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.
Obituaries: Obituaries for Concord, Clayton, Pleasant Hill and surrounding communities.
Letters to the Editor: Submitted by our readers.
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:
E-bike rider antics raising public’s angst
Police call on parents to help with education. CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (July 18, 2025) — That whizzing sound is not ...
Clayton council rejects most of Grand Jury’s findings
CLAYTON, CA (July 18, 2025) — The City Council voted 4-1 to ignore most of the Civil Grand Jury’s report ...
De La Salle AD Leo Lopoz honored
CONCORD, CA (July 17, 2025) — De La Salle High athletic director Leo Lopoz has concluded a highly successful 2024-2025 ...
Supervisors honor Port Chicago Remembrance Day
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (July 17, 2025) — This month, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors joined community members ...
Terrapins flash at Oregon swim meet
CONCORD, CA (July 17, 2025) — Terrapins Swim Team sent over 30 swimmers to the TEAM Summer Invitational in Eugene, ...
Concord mayor highlights police data at national conference
CONCORD, CA (July 17, 2025) — I recently joined a bipartisan group of more than 170 mayors from across the ...
Save Mount Diablo helps keep public lands public
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (July 16, 2025) — America’s beautiful public lands are a critical part of the spectacular natural ...
Letter to the Editor — Libertarians not Republicans
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (July 14, 2025) — Libertarians are not Republicans, nor are they conservative. In your latest issue, ...
Mary Poppins flies in with tap shoes and wisdom
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (July 14, 2025) — If you’re in the mood for comedy, check out Onstage Repertory Theatre’s ...
Contra Costa count shows 26% drop in homelessness
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (July 14, 2025) — Every January, Contra Costa County conducts a Point-in-Time (PIT) count to understand ...
Concord Police arrest report for the week of July 2 through 8, 2025
CONCORD, CA (July 13, 2025) — The report below shows arrests made by the Concord Police Department from July 1-8, ...
The Pioneer’s Spring 2025 calendar of events and activities, July 13 update
COSTA COUNTY, CA, (July 13, 2025) — The Pioneer Calendar lists local events, performances and activities for the whole family ...
So This Happened…Week of July 7 through 13, 2025
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (July 13, 2025) — Nothing says summer in America more than the crack of a bat, ...
Jr. Giants program hits a home run
CONCORD, CA (July 13, 2025) — With the sound of the Blue Devils rehearsing in the background, Jr. Giants Commissioner ...
Artists flee Spotify as AI concerns mount
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (July 11, 2025) — If you’re a daily music consumer, chances are you subscribe to at ...
Sleep-Deprived With Twins in Rome, Doerr Still Manages Magic
(July 10, 2025) — “Four Seasons in Rome” is likely the best memoir ever written or, at least the best ...
Young people serve lessons in the importance of food
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (July 10, 2025) — Sometimes I shake my head, marveling at young people eager to serve ...
Clayton Police Report for June 2025
CLAYTON, CA (July 10, 2025) — This report details police activity for the Clayton Police Department during the month of ...
Downtown Pleasant Hill Invites Families to Celebrate Summer at Free “Fun in the Sun” Event
PLEASANT HILL, CA (July 8, 2025) — Downtown Pleasant Hill is kicking off the summer season with Fun in the ...
Help 4 Hoarders ready to assist those with hoarding disorder
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (July 8, 2025) — A hoarding disorder is a mental health condition characterized by persistent difficulty ...
What your SPF label isn’t telling you
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (July 8, 2025) — Finally! It’s bright, warm, and dizzyingly sunny here in our corner of ...
Author presents the backstory on Port Chicago
MARTINEZ – Dean McLeod will offer history about the forgotten town of Port Chicago – along with theories of secrets, ...
How to stay independent without risking safety
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (July 7, 2025) — For many older adults, independence is more than just a preference, it’s ...
Experience a day in Clayton before electricity and plumbing
Editor’s Note: Debbie Eistetter is a member of the Clayton Historical Society board of directors and has been writing Clayton’s ...
The Pioneer’s Spring 2025 calendar of events and activities, July 6 update
COSTA COUNTY, CA, (July 6, 2025) — The Pioneer Calendar lists local events, performances and activities for the whole family ...
So This Happened…Week of June 30 through July 6, 2025
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (July 6, 2025) — The community came together to celebrate the Fourth of July – all ...
Colorful crowd celebrates America’s birthday in Concord
CONCORD, CA (July 6, 2025) — In Concord, Independence Day festivities began early with the Kids Fun Run and the ...
Obituary — Brent Kirk Egle
May 6, 1963-March 27, 2025
CLAYTON, CA (July 6, 2025) — It is with profound sadness that the family of Brent Egle of Clayton announces ...
Concord Police arrest report for the week of June 25 – July 1, 2025
CONCORD, CA (July 6, 2025) — The report below shows arrests made by the Concord Police Department from June 25-July ...
Pleasant Hill’s community spirit reigns in Independence Day parade
PLEASANT HILL, CA (July 4, 2025) — From two legs to two wheels and four-wheels of seemingly all types, contingents ...