You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
IT’S YOUR PAPER<br />
www.claytonpioneer.com October 22, 20<strong>10</strong> 925.672.0500<br />
HANK STRATFORD<br />
MAYOR’S CORNER<br />
Don’t lose sleep on<br />
street project<br />
I’m guessing you wake up in<br />
the morning wishing you knew<br />
more about <strong>Clayton</strong>’s street<br />
maintenance. Since the city is<br />
about to start a $1.3 million<br />
street project, I thought I would<br />
give you some information you<br />
can use as you stand around the<br />
water cooler at work.<br />
In order to qualify for state<br />
and federal funding for street<br />
projects, the city is required to<br />
maintain an acceptable pavement<br />
management program. As part<br />
PRSRT STD<br />
US POSTAGE<br />
PAID<br />
CLAYTON, CA<br />
PERMIT 190<br />
See Mayor, <strong>page</strong> 20<br />
Museum<br />
event brings<br />
history into<br />
perspective<br />
Photo by Mike Dunn<br />
FIONA SUNDY watches as her<br />
sister Branna grinds seeds<br />
into a pulp at the <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Museum. Looking on is Aiden<br />
Dvorak.<br />
MIKE DUNN<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong><br />
Whispers of local people<br />
from the past were clearly witnessed<br />
at the <strong>Clayton</strong> Museum<br />
on Oct. 9.<br />
The “whispers” were visual<br />
clues seen with the help of<br />
Christine McCollum, a local<br />
archaeologist and 1994 <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Valley High alumnus.<br />
McCollum and museum<br />
curator Mary Spryer created an<br />
engaging and interesting focus<br />
See Museum, <strong>page</strong> 6<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Valley High continues to lead<br />
way in Save High School Sports effort<br />
Photo by Mike Dunn<br />
THE FAMILY FUN RUN/WALK was a highlight of the second annual Save High School Sports 5K event at Newhall Park<br />
in Concord. Over 1600 runners and walkers, plus some of the four-legged variety, took part in the event helping<br />
raise approximately $75,000 to fund sports a the six high schools of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District. Runners<br />
and walker wearing the school colors of <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley, Concord, Northgate, College Park, Ygnacio Valley and Mt.<br />
Diablo high schools included students, parents, teachers, school staff, alumni and community supporters.<br />
The year’s Ghost Walk marks 30<br />
years of ghoulish goings-on<br />
PAMELA WIESENDANGER<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong><br />
The Halloween Ghost Walk,<br />
an annual <strong>Clayton</strong> favorite, is<br />
marking its 30th anniversary this<br />
year.<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> historian Richard<br />
Taylor leads the hauntingly fun<br />
tour from Endeavor Hall. The<br />
first Ghost Walk was really a history<br />
field trip. Taylor taught a<br />
class called “<strong>Clayton</strong> Past and<br />
Present” for <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Community School, an afterschool<br />
program at Mt. Diablo<br />
Elementary School.<br />
He walked 24 students and<br />
parents around <strong>Clayton</strong>, sharing<br />
interesting stories of <strong>Clayton</strong>’s<br />
What’s Inside<br />
Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2<br />
Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15<br />
Church News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18<br />
Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17<br />
history. The abundance of scary<br />
stories coincided with it being<br />
Halloween that day, earning him<br />
a command performance the<br />
following Halloween. Word and<br />
interest spread and by the third<br />
year, 500 people showed up for<br />
the ghost walk.<br />
Today’s crowd averages<br />
about 200 people. The city of<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> sponsors the event, and<br />
Police Explorers escort the<br />
crowd safely through the streets.<br />
Taylor’s mother assisted with<br />
the walks until she died in 2005.<br />
His father kept the ghouls and<br />
goblins satisfied at home by handing<br />
out candy to trick-or-treaters.<br />
See Ghostwalk <strong>page</strong> 18<br />
Take action against online bullying now<br />
SARAH ROSEN<br />
TEEN SPEAK<br />
Over the past month or so,<br />
six kids have killed themselves as<br />
a result of bullying in the United<br />
States alone. Two of these were<br />
from California.<br />
The kids, ranging in age from<br />
11 to 19, could no longer take<br />
the relentless bullying. Whether<br />
they were taunted because they<br />
were thought to be homosexual<br />
or were seen as being different,<br />
these children took their lives<br />
Community Calendar . . . . . . . .16<br />
Directory of Advertisers . . . . . . . .5<br />
Financial Sense . . . . . . . . . . . . .<strong>10</strong><br />
Food for Thought . . . . . . . . . . . .21<br />
From the Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . .<strong>10</strong><br />
Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21<br />
Going Green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20<br />
because they couldn’t live with<br />
the abuse.<br />
This past spring, I joined a<br />
group of <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley High<br />
School students as volunteer<br />
camp counselors for Ayers<br />
Elementary School’s fifth-grade<br />
Camp Sea Lab in Monterey.<br />
Upon my arrival, I realized that<br />
times had changed. There were<br />
no hand games and singing<br />
“Wheels on the Bus.” Instead,<br />
these kids were singing songs<br />
with references to alcohol and<br />
sex.<br />
After I got home from camp,<br />
I found that several of the kids<br />
had “friended” me on Facebook.<br />
Though I questioned why fifthgraders<br />
had Facebook <strong>page</strong>s, I<br />
accepted the requests.<br />
Holiday Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . .22<br />
Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . .7<br />
Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4<br />
Mayor’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8<br />
Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11<br />
Police Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .<strong>10</strong><br />
Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8<br />
Have a Happy<br />
Halloween<br />
FOR 30 YEARS, RICHARD TAYLOR has led the annual Halloween<br />
Ghost Walk through the streets of <strong>Clayton</strong>. At the Oct. 19 City<br />
Council meeting, Taylor was honored for his efforts.<br />
See Bullying, <strong>page</strong> 18<br />
JAY BEDECARRÉ<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong><br />
As families rally to save<br />
sports in the Mt. Diablo Unified<br />
School District, the second<br />
annual Save High School Sports<br />
5K Run/Walk at Newhall Park<br />
in Concord raised $75,000.<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Valley High School<br />
took a leadership role in the<br />
United Mt. Diablo Athletic<br />
Foundation, which was formed<br />
in 2009 to spearhead the Save<br />
High School Sports fund-raising<br />
efforts. At the second annual<br />
run/walk Oct. <strong>10</strong>, CVHS had<br />
the most registered participants<br />
with 450 runners or walkers.<br />
Decorated former Eagle runner<br />
Nathanael Litwiller once again<br />
the first runner to cross the finish<br />
line of the 5K course around<br />
Newhall Park in a time of<br />
16:31.46.<br />
Last year, families and community<br />
members were told they<br />
must raise more than $1.2 million<br />
so athletes from the six high<br />
schools can participate in boys<br />
and girls sports.<br />
See 5K Run <strong>page</strong> 13<br />
Downtown<br />
business<br />
development,<br />
potential<br />
conflicts<br />
addressed at<br />
Candidates’<br />
Forum<br />
TAMARA STEINER<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong><br />
Attracting more businesses<br />
to the downtown was the central<br />
issue at last Monday’s<br />
Candidates’ Forum sponsored<br />
by the <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> and the<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Library Foundation and<br />
moderated by Concord Mayor<br />
Guy Bjerke.<br />
Dave Shuey, an attorney, is<br />
running for a third term and<br />
Hank Stratford, a businessman<br />
and CPA is running for a second.<br />
Challenger Ted Meriam is a<br />
Microsoft executive currently<br />
sitting on the Planning<br />
Commission and Jim Diaz is a<br />
businessman with a security and<br />
law enforcement background.<br />
This is his third run for City<br />
Council.<br />
Shuey and Stratford are<br />
essentially conducting a single<br />
campaign and say their skills and<br />
experience are needed in some<br />
critical areas. Shuey brings legal<br />
expertise to the city’s ongoing<br />
See Forum <strong>page</strong> 17<br />
Safety Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15<br />
Senior Moments . . . . . . . . . . . . .9<br />
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12<br />
Take a Hike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20<br />
Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19<br />
Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17<br />
Your Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Page 2 <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer.com October 22, 20<strong>10</strong><br />
Julie and Steve Pierce – ‘best<br />
friends’ celebrate 40 years<br />
Julie and Steve Pierce celebrated<br />
their 40th wedding<br />
anniversary on August 8 with<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Windmill Canyon/Ironwood! Super<br />
single story “Augusta” model with<br />
views of rolling hills!<br />
3 bedrooms, 2 baths, approx. 1816sf. Large combination<br />
living & dining room with semi vaulted ceiling & neutral<br />
carpet. Eat-in kitchen features tile counters &<br />
island, upgraded tile floors, maple cabinets, built-in<br />
recipe desk & pantry, plus nook with views! Family room<br />
with cozy fireplace & custom built-in media cabinet.<br />
Spacious master suite with views of hills. Low maintenance<br />
lot offers a brick trimmed aggregate patio, lawn<br />
areas & views of rolling hills. $495,000<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Oakhurst Country Club! Peacock<br />
Creek! Fantastic “Nantucket”<br />
model backing to open space!<br />
PENDING<br />
4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, plus an downstairs den and<br />
an upstairs loft! Approx. 3820sf, inside laundry & 3 car<br />
garage! Upgraded flooring and lighting with neutral<br />
décor & plantation shutters throughout! Gourmet eat-in<br />
kitchen! Expanded family option with stacked stone<br />
fireplace! Spacious master overlooks opens space and<br />
ridgeline. Private lot features a custom salt washed<br />
patio & walks, relaxing spa, nice lawn area & lots of<br />
trees! $795,000<br />
Around Town<br />
Fay Bower<br />
receives Holy<br />
Names Faculty<br />
Award<br />
Dr. Fay Bower was presented<br />
with the 20<strong>10</strong> Holy Names<br />
Faculty Award at the 37th<br />
Annual Alumni Awards<br />
Ceremony on Oct. 1. She was<br />
recognized for her outstanding<br />
service and loyalty to the university.<br />
Dr. Bower is chairperson<br />
and a professor in the<br />
Department of Nursing at Holy<br />
Names and is an award-winning<br />
healthcare professional. In 2009,<br />
Cambridge Who’s Who recognized<br />
Dr. Bower for demonstrating<br />
a lifetime of dedication,<br />
leadership and excellence in<br />
healthcare education. She is an<br />
expert on evidence-based practice,<br />
research and community<br />
healthcare and a founder of the<br />
Center for Third Age Nurses.<br />
Dr. Bower lives in <strong>Clayton</strong>.<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Regency Woods! Great single story<br />
tucked away at the end of a quiet<br />
court backing to open space! 4 bedrooms,<br />
2 updated baths, approx. 1895sf . Updated<br />
kitchen boast gorgeous slab granite counters, gleaming<br />
hardwood floors & breakfast nook with Bay window!<br />
Combination step sown living and dining room.<br />
Family features hardwood floors a brick fireplace with<br />
raised hearth & slider to yard! Roomy master suite<br />
offers dual closets with extensive organizer system &<br />
slider to private patio. Large totally private .20 acre lot<br />
backs to open space and features multiple patio areas,<br />
lawn area & mature lush landscape! $499,000<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong><br />
PENDING<br />
Oakhurst Country Club! Peacock<br />
Creek! Stunning “Coronado” on a<br />
premium view lot backing to open space with<br />
un-obstructed breath taking views of oak dotted hills,<br />
canyons/valley & Mt. Diablo. Private quiet court setting!<br />
4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths plus a loft, approx.<br />
3308sf & 3 car garage! Rare & desirable first floor<br />
master suite! Elegant living & dining room with fireplace.<br />
Spacious gourmet kitchen opens to large family<br />
room with soaring ceiling, fireplace & wall of windows.<br />
Meticulously maintained professionally landscaped<br />
huge level lot features a sprawling lush lawn, custom<br />
patio, palm trees & a variety of ornamentals!<br />
$829,000<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Market Update provided by George Vujnovich of Better Homes Realty<br />
5920 Herriman Dr.....................$615,000 . . . . .3614 . . . . .5/3 . . . . .9/30/<strong>10</strong><br />
473 Obsidian Way ....................$655,000 . . . . .2455 . . . . .4/2 . . . . .9/30/<strong>10</strong><br />
5850 Pine Hollow Rd................$445,000 . . . . .1494 . . . . .3/2 . . . . .9/30/<strong>10</strong><br />
5222 Keller Ridge Dr................$689,900 . . . . .2894 . . . . .4/3 . . . . .9/24/<strong>10</strong><br />
8028 Kelok Way .......................$630,000 . . . . .2237 . . . . .4/2 . . . . .9/22/<strong>10</strong><br />
379 Mount Sequoia Pl..............$670,000 . . . . .3216 . . . . .5/3 . . . . .9/21/<strong>10</strong><br />
Rotary Goes Hollywood<br />
Each Office Is Independently<br />
Owned & Operated.<br />
What’s happening<br />
Around Town?<br />
We want to know what’s<br />
happening in your families and<br />
in your neighborhoods.<br />
Send your news of births,<br />
engagements weddings,<br />
anniversaries, celebrations, etc.<br />
to info@claytonpioneer.com.<br />
Please attach your photos to<br />
the email as JPEG files between<br />
between 3MB and 6MB and<br />
include a caption to identify<br />
people in your photos.<br />
GEORGE VUJNOVICH<br />
Broker<br />
Better Homes DRE#00933393<br />
The <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley/<br />
Concord Sunrise Rotary Club<br />
went Hollywood with their<br />
annual dinner and charity auction<br />
fundraiser on Sat. Oct. 9th.<br />
Among the <strong>Clayton</strong> folks<br />
attending in character were the<br />
Scarecrow and Charlie Chaplin<br />
(Al & Renee Martin), Bugsy<br />
KinderCare has new director<br />
dinner at Moresi’s Chophouse<br />
followed by cake and champagne<br />
at their home in<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Joining them were<br />
Julie’s father Wil Barnes and<br />
son Robert and his wife Jennie<br />
and grandchildren Gavin and<br />
Ellie. Son Shawn and wife<br />
Jaime and granddaughters<br />
Ashlyn and Sadie live in<br />
Nipomo and were unable to<br />
attend.<br />
Julie and Steve met in<br />
Ames, Iowa, where they were<br />
high school sweethearts. “We<br />
started out as best friends over<br />
43 years ago,” says Julie, “And<br />
we still are.” DR. FAY BOWER<br />
Sydney Alcock has been<br />
named Director of <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
KinderCare on Main Street. A<br />
native of <strong>Clayton</strong> and graduate<br />
of CVHS, she has worked for<br />
KinderCare since 2007.<br />
“I have always loved working<br />
with children and my heart<br />
warms as they grow and discover<br />
the world around them,” says<br />
Sydney.<br />
Sydney is the daughter of<br />
Mike and Susan Fossan, also of<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong>.<br />
SYDNEY ALCOCK<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Oakhurst Country Club! Peacock<br />
Creek! Sensational single story<br />
“Lenox” model on a prime view lot!<br />
PENDING<br />
tucked away at the top of Peacock Creek with views of<br />
hills, ridgeline & canyons!. 3 bedrooms plus a den, 2<br />
baths, approx. 2748sf, inside laundry & 3 car garage!<br />
Spacious gourmet kitchen boasts slab granite counters<br />
and center island with breakfast bar. Adjoining large family<br />
room with fireplace flanked by custom built-in media<br />
cabinets. Spacious master suite with Huge walk-in closet!<br />
Large level private lot features a custom patio, lush<br />
lawn areas & an assortment of ornamentals and offers<br />
beautiful views and refreshing spa! $729,000<br />
Siegel and his Vegas showgirl<br />
(Pete & Sheri Lawrence). Many<br />
other <strong>Clayton</strong> celebrities walked<br />
the red carpet, posed for the<br />
photographers and actively bid<br />
on the many fine auction prizes.<br />
Following dinner, they danced<br />
to music by <strong>Clayton</strong> musician<br />
Santiago Martinez and his band.<br />
From upper left: Cindy Haydon and Debbie Mullins; Bob and Karen<br />
Deiss, Al and Renee Martin dine and dance at Rotary Hollywood dinner<br />
Helping friends, neighbors<br />
& newcomers buy and sell<br />
their homes since 1979<br />
georgevujnovich.com<br />
(925) 672-4433<br />
6160 Center St.,<br />
Suite E, <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
ADDRESS PRICE SF BED/BATH SALE DATE ADDRESS PRICE SF BED/BATH SALE DATE<br />
52<strong>10</strong> Keller Ridge Dr................$680,000 . . . . .3079 . . . . .4/3 . . . . .9/20/<strong>10</strong><br />
3030 Windmill Canyon Dr ........$605,000 . . . . .2313 . . . . .4/2.5 . . . .9/15/<strong>10</strong><br />
53 El Portal Dr..........................$608,150 . . . . .2857 . . . . .5/3 . . . . .9/14/<strong>10</strong><br />
3307 Coyote Cir .......................$370,000 . . . . .1595 . . . . .3/2.5 . . . . .9/8/<strong>10</strong><br />
<strong>10</strong>15 Feather Cir ......................$450,000 . . . . .1638 . . . . .3/2.5 . . . . .9/8/<strong>10</strong><br />
51 Tule Court............................$430,000 . . . . .1749 . . . . .3/2.5 . . . . .9/3/<strong>10</strong>
October 22, 20<strong>10</strong> <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer.com Page 3<br />
‘Symphony of Favors’ draws CVHS<br />
music supporter for a common cause<br />
WENDY AND ERIC MOORE; Karen<br />
and Richard Vales were among<br />
the supporters.<br />
Supporters of the CVHS<br />
music programs gathered at<br />
Endeavor Hall for a wine and<br />
cheese and a bit of socializing<br />
on Oct. 8.<br />
On hand to provide background<br />
music during the<br />
“Symphony of Flavors”<br />
fundraiser were members of<br />
CVHS String Orchestra,<br />
Heather Raymond and Jessica<br />
Untalan, Latin percussionist<br />
Arthur Jones and the five-member<br />
electronic “Gregg Fogg<br />
Band.”<br />
The event, designed to bring<br />
1824 Princeton Court, Concord $449,800<br />
