With incumbent Mayor Tom Tait termed out in 2018, Democrat Ashleigh Aitken is one of four candidates running for Anaheim mayor.
Author Archives: Thy Vo
Thy is a reporter covering the cities of Anaheim, Garden Grove, and Westminster as well as transportation issues and the courts. She’s the daughter of two Vietnamese refugees and grew up in Anaheim and Orange County’s Little Saigon community. She speaks Vietnamese and conversational Mandarin Chinese.
During her time at Voice of OC, Thy has investigated nepotism and illegal contracts in the city of Garden Grove, an illegal pension arrangement by the Westminster city attorney and controversy over the use of publicly-funded mass mailers by county supervisors.
Thy has received accolades from the Orange County and Southern California Press Clubs, including a second place Best Public Affairs Story award from the OC Press Club for her story “Dick Jones’ Sweet Deal in Westminster,” and a third place Best Feature Story award from the SoCal Press Club for “Struggles of Second Generation Reveal Long Shadow of War.”
Before working for Voice of OC, Thy interned at the Santa Barbara Independent; China Economic Review in Shanghai, China; and Orange County Register. She graduated from Haverford College with a degree in political science.
Languages spoken: English, Vietnamese and Mandarin
Areas of expertise: Anaheim, Garden Grove, Westminster, immigration, pension issues, court coverage and transportation.
Posted inCountywide, Economy, Education, Top Stories
Controversy Over Rancho Santiago Chancellor’s Ongoing “Relocation Allowance”
The board voted Aug. 14 to amend Rodriguez’s employment contract and defined his existing relocation allowance as part of his salary, raising it from $260,000 to about $290,000 a year.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
No Death Penalty For Seal Beach Mass Murderer Scott Dekraai, Judge Rules
Confessed mass murderer Scott Evans Dekraai will receive life in prison after Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals Friday blocked him from receiving the death penalty.
Posted inAnaheim, Economy, Investigative
Anaheim Mayor Blocks Debates, Prompting Accusation He’s “Undemocratic”
Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait shut down discussion on two items by City Council members Lucille Kring and Kris Murray during a heated meeting, prompting accusations from the councilwomen that Tait was stifling debate.
Posted inGovernment, Investigative, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
OCDA Responds to Grand Jury Report on “Myth” of Jailhouse Informant Scandal
In an official response to the Orange County Grand Jury’s June report, which called the jailhouse informant scandal a “myth,” District Attorney Tony Rackauckas agreed with most of the report’s findings, except for those which criticized his department for a lack of training protocols and procedure.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
Why Did It Take So Long for the Sheriff’s Department to Turn Over Jailhouse Informant Records?
It’s one of several questions Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals is considering before ruling Aug. 18 on whether or not confessed mass murderer Scott Evans Dekraai faces the death penalty
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
Judge’s Decision on Whether Dekraai Faces Death Penalty Hinges on Credibility of OC Sheriff’s Department
Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals will announce Friday if mass murderer Scott Evans Dekraai faces the death penalty in a case that upended at least six other criminal convictions, damaged the reputations of both the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and District Attorney’s Office and unveiled the “jailhouse snitch scandal.”
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
Judge Set to Rule on Whether Seal Beach Mass Murderer Faces Death Penalty
Attorneys gave their final arguments at a hearing Thursday, which addresses allegations by the defense that the failure by prosecutors and the Sheriff’s Department to turn over records in the past – and the potential that they still haven’t turned over everything – suggest Dekraai won’t receive a fair penalty trial and he should be spared the death penalty.
Posted inGovernment, Investigative, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
DA Prosecutor Alleges Workplace Retaliation For Running Against Censured Judge
Deputy District Attorney Karen Schatzle, who ran against incumbent Judge Scott Steiner in 2016, has filed an internal claim against the county of Orange alleging District Attorney Tony Rackauckas retaliated against her after she announced her intention to run for office.
Posted inCountywide, Health & Wellness, Top Stories
Contract Dispute Could Have Left Some CalOptima Patients Without Mental Health Care
A contract dispute between Magellan Healthcare and CalOptima, the county’s health plan for low-income and elderly residents, may have left some of CalOptima’s 710,000 patients without mental health care when, for nine days in July, Magellan refused to process Medi-Cal payment claims.
