New Santa Ana | Tag Archives: Santa Ana

Mayor and City Council to honor Mike Harrah at Tuesday’s Council meeting

Posted on July 14, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, Miguel Pulido, Mike Harrah, Santa Ana 5 Comments

Mike Harrah

City of Santa Ana

Community: The Mayor and City Council will honor Mike Harrah, an exemplary citizen, at Tuesday’s City Council meeting

SANTA ANA, CA (June 16, 2014) – The Mayor and City Council will recognize Mike Harrah for being an exemplary citizen and pioneer in the City of Santa Ana.

Mike Harrah is a developer, restaurateur, entertainer, historical preservationist and visionary who strives to “look beyond the ordinary and transform the impossible into reality”.

Since 1989, Mike has been the president of Caribou Industries, a company that has restored and operated more than 4 million square feet of commercial office space and historical homes in Santa Ana. Continue reading→

How much does the Santa Ana City Council really earn?

Posted on July 14, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Miguel Pulido, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana 7 Comments

The Santa Ana City Clerk has re-posted the Council Members’ total compensation and benefits today however a key piece of the puzzle is missing. The Santa Ana Open Government website does not include how much the City Council Members are paid to serve on various County Commissions.

I emailed the City Clerk, Maria Huizar, about this discrepancy and she pointed me to a different page – the Mayor and City Council page, where this information is found when you click on “Form 806.” Who in the public would know what the heck that is? The good news is that Huizar said she will look into my recommendation to put this information with the Council’s pay, on the Open Government page. We need to make it easier, not harder, for the voters to find out how much the City Council members really are earning.

As we posted this weekend, the Santa Ana Council Members are going to try to place a measure on the November General Election ballot that will result in a huge increase in their pay. But shouldn’t the City of Santa Ana be more transparent about how much the Council Members really earn when you factor in the pay and benefits that stem from their service on various County Boards?

Here is what the Council Members make by serving on various Boards: Continue reading→

Santa Ana man who teaches in Newport Beach convicted of hoarding snakes

Posted on July 14, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Education, OCDA, Santa Ana 1 Comment

William Frederick Buchman

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release: July 10, 2014

Case # 14CF0670

SCHOOL TEACHER SENTENCED FOR ANIMAL ABUSE AFTER HOARDING AND IMPROPERLY HOUSING OVER 400 SNAKES

SANTA ANA – A Newport Beach elementary school teacher was convicted and sentenced today for animal abuse after hoarding and improperly housing over 400 snakes. William Frederick Buchman, 53, Santa Ana, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of animal abuse by a caretaker. The defendant was sentenced to three years of formal probation, 100 hours of volunteer community service, is required to undergo a 16-week animal neglect prevention program, and is barred from owning, possessing, caring for, or living with any animal for five years. Buchman has also paid $17,000 in restitution for veterinary treatment and animal care and donated $25,000 worth of reptile cages from his collection to a snake rescue organization.

At approximately 6:45 a.m. on Jan. 29, 2014, Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) Animal Services Section responded to complaints made by several of Buchman’s neighbors concerning a foul smell coming from the house. Continue reading→

Free entertainment permit info session set for July 17 at Sasscer Park

Posted on July 14, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, Entertainment, Planning Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana

Community: Free Entertainment Permit Info Session This Thursday from 9am – 12pm at Sasscer Park

Join the City of Santa Ana’s Planning Division this Thursday, July 17 between 9 am – 12 pm at Sasscer Park for a free Entertainment Permit information session. Sasscer Park is located north of Everest College at 500 West Santa Ana Boulevard.

Obtain applications, information and get your questions answered! Applications and information are also available at the Planning counter at City Hall or can be downloaded from the City’s website. Continue reading→

The City Council wants you to give them a gigantic raise!

