front page 09 25.qxp - Clayton Pioneer

IT’S YOUR PAPER 

www.claytonpioneer.com September 25, 2009 925.672.0500 

JULIE PIERCE 

MAYOR’S CORNER 

Seeking feedback on 

Grove concerts 

The days are getting shorter 

and fall weather is on its way – 

we hope! The kids have settled 

in at school and we enjoyed our 

last Concert in The Grove last 

Saturday. It was another beautiful 

evening in Clayton. 

As I sat watching the sun set 

on Mt Diablo, I couldn’t help 

but think how lucky we all are to 

live in such a beautiful place and 

how the concerts have provided 

another opportunity to bring 

our community together. 

I’d like to thank everyone 

who worked so hard this year to 

present the Concerts in The 

Grove series. This year’s concert 

series cost of $22,000 was sponsored 

financially by the Clayton 

See Mayor, page 6 

What’s Inside 

Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 

Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 

Church News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 

Save Mount Diablo stakes its 

claim on Viera North Peak 

Community Calendar . . . . . . . . .15 

Deal With It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 

Directory of Advertisers . . . . . . . . .5 

Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 

Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 

Movie Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 

Obituary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 

Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 

Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 

Safety Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 

School News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 

Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 

PRSRT STD 

US POSTAGE 

PAID 

CLAYTON, CA 

PERMIT 190 

Photo courtesy of Save Mt. Diablo 

THE 165-ACRE VIERA FAMILY RANCH on Mt. Diablo’s North Peak has been purchased by Save Mt. Diablo for preservation as parkland. SMD will 

depend on private donations to fund the $800,000 needed to complete the acquisition, outlined in red in the photo. 

ANDRÉ GENSBURGER 

Clayton Pioneer 

Save Mount Diablo fulfilled 

a 38-year-old wish by purchasing 

the 165-acre Viera North 

Peak parcel, formerly known as 

the Viera Family Ranchland, on 

Sept. 4. 

Viera is located on the eastern 

slopes of North Peak and 

crossed by Perkins Canyon. 

The plot comes complete with 

two creeks that ultimately flow 

into Marsh Creek. 

“We’re moving quickly in 

spite of the state’s budget crisis,” 

said Ron Brown, executive 

director for Save Mount Diablo 

(SMD). 

The property is described as 

high elevation with views that 

stretch more than 200 miles. 

The selling price was $975,000. 

A down payment of $175,000 

came from the Mary 

Bowerman Fund, SMD’s cofounder 

and botanist. 

Redevelopment Agency reels under latest state grab 

TAMARA STEINER 


The state’s desperate grab 

of local tax monies to close 

their $26 billion budget gap will 

cost the city of Clayton over $2 

million this year, severely crip- 

pling the agency’s downtown 

revitalization plans. 

When the dust finally settled, 

the hit to the 

Redevelopment Agency was 

$1.9 million, with another 

$139,195 in property tax revenues 

“borrowed” from the 

general fund. The final number 

was nearly four times what was 

expected, says city staffer, 

Laura Hoffmeister. 

The RDA collects $3.35 

million in tax revenues and pays 

out $2.6 in debt service, leaving 

a little under $750,000 to spend 

Friends walk – and walk – for breast cancer awareness 

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer 

SUPPORTING FAMILY AND FRIENDS both living with and lost to breast cancer motivates 

Stephanie Zukowski, Jeanne Emry and Patty Foster to keep going while they train for 

their 60 mile, three-day walk in November. 

on economic development. 

The state seizure is 250 percent 

of that.. 

“This is outright theft,” says 

City Manager Gary Napper. 

“There is no constitutional 

basis for this seizure and no 

obligation to pay it back.” 

TAMARA STEINER 


This year, an estimated 

192,370 American women, 

roughly 1 in 8, will hear the 

dreaded diagnosis “you have 

breast cancer.” 

Of those, 40,170 women 

will die of the disease – leaving 

big holes in too many lives to 

count. 

In October, Breast Cancer 

Awareness Month, women and 

men will be walking and talking 

to increase awareness and raise 

money for breast cancer issues, 

especially the need for early 

detection. 

Breast cancer rates have 

been steadily declining since 

1999, even in the Bay Area – 

where the rate is among the 

highest in the world. But ask 

anyone who has seen cancer 

slam into a mother, sister, 

daughter or friend and they will 

tell you that, declining or not, 

To meet the obligation, the 

RDA will borrow $592,412 

from the Affordable Housing 

Fund in a one-time loan that 

must be repaid in five years. 

See Revenue, page 7 

it’s still too many. 

When she was 16, Jeanne 

Emry lost her mother to breast 

cancer. The loss still seems 

fresh for the 51-year-old 

Clayton woman. Every time the 

disease touches someone close 

to her, she feels the pain all over 

again. 

When a close friend was 

diagnosed in 2003, a desire to 

“do something” motivated 

Emry to sign up for the Susan 

G. Komen 3-Day Walk for 

Breast Cancer. She walked 60 

miles and raised $11,000 for 

research. She was hooked. 

“I cried when I crossed the 

finish line,” she recalls. “I just 

kept thinking, ‘Mom, I did it.’ ” 

This year, Emry will walk 

for the fifth time. She’ll be 

joined by Patty Foster of 

Clayton and Stephanie 

Zukowski of Concord. It will 

be the first 60-mile event for 

See Breast Cancer, page 12 

This amount, as well as the 

balance, needs to be paid by 

March 4. SMD plans a range of 

fundraising activities. 

“We are very excited about 

See Viera Ranch, page 13 

Rattlesnake 

bite seriously 

injures 

Clayton 

man 

JAY BEDECARRÉ 


The quick actions of a crew 

from Contra Costa Fire 

Protection District Engine 11 

probably saved the life of 84year-old 

Lowell Hoelmer after 

he was bitten by a large rattlesnake 

in his Herriman Court 

garage Sept. 1 in Clayton. 

Hoelmer’s wife, LaVon, is 

quick to credit the emergency 

See Snake Bite, page 6 

LOWELL HOELMER 

Tech Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 

Theatre Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 

Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 

Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Page 2 Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com September 25, 2009 

Clayton Resident 

& Broker Owner 

THIS AREA’S 

#1 REALTOR ® 

Assisting more buyers & 

sellers than anyone else* 

* Statistics based on Clayton closed transactions 

by listing/sales agent (1/08-12/08). 

Data by MaxEBRDI. 

Around Town 

‘Lemon Lady’ receives garden club award 

Mike Dunn/Clayton Pioneer 

ANNA CHAN, KGO-TV news anchor Dan Ashley and Maryanne 

Lucas, President of California Garden Clubs 

“Pops” goes the Plaza 

Jeff, Meredith, Marjorie and Cole Edmonston of Clayton joined 

the two thousand people who attended the California Symphony’s 

“Pops in the Plaza” on Sept. 12. Emceed by ABC-7 news anchor 

Dan Ashley, the California Symphony drew a record crowd to the 

concert Todos Santos concert. 

JUST LISTED 

170 Brandywine Place 

Peacock Creek – Bainbridge model with over 3,000 s.f. 

in a single-story offering over $200,000 in upgrades. 

www.170Brandywine.com 

1278 Shell Circle $459,000 

Chaparral Springs – 3BD/3BA town home in 

Oakhurst – golf course, community amenities galore. 

www.1278ShellCircle.com 

When Clayton’s Anna Chan, 

“The Lemon Lady,” made the 

blissful discovery that a short 

auto trip would lull little daughter 

Ava to sleep, she had no idea 

that those daily “nap” drives 

were about to change her world. 

While cruising through local 

neighborhoods, Chan could see 

tree after tree, loaded with 

unharvested fruit going to 

waste. One day, she and Ava 

stopped and asked the owner if 

she could take the fruit to the 

local food bank and an idea was 

born. Volunteers soon began 

helping. Chan formed a network 

with the farmers market 

NEW LISTING 

421 Diablo Creek Place $659,980 

Cardinet Trail/Diablo Creek – 3BD/3BA plus small 

office/craftsroom showplace! New decks & solar pool. 

www.DiabloCreekPlace.com 

1347 Shell Lane $399,000 

Chaparral Springs – 3BD/2.5BA town home is 

upgraded to please including kitchen & landscaped yard. 

www.1347ShellLane.com 

and several hundred community 

members to donate fruits and 

vegetables to the Food Bank on 

a regular basis. 

A partnership with the 

Salvation Army and Share has 

resulted in over $60,000 in fresh 

produce donations to local food 

charities. 

On Sept. 11, the California 

Garden Clubs, Inc., recognized 

Chan for her community service. 

For more information about 

Chan’s work or to find out how you 

can help, visit her blog at 

http://thelemonlady.blogspot.com 

-Mike Dunn 

Dana Hills Garage Sale biggest ever 

Dana Hills residents, Paul and Julie Mitchell pooled their goods with 

eight other families at the Dana Hills Garage Sale last weekend to 

benefit local stem cell transplant patient, Jessica Bucher. 

Last Saturday, more than 50 families participated in the annual 

Dana Hills Garage Sale. The event, organized by local Realtor 

Stephanie Lopez normally draws 25 or 30 families. 

“I don’t know if it’s the economy or what,” said Lopez, “but this 

one was the biggest ever.” 

The garage sale was an opportunity for the Mitchell family to raise 

money for Jessica Bucher, a Concord girl and family friend who 

recently underwent a stem cell transplant. The group of friends pooled 

their goods and will donate their proceeds of more than $1,000 to the 

Bucher family. For more information about Jessica or to donate, go to 

www.cotaforjessicaannb.com. 

NEW LISTING 

3104 Coyote Circle $325,000 

Diablo Ridge – Updated & private 2BD/2BA town 

home w/bedroom & deck views and two garages. 

www.3104CoyoteCircle.com 

785 Bloching Circle $598,000 

Regency Woods – 4BD/2.5BA and 2,011 s.f. with hiking 

& biking trails of Mt. Diablo out your door. 

www.785BlochingCircle.com 

Jamie Harlin and 

Matthew Pizzagoni wed 

Matthew Pizzagoni and Jamie Harlin exchanged vows in an 

evening ceremony at Marsh Creek Springs on July 30. 

Matthew has been a Clayton resident since birth and graduated 

from Clayton Valley High School. Jamie was born in Santa Barbara, 

and later moved to Pittsburg. She graduated from Berean Christian 

High School. 

Both are Diablo Valley College graduates and are employed by 

PF Chang’s in Walnut Creek. They live in Clayton. 

JAMIE HARLIN AND MATTHEW PIZZAGONI 

NEW PRICE 

1844 Yolanda Circle $629,000 

Silvercreek II – 4BD/2.5BA has 2,398 s.f., a sparkling 

pool, patio & master veranda with great views. 

www.YolandaCircle.com 

3564 Torino Way, Concord $599,980 

Ygnacio Hills – Premium lot 3BD plus master bedroom 

w/ retreat, 2.5 bath, pool and updated kitchen. 

www.TorinoWay.com 

PROUD 4TH YEAR 

SPONSORS OF CLAYTON 

OKTOBERFEST 

Stop by our booth 

and pose for a 

FREE commemorative 

photograph! 

DRE# 01122025

September 25, 2009 Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com Page 3 

Pioneer bridges the continents 

The Cark family recently visited Turkey and Cyprus and took the 

Pioneer along for company. 

The three-week trip included stops in Istanbul, Sakarya, Ankara, 

Nicosia, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Munich and Frankfurt. 

Pictured are Ike and Nadire (standing) with Melissa, 8, and 

Melinda, 4. In the background is the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge on 

the Bosphorous in Istanbul. This is the second bridge connecting 

Europe and Asia. 

OKTOBERFEST - SEPT. 26-27 

The sixth annual Clayton Oktoberfest 

offers a weekend of entertainment for the 

entire family. The event will be held 11 a.m.- 

8 p.m. Sept. 26 and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 27. 

Enjoy the continuous live music in the 

Biergarten by the fabulous Internationals, 

the Bavarian Dance performances by the 

Nature Friends Schuhplatters on Saturday, 

street performers, and arts and crafts show 

and a kids’ carnival. The carnival will also 

Around Town 

Upcoming Events 

open at 6 p.m. Friday. 

Of course, it wouldn’t be Oktoberfest 

without great German food and drink, 

Spalding Ashley opens home 

for Challenge Day fundraiser 


Spalding Ashley, Northgate student Kevin Chinn and Deborah Ashley 

at the Challenge Day fundraiser. 

With their usual generosity, Spalding Ashley and her husband 

Dan opened their home to 125 invited guests for a Taste for Change 

fundraiser for Northgate High School on Sept 19. 

Offering twenty one popular wineries and restaurant samplings to 

choose from including Prima, Bing Crosby’s Restaurants, Sterling 

Albert, Shadowbrook, and Alhambra Valley wineries to name just a 

few, the event raised money through silent auctions and sponsorships. 

Challenge Day founders Rich and Yvonne Dutra-St. John 

explained the function of Challenge Day to provide a safe outlet 

from bullying, violence and other forms of oppression. 

“We get to see miracles everyday,” Yvonne told the crowd. “We 

are all one big community.” The evening raised over $11,000. 

For more on Challenge Day visit the Website at www.challengeday.org. 

authentic Spaten beer and wine. 

Pre-sale carnival ride tickets offer a discount, 

at 25 tickets for $15. Purchase tickets 

until 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at La Veranda, 

Skipolini’s, Ed’s Mudville Grill, Hair by Jim 

and IMC in downtown Clayton as well as 

the Perfect Tan in the Safeway Shopping 

Center. 

For more information, call the Clayton Business 

and Community Association at 672-2272 or visit 

claytonoktoberfest.com. 

Canaries 

Parrotlets 

Cockatoos 

Budgies 

BIRD SEED SPECIALS 

Residential 

& Commercial 

Estimates 

FREE 

Nyjer Thistle - 20 lbs. $31. 99 

Small, Black Oil Sunflower Seed - 25 lbs. $19. 99 

Western Delight Value Mix - 40 lbs. $11. 99 

We have everything you need to attract 

wild birds to your back yard. 

Rodie’s coupon 

$ 5 OFF 

any large bag of any of 

these high quality dog 

or cat foods. 

With this coupon. Expires 10/15/09. P 

Questions Welcomed 

CALL TODAY: 

925-519-2013 

Shawn Nelson, owner 

Service 

Repairs 

Start-ups 

Inspections 

WE HAVE IN STOCK: 

Lorikeets 

Macaws 

Amazons 

Conures 

Bird grooming – 

first Saturday each month. 

Appointments or 

walk-ins welcome 

Quality cages for any bird 

at low, low prices 

Avoderm 

Blue Buffalo 

Breeders 

Choice 

Canidae 

Diamond 

Eagle Pack 

Eagle Holistic 

Select 

Evangers 

Felidae 

One Month of 

Residential Service 

thru the end 

of October 

FREE 

10% off 

any other service 

� Owner 

operated 

� Years of 

experience! 

C53 License #828134 

Eclectus 

Greys 

Finches 

Cockatiels 

Feed High Quality �� Feed Less �� Save Money �� Less Clean-up 

Instinct 

Merrick 

Natural Balance 

Natures 

Variety 

Nutro Natural 

Choice 

Nutro Max 

Prairie 

Solid Gold 

Wellness


The UPS Store 

Independently owned and operated 

We shred your past to 

protect your future. 

Stop by and try our new 

document shredding service. 

Notary, Packaging, Fax and Copy Services are available too! 

Celebrating 

35 years in 

business 

Store Hours 

M-F 8-7 

Sat 9-5 

The 

� Knives 

� Scissors 

� Mower Blades 

� Garden Tools 

� Chipper Blades 

� Planer Blades 

� Jointer Blades 

Encina / Clayton 

BICYCLE CENTERS 

SWAP 

MEET 

Located at 5411 

Clayton Rd., Clayton, CA 

www.encinabicyclecenters.com 

Clayton/Concord Location: 

Vineyard Shopping Center 

5100 Clayton Road 

Concord, CA 94523 

ph: 925-689-6245 

NOW OPEN 

Cutting Edge 

Knife Works 

Custom Sharpening Services 

Louie Galvin 


925 672-2723 

1030 Diablo St., Clayton 

Behind Cup O’Jo next to the Royal Rooster 

Swap Meet to 

be held Oct. 4, 

from 8:00 a.m. 

to 3:30 p.m. 

You may reserve 

your 12 x 12 space 

for $25. Hurry, 

space is Limited 

Hundreds of 

clearance items on 

sale from our 

warehouse! 

You can also take 

advantage of our 

full service shop. 

Free Hot Dog with 

purchase of any 

in shop item. 

For questions and reservations contact Clayton Bikes at 

925-672-2522 or email: Claytonbikes@yahoo.com 

FREE 

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For a limited time, you’ll receive a FREE balcony upgrade when you 

book an Oceanview stateroom. Or take advantage of FREE double 

upgrades on Alaska cruisetours! 

Clayton’s Trails and 

Landscape Committee 

stays on track 

VIRGINIA SIEGEL 

Special to the Pioneer 

Bill Vineyard, a longtime 

member of the Trails and 

Landscaping Committee (TLC), 

formally presented the 2008-’09 

annual report at the Sept. 1 City 

Council meeting. 

The report is a requirement 

of the Citizens’ Oversight 

Committee to the city’s 

Landscape Maintenance District, 

established in 2007 by Measure 

B. The report can be viewed at 

www.cityofclayton.org. 

The TLC is a volunteer group 

of Clayton residents who have 

the privilege of advising managers 

of the district as they 

implement the services allowed 

by Measure B. That includes 

semiannual trimming of all 

shrubs and weed cutting along 

major trails, firebreaks in open 

space, tree trimming, and trail 

and irrigation inspection and 

repairs. 

