Voice of OC

Last updated
Voice of OC
FoundedJune 2009
FocusLocal Investigative Journalism
Location
Area served
Orange County, California, United States
Key people
Norberto Santana, Jr., Publisher
Spencer Custodio, Civic Editor
Meg Waters, Development Director
Theresa Sears, Involvement Editor
Wylie Aitken, Chairman of the Board
Website voiceofoc.org

Voice of OC is a small, local, non-profit, online news agency reporting on local issues covering Orange County, California. [1] [2]

Contents

Its coverages ranges from topics such as transportation, the environment, social justice, health, public safety, housing, homelessness, politics, to the Ralph M. Brown Act and California Public Records Act issues.

Funding for the Voice of OC is primarily provided through member contributions and grants. [3] [4]

History

Voice of OC was founded by former Orange County Register investigative reporter Norberto Santana in June 2009 with an initial annual budget of $600,000. [1] [5] The agency's board of directors was then chaired by Joe Dunn, a former Democratic state senator from Santa Ana, CA.

It started publishing March 31, 2010. Through its first 4 years, its reporters have written 3,500 news stories. [4]

In 2014, the website entered content-sharing partnership with the Orange County Register. [5] [4]

In 2015, Norberto Santana moved from being an editor-in-chief to being the publisher. [5]

In November 2022, Google selected the Voice of OC as one of its 450 news organizations that will receive funding for Google News Equity Fund, which focuses on small and medium-sized, independent news organizations focusing on underserved audiences. [6]

Notable reporting

In 2021, the agency covered an oil spill in Huntington Beach, CA in much detail. [7]

The news agency's reporting on a property swap involving Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido prompted an investigation by the city attorney into the issue. [8] The mayor voted for a $1.4-million city contract with an auto parts firm, NAPA Orange County, just over a year after he bought a home from the firm's owner for $230,000 less than fair market value. [9]

In February 2023, a day after the news agency reported on a state investigation into CalOptima's hiring and pay practices including controversially large salary hikes, CalOptima chair Andrew Do abruptly resigned as chair. [10]

Awards

The Voice of OC has received numerous journalistic awards including:

Board members [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange County, California</span> County in California, United States

Orange County, often known by its initials O.C., is a county located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Southern California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,186,989, making it the third-most-populous county in California, the sixth-most-populous in the United States, and more populous than 19 American states and Washington, D.C. Although largely suburban, it is the second-most-densely-populated county in the state behind San Francisco County. The county's three most-populous cities are Anaheim, Santa Ana, and Irvine, each of which has a population exceeding 300,000. Santa Ana is also the county seat. Six cities in Orange County are on the Pacific coast: Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, and San Clemente.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange County Transportation Authority</span> Transportation planning commission for Orange County, California

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is the transportation planning commission for Orange County, California in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. OCTA is responsible for funding and implementing transit and capital projects for the transportation system in the county, including freeway expansions, express lane management, bus and rail transit operation, and commuter rail funding and oversight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Howard Ahmanson Jr.</span> American heir and writer (born 1950)

Howard Fieldstad Ahmanson Jr. is an American writer and Christian activist. He is the son of Howard F. Ahmanson Sr., the founder of Home Savings Bank. He writes on issues including housing affordability, land use, the abuse of eminent domain, and the rule of law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange County School of the Arts</span> Public charter school in Santa Ana, California

Orange County School of the Arts, is a 7th–12th grade public charter school located in downtown Santa Ana, California. The school caters to middle and high school students with talents in the performing, visual, literary arts, culinary arts and more. The educational program prepares students for higher education institutions or employment in the professional arts industry. In 2010 the school's academic and arts programs were ranked with silver medal status in the U.S. News & World Report "Best High Schools" list. In 2012 the school changed its name from Orange County High School of the Arts (OCHSA) to its current name, Orange County School of the Arts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange County Fair (California)</span> County Fair of Orange County, California

The Orange County Fair, abbreviated as the OC Fair, is a 23-day annual fair that is held every summer at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California. The 2024 OC Fair is from July 19 to August 18, and theme will be “Always a Good Time!”

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Todd Spitzer</span> American politician and lawyer

Todd Spitzer is an American attorney and politician serving as the district attorney of Orange County, California. Spitzer successfully ran for Orange County district attorney in 2018 against incumbent Tony Rackauckas. Spitzer had previously served as a deputy district attorney from 1990 to 1996 and, under Rackauckas, as assistant district attorney from 2008 to 2010.

<i>The Orange County Register</i> Daily newspaper in Orange County, California

The Orange County Register is a paid daily newspaper published in California. The Register, published in Orange County, California, is owned by the private equity firm Alden Global Capital via its Digital First Media News subsidiaries.