Down a Private Lane – Wonderful 3BD/2.5BA offering<br />
fabulous kitchen & vibrant gardens galore with a<br />
quiet creek. Ample space for your RV/Boat/Toy parking.<br />
1824PrincetonCourt.com<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Resident<br />
& Broker Owner<br />
JUST LISTED!<br />
4323 Briones Valley Road, Brentwood $580,000<br />
Ranch Property – 4BD/2.5BA appointed on nearly 7<br />
acres is once in a lifetime deal! Enjoy chef ’s kitchen,<br />
travertine tile in dining & family rooms. 2 barns w/tack<br />
rooms & more! BrionesRanch.com<br />
NEW PRICE<br />
Photo by Donna Price<br />
EVENT ORGANIZERS SANDY FOGG, Mundy Viar, Linda<br />
Minorsky and Andrea Raymond.<br />
needed attention to the CV<br />
music department drew nearly<br />
150 to the event.<br />
“We wanted more than anything<br />
to just gather music supporters<br />
together and get<br />
focused at the beginning of the<br />
year,” said CV music teacher<br />
Maundy Viar. “This did it.”<br />
BRIAN FOGG, PIANO AND ARTHUR JONES, DRUM. The two played together<br />
for the very first time, with no rehearsal, at the fundraiser.<br />
Around Town<br />
BOB AND JANET STICKLE<br />
JUST LISTED! JUST LISTED! JUST LISTED!<br />
4903 Keller Ridge Drive, <strong>Clayton</strong> $289,000<br />
Diablo Ridge – Located adjacent to 7th hole at<br />
Oakhurst, this home offers 2 master bedrooms & 2.5<br />
baths. This is a perfect place to relax w/a drink on the<br />
patio. Easy living, low maintenance at a great price.<br />
5741 Tamarack Way, Concord $508,000<br />
Dana Farms – <strong>Clayton</strong> schools w/this single-story<br />
3BD/2BA. Cozy fireplace in family room & updated<br />
kitchen with pantry, bay window & hardwood floors.<br />
TamarackWay.com<br />
Marcia and Harvey Maslin mark 50 years<br />
Marcia and Harvey Maslin celebrated<br />
their 50th anniversary last month with a<br />
cruise to the Greek Isles and Turkey and a<br />
renewal of their wedding vows on Aug. 21.<br />
Marcia wore her original wedding gown<br />
and veil at the celebration held at the home<br />
of their oldest daughter and her husband.<br />
The evening, attended by family and friends,<br />
included an outdoor dinner party with music<br />
and dancing.<br />
The couple met at Tucson High School,<br />
when Marcia was a freshman and Harvey was<br />
a senior. She asked Harvey out to a girl-askboy<br />
party, but they did not see each other<br />
again for three years. They courted during<br />
Harvey’s junior year in college and after they<br />
married, Marcia began the University of<br />
Arizona as a freshman and Harvey was a senior.<br />
He received the “Cradle Robbing Award”<br />
that year from his fraternity before starting<br />
the University of Arizona Law School.<br />
They live in <strong>Clayton</strong>.<br />
The <strong>Pioneer</strong> visits the Normandy<br />
Beaches with the Stickles<br />
In September, Bob and Janet<br />
Stickle of <strong>Clayton</strong> traveled to<br />
France and visited the<br />
Normandy Beaches, including<br />
Utah, Omaha and Point du Hoc.<br />
They took the <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong><br />
along with them and took this<br />
picture at Ste. Mere – Eglise, the<br />
little town where the 82nd<br />
Airborne and <strong>10</strong>1 Airborne<br />
Divisions parachuted and landed<br />
to begin the liberation of northern<br />
France on June 6, 1944.<br />
Bob retired as a Commander<br />
after serving 20 years in the<br />
Navy and Naval Reserve. They<br />
have lived in <strong>Clayton</strong> for 38<br />
years and have raised both their<br />
children here.<br />
5561 Maryland Drive, Concord $350,000<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Valley Highlands – 3BD/2BA has large,<br />
fenced front yard and a spacious living room with dining<br />
area, all with fresh wood laminate floors. Updated<br />
kitchen with gas range & dining nook. Close to schools!<br />
328 Mt. Washington Way, <strong>Clayton</strong> $539,000<br />
Dana Hills – Single-story home with 4BD/2BA<br />
includes office/retreat off master. Convenient built-in<br />
cabinets in living & family rooms. Plush backyard with<br />
spa. MtWashingtonWay.com<br />
SUSAN AND DAVID SISSON<br />
MARCIA AND HARVEY MASLIN<br />
Sissons travel to China<br />
Susan and David Sisson<br />
recently returned from China<br />
where they took this photo at<br />
the Terra Cotta Warrior site in<br />
Xi’an They spent 12 days touring<br />
and visited the Great Wall<br />
of China, The Forbidden City,<br />
Tiananmen Square, the Three<br />
Gorges area of the Yangtze<br />
River and the Three Gorges<br />
Dam.<br />
2238 Southwest Court, Martinez $399,800<br />
Diablo View – Quiet cul-de-sac location backing to<br />
open space makes for great privacy. 3BD/2.5BA with<br />
upgrades galore including landscaping, windows, paint &<br />
deck. SouthwestCourt.com<br />
170 Brandywine Place, <strong>Clayton</strong> $839,000<br />
Peacock Creek – Located on a prime, corner lot,<br />
4BD/3BA plus den has over 200K in superior upgrades.<br />
Impeccable landscaping & outdoor kitchen & spa.<br />
170Brandywine.com<br />
DRE# 01122025
Page 4 <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer.com October 22, 20<strong>10</strong><br />
City proclaims November as<br />
Pulmonary Hypertension month<br />
KATIE GRACE GROEBNER, left, joins the Piranhas soccer team as<br />
they wear blue lips to boost awareness of pulmonary hypertension.<br />
In honor of a local family,<br />
the city is proclaiming<br />
November as Pulmonary<br />
Hypertension Awareness Month<br />
in <strong>Clayton</strong>.<br />
New<br />
Stylist in town<br />
Leia Herbst<br />
(925) 765-8245<br />
In conjunction with the<br />
national event, the local effort is<br />
on behalf of the Groebner family.<br />
They ended up in <strong>Clayton</strong> –<br />
far from their home in<br />
�� Cutting edgeor classic<br />
�� Color specialist<br />
50% off Cut or<br />
Complimentary Cut<br />
with chemical service<br />
For first-time customers. Mention this ad when making appt.<br />
Offer expires 11/05/20<strong>10</strong><br />
Located at Althea Corrin Salon & Day Spa,<br />
5458 Ygnacio Rd, #30, Concord<br />
next to Peet’s in the CV Shopping Center<br />
Lease Listings<br />
925-693-0757 (Main)<br />
925-766-6745 (Direct)<br />
Coming Soon<br />
4411 Morgan Territory Rd. <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Nestled back off Morgan Territory Rd. Single story<br />
4BD/2 BA upgraded ranch-style home. Detached 4 car<br />
garage. Small animals welcome. Horses possible.<br />
$3,000/month<br />
Coming Soon<br />
1486 Yosemite Cir., <strong>Clayton</strong>.<br />
Beautiful 3 bedroom 2 bath home in <strong>Clayton</strong>. 1,500 sq.<br />
ft., hardwood floors, new paint on the inside and out,<br />
A/C, fireplace, pool. Relaxing backyard with a pool and<br />
HUGE overhang for shade. Rent includes pool care<br />
and landscaper. $2500/month Call for availability.<br />
925-693-0752 (Fax)<br />
mazzeirealty@yahoo.com<br />
6160 Center St. Suite #C, <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
mazzeirealty.net<br />
Minnesota -- because their 8year-old<br />
daughter, Katie Grace,<br />
started receiving medical care at<br />
Stanford in 2008.<br />
“Alone, not knowing anyone<br />
and with little hope for our<br />
daughter’s life, this city has<br />
embraced us and made us one of<br />
their own,” mom Kathy<br />
Groebner says.<br />
Pulmonary hypertension is a<br />
rare disorder causing intolerable<br />
blood pressure levels in the<br />
arteries between the lungs and<br />
heart. Upon diagnosis, many<br />
patients are told they have six<br />
months to live.<br />
“But with earlier diagnosis<br />
and new treatments, many<br />
patients are living five, <strong>10</strong>, even<br />
20 years with this illness,”<br />
Groebner notes. “Hope for<br />
tomorrow is even better.”<br />
Groebner cites advances<br />
such as eight FDA-approved<br />
treatments, 230-plus support<br />
groups, 6,000 PH-treating medical<br />
professionals and $9 million<br />
committed to PH research.<br />
In an effort to raise awareness,<br />
the city of <strong>Clayton</strong> urges all<br />
residents to recognize the seriousness<br />
of the disease and the<br />
meritorious work of the<br />
Pulmonary Hypertension<br />
Association to find a cure.<br />
Among the community<br />
efforts on behalf of the<br />
Groebners are local real estate<br />
agent Lynne French making her<br />
office a kissing booth for<br />
PuckerUp4PH and <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Valley High School students running<br />
the Race for a Cure at<br />
Stanford.<br />
“I am proud to call <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
my new home and I can not<br />
think of any better place to end<br />
up in our situation,” Groebner<br />
concludes.<br />
For more information, visit<br />
phassociation.org.<br />
With interest rates<br />
at an all-time low, now is a<br />
good time to buy.<br />
Short Sales, REO’s,<br />
Foreclosures or<br />
Loan Pre-Qualification?<br />
Call Matt for a free<br />
Consultation.<br />
Matt Mazzei, Jr.<br />
Broker/Owner<br />
Matt Mazzei, Sr.<br />
Sales Agent<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong><br />
residents<br />
since 1959<br />
DRE# 01881269<br />
DRE# 01879806<br />
Obituary<br />
Joyce Krieger Schilp<br />
October 5, 1939 – October 14, 20<strong>10</strong><br />
Joyce Krieger Schilp died in the care of<br />
Hospice of the East Bay on October<br />
14 after a short, but valiant battle<br />
with cancer.<br />
She was a noted musician<br />
and singer and a 40-year member<br />
of the Masterworks<br />
Chorale at Diablo Valley<br />
College. She sang with the<br />
local <strong>Clayton</strong> choir,<br />
Yesterday’s Kids, and the<br />
Blackhawk Chorus in<br />
Danville.<br />
She was an accomplished<br />
pianist, organist and choir<br />
director at the Church of<br />
Jesus Christ of Latter Day<br />
Saints on Alberta Way in<br />
Concord.<br />
Her friends and family remember<br />
her for her warm, straightforward, “nononsense”<br />
way and her ever-present sense of<br />
humor.<br />
Joyce was a quilter and loved to travel.<br />
She played golf and was an avid<br />
hiker. And she loved her family,<br />
said daughter Linda. “She was<br />
my best friend forever.”<br />
A newlywed, Joyce is survived<br />
by her husband of<br />
one year, William Schilp,<br />
her daughter Linda Smith<br />
of Brentwood and sons<br />
Wendell Doman and Steve<br />
Doman, 11 grandchildren<br />
and two great-grandchildren.<br />
Friends and family<br />
remembered Joyce at a<br />
memorial service on Oct 20 at<br />
the LDS church on Alberta Way.<br />
Memorial donations can be made<br />
online to Hospice of the East Bay,<br />
www.hospiceeastbay.org, or by check to<br />
3470 Buskirk Ave., Pleasant Hill, CA 94523.<br />
Morgan Territory residents<br />
organize for fire protection<br />
Morgan Territory and Marsh<br />
Creek area residents are gearing<br />
up for a fight to keep the Cal<br />
Fire Sunshine Station on Marsh<br />
Creek Road open.<br />
State funding for the station<br />
will end after this fire season,<br />
and the station is set to go dark<br />
at month’s end.<br />
“Our goal is to keep the<br />
Sunshine Station open,” Cheryl<br />
Morgan told the crowd of more<br />
than <strong>10</strong>0 who met on Oct. 11 to<br />
hear their options for fire protection<br />
and emergency services<br />
during the off-season. “We need<br />
to keep that as the focus.”<br />
She urged the group to exert<br />
pressure on the East Contra<br />
Costa Fire Protection District<br />
(ECCFPD) to draw on its $4<br />
million in reserves to cover<br />
operating costs of the station<br />
November to April.<br />
“We are a community with a<br />
shared interest. Just laying back<br />
and letting the station close is<br />
not an option,” Morgan said.<br />
The off-season contract with<br />
Cal Fire costs $366,000. Area<br />
residents pay more than<br />
$400,000 to East County for fire<br />
protection.<br />
“The (budget) shortfall does<br />
not come from the Morgan<br />
Territory area,” acknowledged<br />
Erick Stonebarger, president of<br />
the East County board of directors.<br />
“You have more than<br />
enough to pay for it.”<br />
He said it was an issue of allocation<br />
of resources. “Tax revenues<br />
are down and the district is<br />
running out of money. Without a<br />
parcel tax measure, we will run<br />
out of cash in 2½ years,” he said.<br />
See Cal Fire Contract pg 7
October 22, 20<strong>10</strong> <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer.com Page 5<br />
P.O. Box 1246<br />
6200 Center Street, Suite H, <strong>Clayton</strong>, CA 94517<br />
TAMARA AND ROBERT STEINER, Publishers<br />
TAMARA STEINER, Editor<br />
RANDY WENGER, Display Advertising<br />
PETE CRUZ, Graphic Design<br />
BEV BRITTON, Copy Editor<br />
JAY BEDECARRÉ, Sports<br />
PAMELA WIESENDANGER, Administrative Assistant<br />
STAFF WRITERS: Denisen Hartlove, Lou Fancher, Nicci<br />
Shipstead, Pam Wiesendanger, Mike Dunn<br />
We remember Jill Bedecarré - Her spirit is our muse<br />
PIONEER INFO<br />
CONTACT US<br />
Tel: (925) 672-0500<br />
Fax: (925) 672-6580<br />
Tamara Steiner<br />
tamara@claytonpioneer.com<br />
Randy Wenger<br />
Randy@claytonpioneer.com<br />
Send ads to<br />
ads@claytonpioneer.com<br />
Send Sports News to<br />
sports@claytonpioneer.com<br />
Send Club News to<br />
clubnews@claytonpioneer.com<br />
Send Church News to<br />
churchnews@claytonpioneer.com<br />
Send School News to<br />
schoolnews@claytonpioneer.com<br />
CLASSIFIEDS<br />
Classified rates per insertion:<br />
Non-profit: $12 for first 30<br />
words, $.20 each additional<br />
word<br />
Individual/non-commercial:<br />
$18 for first 30 words, $.30<br />
each additional word<br />
Commercial: $48 for first 30<br />
words, $.40 each additional<br />
word<br />
To place your classified ad over the<br />
phone, call the office at (925) 672-<br />
0500 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.<br />
Mon.-Fri. Or, you may fax your typewritten<br />
ad and credit card information<br />
to (925) 672-6580. All classifieds<br />
must be paid for in advance by credit<br />
card (Master Card or Visa)<br />
We will not accept any ad that dis-<br />
BACK TO<br />
SCHOOL<br />
criminates on the basis of race, color,<br />
sex, religion, nationality, family status<br />
or disability. The <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong><br />
reserves the right to reject any advertising<br />
we believe is unsuitable.<br />
LET US KNOW<br />
Weddings, engagements, anniversaries,<br />
births and deaths all weave<br />
together as part of the fabric of our<br />
community. Please let us know of<br />
these important events. We ask only<br />
that the announcement be for a<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> resident. You will find the<br />
appropriate form for your announcement<br />
on our Website. Attach your<br />
photo to the form. Make sure the<br />
image size you are about to send is at<br />
least 3 MB but not bigger than 6MB.<br />
The only format we accept is JPG. You<br />
can also mail or bring your print to the<br />
office and we can scan it for you.<br />
Also on our Website are forms for<br />
submitting Community Calendar items<br />
and press releases for your organization.<br />
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR<br />
The <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> welcomes<br />
letters from our readers. As a general<br />
rule, letters should be 250 words or<br />
less and submitted at least one week<br />
prior to publication date. Letters concerning<br />
current issues will have priority.<br />
We may edit letters for length and<br />
clarity. All letters will be published at<br />
the editor’s discretion.<br />
Please include your name, address<br />
and daytime telephone number. We<br />
will not print letters from “anonymous.”<br />
E-mail your letter in a Word<br />
document to tamara@claytonpioneer.com.<br />
Letters MUST be submitted<br />
via E-mail.<br />
Classified<br />
$ 20off $ 15off $ 20off<br />
With<br />
Coupon<br />
Only.<br />
Brake Work<br />
ASE Certified Technicians<br />
Free shuttle service for major repairs<br />
SSPPECIIAALLSS<br />
LUBE, OIL & FILTER<br />
Includes 5 qts. of Oil, Filter and Inspection.<br />
With<br />
Coupon<br />
Only.<br />
Offers may not be combined and expire 11/04/20<strong>10</strong><br />
Mechanical, electrical repairs and diagnostics including<br />
30K, 60K, 90K factory maintenance on all European,<br />
Imported and domestic vehicles.<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Valley Shell<br />
Full Service Auto Care<br />
Help Wanted<br />
Reporter/Writer<br />
Reporter, feature writer needed to cover events, news<br />
and people for <strong>Clayton</strong> and the <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley. Must be a<br />
local resident and have good community connections.<br />
Excellent writing skills using AP style guide. Send summary<br />
of experience and writing sample for a news story and a<br />
feature or personal profile to tamara@claytonpioneer.com.<br />
CLAYTON<br />
VALLEY SHELL<br />
WINTER SAFETY<br />
INSPECTION<br />
Official smog check<br />
and repair station<br />
SMOG Special<br />
$69 .88 + cert.<br />
FREE RE-TEST<br />
Corner of <strong>Clayton</strong> Road & Kirker Pass Road � (925) 672-3900<br />
Amir Jameson Gary Alex Peter<br />
Notice to Advertisers and Readers<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> and The<br />
Concordian not affiliated<br />
The <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> and The Concordian have been under<br />
separate ownership since December 2009 and are not affiliated<br />
in any way.<br />
During 2008 and 2009, <strong>Pioneer</strong> publisher Tamara Steiner<br />
was co-publisher and owned a half interest in The<br />
Concordian. In December, Andre Gensburger became the<br />
sole owner of the The Concordian. There is no editorial,<br />
advertising or financial connection between the two papers.<br />
The <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> is a community newspaper, published<br />
twice a month. Circulation is by direct mail and home delivery<br />
to 5400 homes in <strong>Clayton</strong> and 7200 homes in Concord.<br />
With<br />
Coupon<br />
Only.<br />
HELP WANTED<br />
Bus driver: Class B license. Good<br />
driving record. 30 hours/week<br />
transporting Seniors to appointments/outings.<br />
Able to assist and<br />
transfer clients. Aegis Living 692-<br />
5838, ext 207, 4756 <strong>Clayton</strong> Road,<br />
Concord.<br />
Real Estate Agents<br />
Be Successful! Lynne French is<br />
expanding and interviewing for a<br />
few agents. Call her today (925)<br />
672-8787.<br />
SERVICES<br />
Girl Gardening<br />
Garden care for your roses, perennials<br />
and ornamentals. Monthly<br />
pruning and fertilizing services.<br />
Plant suggestions and installation.<br />
If you want more flowers this year,<br />
call or email Nicole Hackett 673-<br />
1746, or<br />
gardengirl94517@yahoo.com.<br />
VOLUNTEERS<br />
NEEDED<br />
Help Fight Hunger<br />
Anna Chan ~ AKA: The Lemon<br />
Lady needs your help!<br />
Volunteers are needed to haul<br />
donated produce from Farmers'<br />
Markets to food pantries throughout<br />
the area. Weekly commitment<br />
appreciated. Please contact Anna at<br />
