We are a fun, family-friendly car show. This is a fundraising event to help Furry Friends Pet Relief (FFPR) continue their work in the community. FFPR helps families in need with their pets. They offer free- to low-cost spay and neutering, vaccines, preventative medical care and free food.
Get ready for a spooktacular week of fun! Campers will enjoy games, crafts, and other fall-themed fun activities.
Embrace the spirit of the autumn season with Coyote Hills CAMPtober! From relay races to scavenger hunts, there’s plenty to keep everyone active. Get creative with you join the scarecrow design contest and experience the deliciousness of the fall harvest with hot cider and mini pie creations. Join in on all the festivities with CAMPtober!
Don’t miss out- CAMPTober is the place to be!
Age at least 5yrs but less than 12yrs 11mos, Mixed
September 28 – October 2
Weekdays 9:00 a.m – 3:00 p.m
$210 resident/$231 non-resident
Click here for more information and to register and let the CAMPtober countdown begin!
Antioch’s Dozier-Libbey Medical High School ranked in top 10 in county, #229 in state, in top 8% nationally
By Contra Costa County Office of Education
PLEASANT HILL, Calif.— Several high schools across Contra Costa County earned top statewide and national rankings in the newly released 2026-27 U.S. News Best High Schools Rankings. The report recognized the schools for strong academic performance and college readiness. U.S. News reviewed more than 27,000 public high schools nationwide and ranked nearly 18,000 schools based on student outcomes, state assessment performance, college readiness and graduation rates.
Leading the county was Dougherty Valley High School in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, which ranked No. 25 in California and No. 190 nationally. Miramonte High School in the Acalanes Union High School District followed at No. 29 in California and No. 205 nationally, and Campolindo High School, also in the Acalanes Union High School District, received a ranking of No. 34 in California and No. 243 nationally.
“These rankings reflect school communities that have the resources, rigor and strategic support in place to foster student achievement,” Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey said. “Their performance among the top schools in the state is truly something to celebrate. My hope is that schools throughout our county can learn from these examples and help even more students thrive academically while preparing the next generation for success.”
Five Contra Costa County schools ranked among the top 100 public high schools in California:
· Dougherty Valley High School (San Ramon Valley Unified School District) — No. 25
· Miramonte High School (Acalanes Union High School District) — No. 29
· Campolindo High School (Acalanes Union High School District) — No. 34
· Acalanes High School (Acalanes Union High School District) — No. 87
· Monte Vista High School (San Ramon Valley Unified School District) — No. 92
According to U.S. News, the rankings are based on six factors, including college readiness, state assessment proficiency and performance, graduation rates, curriculum breadth and the performance of underserved students.
Top 10 Contra Costa County High Schools
· Dougherty Valley High School (San Ramon Valley Unified School District) — No. 25 California, No. 190 National
· Miramonte High School (Acalanes Union High School District) — No. 29 California, No. 205 National
· Campolindo High School (Acalanes Union High School District) — No. 34 California, No. 243 National
· Acalanes High School (Acalanes Union High School District) — No. 87 California, No. 594 National
· Monte Vista High School (San Ramon Valley Unified School District) — No. 92 California, No. 622 National
· Las Lomas High School (Acalanes Union High School District)— No. 147 California, No. 913 National
· Northgate High School (Mt. Diablo Unified School District) — No. 166 California, No. 995 National
· California High School (San Ramon Valley Unified School District)) — No. 222 California, No. 1,353 National
· Dozier-Libbey Medical High School (Antioch Unified School District) — No. 229 California, No. 1,396 National
· Making Waves Academy (Charter School in Richmond, CA) — No. 240 California, No. 1,489 National
One of 58 counties in California, Contra Costa County has the 11th largest public-school student population in the state (approximately 169,225 students). Officially established in 1932, CCCOE has a long history of providing direct services to some of the county’s most vulnerable students, including young people who are incarcerated, homeless, or in foster care, as well as students who have severe physical or emotional challenges.
CCCOE also provides support services to schools and school districts in Contra Costa County; services that can be handled most effectively and economically on a regional basis rather than by each of the county’s 286 schools or 18 school districts. These services range from budget approval and fiscal support to technology infrastructure, communication support, and high-level professional development opportunities for educators. CCCOE maintains a website at www.cocoschools.org.
