Voice of OC earns 11 nominations in SoCal journalism awards

Voice of OC, an Orange County nonprofit newsroom, earned 11 finalist nominations in the Southern California Journalism Awards, the Los Angeles Press Club announced Tuesday.

The nominations recognize reporting on some of Orange County's highest-stakes civic stories — including a $1.8 billion county health-program reserve, immigration enforcement and coastal pollution — cementing the outlet's standing as a primary watchdog for the region.

The 11 nominations span eight categories — medical reporting, photography, hard news, business reporting, environmental journalism, personality profiles, columnist commentary and political analysis — according to Voice of OC.

Director of Photography Julie Leopo earned a photography nomination for her documentation of ICE protest scenes across Orange County. Staff journalist Hosam Elattar received a personality profile nomination for a piece on a cancer survivor.

Publisher Norberto Santana Jr. secured two separate finalist slots — one in the Columnist category and another in Political Commentary — making him one of the newsroom's most-nominated individuals in this cycle.

Staff journalists Noah Biesiada, Spencer Custodio, Angelina Hicks, Maximo Santana, Gigi Gradillas and Hugo Rios also earned nominations, along with Erika Taylor and Josiah Mendoza.

Among the finalist entries, Voice of OC reported, is a financial investigation into Orange County's Medi-Cal program that documented a $1.8 billion reserve held by the county. Other nominated work covers beach environmental monitoring and local political analysis.

Winners will be announced at a ceremony June 28 in Los Angeles.

Voice of OC's nominated work spans immigration enforcement, public health financing and environmental monitoring — issues that directly affect Orange County's most vulnerable residents. The June 28 ceremony in Los Angeles will determine the final recipients in all categories.