672-1988 or<br />
AnnaAndAva@gmail.com.<br />
Meals on Wheels Drivers<br />
1 – 1 1/2 per week. Drivers and<br />
relief drivers needed for delivery of<br />
Meals on Wheels in East County.<br />
Call Jim at 673-0300 or e-mail hairbyjim@att.net.<br />
Hospice of the East Bay –<br />
Anna’s Attic<br />
Volunteer at Anna’s Attic Thrift<br />
Shoppe, located at 5350 <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Road. It's a way to make a meaningful<br />
difference. You’ll have the<br />
opportunity to help customers,<br />
stock shelves and prepare merchandise<br />
for sale. For information call<br />
(925) 674-9072.<br />
Funds raised by the Hospice<br />
Thrift Shoppes benefit Hospice of<br />
the East Bay.<br />
Established in 1977, Hospice of<br />
the East Bay is a not-for-profit<br />
agency that helps people cope with<br />
life-limiting illnesses by providing<br />
medical, emotional, spiritual, and<br />
practical support for patients and<br />
families, regardless of their ability<br />
to pay. To learn more about volunteering<br />
for Hospice of the East Bay<br />
please contact (925) 887-5678, or<br />
email<br />
volunteers@hospiceeastbay.org.<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Historical<br />
Society Museum<br />
The <strong>Clayton</strong> Historical Society<br />
Museum needs a greeter for two<br />
hours per month from 2-4 p.m.<br />
Wednesdays or Sundays. No experience<br />
or extensive knowledge of<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> history is necessary. Call<br />
the museum at 672-0240 and leave<br />
your name.<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Community Library<br />
Needs volunteers. Minimum age<br />
13. Minimum commitment is 6<br />
months. Some training provided.<br />
Shelver - to shelve and sensitize<br />
library materials. Various<br />
days/times. Tutors - no prior experience<br />
necessary! You determine the<br />
grade level and subjects you are<br />
comfortable with and the<br />
days/times. Requires good communication<br />
skills, patience and a desire<br />
to help students in the community.<br />
Contact: Arlene @ 673-9777 or<br />
email: nielsenjanc@aol.com.<br />
Directory of Advertisers<br />
Auto<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Valley Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3900<br />
Mike's Auto Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-1739<br />
Construction and Trades<br />
Appliance Repairs by Bruce, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2700<br />
Belfast Plumbing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .457-5423<br />
Burkin Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212-3339<br />
Handyman Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .639-4209<br />
LHI Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-9941<br />
Mitolo Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2460<br />
Tipperary Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-2679<br />
Dentist<br />
Renner, Jason D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-2800<br />
Rissel, Richard D.M.D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-2800<br />
Dining and Entertainment<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Club Saloon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-0440<br />
Willows Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .957-2500<br />
Events<br />
Contra Costa County Fall Faire . . . . . . . . . . . . . .757-4400<br />
Contra Costa Home & Garden Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .<br />
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.capitalshowcase.com<br />
Pacific Coast Farmers Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . .825-9090<br />
Financial and Insurance Services<br />
Benton, Mureleen - Ameriprise Financial . . . . . .685-4523<br />
Littorno, Richard - Attorney at Law . . . . . . . . . . .672-6463<br />
Travis Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-800-877-8328<br />
Van Wyck, Doug - State Farm Insurance . . . . . . .672-2300<br />
Funerals<br />
Moore’s Mission Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-1<strong>10</strong>0<br />
Ouimet Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4242<br />
Home and Garden<br />
Abbey Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-9901<br />
Alexander KAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .977-1616<br />
Clear Splash Pool Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-6245<br />
Diablo Lawnscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .381-3757<br />
Diablo View Flooring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .820-8700<br />
Just Floors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .681-4747<br />
Navlet’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .681-0550<br />
Nichols Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9955<br />
Utopic Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0055<br />
Mailing and Shipping<br />
The UPS Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6245<br />
Personal Services<br />
Frontier Salon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6900<br />
Leia Herbst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .765-8245<br />
Main Street Nail Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .933-8606<br />
Pet Services<br />
Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1<strong>10</strong>0<br />
Pet Suites Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .432-7387<br />
Rodie’s Feed and Country Store . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4600<br />
Real Estate and Mortgage Services<br />
Flannery, Patty - Diablo Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0541<br />
French, Lynne - Windermere Real Estate . . . . . .672-8787<br />
Klock, Leigh - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212-5593<br />
Laurence, Pete - RE/MAX Realty . . . . . . . . . . . .890-6004<br />
Lopez, Stephanie - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . .932-7329<br />
Mazzei, Matt -Mazzei Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-0757<br />
Morucci, Kimberly - J. Rockcliff Realtors . . . . . . .437-1650<br />
Vujnovich, George - Better Homes Realty . . . . .672-4433<br />
Recreation<br />
All Out Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4303<br />
Castle Rock Arabians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .937-7661<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Valley Bowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-4631<br />
Earthquake Arabians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .360-7454<br />
Retail<br />
East Bay Work Wear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .687-9900<br />
Scary Decorations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8099<br />
Sport Chalet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .521-7009<br />
Senior Services<br />
Aegis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .692-5838<br />
Diamond Terrace Senior Retirement Living . . . . .524-5<strong>10</strong>0<br />
The Chateaus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-1700<br />
Services, Other<br />
A & H Limousine Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200-2824<br />
Air Cloud Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-4119 x 2<br />
College Planning Specialists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .348-1704<br />
Computers USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9989<br />
Net Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6029<br />
NextEnergy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-0600<br />
Recycling Center & Transfer Station . . . . . . . . . .473-0180<br />
Travel<br />
Cruise Adventures Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .935-7447<br />
Travel to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9840
Page 6 <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer.com October 22, 20<strong>10</strong><br />
More than awareness needed to fight breast cancer<br />
DENISEN HARTLOVE<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong><br />
Not that long ago, a diagnosis<br />
of breast cancer was hidden<br />
from friends and relatives. And<br />
the word “breast” was never<br />
used in polite company.<br />
Today, a brief survey of<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> residents found that<br />
every person asked knew at least<br />
someone who had been diag-<br />
A Custom Rancher in Concord's<br />
desired St. Francis Park!<br />
This luxurious 2,500<br />
sq ft home portrays<br />
quality from its<br />
stately corner court<br />
location with tasteful landscaping, to its hardwood<br />
floor living and formal dining rooms! 3<br />
Spacious bedrooms plus a bonus room! Huge,<br />
level lot, close to Cowell Park! Get into one of<br />
Concord's best areas for only $549,000!<br />
ON THE GOLF COURSE at $525,000!<br />
This detached 2-story Oakhurst<br />
C.C. home on the <strong>10</strong>th tee has<br />
a new granite kitchen, new tile<br />
entry, baths & laundry room,<br />
vaulted ceilings a huge Master-suite. RV Parking<br />
Pending<br />
nosed or been diagnosed with<br />
the disease themselves.<br />
Maria Sousa, executive director<br />
for the Susan G. Komen<br />
Race for the Cure’s San<br />
Francisco Bay Area affiliate,<br />
acknowledged that preaching<br />
awareness is no longer a struggle.<br />
“I think part of it is that the<br />
attitude toward breast cancer has<br />
really changed in our society and<br />
in our country,” she said.<br />
Now is the time to buy.<br />
For a personal showing, call PETE at 890-6004.<br />
KNOWLEDGE � SERVICE � INTEGRITY � RESULTS<br />
Pete Laurence, Broker, Realtor, GRI<br />
2950 Buskirk Avenue, Ste. 140, Walnut Creek<br />
Direct 940-2777 � Cell 890-6004 � Fax 937-0150<br />
“Women are much more open if<br />
they have been diagnosed or if<br />
they are survivors.”<br />
That’s a considerable change<br />
since National Breast Cancer<br />
Awareness Month was conceived<br />
by drug manufacturer<br />
AstraZeneca 25 years ago.<br />
“I really do think that<br />
National Breast Cancer<br />
Awareness Month was helpful<br />
when it was first established,”<br />
noted breast cancer researcher<br />
MITCHELL CANYON ESTATES, LARGE LOT!<br />
Brand new, 40year<br />
roof. This single-storyranchstyle<br />
home has<br />
beautiful hardwood<br />
floors, new granite kitchen, and freshly painted.<br />
12,000 sq ft lot with some views $509,900!<br />
DANA RIDGE LIVING AT ONLY $340,000!<br />
This detached<br />
Pending<br />
Pete can sell<br />
yours too!<br />
(925) 348-1704<br />
www.CollegeFundsNow.com<br />
Low, low<br />
payments<br />
Sara saved $200 a month<br />
single story, 3<br />
bedroom, 2 bath<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> home<br />
has new dual<br />
pane windows, an upgraded kitchen, formal dining,<br />
a vaulted ceiling living room with fireplace<br />
and an ideal setting next to the greenbelt!<br />
DRE#00344166<br />
Dr. Susan Love. “But at this<br />
point, I believe it has outlived its<br />
usefulness.”<br />
SIFTING THROUGH<br />
THE STUDIES<br />
The billions of dollars<br />
poured into research and early<br />
detection campaigns have<br />
helped raise five-year survival<br />
rates for early detection from 74<br />
percent to 98 percent of diagnoses.<br />
Yet today some sacred<br />
cows are being sacrificed, and<br />
women are finding that they are<br />
their own best advocates in wading<br />
through the conflicting studies<br />
and recommendations.<br />
Mammograms used to be the<br />
gospel preached by breast cancer<br />
awareness groups throughout<br />
the land for early detection. But<br />
in 2009, the U.S. Preventative<br />
Services Task Force came out<br />
with recommendations that radically<br />
contravened current wisdom.<br />
No longer should women<br />
be taught to do breast selfexams,<br />
said the group, because if<br />
done wrong, they could lead to<br />
anxiety, distress and unnecessary<br />
testing.<br />
Nor were routine mammograms<br />
indicated until age 50, lest<br />
women incur unnecessary radiation.<br />
Soon afterward, a study from<br />
Norway showed that mammograms<br />
accounted for the decline<br />
in only a third of breast cancer<br />
deaths, with the rest attributed<br />
to increased awareness and better<br />
diagnostic skills in physicians.<br />
The American Congress of<br />
Obstetricians and Gynecologists<br />
wasted no time in issuing its own<br />
opinion. “The college continues<br />
to recommend that fellows<br />
advise mammography screening<br />
for their patients aged 40 and<br />
older and that they counsel their<br />
patients that BSE (breast selfexamination)<br />
has the potential to<br />
detect palpable breast cancer<br />
and can be performed,” the<br />
group stated.<br />
The congress further noted<br />
that the task force’s recommendation<br />
would have implications<br />
for insurance coverage of mammograms<br />
for many women.<br />
Tamara Steiner, owner and<br />
editor of the <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong>, is<br />
a breast cancer survivor. She<br />
learned of her diagnosis at age<br />
48, a few months after starting<br />
hormone replacement therapy.<br />
During a mammogram appointment,<br />
a vigilant technician spotted<br />
a dent on her breast. Further<br />
testing found a small but aggressive<br />
tumor.<br />
After more than two years of<br />
treatment that included a mastectomy,<br />
chemotherapy and radiation,<br />
Steiner has been cancerfree<br />
for 13 years. Steiner noted<br />
that if she’d waited until she was<br />
50 to have a mammogram, I’d be<br />
dead.”<br />
‘KNOW YOUR BODY’<br />
The amount of information<br />
on the types of breast cancer,<br />
from ductal carcinoma in situ<br />
(DCIS) to infiltrating and invasive<br />
tumors, as well as the means<br />
of detection and treatment<br />
options, can be dizzying.<br />
Risk factors include some<br />
that can’t be controlled -- such as<br />
age, racial background and family<br />
history – but also factors some<br />
believe can be managed. Alcohol<br />
intake, obesity and lack of exercise<br />
have all been linked to higher<br />
rates of breast cancer. Some<br />
hormone therapies have also<br />
been found to be connected to<br />
increased risk.<br />
“It’s hard to quantify a lot of<br />
that because they’ll (the scientists)<br />
associate a lot of different<br />
lifestyle habits with increased or<br />
decreased risk. But you can’t add<br />
them all together,” said certified<br />
Museum, from <strong>page</strong> 1<br />
for the second annual<br />
“Whispers of the Past” event.<br />
Children from two fourth-grade<br />
classes at Highlands and Mt.<br />
Diablo elementary schools were<br />
invited to join in as a field trip to<br />
the museum.<br />
“October is archaeology<br />
month in California,” Spryer<br />
noted. “Last year was the first<br />
time we had it and we heard<br />
about that through Christine.”<br />
During a demonstration<br />
behind the museum, McCollum<br />
showed off the tools of the<br />
archaeologist’s trade – including<br />
4.49 %<br />
New / Used / Refi nance<br />
As low as<br />
brushes, small tools and measuring<br />
devices. Some archaeologists<br />
even use GPS units.<br />
Inside the museum, children<br />
and adults were asked to match<br />
up ancient tools, toys and<br />
devices to their current counterparts.<br />
McCollum, a resident of<br />
Sacramento, has been involved<br />
with archaeology for about <strong>10</strong><br />
years. She was inspired to<br />
become an archaeologist while<br />
reading her grandmother’s<br />
National Geographic magazines.<br />
“It’s very important to study<br />
❑✔ No payments for 90 days**<br />
❑✔ Up to 125% fi nancing<br />
❑✔ Rate applies to NEW cars<br />
❑✔ Rate applies to USED cars<br />
(2000 or later)<br />
*APR (Annual Percentage Rate) is based on applicant’s credit history and other underwriting factors. This rate reflects the 0.25% discount for automatic payment and 0.75% for being a valued TCU member for more than six months or a new member with<br />
TCU checking and monthly direct deposit(s) that total at least $500. For example, at 4.49% APR for 60 months, payments are $18.65 per month per $1,000 financed, based on $0 down on a vehicle that is <strong>10</strong> years old or newer. All loan rates are subject to<br />
change daily without notice. Please visit www.traviscu.org for current rates on vehicle loans. TCU vehicle loans are not eligible for refinancing. **The interest on your vehicle loan will continue to accrue from the date your vehicle loan is funded and transferred.<br />
Everyone who lives, works, worships or goes to school in Contra Costa county is eligible to join. Certain membership requirements may apply.<br />
physicians assistant Elizabeth<br />
Sivesind.<br />
She noted as an example the<br />
higher number of diagnoses in<br />
women with college educations.<br />
“But you can’t say college causes<br />
breast cancer,” added Sivesind,<br />
who sees female patients every<br />
day in the Walnut Creek office<br />
she shares with ob/gyn Dr.<br />
Margaret Craig.<br />
Julie Durand, manager of the<br />
Muir Cancer Institute Cancer<br />
Program, also suggests taking<br />
many of the studies with a grain<br />
of salt.<br />
“I just don’t think there’s one<br />
set of rules – I think every person<br />
is different. And depending<br />
on their family history, you have<br />
to look at all the components<br />
that are part of your history,”<br />
Durand said. “It’s hard to just<br />
come out with a golden rule<br />
really.”<br />
Both experts counsel women<br />
to get information from more<br />
than one source and suggested<br />
Websites including the American<br />
College of Obstetrics and<br />
Gynecology (acog.org) and the<br />
American Cancer Society (cancer.com).<br />
In the meantime, most<br />
women surveyed plan to continue<br />
having mammograms every<br />
year or two after they turn 40.<br />
“The alternative is, I think,<br />
far worse,” <strong>Clayton</strong> resident<br />
Kelly Tuohey, 42, said of her<br />
decision. “How else are you<br />
going to catch it if they’re saying<br />
don’t even do self tests? I don’t<br />
know what the answer to that<br />
is.”<br />
In addition to regular mammograms,<br />
Duran said the answer<br />
is often self-awareness.<br />
“The bottom line is you just<br />
need to know your body, no<br />
matter what,” she said. “There’s<br />
a danger there when we don’t<br />
know our own bodies.”<br />
APR * for<br />
60 months<br />
❑✔ Rate applies to REFINANCING<br />
(for non-TCU fi nanced vehicles)<br />
Yes. You can join. ® (800) 877-8328 www.traviscu.org<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Valley: 5442 Ygnacio Valley Road, Suite <strong>10</strong><br />
Concord: 1257 Willow Pass Road<br />
science. Science is a very big<br />
part of what we do, obviously,”<br />
McCollum said. “Being really<br />
strong in the sciences and being<br />
comfortable being outdoors are<br />
important. Those are two things<br />
one needs to focus on.”<br />
According to McCollum,<br />
field work is essential in her profession.<br />
“You need to go out<br />
and learn the field methods and<br />
at least get a bachelor’s degree in<br />
anthropology. If you want to<br />
continue this as a career, you<br />
need to get a master’s degree,”<br />
said McCollum, who has an<br />
undergraduate degree from UC<br />
Davis and a master’s from Cal<br />
State Sacramento.
October 22, 20<strong>10</strong> <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer .com Page 7<br />
CVHS grad hits No. 1 on country music Billboard<br />
After graduating from<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Valley High School in<br />
1994, Michael Busbee set out<br />
to make it in the music business.<br />
“Our Kind Of Love,” a<br />
song he co-wrote, recently<br />
ascended to No. 1 on the<br />
Billboard country music<br />
charts. He also has produced<br />
and written music for numerous<br />
recording artists and is<br />
now known professionally as<br />
just Busbee. “It’s for branding<br />
purposes,” he says.<br />
The 34-year-old musician,<br />
composer and producer has<br />
amassed a large body of work<br />
in a relatively short time. He’s<br />
worked with artists such as<br />
Katy Perry, Timbaland, Tony<br />
During the fire season<br />
April to November, fire protection<br />
and emergency<br />
response services out of the<br />
Sunshine Station are funded by<br />
the state. During the off-season,<br />
these services have been<br />
covered by a contract between<br />
ECCFPD and Cal Fire.<br />
To help close this year’s<br />
budget gap of $1.8 million, the<br />
East County directors decided<br />
in June not to renew the 20<strong>10</strong>-<br />
’11Cal Fire contract. That<br />
leaves the Morgan<br />
Territory/Marsh Creek area<br />
without a nearby fire station<br />
for six months out of the year.<br />
Emergency response during<br />
the off-season will come from<br />
Antioch, Brentwood or<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> – increasing response<br />
times for structural fires, medical<br />
emergencies and auto acci-<br />
JIM HUDAK<br />
MUSIC NOTES<br />
Braxton and Lady<br />
Antebellum. He’s placed his<br />
music into films and commercials<br />
and has released two solo<br />
albums as an EP with his<br />
band, GoNorthToGoSouth.<br />
Busbee was born in Walnut<br />
CalFire Contract, from <strong>page</strong> 4<br />
dents by as much as 20-30<br />
minutes.<br />
Property owners have<br />
already seen skyrocketing<br />
insurance premiums, as much<br />
as 300 percent. Some residents<br />
won’t be able to get insurance<br />
at all. Debbie Bell, who lives<br />
on Leon Drive, will be without<br />
fire insurance Nov. 1. Others<br />
have seen premiums increase<br />
from $1,500 to more than<br />
$4,000 a year.<br />
“We didn’t know what the<br />
response time would do to<br />
insurance rates,” Stonebarger<br />
noted.<br />
Property owners were not<br />
aware of the station closing<br />
until insurance bills began to<br />
arrive. The only public notice<br />
of the decision was in the East<br />
County Times, a paper with no<br />
circulation in the affected area,<br />
Creek, then spent the rest of<br />
his early years in Concord and<br />
Pittsburg. He attended CVHS<br />
for all four years. He began<br />
studying jazz trombone at an<br />
early age, citing CVHS band<br />
director Steve Ernest as the<br />
person who introduced him to<br />
jazz.<br />
“I never intended to be an<br />
artist,” says Busbee. “I was<br />
committed to being a behindthe-scenes<br />
guy.”<br />
Eventually, Busbee found<br />
his way into the world of pop<br />
music. He came to realize that<br />
it was music “with its own<br />
sophistication.” He decided it<br />
was a good vehicle for communicating<br />
to more people,<br />
whereas “jazz was more akin<br />
Morgan said.<br />
The East County board will<br />
hear from area residents at the<br />
Nov. 1 meeting, when the issue<br />
is on the agenda. They may<br />
reconsider the decision and<br />
could decide to draw on<br />
reserves to keep the station<br />
open, said Stonebarger. “Talk<br />
to us, tell us the issues.”<br />
“Spread the impact<br />
around,” said one member of<br />
the audience. “Why should we<br />
have to take <strong>10</strong>0 percent of<br />
the impact?”<br />
East County is looking at<br />
options for raising addition<br />
revenue including putting a<br />
parcel tax on the June ballot.<br />
The board meeting is at 6:30<br />
Nov. 1 at the ECCFPD office,<br />
3231 Main St., Oakley.<br />
to fine wine.”<br />
Jon Bendich, a teacher in<br />
the East Bay and San<br />
Francisco, further guided<br />
Busbee’s journey into pop<br />
music. Through Bendich,<br />
Busbee met Eric Valentine, an<br />
established rock/pop producer<br />
from the Bay Area who was<br />
moving to Los Angeles. In<br />
2000, Busbee moved to L.A.<br />
to become Valentine’s assistant.<br />
“After moving to Los<br />
Angeles, I signed a music publishing<br />
deal and that pretty<br />
much changed everything. It<br />
allowed me to write songs<br />
full-time, which is what I love<br />
the most,” Busbee explains.<br />
“The next big thing was having<br />
my first hit song, a song<br />
called ‘Summer Nights’ that<br />
was recorded by Rascal<br />
Flatts.”<br />
Talking with Busbee, I can<br />
sense his pride and determination,<br />
yet a certain down-toearth<br />
quality remains. He’s<br />
grateful that business has<br />
been pretty steady and urges<br />
aspiring musicians to keep at<br />
it.<br />
“I would rather speak to<br />
people who have a talent and<br />
a passion and say that so<br />
much of it is just showing up.<br />
I mean, there are a lot of talented<br />
people out there, but<br />
showing up, working hard and<br />
being a good person to work<br />
with and a person of integrity<br />
– those things have all mattered<br />
and have opened doors<br />
for me,” he says. “I’ve had<br />
perseverance and I’ve built<br />
relationships with people and<br />
I haven’t given up.”<br />
Songwriting is extremely<br />
competitive, and it took more<br />
than eight years in Los<br />
MICHAEL BUSBEE<br />
Angeles before things really<br />
began to happen for Busbee.<br />
It was refreshing to hear that<br />
the basic values of perseverance<br />
and treating people right<br />
have guided him in a cutthroat<br />
field that leads many people<br />
with dreams to give up too<br />
quickly.<br />
“No one particularly needs<br />
my songs,” he notes. “There<br />
are a lot of great songwriters<br />
out there. But I’ve built relationships<br />
in an open way<br />
because I tend to love people.<br />
It’s been a long story in the<br />
making.”<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> resident Jim Hudak is<br />
a noted musician, recording artist<br />
and composer. You can mail him at<br />
jimmydak@pacbell.net.<br />
Letter to<br />
the Editor<br />
VOTE FOR LIBERTY<br />
Far too often in these <strong>page</strong>s<br />
we read the opinions of supposed<br />
knowledgeable authorities<br />
who impart their views and<br />
vision for <strong>Clayton</strong> as one that is<br />
“central” and “important” to<br />
our future. They talk about the<br />
“need for more revenues” as if<br />
that is something the government<br />
creates when in fact it is<br />
the people’s property that they<br />
seek and wish to con-scribe.<br />
These individuals feel compelled<br />
to advise us to follow and<br />
vote in manner to support their<br />
vision of <strong>Clayton</strong> because supposedly<br />
their service entitles<br />
them to a profound knowledge<br />
that they alone know what’s<br />
best for us. Our founders<br />
believed in limited and accountable<br />
governance and they<br />
revered the rights of individuals<br />
and organizations especially<br />
when it came to the use of private<br />
property and hard-earned<br />
treasure. As you evaluate your<br />
vote why not ask what do they<br />
want these revenues for? Why<br />
do they need more? And, why is<br />
their “vision” and “Plan” the<br />
only one you should consider?<br />
– Glenn D. Miller<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong>, CA<br />
Submit your letter to the<br />
editor on this or any other<br />
subject from our Website at<br />
www.claytonpioneer.com or<br />
email to<br />
tamara@claytonpioneer.com<br />
The <strong>Pioneer</strong> -- It’s your paper!
Page 8 <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer.com October 22, 20<strong>10</strong><br />
Learn to Ride<br />
Children, Teens, Adults<br />
English, Western & Trail<br />
Established 1971<br />
1350 Castle Rock Rd.<br />
Walnut Creek<br />
(925) 937-7661<br />
TThaannksggiviing<br />
WWeeek Campp<br />
November 22<br />
23, 24, 26<br />
Scout Sessions/Rider’s Badge<br />
Approved by Girl Scouts of N.<br />
California with required insurance Birthday Parties<br />
See website for details<br />
www.castlerockarabians.com<br />
Meet the Rep Day<br />
Oct. 28: 11:30 am to 2 pm<br />
at<br />
Cruise Adventures Unlimited<br />
Serving all<br />
cruise lines<br />
since 1987<br />
Enter to win a $500 gift certificate<br />
Celebrity Cruises Special Offers, <strong>10</strong>/28 - 11/04<br />
• $<strong>10</strong>0 OBC for Veranda bookings made <strong>10</strong>/28<br />
• $50 per person value booklet<br />
• $80 Spa Robe for any Europe booking<br />
• $50 OBC for Europe Sailings<br />
• $200 OBC for Alaska Cruisetour bookings<br />
Royal Caribean Special Offers, <strong>10</strong>/28 - 11/04<br />
• Reduced Deposit on all sailings<br />
• Passport to Savings Booklets<br />
(valued up to $150)<br />
• Bath Robes for any Junior Suite or higher<br />
RSVP to<br />
(925) 935-7447<br />
Owners Valerie O’Connell<br />
(<strong>Clayton</strong> resident, 30 years)<br />
16<strong>10</strong> Locust St., Walnut Creek & daughter Colleen O’Connell<br />
www.cruiseadventuresunlimited.com<br />
Law Offices of<br />
Richard A. Littorno<br />
Since 1979<br />
Legal Services:<br />
�� Probate and Trust Administration<br />
and Litigation<br />
�� Living Trusts and Wills<br />
�� Medi-Cal & VA Planning<br />
�� Elder Abuse Litigation<br />
�� Conservatorships<br />
�� Tax Planning & Preparation<br />
�� General Business Transactions<br />
�� Asset Protection Strategies<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Office:<br />
6160 Center St., Suite D<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong>, CA 94517<br />
Phone: (925) 672-6463<br />
Richard@LittornoLaw.com<br />
CST 2074362-40<br />
My family is thinking about<br />
Q installing a pool in our back<br />
yard. We have plenty of room in<br />
our yard and we all love water<br />
activities. We have never had a<br />
pool before. Would this be a<br />
good investment?<br />
A pool is not a financial<br />
A<br />
LYNNE FRENCH<br />
REAL ANSWERS<br />
investment, but it is an<br />
investment in your quality of life.<br />
Since you have never had a<br />
pool before, you should investigate<br />
what it might entail both in<br />
expense and upkeep. In an area<br />
like ours, where you will get<br />
many months’ use, a pool can be<br />
an attractive feature when selling<br />
a home. Some buyers only want<br />
a home with a pool.<br />
On the other hand, some<br />
buyers won’t consider a home<br />
with a pool. These are often people<br />
who have had a pool in the<br />
past and don’t want the upkeep<br />
any longer.<br />
Pool is a fun option,<br />
if you consider all costs<br />
If you simply want one for<br />
your family’s enjoyment, then go<br />
for it after checking out the actual<br />
expense.<br />
The first thing, of course, is<br />
installation fees. On the very low<br />
end, that could be $25,000-<br />
$50,000 and up, depending on<br />
the options you want. Experts<br />
estimate that pools can cost<br />
$3,000-$5,000 in maintenance a<br />
year. If something goes wrong,<br />
say the filters or pump need to<br />
be replaced, costs can quickly<br />
add up. When it needs to be<br />
resurfaced, it could cost more<br />
than $<strong>10</strong>,000. If you wanted to<br />
upgrade the tile, decking or plaster,<br />
that could cost up to<br />
$20,000. If at some point you<br />
wanted to remove the pool, it<br />
can cost more than $15,000.<br />
Knowing all this, pools are<br />
still always in demand. They may<br />
be costly, but quality of life is<br />
priceless.<br />
What is all this I am hearing<br />
Q about banks suspending<br />
foreclosures? Is this a strategy to<br />
improve the housing market? I<br />
am trying to time the sale of my<br />
house.<br />
This moratorium on fore-<br />
Aclosures isn’t a strategy to<br />
control the market, but it will<br />
definitely affect the market. In<br />
California, most foreclosures<br />
are conducted as non-judicial<br />
foreclosures or trustee sales.<br />
This means that they don’t<br />
involve a court process to foreclose.<br />
Twenty-three states that<br />
have judicial foreclosures are<br />
suspending them due to problems<br />
with the signing of declarations<br />
in connection with<br />
these.<br />
Bank of America, however,<br />
has suspended theirs in 50<br />
states to see if lenders have<br />
complied with other legally<br />
required procedures. They want<br />
to insure that homes weren’t<br />
improperly foreclosed on and<br />
are following state law. Other<br />
banks may follow suit. Some<br />
legislators are pushing for a<br />
nationwide moratorium on<br />
foreclosure sales.<br />
In the short run, this could<br />
improve the market because<br />
there won’t be as many foreclosed<br />
properties on the market<br />
for competition. The problem is<br />
the “shadow inventory” will still<br />
be increasing. These moratoriums<br />
will postpone the recovery<br />
because we need the inventory<br />
to be absorbed to begin normal<br />
appreciation.<br />
Are there any new “health<br />
Q and safety” items I need to<br />
know before I sell my home?<br />
One new law is coming up<br />
A<br />
soon. Gov. Arnold<br />
Schwarzenegger recently signed<br />
into law Senate Bill 183, which<br />
will require the installation of<br />
carbon monoxide detectors in<br />
single family homes by Jan. 1,<br />
2011.<br />
Send your question and look for<br />
your answer in a future column. Email<br />
Lynne@LynneFrench.com.<br />
French is the broker/owner of<br />
Windermere Lynne French &<br />
Associates and a <strong>Clayton</strong> resident. For<br />
any real estate needs or questions, contact<br />
her at 672-8787 or stop in at<br />
6200 Center St., <strong>Clayton</strong>.<br />
What doesn’t kill them makes them stronger<br />
The kids are back to school<br />
and I am not sure if I am happy<br />
about it or not. On one hand<br />
they are out of the house for 7<br />
hours a day, but on the other<br />
there is homework, school<br />
projects, soccer, piano, etc. I<br />
can’t keep up. Then I think on<br />
Pittsburg Office:<br />
2211 Railroad Ave.<br />
Pittsburg, CA 94565<br />
Phone: (925) 432-4211<br />
www.LittornoLaw.com<br />
the other facet of fall. Those<br />
little Petri dishes we call children<br />
are repeatedly passing<br />
germs amongst themselves and<br />
bringing them home. It makes<br />
me want to put up a decontamination<br />
room in our entryway<br />
for the kids to go through<br />
when they get home each day.<br />
Fall is also the time of year<br />
where we see a rise in the number<br />
of patients who travel to<br />
their doctor’s office and to the<br />
emergency room requesting<br />
antibiotics for a cough, runny<br />
nose etc.<br />
Remember back in the day<br />
when you would go to your<br />
doctor and they would give you<br />
antibiotics at a drop of the hat?<br />
“You have a cough and runny<br />
nose for one day? Here, have a<br />
<strong>10</strong> day course of antibiotics.”<br />
“You feel like you may be<br />
getting sick? Let me write you<br />
a prescription.”<br />
Well, the times have<br />
changed. Now in order to get<br />
antibiotics, you practically have<br />
to beg, plead, and cry.<br />
However, your doctor should<br />
hold firm to the American<br />
Medical Association criteria,<br />
the CDC and the World Health<br />
Organization’s recommendations<br />
by withholding such<br />
antimicrobials unless they are<br />
absolutely indicated.<br />
DR. DAVID BIRDSALL<br />
YOUR HEALTH<br />
OVERUSE CREATES<br />
SUPER BUGS<br />
The reason for this is that<br />
we have created, and we are<br />
continuing to create, a legion of<br />
super bugs; bacteria that are<br />
resistant to many and sometimes<br />
all of our antibiotics –<br />
bacteria like MRSA (methicillin<br />
resistant staphlococcus), VRE,<br />
gonorrhea, penicillin resistant<br />
streptococcal pneumonia, and<br />
some strains of tuberculosis.<br />
These bacteria are mutating<br />
at alarming rates far exceeding<br />
our ability to create new antibiotics.<br />
The medical community’s<br />
overuse of antibiotics has set<br />
about Darwinism on a cellular<br />
level. What doesn’t kill them<br />
makes them stronger.<br />
As in animals, bacteria<br />
select out and propagate those<br />
traits that improve the chance<br />
of survival for all like bacteria.<br />
For example, if an antibiotic<br />
doesn’t kill a bug because of<br />
the bacteria’s cell wall make up,<br />
that bacteria will create more of<br />
its kind. This leads to super<br />
bugs. The more super bugs<br />
there are the more likely they<br />
will share their special resistance<br />
genes among bacteria and<br />
the more likely they will spread<br />
among humans. Likewise, the<br />
overuse of broad-spectrum<br />
“strong” antibiotics (those<br />
antibiotics that kill a number of<br />
different bugs) can lead to<br />
cross-resistance. This means<br />
that if certain bacterium is<br />
resistant to a certain antibiotic,<br />
it will also be resistant to other<br />
antibiotics in the same class.<br />
That is why if your doctor does<br />
choose to use antibiotics it is<br />
important for her to use antibiotics<br />
that have a narrow spectrum<br />
of activity so that if<br />
resistance does develop it will<br />
be to fewer antibiotics.<br />
It is important to note that<br />
antibiotics are only effective<br />
against bacteria and not viruses<br />
such as the common cold and<br />
your typical stomach flu. As<br />
well, not all bacterial infections<br />
See Health, <strong>page</strong> 17
October 22, 20<strong>10</strong> <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer.com Page 9<br />
New shop in Concord offers the<br />
right clothes for the right job<br />
PAMELA WIESENDANGER<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong><br />
East Bay Work Wear is a<br />
family affair, with owner<br />
Glenn Moffatt and his wife<br />
Robin managing the store and<br />
son Nick ordering and updating<br />
the website from college.<br />
This is the Moffatts’ “first<br />
Summer balcony upgrades<br />
from just $99. $99. *<br />
It’s a great time to book a 2011 Europe cruise and land & sea vacation!<br />
Don’t miss this chance to experience captivating Europe<br />
from your own balcony stateroom, with upgrades from<br />
just $99 per person!<br />
Enjoy an amazing Venice sunset or the stunning scenery<br />
of the Norwegian fjords — all from the tranquility of your<br />
balcony stateroom. While in port, explore the<br />
ancient wonders and the calming cliff-side<br />
views of the Mediterranean or the majestic<br />
castles, cathedrals and picturesque landscapes<br />
of Northern Europe and Russia.<br />
retail thing,” although they<br />
have been in the business of<br />
good customer service for 15<br />
years with Glenn’s Auto Body<br />
in Antioch. After selling that<br />
GLENN AND ROBIN MOFFATT, OWNERS OF EAST BAY WORK WEAR, with sales manager Gary<br />
White bring a legacy of good customer service to new venture.<br />
business, Glenn recognized a<br />
