Latest news with #VicenteSarmiento
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
JD Vance strolls through Disneyland during trip to Southern California
Vice President JD Vance was seen strolling through Disneyland while on a trip to Southern California Saturday. The Vice President, his wife Usha and two of their children were seen walking through Bayou Country. The user who posted the video to X that was obtained by KTLA — @DisneyScoopGuy — said in a separate post that Vance and his family rode Tiana's Bayou Adventure. A third post from the same user showed Vance and his family going to the high-end 21 Royal restaurant located within the park. Vance also appeared to take in the sights at Tom Sawyer's Island, too. Members of Vance's advance team were seen throughout the area earlier in the week. Orange County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento, a Democrat, expressed frustration at the VP's trip to SoCal. 'I'm offended by the visit, because so many families are being terrorized by the policies from the federal government,' Sarmiento said. Another Orange County Supervisor, Republican Don Wagner, offered a more tempered response, acknowledging Sarmiento's concerns but encouraging dialogue rather than division. 'I do think it's an opportunity for us, instead of casting stones, to cast a wider net,' Wagner said. 'We've had questions about ICE operations in Santa Ana. This could be a chance to engage rather than stay away.' While there were no concrete reports as to why Vance is in SoCal (no public schedule of events was ever released) Sarmiento says he believes the VP and his family are on a leisure trip. Vance is believed to be staying at the Grand Californian Hotel, which is adjacent to the park; demonstrators have gathered near the hotel to protest the Vice President's visit. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Vice president's rumored vacation visit to Disney resort sparks impromptu protest
A large crowd of protesters gathered outside Disneyland's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa on Friday afternoon after local officials rumored a possible vacation visit from Vice President JD Vance. Orange County officials received intel of the VP's visit to the area on Thursday. In an interview with KTLA 5, Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said the VP's visit 'comes at a time when trust in government feels fragile.' 'I welcome any policymaker to visit, listen and witness the hard-working immigrant communities that make our county strong," Sarmiento, who represents the county's 2nd District, said in a post to social media. "I respect the office, but I can't respect policies that hurt our people." Sarmiento's district includes the city of Santa Ana, where immigrant communities have been hit with ICE raids since June. His jurisdiction stretches to parts of Anaheim, Garden Grove, Orange and Tustin, which have also suffered what some immigrant advocates describe as 'racial profiling,' targeted at Latinos. 'There's a huge contrast between the work we do on the ground — supporting families with food, resources, and hope — and an administration whose policies feel designed to crush the very communities we serve,' Sarmiento added. The Santanero, a local Santa Ana newspaper, reported that Air Force 2 landed at John Wayne Airport on Friday shortly after 5 p.m. It was not immediately confirmed whether Vance was on the aircraft on official business following his latest visit to California when he attended a $2,500-per-seat conservative event at a high-end sushi restaurant in San Diego. Neither a weekend schedule nor fundraising event were posted by the vice president's office, which has led to speculation that Vance might be on a family vacation. Online footage began to circulate of a C-17 motorcade entering the Disneyland Park in Anaheim. A crowd of protestors began to form near the park at 5:30 p.m. on Harbor Boulevard and Katella Avenue on Friday. Some individuals drove up to four hours to be at the protest, where many waved Mexican and California flags and carried handmade posters. 'I would tell [Vance] to go home,' one protestor told Fox 11. 'We don't want him here.' The Anaheim Police Department did not immediately respond to a Times request for comment as of Saturday, but online footage showed police presence at Friday's protest. No injuries or arrests were reported. YouTuber Matt Desmond posted a short video to his channel, DisneyScoopGuy, Saturday morning of Vance and two of his children at Disneyland walking through the park and riding Tiana's Bayou Adventure. The video showed security personnel roaming inside the park with explosive detective dogs. It was not clear if the agents are from the Secret Service, according to the City News Service. Disney officials declined to comment on individual plans out of respect for all guests. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
OC Parks welcomes visitors to Old Orange County Courthouse for a day of art and music
