Santa Ana’s Not-So Little Saigon

It’s about time that the Vietnamese community rename “Little” Saigon to New Saigon. Truly, they should. Orange County’s “Little” Saigon has the largest concentration of people of Vietnamese origin outside of Vietnam.

Little Saigon extends from Garden Grove, Westminster and west into Santa Ana, well beyond Harbor Blvd. There are a significant amount of Vietnamese worship centers, either Buddhist or Catholic, like Our Lady of La Vang near Harbor and First, to those east of Harbor like the Bat Nha Buddhist Temple on Sullivan, or the one on First near Daisy, or the Vietnamese Catholic Center near 17th & Harbor. These are only some of the worship centers found in Santa Ana alone, and each one is an architectural spectacle.

It turns out that Santa Ana has the second-highest Vietnamese or Vietnamese-American population of cities numbering over 300,000 behind San Jose.

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Prelude to a New Song?

The Church of Scientology held a grand opening for its new Orange County church at the site of the old Masonic Temple at 5th & Sycamore streets in Downtown Santa Ana on Saturday, June 2, 2012.

A number of guest speakers lined up to sing the new location’s praises. The president of the Orange County branch of Scientology explained the building’s history, and said that the center would be open to the community. What their definition of community is remains to be seen.

They could be talking about the larger county or they could be more specifically talking about Santa Ana.

No matter if one agrees or disagrees with their views, they must be commended for the improvements done to the building, even though it looks like something out of BioShock. It’s been restored to its past Art déco glory.

It also brings that corner of the downtown back to life, and this could tie into the monthly art walks.

I find myself now thinking about the Yost’s reopening and how they said they’d be open to community. They have yet to satisfy me.

Will the Scientologists be open to the community? Surely they’d be open to recruiting so in that sense yes. But can a Santa Ana community organization hold an event there? Time will tell.

This is a common theme. One incoming group says’ “We’ll be open to the community,” like the Yost, the Scientologists, and Newsong church is saying about the Santora.

Following the Yost’s example, these other two centers could be more for busing in visitors to this city. The least they could do is open up to hold events that the Santa Ana community would want to see.

If they do allow the Santa Ana community to use that historic space, I’m okay with them being here, and the same goes for Newsong.

Where Does Santa Ana End and Costa Mesa Begin?

The Boiling Crab is set to expand into Santa Ana but they’re advertising themselves as opening up in Costa Mesa. They’re opening up near the corner of MacArthur and Bear streets, where the old Flakey Jake’s used to be.

To say they’re moving to Costa Mesa is false advertising, to say the least.

For those who don’t know, Costa Mesa begins south of Sunflower street, but the new Boiling Crab is well north of Sunflower. South Coast Plaza Village is on the Santa Ana side of Sunflower, and the new Boiling Crab is more north of the village, again, at MacArthur.

This isn’t the first time that a business north of Sunflower advertises itself as being in Costa Mesa. Years ago there was a suit shop near Bristol and Callen’s Common that advertised as being in Costa Mesa. Former councilmember Alberta Christy pointed this out to them so kudos to her for doing so.

It’s a shame that in 2012 and after the great strides that this city has made that there are businesses or people that still hold stigmatized views of Santa Ana.

The Boiling Crab needs to take a page from Antonello’s Ristorante at South Coast Plaza Village, which offers a five-star dining experience and knows its place, in Santa Ana, in comparison to the bib-wearing experience brought by The Boiling Crab.

Defining Santa Ana’s Role in the LA Region

The Greater Los Angeles Metropolitan Statistical Area is defined as Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, and Santa Ana has always been a control city, meaning that freeways lead in this direction, in part if not mostly because of its governmental role.

So what is Santa Ana’s role in this LA region? Many people will immediately think that all is no good in this town, but this has much to do with whatever reporter covering Santa Ana doesn’t do to find good news. It’s not that there are no good news here, it’s just reporters only scratch the surface and it doesn’t matter if it’s an LA Times or Register reporter. Crime reports are so easy to get, and you don’t have to physically come to Santa Ana to find a story, piece o’ cake.

Santa Ana has Federal, State and County government offices. It’s the Orange County seat of government but that’s truly not saying much, because while the City of Santa Ana votes more so Democrat, the entire County of Orange Board of Supervisors is Republican.

