OC Register Political Reporter Martin Wisckol mentioned it briefly this afternoon on Total Buzz Blog, and OC Weekly’s R. Scott Moxley covered the story in a bit more detail on NagelGazing.
Investigative Reporter Norberto Santana, Jr. has left the Orange County Register.
After five years Norberto has left the Orange County government beat. His stories have appeared on the front pages of both the print and web editions of the Register as well as virtually daily posts on the Total Buzz blog. Today was his last day. While his departure was sudden it appears to be of his own accord.
I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Norberto since early 2005. At that time I was feeding him much of the information related to the failure of the county Health Care Agency to appropriately manage HIV/AIDS funding (Misplaced Faith). Part of his investigation was related to the retaliation I experienced at the hands of county managers who prefered that their failures be kept quiet (AIDS-Fund Whistle-Blower Was Terrified).
We’ve linked to many of Norberto’s stories here at TheLiberalOC.com. Just type his name in our search box and you will find most of them. His investigation of government waste and other county issues has been monumental and the Register has surely lost a star today.
I can’t wait to see what he does next.
Norberto is a great reporter and as sincere and empathetic as any I’ve ever met. He listens patiently and has a nose for the underlying story. I hope he lands somewhere close by so we continue to benefit from his efforts.