Gabriel San Roman

California Assembly Passes Immigrant-Friendly TRUST Act; OC's Dem Assemblymembers Join GOP in Not Voting for It

The Trust Act made its way once more through the California Assembly yesterday by a final vote of 44-22. The legislation was vetoed late last year when it reached the desk of Democratic Governor Jerry Brown. Supporters say the bill authored by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano will limit deportations fueled b ... More >>

Anaheim's Citizens Advisory Committee Angers Curt Pringle By Doing the Right Thing!

Late last week, Anaheim's 11-member citizens advisory committee (CAC) on district elections wrapped up its final meeting, and its draft report of recommendations set to be delivered to the city council by the end of this month will suggest that the issue be put before the vote. When the previous A ... More >>

Parents at Anaheim's Juarez Elementary March in Protest, Blast New Superintendent Over Principal Transfer

Dozens of parents marched down Sunkist Street early this morning in front of Anaheim's Benito Juarez Elementary School. They were angered that current principal Roberto Baeza is being transferred out at the end of the year in a move made by Linda Wagner, the brand-spanking new Superintendent of the ... More >>

Anaheim City Council to Vote on $158 Million GardenWalk Hotel Giveaway Tuesday!

Next Tuesday, after much speculation, the divisive $158 million GardenWalk hotel subsidy will return before the Anaheim city council for a vote. The agenda for the meeting spells out as much as there will be "discussion and action" on a resolution for the economic assistance agreements (aka develope ... More >>

Anaheim Community Forum Focuses on the Aftermath of Social Unrest

As the one-year anniversary of the officer-involved killingof 25-year-old Manuel Diaz in July approaches, Anaheimers filed into St. Anthony Claret Catholic Church last night to see what, if anything, has changed in the city. The East Street Community Renewal Initiative (ESCRI)--a project of former c ... More >>

Meet Wicked Baby Doll: OC's Newest Hip-Hop Outlaw

Wicked Babydoll is coming into her own as a Chicana on the mic. The 23-year-old rapper originally from Los Angeles has three mixtapes to her name with the latest, Words of the Wicked (download here), showcasing her impassioned delivery and hard time rhymes. The collection, laced with dope beats, fea ... More >>

Anaheim's Citizens Advisory Committee Recommends Districts Be Put on the Ballot

There were more empty seats and less acrimony inside the Council Chambers of Anaheim City Hall last Thursday evening. Long the scene of political turmoil over the course of last year during council meetings, the mood was lighter as the location played host for the second-to-last gathering of the cit ... More >>

Manuel Diaz Shooting: Case Closed?

Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait met with representatives from the United States Attorney's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation last summer regarding the incidents of July 21, 2012. Now that the Orange County District Attorney's office has completed and released its investigative letter clearing An ... More >>

Lawyers for the Family of Manuel Diaz Call OCDA Report 'Biased and Inaccurate,' Immediate Protest is Planned

A protest by the family of 25-year-old Manuel Diaz has been scheduled in the aftermath of Anaheim police officer Nick Bennallack being found to have acted in a "reasonable and justified" manner when he fired two bullets ending the man's life on the lawn of an enclosed Anna Drive apartment complex. T ... More >>

Manuel Diaz's Mother Announces Evening Vigil at Anna Drive During Morning Protest Demanding Justice

Less than 24 hours after the Orange County District Attorney's office ruled the Anaheim police killing of Manuel Diaz justified, family members and about 20 other supporters protested outside the Orange County Superior Courthouse in Santa Ana this morning. Joining them were the mother and father of ... More >>

BREAKING: OC DA Rules Killing of Manuel Diaz by Anaheim Police Last Year Justified

Gabriel San Román is at a press conference right now by Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackackaus in which the DA has ruled that last year's killing of Manuel Angel Diaz by the Anaheim Police Department was justified. "It is our legal opinion that the evidence does not support a finding of ... More >>

This Week In Food: Playground's 2.0 Collaborative, Rathskeller Closing, and Tulsa Rib Opening

Happy Friday ladies and germs, let's take a look at what this week in food brought us... Edwin went to the new ARC Restaurant in the OC Mix and while he believes they still have kinks to work out, it seems the place is coming along well. He told us that the CEO of Starbucks is now the protagonist i ... More >>

Demonstration Mark One-Year Anniversary of Martin Hernandez's Killing by Anaheim Police

The embers of Anaheim's unrest glowed bright-red long before last year's simmering summer boiled over. On March 6, 2012, the alley near the intersection of Wakefield and Haster became a turning point in the city's history as 21-year old Martin Angel Hernandez was shot and killed by Anaheim police of ... More >>

OC Labor Calls for Comprehensive Immigration Reform (aka Amnesty) at Press Conference in Anaheim

Hundreds of union members and allies rallied in front of Anaheim City Hall today to announce their support for "comprehensive immigration reform," which everyone and their cousin knows as amnesty. The press conference was called by the Orange County Labor Federation and featured leaders from the rel ... More >>

