Costa Mesa loses a key seat on the board of the Orange County Transportation Authority Friday night to Huntington Beach, replaced during a reportedly contentious vote during a special meeting.
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 inGovernment, Top Stories
Frank Kim Takes Over As Acting County CEO
County Chief Financial Officer Frank Kim will serve as CEO while Mike Giancola is out on medical leave for the next month recuperating from back surgery.
Posted inGovernment, Top Stories
Hiring of Political Aides Under Scrutiny at County
County officials are asking themselves just what do political aides do and who should have them? An update is expected Feb. 3.
Posted inGovernment, Investigative, Top Stories
More Issues Surface On Firings of County Social Service Workers
There are questions about whether two workers at a Westminster center, who sources say were caught politicking for First District supervisorial candidate Andrew Do, were properly dismissed.
Posted inGovernment, Top Stories
County Social Service Workers Fired After Allegedly Politicking at Work
Two workers at a Westminster service center were fired Tuesday after being accused of campaigning on behalf of Andrew Do, who is running to become First District Supervisor, sources say.
Posted inGovernment, Investigative, Top Stories
New Controversy Raises Questions About County Investigations
A recent dust-up over potential discipline of a high-ranking county official has incoming Board of Supervisors’ Chairman Todd Spitzer saying the county’s use of outside attorneys to conduct investigations of top executives and elected officials needs review.
Posted inGovernment, Top Stories
Supervisor Lisa Bartlett’s Pitch to Vendors Raises Questions
Campaign watchdog says Bartlett’s fundraising pitch just weeks after the November election is an example of Orange County’s pay-to-play system. Meanwhile, other supervisors say its the only way for an elected official to survive under the county’s campaign finance rules.
Posted inCountywide, State, Top Stories
Photos: The Faces of OC in Sacramento
With the holiday season over, politicians across Orange County geared up this week to get back to work. In Sacramento, new legislators spent Monday mingling with each other as they prepared to hear Gov. Jerry Brown offer his inaugural address.
Posted inGovernment, Top Stories
County Issues Front and Center at Sacramento Inaugural
Orange County legislative leaders are preparing to address the area’s most longstanding problem: Lack of tax dollars from Sacramento.
Posted inGovernment, Investigative, Top Stories
County Auditor-Controller is Ready to Make Some Noise
Orange resident Eric Woolery, who will be sworn in Monday, is warning county supervisors that he’s ready to head to court to enforce his elected mandate to audit agencies as he sees fit.
