Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Tag Archives: ward 3

Three more shootings were reported in Santa Ana this weekend

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Gangs, Jose Solorio, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 3 Comments

On Saturday, March 25 at about 4:30 p.m. SAPD police officers responded to 317 E. 17th Street after receiving a phone call regarding shots fired. A witness told the police officers that he approached a couple in the parking lot involved in an argument when the male threatened him with a gun. The couple left and later the male returned with a handgun and shot at the witness narrowly missing him but striking the building, according to SAPD Case # 17-08025.

This shooting happened near the 5 Freeway in in Santa Ana’s Ward 3, which is represented by Councilman Jose Solorio. Continue reading→

A shooting was reported near Santa Ana College on Monday night

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 1 Comment

On Monday, March 13, 2017 at about 5 p.m. SAPD police officers responded to the area of 1710 West 17th Street references witnesses reporting multiple shots being fired.

Witnesses saw multiple individuals involved which all fled prior to the arrival of the police, according to SAPD Case # 17-06786. Continue reading→

Body found after a fire was put out under a 5 Fwy. bridge at N. Broadway this morning

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Fires, homeless, Jose Solorio, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Fire at the Santiago Creek by Broadway and the 5 Fwy.

If you live or work anywhere near the Santiago Creek, from Broadway to Main, then you know the area is rife with the homeless. This morning, at about 5:40 a.m., there was a fire at one of the homeless encampments in that area, at the 2700 block of N. Broadway and the 5 Freeway, and firefighters discovered a body after the fire was put out, according to the O.C. Register.

OCFA firefighters were able to put out the fire, which was under a bridge, in about 15 minutes. Then they found the body. Continue reading→

A brazen burglar stole a security camera off a porch of a Park Santiago home

Posted on by Posted in Crime, homeless, Jose Solorio, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santiago Park burglary suspect

A brazen burglar stole a security camera right off a home in Santa Ana’s Park Santiago Neighborhood on February 9, but the camera caught his image and now the home owner is hopeful that someone will recognize the suspect.

The suspect was wearing a hooded poncho, khaki pants and black work boots. Continue reading→

A man was found shot to death behind a vacant Food 4 Less store in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Jose Solorio, Orange, Santa Ana 2 Comments

The former Food 4 Less supermarket located at 1900 N. Grand Ave. has been vacant for many years and now 23-year old Joseph Frank Garcia, a resident of Orange, has been found shot to death behind that store, according to the SAPD.

The body was found in an alley late on Wednesday night, at around 10:30 p.m., by a security guard. The victim is a man who appeared to be in his 20s, according to the SAPD.  Continue reading→

There were two more shootings reported in Santa Ana on Jan. 17

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Jose Solorio, Santa Ana Leave a comment

On January 17, 2017 at about 11 p.m. SAPD police officers responded to reports of a shooting and a person shot and injured at the area of 3700 W. 11th Street in Santa Ana, according to SAPD Case #17-01618.

When the police officers arrived they obtained evidence of a shooting and found evidence that someone had been shot but they did not locate a victim at the time. Continue reading→

A Santa Ana man was killed by an explosive device at his home last night

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The year 2016 cannot end soon enough! A violent year in Santa Ana was capped on Thursday night by a visit by the O.C. Sheriff’s Department bomb squad to a Santa Ana home after a 61-year old man, Nong Nguyen, was found in a bedroom that may have been booby trapped with improvised explosive devices, according to the O.C. Register.

Nguyen lived at the 2200 block of North Jetty Street. His family got worried when he failed to answer a knock on his bedroom door just before 8 p.m., according to the SAPD. Continue reading→

Councilman Sal Tinajero is now advocating for Ward-Specific City Council elections

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Angelica Amezcua, David De Leon, Elections, Jose Solorio, Joshua Mauras, Santa Ana 2 Comments
Santa Ana City Councilman Sal Tinajero

Santa Ana City Councilman Sal Tinajero

Santa Ana City Councilman Sal Tinajero is finally getting behind an idea that we have been touting for years – changing Santa Ana’s City Council elections to a Ward-Specific model, according to the O.C. Register.

Currently the City Council candidates have to live in the Wards they represent but the voting is conducted at-large, or citywide. That favors well-funded candidates who will sell out to special interests while the Ward-Specific model would be a boon to grassroots candidates as it is possible to walk an entire Ward but almost impossible to walk the entire City of Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Could campaign funds solve everybody’s rent woes in Santa Ana?

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Ana Urzua Alcaraz, Jose Solorio, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment
Ana Urzua Alcaraz and Santa Ana City Councilwoman Michele Martinez

Ana Urzua Alcaraz and Santa Ana City Councilwoman Michele Martinez

By: Ana Urzua Alcaraz, Courtesy of the Voice of OC

Learning about candidate Jose Solorio’s use of election funds to pay for his new apartment got me thinking about how many more people could use some funds to pay their owns rents this month.

