The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced fair officials to grapple with their uncertain future, under public health orders to limit public interactions and restrictions on mass gatherings, with no guaranteed timeline of when those restrictions will ease.
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 inREGIONS
Trailers for Homeless, Fair Cancellation on Fair Officials’ Table Today and Monday
Both the use of travel trailers on the fairgrounds and this year’s possible cancellation would be in line with other county fairs’ recent actions across the state.
Posted inREGIONS
Santa Ana Recall Debate Centers Issues of Public Safety, Special Interests, Budget
The Wednesday night debate was broadcast online by Santa Ana nonprofit Connect-to-Council and moderated by Voice of OC Publisher and Editor in Chief Norberto Santana, Jr.
Posted inREGIONS
Virtual Forum Today Sets Stage for Debate Between Recall Target Ceci Iglesias and Her Challengers
Iglesias and her challengers have agreed to talk about the recall and advocate for their election today at 6:00 p.m., through a virtual forum hosted by Santa Ana non-profit organization Connect-to-Council. Iglesias has also agreed to a debate with resident and local historian Tim Rush, who will argue in favor of her recall. The debate will be moderated by Voice of OC Publisher and Editor in Chief, Norberto Santana, Jr.
Posted inREGIONS
Santa Ana Council Moves to Repeal 2525 Vote, Approves One Broadway Plaza
City Council members on Tuesday night voted to repeal their initial approval of 2525, a much-contested apartments project in north Santa Ana, and authorized a request by developer Mike Harrah to add up to 415 apartments to his tower at One Broadway Plaza, which has been in development for at least 15 years.
Posted inREGIONS
Without a Broader County Mandate, Mask Laws Vary By City
Tonight, Fullerton could join other cities in OC requiring face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Cities like Costa Mesa and Buena Park required everyone to cover up when out in public, while others like Santa Ana, Irvine, and Westminster only apply the mandate to employers and workers in essential businesses while residents in those cities are merely encouraged to cover up.
Posted inAnaheim
Coronavirus Strikes At Least Twelve Orange County Nursing Facilities
The hardest hit facility, locally, is the Anaheim Healthcare Center, a 215-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility on Beach Blvd in the city’s west end. At least 15 patients inside the center were reported to have tested positive for the virus. No staff were reported to have tested positive as of Monday, according to the state data.
Posted inGovernment
Santa Ana to Revisit Two Controversial Development Projects on Same Night
On the same night, Santa Ana council members will revisit a much-contested apartments project at 2525 N. Main St. and a tower that’s been in development for more than a decade at One Broadway Plaza.
Posted inAnaheim, Economy, Emergencies & Disasters, Government, NEWS, REGIONS, Top Stories
High Pay for Disney Area Promotion Group Called Out in Email from City Manager After Bailout
Zapata, who offered to take a pay cut, in an emailed memo proposed the same for Visit Anaheim executives who make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in salary. The same day he sent the memo, an online city agenda item began circulating for a closed door discussion about Zapata’s firing or resignation.
Posted inCountywide, Economy, Emergencies & Disasters, Government, Health & Wellness, Huntington Beach, Investigative, NEWS, REGIONS, San Clemente, Top Stories
Some Orange County Residents Defy Stay-at-home Orders With Protests in Huntington Beach, San Clemente
The protests in Huntington Beach and San Clemente come amidst reports of anti-lockdown protests from across the country, which have largely pushed anti-lockdown sentiments amplified by the president, who’s vocally encouraged such protests.
