County residents are showing up to courtrooms to watch criminal case hearings and keep an eye out for misconduct, like prosecutors failing to hand over evidence that could help defendants.
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 inNews Briefs, Santa Ana
Three Cops From Santa Ana Pot Shop Raid No Longer Work for Department
The officers had been charged with misdemeanors related to a now-infamous pot shop raid that went viral last year.
Posted inCountywide, San Clemente, Top Stories, Transportation
It’s Location, Location, Location in San Clemente’s Voting Districts Fight
While battles over creating local election districts usually revolve around disenfranchisement of minority groups, the contentious issue in this largely white seaside town is geography.
Posted inGovernment, Health & Wellness, Top Stories
Feds Ask County for $270,000 to Address Affordable Housing Violations
Auditors found that the county failed to properly inspect federally subsidized housing, including exterior doors and first-floor windows that don’t lock and electrical problems that are fire hazards.
Posted inSanta Ana
Santa Ana Planning Commissioner Resigns Amid Residency Questions
Sean H. Mill, a longtime player in Santa Ana politics, abruptly resigned from the city’s planning commission last week, after he was caught living 24 miles outside city limits.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Investigative, Top Stories
Bustamante Victims’ Settlements OK’d by County Supervisors
The Orange County Board of Supervisors approved settlements totaling $1 million with two female county workers who accused the former county executive and Santa Ana councilman of sexually assaulting them.
Posted inGovernment, News Briefs, Top Stories
Nelson Postpones Controversial Term Limits Proposal
Following intense criticism from fellow Republicans, Orange County Supervisor Shawn Nelson delayed a vote to put a proposal on the November ballot that would extend the supervisors’ term limit to three terms.
Posted inGovernment, Top Stories
Nelson Draws Flak for Proposing to Extend Supervisors’ Term Limits
County Supervisor Shawn Nelson says his proposal to increase the supervisors’ term limit to three terms would lead to better policymaking. But Supervisor Todd Spitzer and others see it as a last-minute deceptive move to benefit himself.
Posted inSanta Ana
Jose Solorio Seeks Return to Santa Ana City Council
Solorio, who drew controversy late last year over luxurious taxpayer-funded travel as a community college trustee, is the first known candidate in a competitive council race.
Posted inGovernment, News Briefs, Top Stories
Supervisors Approve Budget and Staffing Plan for Ethics Commission
The commission, overwhelmingly approved by voters in this month’s primary election, is slated to have a $549,000 budget and two-and-a-half workers to investigate and enforce the county’s campaign finance limits and ethics rules.
