Democrat Katie Porter is barely ahead of Republican Congresswoman Mimi Walters — 48 percent to 43 percent — in a poll of the 45th Congressional District completed by the New York Times Tuesday evening. The margin of error is 5 points.
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 inAnaheim, Economy, Politics & Elections
Disney Hotel Workers Get $15 Minimum Wage, Second Major Disney Wage Deal Ahead of Election
Roughly 2,700 hospitality workers at the Disneyland Resort will get a $15 minimum wage, after members of UNITE HERE Local 11 ratified a new contract over the weekend.
Posted inAnaheim, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Transportation
Harbor Blvd. Streetcar is Dead; Costs for Santa Ana-Garden Grove Streetcar Skyrocket
OCTA officials ended discussion in June of a Harbor Boulevard streetcar after cities couldn’t agree on the project. Meanwhile, an existing streetcar plan to connect Santa Ana and Garden Grove will cost far more than originally expected.
Posted inAnaheim, Countywide, Economy, Top Stories
Disney Reaches Tentative $15/hour Wage Deal With Hotel Workers
The Disneyland Resort has reached a tentative deal with hotel workers to raise minimum wages from $13.25 to $15 an hour starting in 2019, according to Disney and one of the unions.
Posted inCosta Mesa, Politics & Elections
Costa Mesa Mayoral Candidates Spar At Forum
Two former political allies-turned-foes running for Costa Mesa mayor, Sandy Genis and Katrina Foley, sparred at a political debate Monday evening, where moderators pressed the councilwomen to explain a late-night vote last year when Genis and two other council members stripped Foley of her title as mayor.
Posted inEconomy, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, La Habra, La Palma, Laguna Beach, Placentia, Politics & Elections, Safety, Security & Justice, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Top Stories, Tustin, Westminster
Pension Costs Underlie Tax Increases in Seven OC Cities
Seven OC cities are asking voters for tax increases in November, including increases to sales, business license and hotel bed taxes. Cities say they’re desperate for more revenue as growing pension debt and other factors drive up expenses.
Posted inAnaheim, Countywide, Politics & Elections, Top Stories
Obama Stumps for Orange County Democrats
Former President Barack Obama waded into the once Republican stronghold of Orange County Saturday, throwing his political weight behind first-time Democratic candidates who say they can flip four Republican-held House of Representative districts where voters sided with Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.
Posted inAnaheim
Anaheim Ends Tax Subsidy Deals for Disneyland
Anaheim city officials say they want to hit the “reset” button on a contentious political relationship with the Disneyland Resort, after voting unanimously Tuesday to rescind two major tax subsidy deals benefiting the corporation.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Investigative, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
Company Under Fire for Recording Attorney-Client Jail Phone Calls Made the Same Mistake Twice Before
Global Tel Link, the county contractor that recorded more than 1,000 inmate phone calls specifically designated as “do not record,” did the same thing two years ago in Florida’s Pinellas and Charlotte counties, company executives said Thursday.
Posted inAnaheim, Economy
Disney Wants to Cancel Its Anaheim Tax Subsidies, Calling Them “Divisive”
The Disneyland Resort is asking Anaheim officials to cancel two major tax subsidy deals, saying the deals have become “a flashpoint for controversy and dissention [sic] in our community.”