Little Arabia is an ethnic enclave in western Anaheim, California, the center for Orange County's Arab Americans, who number more than 24,000. It has been referred to as "Little Gaza" which was a riff on the nearby Garza Island neighborhoods. Little Arabia grew significantly in the 1990s with the arrival of immigrants from the Middle East, and is the home to thousands of Arab Americans predominantly hailing from Egypt, Syria, Palestine, and Yemen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Ana River Trail</span> Multi-use trail in Southern California, US

The Santa Ana River Trail is a multi-use trail complex that runs alongside the Santa Ana River in southern California. The trail stretches 30 miles (48 km) from the Pacific Ocean at Huntington Beach along the Santa Ana River to the Orange–Riverside county line. Planned extensions of the trail reach to Big Bear Lake in San Bernardino County. When completed, it will be the longest multi-use trail in Southern California, at approximately 100 miles (160 km). In 1989, the Los Angeles Times described the path as "a veritable freeway for bicycles".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Norby</span> American politician

Chris Norby is an American politician and educator. He served on the Fullerton City Council (1984–2002) including three years as mayor, on the Orange County Board of Supervisors (2003–2010), on the California State Assembly (2010–2012).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center</span> Passenger train and bus station in California, United States

The Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC) is an intermodal transit center in Anaheim, California, United States. It serves as a train station for Amtrak intercity rail and Metrolink commuter rail, as well as a bus station used by the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), Anaheim Resort Transportation (ART), Greyhound, Megabus, Flixbus and Tres Estrellas de Oro.

<i>OC Weekly</i> Alternative weekly paper distributed in Orange County and Long Beach, California

OC Weekly was a free alternative weekly paper distributed in Orange County and Long Beach, California. OC Weekly was founded in September 1995 by Will Swaim, who acted as editor and publisher until 2007.

The Orange County Employees Association (OCEA), located in Santa Ana, California, is a public employee labor union in Orange County, representing about 18,000 employees. OCEA was founded in 1937.

MNG Enterprises, Inc., doing business as Digital First Media and MediaNews Group, is a Denver, Colorado, United States-based newspaper publisher owned by Alden Global Capital. As of May 2021, it owns over 100 newspapers and 200 assorted other publications.

The OC Streetcar is a modern streetcar line currently under construction in Orange County, California, running through the cities of Santa Ana and Garden Grove. The electric-powered streetcar will be operated by the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), and will serve ten stops in each direction along its 4.15-mile (6.68 km) route. With the exception of a short loop in downtown Santa Ana, the line will be double-tracked for its entire length. Most of the route follows the original path of the Pacific Electric Railway "Red Cars" that served Santa Ana in the early 20th century, before being abandoned in 1950. Construction on the streetcar broke ground on November 30, 2018. As of October 2023, the line's expected revenue service date has been pushed to August 2025, per OCTA staff, despite initial plans for a 2021 start.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Do</span> American politician

Andrew Do is an American politician currently serving as Orange County Supervisor, representing the First District and is the Board Vice Chair as a Republican.

The Serrano Water District is a California special district that maintains the groundwater of parts of eastern Orange County. The agency serves a 4.7 square mile area that encompasses the entirety of Villa Park and a small portion of Orange. The population served is approximately 6,500.

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The 2022 Orange County Board of Supervisors elections were held on June 7 and November 8, 2022. Three of the five seats of the Orange County, California Board of Supervisors were up for election. This was the first set of elections held after the 2020 redistricting cycle. County elections in California are officially nonpartisan. A two-round system was used for the election, starting with the first round in June. Runoffs were held in all three districts, as no candidate managed to reach the 50% + 1 threshold.

CalOptima is a publicly funded health insurance plan for low-income citizens for Orange County, CA. With an annual budget of US$4 billion serving 940,000 members as of July 2022, it is also the single largest county organized health insurer in the state. Its current CEO is Michael Hunn.

The Frida Cinema is a non-profit arthouse movie theater in Santa Ana, California. The theater, named after Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, is located in the 4th Street Market shopping district of the East End neighborhood in Downtown Santa Ana. The Frida has two screens and is the only non-profit theater in Orange County, California. The theater screens vintage blockbusters, cult classics, and independent films.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Anton, Mike (Sep 15, 2009). "Nonprofit website to boost O.C. watchdog journalism". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved Feb 21, 2023.
  2. ↑ "The cost of Angels in the outfield". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved Feb 21, 2023.
  3. ↑ Bill Birnbauer, Bill (2018). The Rise of NonProfit Investigative Journalism in the United States . Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Register to partner with Voice of OC". Orange County Register. Apr 21, 2014. Retrieved Feb 21, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 Miller, Michael (May 16, 2016). "Q&A: Norberto Santana Jr". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved Feb 21, 2023.
  6. 1 2 Eberechukwu, Etike (Nov 16, 2022). "450 news organisations selected as recipients of Google News Equity Fund". Tech Next 24. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  7. ↑ "2021 Oil Spill". Voice of OC. Retrieved Feb 21, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Santa Ana Council Meets Privately on Pulido Property Swap". Voice of OC. Retrieved January 15, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Santa Ana Mayor's Property Swap Raises Questions". Voice of OC. Retrieved January 15, 2014.
  10. ↑ Gerda, Nick (Feb 3, 2023). "Top Official Resigns From OC's Health Plan for the Poor Following Revelations of State Probe". Voice of OC. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Kristina Garcia". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved Feb 21, 2023.
  12. ↑ "CCNMA Most Influential Latina Journalists in California 2021" . Retrieved Feb 21, 2023.
  13. ↑ Quick, Sonya (Jun 24, 2021). "Voice of OC Honored with 18 Awards When Competing Against California's Top News Agencies". Voice of OC. Retrieved Feb 21, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Meet the Winners of the 2021 LION Publishers Local Journalism Awards". Lion Publishers. Retrieved Feb 21, 2023.
  15. ↑ "News Leaders Association 2022 News Leader of the Year Award and Robert G. McGruder Award for Diversity Leadership Winners". Lion Publishers. Apr 13, 2022. Retrieved Feb 21, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Voice of OC Board of Directors" . Retrieved 2018-08-09.
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