niche for one-stop shopping<br />
for work clothes – heavy duty,<br />
safety or uniform-specific<br />
attire, accessories or footwear.<br />
Customers of work-specific<br />
clothing are brand loyal to<br />
insure quality, safety and comfort.<br />
“If a tow truck driver has<br />
to lie down in the pouring rain,<br />
he doesn’t want to get wet,”<br />
says Robin. “A welder doesn’t<br />
want to catch on fire. They<br />
need clothing to protect<br />
them.”<br />
Ordering parts for the auto<br />
body business prepared the<br />
Moffatts for purchasing different<br />
brands, sizes and styles of<br />
clothing and footwear for their<br />
new business. Networking<br />
resulted in the right vendor<br />
contacts. East Bay Work Wear<br />
opened three months ago<br />
behind the Park ’N’ Shop center<br />
in Concord.<br />
“A lot of people know<br />
what they want, they just have<br />
to find the store,” says Robin.<br />
East Bay Work Wear is at<br />
1950 Market St., Concord. For<br />
more information, call 687-9900.<br />
Seniors a high risk group in flu season<br />
KELLY FERRO<br />
SENIOR MOMENTS<br />
The flu is a contagious<br />
infection of the nose, throat<br />
and lungs caused by the<br />
influenza virus. In temperate<br />
climates, influenza A usually<br />
arrives between early winter<br />
and early spring. Influenza B<br />
can appear at any time of the<br />
year.<br />
The most common way to<br />
catch the flu is by breathing in<br />
droplets from coughs or<br />
sneezes. The flu can also be<br />
spread by touching a surface<br />
such as a door knob or phone<br />
that has the virus on it and<br />
then touching the eyes, nose or<br />
mouth.<br />
Symptoms can appear one<br />
to seven days later, but most<br />
commonly within a few days.<br />
The flu spreads through the air<br />
and is very contagious. It often<br />
strikes a community all at<br />
once, causing an epidemic illness.<br />
This results in many<br />
school absences and missed<br />
employment.<br />
Seniors who live in a senior<br />
living community need to be<br />
diligent about hand washing<br />
and wiping down surfaces as<br />
this is a community in itself.<br />
Tens of millions of people<br />
in the United States get the flu<br />
each year. Most get better<br />
within a week or two, but<br />
many become ill enough to<br />
need a stay in the hospital.<br />
About 36,000 people die each<br />
year from complications from<br />
the flu.<br />
The flu usually begins<br />
abruptly with a fever of <strong>10</strong>2-<br />
<strong>10</strong>6 degrees. Often an adult<br />
will have a fever lower than<br />
that of a child. This fever can<br />
last for a day or two but can<br />
last as many as five days.<br />
Other common symptoms<br />
include body aches, chills,<br />
dizziness, headache, lack of<br />
energy, nausea and vomiting.<br />
Between two and four days,<br />
the “whole body” symptoms<br />
begin to subside and respiratory<br />
symptoms increase.<br />
The most common respiratory<br />
symptom is usually a dry<br />
hacking cough. Runny nose<br />
and sneezing are also among<br />
“The flu spreads<br />
through the air and is<br />
very contagious. It<br />
often strikes a community<br />
all at once, causing<br />
an epidemic illness.<br />
This results in many<br />
school absences and<br />
missed employment.”<br />
these symptoms, which usually<br />
disappear within four to seven<br />
days. Other symptoms may<br />
include loss of appetite, muscle<br />
aches, stiffness and sweating.<br />
Treatment for a mild case<br />
of the flu and for those not at<br />
high risk includes plenty of<br />
rest, taking medications that<br />
relieve symptoms and help you<br />
rest, drinking plenty of fluids,<br />
and avoiding aspirin (especially<br />
teens and children), alcohol,<br />
tobacco and antibiotics (unless<br />
necessary for another illness).<br />
Most individuals who get<br />
seasonal flu will likely recover<br />
without needing medical care.<br />
Those at high risk, such as seniors,<br />
should talk to a doctor<br />
about getting a flu vaccine.<br />
The shot is normally given at<br />
the beginning of the flu season,<br />
late October or early<br />
November in the United<br />
States. The flu shot is<br />
approved for those individuals<br />
6 months and older.<br />
During this season, take<br />
every precaution to stay<br />
healthy. Talk to your doctor<br />
and take steps to be the best<br />
you can be this winter.<br />
Kelly Ferro is a marketing director<br />
for Aegis Living. Send comments<br />
or questions to<br />
kelly.ferro@aegisliving.com<br />
Onboard you’ll discover freshly-prepared cuisine, warm welcoming<br />
service and a relaxed, rejuvenating retreat for which<br />
Princess Cruises ® is renowned.<br />
Hurry! This offer won’t last — contact your travel agent to book<br />
your 2011 Europe cruise and land & sea vacation today!<br />
* “From $99 upgrades” refer to an upgrade from lead-in unobstructed oceanview staterooms to balcony staterooms for select sailings. Upgrades for other sailings may be higher. This offer is capacity<br />
controlled and may not be combinable with any other public, group or past passenger discount, including shipboard credits. See the applicable Princess Cruises’ brochure or princess.com for terms,<br />
conditions and definitions that apply to all bookings. Please reference promotion code: RGA/RGB. ©20<strong>10</strong> Princess Cruises. Ships of Bermudan Registry.<br />
Work Clothes<br />
Medical Scrubs<br />
Back to School<br />
1950 Market Street, Suite I, Concord<br />
Located behind Park & Shop,<br />
next to Fry’s,<br />
687-9900<br />
across from BMW.<br />
Mon. - Fri. <strong>10</strong>am - 8pm<br />
Sat. <strong>10</strong>am - 7pm<br />
Mention this ad & Sun.11am - 5pm<br />
Receive a FREE gift<br />
with purchase while supplies last<br />
Ken Mitolo<br />
CONSTRUCTION<br />
BATHROOMS<br />
KITCHENS<br />
DOORS<br />
WINDOWS<br />
Certified<br />
Weed & Fire<br />
Abatement<br />
CA Lic. #53<strong>10</strong>28, Est. 1987<br />
(925) 672-2460<br />
Serving the <strong>Clayton</strong> community for 20 years<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Resident<br />
For reservations or information call<br />
(925) 672-9840<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Station Shopping Ctr.<br />
5439 <strong>Clayton</strong> Rd., Ste. F<br />
Experience the difference!<br />
Luxury Tour Experts<br />
CST #2033054-40<br />
FIREPLACES<br />
MOLDINGS<br />
DECKS<br />
LIGHTING<br />
Monthly/Weekly Lawn & Landscape<br />
Maintenance Programs<br />
Main<br />
672-4975<br />
Lisa Tonti<br />
933-8606<br />
Grace Pruett<br />
864-7944<br />
� Lawn, Shrub & Garden Care<br />
� Irrigation Repair<br />
� Tree Service – ISA Certified<br />
Arborist on Staff<br />
Save 15% off<br />
All Yard Clean-Up<br />
Not valid with any other coupon.<br />
$50 Off<br />
Any Landscaping<br />
Service of $300 or more.<br />
Not valid with any other coupon.<br />
FREE ESTIMATES<br />
Main Street<br />
Nail Studio<br />
FALL SPECIALS<br />
$<strong>10</strong> off * acrylic new set<br />
$5 off * acrylic fill<br />
Refer 2 friends to Lisa, get<br />
1 acrylic fill free<br />
*New clients only<br />
6064 Main Street in <strong>Clayton</strong>
Page <strong>10</strong> <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer.com October 22, 20<strong>10</strong><br />
Kitchens<br />
Bathrooms<br />
Concrete<br />
Luigi Barberio<br />
General Contractor<br />
Remodeling Specialist License #570<strong>10</strong>7<br />
LHIConstruction@astound.net (925) 682-9941<br />
“Let Us<br />
Light Up<br />
Your<br />
Life ”<br />
Recess<br />
Lights & Fan<br />
Specials<br />
Call for details<br />
For all your Electrical Needs.<br />
Serving Contra Costa since 1991<br />
More than 30 years experience<br />
Licensed l Lic. # C<strong>10</strong>-631523<br />
925.212.3339<br />
�� �� Remodeling<br />
�� �� Decks<br />
�� �� Overhangs<br />
�� �� Windows/Doors<br />
�� �� Crown Molding<br />
�� �� Siding<br />
�� �� Trim<br />
Specializing in<br />
Bathrooms and<br />
Kitchens<br />
General Contractor<br />
license# 783799, B, HIC<br />
www.burkinelectric.net<br />
All work done by owner<br />
Declan Woods<br />
925.216.2679<br />
Noel O’ Meara<br />
925.518.0821<br />
Call Jim<br />
free estimates<br />
Recommended Recommended by<br />
“Realtor “Realtor of the the Year” Year”<br />
Lynne Lynne French French<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Resident<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Resident<br />
Keep trick-or-treating safe – and fun<br />
DAN LAWRENCE<br />
FROM THE CHIEF<br />
Most people look forward to<br />
Halloween each year, especially<br />
kids. Children like dressing up in<br />
costumes, but mostly they like<br />
to get the candy and treats that<br />
are given out at each house they<br />
visit.<br />
However, the excitement<br />
Police Report<br />
ACCIDENTS<br />
7:18 p.m. Oct. 2, <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Rd./Washington Blvd. Noninjury<br />
collision.<br />
8:15 a.m. Oct. 7, <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Rd./Atchinson Stage Dr. Noninjury<br />
collision.<br />
ARRESTS<br />
9:52 a.m. Oct. 1, Mt.<br />
Olympus Pl. A 43-year-old<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> man arrested for outstanding<br />
warrant.<br />
5:58 p.m. Oct. 1, <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Rd. A 40-year-old <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
woman arrested for petty theft<br />
after call for service.<br />
8:52 p.m. Oct. 1, Main St.<br />
A male juvenile arrested for<br />
receiving stolen property and<br />
petty theft after call for service.<br />
What to consider in deciding<br />
where aging parents should live<br />
As parents age, it often<br />
becomes more difficult for them<br />
to live independently and manage<br />
their own affairs without<br />
outside help. The thought of<br />
mom or dad leaving the comfort<br />
of the family home can be a<br />
painful and challenging proposition<br />
for everyone involved, but if<br />
it’s no longer safe or practical for<br />
them to live alone, adult children<br />
often need to intervene and help<br />
find an alternative living arrangement.<br />
At that point, the question<br />
becomes whether you should<br />
invite Mom or Dad to live with<br />
you in your home or help facilitate<br />
a move to a nursing home or<br />
other senior living facility.<br />
Consider the following when<br />
deciding how to address an elderly<br />
parent’s living situation.<br />
THE EMOTIONAL<br />
ROLLER COASTER<br />
It helps to realize you’re<br />
that this holiday creates can<br />
sometimes cause trick-ortreaters<br />
to engage in unsafe<br />
activity while trying to get as<br />
much candy as possible.<br />
Historically speaking, accidents<br />
and injuries are more likely<br />
to occur on Halloween night<br />
than on other nights of the year.<br />
As a result, I have provided a<br />
few common sense and simple<br />
ideas to help you protect yourself<br />
and your kids while trickor-treating<br />
on Halloween.<br />
� Know the trick-or-treat<br />
route that your kids will take.<br />
� Wear light-colored or reflective<br />
costumes.<br />
� Younger children should be<br />
accompanied by an adult.<br />
� Kids should go out in a<br />
7:06 p.m. Oct. 2, <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Rd. A 51-year-old Oakland<br />
man arrested for commercial<br />
burglary and robbery after<br />
call for service.<br />
8:30 p.m. Oct. 3, Main St.<br />
A 48-year-old Concord man<br />
arrested for domestic battery,<br />
DUI, evading an officer and a<br />
probation violation after call<br />
for service.<br />
<strong>10</strong>:03 p.m. Oct. 6,<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Rd./El Camino Dr. A<br />
33-year-old <strong>Clayton</strong> woman<br />
arrested for possession of<br />
marijuana after stop for vehicle<br />
code violation.<br />
8:15 a.m. Oct. 7, <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Rd./Atchinson Stage Dr. A 30year-old<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> man arrested<br />
for driving on suspended<br />
entering a very emotional territory<br />
– for you and your parents<br />
– when you broach the subject<br />
of a move. Adult children typically<br />
experience feelings of<br />
worry, guilt and sadness. You<br />
may also be frustrated by a parent’s<br />
lack of cooperation or<br />
combativeness. For the parent,<br />
there most likely will be a degree<br />
of sadness and, in some cases,<br />
anger. Understandably, parents<br />
will mourn their status as independent<br />
adults, which may be<br />
compounded by grief over a<br />
lost spouse, failing health or the<br />
prospect of dying. Be patient<br />
and respectful of one another<br />
and avoid rushing the decisionmaking<br />
process as best you can.<br />
AVAILABLE<br />
ACCOMMODATIONS<br />
Before you ask Mom or Dad<br />
to move in with you, think<br />
about the realities of this scenario.<br />
Does your home have the<br />
group and stay together.<br />
� Take a cell phone and flashlight<br />
with you.<br />
� Do not enter a stranger’s<br />
house or car for any reason.<br />
� Look both ways before<br />
crossing the street.<br />
� Carefully examine your<br />
treats before eating them.<br />
Don’t eat any treat that looks<br />
like it has been tampered<br />
with or looks suspicious.<br />
� Vandalism is not cool.<br />
Throwing eggs at cars or<br />
houses can cause injuries or<br />
property damage. If you see<br />
anybody engaged in this type<br />
of criminal behavior, report<br />
them to the police immediately.<br />
I firmly believe that by<br />
license after traffic collision.<br />
2:07 a.m. Oct. 9,<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Rd./Mitchell<br />
Canyon Rd. A 20-year-old<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> man arrested for<br />
public intoxication after<br />
being contacted by officers<br />
in the roadway.<br />
12:31 p.m. Oct. <strong>10</strong>,<br />
Marsh Creek Rd./<strong>Clayton</strong> Rd.<br />
A 40-year-old Concord<br />
woman arrested for driving<br />
on suspended license after<br />
stop for vehicle code violation.<br />
2:30 p.m. Oct. 13,<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Rd. A 34-year-old Los<br />
Angeles woman arrested for<br />
cruelty to animals after call for<br />
service.<br />
6:15 p.m. Oct. 14,<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Rd. A 40-year-old<br />
man arrested for commercial<br />
burglary after call for service.<br />
necessary space and amenities?<br />
You may need to remodel to<br />
accommodate special needs,<br />
such as a ramp for wheelchair<br />
access, safety bars in the bathrooms<br />
and so on. Many senior<br />
living communities are designed<br />
with these needs in mind.<br />
LOCATION, LOCATION,<br />
LOCATION<br />
It’s safe to assume your parent<br />
would prefer to remain close<br />
to the old neighborhood and<br />
existing support systems such as<br />
friends, place of worship,<br />
healthcare providers and so<br />
forth. If moving in with you<br />
means moving across town (or<br />
across the country), the transition<br />
may become all the more<br />
difficult for your parent.<br />
THE PRECARIOUS NATURE<br />
OF RELATIONSHIPS<br />
How well you get along with<br />
your parent can also help you<br />
decide whether living together<br />
again (after all these years) is a<br />
smart move. If your relationship<br />
was contentious, it probably<br />
won’t get better in close<br />
quarters. Then again, if your<br />
parent is opposed to living in<br />
senior housing such as a nursing<br />
home, living together may be<br />
the only option to keep the<br />
peace. But wait — you also need<br />
to consider others living in your<br />
home. Before you settle on a<br />
decision, be sure to have an<br />
open and frank discussion with<br />
the other members of your<br />
household about the implications<br />
of having Mom or Dad<br />
move in.<br />
LEVEL OF CARE REQUIRED<br />
Be honest with yourself<br />
about how much care you can<br />
give on your own. If your parent<br />
moves in with you, will you<br />
be able to provide the appropri-<br />
incorporating these basic, common<br />
sense safety tips into trickor-treating,<br />
the risk of accidents<br />
or injury will be greatly reduced<br />
this year. By keeping Halloween<br />
a fun and safe adventure, you<br />
and your kids will look forward<br />
to many happy years of<br />
Halloween fun in the future.<br />
Contact the <strong>Clayton</strong> Police<br />
Department at 925-673-7350, 9<br />
a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, if<br />
you have questions or can offer<br />
additional ideas for a safer<br />
Halloween.<br />
Dan Lawrence is <strong>Clayton</strong>’s Police<br />
Chief. Please send your questions,<br />
comments or topics you’d like to<br />
see covered to DanL@cpd.ci.<br />
concord.ca.us<br />
BURGLARIES/THEFTS<br />
8:52 p.m. Oct 1, Main St.<br />
Petty theft.<br />
5:58 p.m. Oct. 2, <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Rd. Petty theft.<br />
7:06 p.m. Oct. 2, <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Rd. Commercial burglary,<br />
robbery.<br />
11:20 p.m. Oct. 2, Center<br />
St./Oak St. Robbery.<br />
9:15 a.m. Oct. 3, Main<br />
St./Morris St. Grand theft.<br />
5:04 p.m. Oct. 6, Diablo<br />
View Lane. Petty theft.<br />
11:15 a.m. Oct. 14,<br />
Heritage Trail. Petty theft.<br />
VANDALISM<br />
8:13 p.m. Oct. 8,<br />
Oakhurst Dr./Indian Wells Dr.<br />
3:25 p.m. Oct. 8,<br />
Stranahan Dr.<br />
6:03 a.m. Oct. <strong>10</strong>, High<br />
St./Oak St.<br />
MURELEEN BENTON<br />
FINANCIAL SENSE<br />
ate level of supervision, assistance<br />
with daily cares and doses<br />
of medication, rides to the doctors’<br />
office and more? Are you<br />
ready to make and serve three<br />
meals a day, manage the additional<br />
burden on your laundry<br />
and tolerate the invasion of<br />
your privacy? You may have the<br />
time, energy and willingness to<br />
joyfully take on these responsibilities.<br />
Or you may not. Avoid<br />
taking on more than you can<br />
handle and seek the help of professionals<br />
if you are able to do<br />
so.<br />
THE COSTS AND WHO<br />
WILL PAY THEM<br />
Whether you open your<br />
home to a parent or help find a<br />
suitable alternative, there will be<br />
costs involved. If your parent<br />
needs to rely on you for financial<br />
assistance, a financial advisor<br />
can help you sort out the<br />
ramifications to your budget of<br />
having another boarder under<br />
your roof or contributing to the<br />
cost of nursing home care. If<br />
you are paying for more than<br />
half of a parent’s living expenses<br />
or paying for medical expenses,<br />
you may be eligible for a tax<br />
break. Talk to your tax preparer<br />
to see if you qualify for deductions.<br />
DON’T HESITATE TO SEEK<br />
HELP WITH THE DECISION<br />
No one can tell you what to<br />
do when the time comes to<br />
decide on new living arrangements<br />
for an elderly parent.<br />
Rally extended family members<br />
See Financial, <strong>page</strong> 15
October 22, 20<strong>10</strong> <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer .com Page 11<br />
The tail tells the story – from excitement to anxiety<br />
guity. To tell which, look at the es a dog’s level of self-control. very tense will have a stiff tail, pounce or play bow. This is a tense and focused and not ready<br />