The district’s specialized irrigation 

vehicle allows staff to 

address irrigation leaks within 72 

hours, which was especially helpful 

this year considering the 

requirement to cut back use of 

landscape irrigation by 45 percent. 

Because of the required 

reduction, some of our thirstier 

landscaping, such as turf, was not 

watered. 

The TLC supported the priority 

water use plan for landscaping 

to stay within the requirements. 

The priorities are to maintain 

as many trees as possible, as 

they are the more expensive 

asset, while not watering lawns 

and allowing shrubs to stress. 

These last two are the easier and 

less costly items to replace. 

Things could be worse, but 

our district staff went the extra 

mile with well water, refurbishing 

the old abandoned well by the 

post office and adding a new 

pump to the one at the library, to 

help keep as much of our landscaping 

alive as possible. The 

wells cover the downtown and 

some Clayton Road landscaping 

near the library. 

The annual report includes a 

detailed budget for the landscape 

district. Residents of Clayton are 

strongly encouraged to view the 

information on the district’s 

budget. Measure B was approved 

by 83 percent of the voters in 

Clayton, and the TLC provides 

oversight for the tax dollars. 

It is important to note that 

the special tax revenues and the 

savings from the water cutbacks 

cannot be “stolen” by any entity, 

including the city’s General Fund 

or the state. 

While the services budgeted 

from Measure B do not include 

everybody’s wish list, they certainly 

have allowed for our city 

roadsides and open space to be 

maintained as best we can with 

the funds available and the water 

restrictions. With that in mind, it 

is good to see that the district is 

managed in a fiscally responsible 

manner – as demonstrated by the 

annual report. 

Volunteers are still the heart 

of any healthy city, and ours is no 

exception. A key highlight in this 

year’s report includes the establishment 

and implementation of 

an Adopt a Trail program. By the 

end of July, there were five trail 

segments adopted by volunteers 

for quarterly maintenance activities 

and three of these segments 

had financial donors. Another 

financial sponsor and volunteer 

group were in process. 

The annual funds raised by 

the Adopt a Trail program will be 

able to be used to supplement 

the financing of Measure B and 

be used specifically for trails. In 

these difficult economic times, 

the TLC’s Adopt-a-Trail program 

has been remarkably successful. 

The conclusion of the 

Citizens’ Oversight Committee is 

that the landscape district is efficient 

and well-managed, but this 

city’s trail system is outstanding. 

This is due to a combination of 

good management, the hearts of 

volunteers and effective civic 

partnerships. 

Another highlight of the district 

was the completion of a 

trails inventory and evaluation 

report that documented and prioritized 

trail maintenance and 

repair needs. From this report, 

two popular trails were identified 

and repaved by combining the 

project with planned street 

repaving projects. 

In October, the TLC will 

start to look at design plans for 

re-landscaping the median noses 

surrounding signal intersections 

in the city and other areas that 

were selectively allowed to die 

because of mandated water 

reductions. The recommendations 

will be for landscaping that 

is more suitable for the locations 

and conditions. They will consider 

appropriate areas and uses of 

decorative hardscape. 

The committee meets at least 

quarterly and encourages input 

from the community at meetings. 

The next meeting is 7 p.m. Nov. 

16. 

Virginia Siegel is the chairperson 

of the Trails and Landscape 

Committee. 

One of the major complaints 

when traveling internationally 

is the dreaded jet lag. It 

is the curse of modern jet travel, 

resulting in loss of working 

efficiency and vacation enjoyment 

– often for days after 

arrival. 

Jet lag happens when the 

body’s inner clock falls out of 

sync with daily cycles of light, 

meals and rest. The most common 

symptoms include tiredness 

during the day, disorientation, 

lack of concentration and 

motivation, inability to sleep at 

night, loss of appetite, irritability, 

dehydration and discomfort 

of legs and feet. It can take your 

body up to 24 hours to adjust 

for each time zone you cross in 

upgrades on Summer 2010 Alaska, Europe & Caribbean cruises! * 

Obituary 

Stan Abernathy 

1938 – 2009 

Stan Abernathy, 71, of 

Concord died peacefully on 

September 16. 

He was born July 10, 1938 

in Vallejo to Earl and Sophie 

Abernathy. A 1957 

graduate of Vallejo 

Senior High School, 

Mr. Abernathy 

was drafted into 

the Army during 

the Cuban crisis 

and received an 

Honorable 

Discharge. 

He and his 

wife Pat moved 

to Concord in 

1967. They 

developed a passion 

for traveling 

and boating, including 

day trips to the 

Delta, waterskiing and cruises 

to Mexico, the Caribbean, the 

East Coast, Panama Canal, 

Hawaii and Alaska. 

Mr. Abernathy retired after 

35 years with Foster & Kleiser 

and was a member of the 

Teamsters Union. In retirement, 

he discovered golf and 

enjoyed meeting with his good 

buddies at the Buchanan Golf 

Club. 

Mr. Abernathy was often 

found on the sidelines of his 

grandchildrens’ school 

and sporting events. 

He was also a 25year 

member of 

Walnut Creek 

Elks Lodge 

#1811. 

He was preceded 

in death 

by his parents 

and brothers, 

Darrell and 

Gary. 

A beloved 

husband, father 

and grandfather, 

Mr. Abernathy is survived 

by Pat, his best 

friend and wife of 45 years, 

daughters Leslie Linderman, 

and Danielle Bartolomei and 

three grandchildren. 

A Memorial Service will be 

held at 11 a.m. on Sept. 26 at 

Ouimet Brothers Chapel in 

Concord at 4125 Clayton Road, 

682-4242. 

Avoiding jet lag 

eases travel stress 

PEGGY BIDONDO 

TIME TO GO 

your travels. Most travelers 

experience at least a couple of 

these symptoms. 

To minimize the effects of 

jet lag, try changing your behavior 

before, during and after you 

travel. In the days before your 

flight, adjust your sleeping and 

eating times an hour or two 

toward your destination (east 

forward, west backward). 

Change your watch to your 

destination time zone as soon as 

you board your plane. Try to eat 

and sleep according to the time 

of your destination. Don’t drink 

alcohol or sugary, caffeinated 

beverages on your flight, but do 

drink plenty of fluids such as 

water and juices. 

Sleep as much as you can 

during a long flight, even if you 

don’t feel tired. Eight hours of 

cinema might sound tempting, 

but sleep will undoubtedly 

prove more rewarding. Use 

earplugs and eye shades to help 

you sleep. You’ll feel refreshed 

and ready to slip into a new time 

zone. 

Using a sleep medication 

such as Ambien or Lunesta can 

help, but on a trip less than five 

For reservations or 

information call 

(925) 672-9840 

Clayton Station Shopping Ctr. 

5439 Clayton Rd., Ste. F 

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See Jet Lag, page 9 

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Fares available as of 9/14/09 and are subject to change. Fares based on Emerald Princess 9/12/09, Diamond Princess 05/15/10, Cruisetour AB3 on Coral Princess 5/19/10 and Star Princess 5/12/10 saving only. Fares for other dates may vary. Fares apply to 

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shipboard credits. Fares quoted in U.S. dollar. Ask about our optional air add-on program. See the applicable Princess Cruise brochure or princess.com for terms, conditions and definitions that apply to all bookings. Please reference promotion code RGA.


P.O. Box 1246 

6200 Center Street, Suite H, Clayton, CA 94517 

TAMARA AND ROBERT STEINER, Publishers 

TAMARA STEINER, Editor 

ANDRÉ GENSBURGER, Reporter and Feature Writer 

PETE CRUZ, Graphic Design 

BEV BRITTON, Copy Editor 

JAY BEDECARRE, Sports 

BETH NEUDELL, Advertising Sales 

CHRISTINA SCARLOTT, Administrative Assistant 

We remember Jill Bedecarré - Her spirit is our muse 

PIONEER INFO 

CONTACT US 

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To place your classified ad over the 

phone, call the office at (925) 672- 

0500 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. 

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must be paid for in advance by credit 

card (Master Card or Visa) 

$ 10 off 

OILL 

CCHHAANGGE 

Clayton Valley 

Shell. May not be 

combined with 

other offers. 

Expires 10/10/09 

Free shuttle service 

for major repairs 

Our professionals are here to serve you: 

We will not accept any ad that discriminates 

on the basis of race, color, 

sex, religion, nationality, family status 

or disability. The Clayton Pioneer 

reserves the right to reject any advertising 

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LET US KNOW 

Weddings, engagements, anniversaries, 

births and deaths all weave 

together as part of the fabric of our 

community. Please let us know of 

these important events. We ask only 

that the announcement be for a 

Clayton resident. You will find the 

appropriate form for your announcement 

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can also mail or bring your print to the 

office and we can scan it for you. 

Also on our Web site are forms 

for submitting Community Calendar 

items and press releases for your 

organization. 

LETTERS TO 

THE EDITOR 

The Clayton Pioneer welcomes 

letters from our readers. As a general 

rule, letters should be 300 words or 

less and submitted at least one week 

prior to publication date. Letters concerning 

current issues will have priority. 

We may edit letters for length and 

clarity. All letters will be published at 

the editor’s discretion. 

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E-mail your letter in a Word 

document to tamara@claytonpioneer.com. 

Letters MUST be submitted 

via E-mail. 

Clayton Va ley She l 

BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIAL 

FREE 

CHECK ENGINE 

LIGHT 

CHECK 

Pull codes only. $57 value 



combined with 

other offers. 


Official Smog Check 

and Repair Station 

Mechanical repairs and computer diagnostics including 30K, 60K, 90K factory maintenance 

on all European, Imported and domestic vehicles. 

Corner of Clayton Road and Kirker Pass Road � 925 672-3900 

6096 Main Street, Clayton, 673-0440 

10 off 

$ SSMMOOG 

All entertainment from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. 

Sept. 25, 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Relyks 

Oct. 2, 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bollinger Station 

Karaoke Wed. nights �� Open Mic Thurs. nights 

IINNSPPECCTTIOON 

www.claytonclubsaloon.com 

2 for the price of 1 

Beer only. Good anytime with original coupon. Exp. 10/10/09 

Cruise Adventures Unlimited 

Serving all 

cruise lines 

since 1987 

Planning a group vacation 

next year? 

Family Reunions �� Graduations 

Retirement Parties �� Birthdays 

Special Anniversaries 

Friends and Family Get Togethers 

2010 Alaska, Europe, Caribbean, 

Panama Canal and Mexico are now 

available for booking 

CST 2074362-40 

(925) 935-7447 

1610 Locust St., Walnut Creek 

www.cruiseadventuresunlimited.com 

The Pioneer - 

- It’s your 

paper! 



combined with 

other offers. 


Please call us to discuss 

group discounts. 

Owners Valerie O’Connell 

(Clayton resident, 30 years) 

& daughter Colleen O’Connell 

Classified 

DONATIONS NEEDED 

Clayton YMCA 

The Y is seeking donations of supplies 

and items for use in the summer 

day camps and the after-school 

programs. Please call Jennifer Beck 

at (925) 692-2364 if you have 

books for all ages, old movies (PG 

and G rated), all types of board and 

interactive games and anything else 

that would be appropriate for kids. 

FOR SALE 

Washer/Electric Dryer 

Kenmore matching set. Color 

Bisque. 4 years old. Excellent 

Condition. $750 Cash Only. (925) 

426-3308 

SERVICES 

Senior Assistance 

Seniors About Town - Local mom 

providing assistance to Seniors. 

Help around the home, driving to 

appointments and activities and 

companionship. Starting at 

$15.00/hr, References available. 

Terri Gerow (925)330-5090. 

Computer 

Need help with you PC? I can troubleshoot, 

repair, or upgrade your 

current computer. In-home tutoring, 

wireless networks, virus/spyware 

checks. Clayton resident. (925) 

206-9704. 

HELP WANTED 

Survey Takers 

Door to Door for Home 

Improvement Company. $15 per 

hour. Work in the Clayton area. 

Call Dave at (925) 580-8609 

Real Estate Agents 

Be Successful! Lynne French is 

expanding and interviewing for a 

few agents. Call her today (925) 

672-8787. 

RENTALS 

South Lake Tahoe 

Vacation Rental 

Great location, sleeps 6 to 8 

comfortably. Pictures and home 

details can be found at 

www.tahoehansenhouse.com. Still 

have questions, call Debbie Hansen 

at (925) 766-8961 

Directory of Advertisers 

Auto 

Clayton Valley Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3900 

Mike's Auto Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-1739 

Nemesis Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .521-1001 

Construction and Trades 

Belfast Plumbing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .457-5423 

Burkin Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212-3339 

Michael Dwyer & Sons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3980 

Olde World Mill & Cabinets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .915-0822 

Outback Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-1244 

S&K Nellis Painting, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .687-2233 

Smith & Bernal Roofing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0138 

Tipperary Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-2679 

Dentist 

Children's Dentistry of Walnut Creek . . . . . . . . . .938-2392 

Jason Renner, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-2800 

Richard Rissel, D.M.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-2800 

Dining and Entertainment 

Clayton Club Saloon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-0440 

Diablo Light Opera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .944-1565 

La Veranda .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0011 

Willows Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .957-2500 

Educational Services 

Katherine Palau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 510-207-7467 

Financial and Insurance Services 

Benton, Mureleen - Ameriprise Financial . . . . . .685-4523 

CD Federal Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .825-0900 

Doug Van Wyck - State Farm Insurance . . . . . . .672-2300 

Ferrante Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .674-1755 

Richard Littorno - Attorney at Law . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6463 

Fitness 

Snap Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-0110 

Traveling Trainers for Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .890-6931 

Funerals 

Ouimet Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4242 

Home and Garden 

Abbey Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-9901 

Blue Water Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .519-2013 

Clear Splash Pool Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-6245 

Floors to Go Danville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .820-8700 

Just Floors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .681-4747 

Keenan Heinz Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .288-0159 

Nichols Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9955 

Pans on Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .600-7267 

Sparkle Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-5025 

The Cutting Edge Knife Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2723 

Utopic Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0055 

Mailing and Shipping 

The UPS Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6245 

Personal Products and Services 

Roberta Claire Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .625-1123 

The Makeup Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .408-8010 

Pet Services 

Aussie Pet Mobile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-738-6624 

Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1100 

O’Brien Family Pet Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .899-7354 

Rodie’s Feed and Country Store . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4600 

Real Estate and Mortgage Services 

Flannery, Patty - Diablo Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0541 

French, Lynne - Windermere Real Estate . . . . . .672-8787 

Kavanaugh, Mike - RE/MAX Accord . . . . . . . . . .383-6102 

Laurence, Pete - RE/MAX Realty . . . . . . . . . . . .937-0150 

Lopez, Stephanie - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . .932-7329 

Morucci, Kim - Intero Real Estate Services . . . . .280-8563 

Rahimzadeh, Helen -Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . .932-7375 

Vujnovich, George - Better Homes Realty . . . . .672-4433 

Recreation 

Clayton Bicycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2522 

Clayton Valley Bowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-4631 

Oakhurst Country Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9737 

Senior Services 

Aegis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .692-5853 

Diamond Terrace Senior Retirement Living . . . . .524-5100 

Services, Other 

Appliance Repairs by Bruce, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2700 

Comcast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-877-634-4434 

Computers USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9989 

Recycling Center & Transfer Station . . . . . . . . . .473-0180 

Shopping 

Donna’s Quilting Loft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0401 

Pacific Coast Farmers Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .825-9090 

The Royal Rooster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2025 

Travel 

Cruise Adventures Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .935-7447 

Travel to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9840


Snake Bite, from page 1 FEMA stats show 

crew’s care at their house and in 

getting her husband to John Muir 

Medical Center in Walnut Creek, 

where he was given anti-venom 

Inspired Real 

Estate Service 

Stephanie Lopez 

serum. Weeks later, he is resting 

at home while still experiencing 

issues with blood coagulation. 

“We celebrated our 59th wed- 

1015 San Carlos Drive 

Beautifully updated 3 bedroom 2 bath 

home – Call for details! 

Thank you 

Dana Hills neighbors 

This year’s Annual Garage Sale Event 

was the LARGEST EVER!!! 

925.932.7329 

For more listings and Real Estate Alerts, go to 

www.MyDynamicRealtors.com 

RCFE #075600935 

50 Participating Homes! 

We look forward to Next Year’s Event! 

ding anniversary in August and if 

it hadn’t been for the work of the 

emergency crew, I don’t know if 

we’d be able to look forward to 

our 60th,” says LaVon, a retired 

nurse. 

The Hoelmers moved from 

Minnesota to Concord in 1963 

and bought their Clayton home 

10 years later. Lowell was a sheet 

metal worker and still carries 

medical coverage through his 

union. 

Herriman Court is a quiet cul 

de sac of nine single-story, ranchstyle 

homes off Mitchell Canyon 

Road. The court has the last 

homes on the west side of 

Mitchell Canyon. Immediately 

past the court is an agricultural 

soil trial growth area and then the 

entrance to the Cemex Clayton 

Aggregate quarry. 

The 1st of September was a 

hot day with temperatures in the 

90s. As they often do, the 

Hoelmers were going to open 

their garage door to help cool the 

house about 9:30 p.m. They have 

a screen door between the garage 

and the interior of their house. 

“Lowell flipped on the light and 

took a step down into the garage. 

He let out a yell and we saw a 

large snake by the step,” says 

LaVon. “It freaked me out.” 

“He stepped back into the 

house, saying he felt a little 

woozy. At first, we didn’t realize 

he had been bitten. I called 911 

and then a neighbor,” she relates. 

