On Saturday, March 3rd, artists, writers and poets will meet in Downtown Santa Ana for the Second Annual “Boca de Oro” OC Art & Literary Festival, and offer an enticing mix of keynote presentations, literary readings, poetry slams, panel discussion, author workshops, book signings, music, performances, and visual art experiences. Continue reading
Case # 18HF0329
Date: February 28, 2018
SANTA ANA, Calif. – A third-striker parolee was charged today with aggravated assault on a peace officer and carjacking after initiating a pursuit and injuring the K9 that apprehended him.
Defendant: Antonio Padilla Jr., 37, Palm Desert
Charged today with the following counts: Continue reading
UC IRVINE’S JUMPSTART LITERACY FAIR TO BRING BOOKS TO LIFE TO ENCOURAGE
EARLY CHILDHOOD READING ON SATURDAY, MARCH 3 AT HERITAGE MUSEUM IN SANTA ANA
The program works with early childhood educators to reduce achievement gaps for children in underserved communities
Families from across Orange County are expected to attend UC Irvine’s Jumpstart’s free annual Spring Literacy event on Saturday, March 3, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Heritage Museum of Orange County at 3101 W. Harvard St., in Santa Ana. The exciting event supports the development of literacy through STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) activities, readings from children’s authors, activities such as making your own balloon rocket car, science experiments, and other STEAM related activities to encourage an interest in reading among preschool age children.
Jumpstart will give more than 1,000 free books to children who attend the event. Nurses from Santa Ana Unified School District will be present as well to provide free basic health screenings for children. Children’s author Annie Banannie, who brings stories to life with her unique balloon storytelling, will also be at the event. Continue reading
City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County
Community: Orange County Elections Invites Applications for Upcoming Election Academy
In 2010 the Registrar of Voters launched the Orange County Election Academy, an academic program designed to teach participants about elections in Orange County, California. This award winning, one-of-a-kind elections education program, is open to the public at no cost. The comprehensive curriculum is particularly beneficial to those individuals interested in voting, running for office, and the elections process in general.
The Registrar of Voters is currently accepting applications for the 2018 session, which is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. The program will be conducted at the Registrar of Voters, 1300 South Grand Avenue, Santa Ana. The curriculum will encompass all election management functions including candidate filing, campaign finance, ballot creation, election security, communications and more. Continue reading
Costa Mesa Police Department
Advisory: Man arrested after police find woman’s body in Talbert Regional Park
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 28, 2018
COSTA MESA, Calif. – The Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) arrested a man today after the body of a woman was found in Talbert Regional Park.
At approximately 7:10 a.m., on Feb. 28, 2018, CMPD Dispatch received a call from a man advising he had found a female’s body in the Talbert Regional Park area. Police officers and detectives responded to the Talbert Nature Preserve, at 1299 Victoria Street, and located the male caller, identified as Daniel Correa, as well as the female’s body in the brush area nearby. Continue reading
Kiddie Academy® Expanding Footprint in Orange County
Kiddie Academy®, the leading provider of comprehensive education-based child care programs, is expanding its footprint in Orange County with its newest location in Santa Ana.
“We are so thrilled that we are growing to provide our unique services to more children in Orange County,” said Joseph Haikal, owner of the Kiddie Academy® coming to Santa Ana in fall 2018. Haikal already owns well-established academies in Tustin, Irvine and Huntington Beach. “This is a really exciting time for us and we look forward to introducing our well-trained, attentive staff to local area parents and their children. In the near future, we look forward to assisting local children in developing the confidence and self-esteem necessary they need to meet the challenges of tomorrow.” Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: February 27, 2018
SANTA ANA, Calif. – At the request of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) Tony Rackauckas delivered a presentation to the Board today highlighting the success of the Orange County Auto Theft Task Force (OCATT).
OCATT is a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement program that works to investigate, arrest, and prosecute criminals in Orange County responsible for professional-level auto theft rings. The task force has operated in Orange County since 1993 and has successfully contributed to a 55 percent decrease in auto theft across the county since its creation. Continue reading
Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the appointment of Cynthia M. Herrera, 46, of Santa Ana, to a judgeship in the Orange County Superior Court.
Herrera started with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) as a deputy district attorney in 1997. She has served the Office as a senior deputy district attorney since 2011, rising to the Homicide Unit. Herrera earned a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Irvine. Continue reading
Homelessness: Orange County buys property for $26 million mental health facility
Orange County purchased a property that will become the county’s first publicly-owned mental health facility.
As part of its long-term response to homelessness through the county-wide System of Care, the County of Orange is building a $26 million mental health facility that will provide emergency mental health crisis stabilization, drug abuse treatment, and long-term residential psychiatric care. Continue reading
700 Homeless Individuals Along Santa Ana Riverbed Are Motel-Sheltered
The County has linked approximately 700 homeless individuals encamped on the riverbed to motels or shelters; clearing the Riverbed of all encampments.
Santa Ana, Calif. (February 26, 2018) — As of Monday, February 26, 2018, the individuals homeless individuals encampment on the Santa Ana Riverbed Trail has officially been cleared. This announcement comes after the County has ensured temporary shelter in the form of motel vouchers, shelter beds, and alternative housing placement for all individuals who were previously encamped along the riverbed. Continue reading
Puskas, an 8-year-old Dutch Shepherd and member of the SAPD Police Department, heroically took down a carjacker in Irvine yesterday but in the process he was very badly injured, according to the O.C. Register.
Puskas, who is named after Hungarian footballer Ferenc Puskás, chased the carjacking suspect, Antonio Padilla Jr., when he got out of a black Audi that he carjacked in Irvine. Continue reading
Antonio Padilla Jr.
Carjacking in Irvine Occurs During Pursuit
Irvine, Calif. (Feb. 26, 2018) – A female Irvine resident was the victim of a carjacking during a pursuit initiated outside of the City on Monday.
On Monday evening, the Santa Ana Police Department informed the Irvine Police Department of a pursuit in which a suspect was driving in and out of Irvine. At approximately 5:40 p.m., the suspect came to a dead end on Rosa Drew. At that time, a female Irvine resident was backing up her black Audi SUV. The suspect exited his vehicle, opened the door of the Audi and pulled the woman from her vehicle. Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCSD to enforce trespass laws following the voluntary transition of homeless individuals encamped along the Santa Ana River Trail
SANTA ANA, Ca. (Feb. 26, 2018) – As of 2 p.m. today, all individuals encamped along the Santa Ana River Trail in the project area between Ball Road in the city of Anaheim and Memory Lane in the city of Orange have voluntarily complied with the request to relocate. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will now actively enforce state trespass laws and will maintain high visibility patrols in the area. Continue reading
Case # 18CF0538
TRANSIENT WOMAN CHARGED WITH KIDNAPPING 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL AS SHE WALKED TO SCHOOL IN SANTA ANA
SANTA ANA, Calif. – A transient woman was charged yesterday with kidnapping a 12-year-old girl as she walked to school in Santa Ana.
Defendant: Claudia Hernandez, 34, transient
Charged on Feb. 22, 2018, with the following felony counts: Continue reading
The OC Health Care Agency has released a list of the eateries they inspected and shut down for the week of Feb. 16-23. Most of these eateries reopen pretty quickly after the health inspectors determine their issues have been resolved. Here is the list: