In a move that’s being welcomed by public health advocates, two Orange County supervisors are inviting the public to help them identify problems with the county’s massive array of mental health services.
Author Archives: Nick Gerda
Nick covers the city of Santa Ana, as well as the County of Orange, often reporting on issues like homelessness, public safety, mental health, and the role of money in politics.
Since joining Voice of OC in 2011, Nick has regularly shed light on topics that are often kept in the shadows. He’s reported on systemic problems in the county’s mental health system. He also led a reporting team that produced sophisticated looks at how the Disney corporation campaign contributions influenced recent elections in Anaheim.
Nick also revealed evidence of elected leaders using their official powers to apparently pressure government contractors into donating to their election campaigns, in an article that was awarded best news story of the year by the Orange County Press Club. He firmly believes journalism should inform the public and help hold the powerful accountable.
An Orange County native, Nick first started covering local government in his mid-teens, before attending Santa Ana College, the American University in Cairo, and UC Irvine, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science.
Languages spoken: English, elementary Spanish, minimal Arabic and minimal Japanese
Areas of expertise: Local government, local politics, homelessness, mental health policy, campaign finance, California Public Records Act, Ralph M. Brown Act, County of Orange government, Santa Ana city government and municipal finance.
Posted inGovernment, Investigative, News Briefs, Top Stories
Security Video Shows Reactions to Courthouse Beating
Newly released security footage shows the reaction of alarmed observers who saw last week’s courthouse beating, but officials say the court’s cameras did not capture the beating itself.
Posted inGovernment, Housing & Homelessness, News Briefs, Top Stories
OC Supervisors OK Housing Project for Homeless Veterans
The development would provide affordable housing for 49 veterans , as well as support services like as job training, job placement, Veterans Affairs benefits assistance, and health and wellness, according to officials.
Posted inGovernment, Investigative, Top Stories
OC Sheriff Gets Advisor to Act as ‘Insurance Policy’ Against Further Scandal
Amid an ongoing scandal over misuse of jailhouse informants, Sheriff Sandra Hutchens received unanimous approval from county supervisors to hire a “constitutional policing” advisor who would report directly to her.
Posted inAnaheim, Countywide, Santa Ana, Top Stories
Working-Class Advocates Gaining Power in Central Orange County
After victories in the Anaheim council districts battle, and with restorative justice in the schools and immigration at the county, grassroots groups are projecting power in conservative Orange County in ways they haven’t before.
Posted inGovernment, News Briefs, Top Stories
Two OC Supervisors Demand Cut to Bustamante’s Pension
Supervisors Todd Spitzer and Andrew Do asked that former county executive Carlos Bustamante’s pension be retroactively reduced due to his guilty pleas to sex crimes against county employees.
Posted inGovernment, News Briefs, Top Stories
Feds Award County $17 Million in Homeless Support Money
Most of the money is slated to go towards permanent housing, in light of a national shift towards providing stable housing for homeless people with support services.
Posted inGovernment, Housing & Homelessness, Top Stories, Transportation
Amid Drastic Moves Elsewhere, Homeless Advocates See Hope in OC
Officials in San Francisco and San Jose have aggressively cleared out homeless encampments similar to the one in the county’s Civic Center. But successes in other places show there are better solutions.
Posted inGovernment, Top Stories
County Hires Consultant to Help Improve Beleaguered Animal Shelter
Supervisors voted last week to pay $150,000 to a firm run by a veterinarian to review the shelter’s operations and make recommendations. The move has been met with mixed reviews from advocates.
Posted inCountywide, Health & Wellness, Top Stories, Transportation
Policy Wonks Brainstorm on Boosting Public Engagement in Civic Life
Participants in an all-day conference at Chapman University talk about solutions ranging from high school civics classes to lottery jackpots for voters.