“The bite immediately affected 

Lowell. Our neighbor elevated 

his leg, waiting for the emergency 

workers to arrive. By the time 

they got there, Lowell was having 

trouble breathing, his eyes were 

rolled back, he couldn’t swallow 

and his leg was swollen.” 

Lowell was wearing moccasins 

and had been bitten on his 

left ankle. Fire Capt./paramedic 

Noel Luiz, fire engineer Ken 

Robb and firefighter/paramedic 

Brian DaValle responded to the 

911 call. They assessed that their 

patient was “in shock, had an elevated 

heart rate, low blood pres- 

Áegis of Concord invites you to 

“Pups & Pages”! 

Join us for our “Meet The Author” program 

sponsored by BookLockerBooks.com. 

Sunday, September 27th 

12:00 p.m - 2:00 p.m. 

In attendance will be four notable authors available for book signings 

and a question and answer period. 

The authors: 

Annette Langer, Len Harris and special Mystery Authors 

BookLockerBooks.com will be donating $1 per book sold, to the 

Animal Rescue Foundation(ARF). They will also be accepting canned food 

donations for our furry friends and donating a book for our resident library. 

Refreshments will be served. 

Please RSVP to Kelly Ferro, Marketing Director at (925) 692-5838. 

Áegis of Concord 

4756 Clayton Road 

Concord, CA 94521 

(925) 692-5838 

AegisofConcord.com 

sure and was pale, cool and 

diaphoretic.” 

After Lowell was taken to 

John Muir, it was two hours 

before he was given the antivenom 

serum. The incident happened 

on a Tuesday evening and 

he was released that Friday. 

LaVon went around to all her 

neighbors, telling them what happened. 

Seven of the eight neighbors 

told her they have killed rattlesnakes 

on their property. One 

found a rattler that had come into 

their house through an open 

door. 

The snake in the Hoelmers’ 

garage was described as four to 

five feet in length with a significant 

girth. The emergency crew 

chopped off its head. LaVon 

Hoelmer was cautioned to be 

careful when she cleaned up the 

blood in the garage since it could 

still have venom in it. The smell 

of the dead snake in the hot 

weather was so bad that Waste 

Management agreed to make a 

special pickup to remove the carcass. 

The crew at Fire Station 11 

says they respond to many calls 

about rattlesnakes, but treating 

humans with a snake bite is a rarity. 

Last year, a young girl was bitten 

as she played outside her 

Dana Hills home. 

Dan Barrett, deputy director 

of Contra Costa Animal Services 

in Martinez, said they are not 

apprised of many snake bites on 

humans. Snakes biting dog and 

dogs biting people are much bigger 

problems. “I think you’ll find 

that vets’ reports of snake bites 

on domestic animals are greater 

than incidents with humans. 

People would be surprised how 

many serious bites on humans 

there are with uncontrolled and 

unsocialized dogs that require 

emergency treatment.” 

Barrett added that the spring 

(March-April) and early fall 

(September-October) are the 

main months for rattlesnake 

sightings. “We get calls every 

month about rattlesnakes, but 

typically there’s a significant 

increase when the temperature 

changes.” 

He cites Clayton, Pittsburg 

and Hercules as cities backing up 

to open space with the most rattlesnakes. 

“We hear from every 

city within the county about 

snakes.” 

In the past week officials 

from Mt. Diablo Soccer 

Association reported that rattlesnakes 

were spotted on a field 

at Clayton Community Park next 

to Diablo View Middle School 

and in the restroom at 

Boatwright Sports Complex adjacent 

to Cal State East Bay 

Concord campus off Pine 

Hollow Rd. 

Mayor, from page 1 

Redevelopment Agency (as economic 

development promotion 

of our Town Center), the 

Clayton Business and 

Community Association and a 

contribution from our refuse 

and recycling collector, Allied 

Waste Services. 

Since the state plans to steal 

all of the city’s available redevelopment 

funds this year and 

next, we are grateful for your 

generous donations toward next 

year’s concert series. Your donations, 

totaling more than $7,000 

so far, are held in a dedicated 

fund that can only be used for 

the concerts next year and cannot 

be stolen by the state! 

It’s not too late to send a taxdeductible 

donation to next 

year’s series. Just send a check to 

“City of Clayton” and write 

“Concert Series” on the memo 

line. I’ll send you a personal 

thank you to document your 

donation. 

Councilman Howard Geller 

volunteered again this year as 

our concert promoter, selecting 

and booking the bands and 

serving as overall organizer. Jim 

Diaz, Dan DeSousa, Jim 

Lawrence, Mike Williams and 

Mike Fossan managed logistics. 

Americans are not 

prepared for disaster 

HERB YONGE 

SAFETY ZONE 

Last month, FEMA released 

a report from the 2009 Citizen 

Corps National Survey that provides 

important information 

related to preparedness and 

community safety. 

The survey indicated that 30 

percent of Americans are not 

prepared for a disaster because 

they believe that emergency 

responders will help them. Sixty 

percent expect to rely on emergency 

responders in the first 72 

hours following a disaster, while 

49 percent believe neighbors 

will help them. 

When we have a major disaster 

in the Bay Area that affects 

Clayton, we could be cut off 

from the first responders for a 

week or more. Can the personnel 

at the fire station handle all 

of our needs at the time of disaster? 

Probably not. Will the 

EMTs be able to enter Clayton 

via Clayton Road or Oakhurst? 

Maybe not. 

Only 41 percent of the survey 

participants had practiced a 

workplace evacuation drill and 

14 percent had participated in a 

home evacuation drill. Of those 

in school and or with children in 

school, 23 percent had participated 

in a school evacuation 

drill. In Clayton our children are 

trained in emergency evacuation, 

but how about at home? 

Do you have an evacuation 

plan? Have you practiced your 

plan with your family? Where is 

your meeting place during or 

after a disaster? 

As to having the necessary 

emergency supplies; i.e. water, 

food, flashlight, batteries, etc., 

56 percent have an appropriate 

cache. Thirty-five percent have 

supplies in their cars and 46 percent 

have supplies in their work- 

Don Stone and his sound crew 

made sure we could all hear the 

great music. 

City staff members Laci 

Jackson and Laura Hoffmeister 

took care of the administrative 

details. As your mayor, I was 

head cheerleader and enthusiastic 

donation collector – also 

doubling as restocking staff for 

the restrooms. The great volunteers 

from Diablo Valley Ranch 

pitched in every concert with 

set-up and clean-up. 

I’d specially like to thank all 

of you who came and enjoyed 

the concerts. What a great town 

we have! 

Last week, we passed out 

surveys to those at the concert 

asking what we can do to 

improve the series for next year. 

In case you missed the final concert 

or didn’t get a chance to fill 

out the survey, it’s posted on our 

Website at www.ci.clayton.ca.us. 

We’d love to have your feedback 

on many aspects of the series. 

Some of our questions on 

the survey are: 

� Did you attend any of the 10 

concerts this year? How 

many? 

� Are Saturday evenings the 

best time? 

place. It was encouraging to 

read that 72 percent of the survey 

participants have their 

financial records in a safe place. 

Forty-four percent have 

household emergency plans in 

place, but only 23 percent have 

given time within the last 12 

months to support emergency 

responder organizations. Just 13 

percent have attended 

Community Emergency 

Response Team (CERT) training. 

In Clayton, we have only 141 

people trained. Of our Clayton 

population over the age of 16, I 

am sure we are less than 13 percent. 

Our goal is to have all 

Clayton residents prepared for a 

disaster. 

Too few people have the necessary 

training to know what to 

do in a disaster. Here are some 

things to consider: 

� Do you have your emergency 

supplies? 

� Do you have evacuation plans 

and knowledge of community 

emergency procedures? 

� Do you have drills to practice 

your emergency preparedness 

skills? 

You should be commended if 

you are prepared for a disaster 

where we are cut off for 7-10 

days, have your evacuation plans 

in place and feel confident in 

handling your family’s immediate 

first aid needs. If not, I strongly 

recommend you enroll in a 

CERT training session. 

Our six-week program begins 

6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 

Endeavor Hall. These classes 

address emergency preparedness, 

including recommended household 

supplies, fire suppression, 

light search and rescue and disaster 

psychology. 

To enroll in the CERT class, 

call 673-7355 and leave a message. 

Or visit 

www.claytoncert.org. 

For more on the FEMA 

report, go to www.citizenscorps.gov/ready/2009findings.shtm. 

Herb Yonge is a volunteer with 

the Clayton Police Department and a 

member of the city of Clayton 

Citizen Corps Council, CERT 

team. Contact him at 673-7355 or 

at hlyonge@att.net. 

� Would another day or time 

be better? 

� Do you like the variety of 

music? Would you like a different 

blend? 

� What was your favorite/least 

favorite concert? Why? 

� How was the volume? 

� Would you attend a special 

concert on the 4th of July? 

Best time? 

� Did you patronize any of 

our restaurants/downtown 

businesses for food or beverages? 

Why/why not? 

� Would you like to have food 

or beverage sales booths in 

The Grove during concerts? 

� Should we restrict how early 

people can “reserve” space 

with blankets and chairs? 

� Did you donate to the 

Concert Fund collections 

this year? 

� Would you be willing to volunteer 

to help the Concert 

Crew next year? 

� Do you have any suggestions 

for next year? 

Please help us plan for next 

year’s concerts by responding to 

the survey by Oct. 10. Your 

feedback will help us improve 

the series for next year. 

As always, you can contact me at 

Julie_Pierce@comcast.net. Let me 

know what you think.

September 25, 2009 Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com Page 7 

Don’t take the eyes for granted – 

they can leave you in the dark 

Eyes are reportedly the windows 

to the soul, although 

depending on who the owner of 

the eyes may be, the soul may not 

be particularly deep. 

More importantly, the eyes are 

a marvelous creation: small and 

compact, flexible and able to 

coordinate with its twin with 

impeccable precision – well most 

of the time. 

I had 20-20 vision until I was 

in my mid-30s, a point I often 

touted with pride to those less 

ocularly enabled. Computer 

work, writing and television have 

made short work of this perfection 

to the point that without 

glasses, I will never see the wrinkles 

on your face, let alone be 

able to look into your soul. 

Computer monitors, in particular, 

with moving photons forever 

shifting the eyes ability to 

focus, ultimately weakened the 

eye-brain ability to remain 

focused. That old motherly nag to 

not sit so close to the television 

was not without merit. 

I received a good lesson in eye 

safety recently when my left eye- 

LYNNE FRENCH 

REAL ESTATE 

For your protection, in any real 

estate transaction, you should pull 

a title report for the property. 

Title defects aren’t common, but 

when they occur, the consequences 

can be disastrous. One 

seller found out to his surprise that 

there was a “cloud” (title defect) 

affecting title to his property. The 

title search on his property 

showed that a deed had been 

recorded transferring title from 

the previous owner to himself. 

But, that deed was signed by only 

one of two owners. Due to an 

oversight, the wife’s signature was- 

ball turned Terminator red with a 

clear abrasion that resembled the 

shape of Florida. Being an allergy 

sufferer I am used to red eyes, so 

thought nothing of it until later in 

the day when the pain set in and 

the redness intensified. 

My ophthalmologist identified 

an abrasion of the conjunctiva 

from unknown cause. A cut was 

present, large enough that it had 

already started to scab over and, 

of course, had some infection. 

For this, there is no shortage of 

medications – from anti-inflammatory 

eyes drops to an antibiotic 

ointment applied twice daily. 

What I learned sitting at the 

ophthalmologist’s office and 

reading the charts on the wall is 

just how complicated a mechanism 

the eyeball is, let alone the 

brain power required to coordinate 

the movement of both and 

adjusting for focal length and 

aperture of the iris. 

Think about it – you move 

your focus from the car in front 

of you and, with precision, focus 

on the rear-view mirror and the 

car approaching you from behind. 

n’t on the deed. This meant that 

the wife could still make a claim to 

the property. In effect, she was still 

in title as an owner because she 

hadn’t transferred her interest in 

the property. 

Your real estate purchase contract 

should include a clause that 

requires the sellers to provide you 

with good title to the property at 

closing. If the sellers are unable to 

do this, you should be able to 

withdraw from the contract without 

penalty. In the example above, 

the buyer’s title insurance company 

was able to track down the 

wife’s heirs and get the signatures 

necessary to remove the cloud on 

title. The defect in the title report 

was corrected and the sale went 

through. 

Most buyers take out a mortgage 

when they purchase a home. 

But, before a lender will issue a 

mortgage, there will need to be 

evidence that the buyers will 

Revenue, from page 1 

The remaining $1,372,644 

will come from accumulated 

capital improvement funds. 

The diversion comes despite 

a court decision in April ruling 

local redevelopment agency revenues 

off limits to state seizure. 

“The odds are good that the 

courts will again find this illegal,” 

said a disgruntled Mayor 

Julie Pierce. “But it won’t mat- 

All the while you are aware of 

movement as your peripheral 

vision sends information to your 

brain that not only rights what is 

an upside down image on your 

retinal wall, but adjusts for your 

own eye and head movements. 

If you think that is easy, 

close one eye, look at a wall and 

move your head from left to 

right. Normally you will not see 

the wall moving as your brain 

adjusts for the fact that the wall 

is still and your eyes/head are 

moving. With one eye only, it is 

more apparent that the wall 

moves in the opposite direction. 

Seeing is not always believing, 

however, as your brain can 

misinterpret information from 

your eyes. Losing your keys that 

wind up right in front of you is 

one example. 

Your brain processes so 

much visual information that it 

often acts as editor. A classic 

example is how your brain can 

fill in missing letters in a sentence 

to create comprehension. 

And magicians’ sleight of hand 

is really an optical illusion 


DEAL WITH IT 

designed to confuse the brain. 

Eyes are comprised of 2 million 

working parts and you blink 

approximately 10,000 times a 

day. The eyeball weighs about an 

ounce and never grows. A survey 

found that only about 54 

percent of the public have had a 

comprehensive eye examination, 

mostly due to a lack of 

perceived problems. 

My eye injury is in the process 

of repair and thankfully so; I use 

my eyes quite a lot in my line of 

work and the thought of losing 

my sight is a disturbing one. It’s 

bad enough that the reading glasses 

keep getting stronger prescriptions, 

but at least I can read well 

so I can still deal with it. 

André Gensburger is a staff 

reporter and feature writer for the 

Pioneer. His email address is 

andre@claytonpioneer.com 

Forecast is for partly cloudy title 

ter. The state will find another 

way to get their money.” 

In addition to the $1.9 million 

in redevelopment funds, the state 

will divert $139,195 from property 

tax revenues in a loan that 

must be paid back in three years. 

“The state is falling into 

bankruptcy and they are just 

grabbing at everything on the 

way down,” says Napper. 

receive good title to the property. 

Also, the lender will require that a 

title insurance policy be purchased, 

usually at the buyer’s 

expense, guaranteeing the lender’s 

interest in the property. Title 

insurance is paid for on a onetime-only 

basis. It is not transferable 

from one party to another. 

A lender’s policy of title insurance 

won’t protect the buyers’ 

interest. But, buyers can get title 

insurance for their own protection. 

Even if you’re paying all cash 

for a property, and won’t need a 

mortgage, it’s wise to obtain a title 

insurance policy to protect yourself. 

Title insurance for the buyer 

can be paid for by either the buyer 

or seller. Around here the buyer 

usually pays. The cost is based on 

the purchase price: the higher the 

price, the higher the title insurance 

premium. 

Before issuing a policy of title 

insurance, title examiners search 

the public records for records that 

affect the property in question: 

such as liens, judgements and 

easements. An easement grants 

the right to use another’s property 

for a specific purpose. With the 

great run of home building as 

occurred a couple of years ago, be 

especially mindful of liens that 

have been placed on the property 

due to a builder filing bankruptcy 

– such homes are on the market. 

If a title defect is discovered 

during the course of a title search, 

the company insuring title will 

exclude this defect from its cover- 

Buying or Selling? 

age. But, if the title examiner 

makes a mistake and misses a 

defect, the buyer is protected by 

the title insurance policy. 

For example, a buyer’s title 

examiner discovered that there 

was an underground storm drain 

on the property that passed 

underneath a corner of the house. 

This was listed as an exception 

from coverage on the buyer’s policy 

of title insurance. The seller 

was protected by a title insurance 

policy that he purchased when he 

bought the house. The seller’s title 

insurance company had not disclosed 

the existence of the underground 

drain and the drain wasn’t 

excluded from the seller’s title 

insurance coverage. The seller 

contacted his title insurance company 

and made a claim. The seller’s 

title insurance company 

missed the unrecorded easement 

for the storm drain so they paid 

the claim. 

Make sure you understand the 

kind of title insurance you’re buying. 

There are several kinds available. 

If you have a question about 

anything in your title search, ask 

your title insurer for an explanation 

and see it through to the 

close. 

Lynne French is the 

Broker/Owner of Windermere 

Lynne French & Associates and a 

Clayton resident. Send your real estate 

questions to Lynne@lynnefrench.com. 

Call (925) 672-8787, or stop in at 

6200 Center Street in Clayton. 

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At the start of the school 

year, students noticed a new 

addition to the Clayton Valley 

High School campus. This 

summer, school officials put a 

huge black fence around the 

perimeter of the campus to 

“keep intruders and vandals 

out.” 

There has been much controversy 

over the fence and its 

true intent. I understand that 

our district relies on funding 

gained by students attending 

class, but is the school spending 

money to try to earn 

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money by confining students 

on campus? If students really 

want to ditch school, the fence 

isn’t much of a deterrent. Plus, 

students who attended class 

off and on may now decide to 

avoid school altogether. 

I talked to some students 

about the fence, and my peers 

all seemed to feel that our 

school has a prison-like atmosphere. 

