Orange County Employees Association

Is Aaron Kushner the Pied Piper of Print?

Can the novice publisher save The Orange County Register and transform journalism in the process?

Anaheim Voters Prove to be Loyal Pendejos in City Council Election

The eyes of the world were once fixated for a brief moment on Anaheim, the supposed "Happiest Place on Earth," as the facade was torn apart by controversial officer-involved shootings and days of social unrest erupting in its Latino communities this summer. With the attention of the national and int ... More >>

Appeals Court Publishes Costa Mesa Ruling That Bans Cities From Outsourcing Jobs

A three-judge Fourth District Court of Appeals panel has published a ruling that prohibits general law cities in California from laying off city workers by outsourcing their jobs to private sector companies. The ruling, which was issued Aug. 17, prevented the city of Costa Mesa from laying off 200 e ... More >>

Tom Morello Receives "Life Acheivement Award" from Orange County Labor Federation

Tom Morello was in Anaheim on Thursday appearing at the Orange County Labor Federation's 12th Annual Solidarity Leadership Award Dinner. The guitar virtuoso for Rage Against the Machine was on hand to receive the organization's "Lifetime Achievement Award." Morello and his rebel jams are no stranger ... More >>

[UPDATED with 2 Closures Sought:] To Flee or Not to Flee, That is the Question as County Workers Say Building Makes Them Sick

​UPDATE, FEB. 29, 11:48 A.M.: Facing the Orange County Board of Supervisors Tuesday, an employee union official said there are actually two government buildings workers want closed due to fears the air inside makes them sick.Fortunately, movers would not have to go far as the buildings are next to ... More >>

Introducing Our Newest Blogger: Niyaz Pirani!

​We at the Weekly have always prided ourselves on getting the best damn food writers in Orange County to write for SaFII, to pound our competition into the ground. That said, we can respect the opposition, and few bloggers drew as much love from us as Niyaz Pirani, who used to write for Food Frenz ... More >>

Anaheim GardenWalk Tax Breaks Speak of a Tale of Two Cities

​Ahead of yesterday's Anaheim city council meeting, a mailer to city residents from the Orange County Employees Association and numerous news reports on recently approved tax incentives for two future GardenWalk-area hotels made sure for a packed house. Mayor Tom Tait had an idea what would domin ... More >>

Will the OC Fair Erect a Statue Commemorating the County's Immigrant Agricultural Workers?

​Boy, hasn't it been fun having Orange County Employees Association (OCEA) head Nick Berardino on the OC Fair board of directors? The fiery Berardino--with whom we always don't agree , but always do appreciate his bringing a paisan attitude to WASP heaven Orange County--has already stirred up the ... More >>

OCEA Clustertruck for Charity This Friday

​We don't publish many of these clustertruck notifications because they're really not news anymore--unless they're huge or for charity.The clustertruck this Friday, Nov. 18, at the Orange County Employees Association (OCEA) fits the latter bill. It's raising funds and accepting donations of canned ... More >>

Gov. Jerry Brown Funded By OC Unions For 2014; Loretta Sanchez Nabs Dentist Support

Pay to play​Gov. Jerry Brown's trip to Orange County last month for a speech to Democrats nabbed $30,000 mostly from local organized labor unions, according to a report this week in the Sacramento Bee.Among those contributing were the Orange County Employees Association, which organized "a small, ... More >>

Letters From OC Weekly Readers

It's Gotten Costa Messy In Costa Mesa

Scenes from the civic dissolution of America's latest public-employee battleground

Letters From OC Weekly Readers

[UPDATED with Judge Issues Written Order, City Gets It Now:] Judge Blocks Costa Mesa Layoffs Until Civil Trial

​UPDATE, JULY 18, 4:49 P.M.: Though she made her ruling two weeks ago, Orange County Superior Court Judge Tam Nomoto Schumann issued the written order blocking the city of Costa Mesa from laying off employees and privatizing their jobs late Friday night.The written order just added fuel to the nev ... More >>

Despite "Financial Crisis," Costa Mesa Council Spending Continues--Record Legal Counsel Fees and Lobdell's Contract Renewed

The spending continues.​​For all of its talk of a city-wide "financial crisis," the Costa Mesa City Council doesn't seem to believe its own spending needs to be curtailed. In two recent developments, the council went 54-percent over its legal fees budget in 2010-11 and the city signed another 90 ... More >>

Union Boss: Costa Mesa Budget Cuts Are "Premature, Illegal"

Don Drozd: attacks on public employees are misguided​A day after Costa Mesa councilman Jim Righeimer claimed during a television interview that he has public backing for slashing the city's budget and laying off employees, a union boss fired back on the same show this morning. According to Donald ... More >>

[UPDATED: Audit Report Criticized; Budget Passed] Costa Mesa Financial Situation "Better Than Average," According to OCEA-Funded Audit

​UPDATE, JUNE 22, 4:55 P.M.: "I think this whole list is a road to bankruptcy," said Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer early Wednesday morning, responding to the report of the OCEA-funded budget audit. Just minutes after hearing a laundry list of potential alternatives to restructure the budget in ... More >>

Former Weekly Publisher Will Swaim's Newest Project: "Republic of Costa Mesa"

Mr. Swaim's new soapbox.​Will Swaim, the former fearless leader of the Weekly has reappeared at the helm of a blog focused on the rocky political landscape of Costa Mesa. But with "Republic of Costa Mesa," he's not taking the standard liberal approach that some may have expected; instead, he seems ... More >>

[UPDATED: Police Chief Uncertain of Cocaine Involvement] City Employee Commits Suicide, Jumping Off Costa Mesa City Hall

