On this episode, a chat with Cheyenne Erickson who is the new CEO of the Contra Costa County Fair. We talk about the upcoming fair on May 14-17, 2026. We talk about the theme, “Wild About the Fair” and what new attractions are coming. Cheyenne shares here background, what she hopes the changes bring for the community and how they hope the fair will reach all of Contra Costa County—including bringing a rodeo, pig races, wiener dog & corgi races, exotic live animals and a new music lineup, including other day promotions. She also talks about the exhibitors, food, livestock and livestock auction.

For more information about the upcoming fair: https://www.contracostafair.com/

On this episode of Be Curious Contra Costa, a chat with Lenna Billeci who owns and operates two businesses in downtown Brentwood. She is the owner of Socialyte Boutique and Salt & Fig Marketplace and recently purchased her first building. We talk about her journey from a love of fashion to investing just $2k into handbags which grew into a clothing store followed by a local gift shop for the foodie and the host who loves to play entertainer. Billeci shares career advice, her battle with anxiety, offers tips and tricks, and what her ultimate goals are in business.

On this episode, a chat with Pratima Sonavne, candidate for Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder. Sonavne is a resident of Danville and founder of Kurious Kids childcare center. She also has 20-years of experience in human resources. We get into why she is running for this position, including cybersecurity concerns and reducing risk of cyber-attacks—including calling for an audit in her first 90-days in office. She wants to also increase the ability for multilingual and working-class families to get services—including ensuring there are weekend hours and opportunities across the county. She also hopes to better utilize technology to ensure better customer support when seeking services. She also hopes to establish benchmarks and make them accessible to the public. We talk about ensuring fair elections, cleaning up voter rolls, vote by mail vs. in person, increasing public participation and where she stands on voter ID and belief if voter fraud is occurring in Contra Costa County.

On this episode of the ContraCosta.news Podcast, Erin Kerr Summit was kind enough to be my first guest on the video version of the podcast. She talks about upcoming Brentwood Rotary events including a poker tournament, bingo, whiskey walk and a golf tournament. We then get into real life, where she is a lender. She shares what is going on in the market and what her idea was behind her “just the tip” Tuesday uploads. We get through the episode with a few technical issues, but other than that, good times were had by all as the first video episode is in the books.

On this episode, a chat with Kevin and Tawnya Erickson on what the heck is going on with real estate in Contra Costa County. We get into what has changed in the past month or so and the impact its having on selling and buying homes. We get into some housing markets from Antioch, Brentwood, Concord and Walnut Creek and what to look for. Impact Iran War is having on home sales. The age old debate of buy vs. rent. We also talk about a couple of the laws being proposed that would keep corporations out/or severely limit purchasing ability in the single-family home market to even the California Wealth Tax. For fun, we talk about Reno Nevada and how its become the go to place – comparing it to Las Vegas real estate. We touch on Contra Costa County Tax Measures, Highway 4 and some myths.

For more on Kevin & Tawnya, visit them online at: https://www.ericksonbayareahomes.com/

As the podcast is returning after a short break, a quick reversal interview where Seana Fippin of Red Box Business Solutions flips the script and interviews me as in a guest interviews the host episode. We touch on a couple things with ContraCosta.news for 2026. 

On this episode, a chat with Michelle Powell Evans of Breath Better Wellness and Tawnya Erickson. In a 2026 that has started off pretty wild, we discuss breathing techniques to help calm anxiety and stress. We get into what sound baths are and what they help with—including crystal bowls and other sounds. Finally, we talk paddle boarding out on the delta and the soothing impact nature has on the mind and soul,

Join Michelle on February 1 for a Breathe Better Together – Brentwood, special event. Take a pause, tune into wellness, and reconnect with your breath. Join us for an immersive sound and breath experience designed to calm the mind, heal the body, and uplift the spirit. 

For more information, visit https://www.michellepowellevans.com/

On this episode, a chat with Monica Barajas of Monica's Riverview in downtown Antioch. We get into the restaurant, challenges, how she has overcome it and the potential for all of the City of Antioch.

At Monica’s, it offers feel-good breakfast, lunch and dinner favorites with care and creativity. Our menu celebrates  regional comfort food made from scratch using seasonal, local, and organic ingredients—always with a focus on quality, sustainability, and heart.

From restaurants in Brentwood and Livermore, we get into how Barajas became an advocate for improving the city of Antioch and wanting to see improvements throughout the city, improve the waterfront and raise the quality of life. We talk about the business altering shooting outside of Monica's in July 2023 and the impact it had on her business and how she has overcome the stigma of violence in the city. She is also up for the challenges and work towards a thriving restaurant and community.

For more on Monica's Riverview, visit them at www.visitmonicas.com

On this episode, a chat with Jack Jackson, the author of The Reaction to Inaction: How to Outpace Disruption and Lead the Age of AI.

Jackson will be holding a book signing on December 13 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at Barnes & Noble in Brentwood for his new book. Jackson grew up in Antioch and shares his journey.

Jackson is a leadership strategist, bestselling author, and former federal task-force professional known for helping organizations lead boldly in an era defined by disruption and AI-driven change. Recruited straight out of college, Jack completed his last training academy just months before 9/11 and went on to serve on the Joint Terrorism Task Force, where he developed his foundation in decisive action, crisis leadership, and operating with clarity under pressure.

Today, Jack brings that same intensity and practicality to the private sector. As a consultant and advisor, he works with executives, teams, and organizations to overcome hesitation, eliminate operational friction, and build high-performance cultures capable of moving fast and outpacing competitors. His frameworks have helped companies strengthen trust, increase execution speed, and navigate technological disruption with confidence.

Jack is the author of The Reaction to Inaction: How to Outpace Disruption and Lead in the Age of AI, a direct, actionable blueprint for leaders struggling to adapt to rapid change, organizational complexity, and the accelerating impact of artificial intelligence. The book empowers leaders and employees with the tools to make decisions faster, innovate consistently, and create cultures where action—not fear—drives results.

Jack earned his Bachelor’s degree from Saint Mary’s College of California and completed his postgraduate studies at Harvard University in Cambridge, further strengthening his foundation in leadership, strategy, and organizational development.

He continues to speak, consult, and write, helping leaders at every level build the confidence, discipline, and execution muscle needed to thrive in an age of nonstop disruption.

On this episode, Antioch City Manager Bessie M. Scott talks about her first year as city manager in the city of Antioch and offers many updates – including staffing, budget, and plenty of other updates.

I would argue year 1 was a fact finding mission to see what was underneath the hood of what had been going on in Antioch the past four years, now real progress can start as the systems have been identified, Scott shares much work has been done, but noted much of her work has been with the DOJ, CA DOJ and in courts due to outstanding issues from prior administrations. Now work can begin to shift to community services as directors have been hired. We talk public safety, economic development, bringing the community together and a variety of other topics.