EastCountyToday was launched July 1, 2012. It was the first local, online-only news source dedicated to East Contra Costa County and has quickly become one of the most popular online news sites. East County Today is not affiliated with any other local news media and is independently owned and operated.
Sticks and stones… oh wait, could care less. You decide if we are a “blog or news” but will keep on posting content for Contra Costa County.
Contra Costa News is an extension of EastCountyToday so that we remove the borders between East County and the rest of the county.
It is our mission to provide relevant news that is straight forward and honest. We also want to provide residents with an opportunity to contribute to the community by posting news, opinion, and event notices to help others become aware of what is occurring in our community. Through discussion and awareness, we believe it will make the community stronger.
Through discussion and awareness, we believe it will make the community stronger.
Coverage Area
Contra Costa County and the State of California. Some national news will be covered as information is often released from our members of Congress.
Is Contra Costa Media a news website or a blog?
Who cares!!!! Its 2024… blogs are news sites and news sites are blogs. We produce the news and put out information to the community regardless what names people may call this site or our sister sites.
We provide news reporting, opinions, features, and photographs of local happenings. We strive to be independent, timely, accurate, honest, and information is helpful to the community. Lastly, we hope to supply information that other local media is choosing not to publish.
So are we a website or a blog? That is for you to decide what you want to call Contra Costa News.
How can we get coverage in Contra Costa News?
We provide a general news service of the issues we perceive as being important in Contra Costa County and the State of California. There are however a range of ways in which you or your business can take advantage of our service and get in front of our readership.
These are:
- Advertising: We offer a range of highly competitive and targeted advertising opportunities.
- Sponsored content: If your business would like a story about your business or offerings, we have a number of sponsored content opportunities.
- Columns: If you’d like to showcase your expertise with our audience, a column is always a great idea. We can help you reach your customers
Photographs and Our Rights
While we will respect privacy in certain situations when we deem appropriate (sometimes even upon request), it’s important to remember our photographs have rights within the law.
- Anyone in a public place can take pictures of anything they want. Public places include parks, sidewalks, malls, etc.
- If we are on public property, we can take pictures of private property. If a building, for example, is visible from the sidewalk, its fair game.
- If we are on private property and are asked not to take pictures, we will stop taking photographs.
The following can almost always be photographed from public places, despite popular opinion:
- accident & fire scenes, criminal activities
- bridges & other infrastructure, transportation facilities (i.e. airports)
- industrial facilities, Superfund sites
- public utilities, residential & commercial buildings
- children, celebrities, law enforcement officers
- People
If you would like a photograph or story removed from this website or our social media sites, please explain why and contact us at burk@contracosta.news
Comment Policy (as of Jan 1, 2024)
Contra Costa News encourages our readers to make comments and discuss issues. We ask that you keep it clean and resist from personal attacks or threaten anyone nor take any action to harm anyone. While we admit we do not want to be the “comment police”, out of good conscious we will do it when requested. A good rule to follow is the “Grandma Rule” which states that if you wouldn’t want to your grandma to see it… don’t post it!
We understand some topics are considered “hot topics” and will get folks fired up, but lets have a discussion of ideas, not a fight between two people or threaten anyone.
A few guidelines so your comment will not be removed:
- All comments will be approved.
- No indirect attacks, name calling, or insults
- No foul language
- No threats – if its severe, we may even report it to local law enforcement
- No trolling or baiting
- Do not pretend to be someone else – yes, we can verify if we have to.
- We encourage you not to post personal or identifiable information besides your name
- Do not “play” or use multiple names. If it becomes abused, you will either be banned or all comments deleted in that thread.
Free Speech Issue
For all the free speech folks who like to talk about it… here you go: The Limits of Free Speech in Social Media