“I believe that this fence 

that was meant to ‘protect’ us 

was a complete waste of 

money and resources,” said 

sophomore Joanna Fan. “I feel 

that Clayton Valley focuses 

more on trying to keep the students 

who don’t care about 

their education from leaving 

school and dropping out than 

focusing on inspiring and 

helping the more driven students 

at the school succeed. 

They really should have a balanced 

focus, but, unfortunately, 

this is not the case.” 

Junior Chase Johnson said 

the money wasn’t well-spent 

on a fence. “It would be much 

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Students question value of new fence at CVHS 

SARAH ROSEN 

STUDENT REPORTER 

Pittsburg Office: 

2211 Railroad Ave. 

Pittsburg, CA 94565 

Phone: (925) 432-4211 

Fax: (925) 432-3516 

Since 1979 

more beneficial if put into our 

sports programs.” 

Not only is the fence 

locked right after school starts, 

but CV employs a campus 

supervisor to “guard” the gate 

all day. Supervisors have a list 

with the names of students 

with an open fifth or sixth 

period to monitor that the students 

leaving campus truly 

have an open period. Wouldn’t 

CV benefit more from having 

this supervisor patrol the campus, 

stopping fights or kids 

Diablo View Middle School held its Second 

Annual Welcome Back to School Picnic on Friday, 

Sept. 11 to welcome the students and families to 

smoking? I have seen bigger 

problems than kids taking a 

“fried chicken run” off-campus. 

Recently, my mom came to 

school to give me a pizza as my 

birthday lunch. She saw the 

supervisor “guarding” the 

gate, so she joked with me, 

“Sweetie, I’ve hidden a nail file 

under the pizza. You can try to 

break free later!” This goes to 

show that the prison-like 

atmosphere is not only noticed 

by students. 

I understand that the funds 

used for the fence were slated 

for campus improvements. But 

in addition to all the cuts made 

last year to sports teams, 

teachers and classes, we have 

two unusable bathrooms, no 

theater and antiquated science 

labs. This is one purchase that 

I will never understand. 

Sarah Rosen is a sophomore at 

CVHS. Email her at 

sarah_rosen@claytonpioneer.com. 

Music camp a bonding 

experience for Clayton teens 

SARAH ROSEN 


In August, Clayton teens 

united with teens from all over 

the West Coast for a week of 

music-making, inspiration and 

bonding. Set on Alpine Lake, 

the Bear Valley Young 

Musicians Camp offers an 

unforgettable experience for 30 

musically inclined teens. 

This year’s theme for the 

camp, “Music Island,” split the 

tents into “tribes.” The four 

tribes competed to be named 

the “Most Supremely 

Bodacious Tribe.” The tribe 

worthy of this honor was the 

Tortouga tribe, consisting of 

seven “bodacious” campers 

and one counselor. Four out of 

the seven attend Clayton 

Valley High School, and counselor 

Darcy Smith is a CV 

alumni. Joanna Fan, Heather 

Raymond, Maggie Keenan and 

Sarah Rosen are part of the 

CVHS music program under 

the musical direction of 

Mundy Viar. 

The bond that the campers 

THE TORTUGAS SHOW OFF THEIR “MOST SUPREMELY BODACIOUS 

TRIBE” TROPHY WON AT THE BEAR VALLEY YOUNG MUSICIANS CAMP. 

Top row: Rebecca Streitz, Darcy Smith, Maggie Keenan, Kristin 

Butler and Cassidy Garrett. Bottom row: Heather Raymond, 

Sarah Rosen and Joanna Fan. 

build each year is extraordinary. 

“BVYMC is one of the most 

indescribable events you could 

ever experience,” says Fan. “To 

put the week of Bear Valley into 

words would be like explaining 

the meaning of life – it’s impossible.” 

DVMS picnic welcomes students back to school 

Photo: Mike Dunn/Clayton Pioneer 

a new school year with fun, food, and entertainment. 

The warm evening was filled with families 

enjoying the food, the company, and mountain 

scenery. Kids were running, playing, and having 

fun while the jazz band played several tunes, led 

by band instructor, Mr. Kaiser. The songs went 

perfectly with the atmosphere. 

Lines for fresh BBQ snaked through the campus. 

Families, happy and content munched in the 

school’s amphitheatre, enjoying the entertainment. 

To the audience’s delight, Drama Mama performers, 

sang numbers from their recent production 

of “Suessical”, and families gathered around 

getting their fill of delicious BBQ; including Tritip, 

chicken and all the fix-ins. 

Robbie Parker 

DVMS Student Reporter


Music foundation hopes to 

rescue music programs axed 

in last round of budget cuts 



The fledgling Mt. Diablo 

Music Education Foundation 

must raise $500,000 by February 

to save 5th grade instrumental 

music and restore 4th grade 

instrumental music lost to last 

spring’s budget cuts. 

Gary Coartney, one of the 

principals for the foundation’s 

push, knows that time is not an 

ally. “I ask every teacher to get 

this information to all of your 

parents and site administrators,” 

he said. “I ask the parent and 

community members to please 

ask people whom you know to 

become apart of this all-important 

effort. We have to mobilize 

now. Inaction will surely mean 

the end of music education as 

we currently know it.” 

Known for his dedication to 

students and drive in getting a 

decent music education program 

at Concord High School, 

Coartney has also seen the fruits 

of his labor in competition wins 

for his groups. The school’s Jazz 

Ensemble beat out 20 top high 

school bands at the Heritage 

Music Festival in Seattle last 

April. 

“There is great value in this 

current educational model, and 

the students reap the rewards of 

a quality music education,” 

Coartney said. “I’m not teaching 

music – I’m teaching life skills 

through music.” 

MDMEF committee member 

Lauren Sinz says the situation 

is dire. “Fourth grade music 

is cut. It’s out. Fifth is next, 

depending on cuts, and that is 

pretty imminent,” she said. “It’s 

Jet Lag, from page 4 

hours long, it may make you feel 

worse when you land. 

If possible, book a flight 

that arrives in the late afternoon. 

After you land, get out in 

the sunlight or bright light as 

much as possible. Stay up until 

10 p.m. local time. If you land 

earlier in the day, nap in the 

early afternoon – but not for 

more than two hours. Try to 

adopt a normal meal schedule as 

soon as you arrive. 

You may have heard that 

melatonin supplements can 

ward off jet lag, but many physicians 

do not recommend them. 

Melatonin is sometimes called 

“the hormone of darkness” 

because it is naturally produced 

in your brain at night. It helps 

control your body’s schedule for 

sleeping and waking. Despite 

the publicity, much remains 

unknown about melatonin and 

its effects on your body – especially 

when used with other 

medications. 

A recent article in Good 

Housekeeping mentioned a new 

remedy: pine bark extract 

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BRUCE AND KATHY FARRELL (MDMEF VICE PRESIDENT) AND CINDY 

AND HOYT WELLER handed out a few hundred information fliers 

at the California Symphony event at Todos Santos Park in 

Concord. 

unbelievable.” 

The initial effort of the 

MDMEF is to provide funding 

to restore the lost instrumental 

music programs to the district’s 

elementary schools, with medium- 

and long-term objectives of 

providing supplementary support 

to music programs at all 

levels of the district. 

As it is, schools are scrambling 

to raise funds at the local 

level with car washes and other 

creative ideas. Many schools are 

asking for participation in “a 

dollar a day” program, which 

equates to a yearly commitment 

of $180-300, depending how 

you define a year. 

At the California 

Symphony’s Pops in the Plaza in 

Concord Sept. 12, the MDMEF 

set up an information booth to 

(brand name Pycnogenol) that 

is available at natural food stores 

and pharmacies. Your brain tissue 

swells slightly on long 

flights and this substance is an 

anti-edema, which cuts the 

swelling significantly. I just saw 

an ad in the Costco magazine 

advertising this as well. 

I once tried the Argonne 

National Laboratory Anti-Jet 

Lag Diet. It was developed and 

used by the military to help soldiers 

adjust across many time 

zones. It is a coordinated plan 

of feasting and fasting three 

days prior to travel. You can 

check it out at www.antijetlagdiet.com. 

I found that it was successful, 

but involved a lot of 

effort. 

My favorite remedy, and the 

one that I use consistently, is the 

No-Jet-Lag chewable tablet. It 

was developed in New Zealand 

and has been available since 

1990. It is a homeopathic and 

natural product that is safe for 

all ages, has no side effects and 

does not interfere with any 

other types of medication. The 

hand out fliers as well as solicit 

donations. Manned by two families, 

the Farrells (Kathy Farrell 

is vice-president of MDMEF) 

and the Wellers, the booth 

attracted people who chatted 

about the state of the music 

program and found out ways to 

support it. 

“We handed out over 260 

fliers,” said Hoyt Weller, who 

graduated from Clayton Valley 

High in 1974. “So far no one 

has donated, though.” 

And therein lies the dilemma 

faced by all the fundraising 

groups connected by the district. 

The Unified Mt. Diablo 

Athletic Foundation also is out 

actively pursuing parent dollars 

to fund sports. Coupled with a 

See Music, page 14 

chewable tablets are taken during 

flight, along with utilizing 

the other sensible measures 

mentioned above. 

They are used by business 

travelers, vacationers and athletes 

alike and can be found at 

travel stores or through 

www.magellans.com. It allows 

you to hit the ground running 

when you reach your destination. 

Travel Tip: If you are traveling 

with a companion, pack 

some clothing for each person 

in each suitcase or in your carryon. 

In the unlikely event that 

one of your bags doesn’t arrive, 

this will help reduce the stress 

of waiting for your luggage to 

catch up with you. I had a friend 

whose luggage didn’t arrive for 

four days and she figured out 

new ways to tie her scarf so it 

didn’t look like she was wearing 

the same outfit every day! 

Recently retired, Clayton resident 

Peggy Bidondo now has the time to 

indulge her passion in travel planning and 

writing. 

Send your questions and column 

ideas to Peggy Bidondo at 

timetogo@claytonpioneer.com. 

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Clayton Valley High School 

girls volleyball coach Lisa 

Hobson enters her third season 

as head coach of the Eagles 

with confidence that her alma 

mater can challenge for the 

Diablo Valley Athletic League 

championship. And she’s counting 

on a quartet of Clayton players 

to help them achieve that 

goal. 

Hobson (nee Lisa Barbieri) 

graduated from Clayton Valley 

in 1989 after excelling in volleyball, 

basketball and track and 

accepted a full scholarship to 

volleyball power University of 

the Pacific in Stockton. The 

Tigers made it to the NCAA 

championship game in 

Maryland in 1990, losing to 

UCLA. 

She hopes her experience 

and love of the game – she still 

plays occasionally at the Clayton 

YMCA – transfers to the players 

as they battle Northgate, 

Concord and defending champion 

Berean Christian for 

DVAL honors this season. 

Senior Kelsey Rudd of 

Clayton is the team’s only 

fourth-year varsity player. The 

coach counts on the team captain 

and 5-9 middle blocker for 

strong net play, both blocking 

and hitting, as well as for providing 

leadership for the young 

team that has just four seniors. 

Rudd is also a CV basketball 

player. 

Her fellow seniors include 

Celeste Piper, who moved from 

opposite to outside hitter and 

has earned a starting spot. 

Hobson says she’s a “powerful 

server who will get a lot of 

aces.” Michelle Stiller is a setter 

and team captain who provides 

“great defense” as a returning 

starting setter. Lizzie Cotterell, 

at 5-10 one of the team’s tallest 

players, switched from outside 

hitter to opposite and “she has 

really shined. Lots of blocks and 

smart hitting,” Hobson adds. 

Junior Camille Condit is a 

returning first team all-DVAL 

outside hitter, a team captain 

and third-year varsity performer 

who played on the USA High 

Performance club team this 

summer. “She’s our best passer 

and go-to hitter, who also has a 

good serve and can really pound 

the ball,” the coach says. 

“Club is much stronger now 

than when I played in high 

school. I had two clubs to 

choose from, while we now 

have players on four different 

clubs,” Hobson notes. “It is 

almost impossible to have a 

strong high school team if you 

don’t have club players. 

“Playing almost year-round 

and at a higher level of competition 

really allows the girls to 

improve in the off season and 

work on their individual skills. 

Then we can focus more on 

team drills once high school 

practice starts in the fall.” 

Eagles’ varsity girls who play 

club include Rudd (Precision), 

Condit (Xceleration) and 

Clayton’s Garrett Biel didn’t 

take long to make an impression 

as the placekicker for Trinity 

University. 

In his second college game, 

the freshman booted a 34-yard 

field goal on the last play to give 

the Trinity Tigers a 22-21 win 

over Texas Lutheran University 

in Seguin, Texas. 

For his heroics, Biel was 

named Southern Collegiate 

Athletic Conference Football 

Special Teams Player of the 

Week. Last fall, the 5-foot-8, 

164-pound Biel was kicking 

footballs for De La Salle High 

School and soccer balls for his 

Diablo FC 90 club team. 

As Trinity played its second 

of four consecutive road games 

to open the season, Biel kicked a 

school-record-tying three field 

goals (on three attempts). That 

included a 25-yarder for the 

opening score and, with no time 

left at halftime, a 28-yard field 

goal. They were the only points 

Clayton Sports 

League title within reach for CVHS volleyball 




CLAYTON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL’S VOLLEYBALL TEAM IS LOOKING FOR SUCCESS IN DVAL THIS SEASON. Clayton residents, from left, Sierra 

Andrus, Taylor Boneberg, Kristina Duncan and Kelsey Rudd are filling key roles for coach Lisa Hobson’s Eagles. 

Allison Palmer (Odyssey). 

Stiller, Cotterell, Piper, Sierra 

Andrus, Marissa Hobson and 

sophomore transfer Andi 

Lineweaver are all on Diablo 

Valley Volleyball Club teams. 

The Clayton contingent on 

for Trinity, as they trailed 14-6 

before rallying in the second 

half. Four other Trinity players 

have kicked three field goals in a 

game. 

In the second half, Trinity 

was down 21-12 before they 

scored a touchdown, tacked on 

Biel’s extra point (the team went 

for two points on its previous 

TD to try to tie the game at 14) 

and then drove 49 yards on 14 

plays to set up Biel’s last-second 

effort. The team ran off most 

of the time remaining to set up 

the ball in the middle of the 

field on the next-to-last play of 

the game. 

The TV announcer said, 

“It’s all down to the foot of 

Garrett Biel, the freshman from 

Clayton, California.” The color 

commentator added, “Oh my 

God!” Texas Lutheran called a 

timeout trying to freeze Biel. 

After the game-winning boot 

went through the uprights, Biel 

was mobbed by his teammates. 

He played in the last two 

California state high school 

football championship games 

for De La Salle as well as three 

Antioch 

(925) 755-1739 

Brentwood 

(925) 634-6366 

the Eagles includes three juniors. 

Andrus is a 6-0 middle 

blocker in her first year on varsity, 

sharing a starting position. 

Her coach likes “her good serving 

and defense and smart front 

row play.” 

consecutive State Cup championship 

matches for Diablo FC. 

Biel scored the winning goal in 

the North Coast Section soccer 

championship game last 

February in overtime for De La 

Salle. 

In his opening game for 

Trinity, Biel converted a 43-yard 

field goal and four extra points 

(he missed one FG attempt) as 

the team won its season opener 

with a 31-26 victory over 

McMurry University in Abilene. 

Although he’s 1,700 miles 

from home, Biel is enjoying 

Trinity University in San 

Antonio. “The football team is 

very close. There is no separation 

between seniors and freshmen, 

so that makes the experience 

more fun and enjoyable. It 

is a lot like De La Salle football 

in the sense of brotherhood and 

being tight-knit.” 

He adds, “For example, I 

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Taylor Boneberg returns to 

varsity as an opposite who has 

been “improving her hitting and 

passing and fighting for court 

time.” 

Kristina Duncan is a varsity 

newcomer as a setter who will 

play some back row defense. 

“Kristina stepped up against 

Freedom when the starting setter 

was out and played well. 

Look for her to share setting 

duties in a 6-2 offense next 

year,” Hobson adds. 

The coach is a civil engineer 

with Engineered Soil Repairs, a 

construction company in 

Walnut Creek. “Fortunately, 

they let me work a more flexible 

schedule and bring work home 

during the season,” she says. 

She began at Clayton Valley 

in the 2006-’07 school year as 

volleyball coach for the freshman 

girls and varsity boys. She is 

married to another CVHS alumnus, 

Dave Hobson, a PE teacher 

at the school and the junior varsity 

girls volleyball coach. Lisa’s 

stepdaughter, Marissa, is the 

libero on the varsity. 

“We also have a 4-year-old 

daughter, Mia, who will be in 

the CVHS class of 2023,” the 

coach says with a smile. 

The Eagles opened the nonleague 

portion of their schedule 

with three straight wins before 

dropping a tight five-set match 

to Heritage last week. They 

begin DVAL play this week, 

aiming to finish at or near the 

top of the league and earn a 

berth in the North Coast 

Section playoffs in November. 

The Eagles last took part in 

NCS in the 2006 season. Last 

season, the team was 5-7 in 

league and 9-20 overall. 

Biel takes college team to victory on final play 



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David Smith Photography/Trinity University 

GARRETT BIEL (49) BOOTS THE GAME-WINNING 34-YARD FIELD GOAL 

as time expires for Trinity University in their 22-21 victory over 

homestanding Texas Lutheran University. The Clayton native 

was named Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Special 

Teams Player of the Week for his clutch effort. William Matevia 

(85) was the holder.


Please help the Pioneer cover the local sports scene. 