AUSD 2026-27 Teacher of the Year Arielle Foley receives a hug from Dr. Evelyn Baffico, then-principal of Black Diamond Middle School and Foley with Superintendent Dr. Darnise R. Williams during the awards dinner on April 23, 2026. All photos: AUSD
Black Diamond Middle School math teacher; Mno Grant teacher Jennifer Bannerman is runner-up
By Antioch Unified School District
Publisher’s Note: Apologies for missing this earlier in the year.
The Antioch Unified School District honored their Teacher of the Year Arielle Foley and nominees during a dinner on April 23, 2026, at the Antioch Community Center.
A post on the AUSD Facebook page following the event reads, “A packed house celebrated our wonderful Teachers of the Year on Thursday night.
The AUSD 2026-27 Teacher of the Year Arielle Foley and fellow nominees, including Jennifer Bannerman, (right in dress with flowers) are joined by Tim Cooper the District’s Director of Student Support Services, as they are honored during the April 23rd dinner.
“Held at the Antioch Community Center, our nominees were recognized. The amazing group included Antioch High, Christine Hester; Belshaw, Scott Dalander; Carmen Dragon, Julie Eaton; Dallas Ranch, Max Bridges; Deer Valley, Mark Libbey; Diablo Vista, Natalie Montoya; Dozier-Libbey Kevin Landski; Encore, Penella Goulding; Kimball, Geannine Fernandez; London, Nicole O’Brien; Lone Tree, Dawn McElroy; Marsh, Melissa Valdivia-Agurto; Mission, Diana McCauley; Muir, Christina MacAlvey; Orchard Park, Barb King; Park, Erich Bartel; Prospects, Jason Fithian; Sutter, Kim Tran; Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy, Samantha Franceschi; and Turner, Sarah Nichols.
2026-27 AUSD TOY Arielle Foley (center) with some of her colleagues during the dinner.
“Also in the spotlight was runner-up Jennifer Bannerman from Mno Grant Elementary.
“Arielle Foley, who received the top honor, thanked everyone and applauded her fellow educators. She is a math teacher at Black Diamond Middle.
“Thanks to the Antioch Schools Education Foundation for once hosting the annual event and cheers to all the fabulous educators!”
Foley moved on to the county level in the Contra Costa County Education Office’s Teacher of the Year competition.
Help plan the improvement to Antioch City Park on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Join an interactive community meeting to share ideas for recreation features, park safety, landscaping, public art and other improvements. Your feedback will help guide the City’s California Parks grant application and ensure the park reflects our community’s vision.
Following the Council’s vote to select City Park for the state grant application during their meeting on Aug. 11, 2026, two meetings have already been held on Sept. 12th and 20th.
Contra Loma Regional Park reservoir and Recreation Lagoon. Photo: EBRPD
First community workshop set for Tuesday, Sept. 22 in Antioch
Closed since 2022
By East Bay Regional Park District
OAKLAND, Calif. — The East Bay Regional Park District is inviting residents to help shape the future of swimming and recreation at Contra Loma Regional Park, beginning with a community workshop on Sept. 22 in Antioch.
The community workshop will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Antioch Community Center located at 4703 Lone Tree Way, Antioch 94531. Participants will be asked to share their ideas for future swimming, aquatic features, and other recreational amenities at the park.
“Contra Loma Regional Park has been an important part of this community for decades, and we want to hear directly from the people who use this park about what should come next,” said Max Korten, general manager. “Whether you swim, fish, hike, or picnic here, we encourage every member of the community to attend a workshop, take the survey, or reach out to our team. Your input will shape the swim and recreation features we bring forward for this park.”
The Sept. 22 workshop is the first step in a broader public planning process that will include additional meetings, outreach at community events, surveys, and interviews to explore all options for recreation at Contra Loma Regional Park.
Map of Contra Loma Regional Park. Source: EBRPD
The Contra Loma Swim Lagoon was closed by the East Bay Regional Park District in 2022 due to maintenance and engineering issues. In 2025, the Park District drained the lagoon while evaluating options for the site’s future. Since then, the Park District has continued to invest in Contra Loma, including new fishing docks, a renovated boat launch, expanded paths and green space, new ADA-accessible restrooms and picnic sites, and the reopening of the Loma Island picnic area.
