latino programs in August, which showcase the diversity of the Latino community. The Bowers Museum is located at 2002 N. Main St. in the heart of Santa Ana. All events take place in the Norma Kershaw Auditorium. Student tickets are only $5.
On Thursday, August 14, join award-winning lecturer Jacqueline Hahn for An Evening in Buenos Aires: The “Good Air,” the Paris of South America. Madame Hahn will take you on a delightful trip to Buenos Aires. Explore the rich history, geography, architecture, sprawling avenues, parks, museums, and cafés of this enchanting city. Attendees will receive a free, autographed textbook from Ms. Hahn. The presentation begins at 7pm. Continue reading
SoCalGas will be doing some work in the City of Santa Ana, as part of their Pipeline Safety Enhancement Plan. They will be testing a segment of pipe. The work began in late July. The work will take place at several locations along North Grand Ave. beginning at the intersection of East Chestnut Ave. and ending at the intersection of East 2nd St. The work is expected to take three to four weeks.
Southbound traffic on North Grand Avenue will be reduced to left hand lanes during this work. This change will be marked with traffic cones and signs. Nearby residents may hear some work-related noise. Crews will be working 20 hour days Monday through Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. A letter was sent to notify neighbors about the project for your reference. Continue reading