morrison park news · general meeting mpna hosted a standing-room-only general meeting on april 21,...

Morrison Park Neighborhood News Volume 18 Issue 2


May 2016

Can and Bottle

Recycling

MPNA collects any

cans and bottles with

a CRV refund. (Please

do not crush the cans).

The money goes into

the neighborhood im-

provement fund.

Please bring them to

Ivan Ashbaugh at 1202

W. Park Lane

Ivan also collects card-

board for the Boy

Scout troop 28

Morrison Park News Visit: www.morrisonpark.org

Prime Advertising Space Available!

If you would like to adver-tise with us, please let a Board Member know or

email us at

[email protected]

Get to Know Your Neighbors, Share Neighborhood Information,

Sponsor Neighborhood Events, Support Neighborhood Improvements

Mission Statement:

President’s Message 1

Calendar of Events 2

The Kirwan’s 3

Easter Egg Hunt Event 4,5

General Meeting Report 5

New Neighbor Report 5

History Article 6

Advertisements

Newsletter Fund

7

8

President’s Message

2016 has been a very eventful year so far and MPNA continues to shine in so many

great ways. What a great example of dedication by many of our neighbors at the two

recent events sponsored by the city. MPNA had the greatest representation of neigh-

bors at both the General Plan Community Meeting and the Celebrate Santa Ana,

neighborhood hero reunion. In addition, it was great to see Eric Scandrett receive an

award from the City for his years of participation in the Most Beautiful Yard program.

His ‘community building block’ will be a great reminder to him and something to cherish

for many years. The Easter Egg event was well attended and for me the highlight was

to see Angelica Carrillo presented an award and Certificate of Appreciation for all the

many events she has helped with. We are very grateful for her dedication to MPNA.

What an honor it was to have the City Manager and his team ask if they could attend

our General Meeting in April to discuss the City Manager’s Budget Message. High-

lights included the plan to continue to provide a structurally balanced budget and the

positions added, including 42 police department positions.

The next few months promise to be as action packed as the first months of 2016. The Com-Link board will be honoring Neighborhood Heroes and winners of the Most Beau-tiful Yard awards at the June Com-Link meeting. Once again, the awards are going to be held at Bower’s Museum. MPNA has submitted its nomination for neighborhood hero and a committee is busy scouting the neighborhood for the most beautiful yard recommendations. Anyone that wants to participate is welcome to do so. Just let us know if you have a favorite yard that you would like to recommend. The committee will be submitting three yards for the Com-Link board to choose from. Of course, we are keeping our fingers crossed that our ‘neighborhood hero’ will be chosen.

We have two important dates coming up in August….so please mark your calendars. August 6

th has been chosen as the date for the Summer Event/Movie Night. The com-

mittee is busy making plans and the movie should be announced soon. This is a great way to spend an afternoon and evening with friends and neighbors, plus enjoy a movie under the stars. The next ‘Social General meeting’ is scheduled for August 21

st.

Thank you to all our wonderful neighbors that make living in Morrison Park so enjoya-ble. Your generosity and thoughtfulness means so much to so many.

P.S. In my perfect world, there would be no ‘deposits’ left by our four legged friends.

I enjoy walking our neighborhood and meeting with so many great people; however, I

am always amazed to see that so many do not pick-up after their four legged compan-

ions. Why is that okay with so many? Let’s do what we can to make ours a ‘deposit

free’ neighborhood.

Christina M. Dorsa-Smith


Dates to Remember & Ongoing Local Events

EMERGENCY (Police/Fire)

Police Dispatch / Non Emergency (File a Police Report)

Noise Complaints

Code Enforcement

(code violations, overcrowding, unsafe/unsanitary housing)

Estella Roduarte (neighborhood officer)

Graffiti in process

Graffiti Removal

Animal Control (dogs barking, stray/injured animals, etc.)

