Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/author/scustodio/)
Spencer Custodio joined Voice of OC as a full-time reporter covering south Orange County and Fullerton in August 2017. Previously, he worked as one of Voice of OC’s first interns starting in 2010, covering Fullerton and general assignment stories. During his time with Voice of OC, Custodio covered the Joe Felz election night car crash that lead to him being charged with a DUI (the case is ongoing). He also has been covering the Irvine Veteran’s Cemetery, a first for Orange County, that led to a land swap with a developer that divided many veterans and residents. Recently, he covered the sudden resignation of former Laguna Niguel Mayor Jerry Slusiewicz over claims of bullying and intimidation that started when Slusiewicz found a tree trimming contract that was overpaid by $410,000. Custodio graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism with extensive education in Constitutional law, public policy, economics and international law. He worked as the news editor at the student newspaper, The Daily Titan, during his last semester. Languages spoken: English Areas of expertise: Voter registration and turnout, data analysis, homelessness, Irvine and Fullerton.
Placentia and the County’s financial partnership to overhaul core infrastructure in the city’s Old Town area should be less risky and controversial than the now disbanded redevelopment agencies, a local land use expert says.
The Irvine City Council appointed Planning Commissioner Mike Carroll Tuesday to fill a dais vacancy left by former Mayor Don Wagner after he won the March special election to become a County supervisor.
Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu instituted a rule that limits City Council discussion to two five-minute intervals on agenda items and his rule change caused issues as the last council meeting wore on.
Anaheim First, a private group that’s going to make spending recommendations to the city on $250 million over the next decade, is facing heavy criticism for a lack of transparency and close business ties.
People will have to pay to park in downtown Fullerton public garages and lots when the city launches a pilot parking program in June, in spite of privacy concerns from residents and City Council members over the license plate readers that will be used.
County Supervisors took initial steps to partner with Placentia to create the state’s first financing district that both the city and county will chip in to redevelop Placentia’s Old Town infrastructure to bring in more tax revenue.
District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced April 24 that he’s launching an internal investigation into the jailhouse snitch scandal while seeking clarification from the state Attorney General if the state probe is finished or not.
The nearly 7,000 people officially homeless n Orange County should be a wake up call to the County and all 34 cities to start building affordable and permanent supportive housing, in addition to shelters, according to experts in the field.
Anaheim City Council members voted to give $250,000 to a nonprofit group, Anaheim First, to study neighborhoods and make spending recommendations on the planned $250 million neighborhood investment over the next 10 years, but questions about study specifics, funding and a delay proposal led to a fight.
The California Attorney General ended its probe into the jailhouse snitch scandal that rocked the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and District Attorney’s office, which was first uncovered in a mass murderer’s trial over four years ago.