Newssite of Contra Costa County student Journalism

CC Spin

CC Spin

CC Spin
Actress Christine Baranski speaks during the Newsmakers: Lesher Speaker Series at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025.

‘Delight in the present moment’: Christine Baranski shares perspectives on life, Hollywood through the ages

Keerthi Eraniyan, Contra Costa Youth Journalism
November 7, 2025
Christine Baranski is the final speaker in this year’s Lesher Foundation Newsmakers: Lesher Speaker Series. “Christine is an entertainment icon,” said series producer Michael White.

Award-winning actress Christine Baranski to wrap up Lesher Speaker Series

Mansi Swaminathan, Contra Costa Youth Journalism
October 22, 2025
In his talk at the Lesher Foundation’s Newsmakers: Speaker Series, Frank Abagnale warned that “Technology breeds crime. It always has and always will.” The fraud-detection expert said people need to understand how scams work so they don’t fall for them.

‘Education is the most powerful tool to fighting crime’: Frank Abagnale shares his cybersecurity expertise

Caroline Donahoe, Contra Costa Youth Journalism
October 7, 2025
Frank Abagnale returns to the Lesher Newsmaker Series in Walnut Creek on Sept. 30. Photo courtesy of Abagnale.com

Catch him again: Frank Abagnale returns to Lesher Speaker Series

Emma Mayta Canales, Contra Costa Youth Journalism
September 15, 2025
The Trinity Center Mural in Walnut Crrek was a 2023 collaboration between many entities and artist Trent Thompson. The nonprofit, which serves the homeless, receives up to 25% of its funding from the government. Photo courtesy of the Trinity Center.

County, city leaders assess ‘Big Beautiful Bill’s’ impact on local services, nonprofits

Caroline Donahoe, Contra Costa Youth Journalism
August 27, 2025
The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano works to provide essential and emergency food to those in need throughout the two counties. Rising food costs brought on by tariffs are affecting the food bank’s ability to provide enough food for the communities they serve. Photo courtesy of Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano

Food bank, local nonprofits struggle to meet demand under Trump tariffs

Keerthi Eraniyan, Contra Costa Youth Journalism
August 26, 2025
Lisa Ling touched on today’s polarized landscape during her talk as part of the Lesher Foundation’s Newsmakers: Speaker Series. “When you erase someone’s history, you make it easier to erase their humanity,” Ling said. “Books that tell uncomfortable truths that are necessary for progress are the books we have to support.”

‘Erasing history doesn’t protect us, it weakens us’: Lisa Ling speaks from the heart about career, political climate

Yonglin Zhu, Special to Contra Costa Youth Journalism
July 17, 2025
Journalist and television producer Lisa Ling will be the featured speaker at the Newsmakers: Lesher Speaker Series on July 10 in Walnut Creek.

Lisa Ling up next for Lesher Newsmakers series

Caroline Donahoe, Contra Costa Youth Journalism
July 5, 2025
Some students acknowledge that many of their peers refrain from voting because they don’t want to speak up, while others might not have strong opinions or be informed enough on political issues. Photo credit: gorodenkoff via Istock

Youth voter interest becomes more important amid political polarization

Keerthi Eraniyan, Contra Costa Youth Journalism
June 2, 2025
Author and columnist Dave Barry brought his unique humor to the Lesher Foundation's Newsmakers: Speaker Series in Walnut Creek on May 13. "Humor is mostly just observing what’s going on around you. I think most of the things that people find most funny are not weird, exotic topics that would just scream out, ‘Well, this is weird and exotic, so you should write a column.’ It’s more like things that everybody has dealt with."

Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist Dave Barry leaves them laughing

Keerthi Eraniyan, Contra Costa Youth Journalism
May 22, 2025
Martin Luther King III, here with his wife, Arndrea Waters King, and daughter, Yolanda, at an event earlier this year, will be the featured speaker at the Lesher Foundation’s Newsmakers: Speaker Series event on April 23 at the Lesher Center for the Arts. Photo by Joshua Qualis/Massachusetts Governor's Press Office via Wikimedia Commons

Martin Luther King III brings his father’s dream to the Lesher Speaker Series

Emma Mayta Canales, Contra Costa Youth Journalism
April 19, 2025
Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and author George Will and veteran Democratic political strategist Donna Brazile discuss the state of politics during the Lesher Foundation speaker series event on March 31 at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, California.

‘Politics of hope’: Donna Brazile, George Will friendship crosses political lines

Loujain Habibi, Contra Costa Youth Journalism
April 10, 2025
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