New Santa Ana | Tag Archives: Santa Ana

Arthur reportedly out at City Hall, but why is Martinez talking about this?

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana 12 Comments

Jill Arthur

Jill Arthur, one of the most powerful behind-the-scenes figures at Santa Ana City Hall in recent years, is leaving the city’s employ in the wake of an investigation into her actions following a traffic accident, according to several sources with knowledge of the situation, according to the Voice of OC.

The Voice of OC admitted that “Council members have been kept in the dark because the issue is a personnel matter,” so why did Councilwoman Michele Martinez talk about this with the Voice of OC? Her response should have been “no comment.” Continue reading→

New report about concussions calls into question youth football

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Health and Medical, Santa Ana, Sports, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Young athletes who have suffered multiple concussions need significantly longer recovery periods than first-time sufferers, according to a new study that spent a year tracking youths following their head injuries, according to CBS News.

You have to wonder if any amount of contact football is appropriate for our kids. This report has been published at the same time that yet another new youth football league is starting up in Santa Ana – the Sun Devils. They accept kids as young as 5 years of age into their league. Santa Ana also has a Pop Warner league called the Monarchs. Both leagues offer flag football too. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Summer Solstice Celebration set for June 22 at the People’s Garden

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Entertainment, Family, Food, Health and Medical, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The Santa Ana People’s Garden is hosting a Summer Solstice Celebration on June 22, 2013, from 10 am to sunset, at 2555 Santiago Street, in Santa Ana. The Summer Solstice is the peak of the growing season when the sun is at the highest point in the sky.

The event organizer says “bring little people (your children, your friend’s children etc) we would like to show the next generation where our food comes from…it’s fascinating to watch their eyes grow big when they see the critters and wild things in the soil ~ It’s highly encouraged to bring our children to this event…kid friendly for sure!” Continue reading→

Second Annual Bikes and Bombers set for 6/9 at the Lyon Air Museum

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Airplanes, Entertainment, Historical, Military, music, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The 2nd Annual Bikes and Bombers event, at the Lyon Air Museum, is set for this Sunday, June 9th 2013, from 10 am to 2 pm.

The event includes exclusive motorcycle parking, complimentary coffee & donuts provided by co-sponsor Triumph/Ducati of Newport Beach, live entertainment featuring The Mark Wood Band, People’s Choice Bike Show sponsored by Danny Gray Hand Crafted motorcycle seats (winner gets to have their photo taken at the controls of the Museum’s B-17 and a gift certificate from Danny Gray), “meet and greet” WWII pilots, food and merchandise vendors.

All motorcycle riders attending this event may enter Lyon Air Museum at the discounted rate of $8.

Event Schedule:

People’s Choice Bike Show registration 10am – 11am
People’s Choice Bike Show voting 11am -11:50am
12 O’Clock High Awards Ceremony
Mark Wood Band performance 12:30pm – 2pm
Complimentary Coffee & Donuts 10am – 11am
Tk Burgers & MHW Concessions 11am – 2pm

The Lyon Air Museum is located at

19300 Ike Jones Road, in Santa Ana.

View Map · Get Directions.

O.C. Clerk-Recorder’s branches open for special Saturday hours on 6/22

Posted on June 8, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Entertainment, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Hugh Nguyen, Orange County Clerk-Recorder
News Release

Special Saturday Hours Planned for June 22

Plan now to take advantage of special Saturday hours available at the Orange County Clerk-Recorder Department on Saturday June 22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Old County Courthouse in Santa Ana and the department’s branch offices in Laguna Hills and Fullerton.

The Old County Courthouse will be offering marriage license, 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 having civil wedding ceremonies performed. Free parking will be available at all three locations. Continue reading→

Man carjacked on Bristol and Segerstrom Ave., near South Coast Plaza

Posted on June 8, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana 6 Comments

Well this is depressing. Apparently a man driving a Volkswagen was carjacked in Santa Ana today at about 12:30 p.m. by at least two people. The victim called the SAPD to report this. The good news is that the cops caught the bad guys after a high speed chase that ended in a car accident on Harbor Bl.

The bad guys ran but “police sent a K-9 unit, helicopter, strike force, gang unit and police detectives after the man, who was arrested in the 1100 block of North West Street,” according to the O.C. Register.