Shopping Cart Removal

911

714-834-4211

714-834-4211

714-667-2780

714-667-2776

714-245-8665

1-877-STOPTAG

714-245-8792

714-667-2780

Printed materials courtesy of

Audio Video Partners

1520 E. Edinger Ave. Suite A

Tele: 714-568-1065

E-mail: [email protected]

June 6 D-Day 14 MPNA Board Meeting 14 Flag Day 19 Father’s Day 20 Summer Solstice

May 5 Cinco de Mayo 08 Mother’s Day 10 MPNA Board Meeting 21 Armed Forces Day 30 Memorial Day

Important Contacts

MPNA Board of Directors

The Morrison Park Association Newsletter is published quarterly. If you have articles or topics of interest that you would like to see printed here please contact the editors; Mike Ekstrom and Rom Lozares at [email protected]

See new event photos on the

MPNA website at

www.morrisonpark.org

July 4 Independence Day 12 MPNA Board Meeting 24 Parent’s Day August 6 Summer party, movie in Morrison Park 21 MPNA General Meeting social

President: Christina M. Dorsa-Smith (714) 558-0575 [email protected]

Vice President: Eric Scandrett (714) 543-9233

Treasurer: Dan Peters, assistant Becky McKinnon (714) 972-2342 [email protected]

Secretary: Amy Patton (928) 607-6819 [email protected]

Historian/Program Chairperson: Larry Klein (714) 835-5302

Email Alerts/Information Coordinator: Ivan Ashbaugh (714) 558-2708 [email protected]

Website Coordinators: Fernando Miranda (714) 271-4398

Com-Link Representative: Don Bass, assistant Chris Tuason (714) 543-0995

Newsletter Distribution Coordinator: Maria Carrillo (714) 313-6084

Park Director Morrison Park: Yeni Mauras (714) 953-3001

Park Director Eldridge Park: Jerry & Carole Ayres (714) 836-4631

Welcoming Committee Chairperson: Alice Hood (714) 541-5962

Welcoming Committee: Karen Briskorn (714)-558-0575

John & Rosie Bolter (714) 274-1620

Newsletter Editor: Mike Ekstrom/Rom Lozares (714) 564-0547 [email protected]

City Liaison: Dave Hoen (714) 667-6964

Correspondence Secretary: Karen Briskorn (714) 541-5413

Members at Large: Dennis Alderson (714)-953-8669

Joel Torres (714) 654-4316 Caroline Yacoub

Alvin Lamothe (714)-222-2037

Nextdoor neighborhood email lead Christina M. Dorsa-Smith

mailto:[email protected]


Long-Time Residents Dick and Joanne Kirwan By Larry Klein and Yeni Mauras

On April 1, 2016, Morrison Park suffered a great loss when Richard “Dick” Kirwan passed away at the age of 90. In order to honor Dick, and his wife Joanne, the Morrison Park Neigh-borhood Association has resolved to erect a memorial bench in the park as a lasting monument to their legacy. The Association is asking for private donations from neighbor-hood residents to help defray the estimated costs of $1,800 which will go toward the purchase and installation of the bench and the memorial plaque. For those who did not have the pleasure of knowing Dick Kirwan personally, Dick was a teacher and principal in the Santa Ana and Orange School Districts. The Kirwan's purchased their house on Westwood Avenue in 1966, and during their 50 years in Morrison Park, the Kirwans were in-strumental in developing, and preserving, the beauty and character of our wonderful neighbor-hood Dick and Joanne helped found the Morrison Park Neighborhood Association, and Dick served as the President of MPNA for a number of years. Joanne also served on the MPNA Board as Treasurer, and together they published the neigh-borhood's first newsletter- a tradition which perseveres to this day. Over the years, the Kirwan's contributions to the neighborhood were innumerable, but their most important achievement may very well be the park which defines our little community. When Morrison Park's existence was threatened by the possible development of residential apartment buildings, the Kirwan's led a coalition of friends and neighbors to lobby the City to pre-serve the park for future generations. When the original park began to lose its lustre, the Kirwans and the MPNA also helped lead the charge to modernize the park's amenities. Joanne even served on the playground design com-mittee that convinced the city to add a tot lot in the vacant field next to the playground, add new concrete picnic tables, and plant trees. For their impressive record of neighborhood service, the Kirwans were named "Neighborhood Heroes" by the City of Santa Ana in 2004, a moniker which undoubtedly could have been be-stowed upon them during each of their 50 years of residency. If you would like to help honor the Kirwan's, donations of any size are appreciated and may be delivered to the following addresses: Eric Scandrett Ivan Ashbaugh 2731 Lowell Lane OR 1202 Park Lane Slot in Garage Door Mail Slot in Front Door


Our Annual Easter Egg Hunt Party in Eldridge Park

Morrison Park and Casa de Santiago Neighborhood Associations hosted another successful Easter Egg Hunt in Eldridge Park on

March 19.

