The nation’s highest court decided April 16 it would not review the case, rejecting a petition by Westminster to appeal the 2014 decision by a federal court jury that awarded $3.4 million in damages plus attorney fees to Westminster Police Department officers Jose Flores, Ryan Reyes and Brian Perez.
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, Housing & Homelessness, Top Stories
Federal Judge in Homeless Case Keeps Everyone Running
Unsatisfied with secondhand information about living conditions at the riverbed, 74-year-old Judge David O. Carter, dressed in jeans and a blue sweater bearing the federal court’s seal, went to see for himself, talking to dozens of homeless people, picking up trash and recruiting volunteers.
Posted inAnaheim, Economy
Local Unions Clash Over Anaheim Wage Ordinance
Local worker unions are clashing over a ballot initiative in Anaheim that would raise wages to $18 an hour for employees of companies that receive city subsidies, a measure aimed at three luxury hotel projects that received over $500 million in tax rebates in 2016.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Investigative, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
Will the CA Attorney General Act on the Jailhouse Snitch Scandal?
Complicated investigations can several take years, but a deadline is looming: the expiration of the three-year statute of limitations on state perjury charges against three Sheriff’s deputies who are accused of lying under oath about their work with informants during testimonies in 2014 and 2015.
Posted inGovernment, Investigative, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
County Won’t Hire Outside Lawyer to Defend DA and Sheriff In Jailhouse Informant Lawsuit
The County of Orange will defend the District Attorney and Sheriff’s Department from a lawsuit over the alleged misuse of jailhouse informants, after the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday for the county’s in-house attorneys to defend the lawsuit.
Posted inAnaheim, Housing & Homelessness, Top Stories
Anaheim Sued Over Seizure of Homeless Peoples’ Property
The Legal Aid Society filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Anaheim alleging the city seizes and confiscates the belongings of homeless people without providing adequate due process and options for storage and retrieval.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Investigative, Safety, Security & Justice, Santa Ana, Top Stories
LA Times: Anti-Corruption Task Force Falls Apart After Conflict Between DA and Feds
A joint task force between the Orange County District Attorney’s office and federal law enforcement agencies aimed at cracking down on local political corruption fell apart last year, after years of festering distrust between local and federal officials, according to an investigation by the Los Angeles Times.
Posted inNewport Beach, Orange, Westminster
Three More OC Cities Oppose California’s Sanctuary State Law
Orange, Newport Beach and Westminster joined the county and seven other cities in opposing California’s sanctuary state law, which limits state and local law enforcement’s communications with federal immigration authorities and prohibits officers from holding and questioning people based on immigration violations.
Posted inAnaheim, Economy
Anaheim Council Discusses Disneyland Workers’ Wages
At a city council meeting packed with union leaders and Disneyland Resort employees, Anaheim leaders discussed a recent survey that found many of the resort’s workers struggle to buy food, pay rent and afford other basic necessities. Critics say the union-funded report was commissioned to bolster an upcoming ballot initiative.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Investigative, Politics & Elections, Safety, Security & Justice, Top Stories
Judge Allows Suspended Lawyer Running for DA to Stay on Ballot
Orange County Superior Court Judge Craig Griffin ruled Lenore Albert-Sheridan will remain on the ballot for the June 5 primary election.
