Pinch me.
Since launching this publication, I honestly don’t feel like I’ve worked a day in the past 14 years. I love what I do, and I hope that passion comes through in everything we publish.
On July 1, 2012, I launched EastCountyToday.net. Over time, it evolved into ContraCosta.news—a natural progression as our coverage expanded beyond East County and reflected the need for stronger local journalism throughout Contra Costa County.
Unfortunately, much of our county has become a news desert.
When reliable local reporting disappears, so does context. And when context disappears, critical thinking often follows. You can see it every day on social media, where conversations about city councils, public safety, development projects, data centers, and countless other issues quickly become driven by opinion instead of facts.
I don’t blame the community. People can only work with the information available to them.
Several trends have contributed to this:
- Social media has blurred the line between opinion and fact. Every issue becomes more polarized than the last. Public comment has increasingly become performance instead of persuasion. (Pro tip: Delete Nextdoor. Your blood pressure will thank you.)
- Local governments increasingly try to control the message. Ironically, technology has made it easier than ever to share information, yet it’s often harder than ever to find it. Perhaps cities should spend less time crafting social media posts and more time making public information easily accessible.
- Many police departments have eliminated scanner access while sharing only carefully curated information. Transparency has declined in many communities. Concord, the county’s largest city, is a prime example. Supporting law enforcement should never mean abandoning accountability.
My goal has always been simple: provide timely, relevant information with enough context so readers can make informed decisions for themselves—not tell them what to think. That mission hasn’t changed.
Now for some thoughts and reflections:
Advertising is Changing
After a lot of thought, I’ve decided static website ads are no longer enough.
Businesses deserve more value than simply placing a banner on a webpage.
Going forward, advertising will focus on “packages” that combine website exposure, original content, and social media promotion. It’s a better model for everyone. Businesses receive a more complete marketing solution, and ContraCosta.news can continue producing independent local journalism — if you are interested, please email [email protected]
If you’d simply like to support local journalism, donations are always appreciated.
The Exit Strategy That Never Happened
Very few people know this.
For years, my plan was to retire the site after East Contra Costa Fire Protection District merged with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. I came very close. I had job opportunities. I seriously considered walking away.
Then I realized something.
I’d be miserable sitting in an office every day, becoming just another employee in a large organization. No offense to anyone who loves that environment—it simply isn’t who I am. I’m not a suit-and-tie guy. I refuse to be told where to be, when to be, and how to behave. I like creating. I like asking questions. I like building things.
Life is too short to spend it doing work you don’t enjoy. Find something you’re passionate about, and work becomes a lot less like work.
Cops, Firefighters and Video
When I launched EastCountyToday.net, breaking news was the foundation of the site. If people heard sirens, they came to EastCountyToday.net to find out why.
Over time, however, that work took a toll on me.
Seeing serious crashes, structure fires, shootings, and homicides was one thing. Hearing the screams of victims or family members experiencing the worst day of their lives was something else entirely. There comes a point where those moments begin to stay with you, and for me, it became a mental health issue. I simply couldn’t keep doing it because it felt dirty to become immune to it. Here is someone in pain, I felt nothing as I’ve seen it many times, that feels wrong.
In the early years, I was often criticized and labeled an “ambulance chaser.” But the reality was that East County was a news desert while lacking appropriate fire service. People deserved to know why roads were closed, why helicopters were overhead, why their neighborhoods were filled with emergency responders, or whether there had been a shooting nearby. I aimed to fill an information gap that existed at the time.
Fast forward to today, breaking news coverage has become much more common. Numerous social media pages and independent outlets now cover the same types of incidents that helped build ContraCosta.news. I genuinely wish them well—they do good work, and the community clearly values it.
For me, though, stepping away from that constant stream of tragedy has been one of the best decisions I’ve made. The more others cover the day-to-day breaking news, the less I have to witness the trauma firsthand. That’s better for my mental health and allows me to focus on the stories that build community, provide context, hold government accountable, and highlight the people and businesses making Contra Costa County a better place.
Breaking news helped build this publication. It just wasn’t something I could do forever.
Cancel Culture Doesn’t Work
This may sound arrogant, but after 14 years, I don’t think I’m cancelable.
People are free to disagree with me. In fact, I welcome disagreement. Being an idiot and abusing social media I don’t welcome which is how someone gets blocked.
What concerns me is how quickly we’ve moved from disagreeing with ideas to attacking people. If you don’t enjoy the content, don’t read it. It’s really that simple.