whole tail and not just the It’s similar to laughter. A fast with perhaps only the tip wag- dog that’s very excited and for petting. A happy dog not<br />
movement.<br />
wag is like the giggles, which can ging or an intermittent wag. It’s tense, evaluating whether the only loosely wags its tail at back<br />
The height of a dog’s tail happen during moments of the sign of a dog deciding what other dog is safe or not. If a dog height, he will also have a<br />
wag is an indicator of arousal. A extreme happiness but also dur- to do next. A tail that wags in has a low but quickly wagging relaxed body, squinty eyes and<br />
low wag, when the tail dips ing extreme nervousness. The sloppy sweeping motions shows tail during the greeting, he’s an open mouth, with the cor-<br />
below the dog’s back, indicates slower the tail wags, the more that a dog feels comfortable in nervous, unsure what to do and ners pulled back into an unmis-<br />
uncertainty -- perhaps at the aware the dog is of his environ- its environment.<br />
is waiting for the other dog to takable easy grin.<br />
approach of a distant figure or ment. When a dog is very Observing the combination act in order to decide on fight, It’s the same expression with<br />
ELENA BICKER<br />
PET PALS<br />
when going someplace new. A<br />
relaxed dog, wandering in for<br />
belly rubs, wags about level with<br />
its back. An excited dog seeing a<br />
squirrel or anticipating someone<br />
throwing a tennis ball has a high<br />
focused, while hunting or perceiving<br />
a potential for danger,<br />
for example, his tail might not<br />
wag at all. A dog whose tail is<br />
wagging wildly might be totally<br />
unaware as he smacks the furni-<br />
of all three factors gives a better<br />
picture of the meaning of the<br />
tail wag. For example, when a<br />
dog greets another dog with a<br />
high, stiffly wagging tail, expect<br />
sudden action – usually a<br />
flight or play.<br />
Looking at the whole dog,<br />
including the tail, is the best<br />
evaluation of a dog’s feelings. A<br />
dog with a rigid body, a closed<br />
mouth and a low wagging tail is<br />
which your best friend greets<br />
you at the front door.<br />
Elena Bicker is the Executive Director<br />
of Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue<br />
Foundation. She can be reached at (925)<br />
256-1ARF (1273)<br />
(above back level) wagging tail. ture or clears a coffee table.<br />
A high tail wag can also predict The stiffness of a dog’s tail<br />
extreme behavior such as charg- directly relates to the dog’s level<br />
ing rather than trotting or walk- of relaxation. The dog’s whole<br />
ing to greet.<br />
body usually corresponds with<br />
The rate of the wag express- the tail’s rigidity. A dog that is<br />
Wagging tails aren’t always a<br />
sign of joy.<br />
A wag expresses the many<br />
states of a dog’s mind and is as<br />
nuanced as a smile. It’s capable<br />
of expressing not only happiness,<br />
but also anxiety, confusion,<br />
mischief, excitement and ambi-<br />
Canine thwarts endangered<br />
escapee just yards from freedom<br />
NICCI SHIPSTEAD<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong><br />
Laura Kelly’s dog Ryley<br />
always finds the biggest tree<br />
branch possible to carry home<br />
from a walk. So she was not surprised<br />
when the 5-year-old<br />
golden retriever dashed into the<br />
brush off the fire trail in<br />
Oakhurst and began snuffling<br />
around one day in mid-<br />
September.<br />
But this time, the treasure<br />
began to move. That is how<br />
Kelly’s companion became the<br />
first <strong>Clayton</strong> canine to rescue an<br />
endangered species – a desert<br />
tortoise.<br />
“The turtle went half way<br />
into his shell. It seemed a little<br />
startled, but then kind of<br />
friendly,” she said.<br />
Kelly picked up the <strong>10</strong>-inch<br />
diameter shell like a football and<br />
brought it home to her two<br />
boys, Nicholas, 5, and Brayden,<br />
3. They named the green, wrinkled<br />
prehistoric-looking creature<br />
Yoda in honor of the character<br />
in one of their favorite<br />
movies, “Star Wars.”<br />
“I thought he was a baby<br />
giant tortoise like we see at<br />
Marine World,” Kelly said. “The<br />
kids were all excited. We<br />
propped up a plastic swimming<br />
pool in the backyard and he<br />
went under there.”<br />
Kelly promptly called the<br />
Lindsay Wildlife Museum,<br />
researched a tortoise rescue<br />
group and called a couple of pet<br />
shops hoping to find a missing<br />
pet report. After about two<br />
hours, she assumed she would<br />
have the tortoise overnight. So<br />
she called Lindsay<br />
Rehabilitation Hospital again to<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Girl Scouts Casey<br />
Mitchell and Miranda Hansen<br />
of Troop 31895 are collecting<br />
pet supplies for Tony La<br />
Russa’s ARF at Pet Food<br />
find out how to care for it. This<br />
time, someone recalled a report<br />
from Aug. 5 regarding a missing<br />
tortoise from a neighboring<br />
street in <strong>Clayton</strong>.<br />
Kelly contacted the Marr<br />
family, who was excited to get<br />
their long-time family pet back.<br />
John Marr estimates the desert<br />
tortoise is more than 50 years<br />
old.<br />
John’s brother, Jim, was gifted<br />
Sugar at the age of 5 following<br />
good behavior at a dental<br />
exam. When the adult Jim’s<br />
home could not accommodate<br />
the pet with a projected lifespan<br />
of 80-<strong>10</strong>0 years, it moved to the<br />
mother’s home in Palo Alto –<br />
where it once escaped. When<br />
she moved to a retirement facility,<br />
Sugar moved to John’s home<br />
in <strong>Clayton</strong>.<br />
John’s 14-year-old son could<br />
not bear to call the reptile by its<br />
oh-so-sweet name and dubbed<br />
him Torti. While the Marrs<br />
Girl Scouts collect pet<br />
supplies for ARF<br />
Casey Mitchell and Miranda<br />
Hansen earn their Silver<br />
Award with ARF fundraiser.<br />
SUGAR, A 50-YEAR-OLD DESERT TORTOISE escaped from his <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
home in early August and was on the run until mid-September.<br />
The Kelly family’s golden retriever Ryley discovered Sugar while<br />
on his daily stick-hunt. Sugar is now home with his owners.<br />
Express, 5404 Ygnacio Valley<br />
Rd., Concord, from 11 a.m. to<br />
3 p.m., Nov. 6-7.<br />
Help the girls earn their Girl<br />
Scout Silver Award by donating<br />
cat and dog toys, treats, litter<br />
boxes and scoopers and pet<br />
toys. Customers who purchase<br />
an item to donate from Pet<br />
Food Express will receive a<br />
coupon for 20 percent off<br />
toward a future purchase. Their<br />
goal is to collect at least 75<br />
items to help ARF care for dogs<br />
and cats rescued from shelters.<br />
The Girl Scouts are also collecting<br />
gently used supplies<br />
including towels and blankets.<br />
Drop these donations off at<br />
Diablo View Middle School<br />
during the month of October.<br />
For more information, call<br />
Christine Mitchell (925) 348-3925.<br />
vacationed, Torti made his second<br />
escape on Aug. 2.<br />
“We searched for more than<br />
four weeks and posted signs<br />
around the neighborhood,” said<br />
Leslie Marr. “We didn’t want to<br />
tell Jim. But after six weeks, we<br />
were resigned he was gone and<br />
getting ready to tell him.”<br />
Then the Lindsay Wildlife<br />
Museum left a message reporting<br />
Torti had been found.<br />
“We had him checked by a<br />
local vet. He had an eye infection<br />
and scratches on his under<br />
shell,” Leslie reported.<br />
The Marrs had searched<br />
downhill, thinking Torti had<br />
gone in search of water.<br />
However, the tortoise rescue<br />
group Kelly contacted explained<br />
that they usually travel east.<br />
Kelly said that, in fact, the tortoise<br />
was headed uphill through<br />
tall, thick and stickery underbrush<br />
– or eastward.<br />
“I think he was headed to<br />
the top for the view,” Kelly said.<br />
“After planning his escape for<br />
more than 50 years, he’s found<br />
just yards from his destination<br />
by a young golden … it makes a<br />
good headline though,” she<br />
said.<br />
Western & English,<br />
Beginner to Advanced<br />
Aerial Parade and Motta are<br />
ARF’s Adoption Stars<br />
AERIAL PARADE<br />
One-year-old Aerial Parade<br />
is a flurry of life and activity.<br />
She is a bright, outgoing Basenji<br />
mix who will do best with an<br />
adopter who can provide daily<br />
activity to satisfy her mental and<br />
physical energy demands. Aerial<br />
Parade’s agility and intelligence<br />
will make training her a joy.<br />
View her video at<br />
youtube.com/tlrarf.<br />
The adoption fee for adult<br />
dogs is $225 and includes 60<br />
percent off one 7-week dog<br />
training session.<br />
Motta is a social butterfly<br />
who loves tons of attention.<br />
This friendly, playful Siamese<br />
would make a great addition to a<br />
busy family looking for an<br />
attentive companion. Threeyear-old<br />
Motta may enjoy kitten<br />
friends as well. She is suitable<br />
Private Riding Lessons -<br />
1/2 price lessons for Oct/Nov<br />
($32.50 reg $65)<br />
for a first time cat owner.<br />
The adoption fee for adult<br />
cats is $50.<br />
Meet your forever friend at<br />
Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue<br />
Foundation, 2890 Mitchell<br />
Drive, Walnut Creek, during<br />
adoption hours: 3 to 7 p.m.<br />
Thursday and Friday, Noon to 5<br />
p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The<br />
primary caretaker must be present<br />
to adopt. ARF also encourages<br />
kids 16 and younger and<br />
canine family members (dog<br />
adoptions only) to be present<br />
during the adoption process.<br />
Would you like to be part of the<br />
heroic team that saves the lives of rescued<br />
dogs and cats? Can you share<br />
your talents to connect people and ani-<br />
MOVE IN SPECIAL<br />
$395/mo.<br />
for the first 3 months<br />
(Oct. through Dec.)<br />
925-360-7454 �� 3141 Morgan Territory Rd.<br />
earthquakearabians.com<br />
mals? ARF volunteers are making a<br />
difference! For more information see<br />
our website, www.arf.net, or call<br />
925.256.1ARF.<br />
MOTTA<br />
Extraordinary Care for your Pet<br />
FALL SPECIAL<br />
Staffed<br />
24/7<br />
Come check us out<br />
25% off Boarding & Grooming services<br />
FREE Pick up & Delivery<br />
First time customers<br />
Must bring this ad. 1 per customer, exp. 12/31/20<strong>10</strong><br />
Josie Van Fleet, Owner and Operator<br />
(925) 432-PETS (7387)<br />
671 Willow Pass Road #6, Pittsburg<br />
visit our website at www.PetSuitesInn.com<br />
State of the Art,<br />
Boarding Facility,<br />
with Covered Arena
Page 12 <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer.com October 22, 20<strong>10</strong><br />
925.689.4631<br />
visit: visit: claytonvalleybowl.com<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Valley Bowl<br />
5300 <strong>Clayton</strong> Road �� Concord, CA<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Sports<br />
Water polo alumni games show mixed results<br />
JAY BEDECARRÉ<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong><br />
The longest running alumni<br />
games at <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley High<br />
School are the annual water<br />
polo matches at Concord<br />
Community Pool, which are followed<br />
by a barbecue for current<br />
and former Eagle polo players.<br />
This year, the <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley<br />
girls’ alumni defeated the varsity<br />
team 16-11, while the CVHS<br />
varsity boys wore down the former<br />
Eagles to claim a 17-11 win.<br />
The girls’ alumni squad featured<br />
players going back to the<br />
class of 1995. Scoring goals for<br />
the winning grads were Lindsay<br />
Kiyama, Allison Johnstone,<br />
Natalie Jennings, Meghan Pardi<br />
and Natalie Nelson, while Dani<br />
DeBoever got in the pool for<br />
the first time in years and made<br />
nine saves in goal for the alums.<br />
The varsity boys’ team won<br />
against an alumni team with the<br />
majority of the players from the<br />
1980s and ’90s. The oldest player<br />
in the pool was Vernon<br />
Rogers, who is going into the<br />
CVHS Hall of Fame this<br />
month and graduated in 1979.<br />
Long-time CVHS polo<br />
coach Dennis Bledsoe, who<br />
hosted the post-game meal, said<br />
the alums “ran out of gas” in<br />
the fourth quarter and the varsity,<br />
in the midst of its season,<br />
powered to victory.<br />
Kid’s Fall Leagues<br />
Photo credit: Kathy DeBoever<br />
CURRENT AND FORMER CLAYTON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS WATER POLO PLAYERS mixed it up in the pool at the annual CVHS Alumni Game recently at Concord Community<br />
Pool but then got together for a post-march BBQ. Taking part in the alumni game were, front row Natalie Nelson, Ally Johnstone, Natalie Jennings, Casey Adams<br />
(Soph), Ashley Richman; bending over second row, Cherlyn Brock (Sr), Kimi Anderson (Fr), Sara Johnson (Fr), Sarah Abele (Fr), Avery Van Horn (Sr), Cheyenne<br />
Colomb (Jr), Alexis Lamareaux (Jr); standing, Ashley Jennings, Ally Hansen (Sr), Michelle Lutz (Soph), Taylor Ryle (Soph), Logan Shaw (Jr), Hannah Polshuk, Gabby<br />
Creamer (Sr), Gina Devecchio, Dani DeBoever, Meghan Pardi, Sabrina Inloes, Kayla Butler, Lindsay Hansen and Lindsay Kiyama.<br />
CVHS Hall of Fame welcomes second class of inductees<br />
Ages 5 to 18. Sign up NOW<br />
Digital Thunder Glow Bowling<br />
5 BIG DVD SCREENS<br />
Ask about High End Digital Private Parties<br />
FRI 4 pm - 6 pm (kids), <strong>10</strong> pm - 1 am, Sat <strong>10</strong> pm - 1 am<br />
Freaky Funday on Sundays<br />
5pm to midnight - $6 cover charge gets you<br />
$1-games, shoes, hotdogs, sodas & small beers.<br />
Nifty $1.50 Nights for everyone<br />
$1.50 games, Mon. thru Thu.<br />
9pm to midnight<br />
Tamara Steiner/<strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong><br />
CLAYTON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME CO-CHAIRS<br />
BILL NELSON AND DEE BILLETER have spent countless hours<br />
researching potential members of the Hall of Fame. CVHS<br />
yearbooks were a good source of information as they followed<br />
up on nominations submitted by the public. The Hall of<br />
Fame Class of 20<strong>10</strong> induction ceremony is Oct. 30 at Centre<br />
Concord. Nelson and Billeter spent a combined 69 years on<br />
the Concord campus as teachers, coaches and athletic directors<br />
before both retired in 2003.<br />
Saturdays<br />
at <strong>10</strong>:30 am<br />
This is the second in a three-part<br />
series about the 20<strong>10</strong> <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley<br />
High School Athletic Hall of Fame.<br />
JAY BEDECARRÉ<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong><br />
An incredible array of athletes,<br />
coaches, teams and community<br />
leaders from the 1960s,<br />
’70s and ’80s will be permanently<br />
memorialized at the second<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Valley High School<br />
Athletic Hall of Fame induction<br />
ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 30,<br />
at Centre Concord.<br />
A committee of long-time<br />
CVHS coaches and alumni<br />
selected a distinguished Class of<br />
20<strong>10</strong> to join the inaugural Hall<br />
of Fame Class from 2008 during<br />
the Concord school’s golden<br />
anniversary. Plans call for special<br />
displays in a new Wall of<br />
Fame in the multi-use room at<br />
CVHS featuring athletics, arts<br />
and academic Hall of Famers.<br />
The inductees this year are:<br />
Doug Van Wyck<br />
CLU ChFC, Agent<br />
Insurance Lic. # 0586396<br />
6200 Center St. Ste. A<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong>, CA 94517<br />
925-672-2300<br />
Coaches: Howard Marshall<br />
and Roger Zino.<br />
Athletes: Jenny Bader Baker,<br />
Kris Colchico, Brook Knight<br />
Constable, Jeri Pournaras Feuer,<br />
Dave Gotz, Lisa Barbieri<br />
Hobson, Tom Hook, Kellie<br />
Ruiz Leffle, Craig Marble,<br />
Gilbert Martinez, Courtney<br />
Nelson Murrell, Vernon Rogers,<br />
Ray Santucci, Todd Skow, Frank<br />
Snyder, Karey Sheehan Venegas,<br />
Steve Villa and Mickey<br />
Wharton.<br />
Teams: 1960 boys basketball,<br />
’60s-’70s girls <strong>Pioneer</strong>s, 1974<br />
football and 1988 girls basketball.<br />
Community Leadership:<br />
Laurie Anderson Rose and Mike<br />
Rose.<br />
Hall of Fame co-chairs Dee<br />
Billeter and Bill Nelson gathered<br />
nominees from the general<br />
public during the past year.<br />
Making the final selections with<br />
the chairs were Ralph<br />
Belluomini, Dennis Bledsoe,<br />
Protect your family for less,<br />
build cash value or even get<br />
your premiums back if the<br />
death benefit has not been<br />
paid out at the end of the<br />
level premium period.<br />
Pete Carpino, Ron Clark, Tom<br />
DiMercurio, Dick Ellis, Debra<br />
Gonsalves, A.J. Hanson, Karen<br />
Johnson, Kim Lackey, John<br />
Millar and Herc Pardi. Lackey is<br />
a 2008 inductee.<br />
CVHS grad Terry Newberry<br />
will be master of ceremonies at<br />
the induction ceremony.<br />
Kellie Ruiz Leffle<br />
Volleyball-softball, 1980<br />
Kellie entered <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley<br />
High in 1976, playing four years<br />
of varsity volleyball and softball<br />
while winning seven league<br />
championships. While at CVHS,<br />
her teams won three league<br />
titles in volleyball and, as a<br />
frosh, her Eagles were North<br />
Coast Section 3A champions.<br />
Tickets are $50 and may be purchased<br />
through mdusd.k12.ca.us/<br />
claytonvalley, click on Web store, or by<br />
sending a check to CVHS Hall of<br />
Fame, P.O. Box 203, <strong>Clayton</strong> CA<br />
94517. Contact Billeter at 672-<br />
6379 or Nelson at 672-4092 for<br />
more information.<br />
20<strong>10</strong> CVHS Hall of<br />
Fame inductees<br />
She was named All-League and<br />
NCS All-Tournament. The<br />
1976 volleyball team was<br />
inducted into the CVHS Hall of<br />
Fame in 2008.<br />
Volleyball went on to repeat<br />
as NCS champs in her sophomore<br />
and senior years. The<br />
1979 team went to the first<br />
round of the state tournament.<br />
See Hall of Fame, <strong>page</strong> 14
October 22, 20<strong>10</strong> <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer.com Page 13<br />
Athlete<br />
Name: Camille Condit<br />
Age: 17<br />
Sport: Volleyball<br />
Team: CVHS Volleyball<br />
Camille Condit has always enjoyed<br />
music and the <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley High senior<br />
has been in the school choir for four years.<br />
However her biggest notoriety in high<br />
school has come on the volleyball court.<br />
She was introduced to the sport when older<br />
5K run,<br />
from <strong>page</strong> 1<br />
CVHS athletic director Pat<br />
Middendorf, who chairs<br />
UMDAF, said that the $75,000<br />
exceeded the group’s projections.<br />
“All in all, we thought it was a<br />
very fantastic event,” she said. “It<br />
was pretty evident that the athletes<br />
themselves showed up in<br />
great number to support this<br />
event.”<br />
Following <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley<br />
