The city councils’ action struck down hopes for a park between two park-poor cities and stirred opponents’ fears developers will turn the property into an urban hotspot and price working-class families and Latinos out of the surrounding neighborhoods.
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 inTop Stories
New Headcount Underway of Homeless People Living in OC
But volunteer teams reported difficulty finding homeless people during the first day of the two-day countywide homeless count.
Posted inGovernment, Safety, Security & Justice, Santa Ana
Santa Ana Grapples With $400,000 Payout, Police Records Destruction, During Leadership Vacuum
But City Hall’s day-to-day leadership remained in limbo.
Posted inGovernment, Santa Ana
Top Santa Ana Leadership Leaves as City Preps $400,000 Payout
Council members vote Tuesday on a nearly $400,000 separation agreement ousting City Manager Raul Godinez and decide on a replacement for longtime City Clerk Maria Huizar.
Posted inEconomy, Government, Santa Ana, Transportation
Santa Ana Prohibits Downtown Merchants From Suing OC Streetcar for Disrupting Businesses
The City of Santa Ana could yank money from the promotion of downtown businesses if those companies sue over parking, traffic or other disruptions caused by construction of the OC Streetcar Project that runs through one of the city’s busiest commercial areas.
Posted inOrange, Politics & Elections, Safety, Security & Justice
Man Pulls Knife as Orange City Council Mulls Appointing New Council Member
Peter Morales, 35, brandished a pocket knife in front of the Orange City Council and was arrested Tuesday night during a heated public discussion on how to fill a council vacancy.
Posted inGovernment, Politics & Elections, Santa Ana
Santa Ana Redraws City Ward Boundaries As New Council Sworn In
The Santa Ana City Council, in a move with long-term implications for a dais that changed by three members Tuesday, has a new ward boundary map.
Posted inBuena Park, Countywide, Housing & Homelessness, Top Stories, Water, Power & Waste
Food Banks Are An Uncertain But Important Tool To Fight Countywide Hunger
Shaky leases, financial uncertainty and limited manpower threaten Orange County food banks, but even so they help feed families and seniors on limited incomes and homeless people.
Posted inPolitics & Elections, Santa Ana
Santa Ana City Council Redistricting Could Have Some Members Run Against Each Other in 2020
The Santa Ana City Council moved forward Tuesday on redrawing district boundaries that could mean some of the three incoming council members, who will be elected Nov. 6, would be out in 2020.
Posted inAnaheim, Economy, Politics & Elections
Anaheim Mayoral Candidates Clash Over Disney Campaign Spending and Minimum Wage Initiative
An Anaheim mayoral candidate forum turned into a debate over the role of the Disneyland Resort in the city elections and the minimum wage initiative on the Nov. 6 ballot.