I look at it like this. You are never going to agree with someone 100% of the time, but what if you agree with them 95% of the time? 80% of the time? 75% of the time? Or even 51% of the time? For some, why does that percentage you disagree with them make someone a “mortal enemy”? It shouldn’t! It actually shows lack of maturity which some elected officials clearly demonstrate.
The reality is some of the people I initially thought I’d never get along because their political views are wacky with have become some of the most interesting people I’ve met outside of politics.
Real conversations create understanding and build community. Social media arguments do not. Get offline and get out of echo chambers.
Social Media Rewards Negativity
Having built this publication largely through social media, I’ve had a front-row seat to its evolution.
- The good.
- The bad.
- And the ugly.
Unfortunately, today’s algorithms reward outrage.
- Negativity creates comments.
- Comments create engagement.
- Engagement creates revenue.
That’s why you’re seeing pages built almost entirely around criticism, outrage, and speculation. Many of these videos are entertaining. Many are also incomplete, misleading, or simply wrong. Please verify information before assuming a business closed for one reason or another, or before believing every rumor circulating online.
Ironically, pages trying to highlight positive community stories often struggle because positivity simply doesn’t perform as well with the algorithm. That’s unfortunate.
Food Influencers… Please Stop
This trend has gotten out of control.
Restaurants paying influencers to describe every meal as “amazing,” “incredible,” or “the best ever” doesn’t help consumers.
Of course the review is positive—they’re being paid.
Sometimes the experience matches the hype. Many times it does not because restaurants often go all out for an influencer with portions and more attention to the quality about to be photographed or on video.
Businesses would be far better served by earning authentic customer recommendations than purchasing manufactured enthusiasm.
If an influencer wants to collaborate through a trade or partnership, that’s one thing. But simply paying people to stuff their faces on camera isn’t a long-term marketing strategy.
Public agencies should be especially cautious.
Watching governments spend taxpayer dollars on influencer campaigns—like Pittsburg did with its tourism effort, and as Concord is now exploring—should prompt serious questions about return on investment. Meanwhile, the City of Brentwood continues to throw money into the fire pit with their local “marketing” campaign promoting businesses.
Community Voices Wanted
One thing I’ve learned over the past 14 years is that Contra Costa County is full of smart, thoughtful people with valuable perspectives—some I agree with, some I do not.
I’d like to hear more of them.
While I’ve always accepted Letters to the Editor, I’d like to expand that opportunity. I looking for community writers.
Here’s the reality:
- No pay.
- No benefits.
- No promises of fame.
But if you have something meaningful to say, I’ll give you a platform where thousands of people can read it.
Whether your passion is local government, business, sports, education, community events, history, food, or thoughtful opinion, lets put it out into the community.
If you’ve always wanted to write but never had a place to publish, consider this your invitation.
Contra Costa County has plenty of stories.
Maybe it’s time you told one.
So, What’s Next?
The information will continue to flow.
While I admit I am not perfect, my opinion sometimes does enter the story I do try my best to keep it on point with what is happening. I’d also like to point out in terms of grammar police, I’ve not figured it out in 14 years, so don’t expect it to improve much in the next 14 years.
As ContraCosta.news continues to grow, my immediate goal is to find four or five local business partners who believe in the value of independent local journalism. Their support would allow me to spend less time selling advertising and more time doing what I love—reporting, asking questions, providing context, and telling the stories that matter throughout Contra Costa County.
I won’t pretend the road ahead will be easy. We are living through a time of division at the national, state, and local levels. Tough budget decisions are on the horizon, and I believe many communities will soon face difficult choices that could impact jobs, public services, and quality of life.
Unfortunately, it often feels like we’re encouraged to focus on what divides us instead of what brings us together. Social media rewards outrage over understanding, opinions over facts, and the loudest voices over the most thoughtful ones. The result is more conflict, less curiosity, and fewer meaningful conversations.
That’s why I believe local journalism matters now more than ever.
My commitment remains the same as it was 14 years ago: provide information, add context, ask tough questions, and let you decide what to think. I don’t expect everyone to agree with every story or every editorial. I simply hope you’ll read, think critically, trust—but verify—and continue digging deeper.
Will ContraCosta.news still be here another 14 years from now? I honestly don’t know. What I do know is that as long as I’m able, I’ll continue showing up every day to inform, challenge, and connect our community.
Because informed communities make better decisions. And when people are informed, engaged, and willing to listen to one another, our cities become stronger, our neighborhoods become better, and Contra Costa County becomes a place we can all be proud to call home.
Stay curious Contra Costa County.
Mike Burkholder
Publisher of ContraCosta.news
[email protected]
