At a time where transparency and civility in government are being tested like never before, anyone in elective office should take time today to read the message left by our nation’s first president, calling on them to think as leaders not partisans.
Author Archives: Norberto Santana Jr.
Norberto Santana, Jr. is an experienced investigative reporter, serving as founding publisher and editor-in-chief for Voice of OC, overseeing newsroom, engagement and fundraising operations.
He’s also an award-winning columnist, focusing his efforts on First Amendment issues and local government, being recognized multiple years by the Orange County Press Club as the region’s best columnist.
The LA Press Club has named him a Journalist of the Year (2018) and the Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists has recognized him as a “Distinguished Journalist.” The California Chicano News Media Association has honored him with a lifetime achievement award and the national News Leaders Association has recognized him for his commitment to diverse staffing and coverage.
Santana is a pioneer in the field of nonprofit news having served on the board of directors for the national trade group for nonprofit newsrooms, the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN). He also has served on boards of the national nonprofit advocating investigative journalism, Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) and the California First Amendment advocacy group, CalAware.
In addition to journalism, Santana also teaches public affairs and investigative journalism as an adjunct faculty professor at Chapman University.
Before founding Voice of OC in 2009, Santana was a lead investigative reporter for the Orange County Register, focusing on county government. He spent nearly two decades covering local governments across Southern California, previously as a staff writer at the San Diego Union Tribune and San Bernardino County Sun.
Santana began his journalistic career as an apprentice reporter with Congressional Quarterly in Washington, D.C. covering daily floor action in the U.S. Congress and followed that up with a stint covering the territorial Senate for the U.S. Virgin Islands Daily News.
Languages spoken: English and Spanish
Posted inCountywide
Santana: Could Coronavirus & Vaccine Woes Trigger Recalls For Orange County Supervisors?
Active virus outbreaks across the county’s homeless shelters, jails and 20,000 member workforce, along with a glitchy rollout program for vaccinations, are triggering mounting questions for county supervisors like never before.
Posted inCountywide
Santana: Orange County Secrecy Complicates Vaccine Rollout, County Outbreaks
County officials won’t say much about how they purchased the Othena vaccine app that is frustrating so many residents. They are also going silent on ongoing virus outbreaks in jails, homeless shelters and among county workers.
Posted inCountywide
Santana: Orange County Congressman Lou Correa Reflects on D.C. Capitol Attack, His Airport Confrontation and How to Move Forward
As Congress considers another impeachment, questions mount for those who traveled to the D.C. rally as well as for local political party leaders, who face election this month.
Posted inCountywide
Santana: Former OC Sheriff Sandra Hutchens Dies After Cancer Battle
OC’s first female Sheriff was hired in 2008 to revamp a department battered by the federal indictment of former Sheriff Mike Carona. While she is credited with stabilizing the agency, the culture issues she identified when she first arrived remained throughout her tenure.
Posted inCountywide
Santana: What Can We Learn From Orange County’s Worst Public Sector Covid Bosses?
OC Sheriff faces a massive outbreak forcing near evacuation of the jail. County Social Services Agency has outbreaks int nine divisions across six different addresses.
Posted inCountywide
Santana: Time For Transparency on Coronavirus Instead of Just Shutting Down
Nearly 1,000 County of Orange workers have been infected with Coronavirus. As numbers continue to rise so do questions about how to best protect workers and the public.
Posted inCountywide
Santana: Communication Breakdown Fuels Virus Spike
OC Supervisors today expected to consider supporting lawsuit against Gov. Newsom. Yet the County of Orange itself isn’t very transparent about Covid.
Posted inCountywide
Santana: Just One Vote Made The Difference In Brea’s Local School Board Race
As OC elections officially wrap up this week, no major race outcomes changed much. But for Lauren Barnes, now one of Orange County’s newest – and youngest – elected officials, the race came down to the last day and down to just one vote.
Posted inCountywide
Santana: What Did Orange County Residents Tell Us This Past Election About Themselves?
OC likes purple. Voters leaned Democrat for President and Republican in key congressional contests as well as in an urban county supervisors’ seat. Meanwhile, Democrat flipped two key state senate races.