Send competition results, story ideas, announcements, 

sports shorts, etc. to sports@claytonpioneer.com. Please 

attach a high-resolution photo whenever available. 

Some youth soccer tournaments 

emulate the FIFA World 

Cup and continue to offer a 

third-place or consolation 

game – and the Diablo FC 96 

Fury girls are happy they do. 

The under 13 team, with 

eight Clayton girls, played in 

the third-place game at all four 

of its tournaments in the past 

six weeks. Coach Randy 

Rowland’s squad now hopes it 

can reach the championship 

game as a host team at the 

13th annual Bob Fowler 

Memorial Tournament this 

weekend. 

Diablo FC hosts 64 girls 

and boys teams in the U13 

through U19 age groups of 

the CYSA Division 3 tournament, 

which honors the memory 

of former club coaching 

director Fowler, who died suddenly 

in 1995. The local 

Diablo FC club has nine teams 

taking part, along with teams 

from 35 other Northern 

California youth soccer clubs. 

STAYING WITH THE PACK 

Playing in the consolation 

games brought a lot of satisfaction 

to the Fury coaches 

and players. Rowland said the 

team “wanted to challenge 

themselves more this season 

and entered tournaments 

where they would play some 

stronger teams.” 

They began tournament 

play for the 2009-’10 season in 

Morgan Hill at Central Valley 

Magic Cup III. A draw followed 

by a come-from-behind 

win on opening day earned 

Fury enough points to make 

the consolation game. There, 

they defeated Rincon Valley 

Pumas 2-1 on the strength of 

Brianne Newell’s third goal of 

the tournament on an assist 

from team captain and central 

defender Ashley Carter and a 

goal from Megan Haley on a 

Rachel De Long assist. 

Allison Macaulay, Nicole 

Haley, Cristina Lopez and Zoe 

McAneney also provided 

offense during the weekend. 

In their second effort, they 

went to Sacramento for the 

Fair Oaks Festival – where 

they encountered temperatures 

exceeding 100 degrees. The 

defense of Carter, Lopez, 

McAneney, Paige Farber, 

Emily Gatchell and Sarah 

Williams helped goalkeepers 

Morgan Giacobazzi and Katie 

Garaventa to a pair of opening-day 

shutouts. The first 

game ended scoreless, but a 

late Zoe Westwater goal after a 

brilliant cross from Newell 

earned the Fury a 1-0 win. 

On Sunday, the Fury were 

brought back to earth as they 

were defeated by a pair of 

Sacramento area teams. The 

only Fury goal came from forward 

Madison Nortune. 

“The Fury girls proved they 

could play with the best of 

District 6 teams,” Rowland 

said, “and they gained confidence 

from this tournament.” 

A KEY VICTORY 

Returning to the 680 corridor 

for the final two tournaments 

before the start of Al 

Caffodio Fall League, the 

Diablo FC 96 Fury played in 

the Pleasanton Soccer City 

Warm Up. Facing the host 

gold team in the opening game 

of the 20-team U13 bracket, 

the Fury girls may have played 

their best match of the tournament. 

They dominated 

Pleasanton Rage Orange, winning 

1-0 on a Rachel De Long 

goal with assists from Newell 

and Westwater. 

In a scorcher that afternoon, 

Fury tried to avenge the 

River City Spirit team that beat 

them two weeks earlier. In a 

“very spirited” game, Spirit 

scored the only goal but it was 

a much improved effort, 

Rowland noted. 

Fury came out Sunday and 

dominated from the start. 

They were determined to 

advance and did so with a 3-0 

win against Redding Vandals. 

Garaventa got the scoring 

started for Fury on a De Long 

Clayton Sports 

Diablo FC 96 Fury looks to move from third to first 



Sports Shorts 

SEPT. 25-NOV. 6 

DIABLO FC SOCCER FALL SKILLS ACADEMY 

Diablo FC, in partnership with Mt. Diablo Soccer Association, is 

holding a Fall Skills Academy every Friday afternoon from 5:30-6:30 

p.m. at Boatwright Sports Complex in Concord. The renowned 

Diablo FC professional coaching staff will teach boys and girls 5-10 

years old basic dribbling and juggling skills, passing and receiving the 

ball and ball striking. Youth of all skill levels from novice to those 

ready for competitive soccer are invited to attend. You can sign up 

at www.diablofc.org or come to the next session. 

OCT. 18 

5K RUN & WALK TO BENEFIT 

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS 

United Mt. Diablo Athletic Foundation is holding its largest 

fundraiser, a 5K Fun Run and Walk at Newhall Park in Concord on 

Sunday, Oct. 18. Runners and those looking for a nice Sunday walk 

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Photo courtesy Diablo FC 96 Fury 

DIABLO FC 96 FURY ARE HOPING TO REACH THEIR FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP GAME OF THE SEASON as a host 

team in the 13th annual Bob Fowler Memorial Tournament. Front row: Madison Nortune, 

Megan Haley, Cristina Lopez, Brianne Newell, Sydney Purser; Middle row: Morgan Giacobazzi, 

Nicole Haley, Rachel De Long, Paige Farber, Emily Gatchell, Emily Rowland; Back row: Assistant 

Coach Chris Haley, Sarah Williams, Zoe Westwater, Zoe McAneney, Ashley Carter, Katie 

Garaventa, Allison Macaulay and Coach Randy Rowland. 

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assist. Second-half goals from 

Newell with Macaulay and 

Nortune assists rounded out 

the scoring. 

The Fury and Livermore 

Elite Storm battled through 80 

minutes of regulation play and 

overtime without a goal, sending 

the consolation game to 

penalty kicks. Giacobazzi, 

Newell, Carter and Macaulay 

all hit their PK shots and the 

Fury won 4-3 to claim third 

place. Keeper Giacobazzi not 

only scored her penalty kick 

but also made a huge stop of a 

Livermore PK in goal for the 

final margin of victory. 

AN IMPOSING SHUTOUT 

Mustang Soccer is one of 

are encouraged to sign up. All proceeds support high school athletic 

programs at the six Mt. Diablo Unified School District high 

schools, including Clayton Valley. Every participant over 8 years-old 

receives a commemorative t-shirt. The event is sponsored by Diablo 

FC. Register online at www.unitedmtdiabloathletics.org. 

OCT. 9 

DIABLO FC BENEFIT GOLF TOURNAMENT 

The 2nd Diablo FC Benefit Golf Tournament will be on Friday, 

Oct. 9, at Diablo Creek Golf Course in Concord. Tournament chairman 

Gene Dolan is accepting sponsors, raffle prize donations and 

golfers to sign up. The tournament provides funding for scholarships 

to needy families wishing to participate in Diablo FC’s programs 

and also helps support the drive to get additional facilities for 

the club. Information and registration forms are available at 

www.diablofc.org or email golf@diablofc.org. 

Locally owned and operated by 30-year 

Clayton residents Keith and Mike Baker 

the prime contenders with 

Diablo FC for Easy Bay soccer 

supremacy, and they hosted 

the Mustang Devil Mountain 

Invitational on Labor Day 

weekend to close out the summer 

tournament season. 

Kicking off against a Mustang 

Mavericks team that the Fury 

had never beaten or even tied, 

the Diablo FC girls played 

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inspired soccer to earn maximum 

points with a 3-0 

shutout. 

Two goals from Newell on 

assists from Farber and 

Macaulay and a Nortune strike 

assisted by McAneney helped 

the Fury in a game the coach 

said was “perhaps their most 

complete game of the season.” 

The Elk Grove Vortex 

could not solve keeper 

Giacobazzi, and the Fury 

earned a 0-0 tie against the 

eventual tournament champions 

– the only blemish for the 

Vortex. 

Fury scored first in the 

consolation game against 

Santa Rosa Aftershocks on 

great combination play 

between Westwater, De Long 

and Newell, who netted the 

goal. After Santa Rosa tied the 

game, the Fury battled and was 

rewarded when Giacobazzi 

was brought down in the 

penalty area and Farber scored 

the winner from the penalty 

spot for the local girls to come 

away with their third medal of 

the summer. 

Emily Rowland and Sydney 

Purser contributed to the 

team’s tournament successes 

without ending up on the 

scoresheet. 

For more information on the Bob 

Fowler Memorial Tournament and 

Diablo FC, visit www.diablofc.org. 

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Reflecting on the storied history of Pioneer Inn 

PAM WIESENDANGER 


A recent post to local blog 

Claycord.com has stirred up new 

interest in the old building at 

6055 Main St. in Clayton. The 

post was a picture of a matchbook 

from Chubby Humble’s 

Pioneer Inn. 

Chubby Humble’s was just 

one of several businesses and 

organizations on the property 

over the years, but the Pioneer 

Inn (later John Jawad’s Pioneer 

Inn) was the most famous. 

Frenchman Romero Mauvais 

built a tavern on the site in 1858, 

the year after Clayton was founded. 

The tavern burned down in a 

fire that destroyed most of 

Clayton in 1864. 

The structure was rebuilt to 

be fireproof (with stone mortar 

and faced with wood) and named 

the Clayton Hotel. The hotel was 

a stagecoach stop and hostelry as 

it was on the main road from 

Stockton to the Bay Area. 

WILL CLANEY 

TECH TALK 

The release of Windows 7 to 

manufacturing promises to make 

a large impact on our computing 

lives. 

Windows 7 is a replacement 

operating system for the ill-fated 

Microsoft Vista and should be in 

stores for the holidays. Windows 

7 has done a marvelous job at 

fixing bugs, placing options 

where they belong and adding 

features that are not only cool 

but useful. 

In addition, they have made a 

major concession to Windows 

XP users by including a “virtual” 

environment where XP can run 

in a native mode. This allows XP 

users to migrate to Windows 7 

and still maintain and run critical 

XP code. 

If you just purchased a new 

computer, you may get a free 

upgrade. Buy a new computer 

before the official introduction 

of Windows 7 and Microsoft will 

provide a free upgrade from 

Windows XP Professional or 

Vista Home Premium or above 

to an appropriate Windows 7 

product. 

According to TechARP, 

“Microsoft will allow resellers to 

purchase Windows 7 upgrade 

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media, which they can then offer 

to customers who buy a Vista 

power system between July 1, 

2009, and a date to be determined.” 

In my opinion, this is the 

bridge to the future missing from 

Vista. Business networks incorporating 

both XP and Vista 

encountered problems when trying 

to make XP computers talk 

or recognize Vista computers. 

This problem is fixed in the new 

release. You may now consider 

upgrades to your existing fleet of 

computers without fearing a network 

compatibility issue. 

At the same time, buying new 

computers to replace aging ones 

is no longer the problem it was 

under Vista. 

The 7 (short for Windows 7) 

desktop looks the same as the 

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The Atchinson Stage ran 

from 1898-1914 and carried 

mail, bank deposits and passengers 

from Clayton through 

Nortonville and Sommersville to 

Antioch and back. 

The rock and mortar rear 

wall collapsed in 1901 and was 

replaced with a frame construction. 

The building was still two 

stories. Sometime between then 

and 1946, it was no longer operated 

as a hotel but was Tat’s 

Place – owned by Francis “Tat” 

Murchio and serving “dinner 

and liquors.” The tavern also 

housed the Post Office. 

In 1946, Susan and Randall 

“Chubby” Humble bought Tat’s 

and renamed it Chubby 

Humble’s Pioneer Inn. A fire in 

1951 wiped out the top floor. 

The Humbles rebuilt without the 

second story and added a larger 

dining room on the east end. A 

huge collection of big game trophies 

along the walls kept watch 

over the patrons. 

In 1960, the inn was featured 

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in the movie “The Wild Ride,” 

produced and directed by 

Harvey Berman – a familiar 

name in local theater. Jack 

Nicholson starred as a rebellious 

youth who brought his friends to 

Chubby’s to celebrate a win at a 

dirt track race (the Antioch 

Speedway). 

Anita and John Jawad bought 

the Pioneer Inn in 1961 and for 

the next 29 years, John Jawad’s 

Pioneer Inn was famous for 

steaks. Jawad was a cattle rancher 

and state brand inspector 

whose trademark 21-day aged 

beef was considered the best 

around. Patrons loved stopping 

at the meat counter to select the 

perfect cut for their meal. 

Many a wedding reception 

was held on the back patio and 

celebrities such as John Wayne, 

Gary Cooper, Woody Herman, 

Benny Goodman and Count 

Basie were welcome guests. 

Jawad was ahead of his time 

by offering free transportation to 

locals to keep drinking drivers 

Windows 7 upgrades sure to please 

Zukowski, 43, and Foster, 57. 

The three – dubbed “The 

Chi Chi Mama’s” – will walk 

Nov. 21-23 in San Diego. They 

will walk for a long list of friends 

and family who have both survived 

and lost their battles with 

cancer. Zukowski’s sister, Stacy 

Williams, who was diagnosed 

earlier this year, tops the list. 

The women follow a 24-week 

training program prepared by the 

Susan. G. Komen Foundation. 

“Anyone can do this,” says Emry. 

“If you follow the program, you 

can finish.” 

Training begins with daily 

walks, building distance until the 

week includes back-to-back 18- 

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off the road. He started a takeout 

service and set up tables and 

umbrellas on the front patio. In 

1986, he remodeled, installing 

the glass overlay doors and windows 

that look like stained glass 

and still exist today. 

Jawad was in a serious accident 

with a garbage truck that 

same year, leading him to sell the 

Vista desktop and other similarities 

exist, but the operating system 

seems to work much better 

than its predecessor. Some of the 

support screens are like Vista. 

However, gone are the glitches 

and annoyances that gave Vista a 

bad name. 

According to Preston Gralla 

of Computerworld, “Overall, 

Windows 7 is a more functional, 

more efficiently designed operating 

system than Windows Vista, 

with far more attention paid to 

the user experience. From 

revamped User Account Control 

(UAC) feature to better home 

networking, improved search and 

nice interface tweaks, the entire 

operating system has gotten an 

overall polishing. Even Windows 

Backup, one of the worst applications 

ever shipped with an 

Breast Cancer, from page 1 

mile walks, cross training and 

one day of rest. 

Participants in the San Diego 

event will walk 20 miles a day for 

three days, returning to a base 

camp each night to shower and 

sleep in tents. 

“You don’t walk the whole 60 

miles in three days during training,” 

Emry notes. “You just build 

up strength with the cross-training 

and the back-to-backs.” 

The point is to build calluses 

as well as endurance, she 

explains. Creams, files and 

pumice are all off limits during 

training. 

“Don’t touch my calluses,” 

Zukowski says with a laugh. “I 

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building in 1990. 

In 1992, Ed and Marion 

Mergy, who owned the Clayton 

Club, bought the Pioneer Inn 

and changed the name to the 

Stagecoach Inn. In the winter of 

1993, a 100-year-old eucalyptus 

tree fell on the newly remodeled 

Victorian banquet room. Three 

eucalyptus trees next to the 

Photo courtesy of The Clayton Historical Society and the Clayton Pioneer 

Chubby Humble’s Pioneer circa 1946. A fire in 1951 

destroyed the top floor. Today the building houses the Clayton 

Community Church offices. 

operating system, has been 

turned into something useful.” 

The operating system is at the 

heart of the computer, as it provides 

a place for applications to 

come alive and perform the 

functions users want most. For 

example, the operating system 

provides a link between your 

word processor and your printer. 

Whenever you command the 

application to print, the operating 

system takes over and moves 

information from the word 

processor to the printer – making 

printing appear seamless to the 

user. 

Integrating Windows 7 into 

your home life can be fun and 

interesting, because it provides 

several fun features like the 

“gadget” bar. Gadgets are little 

programs, or applets, that run on 

need them.” 

The Chi Chi Mama’s typically 

train together and have forged 

close bonds on their long walks. 

“We walk and laugh,” Emry says. 

“And talk,” chimes in Zukowski. 

Despite the seriousness of 

their purpose, their sense of fun 

is reflected in the team name. In 

Spanish, “chi-chis” is slang for 

breasts. “More like boobs or 

hooters,” Foster says with a 

laugh. “We wanted something 

cute and easy to remember.” 

Wearing the trademark breast 

cancer pink T-shirts, the women 

are easily spotted in the community. 

“We have people come up 

to us all the time saying, ‘I just 

lost my mother or best friend or 

wife to breast cancer,’ ” 

Zukowski says. “It’s very emo- 

building were removed to prevent 

further damage. 

Repairs were made, but the 

restaurant never reopened as the 

Stagecoach Inn. Friar Tuck’s Inn 

opened around 1995 for a short 

time, followed by an Italian 

restaurant. 

In 2002, the Clayton 

Community Church purchased 

the building and remodeled the 

inside for use as a meeting room 

and church offices, keeping a 

section of the original bar and 

preserving a segment of the siding 

where local ranch brands 

appear. 

Next time you are downtown, 

take a closer look at the 

old inn and feel the more than 

150 years of history it holds. 

Stop by next door at the Clayton 

Historical Society Museum to 

see pictures of the hotel and inn 

and old postcards, wine lists and 

menus. It will surely make you 

hungry for more of Clayton’s 

history. The museum is open 2-4 

p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays. 

your desktop. The one I find 

most interesting is the stock market 

report. This little gadget displays 

stock market prices on your 

favorite stocks right on your 

desktop. 

Geeks like me may find the 

control panel improvements to 

their liking. Although the control 

panel does not convey the “classic” 

look and feel of Windows 

XP, it is well-organized. 

Microsoft has added new features 

to many familiar icons. 

I can say with confidence 

you’re going to like this product. 

It’s clean, polished, organized, 

compatible and useful. 

As always, seek the advice of 

a licensed professional before 

committing to such a sweeping 

change. Find out what’s best for 

you. 

