Contra Costa News

Mount Diablo Unified School District Trustee Brian Lawrence discusses his return to the school board, district finances, special education funding, student achievement and the challenges facing public education. Mount Diablo Unified School District Board Trustee Brian Lawrence joined the Be Curious Contra Costa podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about public education, including the district’...

Contra Costa Community College District Trustee Rebecca Barrett joined the Be Curious Contra Costa podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of higher education, the challenges facing students, artificial intelligence, education funding, workforce development and the importance of critical thinking. During the nearly two-hour conversation, Barrett reflected on her personal education...

Contra Costa Supervisor Diane Burgis Reflects on Life, Leadership and Kindness  For the 100th episode of the Be Curious Contra Costa podcast, Contra Costa County Supervisor Diane Burgis joined us for a conversation that went well beyond politics. Rather than focusing on county government, elections or the latest political controversies, the milestone episode took a more personal approach, explorin...

Clayton City Council candidate Amy Callaghan joined the Be Curious Contra Costa podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about the city’s financial challenges, ongoing political divisions, public safety, economic development and her vision for restoring the small-town atmosphere that has historically defined Clayton. During the hour-long interview, Callaghan discussed why she decided to enter the r...

Concord City Council District 3 candidate Dena Acosta-Beere joined the Be Curious Contra Costa podcast to discuss her campaign, community involvement and vision for the city, including housing affordability, economic development, public safety, transportation and the future of the Concord Naval Weapons Station. Unlike candidates who have spent years in elected office or political circles, Acosta-B...

Richmond mayoral candidate Ahmad Anderson returned to the Be Curious Contra Costa podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about the city's future, touching on public safety, economic development, the $550 million Chevron settlement, housing, political division and the need for stronger leadership at City Hall. Anderson, who last appeared on the podcast in April 2026, has since advanced through the...

Concord City Council District 1 candidate Maria Bagley says it's time for a new perspective at City Hall, arguing that her background in finance, local government and small business ownership would bring a different approach to economic development, government spending and community engagement. During a nearly hour-long interview on the Be Curious Contra Costa podcast, Bagley discussed her campaig...

Brentwood Union School District candidate Oxsana Pajoluk joined the Be Curious Contra Costa podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about her childhood in the Soviet Union, her family's experiences with religious persecution, her introduction to Brentwood politics and why she is now seeking a seat on the school board. During the 76-minute interview, Pajoluk discussed school district transparency,...

Pittsburg Mayor Dionne Adams joined the Be Curious Contra Costa Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation that covered everything from the controversial data center project and heated City Council meetings to the city budget, economic development, homelessness, public safety, transportation and her vision for Pittsburg over the next decade. Adams, who was born and raised in Pittsburg, opened the con...

The race for Concord City Council is heating up, and Aeysha Corio, a candidate for District 5, joins the Be Curious Contra Costa Podcast to discuss her campaign, her vision for Concord and the issues facing one of Contra Costa County's largest cities. From economic development and public safety to housing, city finances and the future of Concord, we'll explore what Corio believes the city should p...

Martinez City Council District 1 candidate Nakenya Allen joined the Be Curious Contra Costa Podcast to discuss her second campaign for office, her community advocacy and her vision for addressing the city's financial challenges, economic development and public safety. Allen, who is once again challenging incumbent Jay Howard, reflected on her first campaign four years ago and how she has spent the...

Brentwood City Council District 2 candidate Tammy Zickuhr joined the Be Curious Contra Costa Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about her personal experiences, support for police and firefighters, challenges facing small businesses, and what she would like to see change at Brentwood City Hall. During the interview with ContraCosta.news publisher Mike Burkholder, Zickuhr discussed the loss of...

Antioch City Councilmember Monica Wilson joins the Be Curious Contra Costa Podcast for a conversation about her years in public office, the challenges facing Antioch, and her vision for the city's future. From economic development and revitalizing downtown to public safety, city finances and the direction of City Hall, we dive into the issues facing Antioch and the decisions that will shape its fu...