The Five Best Concerts in OC This Week

Monday, February 18 DJ Hype The Observatory Pre-iPods, pre-laptops, pre-everyone's-a-DJ, DJ Hype was circling the globe, bringing his turn table skills to millions of party people. Born in Belgium, Kevin Ford began as a DJ on Fantasy FM, a pirate radio station in London. But he hit mainstream ... More >>

Nubia Cafe Is the Jewel of Little Arabia

[Hole In the Wall] This Anaheim hookah lounge bests its competition with great food

Beyond Anna Drive: A Look Inside Another Neighborhood of Neglect in Anaheim

Iron gates section off a number of apartments in the largely immigrant Latino community near the intersection of Brookhurst Street and Crescent Avenue in Anaheim. Unlike Anna Drive, which has recently come under a new gang injunction in the city, none of them are affixed with an altar keeping the me ... More >>

The Five Least-Deserving, Non-Incumbent Winners in Orange County Elections Last Night

SO...while a lot of good happened in Orange County politics last night, so did a lot of evil. Not just did a bunch of former councilmembers who have nothing else to do with their sorry lives except run for offices in which they were termed out years ago win last night (Lucille Kring in Anaheim, Mike ... More >>

Sheriff's Deputies Barge Into Cancer-Stricken Disabled Woman's House with Guns Drawn to Evict Her

On the morning of October 10, Niko Black was alone and ill when deputies from the Orange County Sheriff's Department arrived to evict her from her Garden Grove home on Shannon Avenue. "I'm in my bed and I see them storming my property," she tells the Weekly. "I crawl to my wheelchair."The 37-year-ol ... More >>

DREAM Activists Drop Pro-Immigrant Banners Along OC Freeway Overpasses

This is Gabriel San Roman with your morning traffic report: Activists with the Orange County DREAM Team and ACLAMO have dropped three banners along the 5 freeway in Anaheim, Santa Ana and San Juan Capistrano at different rush hour times between 6-10 a.m. The coordinated effort is part of the 'Right ... More >>

Cheri Sicard's New Cookbook Will Turn You Into a Cannabis Kitchen Magician!

Cheri Sicard has been a seasoned food writer and lover of good recipes long before she became a medical marijuana patient and activist. She created and launched the popular cooking website FabulousFoods.com and has authored books on the subject including last year's The Complete Idiot's Guide to Eas ... More >>

Letters From OC Weekly Readers

An Open (Love) Letter to Nancy Sanchez

​Hi Nancy,My name is Ryan Ritchie and I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you. Let me explain.A few days ago, I was browsing this here blog when I came across Gabriel San Roman's post about how you created a Kickstarter page in hopes of coming up with $15,000 for your full-length debut. One thing I a ... More >>

Letters From OC Weekly Readers

Dellue Is Ready To Hit The Hip-Hop Scene With Something New

​ It's been a minute since Dellue, a Long Beach-based underground MC, has hit the stage but all that's about to change. With an eye on 2012, the innovative rapper/producer is readying new music and will give hip-hop heads a glimpse of what's to come when he performs this Saturday in Anaheim. A goo ... More >>

Letters From OC Weekly Readers

Letters From OC Weekly Readers

Inkblots Share 4-Song EP Online Until Tomorrow Only!

​Gabriel San Roman's exclusive interview with Inkblots is out today (read it here); to celebrate, fans get a chance to listen to their EP Trap Doors on inkblotsmusic.com until tomorrow, June 4, its official release date. It will be available on Itunes, Amazon, CD baby, their website www.inkblotsm ... More >>

Los Abandoned to Reunite for One Night Only!

​Call them Los Disbanded no more! Lady P, Don Verde, Vira Lata, and Dulce will reunite as Los Abandoned for a special one-time only concert at the Echoplex. It will mark the first time the Los Angeles-based Latin Alternative band has taken the stage since their farewell performance at the Tar Fest ... More >>

Orange Bits: Slayer, Adolescents, Pete Yorn, The Wandering Tree

​Orange Bits is back! In this weekly round up of all OC-related music news, band members are donating a guitar, some anti-drug voice-overs and what goes on in the life of a punk rock parent.

Wadiya, OC's Only Sri Lankan Restaurant, Closes :-(

Should've stocked up while I had the chance...DAMN IT!!!​It's stories like the following that make me hate that I care about great eating in OC, that make me think no one actually cares about the recommendations we offer: Wadiya, the only Sri Lankan restaurant in Southern California, a place that ... More >>

Getting a Clue About the New Fingerprints

[Mental Notes] Also, a sneak peek at the impending Café Calacas

Coming Soon: Café Calacas!

Culture, Clothing, Curios and soon...Coffee!​Rudy and Jackie Cordova were busy setting up paintings by local artists for a Valentine's Amor Eterno exhibit when I visited Calacas early Saturday morning in Santa Ana. The married couple behind the 'culture, clothing, and curios' store on Fourth and B ... More >>

Packed House Saw Reading of The Mexican OC at the Hunt Fullerton Library

​A grand old-time was had by all yesterday at the Hunt Fullerton Library, that gorgeous William Pereira creation that is nearly impossible to find. The occasion was the kick-off of "Gustavo's Awesome Lecture Series!"--the public salons I'm holding in conjunction with the Cal State Fullerton Depart ... More >>

[UPDATE: Sold Out!] Coachella 2011 Lineup Revealed! Finally!

