The center, which has served new Vietnamese immigrants since 1976, closed its doors last month as it struggles to pay more than $1.7 million to settle charges that it falsified records and over-billed government agencies.
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 inGovernment, News Briefs, Top Stories
Board of Supervisors Vote to Reduce Public Meeting Schedule
The Orange County Board of Supervisors will be meeting less frequently, after supervisors voted 4-1, with Supervisor Shawn Nelson voting no, to reduce their calendar to two scheduled meetings a month.
Posted inCountywide, Garden Grove, News Briefs, Top Stories
Garden Grove Council Removes Planning Commissioner After Residency Questions
Move came after questions were raised about whether Planning Commissioner Vu Mai met residency requirements to serve on the commission.
Posted inGovernment, Health & Wellness, Top Stories
Supervisors Overhaul CalOptima Board for Second Time in Five Years
Supervisors say changes will increase oversight of the county’s health plan for poor and disabled residents. Critics are encouraged by some of the changes but skeptical that too much power will remain with the hospital industry.
Posted inCountywide, Equality & Equity, Investigative, Top Stories
A Hard Silence to Break: LGBT Vietnamese Struggle for Understanding
With family lines of communication weakened by war trauma, language barriers, and cultural rifts, Vietnamese Americans have a difficult time talking with those closest to them about sexual and gender identity issues.
Posted inCountywide, Top Stories
Fountain Valley Man Pleads Guilty to Political Money Laundering for Janet Nguyen
Son Truong Nguyen was convicted and sentenced Friday afternoon for laundering $13,300 in campaign contributions for Republican State Sen. Janet Nguyen’s 2012 campaign for county supervisor.
Posted inCountywide, Garden Grove, Health & Wellness, News Briefs, Top Stories
Garden Grove Mayor Will Continue to be Elected on At-Large Basis
Garden Grove will expand its city council and keep an at-large elected mayor, after the City Council Tuesday evening approved a settlement to a lawsuit challenging its transition to district elections.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Health & Wellness, Top Stories, Transportation
‘This Is My Only Transportation.’ Residents Speak Out Against Bus Route Cuts
Bus riders pack an Orange County Transportation Authority hearing Monday to voice their concerns about planned route cuts that could threaten their livelihoods and keep them from making it to doctor’s appointments.
Posted inCountywide, Inside the Newsroom, News Briefs, Santa Ana, Transportation
Voice of OC Podcast: Why Orange County Misses the Bus
In the latest episode of the Voice of OC podcast, we talk about the Orange County Transportation Authority’s plans for bus route changes in 2016, and what’s behind the stark 30 percent decline in bus ridership.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Health & Wellness, Top Stories, Transportation
Orange County’s Bus Ridership Declines Are Worst in Socal
While the number of people riding public buses took a hit nationwide after the Great Recession, Orange County’s 30 percent decline since 2008 is the worst among Southern California counties.