Will Claney is the CEO of 

Computers USA! in the Clayton 

Station. Contact him at 925-672- 

9989. 

tional.” 

“I stopped in Starbuck’s one 

day,” Emry adds, “and a lady just 

walked up and handed me $40 

for the walk.” 

Participants commit to raising 

$2,300 for the foundation. 

Emry and Zukowski have each 

reached their goal. The Chi Chi 

Mama’s will donate proceeds 

from a large weekend garage sale 

toward Foster’s goal and expect 

that to put her over the top. 

Since her first walk, Emry has 

raised more than $30,000 for 

breast cancer research. 

To support the Chi Chi Mama’s, 

go to www.the3day.org. Click on 

donate, then enter Jeanne Emry, 

Stephanie Zukowski or Patty Foster. 

Or call 800- 996-3DAY to donate 

over the phone. 

Call today for a personal tour 

& complimentary lunch 

(925) 524-5100 

“I like living here. I still feel very 

independent and I’ve enjoyed making 

new friends. We have a good time.” 

- Lou Oppido


End of life comfort is Hospice mission 



There comes a point in many lives when 

a doctor delivers a death sentence from a 

disease that will sooner or later end your life. 

For many people, treatment delays the end, 

often with pain and a hospital bed, far 

removed from the comforts of home and a 

familiar surrounding. 

Enter Hospice of the East Bay, a nonprofit 

organization devoted to easing the 

end of life for patient and family alike. This 

is not a group that simply drugs you up and 

holds your hand until you die; they strive to 

make your remaining time, however long 

that may be, as comfortable as possible. The 

focus is on pain relief, spiritual and emotional 

care as well as symptom relief when possible. 

“Nearly 1,400 people were served by 

Hospice of the East Bay in 2008,” said 

Robin Jones, the group’s media coordinator. 

“The need for hospice services will increase 

in the next decades as the baby boomer generation 

ages.” 

OFFERING EXTENSIVE CARE 

Elaine Shingleton of Clayton is an 

admissions nurse for Hospice and an oncology 

nurse by occupation. It is her job to 

meet with new 

patients and 

explain to them 

what Hospice 

can do for 

them, a job she 

takes seriously 

and discusses 

frankly. 

“There is a 

stigma,” she 

said. “People 

think that once 

Hospice comes 

in the patient 

ELAINE SHINGLETON 

Viera Ranch, from page 1 

this property,” said Julie 

Seelen, SMD’s development 

director. “Fundraising activities 

will include asking individuals 

for their support and writing 

grants to foundations. By 

letting county residents know 

about the property, we hope to 

get donations from both current 

and new supporters. We 

will be leading tours for potential 

major funders on the property 

as well.” 

Save Mount Diablo made 

its first formal offer to acquire 

the property in 1986, without 

success, noted Seth Adams, 

director of land programs. “It 

doesn’t take a rocket scientist 

to know this should be a part 

of the Mt. Diablo State Park,” 

he added. 

Owned by a longtime 

ranching family, the Azevedo- 

Vieras, the property was 

placed on the market in 2007 

after family matriarch Lucy 

Viera died in 2002. 

The 2,300-foot elevation 

property, on the slopes of 

Diablo’s North Peak east of 

Clayton, is one of the two 

highest elevation private properties 

remaining on Mt. Diablo 

will die tomorrow 

– that we 

stop their meds 

and they die. It’s not like that. We don’t take 

your hope and you can get all the meds you 

were on right up until the end of life and 

whatever else we can do to make you comfortable.” 

The patient usually has 24-hour care, 

generally by a family member or, if insurance 

permits, through a private nurse. 

Hospice nurses are not bedside nurses by 

your side until the end, but they are available 

24 hours a day, seven days a week for whatever 

you need and will come on a schedule. 

Church News 

ST. BONAVENTURE 

CATHOLIC CHURCH 

Healing Hearts Ministry is offering a 

six-week program to support those coping 

with the loss of a loved one. The sessions 

will be 7:30-9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, 

They can obtain 

whatever items are 

needed, from hospital 

beds to wheelchairs, as 

well as help the patient 

and family with 

arrangements, insurance 

filing and spiritual 

counseling. They are 

an intermediary with 

the patient’s doctors, 

most of whom remain 

assigned to the patient 

until the end. 

Costs for care are 

largely covered by 

Medicare, MediCal or 

private insurance, 

however Shingleton 

stresses that Hospice 

has a foundation that 

covers extra costs so 

that the patient is relieved of that burden. 

IN-HOME CARE 

The majority of care that Hospice of the 

East Bay provides takes place in the home, 

where the patient can be comforted by family, 

friends and the routines of daily life. 

Sometimes patients cannot remain at home, 

so Hospice visits them in long-term care 

facilities. 

Other patients, with acute symptoms, 

require care at Hospice’s Bruns House inpatient 

facility in Alamo. 

“We’re with the patient as much as needed,” 

Shingleton said, noting that the quantity 

will vary depending on the patient. “The 

family gets the same services we provide our 

patients – we’re there for them.” 

Every so often when a patient gets closer 

to the end of life, unnecessary medications 

are reduced. For example, vitamins 

may be discontinued as will medications 

geared for longer term care. Sometimes the 

patient begins to improve, requiring less 

service from Hospice, Shingleton reported. 

And every so often, “a patient gets better 

and we have to discharge them from the program,” 

she said. They are not cured, but they 

are no longer at a stage where they need 

Hospice services. They can resume the services 

if the need arises again. 

A PEACEFUL EXPERIENCE 

Shirley Elsberry, whose husband Jim died 

in April, is thankful for the kindness and 

compassion that Hospice offered her. “Our 

nurse’s name was Denise,” Shirley said, “and 

she was kind, gentle and she let him do it his 

way. He wanted to be here; he wanted me to 

through Nov. 17. 

The church is at 5562 Clayton Road, Concord. 

Registration is required; call Patti at 672-5800. 

CLAYTON VALLEY 

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 

In 1968, then Pastor Otto Henn, a native 

of Germany, began a tradition of celebrating 

Oktoberfest at the church. The event 

and one of three highest left in 

Contra Costa County. The 

property has views to Lassen 

Peak, the Sierra, Half Dome 

and Mt. Whitney. 

The Viera North Peak parcel 

is a hot spot for biodiversity, 

with as many as 50 rare 

plant species expected or 

recorded, in addition to a 

number of rare animal species. 

Diverse soil types exist due to 

the complicated geology of 

the area, along with elevation 

changes of 1,300 feet. 

Botanist Heath Bartosh of 

SMD’s Land Committee began 

a botanical survey in May to 

augment those done over the 

years. “It has some of the 

finest serpentine habitat yet to 

be protected,” he said. “High 

diversity and many transition 

zones all packed into 165 

acres. I’m predicting we find 

50 different rare plant species 

there.” 

The threatened Alameda 

whipsnake and mountain lions 

already have been sighted in 

the vicinity. 

According to Seelen, payments 

may be pledged over 

three years, 2009-’11. 

SHIRLEY ELSBERRY WITH HUSBAND JIM, who died of cancer last 

April, appreciates the end of life care given by Hospice. They 

“let him do it his way,” says a grateful Shirley. 

“The current economic climate 

means that we will not be 

able to receive any state funds 

at this time,” Seelen said. “We 

are confident that there are 

many individuals who love this 

area for the beautiful natural 

lands who are still able to 

donate, even if it is less than 

they were able to a year ago. 

Moreover, many small donations 

can make up the large 

amount needed to fund the 

acquisition.” 

Seelen also has a Plan B: 

“The Bowerman Fund can 

provide additional loans to pay 

for the property by March 

2010. Those loans will be paid 

off once pledged donations 

and/or grants are received.” 

Save Mount Diablo is a 

non-profit 501(c)(3) conservation 

organization preserving 

land on and around Mt. Diablo 

since 1971, as well as providing 

education programs to the 

public. One of the recent purchases 

was the Irish Canyon 

plot in November 2007, part 

of the Mt. Diablo/Black 

Diamond Mines Open Space 

Corridor. Also in 2007, SMD 

published “Mount Diablo, Los 

Vaqueros & Surrounding 

Parks Featuring the Diablo 

Trail.” It’s the most accurate 

and up-to-date map of Mt. 

take care of him. It was as peaceful as can 

be.” 

It was in March that the family learned 

from their doctor that the treatments were 

not working. Jim had kidney cancer that had 

spread to his liver and beyond. “The doctor 

said we should go out and ‘do what’s on your 

bucket list,’ ’’ Shirley said, referring to the 

movie about two terminally ill patients completing 

the things they wished they had done 

in their lives. 

“He suggested that we might call 

Hospice,” Shirley added. “They came out the 

next day, brought him some things that he 

might find useful like a stool for the shower, 

a wheelchair and a walker with rubber feet.” 

Denise explained what would happen 

and assured them that she would be available 

as they needed. 

Three weeks later, as Jim’s energy level 

crashed, Denise was with them. Within four 

days, surrounded by his family, he passed 

away. 

“(Hospice) was in touch with his doctor 

throughout,” Shirley noted. 

“A lot of it is pain control,” Shingleton 

said. “Once it is under control, the patient 

can function better.” 

Shingleton is firmly convinced that the 

strength of service lies in how it is presented 

to patients. 

“Nurses are special,” said Shirley. “They 

have to be special people to do what they do. 

I’ll never forget (Denise’s) kindness. Jim got 

what he wanted. He passed at home surrounded 

by his family.” 

For more information, contact Hospice of the 

East Bay at 887-5678 or visit on the web at 

www.hospiceeastbay.org. 

will include food, raffles and arts and crafts, 

6-9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. 

“Liberty and Justice for All,” a discussion 

group of concerned citizens, will take 

place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, in the sacristy. 

A video will be shown, followed by 

reflections by the group. 

The church is at 1578 Kirker Pass Road, 

Clayton. For more information, call 672-4848. 

Diablo’s protected land, now 

in excess of 90,000 acres. 

For additional information, 

call 947-0642 or visit 

www.savemountdiablo.org. 

Restaurant & Bar 

(925) 524-0011 

6201 Center St. in Clayton 

www.LaVerandaCafe.com 

UTOPIC GARDENS 

Pending Properties: 

515 Ridgeview, Pleasant Hill 

Welcome! 

925.524.0055 

DESIGN & INSTALLATION 

LIC. NO. 898331 Fully Insured - Clayton Resident 

www.utopicgardens.com 

RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE 

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Email: Helen@HelenandHomes.com 

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New Listings: 

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units AND positive cash flow!


O'BRIEN FAMILY PET CARE 

for dogs, cats, horses & exotics 

Dog Walking, Cat Visits, Pet Sitting, 

Overnight & Nursing Care, 

Fine Art Pet Portraits 

FREE 

photo sitting 

with purchase 

of a print 

Patty Flannery 

Your local neighborhood REALTOR 

since 1986 

Dentistry 

FREE 

Dog Walk - 

with purchase 

of 4 walks 

Insured and Bonded 

Aimee O'Brien 

Registered Veterinary 

Technician with 10+ years 

experience with animals 

(925) 899-7354 

www.obrienfamilypetcare.com 

for Infants, Children & Teenagers 

Jason M. Renner, D.D.S. 

Richard C. Rissel, D.M.D 

925-689-2800 

www.diablovalleykids.com 

2875 Willow Pass Rd., Concord 

Where the artisan 

meets the craftsman 

Quality Custom Cabinets 

Kitchen, Bath, Office and Entertainment Centers 

Commercial Millwork 

Kevin Mancino, Proprietor, Local Resident 

(925) 915-0822 

www.oldeworldcabinets.com 

With our compliments 

Free granite countertop with 

your kitchen cabinet purchase 

Limited to granite styles in stock, fabrication not included 

DRE#00906625 

Call me. Let’s talk REAL ESTATE 

Office: 925.975.5255 

email: granyflany@msn.com, home & fax: 925.672.0541 

Required kindergarten 

screening – complimentary 

Proudly serving 

the Diablo 

Valley for over 

25 years – 

“experience 

counts” 

Less than 5 miles 

from Clayton 

LIC # 915172 

World Woof 

Tour to stop 

in Clayton 

Clayton dogs are lucky. 

They live in nice houses, snuggle 

on soft sofas, eat well and 

gather for play dates in their 

own park. 

Millions of dogs around 

the world are not as lucky as 

Clayton pooches. They wander 

the streets, starve under 

bridges and die in shelters 

after producing dozens of 

puppies doomed to the same 

fate. 

The World Woof Tour is 

an international documentary 

group traveling the world to 

draw attention to the need for 

animal adoption and the 

importance of spaying or neutering 

to stop the wholesale 

euthanasia of unwanted animals. 

Clayton pooches will get a 

chance to bring their owners 

to The Grove on Oct. 9 at 5 

p.m. to welcome the World 

Woof Tour on their way 

through the Bay Area. 

The 5 p.m. reception will 

follow the Tour’s afternoon 

appearance at ARF in Walnut 

Creek that afternoon. 

For more information on the 

World Woof Tour and to meet 

Oscar, the spokesdog, visit the website 

www.worldwooftour.com, or call 

Nancy Janes of the Romania 

Rescue Foundation at 672-5908. 

Miss Marti and Suzuki are 

ARF’s Adoption Stars 

MISS MARTI 

Miss Marti is a busy girl 

who is always on the move. She 

is looking for a home where she 

can receive a lot of physical and 

mental exercise. She is an intelligent 

dog who will be a star pupil 

in her training classes, and is a 

natural for dog sports like flyball 

or agility. 

The adoption fee for adult 

dogs is $225 and includes 60 

ELENA BICKER 

PAWS AND CLAWS 

Now that school is back in 

session and vacations are on 

hold, it is not unusual for dogs 

to suddenly “behave badly” by 

barking, chewing inappropriate 

objects and similar activities. 

It’s not that dogs are wreaking 

vengeance against their suddenly 

inattentive families. They 

are merely bored. All that energy 

previously spent on walks, 

trips to the dog park, hiking and 

playing ball is now bottled up in 

a house or yard. One possible 

solution is doggy day care a couple 

days a week. 

Unlike human day care, dog 

day care is not regulated; anyone 

can declare him or herself a dog 

day care service. Some investigation 

is required before dropping 

off Fido at the nearest 

facility. The Internet can be a 

great source of information, 

although comments – both positive 

and negative – should be 

evaluated with caution. Be sure 

to ask for references. 

The length of time the day 

care has been in business and 

how many workers have been 

employed for more than six 

months speaks to the stability 

and consistency of the day care. 

There should be a manageable 

ratio of handlers to dogs. 

Insurance is a necessity. Steps 

should be in place in case of an 

percent off one 7-week dog 

training session. 

Suzuki is a gem, who’s looking 

for that special lap to warm. 

She is three years old, and would 

be a good pet for a first time cat 

owner. 

The adoption fee for adult 

cats is $50. 

Meet your forever friend at 

Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue 

Foundation, 2890 Mitchell 

Drive, Walnut Creek, during 

adoption hours: 3 to 7 p.m. 

Thursday and Friday, Noon to 

Do your homework 

on doggy day care 

emergency. 

As with any care provider, 

health and safety are primary 

issues. Facilities should require 

up-to-date vaccinations, or 

titers, and behavior evaluations 

before admitting dogs. Final 

acceptance to the day care 

should happen after an experienced 

evaluator has evaluated 

the dog on-site. Facilities should 

require that dogs over six 

months be spayed or neutered. 

While the potential consequences 

of an unspayed female 

dog are fairly obvious, intact 

males and their pheromones 

may trigger aggressive behavior 

in other dogs. 

Drop in and visit during the 

afternoon, rather than mornings 

and evenings when dogs are 

checking in and out. There 

should be no bad odors. Check 

the condition of the play equipment, 

enclosures and other 

areas where dogs may be in contact. 

Barking should be expected, 

but non-stop barking is a 

sign of stress or over-excitement. 

No barking at all in a 

facility that has play groups 

would be unusual and should 

also raise questions. 

Dog play areas/times should 

be divided by size and age, with 

enough space for dogs to be 

able to take a break from playing. 

Dogs should be introduced 

into a group, rather than randomly 

thrown together. Dogs in 

SUZUKI 

4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 

The primary caretaker must be 

present to adopt. ARF also 

encourages kids 16 and younger 

and canine family members 

(dog adoptions only) to be present 

during the adoption process. 

Would you like to be part of the 

heroic team that saves the lives of rescued 

dogs and cats? Can you share 

your talents to connect people and animals? 

ARF volunteers are making a 

difference! For more information see 

our website, www.arf.net, or call 

925.256.1ARF. 

play groups should be monitored 

by people versed in dog 

body language and fight prevention. 

Playing dogs should be 

free of any training equipment, 

such as specialized collars or 

harnesses, to prevent the entanglement 

of limbs or jaws. There 

should be a plan in place should 

a fight break out. 

“Unlimited” playtime can 

over-excite dogs. Dogs need an 

opportunity to rest and quiet 

space should be provided. If the 

dogs are to be confined, ask 

how the dogs will be confined 

and how they will be trained to 

accept the confinement. There 

should be a qualified trainer 

onsite to help with adjustments 

and behavior modification. Be 

clear on the behaviors to be 

modified and the techniques to 

be used. 

Once a day care facility has 

been chosen, prepare the dog. It 

is always a pleasure to care for a 

dog trained in basic obedience 

(sit, down, stay, come, loose 

leash walking). For a detailed list 

of questions to ask, check out 

the dog behavior section under 

Resources and Links at arf.net. 

To get your dog started on basic 

manners, check out ARF U at 

www.arf.net or call 296-3111. 