Christopher Victorio/OC WeeklyHuy Pham, in a photo brought to a candlelight vigil for him​UPDATE, MAY 31, 8:16 A.M.: Costa Mesa's police chief, Steve Staveley isn't entirely convinced by the conclusions being made from the coroner reports that Huy Pham had cocaine in his system at the time of his ... More >>

Costa Mesa Fires City Workers While City Leaders Get Free Lunch

​Yesterday, lawyers for the Orange County Employees Association (OCEA) filed a complaint in Orange County Superior Court, asking a judge to stop Costa Mesa's city council from firing 100 city employees. The complaint, which names Thomas Hatch, the city's chief executive officer, as a defendant, al ... More >>

Costa Mesa Chronicles: Councilman Accused of Chest-Bumping and the OCEA Funds an Audit

​The Costa Mesa City Council and its residents can't seem to figure out how to get along. Mayor Gary Monahan was once the focalpoint of scorn, but now that unwanted attention has shifted to Councilman Steve Mensinger, after reports of a physical confrontation (of sorts) th ... More >>

[UPDATED: Mayor's Bar Vandalized; OCEA Comment] The Beat Goes On: Hundreds Turn Out to Voice Outrage Toward Costa Mesa City Council

Chasen Marshall/OC WeeklyMayor Gary Monahan​UPDATE, APRIL 18, 5:57 P.M.: After closing time on Saturday evening, someone sent a message to Costa Mesa's mayor, Gary Monahan at his place of business, Skosh Monahan's. The means of communication? A brick through the front window, with a note attached ... More >>

Union Commercial Takes Aim at "Pay and Perks" of Costa Mesa's Top Officials; City Disputes Facts

​While the city of Costa Mesa continues its rapid pace of releasing Tweets and Facebook updates, the union-supported, citizen group, Repair Costa Mesa, has put out its second TV commercial. This one targets the city's top seven bureaucrats, which the commercial claims make $1.5 million in "pay and ... More >>

TV Commercial Targets Costa Mesa Mayor, Gary Monahan, Calling for Him to "Keep Walking"

OCEASt. Patty's Day: not one of Mayor Monahan's better moments.​Controversy goes a long way in stirring attention. Costa Mesa, the city that was once best known for being home to South Coast Plaza and the Orange County Fair, finds itself embroiled in a power struggle that has managed to grab natio ... More >>

[UPDATED: Union GM/Photographer Talks] City Employee Commits Suicide, Jumping Off Costa Mesa City Hall

Mayor Gary Monahan on St. Patty's Day. Was this photo a set-up?​UPDATE, MARCH 21, 5:45 P.M.: The Weekly was able to speak with Nick Berardino while he was in a taxi on his way to catch a flight home from Sacramento. He had a good laugh about Mayor Gary Monahan's accusations of a union setup, ... More >>

Who'll Stop the Pain?

A recent spate of suicides and strange deaths inside Orange County's jails has jail staff and activists alike clamoring for reform

Voice of OC Boasts of 2010 Accomplishments, Seeks Donations

Jonathan Ho / OC WeeklySantana and his son, Max.​Only a handful of Orange County reporters dedicated themselves to investigative journalism on a daily basis before last March. That month saw the birth of Norberto Santana's dream: the Voice of OC, the county's first non-profit investigative ne ... More >>

Loretta Sanchez Seeks Faster IRS Review of Orange County Pension Plan Changes

​Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove) is calling on Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to expedite Internal Revenue Service review of Orange County's proposed changes to its employee pension program--not because she believes the IRS will expose flaws but because she's kinda sorta for it and kin ... More >>

Two Truck Events, Two Days, Two Charities

  Photo by Christopher Victorio​Food truck gatherings happen practically every day, but few usually benefit charities. Those happening today and tomorrow do. Today, a so-called "Gourmet on the Go Food Drive Event" is happening at the OCEA (Orange County Employees Association) office in ... More >>

Election 2010: Gustavo Drinks Through the Election, Or: Trashing the Dems and Bashing Whitman

​Updated throughout the day, with the freshest post on top. Click after the jump for vignettes on Barbara Coe, Loretta Sanchez, Meg Whitman, and Borat!Midnight. Drink of choice: Alka-Seltzer...my pockets hurt. Loretta Sanchez has pulled away by thousands of votes, but we'll wait until the official ... More >>

Sunday News Notes

​News highlights include:They've fallen and we can't get upGet paid about three times the normal rate for a city government job. Move into a taxpayer subsidized apartment. The catch? Well, you've got to vote to keep the city's incumbent politicians in power, reports the Los Angeles Times on the la ... More >>

Voice of OC Gives Credit Where Credit is Due for Breaking Mike Carona Pension Story

​We told you here how the Los Angeles Times reported on the $215,000 annual pension for disgraced ex-Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona nine days after the Orange County Register did, without crediting the Santa Ana daily for first breaking the news.Now the Register is being accused of doing the sa ... More >>

The Full Nelson

Fourth District supervisor candidate Shawn Nelson says he, not GOP opponent Harry Sidhu, is a kindred spirit with tea partiers. Example: A big public-employees' union hates him

Has the Decline of the Register Created Space for Nonprofit Site the Voice of OC to Put Down Roots?

OC Union and Democratic Activists Call County Board Shameful

Spirited Orange County union and Democratic Party officials gathered this morning outside the county's Hall of Administration to protest the Board of Supervisors' firing of more than 200 Social Service Agency employees as one way to address massive budget woes. With a backdrop of placard-waving seni ... More >>

Letters From OC Weekly Readers

No Street Cred

The county's biggest public worker union called on all OC factions -- Republicans, Democrats and all those in-between -- to join them in a countywide recall effort to remove County Treasurer-Tax Collector, Chriss Street, from office. The County's money manager is under investigation by the Orange Co ... More >>

He Lives!

Clinicians say kids mental-health unit haunted by the spirit of Bernard Rappaport