County Chief Operating Officer Mark Denny might not get appointed as acting CEO next month when County CEO Mike Giancola goes out on medical leave.
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, Investigative, Top Stories
OC Registrar of Voters to Report to County Counsel
OC Registrar of Voters is on the move again, this time to the County Counsel’s Office. This latest round of executive musical chairs is tied to Mark Denny – who previously pled guilty to electoral fraud – taking over temporarily as county CEO.
Posted inGovernment, Investigative, Top Stories
Outside Attorney Brought Into OC Parks Investigation
The attorney is examining the role of COO Mark Denny in the awarding of questionable contracts by the county parks department. An internal probe into top supervisor aide Brian Probolsky also continues.
Posted inCountywide, Top Stories
Sheriff Deputies & DA Investigators Get to Rate Their Leaders
The union representing more than 2,000 deputies and district attorney investigators, last week launched a survey aimed at allowing rank-and-file law enforcement officers to rate their own chain of command.
Posted inGovernment, Investigative, Top Stories
20 Years Later, Supervisors Might Rollback Key Reform From Bankruptcy
As the 20th anniversary of Orange County’s municipal bankruptcy approaches, supervisors are on the verge of giving up their control over the county’s internal audit division.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Top Stories
DA Fair Board Investigation Finds No Criminal Conduct
District Attorney Tony Rackauckas has once again cleared the Orange County Fair Board’s former Republican majority of any criminal wrongdoing relating to their efforts to privatize the fairgrounds.
Posted inCountywide, Top Stories
OC Supervisor John Moorlach Opts for State Senate Run
Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach has put together a campaign team to go after an open seat for the 37th State Senate District.
Posted inCountywide, Top Stories
Supervisors Will Give Controversial FPPC Monitoring Plan Another Try
Orange County supervisors voted Tuesday to renew a legislative push to have the state Fair Political Practices Commission oversee local campaign finance.
Posted inCountywide, Top Stories
OC Supervisors Renew Call For State Campaign Finance Oversight
Orange County Supervisors appear ready today to renew their effort to have the state’s campaign finance watchdog monitor contributions in local elections.
Posted inStanton
DA Probes Forgery Claims Against GOP Insiders in Stanton
Orange County District Attorney officials are investigating a case of alleged forgery in Stanton involving key OC GOP insiders who led a failed effort to kill a new public safety tax proposal on this month’s ballot.
