Mayor Jim Righeimer’s edge on opponent Jay Humphrey widened considerably Thursday afternoon.
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 inCosta Mesa
Recount is Possible in Tight Costa Mesa Council Race
Mayor Jim Righeimer has been barely clinging on to his council seat Wednesday night, with thousands of votes yet to be tallied.
Posted inNewport Beach
Incumbent Councilman Loses in Newport Beach
Rush Hill, the one incumbent up for re-election this year on the Newport Beach City Council, has lost his seat.
Posted inCountywide, Top Stories
Harper Wins State Assembly Race
The Huntington Beach mayor has won election to the coastal 74th Assembly District.
Posted inCosta Mesa
Council Majority Holding on Narrowly in Costa Mesa
School board member Katrina Foley and Mayor Jim Righeimer have taken early leads, with a proposed city charter trailing.
Posted inCountywide, Top Stories
Washing Machine of Big Money Politics Impacts OC Elections
County political parties have become a vehicle for corporations, wealthy people and labor unions to steer large amounts of money that end up directly in candidates’ campaign accounts.
Posted inAnaheim
Disney Breaking Its Own Campaign Spending Records
In what some say is an all-out effort to save the Anaheim City Council majority, the megaresort has so far doubled what it spent in 2012.
Posted inSanta Ana, Top Stories
FBI: Policía de Santa Ana cometió crimen contra Edgar Vargas
Agentes de la policía de Santa Ana cometieron un delito cuando golpearon el residente indocumentado durante su arresto en junio, de acuerdo con un documento del FBI.
Posted inSanta Ana, Top Stories
FBI: Santa Ana Police Committed Crime Against Edgar Vargas
An FBI certification states that police committed a crime related to felony assault when they beat the undocumented resident during an arrest in June.
Posted inTop Stories
Battle Over Homeless Shelter Continues in Santa Ana
City Council issues temporary zoning moratorium after hundreds of residents protest a proposed shelter in the southeast section of the city.
