Voice of OC Honored with 17 Press Club Awards for Local Journalism in Orange County

Voice of OC, a nonprofit news organization covering Orange County, has been recognized with 17 awards from the Orange County Press Club for its impactful journalism in 2024. The awards span a wide range of topics, including politics, homelessness, education, environmental reporting, and breaking news, highlighting the outlet's commitment to in-depth local coverage.

First-place honors went to Noah Biesiada for Best Political Story with his investigation into Huntington Beach's transparency regarding an airshow settlement. The story, titled "Was Huntington Beach Up Front With Airshow’s Controversial Settlement?," examined the city's handling of a contentious agreement.

Additionally, Hosam Elattar and Noah Biesiada won Best Poverty, Homelessness or Housing Insecurity Story or Series for their work on "Food Insecurity Orange County," shedding light on a critical community issue. Maximo Santana earned Best Feature Story for "Orange County’s Biggest Fossil Can Only Be Seen in LA," a piece that explored the region's paleontological treasures.

Second-place awards included Hosam Elattar's Best Civic Reporting for "How Long Does it Take to Figure Out If Angel Stadium is Trashed?," which delved into the stadium's condition and public accountability. Julie Leopo received Best News Photo for "Orange County Braces For ICE," capturing the tension during immigration enforcement operations.

Spencer Custodio and Hosam Elattar also won second place in Best Political Story for "How Did OC’s Most MAGA City Council End Up on Trump’s Sanctuary City List?," a piece that explored political contradictions in the region.

Third-place winners included Spencer Custodio and Isabel Torres for Best Breaking News Story with "Orange County Hits the Streets, Rails Against ICE Sweeps," covering community protests. The Voice of OC Staff won Best Business Story for "Will ICE Raids be the Death of Local Swap Meets in Orange County?," examining economic impacts.

Hosam Elattar won Best Education Story for "Santa Ana School District Settles Lawsuit Over Alleged Antisemitic Classes," and Maximo Santana received Best Environmental Reporting for "Can Two Orphaned 14 Month Old Mountain Lion Cubs Survive Orange County." Erika Taylor won Best Feature Photo for "Santa Ana School Board Considers Laying Off 280 Teachers," and Julie Leopo and Spencer Custodio won Best Photo Essay for "Orange County Grapples With Federal Occupation."

Honorable mentions went to Hosam Elattar for Best Environmental Reporting for "SoCal’s Gas-Powered Water Heaters Won’t Get Phased Out, For Now," and to Noah Biesiada and Julie Leopo for Best Long Form Story Or Series for "Controversial Streetcar Forever Changes the Face of Downtown Santa Ana." Maximo Santana received an honorable mention for Best News Photo for "The Prima Deshecha landfill," and Noah Biesiada and Angelina Hicks were recognized for Best News Story for "Who Gets a Free Ticket to the Orange County Fair?" Erika Taylor and Angelina Hicks also earned an honorable mention for Best Photo Essay for "Training Service Dogs to Ride the Bus."

The awards underscore Voice of OC's role as a vital source of independent journalism in Orange County, covering everything from local government accountability to environmental challenges and social issues.