Santa Ana's Grand Choo Choo Conspiracy: The Carlos Bustamante Connection

Final post in our Carlos Bustamante conflict-of-influenza series–for now… All this week we've focused on Carlos Bustamante, the SanTana councilmember who gladly takes money from people seeking something from the city, then votes favorably for his donors. Some readers have wondered about my focus, claiming he hasn't technically broken any conflict-of-interest laws, and that donations …

The Renaissance Blob

For years, Santa Ana officials have dreamed outloud about “diversifying” and “revitalizing” the city's downtown—code for driving out Mexican businesses in favor of chains and hipsters. After years of planning, city leaders now have a proposal: the Renaissance Specific Plan (RSP), which a city PowerPoint presentation states is “a planning tool to guide development” and …

Hits!

Top 10 selling records from Dec. 28, 2007, to Jan. 3, 2008, at GREENE RECORDS, 13962 Ponderosa St., Santa Ana, (714) 953-7440. Greene Records specializes in punk, hardcore and indie CDs and all kinds of vinyl. 1) Radiohead, In Rainbows (XL) 2) Operation Ivy, Operation Ivy (Epitaph) 3) NOFX, They've Actually Gotten Worse Live! (Fat …

Hits!

Top 10 selling records from Dec. 28, 2007, to Jan. 3, 2008, at GREENE RECORDS, 13962 Ponderosa St., Santa Ana, (714) 953-7440. Greene Records specializes in punk, hardcore and indie CDs and all kinds of vinyl. 1) Radiohead, In Rainbows (XL) 2) Operation Ivy, Operation Ivy (Epitaph) 3) NOFX, They've Actually Gotten Worse Live! (Fat …

Sparrow Love Crew, Detroit Bar, January 7, 2008

Photo by Jered Scott Five guys, eight chins, one instant party. Long Beach hip-hop dynamo Sparrow Love Crew radiate incredibly positive energy, lyrical choreography and witty verbiage. They own a stage like Donald Trump owns the Trump Tower. Backed by the not inaccurately dubbed “magic hands” of DJ Opi Styles, the four MCs (Devoux, Diggery, …