So what about this Democratic island in a Republican stronghold called Orange County? How much is it like other “OC” communities? Its ethnic makeup resembles that of many majority Latino LA communities, and it’s dense like these communities. It’s the closest thing there is to LA in OC, although on a much smaller scale obviously.

What role can this city play in the future of the LA region? Is it willing to grow up and stay on a progressive path?

Santa Ana’s influence, it must be said, may be stymied by the OC Board of Supervisors. Santa Ana wants to develop mass-transit oriented projects and communities but it needs the involvement and the okays of the OC Board and the OC Transit Authority.

John Wayne Airport (airport code, SNA), located on a corner of Santa Ana pecked at by Newport Beach and Irvine, recently opened an international flights terminal and is about to offer flights to Mexico City starting on June 3rd. Los Angeles Airports would surely want to see Santa Ana’s airport pick up its share of international flights. So LA Airports should buy and operate SNA like they do at Ontario.

Here’s an idea: Since Santa Ana’s ethnic makeup is nearly 80 percent Latino of Mexican descent, and many residents here have family in Mexico and can travel there, why not offer more flights out of SNA to more destinations in Mexico like Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, etc? Hmmmm… The airport is run by the County so the responsibility lies on them to do their part for the region.

Santa Ana is leading the effort to bring back rail and streetcars to this county, and maybe other OC communities will catch on far down the line. They’re going to need to and LA Metro surely needs them to catch on in order to alleviate LA’s future transit needs.

So here is this place that embraces LA-like transit projects, is a Progressive stronghold and overall looks like a microcosm of LA. Theses types of projects would surely receive support and funding from the LA Metro Transit Authority.

If only Santa Ana had stayed as part of LA County back in the 19th century, maybe we’d have our West Santa Ana Branch of the Pacific Electric Right of Way built already. Remember the CenterLine that was to run on Bristol? Yep, that would have been built too. And SNA would be run by Los Angeles Airports and offer expanded international flights to alleviate LAX.

Santa Ana’s responsibility and its role is to live up to the Greater LA Metropolitan Statistical Area’s name. It’s always been an integral part of this definition. It has to be a functioning part of the Los Angeles region and not be subjugated to the stymying, conservative and resistant interests of Orange County.

SAHS Orchestra, Beginning Band, and Mariachi Spring Concert on May 23

The Santa Ana High School Music Department presents its Orchestra, Beginning Band and Mariachi spring concert on Wednesday, May 23rd at 7 pm at Medley Auditorium at Santa Ana High School.

The ensembles are directed by Victor de los Santos and Elizabeth Solares-Cerros.

Tickets are $3 presale and $5 at the door.

Support the arts in Santa Ana, and Santa Ana youth.

Medley Auditorium at Santa Ana High School is located at
520 W. Walnut St
Santa Ana, CA 92701

A Closer Look at LA Metro’s PE ROW / Harbor Blvd Option 1 Study

The Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority proposed two route options for its West Santa Ana Branch line extending from Union Station to the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center (SARTC), in its latest study.

Option 1 has a light rail along the now-abandoned Pacific Electric Right of Way (PE ROW) extending into Orange County, where it will head south on Harbor Blvd, then east all along on 1st street until it turns west before Grand street to connect at the SARTC.

Option 2 has a light rail heading east on 17th street then south on Main street until it connects with the proposed Santa Ana fixed guideway, or streetcar, system. Option 2 serves Santa Ana College, but laying track and adding light rail on the very edge of Floral Park will not sit well at all with those residents.

Option 1 makes much sense when taking into account Santa Ana’s proposed development and improvements for Harbor Blvd. However, it will be costlier to add track to Harbor and 1st streets instead of just allowing LA Metro to run at slower speeds in Santa Ana through Santa Ana Blvd, on the proposed streetcar track.

The following graphic shows LA Metro’s proposed route of travel with an orange arrow (south on Harbor, east on 1st) and the Santa Ana streetcar proposed route of travel in yellow (PE ROW). The dots indicate possible stops for entry into a hypothetical stadium at Willowick that has been talked about, but not confirmed.

