Amidst an escalating conflict with the city’s police union, two Santa Ana council members fought back against recall efforts in public remarks from the steps of City Hall.
Author Archives: Brandon Pho
As a Voice of OC reporter, Brandon Pho covered north/central Orange County, as well as broader regional issues around law enforcement, transportation, the environment, the OC Fair and Little Saigon.
He joined in 2018 as an intern, shedding light on turmoil and corruption claims in Westminster and uncovering a now-fired OC Fair executive’s suspect fundraising relationship with a nearby, private Christian college that the Fair had sponsored with public money.
Later, he published a number of investigative stories on local law enforcement agencies; detailed political jockeying around a controversial seawater desalting plant proposal in Huntington Beach; narrated a racial reckoning inside one of the county’s largest school districts; and tracked various quality of life issues across the region.
Before Voice of OC, Brandon worked as a reporter and editor at Cal State Fullerton’s independent student newspaper, the Daily Titan, and won a number of accolades for his reporting in 2018, including a 1st and 2nd place Los Angeles Press Club award and 1st place national College Media Association award.
While at Voice of OC, Brandon was a member of Report for America, a national network of local reporters committed to bolstering democracy throughout the U.S.
Posted inWestminster
After Monterey Park Shooting, Westminster Pushed Past Its Own Turmoil for Triumphant Tet Parade
With mass shooting reports coming in and all eyes on Little Saigon, Westminster officials had just hours to weigh the problem in front of them against what was, to many, an essential tradition.
Posted inWestminster
After Years of Division, Westminster Drops Plans for War Monument on Public Parkland
The monument plans had some questioning whether one of the county’s most park-poor cities would sacrifice a portion of what little remained for political name recognition.
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
Disability Rights Advocates Want State Supreme Court To End California’s Experiment With Forced Treatment
It’s become the center of a debate over what’s truly causing homelessness across the state: Mental health issues, or a lack of affordable housing?
Posted inSanta Ana
After Contract Battle, Santa Ana Police Union Launches Council Recall Campaigns
It comes as the Santa Ana police union president will have to spend half his time doing police work for a department the mayor describes as having a “cancer.”
Posted inHealth & Wellness
A Tiny Green Makeover for A Santa Ana Neighborhood in Need
In a city whose population growth could strain its few parks by the end of the decade, residents will take any kind of green space they can get.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
A Community Urban Farm Faces New Test in Sustaining Its Neighbors in Santa Ana
A source of much-needed sustenance for sick and low-income residents now seeks to sustain itself through solar energy.
Posted inEconomy
Santa Ana Officials Vote to Dissolve Downtown Business District After Latino Stores’ Outcry
City Council members unanimously sided with a group of Latino merchants who say the current downtown promotional system overlooks them.
Posted inALL TOP STORIES
Will Westminster’s Search for Cash Start A Family-Owned Billboard Battle?
A small business owner struggles to extend his billboard permit in a city that’s eyeing the billboard business to support its budget.
Posted inPolitics & Elections
State Sen. Dave Min Announces Run for Katie Porter’s House Seat
State Sen. Dave Min and former Congressman Harley Rouda – both Democrats – are in the congressional race, along with longtime local Republican Scott Baugh.
