Orange County’s Blue Wave officially crested and crashed earlier this month during a Third Supervisorial District special election that actually saw Republicans outdo Democrats in terms of getting their voters out to the polls on Election Day.
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 inNorberto Santana Jr.
Santana: California News Media Partnership Forms to Publish Police Misconduct Records
Voice of OC today joins nearly three dozen newsrooms across California that have forged a rare collaborative to report about police misconduct files that recently became available for public review under California’s new police transparency law, SB 1421.
Posted inNorberto Santana Jr.
Santana: Who will become Orange County’s Next County Supervisor on March 12?
Former Congresswoman, Democrat Loretta Sanchez heads up against Irvine’s Republican Mayor Don Wagner, who carries the OC GOP endorsement, along with several other well-known Republican names like former Villa Park Councilwoman Deb Pauly and Anaheim former Council Woman Kris Murray. In all, seven candidates are running to represent voters in the Third Supervisorial District, which includes the communities of Anaheim, Tustin, Irvine, Orange, unincorporated areas like North Tustin as well as the canyons.
Posted inOn OC
On OC: Loretta Sanchez Talks About Running for Third District Supervisor on March 12
Former Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, the OC Democratic Party-endorsed candidate, talks about why she’s running to become a county supervisor, representing communities – like Tustin, Orange, Irvine and the canyons – that make up Orange County’s Third District. Sanchez talks about solving homelessness, revising public safety agencies and securing tax resources for Orange County in Sacramento and Washington, D.C.
Posted inNorberto Santana Jr.
Santana: OC Deputies Union Withdraws Lawsuit to Block Public Release of Deputy Misconduct Records
The Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs has apparently given up on its lawsuit seeking to prevent the public release of deputy misconduct records, a day after OC Superior Court Judge Nathan Scott rejected all of their court arguments against implementation of a new state law, SB 1421, which would allow the public to review select misconduct records about use of force incidents, sexual assaults on members of the public or lying while on duty. A media coalition, led by Voice of OC and including the Los Angeles Times and Southern California Public Radio, successfully went to court last month to oppose the deputy union effort.
Posted inGovernment, Irvine, On OC, Orange, Politics & Elections, Top Stories, Tustin
On OC: Irvine’s Don Wagner Talks About Running for 3rd District Supervisor
Irvine Mayor Don Wagner, the OC GOP-endorsed nominee, talks about why he’s running to become a county supervisor, representing communities – like Tustin, Orange, Irvine and the canyons – that make up Orange County’s Third District. Wagner talks about tackling homelessness, regional public safety issues and getting property tax equity for Orange County taxpayers in Sacramento.
Posted inNorberto Santana Jr.
Santana: Judge Orders Release of Deputies Misconduct Records
Thanks to a decision by OC Superior Court Judge Nathan Scott, the people of Orange County can truly hold their law enforcement agencies accountable by having access to select misconduct records as authorized by state law. Voice of OC led a media coalition including the LA Times and Southern California Public Radio in the legal battle to protect Orange County citizens’ right to public records.
Posted inFullerton, Norberto Santana Jr.
Santana: Let Them Play
This Sunday, County of Orange officials plan to pull the plug on a five-year field agreement with a youth football and cheer team called the Fullerton Bears, which has drawn concern and protests from team parents and supporters. City of Fullerton officials are now in charge of the sports park on Rosecrans Avenue.
Posted inInvestigative, Norberto Santana Jr.
Santana: New OC DA Wants To Make a Deal with Feds Ending DOJ Jailhouse Snitch Probe
District Attorney Todd Spitzer is calling on federal authorities to end the DOJ probe into use of jailhouse snitches in Orange County and instead make a deal to institute reforms.
Posted inOn OC
On OC: State Sen. John Moorlach on Police Oversight, Pensions & Fiscal Solvency
At his state office in Sacramento, Moorlach talks about recent legal cases spurring from legislation he co-sponsored, SB 1421, that calls on police misconduct records to be opened for public review. The former County Supervisor and Treasurer-Tax Collector for OC also ponders the future of pensions and California’s budget.