Angelica Carrillo, shown here with her mother Maria, was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation and a gift card for her

assistance with the events over the years, in addition to her work to deliver the flyers and newsletters. Thank you Angela!

Thanks to the below listed local businesses who provided prizes for the “opportunity drawing.” If you visit any of these business-es, please thank them for their donations. Thanks also to all the neighbors who donated prizes and bought tickets and helped out with the event, including the Santa Ana Youth in Government. Special thanks to John Padilla for hosting the petting zoo in his yard.

Bristol Memory Animal Clinic CA Eyebrow Threading

Dollar Tree Luv’n Donuts

Memory Lane Cleaners Starbucks

State Farm Insurance Whata Lotta Pizza

Angelica and Maria


New Neighbors in Morrison Park

Submitted by Alice Hood

1010 W. Orange Road: Jonathon & Lisa Reyes and parents Luis & Mireya Padilla moved here from Westminster in Febru-ary. Jonathon & Lisa have a little boy, Avery, who is three years old. Jonathon works for Starbucks and is a painting contrac-tor. Lisa works for Garden Grove Hospital. For hobbies, Lisa enjoys sewing and making crafts. 942 Orange Road: Eli & Aida DeLuna and Aida’s parents, Rocio & Alex Dominguez moved here in January. The family has a two-year-old son, Noah. Eli is employed in construction in the carpenter’s union. Aida works a CHOC as an LVN in the specialty clinic. Aida is anxious to meet other neighbors who have their parents living with them. Both the DeLuna and the Reyes families feel very fortunate to have moved to an area where it is easy to meet neighbors with things in common.

2738 Lowell Lane: Thanh Mai bought this home in April while still serving in Civil Services for thirty-one years with the U.S. Army in Alabama. After retiring in August he plans on moving here with his fiancé Vivian Huynh from San Jose, who runs a gift shop there. Both Thanh and Vivian have grandchildren. They are very excited about moving to their new home and meeting their new neighbors.

We welcome all our new neighbors and welcome their interest in getting involved in our community.

MORRISON PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

GENERAL MEETING

MPNA hosted a standing-room-only General Meeting on April 21, 2016. We welcomed City Manager David Cavazos who presented an overview of the City’s budget. This was the first in a series of planned Community Budget Outreach meetings. His presentation included an overview of the City’s budget structure and process, fiscal year 2014-15 year-end results, fiscal year 2015-16 budget highlights, a forecast and trial budget for fiscal year 2016-2017 and a strategic plan update. He discussed the City’s positive position with regard to pension liability and the challenges in growing the head-count of the police force. Mr. Cavazos gave an informative and lively presentation. He was joined by Fred Mousavi-pour, the Executive Director of the City’s Department of Public Works, who discussed the City’s planned capital im-provements. Other representatives from the City were present and attendees were given the opportunity to ask ques-tions and share concerns. We also welcomed Traffic Corporal, Mark Bell, from the SAPD, who overviewed the City’s neighborhood parking codes as applied to residential areas, especially on street sweeping days. He passed out a pam-phlet with information on common parking violations and answers to frequently asked questions. The brochure is avail-able online at http://www.ci.santa-ana.ca.us/cda/documents/ParkingBrochure-FinalApril2013.pdf.

http://www.ci.santa-ana.ca.us/cda/documents/ParkingBrochure-FinalApril2013.pdf


History Corner Recently I had the pleasure of spending a few hours with Norma Peralta of N. Greenbrier Street. She is an energetic great-grandmother who began working for Arnold Beckman at the original Helipot Corporation, the forerunner of Beckman Industries. The company was located then near Hoag Hospital in Costa Mesa. After her first year at Helipot, the company moved to Fullerton in 1958.

Her family came to Santa Ana in 1902 from Arizona. Her parents were married in San Bernadino. Norma was born at 923 Logan Street in her grandmother’s home in 1931. The house on Logan was near where Judge James Perez lived.

Norma went to Willard Middle School at the same time as Jerry Carr, a former astronaut, was a student there. Santa Ana has since named a middle school for Astronaut Carr. She didn’t finish high school in the usual way as she was married at sixteen and eventually gave birth to three children. In due course she finished her high school education at Santa Ana High School and graduated in 1968. Public schools in Santa Ana were segregated during the time Norma attended them. Back at Beckman, she was promoted to making prototypes, planning orders, and scheduling. She retired from Beckman in 1987.