Posted on July 12, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Ballot Measures, Civic Affairs, Politics, Santa Ana 10 Comments

The Santa Ana City Council has cobbled together a real Frankenstein’s Monster of a ballot measure that has one main goal – to give the City Council Members a huge raise! They are going to be considering this measure at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, this week.

What the City Council Members are proposing comes from California Government Code Section 36516, which states in part:

A city council may enact an ordinance providing that each member of the city council shall receive a salary based on the population of the city as set forth in paragraph (2).
(2) The salaries approved by ordinance under paragraph (1) shall be as follows:
(F) In cities over 250,000 population, up to and including one thousand dollars ($1,000) per month.

Continue reading→

Three Council Members seek to ban medical marijuana collectives

Posted on July 12, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Angelica Amezcua, Civic Affairs, Crime, David Benavides, Drugs, Marijuana, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 25 Comments

Three Santa Ana City Council Members, including Michele Martinez, David Benavides and Angie Amezcua have placed an 85A item on the agenda for this Tuesday’s City Council meeting, regarding medical marijuana.

These Council Members would like to place a measure on the November General Election ballot that would allow voters to vote against the sale of medical marijuana by collectives/dispensaries. Continue reading→

Five year strategic plan now available online in Spanish and Vietnamese

Posted on July 11, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, Planning, Santa Ana Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana

Community: FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE IN SPANISH & VIETNAMESE

SANTA ANA, CA (July 10, 2014) – The City of Santa Ana’s Five Year Strategic Plan is now available in English, Spanish & Vietnamese.

The Strategic Plan was adopted in May 2014 and the adoption of this plan marked a major milestone for both the City and the community which began in 2012 with the adoption of the Sunshine Ordinance.

The Strategic Plan provides a clear statement of where the City is going and how it intends to get there. It includes a vision, the mission of the organization, guiding principles, a set of multi-year goals that guide decisions, objectives and strategies for each goal, and a plan for implementation and accountability. Continue reading→

Coyote Night set for 7/18 at the Santiago Creek and Wildlife and Watershed Center

Posted on July 11, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Education, Entertainment, Nature, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

A Coyote Night presentation will be held at the Santiago Creek and Wildlife and Watershed Center, located at the Santiago Park Nature Reserve, on Friday 7/18/14 at 6:00 pm, at 600 E. Memory Lane., in Santa Ana.

Have questions and or Concerns about coyotes? Watch a FREE educational presentation by Jim Wimmer (from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife). Click here for more info about coyotes from the CA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. Continue reading→

State of the City presentation set for July 17 at the OC Register

Posted on July 11, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Business, David Cavazos, Entertainment, Real Estate, Santa Ana, Sean Mill Leave a comment

A “State of the City” presentation for Realtors, local business owners and residents is set for July 17, 2014, at 9:45am at the Orange County Register, located at 625 N. Grand Ave., in Santa Ana.

Speakers include Santa Ana City Manager, David Cavazos, Shelly Landry-Bayle, the Santa Ana Housing & Neighborhood Development Manager and Ruben Mata of Mindset and Community Thinking.

Realtors can get in for free with a business card. The cost for others is only $5. All money collected at the door will be donated to the Santa Ana Boys and Girls Club. Continue reading→

Meet Sherry Walker and Adam Nick aka Shehrzad Rahgozar and Afshin Nikmanesh

Posted on July 10, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Adam Nick, Anaheim, Politics, Republican Party, Sherry Walker 5 Comments

Lake Forest carpetbaggers Sherry Walker and Adam Nick, aka Shehrzad Rahgozar and Afshin Nikmanesh.

We finally found solid evidence that Sherry Walker, the carpetbagging Republican candidate for the 69th Assembly District, may have lied to the Voter Registrar of Orange County and to the voters. Case number 30-2014-00698760-CU-PT-CJC of the Orange County Superior Court shows that she changed her name, from Shehrzad Rahgozar to Sherry Walker on March 5, 2014. She started the name change process on January 16, 2014.