​UPDATE, JAN. 26, 2:40 P.M.: It's official--Coachella tickets have sold out. Stay tuned for details on whether more will be released.   ORIGINAL ITEM, JAN. 18, 10 P.M.: Forget those fake posters; it's finally here: The official lineup for Coachella 2011. After the jump, the full flier. Be war ... More >>

Caifanes Reunite to Play Coachella?

[Mental Notes] Also, the Fling get signed (woo-hoo!), Kottonmouth Kings get high (duh!)

JV, Hip-Hop Queen, Still Shines Her Light

myspace.com/therealjv​Jennifer Velarde etched her initials into hip-hop history as the first Chicana rapper to ever put out an album. Signed to Thump records, JV hit the scene in 1994 with her first single (and title track to the album) "Nayba'hood Queen." Backed by the subwoofer-stressin' bass be ... More >>

Cumbia-Style 'All Apologies' by Velorio

www.myspace.com/veloriomusic​Velorio covered Nirvana's classic "All Apologies" at the Juke Joint in Anaheim this weekend. According to our resident cumbia expert Gabriel San Roman, "Usually cumbia songs are mashed up on a System of a Down video on YouTube...to make it seem like a hard rock band wa ... More >>

Lalternatives?

[Mental Notes] The best alt-Latin acts in OC

Dustin Apodaca, Indie Band Frontman, Seeks to Strike a Chord With Anaheim Council Voters

​The upcoming Anaheim City Council race, which has already seen the entry of a write-in candidate who impersonates Mickey Mouse, has on the official ballot an office-seeker who lists his occupation as "musician."He's Dustin Apodaca, frontman of the soon-to-be defunct, indie-folk-rock Dusty Rhodes ... More >>

Dropping Knowledge

[Mental Notes] Immortal Technique speaks on immigration, plus the First Annual Real Blues Festival of Orange County calls out the Doheny Blues Fest

Allan Mansoor Dinged for Hating Himself!

​It was tough being Arab American when Sami Bishara Mashney immigrated to the United States at age 23, during the height of the Iran-hostage crisis. He actually had to go Greek for awhile for his own safety. Of course, it's no picnic being Arab American now, which is why Mashney holds so much res ... More >>

Letters From OC Weekly

UPDATED! Outgoing: Lila Downs Cancels Grove of Anaheim Show, Charlatans UK Scrap Tour

​Yesterday, we shared a delightful Q&A between our writer Gabriel San Roman and Mexican singing superstar Lila Downs, in anticipation of her show this Wednesday at the Grove of Anaheim--a show that's now not going to happen. Turns out, Downs had to get her appendix out over the weekend. (As so ... More >>

Follow the Michael Jackson Memorial Service on Twitter!

Hmm, I just paired the words "memorial service" with the word "Twitter" and an exclamation point. I guess I'm going to hell.Anyway, if watching the televised coverage of this morning's Michael Jackson memorial service at the Staples Center isn't enough for you (and why would it be? never enough dead ... More >>

More Michael Jackson! Memorial Participants, Plus Coverage Tomorrow

Michael Jackson: still dead. If he wasn't, there wouldn't be that public memorial tomorrow at 10 a.m. at the Staples Center, and we wouldn't be here talking about it. In fact, we're going to be able to do more than just talk about it. Our guy Gabriel San Roman (check his story on new Nekromantix d ... More >>

Hootenanny Set Times Announced

Unlike some other annual music festival that like to keep their set times a secret (*cough*Warped Tour*cough*), here we have the full lineup for Hootenanny, a full THREE DAYS before the event. Read after the jump to find out when fokls like Rev. Horton Heat, Los Lobos and the HorrorPops (pictured) a ... More >>

On Minority Prep Athletes Messing with their Racist High School Counterparts

OC Weekly contributor and my occasional KPFK-FM 90.7 producer Gabriel San Roman wrote a great recollection on his personal blog about his days as a varsity basketball player for Savanna High School in Anaheim during the late 1990s. The ostensible reason for the post was a response to arrogant leftie ... More >>

Mystery Hangup Drummer Lux Joins Nekromantix

We talked just yesterday about Anaheim's Mystery Hangup breaking up, and drummer Lux has already announced her new project: joining the Nekromantix, taking the place of Andy DeMize, who passed away last month due to a car accident. Lux will be the first female in the band's 20-year history.More info ... More >>

Anaheim's Mystery Hangup Breakup

All-girl Anaheim band Mystery Hangup have called it quits, at least for a while, according to a post on their MySpace blog.Stopping short of saying anything too final, they write, "Mystery Hangup is taking on new challenges and exciting new goals," while specifying "this isn't a goodbye," as they wi ... More >>