Downtown Santa Ana Is Happening–No Way!


I'm a bit late on my reading, and I just encountered Adam Elmahrek's 10-years-too-late story on downtown Santa Ana's happening scene for the Voice of OC. I like Elmahrek a lot–his coverage of Mayor-for-Life Don Papi Miguel Pulido is nearly as brutal as ours–but this reads like one of those stories forced down your gullet by a managing editor, not that I've ever commanded something like that. . . .

Anyhoo, you know you're entering a laugher when you read the headline: “Something's Happening In Santa Ana's Downtown.” No way!

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“But come to Artists Village on Broadway between First and Third
streets after dark on a weekday night, and you'll see things you
didn't see two years ago: cars filling parking spots,
standing-room-only on restaurant patios and groups of youths
hanging out on the Second Street Promenade,” Elmahrek writes.

. . . Except it's been like this for more than two years now–more like five, if not seven. Young Elhmahrek maybe thinks Lola Gaspar has been there all these years?

Note to Adam: You're a great reporter, but keep the cultural analysis to a minimum. The article reads like something Coast would've published 10 years ago, or a waste of space that The Orange County Register regurgitates every couple of years. Stick to kicking Don Papi's ass, por favor–don't make me rush to finish my book so I can devote my full attention to him again. . . .

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