California Department of Education Releases Annual K-12 Testing Data Showing Steady Diablo Valley Gains
Standardized assessment results confirm local public schools outpace state proficiency averages while curriculum leaders target…
2 min read
Earlier stories
A closer look at the people, places and ideas shaping the Diablo Valley.
Search and community filters apply to these 50 stories in this part of the archive. Continue to earlier reporting below.
Schools
Los Medanos leadership conference spotlights four-year degree paths
Pittsburg campus gathers scholars, civic mentors, and alumni to explore leadership resilience, student civic engagement, and emerging…
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Clayton Valley Charter High School in Concord Launches Advanced Drone Aviation and Commercial Piloting Curriculum
Innovative technical education pathway partners with industry instructors to prepare local students for federal commercial drone…
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DVC basic needs center adds produce and housing grants for 2,400
Community college hub provides fresh local produce, emergency meal vouchers, and housing stabilization grants for over 2,400 students…
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UC Berkeley Resolves Middle Class Scholarship Delays and Resets Fall Student Account Balances
Campus financial aid office recalculates disbursements for eligible undergraduates following state portal synchronization glitch and…
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$2.4m DVC support center doubles food pantry capacity
New $2.4M facility investment doubles student food pantry capacity and integrates emergency housing grants for Contra Costa community…
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DVC expands free college prep for local high schoolers this fall
Pleasant Hill campus hub houses federal Upward Bound and Talent Search initiatives serving local high schools
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Business
Foundational AI Developers Acquire Proprietary Datasets from Bankrupt Startups in Scramble for Specialized Domain Knowledge
Silicon Valley research labs purchase clinical records, engineering CAD archives, and bespoke transactional logs to train…
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Concord Economic Development Team Reviews Retail Strategy for Treat Boulevard Commercial Corridor
City officials and commercial brokers evaluate adaptive reuse opportunities following closure of prominent dining anchor near Clayton…
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Pleasant Hill chamber members get free entry to a January employment-law day
A full day of California employment-law training comes to National University on Jan. 27, and Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce…
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Civic life
Labor and Community Coalition Qualifies Historic $30 Minimum Wage Measure for Alameda County Ballot
Voters across Oakland, Berkeley, and Tri-Valley to consider phased wage standard aimed at matching Bay Area regional living and…
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PG&E Expands Public Safety Power Shutoff Warnings to 1,600 Central Contra Costa Canyon and Ridge Customers
Utility alerts residents across Mount Diablo foothills, Morgan Territory, and canyon communities as severe offshore Diablo winds…
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Antioch Police Department Secures $95,000 State Traffic Safety Grant Targeting High-Speed Arterials
Funding from California Office of Traffic Safety will deploy dedicated patrol shifts along Highway 4, Lone Tree Way, and Deer Valley…
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Contra Costa County Seeks Park Advisory Committee Representative for East Bay Regional Parks
Board of Supervisors opens civic recruitment for two-year appointment guiding regional open space conservation, trail expansion, and…
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Contra Costa Health Inspectors Order Immediate Closure of Concord Restaurant Over Sanitary Violations
County Environmental Health division suspends operating permit for Huckleberry's Breakfast and Lunch following discovery of active…
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Supervisors open seat on 21-member regional parks committee
Board of Supervisors seeks public applicants for twenty-one-member committee shaping regional trail conservation, parkland…
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Contra Costa Fire Showcases Wildfire Resilience Technology at Concord Station Community Open House
Con Fire firefighters demonstrate thermal imaging drones, defensible space assessments, and rapid evacuation alert systems for Central…
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County planning commission sets Oct. 14 hearing in Martinez
The Contra Costa County Planning Commission will convene for a formal public hearing on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, to deliberate on…
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College district guides international students through visa updates
The Contra Costa Community College District held a briefing to guide international students on updated federal immigration regulations…
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Where to park a bike in Martinez, and what the county will pay for
Martinez publishes a map of where to lock up downtown, last updated in December 2024.
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BART's surveillance reports go to its board Thursday
BART's Board of Directors is asked on Thursday, Sept. 24, to approve the district's surveillance report for the year and camera impact…
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Four ways to weigh in this week, from Walnut Creek 2050 to a Pleasant Hill forum
Four chances to speak up this week: Walnut Creek's 2050 workshop Sept. 24, a tenant rights session Sept. 26, and in Pleasant Hill a…
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Contra Costa sets its Veterans Day ceremony for Nov. 3 in Martinez
Contra Costa County's Board of Supervisors will hold the annual Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m.
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Community
Oakland Roots and Soul Finalize Historic Coliseum Interim Lease and Youth Soccer Community Fund
USL soccer clubs secure 2027 home matches at the Coliseum complex while establishing grassroots athletic clinics for Oakland and…
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Richmond Greenway opens wheelchair-accessible garden beds
West County youth and disability rights advocates inaugurate sensory agriculture beds and stabilized pathways along the pedestrian…
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Highway 4 eastbound reopens near Port Chicago after Con Fire rescue
Multi-agency emergency crews extract trapped motorists and extinguish fuel runoff to restore vital Contra Costa commute corridor.
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Contra Costa Transportation Authority Outlines $14M Signal Synchronization for Ygnacio Valley
Artificial intelligence timing sensors and transit signal priority will connect thirty-four intersections across Walnut Creek and…
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Contra Costa Communities Secure $65M From Refinery Settlement to Expand Air Quality Defense
Richmond, Martinez, and shoreline neighborhoods will deploy fenceline monitoring sensors and residential filtration systems under…
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Freeway chase on SR-24 and I-680 ends in arrest in Concord
A high-speed vehicular pursuit spanning major Central Contra Costa corridors ended late Thursday night when law enforcement officers…
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Con Fire opens its doors Oct. 10 for live rescue demonstrations
The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District will host its popular annual community open house and public safety exposition on…
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Water district honors 14 student artists in conservation showcase
Board of Directors celebrates winning youth illustrations promoting environmental stewardship and conservation
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Iron Horse Trail bridge closes Oct. 5 for rehabilitation work
The Iron Horse Trail bridge over Treat Boulevard in Diablo Valley will be closed for rehabilitation starting Monday, October 5, 2026,…
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St. Helena council to make Justin Tharp permanent police chief
The St. Helena City Council is set to ratify Justin Tharp as the city’s permanent Chief of Police at its meeting on October 13, 2026.
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Humpback whale Rio heads toward the Bay from Sacramento River
A juvenile humpback whale affectionately named Rio has begun navigating westward through the Sacramento River Delta back toward San…
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New downtown: Läderach open at Broadway Plaza, VICI on Main, two more coming
Four changes to the downtown shopping map: Laderach opened in August, VICI is open at 1366 N.
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Two named Contra Costa Teachers of the Year, with a Walnut Creek teacher honored
The county office of education honored 22 teachers on Sept. 17 and named two of them Contra Costa Teachers of the Year.
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Things to do
Youth artists illuminate Dublin community spirit at Mayor Sherry Hu’s fall art showcase
As an 11th grade student and lifelong artist with years of experience across graphite, charcoal, colored pencil, collages and more,…
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Coming up: Concord Pedal Fest, a county block party and a free 'Dracula' preview
A first-year bike festival at Baldwin Park, a county services block party at the Pleasant Hill Library, and Center REP previewing its…
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Real Estate
City opens applications for below-market downtown condos
City Community Development Department opens application window for deed-restricted downtown condominium residences
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Zumper ranks Concord among Bay Area's most affordable rental cities
Zumper index highlights competitive median rents alongside growing transit-oriented residential development near BART
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