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
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:
Slow ramp-up underway for relief through Concord Immigration Court
CONCORD, CA (May 2, 2024) — Seats sit empty now and hallways are eerily quiet on the 8th floor of ...
Sierras provide backdrop for compelling paranormal adventure
(May 2, 2024) — We think nothing of hindsight, but what of foresight? In “Sierra Blue,” Suzanne Morgan Williams has ...
Concord Police arrest report for the week of April 24 through 30, 2024
CONCORD, CA (May 1, 2024) — The report below shows arrests made by the Concord Police Department from April 24 ...
Avoid foxtails – but also recognize these signs of exposure
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Apr. 30, 2024) — With springtime comes foxtails in our region. They are all around us ...
Bay Area SpringFest returns for 3rd year in Downtown Concord May 4
CONCORD, CA (Apr. 30, 2024) — The Bay Area is encouraged to celebrate spring at the third annual free Bay ...
Contra Costa Firefighters battle structure fire in downtown Concord
CONCORD, CA (Apr. 30, 2024) — A 2-alarm structure fire brought fire crews from Contra Costa County Fire District to ...
Zio Fraedos in Pleasant Hill: Italian classics at night, breakfast fare come dawn
PLEASANT HILL, CA (Apr. 29, 2024) — For almost half a century, Zio Fraedos restaurant in Pleasant Hill has stood ...
The Pioneer’s Spring 2024 calendar of events and activities, April 28 update
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA, (April 28, 2024) — The Pioneer Calendar lists local events, performances and activities for the whole ...
So This Happened…Week of April 22 through 28, 2024
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Apr. 28, 2024) — In a move harkening back to when indigenous people roamed Mount Diablo, ...
Letter to the Editor — Turn down the music in your car
CLAYTON, CA (Apr. 28, 2024) — As we navigate our neighborhoods, it's crucial to remember that our actions impact those ...
Fun and sun return for day two of Clayton’s Art and Wine Festival
CLAYTON, CA (Apr. 28, 2024) — The Art and Wine Festival in Clayton this weekend raises a toast to creativity ...
Singers Wanted! Perform with the championship a cappella Diablo Vista Chorus
WALNUT CREEK, CA (Apr. 27, 2024) — Diablo Vista Chorus (DVC), the award-winning Walnut Creek chapter of Sweet Adelines International ...
Contra Costa County confirms first West Nile Virus positive dead bird of 2024
CONCORD, CA (Apr. 27, 2024) — The Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District (District) reports the first dead bird ...
Clayton mail carrier goes the extra mile in this daring rescue
CLAYTON, CA (Apr. 26, 2024) — It was a regular day, just a regular day,” Jack Roy says of the ...
Food Bank’s new CEO follows in father’s footsteps
CONCORD, CA (Apr. 26, 2024) — While Caitlin Sly is just weeks into her job as president/CEO of the Food ...
Concord’s Got Talent 50 and Better Talent Show seeks performers
CONCORD, CA (Apr. 25, 2024) — Concord Senior Center's second annual 50 and better talent show returns May 18. This ...
Concord Police arrest report for the week of April 17 through 23, 2024
CONCORD, CA (April 25, 2024) — The report below shows arrests made by the Concord Police Department from April 17 ...
American Olympian Shannon Rowbury mentored prep runners at Concord High
CONCORD, CA (Apr. 24, 2024) — The Paris Olympics are less than 100 days away and dozens of Bay Area ...
Get your garden on at these beautiful Clayton homes
CLAYTON, CA (Apr. 24, 2024) — The 32nd Clayton Gardens Tour promises a captivating array of five distinct gardens, each ...
Free Mom’s Day Boutique returns this Sunday to Hilton Concord
CONCORD, CA (Apr. 23, 2024) — Mother’s Day comes early this weekend with the ultimate local shopping experience at the ...
Urgent call for Red Cross volunteers
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Apr. 23, 2024) — The American Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region is still urgently seeking ...
Preserving your mental health in today’s workplace
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Apr. 23, 2024) — Work, American style, has undergone a sea change in the last few ...
Concord council reviews goals, from homelessness to climate change
CONCORD, CA (Apr. 23, 2024) — Every spring, the City Council holds a Saturday session for goal setting wherein the ...
Prescribed burning at Mount Diablo State Park will begin in May
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Apr. 22, 2024) — California State Parks will perform a series of prescribed burns on ten ...
Low-intensity fires will help lessen risk on Mount Diablo
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Apr. 22, 2024) — In a move that makes good on a promise made decades ago, ...
Shoplifting leads the way as Concord chief details 2023 crime
CONCORD, CA (Apr. 22, 2024) — In a surprise to no one, Police Chief Mark Bustillos reported an increase in ...
The Pioneer’s Spring 2024 calendar of events and activities, April 21 update
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA, (April 21, 2024) — The Pioneer Calendar lists local events, performances and activities for the whole ...
So This Happened…Week of April 15 through 21, 2024
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Apr. 21, 2024) — After a referendum drive failed, Concord enacted its new Residential Tenant Protection ...
Schools, police react quickly to defuse bomb threat made to area campuses
CONCORD, CA (Apr. 21, 2024) — A handful of schools in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District were among dozens ...
Cleaning Up Clayton — Annual community event brings young and old together to tidy town
CLAYTON, CA (Apr. 21, 2024) —From toddlers to grandparents, residents in Clayton scoured the town for trash at Saturday's Clayton ...