The Old Orange County Courthouse in Santa Ana is one of the county's most iconic historic landmarks. Dedicated in 1901, the restored 30,000-square foot building is no longer an active courthouse, but it does still serve the community by offering interpretive programs, art shows and performing civil marriage ceremonies. This weekend, OC Parks invites the public to make special memories at the Old Courthouse. On Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., OC Parks will host 'Spring into Summer,' a new music and art event suitable for all ages, with the chance to learn about all of OC Park's upcoming summer events and programs. 'Spring into Summer welcomes all to enjoy an afternoon of fun and entertainment,' said County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento in a news release. 'I am excited to invite the community to join this celebration that will include live music, art and history.' Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to the courthouse lawn for live music performances from The Como la Flor Band: A Tribute to Selena, fronted by Tina Aldana who replicates the look, sound and moves of the famous Tejano Queen, and passionate Latin orchestra, Yari Moré Latin Band. Craft workshops, sketch drawing demonstrations and a paleontology booth are planned, along with a special exhibit at the Third Floor Gallery titled, 'Backyard Kingdom: Orange County's Natural World.' Families can explore Orange County's diverse ecosystems and maybe even get inspired to explore the outdoors with OC Parks, which currently manages nearly 60,000 acres of parks, historical and coastal facilities and open space. Historically, the courthouse has stood as a witness to local government proceedings that shaped early Orange County. The original building was established on land the county bought from the founder of Santa Ana, William Spurgeon; its first use was as a jail. In 1900, the Orange County Board of Supervisors commissioned Los Angeles architect Charles Strange to design the courthouse we see today. Several important cases were heard in its courtroom over the years. After the county's courthouse operations moved to new digs, the old building underwent a multi-phased restoration project that began in 1983. It was reopened to the public as a museum and historic landmark in 1992. Since that transformation, the beautiful wood courtroom has served as a backdrop to Hollywood films like 'Catch Me if You Can,' starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, and 'Legally Blonde,' starring Reese Witherspoon. OC Parks offers free tours of the Old Orange County Courthouse Monday through Friday by appointment from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to the Old Courthouse Museum is always free. Free parking will be offered on Saturday. 'Free admission and parking allow residents from near and far to attend, become more familiar with the many summer programs offered by OC Parks, and will also highlight Orange County's Historic Courthouse,' said Sarmiento. 'Spring Into Summer' will take place at the Old Orange County Courthouse at 211 W. Santa Ana Blvd. in Santa Ana on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is free. Free parking is available at P8/Transit Tower parking structure at 301 W. 5th St., Santa Ana.
Los Angeles Times
05-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Views of Orange County at ‘Omnivision' art exhibit in Santa Ana
There isn't one way to view all the beautiful scenery Southern California has to offer, but multiple points of view are gathered in one place for 'Omnivision: Art Across Boundaries.' The art exhibit on display at the Old Orange County Courthouse in Santa Ana now through March 13 is hosted by OC Parks and the Southern California Plein Air Painters Assn., with more than 180 original paintings featured. Scenes of nature, cityscapes and florals in the Golden State all painted by local Orange County artists make up the diverse show. 'Orange County is home to so many talented individuals,' Orange County Board of Supervisor, Vicente Sarmiento said in a statement. Sarmiento attended a ribbon-cutting for the show on Jan. 30, ahead of its opening reception on Feb.1. He has worked with OC Parks to bring art exhibits to the Old Orange County Courthouse in the past, like a Chicano art exhibit from the private collection of Cheech Marin last summer. Sarmiento was accompanied by Steve Sandborg and Dawn Buckingham, president and vice president respectively of the Southern California Plein Air Painters Assn. Plein air, the French term for 'in the open air,' is the practice of painting outside, which allows an artist to capture its subject in natural light. The practice was popularized in the 1870s with the invention of tube paint. As painting materials became more portable, a proper studio became less of a requirement for painting. The work in 'Omnivision' continues the tradition of plein air painting, while offering individual perspectives of quintessential scenes of California life, like Orange County beaches. Founded in 2001 by Margaret 'Maggie' Jamison as a small gathering of artists from a painting class at Irvine Valley College taught by Jack Horn, the Southern California Plein Air Painters Assn. has since grown into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to bring artists of all skill levels together. 'Attention aspiring artists! Are you hesitant to join our plein air painting club because you lack experience?' a statement on the Southern California Plein Air Painters Assn.'s website reads. 'Fear not! Our group is all about learning and growing together.' Members can enjoy weekly in-person paint-outs and inspiring Zoom meetings along with other community engagement. Besides building camaraderie among local plein air artists, the association is dedicated to supporting local conservation efforts to protect O.C.'s natural landscape. Members' paintings can be found on view year round at OC Parks' Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve in the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center. Additionally, the association works to promote arts education, and 'Omnivision' includes artwork by students from the Orange County School of Arts in Santa Ana. 'It is wonderful to have a place in the heart of the county, at the historic Old Orange County Courthouse, to display the work of local artists where others can be inspired and introduced to a new art medium,' Sarmiento said. The artwork in the gallery is for sale, with all proceeds going directly to the artist. The exhibit is free and open to view at the Old Orange County Courthouse gallery Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through March 13.