Be Curious Contra Costa, where we sit down with the people shaping our communities, ask questions, and give you an opportunity to hear directly from them. On this episode of Be Curious Contra Costa, a chat with Antioch City Councilmember Tamisha Torres-Walker, who is seeking re-election in District 1. Antioch has no shortage of challenges, from public safety and economic development to the city's...

Antioch City Council District 1 candidate Joy Motts joined the Be Curious Contra Costa podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on the city’s finances, economic development, public safety, homelessness, downtown revitalization and the future of the El Campanil Theatre. Motts, a former Antioch City Councilmember and Antioch Unified School District trustee, is seeking a return to the council after lo...

On this episode of Be Curious Contra Costa, we sit down with Sandra White, a candidate for Antioch City Council, District 4. Antioch has no shortage of challenges — from public safety and the city budget to economic development, homelessness, staffing, downtown and rebuilding trust in City Hall. So why does White want the job, and what would she do differently? We get into her background, why she...

On this episode of Be Curious Contra Costa, Pittsburg City Council candidate Pauline Johnson discussed her entry into local politics, opposition to the proposed data center, city transparency, the budget, economic development, public safety and her desire to lower the political temperature in the community. Johnson is one of the candidates seeking one of three seats on the Pittsburg City Council i...

Pittsburg City Councilmember Arlene Kobata says she wants voters to look beyond the controversy surrounding the proposed data center and consider the broader challenges facing the city, including economic development, a projected budget deficit, public safety, youth programs and revitalizing downtown. Kobata joined the Be Curious Contra Costa podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about her backg...

Brentwood City Council District 4 candidate Holley Bishop-Mello joined the Be Curious Contra Costa podcast for a wide-ranging conversation that covered her background, public safety, economic development, downtown businesses, fire stations, affordable housing and what she says needs to change at Brentwood City Hall. Bishop-Mello, who was born in Brentwood, described herself first as a mother of th...

On this episode of Be Curious Contra Costa, we sit down with Sheree Shannon, candidate for Brentwood City Council District 4, for a wide-ranging conversation about where Brentwood is today — and where she believes it needs to go. We start with Shannon’s background, why she decided to run and her assessment of how the city is currently being managed. That includes leadership and staffing at City Ha...

On this episode of the Be Curious Contra Costa Podcast, we sit down with Vinoy Mereddy, a candidate for Brentwood City Council, District 2. We talk about why he decided to run, what he believes Brentwood is doing well, where the city needs to improve, and what he would bring to the City Council. The conversation covers the issues facing Brentwood today, economic development, growth, public safety,...

On the next episode of the Be Curious Contra Costa Podcast, Pittsburg City Council candidate Wolfgang Croskey joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of Pittsburg. And yes, we talk about the data center. There is really no way around it. But Pittsburg voters better wake up to one reality: you can't judge whether someone will make a good council member based on one issue. A counci...

ANTIOCH, CA — On the latest episode of the Be Curious Contra Costa podcast, local businessman and entrepreneur Sean McCauley jumped in for a wide-ranging conversation that bounced from local elections and economic development to the future of downtown Antioch, the El Campanil Theatre, Brentwood agriculture and artificial intelligence. McCauley, who has business and real estate interests throughout...

Mr. Public Comment is now a candidate. On this episode of the Be Curious Contra Costa Podcast, we sit down with Antioch City Council District 4 candidate Andrew Becker — although if you watch Antioch City Council meetings regularly, you probably already know who he is. Becker has become one of the most frequent and outspoken voices during public comment. Now, instead of speaking to the City Counci...

On this episode of Be Curious Contra Costa, I sit down with Oakley City Councilmember Shannon Shaw, who was recently appointed to another term after running unopposed—for the second time. We talk about what she learned during her first term, why she got involved in city politics in the first place, and even get into some of her favorite things outside City Hall. But we also tackle the tougher stuf...