Under California law, lobbyists and wealthy political contributors can make large cash donations requested, or behested, by the office holders for their favorite charities. The practice has become big political business in recent years.
Author Archives: Tracy Wood
Tracy Wood oversaw Voice of OC’s civics reporting, including county and city government, the Orange County Transportation Authority, CalOptima, Anaheim, Santa Ana and other community coverage.
Tracy was a government reporter, foreign correspondent in Asia, California investigative reporter and editor. She covered the California legislature and governor’s office for both United Press International and the Los Angeles Times. As a UPI reporter, she was one of the few women combat correspondents during the Vietnam War. She joined the Los Angeles Times in California where she was an investigative reporter for 17 years, covering political and government corruption. Later she became the Orange County Register’s Investigations Editor, leading the paper’s investigations team when it broke the story of former Orange County Sheriff Michael S. Carona’s ties to Nationwide Auction Systems founder and former Assistant Sheriff Donald G. Haidl.
She won numerous awards for investigative reporting and in 2001 was named Los Angeles Print Journalist of the Year by Sigma Delta Chi, the professional journalism association.
Wood and eight other women reporters from Vietnam co-authored “War Torn, Stories of War from the Women Reporters who Covered Vietnam” (2002 Random House). She was also part of the Los Angeles Times staff team that won the 1993 Pulitzer for coverage of the Rodney King riots. The Pulitzer was for spot news coverage for balanced, comprehensive, penetrating coverage under deadline pressure of the second, most destructive day of the Los Angeles riots.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Health & Wellness, Top Stories
OC Supervisors Appoint New CalOptima Board Members
It’s the second time in five years that supervisors have remade board of directors of the $3.2 billion health plan for low-income, elderly and disabled residents, and solidified the medical industry’s control.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Investigative, Politics & Elections, Top Stories
Countywide Ethics Commission Overwhelmingly Approved
With 99 percent of precincts reporting, 70 percent of voters approved the measure, which will be the legacy of political watchdog Shirley Grindle.
Posted inGovernment, News Briefs, Top Stories
Finalists for CalOptima Board Named
Fifteen finalists were chosen this week for the seven open seats on the CalOptima board of directors with the medical industry and political insiders dominating the list.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Top Stories
The Rackauckas/Spitzer Feud Takes Another Weird Turn
Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas has accused county Supervisor Todd Spitzer of “falsely impersonating” an assistant district attorney, the latest salvo in a years-long public feud between the two politicians.
Posted inCountywide, Top Stories
A High Flyer in WWII, She Fought for Women to be Buried at Arlington
More than 70 years ago, Beverly Beesemyer, a 97-year-old Laguna Woods resident, was among the first women to fly military aircraft. In recent years, she has been part of a successful effort to convince Congress that these women deserved to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Posted inDana Point, Government, News Briefs, Top Stories
Dana Point Harbor Chief Quits Following Critical Audit
Dana Point Harbor Director Brad Gross retired Thursday following an audit that determined the county-owned Dana Point Marina Inn handed out steep discounts to high-level harbor and Dana Point city workers for hundreds of room nights.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Investigative, Top Stories
Major Turnover in Store for CalOptima Board
In part because of new rules, at least five members of the board that oversees the county’s $3.2 billion health plan for poor, disabled and elderly residents will be gone in August.
Posted inCountywide, Politics & Elections, Top Stories
Battleground OC: Get Ready for the GOP Primary Circus to Come to Town
Now that California’s June 7 presidential primary is almost certain to be meaningful, its time to focus on how things will work and the role Orange County will play.
Posted inNews Briefs, Water, Power & Waste, Yorba Linda
Recall Effort Launched Against Yorba Linda Water Board Members
Citing a “deceptive campaign” to raise the rates, the Yorba Linda Taxpayers Association, served recall papers against board members Gary Melton and Robert Kiley during last week’s water district meeting.