Elena Bicker is the Executive Director 

of Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue 

Foundation. She can be reached at (925) 

256-1ARF (1273) 

Music, 

from page 9 

hefty parent paid per-sport 

fee, a successful drive guarantees 

that at least some sports 

get an added year of life. 

Having started later than 

the athletic foundation, the 

MDMEF until recently was 

still electing officers and getting 

organized as a non-profit. 

Officers stress that the 

loss of music is critical 

because of the manner in 

which students learn to play. 

“Students typically learn to 

play in elementary school,” 

said Sinz, whose daughter 

plays with the Concord High 

Jazz Ensemble. 

If programs are cut, the 

continuity across grade levels 

gets broken, she explained. 

Coupled with a redistribution 

of music teachers, it results in 

a stilted program with ramifications 

that last years. 

“Help us to give the students 

of Mt. Diablo Unified 

School District the education 

they deserve, not one determined 

by the state or federal 

government,” Coartney said. 

For more information, visit 

www.mountdiablomusic.org or 

contact Lauren Sinz at 

lsinz10202010@gmail.com.


In Clayton 

EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT 

Sept. 26-27 

Clayton Oktoberfest 

Live music, Bavarian dances, street performers, arts and crafts show 

and kids’ carnival. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sept. 26 and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. 

Sept. 27. Carnival also open Friday at 6 p.m. Pre-sale carnival ride 

tickets are 25 tickets for $15. Purchase until 5 p.m. Friday at La 

Veranda, Skipolini’s, Ed's Mudville Grill, Hair by Jim and IMC in 

downtown Clayton and The Perfect Tan in the Safeway Shopping 

Center. 672-2272 or claytonoktoberfest.com. 

Through October 

Clayton Farmers Market 

8 a.m.-noon Saturdays, Diablo Street in downtown Clayton. 

www.pcfma.com or 800-949-3276. 

Close by 

Sept. 26, 30 

Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra 

With jazz violinist Jeremy Cohen and KGO’s Scott Lettieri narrating 

“Peter and the Wolf.” 7:30 p.m. Sept. 26, Los Medanos College 

Recital Hall, 2700 E. Leland Road, Pittsburg. 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30, 

Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $5-$18. 

943-SHOW or www.lesherartscenter.org. 

Through Sept. 27 

“On the Town” 

Diablo Theatre Company presents Leonard Bernstein’s classic. 

Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. 943-7469 

or www.dloc.org. 

Through Sept. 27 

“Hair” 

Return to the “Age of Aquarius” with the classic ’60s musical. 

Willows Theatre, 1975 Diamond Blvd., Concord. 798-1300 or 

www.willowstheatre.com. 

Oct. 9-Nov. 1 

“Broadway Bound” 

The third part of Neil Simon’s autobiographical trilogy, with Onstage 

Theatre. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. 

943-SHOW or www.lesherartscenter.org. 

Oct. 9-Nov. 7 

“Oliver!” 

Contra Costa Musical Theatre presents Dickens’ classic tale. Lesher 

Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. 943-SHOW or 

ccmt.org. 

Oct. 11-13 

California Symphony 

The season opens with visual motion artist Michael Moschen. Lesher 

Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. 280-2490 or 

www.californiasymphony.org. 

FUNDRAISERS 

Sept. 26 

Civic Arts Auction 

Sponsored by the Friends of Civic Arts Education Foundation. 6:30 

p.m., Shadelands Art Center Auditorium, 111 N. Wiget Lane, 

Walnut Creek. 939-2787 or www.friendsartsed.org. 

Sept. 27 

Breakfast with the Veterans of Foreign Wars 

8-11 a.m. the second and fourth Sundays. $4 adults, $2 children 

under 12. Veterans Memorial Hall, 2290 Willow Pass Rd, Concord. 

Oct. 1 

Mt. Diablo Elementary Ice Cream Fundraiser 

Sponsored by the Parent Faculty Club. Bring in a flier available in 

the school office and on the school’s Website and 15 percent of 

your purchase will be donated to the school. 3-9 p.m., Cold Stone 

Creamery in Clayton Station. 

www.mdusd.k12.ca.us/mountdiabloelementary. 

Oct. 3 

Clayton Valley Garden Club Plant Sale 

Funds raised are put back into the community for special projects. 

One-gallon plants are $4. Buy five, get one free. 8 a.m.-1 p.m., 

Endeavor Hall, 6008 Center St., Clayton. Contact Neal at 672- 

2624 or www.claytonvalleygardenclub.org. 

AT THE LIBRARY 

The Clayton Community Library is at 6125 Clayton Road. Most programs 

are free. 673-0659 or www.claytonlibrary.org. 

Through Dec. 1 

Patty Cakes 

Story time for babies to 3-year-olds. Child attends with caregiver. 

Drop-in 11 a.m. Tuesdays. 

Through Dec. 3 

Picture Book Time 

Story time for 3- to 5-year-olds. Child may attend without caregiver. 

Drop-in 11 a.m. Thursdays. 

Oct. 5 

Book Club Forum 

Ron Shoop, a well-known inspiring speaker, will recommend new 

titles for book lovers and book clubs. Includes a free raffle of books. 

Sponsored by Project Second Chance, Clayton Community Library 

Foundation and Clayton Books. 7-8:30 p.m. 

Oct. 8 

Fratello Marionettes 

For all ages. 4 p.m. 

Clayton Community Calendar 

PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M. SEPT. 28 FOR THE OCT. 9 ISSUE. 

ITEMS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY EMAIL TO calendar@claytonpioneer.com 

Oct. 16-18 

Used Book Sale 

10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 17 and noon-4 p.m. Oct. 18. Preview for 

library foundation members, 4-7 p.m. Oct. 16. Most books $1. Half 

off most books Sunday. 

YMCA 

Register at www.medrymca.org or 889-1600. Or, contact Jennifer at 

692-2364 or jbeck@mdrymca.org. 

Sept. 26-Oct. 31 

Youth Outdoor Soccer 

For ages 3-11. 


Junior Volleyball 

For beginning to intermediate players ages 11-14. 


Youth T-Ball and Coach Pitch Baseball 

A six-week class with parent participation. 

Sept. 29 

Strong Kids Kickoff 

Hear about the future of the local YMCA. Includes entertainment 

and hors d’oeuvres. 6-8 p.m., Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton 

Road. RSVP to Jennifer at jbeck@mdrymca.org or 692-2364. 

NATURE 

Sept. 26 

Lime Ridge Peak Hike 

Meet at 9 a.m. at the Lime Ridge access parking lot across from the 

Boundary Oaks clubhouse, 3800 Valley Vista Road, Walnut Creek. 

Learn about the plan to allow Nextel to use Lime Ridge for expanded 

communications facilities. www.savemountdiablo.org. 

Oct. 4 

Mt. Diablo Challenge 

A 10.8-mile timed bike ride, climbing Southgate Road to the summit. 

Prizes in several categories, plus food and beverages. $55. 

Proceeds benefit Save Mount Diablo’s land conservation efforts. 

Register at www.savemountdiablo.org or www.active.com. 

CITY MEETINGS 

Oct. 6, 20 

Clayton City Council 

7 p.m., Hoyer Hall, Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road. 673-7304 

or www.ci.clayton.ca.us. 

Oct. 13, 27 

Clayton Planning Commission 

7 p.m., Hoyer Hall, Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road. 673-7304 

or www.ci.clayton.ca.us. 

CLUBS 

Clayton Business and Community Association 

Meets 6:30 p.m. the last Thursday of the month, except holidays, 

Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Dr., Clayton. Call Sue 

at 672-2272. 

Clayton Valley Garden Club 

Meets 7 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month. Contact Dorothy 

at 672-2526 or visit www.claytonvalleygardenclub.org. 

Clayton Valley Woman’s Club 

Meets 9:30 a.m. for coffee, 10 a.m. meetings, second and fourth 

Tuesdays of the month, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1090 Alberta 

Way, Concord. Call Joyce at 672-3850. 

Clutch Busters Square Dance Club 

Meets 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Mt. Diablo Women’s Club, 1700 Farm 

Bureau Road, Concord. Contact Dorothy at 754-8117. 

Concord Stompers Square Dance Club 

Meets 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Mt. Diablo Women’s Club, 1700 

Farm Bureau Road, Concord. Call Jennie at 672-9676 or 

www.angelfire.com/id/stompers. 

Contra Costa Blue Star Moms 

Meets 6:30 p.m. Sept. 28 and Oct. 26, Countrywood Clubhouse, 

1706 Countrywood Court, Walnut Creek. Members have sons and 

daughters in uniform. ccbluestarmoms.org. 

Contra Costa Chess Club 

Meets 7-9:30 p.m. Thursdays, Starbuck’s, 1536 Kirker Pass Road, 

Clayton. Players of all ages and skill levels welcome. Contact Mike 

at 639-1987 or www.uschess.org. 

Contra Costa Mineral and Gem Society 

Meets 7:30 p.m. second Monday of the month, Centre Concord, 

5298 Clayton Road. 779-0698 or http://ccmgs.org. 

Creekside Artists Guild 

Meets 7-8:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month, Clayton 

Library Story Room, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton. All artforms and 

both emerging and experienced are welcome. Contact Arlene at 

673-9777 or nielsenjanc@aol.com. Or www.creeksideartists.org. 

Diablo Valley Democratic Club 

Meets 7 p.m. the third Wednesday of the month, Ygnacio Valley 

Library, 2661 Oak Grove Road, Walnut Creek. 946-0469 or 

www.dvdems.org. 

Diablo Valley Macintosh Users Group 

Meets 6:30-9 p.m. the third Tuesday of the month. Bancroft 

Elementary School, 2700 Parish Dr., Walnut Creek. 689-1155 or 

www.dvmug.org. 

Rotary Club of Clayton Valley/Concord Sunrise 

Meets 7 a.m. Thursdays, Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock 

Creek Dr., Clayton. Includes breakfast and a speaker. Contact 

Chuck at 689-7640 or www.claytonvalleyrotary.org. 

Scrabble Club 

Meets 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. second and fourth Saturdays of the 

month, Carl’s Jr. Restaurant, 1530 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton. All 

ages and skill levels welcome. $3 fee. Call Mike at 639-1987 or 

www.scrabble-assoc.com. 

Sons In Retirement (SIR) 

Meets 11:15 a.m. first Thursday of the month, Oakhurst Country 

Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Dr., Clayton. 429-3777. 

Widows/Widowers 

Meets for dinner, brunch, theater, etc. This is not a dating service nor 

is it a grieving class - just a way to meet other people. Contact Lori 

at 998-8844 or lori@lorihagge.com. 

Advertise with the Pioneer 

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Theatre Review 

Join the soldiers 

LOU FANCHER 


“On the Town” premiered 

on Broadway in 1944. Based on 

choreographer Jerome Robbins’ 

idea, it’s blessed with a sumptuous 

score by Leonard Bernstein. 

The centerpiece of the musical 

was always Robbins’ invigorating 

ballets and Bernstein’s 

stick-in-your-craw songs, especially 

“New York, New York” 

and “Lonely Town.” Sixty-five 

years later, Diablo Theatre 

Company’s production continues 

that tradition with style and 

substance. 

The pursuit of love – at least 

the 24-hour version – leads three 

sailors off the ship and through 

the streets of New York. Ozzie 

is all knowledge and desire, Chip 

is wrapped up in his father’s old 

map and agendas for sight-seeing 

and Gabey is looking for 

“Miss Turnstile,” whom he falls 

in love with after seeing her picture 

on the subway. 

The ensuing action, filled 

with hilarious supporting characters, 

provides a whirlwind tour of 

for an 

adventure 

‘On the 

Town’ 

Ryan Drummond is Ozzie, 

with Emma Goldin as 

Claire in “On the Town.” 

Movie Review 

The trailer for “9” showed a 

lot of promise earlier this year, 

with its mysterious creatures and 

dark apocalyptic scenery. This 

animated film by fledgling director 

Shane Acker, started out as 

Acker’s graduate thesis project in 

film school and received an 

Oscar nomination in 2005 for 

Best Animated Short film. While 

gorgeous to look, “9” relies too 

much on its visual effects to 

carry you to the end. 

The fantastic, war-ruined 

landscape bursts off the screen 

in every detail – and without any 

3-D wizardry that’s all the rage in 

animated movies these days. 

Unfortunately, the story of an 

idealistic but naïve little patchwork 

doll named 9 falls flat. 

The movie starts off intriguingly. 

A group of doll-like creatures, 

surviving among the ruins 

of a human war, finds another of 

their kind with the number 9 

stamped on his back. Each of 

the creatures has a similar number, 

1 through 8, and its own personality. 

With the voice of Elijah 

Wood, 9 tries to lead the others 

out from hiding on a quest to 

find some answers about who 

they are and where they belong. 

He is opposed by number 1, 

the city – from subway rides to 

Carnegie Hall to Coney Island. 

As dawn breaks, the sailors find 

their hearts’ desire, but also the 

end of their leave. The three 

friends return to the ship just as 

a new crew of soldiers prepares 

for their big city adventure. 

Bounding from stage right to 

left with more spring than a 

super ball, Ryan Drummond’s 

Ozzie sets the pace for the 

evening. He’s a versatile actor, 

moving with the physical humor 

of John Cleese, and, in “Carried 

Away,” displaying a fine, warmtoned 

voice. Bryan McElroy as 

Gabey is solid and charmingly 

understated as the soldier whose 

pursuit of Miss Turnstile propels 

the action. Mark Farrell’s Chip 

rounds out the trio, managing to 

be both adorable and dimwitted 

– two characteristics that frequently 

slide into “annoying” 

when overplayed by less adept 

actors. 

Courtney Iventosch 

(Ivy/Miss Turnstile) is a director’s 

gem, with an expressive 

voice, willowy profile and surprising 

physical gumption. Hope 

the rigid and iron-fisted leader 

voiced by Christopher Plummer 

who wants everyone to stay hidden 

and, therefore, safe. 

Adventure ensues, monsters are 

battled, secrets are revealed. Take 

away the breathtaking animation 

and it is pretty standard fantasy 

fare. 

If Acker had dropped the 

violence down just a notch, to 

PG instead of PG-13, it would 

have been a fine kid’s movie. The 

violence may be a bit intense for 

youngsters but is neither gory 

nor mean-spirited. The script 

simply doesn’t rise to the level of 

the spectacular animation. The 

stock characters can’t grab the 

imagination and bring these 

bizarre creatures to life. The 

plucky idealist, the brave girl warrior, 

the distracted scientist and 

the fearful but loyal friend could 

have been grabbed from any 

number of fantasy adventures. 

Ultimately, it has a hopeful 

message and some exciting 

scenes as the dolls fight for their 

lives against monster machines, 

but it’s all visual. The big revelation 

toward the end is kind of 

Mirlis’ Hildy is a knockout hit. 

Her growl and give-it-to-menow 

delivery – not to mention 

her cab driving – is nothing short 

of magical. Every musical has a 

sweet, sexy honey, and as Claire, 

Emma Goldin is blessed with a 

voice sent from the angels above 

and fits the role perfectly. 

Director Mindy Cooper, who 

shares choreographic credit with 

Company C’s Charles Anderson, 

packs the production with exhilarating 

movement. It’s not just 

dancers who dance; everything 

does: subway, taxi, ship, skyline, 

actors, briefcases, museum dioramas 

– all zipping in and out or 

spinning around and around to 

dizzying, brilliant effect. 

The actors don’t just stand up 

from a couch; they twirl off. 

Food and scarves aren’t passed 

hand to hand; they float or are 

flung through the air. It’s lively – 

alive – and exactly what makes 

musical theater satisfying. 

The sets by Robert 

Broadfoot are streamlined and 

effective. Costumer Carol 

Edlinger has clearly done her 

homework; the designs are accurate, 

stylish and never overpowering. 

If conductor Cheryl Yee 

Glass’ orchestra occasionally 

struggled on opening night to 

synchronize with the actors, it 

was a minor distraction and an 

indication of the dynamic edge 

live performance lends to a production. 

With a three-week run, 

the musicians and actors are sure 

to find a mutual groove. 

Editor’s Note: Fancher is ballet 

mistress for Company C 

Contemporary Ballet, one of the 

organizations involved in the 

production. 

“On the Town” plays through 

Sept. 27 at the Hofmann Theatre at 

the Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 

Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. For tickets, 

call 943-SHOW or visit 

www.leshercenter.org. 

‘9’ fails to reach its potential 

DON PEDRO CRUZ 

AT THE MOVIES 

Mysterious patchwork creatures try to survive in the ruins of a 

post-human world in the animated movie “9.” 

“ho-hum” and didn’t explain the 

mystery completely. Maybe 

there’s some kind of allegory 

buried in there, but it simply wasn’t 

engaging enough to make me 

want to think about it too much. 

After Acker’s Oscar nominated 

short film attracted the attention 

of bigwigs such as Tim 

Burton (“Nightmare Before 

Christmas,” “Edward Scissorhands”), 

he was able to develop 

“9” into this full-length feature 

with Burton as a producer. 

Expanding the short into a feature 

may have diluted its magic 

rather than expanded it. 

While “9” is worth seeing just 

for the top-notch animation, I 

hope Acker’s next film will pair 

him up with a good writer who 

can take advantage of his enormously 

creative mind. Then 

maybe we will get a movie that’s 

not so forgettable. 

�� 

Don Pedro Cruz is a local freelance 

writer and graphic designer. 

Send your comments to 

dpvc2000@gmail.com 

‘Texas 

Chainsaw 

Musical’ 

creeps into 

Willows 

Cabaret 

GARY CARR 


NICK BAYNE is the very troubled 

Eddy and Carlye Pollack 

is his heartthrob, Lucretia, in 

The Texas Chainsaw Musical 

at the Willows Cabaret in 

Martinez. 

