Two Orange County Sheriff’s deputies, Benjamin Garcia and William Grover, invoked their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination at a court hearing Thursday rather than answer questions about their dealings with jailhouse informant records.
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, Top Stories, Transportation
As Bus Ridership Keeps Falling, OC Transit Officials Shift Strategies
Bus riders in some areas of Orange County may see more service cuts this October, after Orange County Transportation Authority officials heard a proposal Monday to cut 12,269 hours of service.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
Three Years Later, Frustrated Judge Still May Not Have All Jailhouse Snitch Records
The Scott Evans Dekraai mass murder trial has evolved into a case study of the Sheriff’s Department and Orange County District Attorney’s use of jailhouse informants.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
Rackauckas Tells 60 Minutes Jailhouse Snitch Scandal is a “False Narrative”
In a segment for the CBS television news program 60 Minutes that aired Sunday, OC District Attorney Tony Rackauckas called allegations that his department has a system of jailhouse informants a “false narrative.”
Posted inCountywide, News Briefs, Politics & Elections, Top Stories
Orange County Dignity PAC Fined For Late Campaign Filings
Orange County Dignity PAC, a political action committee formed by the Orange County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, will be fined $827 by the Fair Political Practices Commission for failing to report two expenditures and filing a late report for a third expenditure.
Posted inCountywide, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
Judge Throws Out First-Degree Murder Charge Because of “Serious Misconduct” by DA’s Prosecutors
In his ruling, Goethals wrote the “serious misconduct” of former Orange County District Attorney prosecutor Michael Murray and his team was so egregious Wilkins must instead be tried for second degree murder.
Posted inGovernment, Top Stories, Transportation
OCTA Audit Finds Problems With Software Contract
Orange County Transportation Authority staff broke a number of procedures when they awarded a software contract to Clearwater Analytics in 2012, according to an internal audit of the agency’s investment management contracts.
Posted inAnaheim, News Briefs, Politics & Elections
Anaheim Councilwoman Denise Barnes Fined for Failing to Disclose Husband’s Income
Anaheim City Councilwoman Denise Barnes will be fined $100 by the state ethics agency for failing to disclose her husband’s income on her economic disclosure forms.
Posted inWestminster
Westminster Adopts Taxpayer-Funded Car Rebate Program
Westminster residents who buy a new car or recreational vehicle at a dealership in city limits can now get a taxpayer-funded rebate of up to $500, after Westminster city council members Wednesday voted to pass a new residential rebate program.
Posted inAnaheim, News Briefs
Anaheim To Consider Shorter Council Meetings
“The length of our council meetings are exceeding any acceptable level…and are frankly becoming abusive to the public and to the staff,” said Councilwoman Kris Murray, who requested the council discuss the changes and take action at their May 23 meeting.
