Orange County officials say they’re considering furloughing employees and potentially cutting services due to a major drop in sales tax revenue from the coronavirus pandemic.
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 inCountywide
Is Coronavirus Causing a Spike in Orange County Homeless Deaths?
Homeless people are continuing to die at record-high levels in OC, with 34 deaths in April and 30 in May, compared with an average of 18 monthly deaths in the prior 12 months.
Posted inCountywide
Defense Alleges Bias by Judge in High-Profile Rape Case, Seeks Transfer to New Judge
A legal battle over whether Orange County prosecutors improperly tried to drop rape charges took a new turn Friday.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
OC Prosecutors Push Back Against Judge’s Claims of ‘Back Room’ Effort to Dismiss Rape Case
Prosecutors said Judge Gregory W. Jones’ ruling “unfairly maligns our reputations” and has numerous factual errors. A hearing in the case is set for 9 a.m. Friday.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
DA Spitzer Draws Fire From Judge Over Effort to Drop Rape Charges in High-Profile Case
The judge called it an effort at a “back room dismissal by prosecutors without the alleged victims ever having the opportunity to be heard.”
Posted inCountywide, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
Two Former Orange County Deputies Plead Guilty in Evidence Booking Scandal
The deputies were found to have made multiple false statements in police reports about whether evidence was booked. They will not serve jail time or pay a fine, prosecutors announced Monday.
Posted inTop Stories
OC Shifted Millions from Public Health in Last Decade While Doubling Sheriff Spending
OC sheriff’s deputies now make more than double what the county’s social workers do in median pay and benefits, according to payroll data, a gap that has widened further in recent years.
Posted inCountywide, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
OC Sheriff Says Deputy on Leave for Wearing Symbols ‘Associated with Extremist Groups’
Sheriff Don Barnes called the deputy’s actions “unacceptable and deeply concerning.” The deputy was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.
Posted inCountywide
County of Orange Pushes to Re-Open Community Pools, May Also Reopen Youth Sports
Orange County is considering joining Los Angeles and Riverside in allowing pools at apartment complexes or owned by homeowners’ associations to reopen.
Posted inCountywide
Safety Questions Front and Center as County Plans to Bring Staff Back
Large portions of the county workforce have been working from home since March, when the state’s stay-at-home orders began.