The Park District also provides lifeguard services at the Ambrose Aquatic Center to support daily operations during peak swim season and partners with Antioch Unified School District to offer swim and water safety lessons at Antioch and Deer Valley high schools.
Public engagement on the Contra Loma project will continue through spring 2027. Visit ebparks.org/contra-loma for workshop dates, an online survey, and project details. For information about the park, visit ebparks.org/parks/contra-loma.
The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,330 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives an estimated 30 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.
There is no single device that will make a vehicle impossible to steal. The best approach is to make your vehicle harder to take and easier to recover.
Lock it, then check it.
Close the windows, lock the doors, take your keys, and make sure the vehicle actually locked before you walk away.
Add a visible deterrent.
A steering-wheel lock may be old-school, but it adds another obstacle and tells a thief your vehicle will take more work.
Protect your key fob.
If your vehicle has keyless entry or push-button start, keep both your primary and spare fobs away from exterior doors and windows at home. Consider a quality signal-blocking pouch or box and test it periodically to make sure it works.
Check your vehicle’s security features.
Review your manufacturer’s app and security settings. Make sure any available location or stolen-vehicle recovery features are activated before you need them.
Give yourself more than one way to find it.
Consider your vehicle’s built-in location service, a dedicated GPS tracker, or a discreet AirTag or similar device as an additional recovery tool. Periodically check tracker battery status.
Create a 30-second vehicle record.
Save a current photo, license plate number, VIN, year, make, model, color, and any distinctive features somewhere you can quickly access from your phone.
Park smart.
Use a garage when possible. Otherwise, park in a well-lit, visible area and remove valuables from sight.
If your vehicle is stolen:
Call police immediately. If a vehicle app, GPS system, AirTag or other tracker shows a location, share that information with the dispatcher or responding officer.
Do not follow the vehicle or attempt to recover it yourself.
An offer has been accepted, and a closing date has been set. Now the home is going through escrow, and the process begins and ends once the financing is approved and the buyer and seller have fulfilled their requirements. So how does it work?
A neutral third-party agent of the principals—buyer, seller, lender and borrower—is designated the escrow holder. This agent assists with the transfer of ownership by ensuring that the terms of the transaction are completed including safeguarding all funds (including the buyer’s deposit) and documents.
The escrow holder is given instructions from the buyer and seller and keeps track of obligations. For example, if the seller is required to supply a termite inspection, the escrow holder will make sure it is fulfilled before any funds are transferred to the seller. Findings in the termite inspection report must be corrected on or before the close of escrow.
In addition, the escrow holder receives from the title company a complete ownership history of the property and any liens on record in the preliminary title report. Any discrepancies that affect the condition of the title, such as condo liens, judgments, etc., against the buyer and seller, must be addressed prior to close of escrow.
Source: thepaymentsbusiness.com
The escrow process can last any number of days depending on what is agreed upon between the buyer and the seller. To ensure a timely closing, it is important that each party provides the escrow holder requested information as soon as possible. For example, a lender will not fund a new home without a homeowner’s insurance policy. Without the lender’s verification that there is insurance, the escrow process may be delayed. An unsecured source of funding, such as a personal check, can also delay the process, because it takes longer for those types of funds to clear.
Most buyers think that their check will not be cashed until the close of escrow, but that is not the case. The check is cashed by the escrow company immediately and held in a trust account. If anything out of the ordinary is to be done at the close of escrow with the seller’s proceeds, the escrow holder must be notified. A signed amendment is required for wiring funds or splitting proceeds.
The escrow process is just one step towards fulfilling the dream of homeownership. Your real estate professional can provide more detail on the escrow process, as well as answer other questions you may have about home buying and selling.
Patrick McCarran is a local Realtor and Broker DRE# 01325072. He can be contacted by phone or text at (925) 899-5536, pmccarran@yahoo.com or www. CallPatrick.com. An independently owned and operated office. In association with Realty One Group Elite DRE# 0193160. Equal Housing Opportunity.
