The Declaration of Independence
Editors Note: Today, as we as prepare to celebrate the birth of our nation and the defense of the freedoms that bring us all together, please take a moment to read the greatest story ever written, the Declaration of Independence. While the United States of America is still very much a work in progress, our…
Anaheim Chamber CEO Todd Ament Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charges, Could Face Decades in Federal Prison
Amidst an FBI corruption probe in Anaheim, Ament faces hard time in prison for defrauding a cannabis company, lying to a financial institution, and filing false tax returns.
Orange County July 4 Celebrations Are Back in Full Swing
Find out where festivals and fireworks for the 4th of July are being celebrated in every city throughout the county.
Panoringan: An Email I Nearly Deleted – The Invitation to be a James Beard Awards Judge
Our food columnist has been holding out on us. She divulges the project that has preoccupied her since November.
An OC Supervisor Gutted the Watchdog Office for Probing Sheriff, Says Grand Jury Report
A new report released today by the Grand Jury found that an unnamed OC Supervisor put a hiring freeze on the Office of Independent Review after they called out the Sheriff’s Department.
FBI Probe Pushes Anaheim City Hall and Chamber of Commerce Apart Ahead of July 4 Parade
The city isn’t partnering with the Chamber for the Fourth of July parade. Meanwhile, the annual display of patriotism in Anaheim Hills has its own history of struggling with power and influence.
Local Government is Closest to the People; Should It Go First on Ballots?
Local government spends tax money and often affects people’s daily lives more than the state or federal governments. So why does it go last on ballots?
OC Green Power Agency Holds Off On Firing CEO and Legal Counsel, Citing Investigation
Discussions of firing the CEO have gone on for weeks without a proper meeting of the board after he filed a whistleblower complaint against multiple board members.
OC’s First Veterans Cemetery Clears Another Hurdle After State Legislators Unify Bills
The next step is for the California Department of Veterans Affairs to study the county’s proposed site in Anaheim. One state legislator said the cemetery could be opened by 2024.
End of Pandemic Outreach Leaves Some OC Residents in a Difficult Spot
Some public health experts say the county is heading into the pandemic’s unknown since most public health interventions – like masks – have disappeared, while outreach has largely died down.
INSIDE THE NEWSROOM
Voice of OC News Team: Finalists in Southern California Journalism Awards
The Voice of OC newsroom is nominated in eight categories for the 64th Annual LA Press Club Awards. One of the oldest nonprofit newsrooms in the country, Voice of OC has been delivering accountability journalism to the residents of Orange County since 2009. This year, Voice of OC Publisher, Norberto Santana Jr is competing for Online Columnist of the Year with none other than American…
CORONAVIRUS
DAILY: As of Thursday, June 23: 3,587 new daily cases, a 14.5% 7-day positivity rate, 9 new deaths (7,091 cumulative) and 175 hospitalizations with 23 in ICU, per OC Health Care Agency data.
VACCINES: As of the most recent vaccine data through Thursday, June 23, 2,324,587 people are fully vaccinated and 2,522,192 people have at least one dose, according to the OC Health Care Agency. The agency shows 1,329,788 residents have a booster dose.






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Columnists
NORBERTO SANTANA, JR.

A pioneering leader in the nation’s rising nonprofit news movement and an award-winning journalist. Santana has established Voice of OC as the county’s civic news leader, uncovered the truths across Southern California governments for more than two decades and reported on Congress and Latin America.
ANNE MARIE PANORINGAN

Voice of OC’s food columnist — reporting on industry news, current events and trends. Panoringan has been writing about food for 8 years — interviewing more than 330 chefs and industry professionals. She has been recognized by the OC Press Club and is a recurring guest on AM 830’s SoCal Restaurant Show.
JULIE LEOPO

An award-winning photojournalist and visuals director. Leopo has captured a wide array of photographs visually documenting the news and soul of Orange County local government and community. Her work has also appeared in Vice, KCET, Ed Source, The California Endowment and OC Weekly.
PAUL HODGINS

An award-winning arts journalist, co-founder of Voice of OC’s Arts & Culture section and a USC professor. He was previously, an arts writer and critic at the OC Register and San Diego Union-Tribune. He holds degrees from USC, the University of Michigan and the Royal Conservatory of Music.
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