Renters make nearly half of our City of Santa Ana, and in neighborhoods like Lacy, by the train station, it’s more like 94%. Homelessness lies at the feet of this housing crisis and has residents of my ward and others yearning for a solution. Housing insecurity is made real by an economic “recovery” that has not reached everyone equally. Continue reading→

Ana Urzua Alcaraz explains why she is running for the Santa Ana City Council’s Ward 3

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Ana Urzua Alcaraz, Santa Ana Leave a comment
Ana Urzua Alcaraz and Santa Ana City Councilwoman Michele Martinez

Ana Urzua Alcaraz and Santa Ana City Councilwoman Michele Martinez

I asked Ana Urzua Alcaraz, the only woman candidate running for the Santa Ana City Council’s Ward 3, to send me her campaign platform and she did!  Here it is:

Economic Security

I will dedicate myself to create better economic security for our city’s residents. I will champion good jobs, living wages, benefits for workers, more funds for apprenticeship and job training, and higher standards for city contracts to produce good jobs.

I will champion economic opportunities for youth through career pathway programs, and partnerships with educational institutions. Young people deserve the chance to grow in Santa Ana and raise their children here too. Balanced growth will ensure that Santa Ana does not become too expensive for its residents to afford. Continue reading→

Solorio is building a massive campaign for the Santa Ana City Council’s Ward 3

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Democratic Party, Jose Solorio, Politics, Santa Ana 1 Comment

jose-solorio-for-ward-3

Former Santa Ana City Councilman and State Assemblyman Jose Solorio is not taking his latest campaign, for the Santa Ana City Council’s Ward 3, lightly, He has quietly collected a slew of top endorsements, including:

  • Santa Ana Police Officers Association
  • Orange County Professional Firefighters Association
  • SEIU – USWW (Justice for Janitors)
  • Plumbers & Steamfitters, Local 582
  • United Association, Local 250
  • IBEW, Local 441
  • Heat & Frost Insulators, Local 5
  • Ironworkers, Local 416
  • Ironworkers, Local 433
  • Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties – Community Action Fund
  • Democratic Party of Orange County

Continue reading→

Ana Urzua Alcaraz just might beat all the men running for Santa Ana’s Ward 3

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Ana Urzua Alcaraz, Angelica Amezcua, Santa Ana 1 Comment
ana-urzua-alcaraz

Ward 3 candidates Ana Urzua Alcaraz and Juve Dan Pinedo

I had a chance to see Santa Ana Ward 3 City Council candidate Ana Urzua Alcaraz in action at last night’s Com Link Candidates Forum. She was squeezed between a big pile of male Ward 3 candidates but Alcaraz managed to stand out in the crowd.

I have been involved in Santa Ana politics for a very long time but I don’t recall any candidate quite like Urzua Alcaraz. While she is young and very attractive she is also smart as a whip – and she’s friendly. She knows how to work an audience. Continue reading→

Councilwoman Angie Amezcua has endorsed David De Leon to replace her in Ward 3

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Angelica Amezcua, David De Leon, Santa Ana 1 Comment

david-de-leon-for-ward-3-400x300

David De Leon is one of many candidates running for Santa Ana’s Ward 3 this year. That seat is going to be vacated by the incumbent, Councilwoman Angie Amezcua, in November. You may recall that she was accidentally elected four years ago when she did not campaign and spent zero on her campaign but won in a crowded field of male candidates. Her recognizable last name and ballot title (teacher) and her gender no doubt did the trick.

Amezcua has been a fairly invisible Councilwoman. She is a kindergarten teacher and has her own kids to raise as well. I am sure she will be much happier not serving in a public office. She recently endorsed De Leon, stating: Continue reading→

Neighborhood Hero Joshua Mauras is now running for the Santa Ana City Council’s Ward 3

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Joshua Mauras, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

joshua-mauras-and-his-family

There are quite a few candidates running for Santa Ana’s Ward 3 this November. One of them, Joshua Mauras, recently launched his campaign website.

Mauras played football at Chapman University and he earned a law degree from the Chapman University School of Law. He and his wife are raising their family in Santa Ana’s Morrison Park Neighborhood. They have served on their Neighborhood Association’s welcoming committee, multiple event planning committees, and act as the Morrison Park liasons to the City. Mauras and his wife received the the 2016 Neighborhood Hero Award from the Communication Linkage Forum. Continue reading→

Multiple shots were fired at 800 N. Figueroa Street on Saturday night

Posted on by Posted in Angelica Amezcua, Carlos Rojas, Crime, David Cavazos, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Last night at about 11:25 p.m. SAPD police officers were in the area of 800 N. Harbor Blvd. when they heard 6-8 gunshots fired immediately east of their location, per SAPD Case Number 16-24695.

The police officers responded to 800 N. Figueroa Street and located 8 .45 caliber casings in the street and on the sidewalk. They also located one live .38 caliber round. One vehicle was struck. No homes or people were struck. There are no suspects or witnesses at this time. Continue reading→