with the most registered participants<br />
were College Park,<br />
Northgate, Concord, Mt. Diablo<br />
and Ygnacio Valley high schools.<br />
CVHS coach Michelle<br />
Howisey’s Eagles cross country<br />
team was well-represented in the<br />
15-19 and <strong>10</strong>-14 age groups. “All<br />
my athletes participated in the<br />
5K. They weren’t racing, but all<br />
ran,” Howisey said. “They were<br />
very organized and dressed in a<br />
jungle theme, which included<br />
them meeting in advance to<br />
make costumes together. We<br />
even had quite a few parents<br />
run.”<br />
Six of the top <strong>10</strong> girls in the<br />
15-19 age group are on the<br />
CVHS cross-country team.<br />
Sarah Litwiller (1st), Alexandra<br />
Tate (2nd), Megan Mayhew<br />
(4th), Melissa Del Bene (5th),<br />
Brigitte Leblow (7th) and Ning<br />
Ning Hu (<strong>10</strong>th) all placed in the<br />
top <strong>10</strong>. Rachel Preeg was second<br />
in the <strong>10</strong>-14 age group.<br />
On the boys’ side, <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
freshmen Danny Condon and<br />
Taylor Linzey placed among the<br />
top six in the <strong>10</strong>-14 age group.<br />
Sean Wanket of Concord was<br />
first. <strong>Clayton</strong>’s Johnny McCluhan<br />
and Braden Hart were leaders in<br />
the boys 9 and under race.<br />
Litwiller, now at Sacramento<br />
State, ran both races and then<br />
said he needed to run six more<br />
miles for his team workout. He<br />
hoped to make it back before the<br />
awards ceremony was over. Of<br />
course, he did.<br />
“An outstanding runner and<br />
person, we are really proud he<br />
represented CV again this time<br />
as an alumnus,” Middendorf said<br />
of Litwiller.<br />
In the adult categories, Katie<br />
of the<br />
Week<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Sports<br />
Wanket of Pleasant Hill was the<br />
first overall woman in a time of<br />
19:28.65. Shannon Carr and<br />
Patricia Sackett were Concord<br />
runners in the top six of women<br />
20-29. Ursula Reynosa of<br />
Concord was first in women 30-<br />
39, Mary Trumble of Concord<br />
and Carina Fryer of <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
were in the top five 40-49;<br />
Kimberly Tank of Concord and<br />
Jennifer Roe of <strong>Clayton</strong> were top<br />
six in 50-59.<br />
On the men’s side, local runners<br />
Aaron Takahashi, Tapinder<br />
Singh, Kevin Dixon and Shaneel<br />
Kumar were top 20-29 finishers.<br />
Abel Vanegas of Concord was<br />
third in men 30-39, while Kevin<br />
White, Dan Wanket, Tim<br />
Llacuna and Mark Catalano<br />
were top 8 at 40-49. The men’s<br />
50-59 group was dominated by<br />
local runners with Thom<br />
Trimble, Chris Ware, Bill<br />
Hermens, Michael Smidebush,<br />
Bob Hermens, Keith<br />
I can help you<br />
reach your milestones<br />
and all the mile-pebbles<br />
I will take the time to listen to you and understand your dreams,<br />
then find the appropriate financial solutions that can help you<br />
reach your individual goals. Because every dream is personal,<br />
and needs a personal plan.<br />
To start a conversation, call me at (925) 685-4523<br />
sister Amanda signed up for club volleyball<br />
and the girl’s mom enrolled younger sister<br />
Camille too. The Condit sisters played<br />
together for one year at CVHS when<br />
Camille was just a freshman and made the<br />
varsity squad. Four years later she leads the<br />
Christensen, Bill Svoboda and<br />
Stan Roe all in the top <strong>10</strong>. In<br />
men 60-69, Fortwnato Perez,<br />
Rex Takahashi, Rees Markham<br />
and Tony Pawlowicz posted top<br />
times. Bryan Holmes was the<br />
No. 1 70-79 runner.<br />
“Our second annual Save<br />
Our Sports 5K run was a magical<br />
morning of our community<br />
coming together to support athletics<br />
in our high schools,” said<br />
event co-chair Marci Finley. “We<br />
had a total of 1<strong>10</strong> volunteers<br />
coming from all of the six high<br />
schools, including 30 provided<br />
by Diablo Futbol Club.”<br />
According to Finley, the<br />
sense of urgency created by the<br />
initial announcement of the<br />
school board cutting the funding<br />
of sports has waned.<br />
“What the public is missing is<br />
that we are in the exact same<br />
position as we were last year. We<br />
need to raise $1.2 million to continue<br />
athletics in MDUSD or the<br />
Antioch<br />
(925) 755-1739<br />
Brentwood<br />
(925) 634-6366<br />
team in kills, is second in blocks and third in<br />
aces and digs. She’s also “one of the first<br />
players in the gym for practice or back from<br />
water breaks, and can be found hitting or<br />
serving extra balls,” according to her coach<br />
Lisa Barbieri Hobson, herself a former<br />
Eagle standout. Camille was first-team all-<br />
DVAL last year and has hopes of attending<br />
the US Naval Academy next year.<br />
Sport Chalet congratulates Camille Condit<br />
and rewards her achievement with a Sport Chalet<br />
gift card.<br />
Do you know a young athlete that<br />
should be recognized? Perhaps he or<br />
she has shown exceptional sportsmanship,<br />
or remarkable improvement,<br />
or great heart for the sport.<br />
Send your nomination for the <strong>Pioneer</strong><br />
Athlete Spotlight to<br />
sports@claytonpioneer.com.<br />
Photo by Mike Dunn<br />
THE BROTHER-SISTER COMBO OF SARAH AND NATHANAEL LITWILLER was all smiles after posting top<br />
times at the second annual 5K Run benefiting the United Mt. Diablo Athletic Foundation in<br />
Newhall Park. Nathanael Litwiller, who now runs for Sacramento State and is an alumnus of<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Valley High School, repeated as the fastest overall runner in the 5K race with a time of<br />
16:31.46. Sister Sarah Litwiller, a CVHS senior, was the top 15-19 female runner with her<br />
20:47.58 time, which barely edged her Eagle teammate Alexandra Tate.<br />
Mureleen Benton, CFP ® , Financial Advisor<br />
5356 <strong>Clayton</strong> Rd., Suite 211, Concord, CA 94521<br />
(925) 685-4523<br />
Mureleen.M.Benton@ampf.com<br />
CA License #0692378<br />
MORE WITHIN REACH SM<br />
Financial planning services and investments available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.<br />
Member FINRA and SIPC. Your meeting will include a review of your existing financial situation and<br />
potential opportunities, gaps, or general strategies. You will not receive a comprehensive review or financial<br />
planning services for which fees are charged. © 20<strong>10</strong> Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.<br />
Concord<br />
(925) 686-1739<br />
Pittsburg<br />
(925) 432-99<strong>10</strong><br />
board will cancel sports,” Finley<br />
noted.<br />
“Sunday’s 5K was a success.<br />
The six high schools and the<br />
community came together to<br />
make a difference and we did.<br />
Now we just have to keep at it.”<br />
Adding to the color and festivities<br />
at Newhall Park were San<br />
Francisco radio station KMEL<br />
blasting music while cheerleaders<br />
and school mascots from several<br />
schools, including the CVHS<br />
Eagles, were dancing and playing<br />
with the crowd. The Mt. Diablo<br />
High Tahitian dancers made a<br />
repeat appearance. The school<br />
mascots led off the kiddie race<br />
and had a dance contest to conclude<br />
the morning’s festivities.<br />
“We had more sponsors this<br />
year, but had about 600 fewer<br />
runners,” said Middendorf, who<br />
was still reviewing figures. “It<br />
appears the adult runners were<br />
the category that dropped the<br />
most.”<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> resident,<br />
Mike Rose, has been in<br />
business for over 36<br />
years and has always<br />
provided quality repair<br />
with excellent<br />
customer service!<br />
Mike Rose’s Auto Body<br />
Concord (925) 689-1739<br />
Six other locations to serve you<br />
Walnut Creek<br />
(925) 2<strong>10</strong>-1739<br />
Walnut Creek<br />
(925) 979-1739<br />
Visit our website WWW.MAUTOBODY.COM<br />
I Car Gold and ASE certified technicians<br />
Approved by most major insurance companies<br />
Help the <strong>Pioneer</strong> cover the local sports scene.<br />
Send competition results, story ideas, announcements,<br />
sports shorts, etc. to sports@claytonpioneer.com. Please<br />
attach a high-resolution photo whenever available.<br />
Sports Shorts<br />
CVHS ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTION OCT. 30<br />
The second <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley High School Athletic Hall of Fame<br />
induction ceremony and dinner will be Saturday, Oct. 30, at Centre<br />
Concord. The event will honor athletes, coaches, teams and community<br />
leaders from the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s.<br />
Tickets are $50 and may be purchased at mdusd.k12.ca.us/claytonvalley<br />
(click on Web store) or send a check to CVHS HofF, P.O.<br />
Box 203, <strong>Clayton</strong> CA 94517.<br />
For more information, call Dee Billeter at 672-6379 or Bill Nelson<br />
at 672-4092.<br />
YOUTH FUTSAL, OTHER TEAMS FORMING AT<br />
CLAYTON GYM<br />
Indoor soccer, aka futsal, is coming to <strong>Clayton</strong> Community Gym<br />
this winter. Boys teams in the under <strong>10</strong>, 12 and 14 age groups are<br />
forming a league for the five-a-side game. The league will run Nov.<br />
6-Dec. 30. There will also be an under 14 girls tournament at the<br />
gym Nov. 27-28.<br />
Other November events at the <strong>Clayton</strong> gym include a youth winter<br />
basketball academy for boys and girls second to ninth grades, an<br />
adult winter volleyball league and total body fitness for adults.<br />
For more information or to register, visit their website at<br />
alloutsportsleague-clayton.com.<br />
DIABLO FC WINTER SOCCER ACADEMY STARTS JAN. 6<br />
Diablo FC is holding its <strong>10</strong>th annual Winter Soccer Academy<br />
Jan. 6-Feb. 17, 5-6 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays at Willow Pass Park<br />
No. 5, adjacent to the Willow Pass tennis courts in Concord.<br />
The renowned Diablo FC professional coaching staff will teach<br />
boys and girls 5-12 basic dribbling and juggling skills, passing and<br />
receiving the ball and ball striking. Youth of all skill levels from<br />
novice to those ready for competitive soccer are invited to attend.<br />
There are no tryouts; sign up at diablofc.org.<br />
DIABLO FC U8-U11 COMPETITIVE TRYOUTS IN JANUARY<br />
Diablo FC tryouts for the 2011-’12 season for under 8 through<br />
under 11 competitive teams will be held Jan. 23-30 in Concord. Boys<br />
and girls born between Aug. 1, 2000, and July 31, 2005, are invited<br />
to try out.<br />
There is no charge to try out; pre-register at diablofc.org.<br />
Dentistry<br />
for Infants, Children & Teenagers<br />
GGoo AAlll Outt!! Outt!<br />
Youth and<br />
Adult<br />
sports at the<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Community<br />
Gym<br />
Coed Adult<br />
Volleyball league<br />
in October<br />
Total body fitness<br />
class for adults in<br />
October<br />
Youth Winter<br />
Basketball<br />
Academy<br />
See website or<br />
call for details<br />
Jason M. Renner, D.D.S.<br />
Richard C. Rissel, D.M.D<br />
925-689-2800<br />
www.diablovalleykids.com<br />
2875 Willow Pass Rd., Concord<br />
Required kindergarten<br />
screening – complimentary<br />
Proudly serving<br />
the Diablo<br />
Valley for over<br />
25 years –<br />
“experience<br />
counts”<br />
Less than 5 miles<br />
from <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Youth Futsal<br />
(indoor soccer)<br />
league for U<strong>10</strong>,<br />
U12 and U14 Boys<br />
in November<br />
Girls Futsal<br />
Tournament U14,<br />
Nov. 26 & 27<br />
Office (925) 203-5626 � Fax (925) 672-4303<br />
Register online at<br />
www.alloutsportsleague-clayton.com
Page 14 <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer.com October 22, 20<strong>10</strong><br />
Laminate<br />
Flooring<br />
INSTALLED!<br />
starting<br />
at only<br />
$4 .99<br />
per sq. ft.<br />
Stop by the store<br />
or call for details<br />
<strong>10</strong>51 Detroit Avenue<br />
Concord 925-681-4747<br />
Kellie was first team allleague<br />
for her final three years<br />
in volleyball and softball.<br />
Softball placed second in NCS.<br />
In her senior year, Kellie was<br />
CVHS softball MVP and All-<br />
East Bay.<br />
She received a softball<br />
scholarship to Cal State<br />
Fresno.<br />
Lisa Barbieri Hobson<br />
Volleyball-basketball-track, 1989<br />
Lisa moved up to varsity<br />
volleyball as a freshman for<br />
the playoffs and went on to<br />
play middle blocker on the varsity<br />
for the next three years.<br />
She also played two years of<br />
JV and one season of varsity<br />
basketball and four years on<br />
varsity track.<br />
During Lisa’s sophomore<br />
year, the volleyball team won<br />
the league championship with<br />
a 25-1 record and went to NCS<br />
playoffs. Lisa was voted team<br />
The UPS Store<br />
Independently owned and operated<br />
Looking for a better Mailbox?<br />
Secure 24-hour access, plus it’s a real street address<br />
for all your deliveries.<br />
3 MONTHS FREE mailbox services<br />
with a twelve-month agreement.<br />
Notary, Packaging, Fax and Copy Services are available too!<br />
Store Hours<br />
M-F 8-7<br />
Sat 9-5<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong>/Concord Location:<br />
Vineyard Shopping Center<br />
5<strong>10</strong>0 <strong>Clayton</strong> Road<br />
Concord, CA 94523<br />
ph: 925-689-6245<br />
Yes<br />
You can have it all today!<br />
You want a new floor that’s beautiful, long<br />
lasting and affordable. Let the experts at Abbey show you how easy<br />
it is to get the perfect floor for your lifestyle and your budget,<br />
all at prices that will floor you!<br />
Carpet<br />
Specials<br />
includes removal of<br />
old carpet and pads<br />
$1 .99 sq.ft.<br />
Laminate<br />
Specials<br />
<strong>10</strong> colors to<br />
choose from<br />
$.99 sq.ft.<br />
where<br />
you need it,<br />
when<br />
you need it,<br />
No phone lines<br />
or cable access<br />
required<br />
Hall of Fame, from <strong>page</strong> 12<br />
Flooring & Interiors<br />
1170 Burnett Ave., Ste. E, Concord<br />
Hardwood<br />
Specials<br />
in-stock and ready for<br />
immediate installation<br />
$2 .99 sq.ft.<br />
Contra Costa Floors Showroom hours: M-F 9-5 Sat <strong>10</strong>-4<br />
925-686-9901<br />
Photo courtesy of the Barbieri Family<br />
LISA BARBIERI HOBSON, 1989<br />
CVHS Athlete of the Year<br />
Most Improved and All-<br />
DVAL. Her junior year, volleyball<br />
finished second in DVAL<br />
and fifth in NCS playoffs. Lisa<br />
was again All-DVAL.<br />
She played center/forward<br />
on the basketball team that<br />
finished second in NCS and<br />
went to the NorCal playoffs.<br />
Lisa was again chosen MIP<br />
and first team All-League. She<br />
still holds school record for<br />
most rebounds (376) in a single<br />
season. She finished second<br />
in the high jump at DVAL<br />
and third at NCS.<br />
As a senior, Lisa was captain<br />
of the volleyball team that<br />
finished second in the new Bay<br />
Valley Athletic League and<br />
fifth in NCS. Lisa was MVP<br />
and first team All-BVAL.<br />
She was high jump champion<br />
at BVAL track finals and<br />
finished her career at <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Valley winning the 1989<br />
Athlete of the Year Award.<br />
Lisa received a full scholarship<br />
for volleyball at<br />
University of the Pacific and<br />
her team was second in the<br />
nation as a freshman and in<br />
the top <strong>10</strong> each of her final<br />
three years. She currently is the<br />
girls’ head varsity volleyball<br />
coach at CVHS.<br />
Brook Knight<br />
Constable<br />
Tennis-soccer-track, 1988<br />
Brook played three sports<br />
for <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley. She earned<br />
the No. 2 tennis singles spot<br />
and was team captain her senior<br />
year. Soccer became a sport<br />
in her junior year and she was<br />
All-DVAL and league scoring<br />
champ. As senior captain, she<br />
was instrumental in securing<br />
the Eagles their second<br />
straight DVAL championship.<br />
She made her mark as a<br />
freshman high jumper and<br />
would go on to three more<br />
track seasons, racking up accolades<br />
such as DVAL, NCS and<br />
Meet of Champions winner.<br />
She finally ascended from 16th<br />
Now faster Speeds<br />
925-260-4119 ext. 2 www.aircloud.com<br />
airCloud Broadband Services � Your local Internet Service Provider<br />
Servicing Contra Costa County since 2001<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Sports<br />
to fifth place at CIF State<br />
Meet.<br />
By the end of high school,<br />
Brook was 1988 Female<br />
Athlete of the Year, lettering<br />
nine times.<br />
Brook excelled at Fresno<br />
Pacific College in track and<br />
volleyball (a sport she took up<br />
in college) and finished with<br />
an NAIA National qualification<br />
in high jump and led the<br />
Sunbirds to an NAIA National<br />
Tournament fourth place in<br />
volleyball.<br />
She returned to <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Valley to teach English and<br />
leadership for 12 years. She<br />
also coached soccer and track<br />
for many seasons.<br />
Howard Marshall<br />
Coach, 1980-’93<br />
Howard coached girls’ basketball<br />
at <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley for 13<br />
years – 11 years at the varsity<br />
level. He has the longest<br />
tenure for a head varsity girls’<br />
basketball coach in CV history.<br />
He also has the distinction of<br />
being the first <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley<br />
basketball coach to take a team<br />
to the North Coast Section<br />
championship game and the<br />
first to go to the Northern<br />
California Championships.<br />
He coached his <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Valley teams to 195 wins for a<br />
career .635 winning percentage.<br />
Before the 1982 season,<br />
Howard and Roger Zino<br />
switched places on the girls’<br />
basketball staff with Howard<br />
taking over the varsity reins. In<br />
four seasons from 1985-’88,<br />
the team won three DVAL<br />
championships and was second<br />
once. The 1988 team was<br />
runner-up at NCS and went to<br />
the Northern California<br />
Championships.<br />
The coach always had a<br />
great love for the game of basketball<br />
and was an excellent<br />
teacher. With his skill and<br />
knowledge, he was able to<br />
inspire and motivate his athletes.<br />
His son Steve was inducted<br />
into the CVHS Hall of Fame<br />
in 2008 as part of the 1977<br />
State Champion wrestling<br />
team.<br />
1988 Girls’<br />
Basketball Team<br />
The ’88 girls’ basketball<br />
team was the first <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Valley basketball team, boys or<br />
girls, to play in the championship<br />
game of the North<br />
Coast Section. They were also<br />
the first team to go on to the<br />
Northern California<br />
Championships.<br />
The DVAL championship<br />
team, under head coach<br />
Howard Marshall and assistant<br />
Roger Zino, featured seniors<br />
Kricki Bader, Michelle Jones,<br />
Amy Lunsford, Erin Schriefer,<br />