Just in time for Halloween 

season, the Willows Cabaret in 

Martinez is staging the world 

premiere of “The Texas 

Chainsaw Musical.” 

For fans of the Cabaret’s 

successful “Evil Dead: The 

Musical,” “Chainsaw” won’t disappoint. 

Penned by Marin composer/musician 

Cory Bytof and 

Christopher t. Minori, who now 

lives in Georgia, “Chainsaw” 

features all the fun, frivolity and 

body parts you remember from 

one of the most famous horror 

films ever made. 

“Think of it as ‘Love Story’ 

…with a chainsaw,” Bytof says. 

“Chainsaw” workshopped at 

this year’s San Francisco Fringe 

Festival, where Willows artistic 

director Rich Elliott saw it as perfect 

for Halloween at the Cabaret. 

The Willows will add the scenic 

elements that made “Evil Dead” 

so popular, including the notorious 

“Splatter Zone” in the front 

row of the theater. 

“It’s a hoot,” Elliott says, 

“and the show works because 

the songs are witty, while everything 

else is completely over the 

top.” 

Bytof and Minori use the 

1974 horror film, directed by 

Tobe Hooper, as a jumping-off 

place. Their “Chainsaw” is more 

of a prequel, based on the true 

story of Wisconsin murderer Ed 

Gein. 

“We wondered how this guy 

would have been like as a kid,” 

Minori says, “so we took a few 

things from his life and then 

completely made up everything 

else. It was easier than doing 

research.” 

For the “Splatter Zone,” the 

Willows Cabaret production of 

“Evil Dead” used 50 gallons of 

stage blood per performance – 

much of it cascading into the 

front row of the audience. 

People paid extra to sit there, 

and the “Zone” was sold out 

nearly every night. The Zone 

will return for “Chainsaw,” and 

plastic ponchos will once more 

be available in the lobby. 

For those who may be chainsaw-averse, 

Neil Simon’s 

“Barefoot in the Park” opens at 

the Willows Mainstage Oct. 12 

and runs through Nov. 8. “Hats: 

The Musical,” about the hat 

ladies, follows “Chainsaw” into 

the Cabaret, Nov. 23-Dec. 20. 

The Willows continues to 

need your support. You can 

help “Save the Willows” at 

www.willowstheatre.com and 

click on Make a Donation. 

“The Texas Chainsaw Musical” 

plays Oct. 9-31, Willows Cabaret, 

636 Ward St., Martinez. For tickets, 

visit www.willowstheatre.com or 

call 798-1300.


While cucumbers are always 

cool to the touch, the adage 

“cool as a cucumber” mostly 

refers to someone who is calm 

and unruffled in the face of 

chaos. 

I don’t think you can 

describe the Adelaide, Australia, 

police as “cool” these days, 

though. In more than a dozen 

robberies this year, some 

$10,000 worth of cucumbers 

have been stolen. “We’re having 

difficulty establishing where 

they (the cucumbers) are 

going,” says a police spokesman. 

If the police don’t crack the 

case soon and a shortage of 

cukes hits the markets, I guess 

everybody’s going to be in a 

pickle. 

Cucumbers, which originated 

in India, were highly regarded 

during the Roman Empire. 

Emperor Tiberius reportedly 

insisted on a daily cucumber 

regardless of the season. As a 

result, the emperor’s gardeners 

created the first rudimentary 

greenhouses to grow them yearround. 

The Romans also used 

cucumbers for medicinal purposes 

to treat scorpion bites and 

bad eyesight. In folklore, women 

wore cucumbers around their 

waists to ensure pregnancy. 

There are many varieties of 

cucumbers. American “slicers” 

have a tough skin, while most 

other countries prefer a more 

delicate skin. English cucumbers, 

which grow as long as 2 feet and 

Book Review 

are 

nearly 

seedless, 

are often 

referred to as 

“hothouse” 

cukes. Persian 

cucumbers are growing 

in popularity. They’re small, nearly 

seedless and are grown in 

Canada for the American market. 

Beit Alpha cucumbers are 

small, sweet fruits (yep, they’re 

not veggies) well-adapted to the 

climate of Middle East countries 

such as Israel. 

Kirby and Liberty are pickling 

cucumbers that constitute a 

large portion of the American 

crop. Bred for uniform length 

and diameter, picklers are soaked 

in brine (a salt solution) and 

sometimes brine mixed with 

vinegar and spices. Americans 

refer to pickling cucumbers 

merely as pickles, although 

they’re called gherkins in 

England. However, if you want a 

pickle with your fish and chips in 

the north of England, you’d better 

ask for a “Wallie.” 

It’s pretty easy to put up 

“refrigerator pickles,” which can 

be refrigerated for up to one 

week in an airtight container. 

REFRIGERATOR 

DILL PICKLES 

(Makes 1 quart) 

1½ c. distilled white vinegar 

¼ c. sugar 

4 tsp. kosher salt 

1 tsp. mustard seeds 

1 tsp. coriander seeds 

¾ tsp. dill seeds 

2 lbs. Kirby (pickling) cucumbers, 

sliced ¼-inch thick 

¾ c. fresh dill, coarsely 

chopped 

3 cloves garlic, coarsely 

chopped 

Pick up a pack 

of cukes and get 

pickling 

Microwave one cup of water 

until hot in a large heat-proof 

measuring cup. Add the vinegar, 

sugar, salt, mustard seeds, coriander 

seeds and dill seeds. Stir until 

the sugar and salt are dissolved. 

Let the brine cool. 

In a large bowl, toss the 

cucumbers with the dill and garlic. 

Pour the brine over the 

cucumbers and turn to coat. 

Place a small plate or bowl on 

top of the cucumbers to keep 

them submerged in the brine. 

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap 

and refrigerate overnight, stirring 

the mixture once or twice. 

There’s still some warm 

weather ahead this year, so you 

might like to try a simple chilled 

soup. 

COLD CUCUMBER SOUP 

(Serves 6) 

4 English (hothouse) cucumbers, 

peeled, seeded and 

roughly chopped 

2 green onions, sliced 

1½ c. non-fat plain yogurt 

1½ c. sour cream 

2 T. fresh dill, chopped, plus 

sprigs for garnish 

1 T. fresh mint 

1 T. flat-leaf parsley 

1 clove garlic, minced 

1½ tsp. kosher salt 

White ground pepper to taste 

Fresh lemon juice to taste 

Combine ingredients in a 

blender or food processor and 

process until pureed. Taste and 

add more salt and pepper if 

needed. Ladle into bowls and 

garnish with fresh dill sprigs. 

We like to use cucumbers as 

the base for appetizers at Pans 

on Fire. These cucumber cups 

with hummus make a deliciously 

healthy choice. 

LINDA WYNER 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT 

RED PEPPER HUMMUS CUPS 

6 medium cucumbers 

1 can garbanzo beans, drained 

and rinsed 

½ jar fire-roasted red peppers 

2-4 cloves peeled garlic (to 

taste) 

2 T. tahini (sesame seed paste) 

Salt 

Olive oil for processing 

Use a zester to remove long 

thin strips of skin from each 

cucumber. Slice the cucumbers 

into ¾-inch slices and use a 

melon baller to remove most of 

the center (seeded) area of each 

slice. Take care not to go all the 

way through the slice, because 

you want a little cup to hold the 

hummus. 

Puree remaining ingredients 

except olive oil. Slowly add 

enough olive oil to develop a 

thick, spoonable mixture. Place 

about ½ T. of hummus in each 

cuke cup (or use a pastry bag 

with a star tip). 

Linda Wyner, a local attorney and 

foodie, owns Pans on Fire, a gourmet 

cookware store and cooking school in 

Pleasanton. 

Direct your suggestions or questions 

to lwyner@claytonpioneer.com 

Novel a loving look at enduring friendships 

SUNNY SOLOMON 

FOR THE BOOKS 

For readers, both male and 

female, who are pre-boomers, 

Judith Marshall’s novel will resonate 

at some level. Finally, a 

book inhabited by real folk, not 

the slick, hip boomers who 

Botox their way into retirement. 

“Husbands May Come and 

Go – But Friends are Forever” 

won the 2008 Jack London Prize 

awarded by the California 

Writers Club. In the book, we 

meet Liz, a divorced mother of 

two adult children, as she experiences 

the downside of a company 

merger. The year is 2000 and 

the setting is generally Northern 

California and specifically, the 

Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. 

Concurrently, her longtime 

lover is offered a much-deserved 

promotion that would require a 

move to New York City. How 

does our heroine cope? She does 

it like most of us, with a little 

help from her friends. 

And there is the heart of 

Marshall’s story – six women 

who have known each other 

since at least high school and 

some go back as far as grammar 

school. 

Marshall has deftly crafted 

her story to fit within a onemonth 

period, March-April. 

Flashbacks provide funny and 

poignant memories, not only 

about how the girls met and are 

drawn together but also important 

biographical information 

that distinguishes each character. 

Not once does a reader mix 

up the friends, which occurs 

more often than not in novels of 

this kind. Marshall’s women 

stand out as individuals, and as 

the storyline begins to center 

around the sudden death of one 

of the friends, we are seamlessly 

drawn into the events. 

This is not a story wherein a 

protagonist is going to mature. 

After all, these women are all 

more than 65 years old. Then 

again, there is room for growth, 

which is heartening. 

And trust me, there is a lot 

of room for laughter. Marshall’s 

description of a surreal 

Tupperware-like party is pretty 

darned funny, and all matters 

sexual (both adolescent and 

adult) are treated with great 

honesty. 

Marshall’s depiction of a 

much earlier Lake Tahoe rings 

true for those of us who remember 

the all-day drive from the Bay 

Area to the lake. Her handling of 

what would eventually be known 

as dysfunctional families is also 

spot-on. These women did not 

have the vocabulary or resources 

their children would have. They 

slogged their way through 

divorce, alcoholism, infidelity, 

spousal abuse or any other aberrant 

behavior by trial and error, 

often leaving them with painful 

memories that wound never 

fade. 

Karen, the friend who died, 

lived at Lake Tahoe and it is there 

where the women meet again. It 

is there that long-held secrets are 

revealed, that ex-husbands and 

lovers come to mourn and adult 

children return to support their 

parents. 

The novel is told in Liz’s 

voice and it is definitely her story, 

but the group of eight women 

almost becomes a character in 

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itself. You will recognize a least a 

few of the women and possibly 

yourself, as well. 

Learning to accept one 

another, willingly or not, is a key 

to the longevity of their friendship. 

And in answer to the question 

asked in the Beatles’ great 

song, “When I’m 64,” yeah, I 

think at least some of these 

women will still find themselves 

loveable. 

Sunny Solomon holds a Master of 

Arts in English and Creative Writing 

from San Francisco State University. 

She is a poet and published author. 

Email her with questions or comments at 

memorie3@yahoo.com 

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CLAYTON! 

Local gardeners share 

fascination with dahlias 

Clayton Valley Garden Club 

members Marcia and Barry 

Hart are absolutely infatuated 

with dahlias. Their home is a 

growing homage to the plants 

they adore, with both the front 

and back yard bursting with 

orange, pink, white, red and 

yellow dahlias. 

About four years ago, the 

Harts were biking through 

Golden Gate Park in San 

Francisco during September. 

While riding past the 

Conservatory of Flowers, they 

found themselves in Dahlia 

Dell. Marcia and Barry fell in 

love with these impressive, 

magnificent floras. 

Their excitement for these 

blossoms caught the attention 

of Deborah, an associate at the 

conservatory. She asked the 

couple if they would like to 

join the Dahlia Society of 

California, for a membership 

fee of only $10. This club was 

organized in 1917. The offer 

was a good one, and the Harts 

signed up. 

Being a part of the Dahlia 

Society, based in San Francisco, 

opened their eyes to how simple 

it would be to achieve such 

extraordinary blooms. They 

were told that anyone with the 

ability to grow a tomato can 

grow a dahlia. They began 

planning their own dahlia beds. 

The dahlia bug had bitten these 

two plant lovers, and their 

whole lives were about to be 

infected with beauty. 

A LEARNING EXPERIENCE 

Anyone who is a part of a 

club knows that you have to 

volunteer your time for the 

benefit of the club. Marcia and 

Barry’s first experience with the 

club was with digging out the 

dahlia tubers. These awesome 

plants grow from tubers that 

resemble dirty bananas. During 

the last days of fall, dahlias aficionados 

cut down dry stems 

and remove the tubers from the 

soil. This is to prevent tuber 

rot, caused by saturated soil in 

the rainy months. 

MARCIA HART at the San 

Leandro Dahlia Show. 

Each tuber is marked in ink 

pencil with the name of the 

tuber and coding that tells the 

form, size and color of the 

dahlia. This was a big job, and 

Marcia and Barry learned a lot 

that day. The hands-on experience 

was instrumental in the 

understanding of the end of 

the season of the dahlia. 

The separated tubers are 

marked and stored through the 

winter in peat moss. The divisions 

are sold in April at the 

Dahlia Society’s Tuber Sale. 

Marcia and Barry returned 

to the sale in April. They 

bought, they planted and they 

achieved success with their 

installations – lots of success. 

One by one, the Harts added 

dahlias through tuber sales and 

exchanges. That ride through 

Golden Gate Park turned into 

an addiction, and what started 

out as a few dahlias turned into 

about 80 dahlia plants today, 

with as many as 92 at one time. 

STUNNING SHOWCASE 

Marcia grows mostly the 

moderately sized B class 

dahlias, with blooms 6-8 inches 

in diameter or larger. Jim 

Dandy, a bi-color, and Aitara 

Caress, a light blend, do excellent 

in the Harts full-sun front 

yard. Rolf is a perfect golden 

yellow, streaked with a red variegation. 

This semi-cactus stunner 

is proud to be grown in our 

hot climate. 

Bode is an incurved, cactusshaped 

lavender dahlia. Magic 

Moment has the honor of 

being the Harts’ first dahlia. 

The white, semi-cactus shaped 

bloom stands out on summer 

evenings. 

With all the success of the 

dahlias and some encouragement 

from the Dahlia Society, 

Marcia decided to take her pas- 

georgevujnovich.com Tel: (925) 672-4433 

Each Office Is Independently 

Owned & Operated. 

6160 Center Street, Suite E, Clayton 94517 

CLAYTON! 

Falcon Ridge at Oakhurst 

Country Club! Superb Single 

Story “Moonlight” model backs to 

oak dotted open space! 4 bedrooms, 

2 baths, approx. 2,237sf, fireplace & 

3 car garage! Upgraded travertine 

tile floors, neutral carpet & décor! 

Gourmet kitchen features granite tile 

counters, island & maple cabinets. Spacious master suite looks out to open space/hill. Large lot offers a 

custom patio, lawn area & an assortment of ornamentals. $619,000 

Clayton Market Update provided by 

George Vujnovich of Better Homes Realty 

NICOLE HACKETT 

GARDEN GIRL 

sion to another level and began 

entering dahlia shows. Now, 

Marcia is collecting blue ribbons 

at almost every event. In 

the front yard garden alone, 19 

blue ribbons hang above the 

winning dahlia. Marcia has 

received ribbons in the novice 

category and placed at the amateur 

table. Her novelty dahlia 

Hollyhill Spiderwoman has also 

placed at the open table. 

The Harts have been able to 

maintain this award-winning 

garden even with the current 

water restrictions. Drip system 

irrigation is used, along with 

mulch. In some very dry areas, 

newspaper is spread. 

Marcia adds water-soluble 

fertilizer about every four 

weeks and will disbud her 

plants regularly. Disbudding is 

the removal of buds to 

encourage larger, more dramatic 

blooms. The plant’s 

energy is focused on a handful 

of magnificent blooms, rather 

than many smaller, crammed 

flowers. 

Marcia and Barry’s dahlias 

are enjoyed all summer long. 

They admire every bloom and 

share them with friends and 

neighbors. 

Nicole is the Garden Girl at 

R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts and 

Garden Contact her with questions, 

comments or suggestions at 

gardengirl@claytonpioneer.com 

ADDRESS PRICE SALE DATE SF BED/BATH 

179 Mt. Vernon Dr $505,000 9/2/09 1740 4/2 

1519 N. Mitchell Canyon Rd $433,000 9/1/09 1831 4/2.5 

1349 Shell Lane $427,500 8/28/09 1709 3/3 

139 El Portal Pl $640,000 8/26/09 2420 4/2.5 

312 Mount Sierra Pl $498,000 8/19/09 2261 4/2.5 

260 Mountaire Parkway $612,000 8/14/09 2694 5/2.5 

953 Tiffin Dr $550,000 8/12/09 1878 4/2 

6022 Mitchell Creek Pl $647,000 8/8/09 2200 4/2.5 

93 El Portal Place $695,000 8/7/09 2427 3/2.5 

106 La Encinal Ct $630,000 8/5/09 2390 4/2.5 

3087 Windmill Canyon Dr $600,000 8/4/09 2532 5/2.5 

252 Stranahan Circle $425,000 8/4/09 1663 3/2.5 

6008 High Street $605,000 7/31/09 2148 4/2.5 

400 Chupcan Pl $437,500 7/31/09 1749 3/2.5 

5205 Keller Ridge Drive $785,000 7/28/09 3079 5/3 

705 Condor Place $270,600 7/24/09 1026 2/2 

5593 Coronado Court $440,000 7/24/09 1646 4/2 

145 Widmar Pl $595,000 7/24/09 2810 4/2.5 

30 Mount Hamilton Ct $570,000 7/22/09 2141 4/2.5 

Better Homes DRE#00933393

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