PE ROW: Latest Study Disallows LA Metro Light Rail Along Santa Ana Blvd

The idea of taking a one-seat ride from downtown Santa Ana to downtown Los Angeles and back, along Santa Ana Blvd, is meeting resistance from Santa Ana staff, those involved with Santa Ana Transit Vision.

The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) sent representatives to the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center (SARTC) on Tuesday, May 15 to present the latest developments in their study of reusing the Pacific Electric Right of Way (PE ROW) for mass transit, and to gather feedback from residents.

The City of Santa Ana, in conjunction with the City of Garden Grove, remains set on the idea of installing a slower-running street car with a limited route ranging from the SARTC, along Santa Ana Blvd, to Harbor Blvd. If a streetcar is approved, and LA Metro is not allowed to run light rail into the city, Santa Ana riders traveling to LA will be forced to transfer to a potential LA Metro line at Harbor Blvd at the PE ROW in Garden Grove.

LA riders traveling into Santa Ana will have to transfer to the local streetcar system at Harbor Blvd. A SCAG spokesperson said that Orange County will experience job growth in the future, whereas LA will lose jobs. This is one main reason why LA Metro is pressing for use of the PE ROW for mass transit all the way into Orange County. One of the highest concentrations of job centers in the county, with the highest amount of external commuters, is Santa Ana because of the many County of Orange jobs found here.

Santa Ana staff asked LA Metro to study other alternatives besides Santa Ana Blvd and two solutions were proposed. One was a rail line running east on 17th street at Harbor Blvd, turning right on Main street to the SATRC, and the other was a line running south on Harbor Blvd, then east on 1st street to the SARTC terminus.

The 17th street option would serve Santa Ana College and the 1st street option would serve points along First street like the downtown at either Broadway or Main street.

SCAG is concluding its final round of community meetings this week and will then report its findings and recommendations to the LA and OC transit authorities.

Fore more visit the Pacific Electric Corridor page and Santa Ana Transit Vision.

2012 Sueño MLS Winner is from Santa Ana

This year’s Sueño MLS winner is Armando Flores. Sueño MLS is a competition for recruiting top soccer talent. The first-ever winner of the competition is Chivas USA’s Jorge Villafaña who also played in a Santa Ana youth league.

Flores will now join the Chivas USA youth academy and continue his development with the hope of making the first team in the future.

In related news, Jimmy Camacho, who was born in Santa Ana and played with Armando Flores on Santa Ana youth teams, was awarded an Allstate Best Goalkeeper trophy.

Fore more click here and here.

An Update on the West Santa Ana Branch of the Pacific Electric Corridor

A locally preferred alternative for use of the Pacific Electric Corridor, running from the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center along Santa Ana Blvd and through other Orange County Cities to its terminus in Los Angeles, may be announced by this year’s end. The City of Santa Ana has been pushing for a street car, but given LA Metro’s involvement and interest in the project, a faster light rail option like the Gold or Blue lines running at grade in Los Angeles may become a reality in Santa Ana, although no time soon.

The newest development on this project is the extension of the LA County terminus from the City of Paramount to Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles. This almost certainly will be another light rail.

The City of Santa Ana informs the following:

PLEASE JOIN US TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND IDEAS: Pacific Electric Corridor

SANTA ANA, CA (May 10, 2012) – The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), in coordination with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Orange County Transportation Authority, is completing a study for reuse of the Pacific Electric Right of-Way (PE ROW) and West Santa Ana Branch Corridor with connections north to downtown Los Angeles and south to downtown Santa Ana. Please join us at an open house meeting to learn about the evaluation results for the project alternatives. View displays and a presentation, ask questions, and let us know what you think.

The U.S. Open Cup Comes to Santa Ana

Yes, this is a pretty big deal. The Open Cup is the United States’s longest running, nationwide soccer tournament. This tourney involves amateur and professional leagues including the NPSL, USL, NASL and MLS. Our former Santa Ana Winds of the National Premier Soccer League, now for some bizarre and inexcusable reason called the Fullerton Rangers, will open US Open Cup play at Santa Ana stadium against the Ventura County Fusion on Tuesday, May 15.

It’s nice to have an Open Cup match in Santa Ana, it would be sweeter if they had kept the Santa Ana name! I almost want to tell you guys to take your cup match to some place in Fullerton.