After decades of pressing public officials across Orange County, local veterans this month celebrated securing a countywide public veterans museum. Heroes Hall opens this November during the OC Fairgrounds annual Veterans Day event.
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, Norberto Santana Jr.
Santana: News Is What They Don’t Want You to Know
Voice of OC is filing suit against the County of Orange today to see the Op-ed County Supervisor Todd Spitzer doesn’t want you to read.
Posted inCountywide, Health & Wellness, Norberto Santana Jr., Santa Ana, Top Stories
Santana: Unionization of Pot Workers a Game Changer in OC
Up until now, most politicians in Orange County saw marijuana dispensaries as nothing but trouble. That is changing now that the union movement is on board.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Norberto Santana Jr.
Santana: The Price of Ethics in OC
The latest political dust-up regarding the proposed county ethics commission has revolved around its cost. Local political watchdog Shirley Grindle says the commission won’t cost as much as its critics would have you believe.
Posted inCountywide, Housing & Homelessness, Norberto Santana Jr., Santa Ana, Transportation
Santana: Focus for Santa Ana Civic Center Should be People not Buildings
Orange County Supervisors are right to talk openly about the future of the Civic Center. But they should focus on things like transforming the abandoned bus terminal into a homeless service center before embarking on a building spree.
Posted inCountywide, Norberto Santana Jr.
Santana: The Demise of OIR Should Trigger Calls to Feds
With the head of the county’s Office of Independent Review abruptly resigning last week, and problems ranging from a “failure of leadership” in the DA’s office to jailbreaks on Sheriff Sandra Hutchens’ watch, bringing in federal investigators might be the only prudent thing to do.
Posted inCountywide, Norberto Santana Jr.
Santana: Where Will Bartlett’s Power Play Lead the County?
County Supervisors Chairwoman Lisa Bartlett has quickly created the most powerful board chair in Orange County history. What’s comes next — more accountability or more politicization?
Posted inCountywide, Health & Wellness, Investigative, Norberto Santana Jr., Orange
Santana: Presidents Day a Time to Reflect on Civic Action of Lorenzo Ramirez
Ramirez, a labor leader from the El Modena neighborhood in Orange, first stood up in 1944 against segregated “Mexican Schools” in Orange County. Now his statute stands at Santiago Canyon College as a source of inspiration.
Posted inCountywide, Norberto Santana Jr.
Santana: Will Bartlett Step Up to Lead on Homelessness?
While Chairwoman of Supervisors Lisa Bartlett defended the county’s recent effort to provide temporary shelter to homeless people at the Civic Center during El Niño storms, she agrees that more needs to be done.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Norberto Santana Jr.
Santana: County Supervisors Need to Start Supervising
The recent escape from the Santa Ana Jail and the scant offerings for homeless people at the bus terminal show that hard questions should be in store for Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and OC Community Services head Karen Roper.