The bad news? The carjacking happened at Bristol Street and Segerstrom Avenue. Yep. Right near what is referred to as South Coast but is actually Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Santa Ana’s Gilbert Melendez, a UFC title contender, honored by the City Council

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, Latino Leaders, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana, Sports 1 Comment

Santa Ana City Council proclamations are usually overlooked, however one that should have been noted was the honoring of Santa Ana’s own Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title contender Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez for winning the Strikeforce Lightweight Championship and ranking #2 in his weight division.

Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez issued the proclamation at the Council meeting on Monday, June 3, 2013. The City Council also honored Melendez for being a positive influence and representative of Santa Ana in the sports world. Continue reading→

Free movies and live music under the stars at Fairhaven Memorial this summer

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Entertainment, Movies, music, Santa Ana Leave a comment

LIVE MUSIC AND MOVIES UNDER THE STARS COMING TO FAIRHAVEN MEMORIAL PARK THIS SUMMER

Free Summer Entertainment Series to offer fun and thrills for the whole family

SANTA ANA, Calif. – June 7, 2013 – Fairhaven Memorial Park is celebrating the summer with one of Orange County’s most popular local bands and two of Hollywood’s most spine tingling movies. The free Summer Entertainment Series will feature three family-friendly events open to the public in one of Orange County’s most historic and beautiful settings.

Attendees are invited to bring a picnic basket, blanket, beach chairs and an appetite for fun and adventure to the following events:

Sunday, June 30 – 4 pm: Rock out with one of Orange County’s most popular bands, The Tijuana Dogs, for a free concert in the park. The Dogs’ power packed blend of rock and pop is the perfect soundtrack for summer fun. The event area opens at 3:30pm.
Saturday, July 27 – 8:15 pm: Don’t go in the water, but do stop by for a special screening of “Jaws.” Enjoy this classic thriller like never before, under the stars in front of Fairhaven’s Historic Mausoleum. The event area opens at 7:30pm.
Saturday, August 17 – 8:15 pm: Jaws returns for one last reign of terror, as the Summer Entertainment Series concludes with “Jaws 2.” The event area opens at 7:30pm.

The Summer Concert Series will be held at Fairhaven’s Santa Ana location at 1702 Fairhaven Avenue. Guests are permitted to bring their own food and beverages. For additional information, please contact Cynthia Adair at 714-532-8921 extension 289.

About Fairhaven Memorial Park

Founded in 1911, Fairhaven Memorial Park is Orange County’s most beautiful independently owned and operated full-service mortuary, crematory and cemetery. Fairhaven provides funeral, cremation and burial services both at the time of need and through advanced planning, maintaining its steadfast commitment to care and compassion. Fairhaven is dedicated to celebrating the individual, providing services that are as unique and wide-ranging as the people they celebrate. Additional information is available at www.fairhavenmemorial.com.

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Gang banger sentenced for shooting a man during a robbery in Santa Ana

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Courts, Crime, Gangs, Garden Grove, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Orange County District Attorney, Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 08CF2288: June 7, 2013

GANG MEMBER SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE PLUS 25 YEARS FOR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES SHOOTING-MURDER OF MAN DURING ATTEMPTED ROBBERY

*An unidentified accomplice is outstanding in this case

FULLERTON – A criminal street gang member was sentenced today to life in state prison without the possibility of parole plus an additional 25 years to life in state prison for the shooting-murder of a man, whom the defendant had intended to rob. Albert Lubo Ruedas, 25, Garden Grove, was found guilty by a jury June 15, 2011, of one felony count of special circumstances murder in the commission of a robbery and for a criminal street gang purpose and one felony count of street terrorism. The sentencing enhancements for the personal discharge of a firearm and criminal street gang activity were found true.

The defendant is a member of an Anaheim Hispanic criminal street gang. At approximately 12:30 a.m. on July 29, 2008, 46-year-old Daniel Jimenez Lopez was walking home alone on Sullivan Street in Santa Ana. The victim is not a gang member. Armed with a firearm, Ruedas and an unknown accomplice ran up to the victim with the intention of robbing him. Continue reading→

SAPD DUI checkpoint set for June 8

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Alcohol, Bars, Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana 2 Comments

SAPD DUI ENFORCEMENT on Saturday, June 8th, 2013

The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Saturday, June 8th, 2013. It will begin at 7:30PM and is scheduled to conclude at 1:30AM. It will be conducted in the area of 1000 E. Fourth Street, in the City of Santa Ana.