The address she listed was 25422 Trabuco Road #105-255, in Lake Forest. That happens to be the same address used by Adam Nick and Associates. Nick is her husband – and he is running for the 46th Congressional District as a carpetbagger from Lake Forest. He changed his name too. His real name is Afshin Nikmanesh. Continue reading→

First human West Nile Virus case of 2014 reported in Santa Ana

Posted on July 10, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Disease, Health and Medical, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY REPORTS FIRST HUMAN WEST NILE VIRUS CASE OF 2014

(Santa Ana) – A Santa Ana man has tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV) infection, becoming the County’s first human WNV infection in 2014. This is the 10th human case of WNV reported in California. The man was admitted to the hospital in late June with symptoms of West Nile Virus, and is now at home recovering.

In 2013, there were 12 reported human infections of West Nile Virus and zero WNV related deaths reported in Orange County.

“West Nile Virus is endemic in Orange County, recurring every year during the summer months and continuing into the fall,” said Dr. Eric G. Handler, County Health Officer. “The best way to avoid West Nile Virus infection is to take precautionary measures to avoid mosquito bites.”

Recommended WNV precautions include: Continue reading→

Time capsule to be sealed on 7/12 at the Grand Central Art Center

Posted on July 10, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Arts and Culture, Civic Affairs, Entertainment, Historical, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Time Capsule to be sealed in a ceremony on July 12th, 2014 @ 12noon

By the Grand Central Art Center

The Grand Central Art Center is collaborating with the Santa Ana Public Library’s History Room to “bury” a 10-year time capsule on July 12th at 12 pm. The ceremony will take place at Grand Central Art Center, in association with Daniel Tucker’s artists in residence project Future Perfect: Time Capsules in Reagan Country.

Time capsules are like a little treasure chest that we send off for future generations to enjoy. They can help future generations understand questions like: Who lived here? What were they doing? What was important to them?. The time capsule will be buried at the GCAC for 10 years and then replaced with another capsule after it is opened. Continue reading→

Free anti-fraud workshop set for July 29 at Laborers Local 652

Posted on July 9, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Entertainment, Labor, Santa Ana, Tom Daly 2 Comments

Learn Your Rights & Protect Yourself From Fraud

Assemblymember Tom Daly, in partnership with the California Bar Association, invites you to a free Anti-Fraud Workshop at Laborers Local 652 in Santa Ana, on Tuesday, July 29, 2014, from 5:30 to 8:00 pm.

Learn about your rights when it comes to identify theft, renting a house or apartment, real estate and financing a home, and much more. Continue reading→

6th Annual Labor Day Celebration at the Santa Ana Zoo set for 8/30

Posted on July 9, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Entertainment, Family, Labor Leave a comment

6th Annual Labor Day Celebration at the Santa Ana Zoo

The Orange County Labor Federation is hosting their 6th Annual Labor Day Celebration at the Santa Ana Zoo’s Ampitheatre park area on Saturday, August 30. The Santa Ana Zoo is located at 1801 E. Chestnut, in Santa Ana, at Prentice Park.

This event is for union members and their families from all across Orange County. Continue reading→

Free general admission to Bowers Museum every Sunday for Santa Ana Residents!

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Arts and Culture, Family, Santa Ana, Youth Activities 2 Comments

For Immediate Release

Santa Ana Sundays: Free General Admission to Bowers Museum Every Sunday for Santa Ana Residents

Santa Ana, Calif. — The Bowers Museum, located in the heart of Orange County, is excited to announce that it now offers free general admission to all Santa Ana residents on Sundays. The free Santa Ana Sundays replace the previous free Tuesdays for Santa Ana residents who provide proof of residency through an ID, driver’s license or utility bill.

Free admission has been offered to Santa Ana residents every Tuesday through a generous donation in memory of Dorothy Goerl and courtesy of the Lockhart Family. The change to Sundays comes in an effort to make the Museum more accessible to the local community on a day when families are traditionally together. Continue reading→