The upcoming re-election of a Superior Court judge has taken an uncommon twist, after a county prosecutor jumped into the race – and picked up a major endorsement from her colleagues.
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, Top Stories
State Rules County Violated Labor Laws When Passing COIN
Top county officials broke the law by imposing new requirements on employee negotiations, without giving unions a chance to negotiate about the changes ahead of time, according to a proposed decision from the Public Employment Relations Board.
Posted inGovernment, Huntington Beach, Investigative, Top Stories
Dog Attack on Pregnant Woman Raises More Questions About County Animal Control
A pit bull that attacked a Huntington Beach woman in her ninth month of pregnancy had been declared a “vicious dog” earlier in the year, but county officials reversed that declaration, according to documents.
Posted inGovernment, News Briefs, Top Stories
Supervisors OK Changes to Troubled Xerox Contract
Months after declaring the company was at fault for costly delays in its work for the county, board members approved a contract change aimed at getting things back on track. But doubts persist.
Posted inAnaheim, Government, News Briefs, Top Stories
County Approves $5.8 Billion Budget
The county planned for having more than $60 million in extra discretionary money, and about half of it was provided to two departments: the sheriff and district attorney, amid salary and benefit increases for their staff.
Posted inNewport Beach
Dana Rohrabacher’s Campaign Treasurer Accused of Embezzlement
Former Daily Pilot and Orange County Register columnist Jack Wu is accused of embezzling more than $170,000 in campaign funds from Rohrabacher’s campaign committee.
Posted inGovernment, Investigative, Top Stories
Supervisors Reverse Course, Continue Funding Sheriff’s Department Watchdog
While supervisors are unhappy with the current model, it’s unclear what they’d replace it with. Meanwhile, comments by the sheriff sparked a rebuke from the deputies’ union.
Posted inGovernment, Health & Wellness, Top Stories
Cost of County Health Records Project Balloons
Supervisors are set to approve the second phase of a contract for a new records system for mental health patients that is nearly double the original estimates.
Posted inGovernment, Investigative, Top Stories
Grand Jury Issues Second Scathing Report on County Animal Shelter
This situation is so bad at the 74-year-old facility that the panel recommends a housecleaning of top management. The report, the second in less than a month on problems at the shelter, reveals bad employee morale, mistreatment of dogs in kennels, and rat infestations.
Posted inGovernment, News Briefs, Top Stories
Supervisors Appoint Page as County’s Top Attorney
Leon Page, who is currently senior assistant county counsel, is slated to replace retiring County Counsel Nick Chrisos on July 24, after Page’s new contract is negotiated and approved.