For one year in 1949, Norma lived on Ball Road near a grove of orange and avocado trees. Then her fami-ly moved to West Walnut Street where she stayed for twenty-five years before moving to her house on Greenbrier in 1971. The Greenbrier house, built in 1957, was purchased for $38,000 back then. Her hus-band Moses passed away in November of 2000 at age seventy-seven and is buried in Fairhaven Cemetery along with her mother and grandmother. As Norma says, she and Moses have a “big tribe” legacy of eleven grandchildren and ten great grandchildren, in addition to their three children.

Norma was a friend of Helen Honer, daughter of Allison Honer, who built and owned Honer Plaza near 17th Street and Bristol. Mayor Miguel Pulido now owns the house on Santa Clara where Allison Honer used to live. Allison Honer also built many houses in this neighborhood. Norma also recalled that she used to hear Pastor Robert Schuller preach from the top of the refreshment center at the Orange Drive-in Theater. Now she listens to his grandson on TV on the weekends.

Norma likes living in Santa Ana and is a member of the Orange County Historical Society. She looks for-ward to many more years here in our neighborhood.

Submitted by Larry Klein

MPNA Historian

Celebrate Santa Ana Community Building Awards At the awards presentations on April 6, our neighbor and MPNA Board Vice President (and previous President) was honored as a long-time sponsor of the Santa Ana Most Beautiful Yard Program. His citation reads as follows: "Eric Scandrett has helped to improve and build a better community in his neighborhood and the City, at large. Eric has supported and sponsored the annual Most Beautiful Yard program for the past ten years, including through cash awards to the winners. Our community is most appreciative." Thank you for all your service Eric!


Jess Arce 714.363.1562

[email protected]

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Morrison Park Real Estate Activity First Quarter 2016

Provided as a courtesy by Desi Reyes of First Team Realty

FOR SALE PROPERTIES SOLD Address _______Bed/Bath Price_ Address _____Bed/Bath Price_

2623 Freeman Lane 3/3 $699,999 2707 Olive Lane 4/3 $649.900 1107 W. Memory Lane 2/2 $299,900 1018 Sherwood Lane 3/3 $450,000 1015 W. Park Lane 4/4 $693,000

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Morrison Park Newsletter Contribution

Name:_______________________________________________

Address:______________________________________________

Please Circle: Cash / Check

Amount Enclosed:_____________________________________

Do you wish to remain anonymous (please circle)? Yes / No

Please Make All Checks Payable to Morrison Park Neighborhood Association.

Discovery Science Center: First Tues-day of every month - Up to four Free tickets to Santa Ana Residents; 542-2823; www.discoverycube.org

Santa Ana Zoo: Third Sunday of every month: -Free to Santa Ana Residents; 714-836-4000; www.santaanazoo.org

City Council Meeting: First and Third Tuesday of every month; 5:45 pm; City Council Chambers, 22 Civic Center

Bower’s Museum: First Sunday of the month is free to all. All Sundays are free to Santa Ana residents; 567-3600; www.bowers.org

Com-Link: Fourth Thursday of every month; 6:30 pm; Police Dept. Commu-nity Room; www.santa-ana.org/cda/Com-Link.asp

Art Walk/Artist’s Village Open House: First Saturday of every month; 7-10 pm; Second Street at Broadway www.santaanaartwalk.com

Farmer’s Market: Every Sunday 10am-2pm; Between 3rd and 4th Street on the Spurgeon Street Promenade

Your Financial Support Is Urgently Needed For Our Newsletter Fund!

Your MPNA board wishes to thank all who have donated to the newsletter fund. We have received donations from

nearly 100 families and many of you have donated either large amounts once or smaller amounts several times.

This is the main communication we have with the ENTIRE Morrison Park Neighborhood which includes almost 500

families. Each issue provides valuable information about our activities, real estate activity, important contact infor-

mation for the City of Santa Ana, and information about opportunities for families near our neighborhood. Please

be assured that any donation in any amount is greatly appreciated by our residents. Please fill out the form below

and return it to:

Eric Scandrett

2731 North Lowell Lane

Mail Slot in Garage Door

OR Ivan Ashbaugh

1202 West Park Lane

Mail Slot in Front Door

SPECIAL THANKS TO THOSE WHO HAVE DONATED IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS!

morrison park news · general meeting mpna hosted a standing-room-only general meeting on april 21,...

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