Voters in the 2nd Districtwhich includes the cities of Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Cypress, Stanton, Fountain Valley, Buena Park, Seal Beach, La Palma and Los Alamitos – today will elect their next county supervisor.
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 inSafety, Security & Justice
OC Police ‘Fusion Center’ That Monitors Social Media is Highlighted at National Hearing Over Role in Extremist Arrests
A top FBI official, testifying about efforts to prevent extremist violence, said OC’s intelligence-sharing center helped disrupt the neo-Nazi group The Base.
Posted inGovernment
Just Before New Transparency Shift, County Quietly Increased Vaccine PR by $2 Million; Terms Were Secret Until Voice of OC Asked for Them
The $2 million contract, for marketing vaccines and the county’s Covid-19 response, says the budget, work plan and schedule will be figured out later.
Posted inSafety, Security & Justice
Four Prosecutors Allege Sexual Harassment Was Enabled by DA Spitzer Promoting His Friends Over the Objections of Aides
Spitzer is accused of enabling harassment by hiring one friend and promoting another, despite being urged not to by the DA’s aides and investigators. Spitzer disputes the allegations against him.
Posted inSafety, Security & Justice
The FBI Searched a Home Linked to an OC Sheriff Special Officer. Was it Related to the Capitol Riot?
Federal authorities say they conducted the search on Feb. 3.
Posted inPolitics & Elections
In Rare Move, Sheriff Deputies Are Spending Big Against GOP-Backed Candidate for OC Supervisor
A campaign finance analysis by Voice of OC shows about $540,000 being spent against John Moorlach, mostly by the deputy sheriffs and other public employee unions.
Posted inGovernment
After Public Outcry Over Secrecy, County of Orange Changes Approach, Says it Will Start Publicizing All Planned Covid Contracts Before Approval
It comes after a public backlash to the county’s top official criticizing Voice of OC record requests for $220 million in secretly-approved coronavirus contracts that were never posted on public agendas.
Posted inCountywide
Orange County Quietly Shut Down its Last Walk-In Homeless Shelter Without Any Public Announcement
It’s prompting concerns that people are being pushed back to nearby streets – as well as frustration from local officials about why county officials like Supervisors Chairman Supervisor Andrew Do – who also represents Santa Ana – didn’t reach out to them with a plan.
Posted inCountywide
Journalists’ Association Calls on Top OC Official to Apologize for Criticizing Questions About Pandemic Spending
OC’s regional association for journalists is calling Andrew Do to apologize for criticizing Voice of OC’s questions and public records requests about secretly-approved contracts during the pandemic.
Posted inCountywide
Top OC Prosecutor Calls for Treatment Instead of Jail for Drug Use and Mental Illness
Todd Spitzer’s call for an overhaul is generating a welcome response from advocates, though they say it needs to be backed up with actual action – which they say there’s no signs of yet.
