Garden Grove City Council members debated the effectiveness of the city’s current ban on medical marijuana dispensaries at a study session last week.
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, Government, Investigative, Top Stories
Trial Begins for Former County Assessor Webster Guillory
The trial against former Orange County Assessor Webster Guillory for two misdemeanor counts of filing false election papers began Thursday morning and is expected to continue on Monday in courtroom C56.
Posted inCountywide, Garden Grove, Investigative, Top Stories
Family Ties Run Deep at Garden Grove City Hall
At least 117 employees, including a council member and former mayor, in recent years have had at least one relative also working for the city, according to a public records request posted on the city’s website.
Posted inGovernment, News Briefs, Politics & Elections, Top Stories
Union Backed PAC Fined by State Watchdog
The state Fair Political Practices Commission has levied a $3,500 fine against the political action committee California Citizens for Fair Government for failing to name the Orange County Employees Association as its sponsor.
Posted inCountywide, Garden Grove, Health & Wellness, Top Stories, Westminster
New Documentary Opens Old Wounds in Little Saigon
A groundbreaking PBS documentary delves into the murders of five Vietnamese American journalists between 1980 and 1990, and the now abandoned FBI investigation into their deaths.
Posted inCountywide, Garden Grove, News Briefs, Top Stories
Jeremy Broadwater on Leave From Garden Grove Fire Department
The son of former Garden Grove Mayor Bruce Broadwater, who is at the center of the city’s nepotism scandal, has been on leave from his job as firefighter with workers’ compensation benefits since July.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Top Stories, Westminster
DA Charges Fountain Valley Man With Money Laundering for Nguyen Campaign
On 10 different occasions between November 2011 and the end of January 2012, Son Truong Nguyen allegedly reimbursed a total of $13,300 to people who contributed to State Sen. Janet Nguyen’s 2012 campaign for county supervisor.
Posted inCountywide, Economy, Garden Grove, Government, Top Stories
Children of Top DA Officials Get Coveted Jobs
Out of an applicant pool of as many as 500, the Orange County District Attorney’s office hired the offspring of two members of Tony Rackauckas’ inner circle as entry-level prosecutors.
Posted inGarden Grove, News Briefs
New Garden Grove Policy Opens Up Law Enforcement Records of Officials
The City Council approved a policy this week requiring the release of certain law enforcement records involving elected public officials. The new policy follows a controversy surrounding a recorded conversation Mayor Bao Nguyen had with a police officer.
Posted inCosta Mesa, Countywide, Housing & Homelessness, Top Stories
Costa Mesa ‘Motel Families’ Protest Plan to Demolish Their Home
Homeless advocates and low-income residents of the Costa Mesa Motor Inn are trying to stop plans by the city to demolish the motel and replace it with high-density apartments.
