Public speakers were unanimous in their calls to move money away from police and reinvest in youth, park and community programs.
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 inNEWS
Second Day of Protests in OC Largely Peaceful with Some Arrests in Santa Ana, Huntington Beach
The protests struck a raw chord in communities like Santa Ana, where organizers localized the problems through systemic issues around youth environments and police relations.
Posted inNEWS
Santa Ana Curfew Order After Saturday Protests Draws Concern From Local Activists
During the curfew, all persons must not travel on any public street or public place, according to the City Manager’s order, issued under emergency authority.
Posted inCountywide
In Wake of Raucous Protests, Santa Ana Residents Rally Around Clean Up
Santa Ana residents — responding to social media posts calling on the community to help clean up — appeared at the sites of the protest the night before.
Posted inNEWS
Police Fire Tear Gas While Weathering Fireworks, Projectiles As OC Protests Heighten in Santa Ana
The crowds gathered in response to nationwide outcry over the killing of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer.
Posted inNEWS
National Protests Against Police Violence Reach Orange County
Several organized protests against police violence sprung up across OC, with hundreds of people in Orange and Santa Ana and some arrests in Fullerton.
Posted inNEWS
OC Sheriff Draws Heat Over Raised Thin Blue Line Flag, Protests Continue Over George Floyd’s Death
Sheriff officials say the flag was raised for an annual commemoration of law enforcement. Critics say the flag was tone-deaf amid nationwide protests.
Posted inNEWS
OC Fair Considers Loaning $5 Million to San Diego’s Fair To Stem Their Coronavirus Losses
OC Fair Board Directors are expected to consider the request today at their 9 a.m. teleconference meeting.
Posted inNEWS
OC Democrats Demote A Party Vice Chair After Bernie Sanders Comments
Democratic Party members at their Monday, May 25 meeting voted to remove Valladares from his position as West Vice Chair among the DPOC’s seven executive officers.
Posted inNEWS
Westminster Faces $17 Million Future Deficit, Faces Potential Heavy Cuts to Police, Parks, Preservation
Without an extension of a voter-approved sales tax increase, Westminster officials say there’s a $17 million budget deficit on the horizon — one they can only sate with an equal amount in spending cuts.