The primary purpose of a DUI Checkpoint is to deter impaired driving, not to increase arrests. All too often, members of our community are senselessly injured or killed on local roadways by impaired drivers. This DUI/Drivers License checkpoint is an effort to reduce those tragedies, as well as ensuring drivers have a valid driver’s license. The DMV reports that unlicensed drivers are 4.9 times more likely to cause a fatal crash than a licensed driver. Continue reading→

City of Santa Ana to close their City Manager survey on June 30

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, Santa Ana Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community: Community Input Survey For Nationwide City Manager Recruitment Ends June 30th

SANTA ANA, CA – (June 5, 2013) – At the City Council’s direction, the Personnel Services Department initiated the recruitment process for a new City Manager. City Council members are interested in obtaining feedback from the community to guide the recruitment and selection strategies by establishing a community input survey in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Continue reading→

Former City Manager Walters should get the credit for the new City budget

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, Crime, Kevin O'Rourke, Paul Walters, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Santa Ana’s police union is negotiating a new contract

The Santa Ana City Council Monday passed what could be called its first post-crisis budget, adopting a two-year spending plan that beefs up reserves, potentially restores furlough hours to city employees and provides small increases to the police and code enforcement budgets, according to the Voice of OC.

The Voice of OC’s Santa Ana reporter, Adam Elmahrek, wrote that the SAPD is reorganizing in the wake of the departure of former Santa Ana police chief Paul Walters, who was fired by our City Council for no good reason earlier this year. But while Elmahrek tried to make it look like Walters wasted money on the SAPD in the past, he also had to admit that it was due to Walters that we have a budget at all this year – “This year, thanks in large part to the decision to outsource the city’s fire protection, the city is working with a reserve of between $27 and $30 million.” Continue reading→

Residents can exchange an old oil filter for a new one through end of June

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Environment, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana residents can receive FREE oil filters just by recycling their old ones, through the end of June, courtesy of O’Reilly Auto Parts, AutoZone and Waste Management.

Every resident that brings in an old oil filter to select locations will get a new one for free! Take the old filters to O’Reilly Auto Parts, at 1312 W. Edinger, in Santa Ana (Phone: 714-754-1432) or to the AutoZone at 430 W. 17th. St., in Santa Ana (Phone: 714-547-7003.

How can I dispose of used motor oil? Continue reading→

SAPD seeks public’s assistance to help identify bank robbers

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Banking, Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department Advisory: SAPD Seeks Public’s Assistance to Help Identify Bank Robbery Suspects

SANTA ANA, CA (June 4, 2013) – On 6/4/13 at approximately 9:40 am, a male suspect entered US Bank, located at 2740 N. Grand, armed with a black semi-automatic handgun. The suspect had his face concealed with a hoodie and mask and ordered all the customers to get on the ground face first. The suspect then ordered the bank employees to put money in a bag. The customers and bank employees complied with the suspect’s commands before the suspect fled out of the bank north on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. The suspect then met up with another suspect, acting as a lookout, and they both fled on foot west into an adjacent apartment complex. Witnesses reported the suspects’ actions and investigating officers located two separate areas where they dropped money. The money was recovered, however, the suspects avoided capture. Continue reading→

OCTA Bravo! Buses speed up the Harbor Blvd. commute starting on June 10

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Fullerton, Garden Grove, OCTA, Orange County, Santa Ana, Transportation Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 4, 2013

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Joel Zlotnik (714) 560-5713, Laura Scheper (714) 560-5697

Bravo! Bus Speeds Up Harbor Boulevard Commute

OCTA launches limited-stop service June 10 and offers free rides Monday through Wednesday

ORANGE – Bravo! Route 543 – the new limited-stop bus service along Harbor Boulevard – will begin operating Monday, June 10, giving commuters an opportunity to make it to their destination more quickly.

The Orange County Transportation Authority service will have distinct blue and orange buses with Bravo! branding. The service will run 12 miles along Harbor Boulevard stretching from the Fullerton Transportation Center, through Anaheim, Garden Grove, Santa Ana and ending at MacArthur Boulevard in Costa Mesa. Continue reading→