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’s roughly $500 million annual budget, its decision to spend down reserves, challenges surrounding special education funding, and the controversy involving an unauthorized press box constructed at College Park High School.

Lawrence, who previously served on the school board from 2012 to 2020, returned following an appointment to fill a vacancy in Trustee Area 4. He is now seeking a full four-year term.

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 educational journey, her passion for public policy and the difficult decisions facing community colleges as technology, student needs and California's financial outlook continue to change.

For more information on Barrett, visit: www.rebeccabarrett.org

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, exploring Burgis' childhood, life experiences, leadership philosophy, the challenges of social media and why she believes society needs more kindness, curiosity and critical thinking.

Burgis, who previously served on the Oakley City Council and East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors, also played an important role in encouraging host Mike Burkholder to launch the podcast in the first place.

Burkholder acknowledged that Burgis spent nearly two years encouraging him to start a podcast before he finally agreed. Now, 100 episodes later, the two reflected on how the show has evolved and the importance of giving people an opportunity to share their experiences and perspectives.

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 race, her concerns with the current City Council, the future of Concerts in the Grove, the proposed Olivia housing development, wildfire preparedness and the need for greater community involvement in local government.

Callaghan said she had considered running for City Council for more than a decade but ultimately decided to enter the race after years of feeling that residents were not being heard.

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-Beere comes from a background in real estate and community volunteering. She says her decision to run for office began four years ago when she wrote her own name on her ballot as a personal commitment to seek a council seat in the future.

With incumbent Councilmember and Vice Mayor Dominic Aliano not seeking reelection, Acosta-Beere believes the opportunity has arrived to bring a different perspective to City Hall.

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 primary election and is now campaigning in the November 3 general election.

Throughout the conversation, Anderson emphasized that Richmond has tremendous potential but needs to move beyond political disagreements and begin delivering measurable results for residents.

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 campaign against longtime incumbent Laura Hoffmeister, who has served on the Concord City Council for approximately 30 years.

The conversation covered a wide range of issues, including Concord's budget deficit, business regulations, the Concord Naval Weapons Station redevelopment, housing affordability, homelessness, public safety and the need for greater communication between elected officials and residents.

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, education funding, parental involvement, bullying, student safety, academic performance and the importance of returning to the fundamentals of reading, writing and mathematics.

However, much of the conversation focused on her personal journey and how a woman who grew up in a country where speaking against the government could carry serious consequences eventually found herself speaking publicly at Brentwood City Council meetings.

For more on her campaign, visit: www.oxsanapajoluk.com

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 conversation by reflecting on how much the city has changed. She recalled growing up in a smaller industrial community of roughly 49,000 people where neighbors knew one another and the community often operated like an extended family. Today, Pittsburg has grown to more than 70,000 residents and become increasingly diverse.

For Adams, the challenge is continuing that growth without losing the community identity that has long defined Pittsburg.

She described what locals sometimes call “Pittsburg love”—a culture where longtime residents look out for one another and where generations of families remain connected to the city.

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 prioritize and what she would bring to the City Council.

We also discuss what motivated her to run, how she would approach working with fellow councilmembers and what she believes Concord needs to do to attract businesses, support its existing neighborhoods and plan for future growth.