News and Features
News: Stories covering Concord, Clayton, Pleasant Hill and surrounding areas.
Weekly Summaries/So This Happened: Our weekly roundup of news.
Pioneer Newspaper PDF archive: Read past issues of the monthly print paper in PDF format. We have issues going back to 2003.
News by City
- Concord: News from Concord, CA.
- Clayton: News from Clayton, CA.
- Pleasant Hill: News from Pleasant Hill, CA.
News by Category
Elections: Coverage of local candidates and voting in the 2024 election.
Obituaries: Obituaries for Concord, Clayton, Pleasant Hill and surrounding communities.
Sports: News and athlete profiles from local teams and alumni, sports organizations and more.
Crime: Police reports and news about criminal activity.
Performing Arts: Reviews and promotions for local theater productions and live music events.
From the Desk of: News and commentary from city, county and state officials.
Schools: News, features and accomplishments from the schools serving Concord, Clayton and Pleasant Hill.
Pioneer Columnists
Our columnists each bring you their personal reflections on a variety topics from restaurants to films to gardening to pet care, and more.
Recent Pioneer stories:
Local election news from the Pioneer
Recent Election posts ...
Full closure on southbound I680 this weekend expected to cause delays
CONCORD, CA (Sept. 20, 2024) – Southbound Interstate 680 will be closed between Alcosta Boulevard in San Ramon and the ...
Obituary, Peter Stephen Chrobak,
May 9, 1941 – Sept. 15, 2024
Peter “Pete” Stephen Chrobak passed away on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, from complications related to a lung infection. He was ...
Going forward, we need a return to the spirit of 9/11
CONCORD, CA (Sept. 20, 2024) — Attending memorials in Concord and Clayton relating to the sadness of September 11 23 ...
Unique rocker Greg Kihn had that ‘it’ factor
CLAYTON, CA (Sept. 20, 2024) — Greg Kihn wrote, “They don’t write ’em like that anymore” in his 1981 hit ...
Incumbents facing new rivals in Concord district elections
CONCORD, CA (Sept. 19, 2024) – Is 2024 going to mimic 2022, when City Councilmember Tim McGallian lost his bid ...
Creative Concord’s jam celebrates originality
CONCORD, CA (Sept. 19, 2024) — Two years ago, Creative Concord’s first Art Jam in the Park took over Todos ...
This Oktoberfest, raise your glass to 40 years of the CBCA
CLAYTON, CA (Sept. 19, 2024) — The Clayton Business and Community Association’s (CBCA) 19th Annual Oktoberfest comes as the organization ...
Concord City Council Elections 2024
Concord candidates answer The Pioneer questionnaire Local election news ...
2024 Concord City Council Candidate Questions: Carlyn Obringer
CONCORD, CA (Sept. 18, 2024) — The Pioneer newspaper presented a list of questions to the candidates running for Concord ...
2024 Concord City Council Candidate Questions: Pablo Benavente
CONCORD, CA (Sept. 18, 2024) — The Pioneer newspaper presented a list of questions to the candidates running for Concord ...
2024 Concord City Council Candidate Questions: Myles Burks
Concord, CA (Sept. 18, 2024) — The Pioneer newspaper presented a list of questions to the candidates running for Concord ...
2024 Concord City Council Candidate Questions: Edi Birsan
CONCORD, CA (Sept. 18, 2024) — The Pioneer newspaper presented a list of questions to the candidates running for Concord ...
2024 Concord City Council Candidate Questions: Eric Antonick
CONCORD, CA (Sept. 18, 2024) — The Pioneer newspaper presented a list of questions to the candidates running for Concord ...
‘9 to 5’ set to music in Clayton; ‘Blithe Spirit’ takes over Martinez
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Sept. 18, 2024) — Lots of talented newcomers are making their way to Clayton to appear ...
Heroes Among Us — Concord resident makes it personal, raising $200,000 for lupus
CONCORD, CA (Sept. 17, 2024) — Every year, Arnetta Jones transforms her yard in the quaint Sun Terrace neighborhood into ...
New rule asks visitors to sign in at open house
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Sept. 17, 2024) — With recent changes in the real estate industry, driven in part by ...
Exciting Art & Music Fest returns to Concord
CONCORD, CA (Sept. 17, 2024) — The highly anticipated third annual Art & Music Jam is just around the corner, ...
Downtown Pleasant Hill announces free Chalk Festival Sept. 29
PLEASANT HILL, CA (Sept. 17, 2024) — Downtown Pleasant Hill invites the community to its free annual event, the Chalk ...
Concord Police arrest 4 for DUI
CONCORD, CA (Sept. 16, 2024) — Concord Police Department arrested four drivers on suspicion of DUI while conducting a DUI ...
The Pioneer’s Summer 2024 calendar of events and activities, Sept. 15 update
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA, (Sept. 15, 2024) — The Pioneer Calendar lists local events, performances and activities for the whole ...
So This Happened…Week of Sept. 9 through 15, 2024
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Sept. 15, 2024) — With the November election closing in, the four candidates for the Clayton ...
East Bay Gallery Tour Set for October 2024
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Sept. 15, 2024) — The Second Annual East Bay Gallery Tour adds six Benicia art galleries ...
‘Alien: Romulus’ puts too much stock in franchise flashbacks
(Sept. 15, 2024) — Watching any “Alien” movie requires some knowledge of the franchise. Understanding humanity’s experience with the aliens/xenomorphs ...
Celebrating two decades of service to the Pleasant Hill community
PLEASANT HILL, CA (Sept. 14, 2024) — One of the things I really love about Pleasant Hill is that our ...
Is there any going back from Putin’s Russia?
Editor’s note: This is the conclusion of a two-part series in which the author reflects on trips to Israel and ...
Donations Needed for Pleasant Hill’s Community Service Day Food Drive
PLEASANT HILL, CA (Sept. 12, 2024) — Food donations are needed for this year's 20th Annual Community Service Day Food ...
Concord Police arrest report for the week of Sept. 4 through 10, 2024
CONCORD, CA (Sept. 11, 2024) — The report below shows arrests made by the Concord Police Department from Sept. 4-11, ...
Pleasant Hill bike fest attracts more than 1,500
PLEASANT HILL, CA (Sept. 11, 2024) — Attendance at the Bike Family Fest far exceeded what organizers were expecting. Parents ...
Creating living spaces you love and adore without rushing the process
(Sept. 10, 2024) — Remember in 2020 when, instantly, we all had to regroup, reorganize and re-establish our daily routines? Turning ...