Kristie Van Fleet and Becky<br />
Vigil and juniors Lisa Barbieri,<br />
Bridget Billeter, Courtney<br />
Kenworthy and Amy<br />
Rufenach. They won DVAL<br />
with a 14-2 record, finished<br />
with an overall record of 23-9<br />
and made it to the NCS championship<br />
game.<br />
They received an at-large<br />
bid to the NorCal<br />
Tournament, where the Eagles<br />
lost to eventual the state champions,<br />
Fremont High of<br />
Oakland.<br />
Barbieri, Bader, Jones and<br />
Van Fleet were All-DVAL and<br />
Van Fleet was chosen DVAL<br />
Player of the Year and All-<br />
East Bay.<br />
Karey Sheehan<br />
Venegas<br />
Tennis-volleyball-basketballsoftball,<br />
1980<br />
Karey, a versatile, talented<br />
athlete who played four varsity<br />
sports, still has her name on<br />
the basketball record board in<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Valley Gym 30 years<br />
after graduating. She holds<br />
records for most career points<br />
(1236) and assists (442).<br />
As a freshman, she played<br />
basketball and tennis and both<br />
teams won league championships.<br />
The basketball team<br />
took third at the NCS championships.<br />
Her sophomore year,<br />
Karey played volleyball, basketball<br />
and softball. Volleyball<br />
won league and NCS championships,<br />
while softball took<br />
league and came in second at<br />
NCS.<br />
Karey’s junior year, the volleyball<br />
team won league again<br />
and she was All-League and<br />
NCS All-Tournament. Karey<br />
was the basketball captain and<br />
MVP. She was first team All-<br />
League, league leading scorer<br />
with a 22.1 average, All-East-<br />
Bay second team and Concord<br />
Transcript Girls Athlete of the<br />
Year.<br />
She was captain of the<br />
softball team, which won<br />
league for the third straight<br />
year, and she was on her third<br />
All-League team with a batting<br />
average of .453.<br />
The accolades continued in<br />
Karey’s senior year. She was<br />
volleyball captain and MVP,<br />
winning league and NCS<br />
championships. Karey was<br />
again an NCS All-Tournament<br />
selection and the team went to<br />
the state tournament.<br />
Basketball brought another<br />
league championship as she<br />
was captain and MVP, averaging<br />
23 points per game. Her<br />
honors included All-League,<br />
All-East-Bay, Big C Athlete of<br />
the Year, 1980 CVHS Athlete<br />
of the Year, All-Northern<br />
California and All-America by<br />
Scholastic Magazine.<br />
After graduation, she went<br />
to UC Berkeley and then Santa<br />
Clara. Her senior year, she was<br />
Santa Clara basketball captain<br />
and MVP.<br />
Courtney Nelson<br />
Murrell<br />
Diving, 1987<br />
Courtney entered CVHS in<br />
the fall of 1983 and was Most<br />
Valuable Diver and captain of<br />
the diving team for four years.<br />
She ended her first high school<br />
season setting a school record<br />
and placed second at NCS.<br />
During her sophomore and<br />
junior years, Courtney was<br />
league champion, placed at<br />
NCS meet, was third in the<br />
National Junior Olympics<br />
while doing well enough to<br />
qualify and compete in the<br />
Senior Nationals.<br />
Courtney earned All-<br />
America honors as a junior<br />
and senior. Her final year, she<br />
won the league and NCS<br />
championships and represented<br />
the United States in the<br />
Junior World Championships.<br />
Courtney finished her high<br />
school career as 1987 Athlete<br />
of the Year.<br />
In college, she won 11 All-<br />
America honors and was<br />
inducted into the BYU Hall of<br />
Fame in 2001. Courtney was a<br />
member of the U.S. National<br />
Team 1989-’92. In 1989, she<br />
competed in the U.S. Diving<br />
Nationals and, through a vote<br />
of coaches and peers, was presented<br />
the Phillips 66<br />
Performance Award.<br />
In 1992, Courtney competed<br />
in the Olympic Trials on the<br />
<strong>10</strong>-meter platform and 3meter<br />
spring board. She placed<br />
sixth and fifth in these events.<br />
Jeri Pournaras Feuer<br />
Tennis-basketball-track, 1985<br />
The three Pournaras siblings,<br />
Jeri, Dean and Shawn,<br />
played tennis together at<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Valley. Jeri lettered <strong>10</strong><br />
times at <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley and<br />
was 1985 Athlete of the Year.<br />
She was on varsity tennis four<br />
years, competed in varsity<br />
track her freshman through<br />
junior years and was varsity<br />
basketball her last three years.<br />
On the tennis courts, she<br />
was DVAL runner-up in No. 1<br />
doubles for two years, No. 3<br />
singles runner-up her junior<br />
year and league champion as<br />
No. 3 singles player her senior<br />
year.<br />
Switching to the basketball<br />
court, she was MVP as a sophomore<br />
and senior and twice<br />
All-DVAL. As a senior, she<br />
won the Oakland Tribune<br />
Athlete of the Year award. She<br />
led CVHS to the DVAL championship<br />
her senior year and<br />
still holds the record for most<br />
assists in a game at 14. She<br />
averaged 15.7 points, 5.6<br />
rebounds, 3.8 assists and five<br />
steals per game.<br />
As a freshman, Jeri was<br />
fourth in the NCS triple jump.<br />
She was first at the DVAL<br />
meet in the mile relay, <strong>10</strong>0<br />
meters and triple jump. She<br />
took second in the long jump.<br />
In 1983, she was track and<br />
field MVP.<br />
Jenny Bader Baker<br />
Volleyball-basketball, 1986<br />
Jenny still holds three<br />
records on the CVHS basketball<br />
board in the gym. She set<br />
marks for most career<br />
rebounds (831), rebounds in a<br />
game (22) and career free<br />
throws (301).<br />
Jenny began earning honors<br />
early in her athletic career.<br />
As a freshman, she was selected<br />
MVP for JV basketball. Her<br />
sophomore year, the first time<br />
she played volleyball, she was<br />
JV MVP. She played varsity<br />
volleyball her junior and senior<br />
years and was on varsity basketball<br />
as a sophomore, receiving<br />
Most Improved Player<br />
award.<br />
Her junior year, the basketball<br />
team won league and<br />
placed sixth at NCS. She was<br />
first team All-League and NCS<br />
All-Tournament.<br />
During Jenny’s senior year,<br />
the team won the Tracy Lion’s<br />
Club Tournament and she was<br />
named tourney MVP. The<br />
team repeated as DVAL<br />
champs and sixth place at<br />
NCS, with Jenny as co-captain<br />
and team MVP. She was named<br />
All-League first team, NCS<br />
All-Tourney and All-East Bay<br />
first team. She received the<br />
Oakland Tribune DVAL Girls<br />
Basketball Player of the Year<br />
Award and San Francisco<br />
Examiner Bay Area All-Star<br />
Honorable Mention. She<br />
ended her high school career<br />
as 1986 Girls Athlete of the<br />
Year.<br />
Jenny attended Los<br />
Medanos College and played<br />
basketball for two years, winning<br />
Coast Conference All-<br />
Conference honors and voted<br />
LMC MVP. Her sister Kricky<br />
is also being inducted this year<br />
as a member of the 1988 basketball<br />
team.<br />
Laurie Anderson Rose<br />
and Mike Rose<br />
For decades, <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley<br />
High graduates Mike and<br />
Laurie have given their time,<br />
talent and financial support to<br />
their alma mater. Their generosity,<br />
creativity and hard<br />
work have benefited CVHS<br />
programs in many areas. The<br />
Roses are staunch supporters<br />
of athletics and, through their<br />
efforts, the annual boosters’<br />
golf tournament was started.<br />
Mike and Laurie and their<br />
business, Mike’s Auto Body,<br />
have worked in all aspects of<br />
fundraising with the CVHS<br />
Athletic Boosters Club and the<br />
list of their activities and<br />
donations is extensive. Their<br />
enthusiastic and generous<br />
response to the many and varied<br />
requests over the years has<br />
been phenomenal.<br />
Laurie is also being inducted<br />
this year as a CVHS Girls<br />
Sports <strong>Pioneer</strong> for her softball<br />
and basketball excellence.
October 22, 20<strong>10</strong> <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer .com Page 15<br />
Book Review<br />
‘Baking Cakes’ a backdrop for worldly lessons<br />
SUNNY SOLOMON<br />
FOR THE BOOKS<br />
I could tell Kigali was a place<br />
in Africa from the cover of<br />
“Baking Cakes in Kigali,” but<br />
until I turned the book over and<br />
read the blurbs, I had no idea<br />
about the story.<br />
When I read that the protagonist,<br />
Angel Tungaraza, a<br />
Tanzanian woman living with<br />
her family in Rwanda, was a<br />
kindhearted soul who befriended<br />
many people in the process<br />
of running her home business<br />
of baking cakes, I was intrigued.<br />
But don’t let the blurbs<br />
about Angel Tungaraza fool<br />
you. Author Gaile Parkin, a<br />
white South African who spent<br />
two years in Rwanda after the<br />
genocide, may have created a<br />
character who is kindhearted,<br />
but sweet Angel is also savvy,<br />
inherently wise, gutsy and a collector<br />
of stories the reader will<br />
not soon forget.<br />
Kigali is Rwanda’s capital<br />
city and was the heart of the<br />
1994 genocide. Parkin has not<br />
softened Kigali’s history. She<br />
has written the story of one<br />
woman who becomes a wellspring<br />
of stories depicting the<br />
human condition.<br />
Angel, a Catholic, lives with<br />
her Muslim husband, a consultant<br />
to a local university, and her<br />
grandchildren (her own children<br />
are dead) in a compound housing<br />
foreigners helping rebuild<br />
Rwanda. She is an entrepreneur<br />
who bakes cakes for almost anyone<br />
celebrating almost any<br />
occasion.<br />
Parkin wastes no time (<strong>page</strong><br />
one) in showcasing Angel’s business<br />
acumen when describing<br />
her awaiting an important customer:<br />
She “had dressed smartly<br />
for the occasion, in a state of<br />
great anticipation of the benefits<br />
that it might bring.” Make<br />
no mistake, “benefits” is another<br />
word for money.<br />
Each customer must come<br />
to the Tungaraza apartment so<br />
that Angel can determine exactly<br />
what kind of cake she will<br />
bake. This requires her customers<br />
to reveal a great deal<br />
about themselves and the event<br />
to be celebrated.<br />
There is enough humor in<br />
the novel to ease any reader<br />
through its most difficult tales.<br />
A hidden reference to HIV as<br />
“the problem” is raised by one<br />
customer and Angel must think<br />
of a tactful way to respond. In<br />
so doing, her “eyebrows rushed<br />
Keep safety at the top of<br />
your holiday shopping list<br />
As we enter the busy season<br />
of shopping and parties,<br />
we may need to be reminded<br />
about “safety first.”<br />
First, here are a few tips<br />
when going shopping – not<br />
just for holiday gifts but even<br />
grocery shopping.<br />
Women should place handbags<br />
in the trunk of the car<br />
before leaving home. Take into<br />
the store only the credit<br />
card(s) you need or the appropriate<br />
cash. Do not broadcast<br />
to people hanging around<br />
parking lots that you have your<br />
purse in the trunk.<br />
Be careful of those behind<br />
you at the checkout counter,<br />
because people with cell<br />
phones could take a picture of<br />
your credit card and make a<br />
fraudulent card.<br />
After shopping, place all<br />
articles in your trunk; do not<br />
leave them inside of your car.<br />
Holiday gifts, groceries, etc.<br />
should be placed in the trunk<br />
and out of sight.<br />
Next, it’s time to think<br />
about rotation of emergency<br />
supplies. The Community<br />
Emergency Response Team<br />
suggests rotating water stored<br />
for emergencies every six<br />
months. Do it at the same time<br />
you replace smoke alarm batteries.<br />
Most folks will do this<br />
at the switch from standard<br />
time to daylight saving time<br />
and vice versa.<br />
Some people who use prescription<br />
drugs place a small<br />
emergency supply in the car’s<br />
glove compartment. Heat can<br />
change the chemical content<br />
of some drugs, so be careful<br />
about storing and rotating the<br />
drugs. Also, dispose of<br />
expired drugs properly.<br />
Pharmacies do not have “takeback”<br />
programs. However, we<br />
have a program in <strong>Clayton</strong> to<br />
dispose of unwanted drugs,<br />
including vitamins and liquids<br />
(cough syrup, etc). Place the<br />
items in a plastic bag and<br />
deposit them in the container<br />
on the second floor of City<br />
Hall. There is also a container<br />
for sharp objects, such as used<br />
needles.<br />
Following are the monthly<br />
recommendations for emergency<br />
preparedness:<br />
Financial, from <strong>page</strong> <strong>10</strong><br />
and wise family friends to<br />
explore your options and decide<br />
what may be the best route,<br />
given the circumstances. Enlist<br />
the insights of your financial<br />
advisor and tax preparer to<br />
determine how expenses will be<br />
managed and potentially shared<br />
by you and the parent involved.<br />
Keep a positive attitude and<br />
take advantage of the opportunity<br />
to help make things easier<br />
for your parent at this stage of<br />
life. By giving the situation<br />
proper care and thought, you<br />
can find a solution that works.<br />
to consult with each other<br />
across the bridge of her nose.”<br />
What is most striking in<br />
Parkin’s writing is the respect<br />
and warmth she shows for her<br />
characters. Most of the world<br />
knows Rwanda by its violence,<br />
and Parkin does not skirt this<br />
issue. Her characters deal with<br />
murder, prostitution,<br />
HIV/AIDS, the effects of<br />
colonialism, female genital<br />
mutilation, lack of sanitation,<br />
education of women and infidelity.<br />
They also deal with a<br />
fierce love of family, a keen and<br />
forgiving understanding of<br />
their neighbors, and a determined<br />
insistence to find ways<br />
around the obstacles that<br />
would prevent them from moving<br />
past the horrors they’ve<br />
survived.<br />
Rwanda’s population is<br />
attempting peace through<br />
Unity and Reconciliation, a<br />
program similar to South<br />
Africa’s Truth and<br />
Reconciliation. Parkin weaves a<br />
tale in which even Angel must<br />
come to accept her own family<br />
truths before she can reach a<br />
state of forgiveness and reconciliation.<br />
She gains this understanding<br />
after she tells her own<br />
story to a young, and wise,<br />
prostitute she befriends.<br />
Parkin has an ear and eye<br />
for capturing the essence of<br />
her characters, both in their<br />
strengths and weaknesses. You<br />
will laugh out loud, probably<br />
cry and often recognize yourself.<br />
The reader will not forget<br />
the women who populate this<br />
novel. They are strong, loving,<br />
resilient and pragmatic. They<br />
come from many parts of<br />
Africa and the world. Should<br />
anybody wonder if feminism is<br />
HERB YONGE<br />
SAFETY ZONE<br />
1. Obtain a container and<br />
make it your Family Emergency<br />
Container (FEC). Place it in area<br />
that is easily assessable, near the<br />
primary exit of the home.<br />
2. Place a minimum of a<br />
three-day supply of food and<br />
water for each family member in<br />
the FEC. Consider food that<br />
does not require water, such as<br />
peanut butter, crackers, canned<br />
tuna or meat.<br />
3. Place a pair of shoes and<br />
flashlight under each family<br />
member’s bed.<br />
4. Develop an emergency<br />
escape plan and practice at least<br />
once a month.<br />
Herb Yonge is a volunteer with<br />
the <strong>Clayton</strong> Police Dept. & a member<br />
of the city of <strong>Clayton</strong> Citizen<br />
Corp Council, CERT Team. He<br />
can be reached at 673-7355 or by<br />
email at hlyonge@att.net.<br />
Mureleen Benton is a Certified<br />
Financial Planner. Call her with<br />
questions at 685-4523<br />
This information is provided for informational<br />
purposes only. The information is intended<br />
to be generic in nature and should not be<br />
applied or relied upon in any particular situation<br />
without the advice of your tax, legal and/or your<br />
financial advisor. The views expressed may not<br />
be suitable for every situation.<br />
Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.,<br />
Member NASD and SIPC, part of<br />
Ameriprise Financial, Inc.<br />
alive and well, read this book. It<br />
is time to take a much closer<br />
look at the continent and people<br />
of Africa.<br />
Sunny Solomon is the “Book<br />
Lady” for the <strong>Clayton</strong> Community<br />
Library Book Club. She holds an<br />
MA in English and Creative Writing<br />
from San Francisco State University.<br />
Her poetry and prose has been published<br />
in literary journals and<br />
magazines. You can each her at<br />
memorie3@yahoo.com.<br />
(925) 820-8700<br />
20 Regency Dr., <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
floorstogodanville@sbcglobal.net<br />
Handyman<br />
Services<br />
Let me<br />
complete<br />
your “Honey<br />
Do” list.<br />
General Contractor<br />
Floors To Go Danville has a new name.<br />
We are now:<br />
Retirement Community<br />
at Handyman Prices<br />
Derald<br />
Clearwater<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Resident � Contracting since 1988<br />
Bonded & Insured � Lic. # 524547 (925) 639-4209<br />
Hardwood, Tile, Carpet, Laminate<br />
6401 Center Street <strong>Clayton</strong> CA 94517<br />
www.diamondterrace.net<br />
211 Tumbleweed Ct., <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Absolutely incredible<br />
Gentlemen's Ranch. Flat 1 acre<br />
+/-, with Exquisite Home,<br />
Remodeled Grand Kitchen,<br />
Landscaped Back Yard with<br />
Pool, and Well Thought Out<br />
Horse Set-Up. Incredible Mt.<br />
Diablo Views, Quiet Court<br />
Location, City Water. Don't<br />
Miss This Dream Come True!<br />
REDUCED Now just<br />
$984,000<br />
• Free custom baseboards<br />
with all hard surface orders! OR<br />
• Free upgraded pad<br />
with any new carpet order!<br />
• Hardwood<br />
on sale now!<br />
1701 Trail Ride Road,<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong>. Live On Mt. Diablo.<br />
Incredible Horse Property In<br />
Private Gated Community.<br />
Private Trails, Direct Mt.<br />
Diablo Trail Access, Club<br />
House, New Pool, Paddocks,<br />
Hay Storage, Arenas, Updated<br />
3 Bedroom 2 Bath Home, with<br />
4 stall Barn & Pastures and<br />
Views Forever!<br />
Priced at just $699,000<br />
Kimberly Morucci<br />
(925) 437-1650<br />
kmorucci@rockcliff.com<br />
www.kimmorucci.com<br />
President’s Award DRE #01356365<br />
Free shop<br />
at home<br />
service!<br />
Shop at Home<br />
we bring the<br />
samples to you<br />
Locally owned and operated by 30-year<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> residents Keith and Mike Baker<br />
Call today for a personal tour<br />
& complimentary lunch<br />
(925) 524-5<strong>10</strong>0<br />
3155 Morgan Territory<br />
Road, <strong>Clayton</strong>. French<br />
Country Style Ranch Home on<br />
9 Acres, Long Private Drive,<br />
Exceptional Views of Mt.<br />
Diablo. REDUCED Now just<br />
$1,242,000<br />
Also Available:<br />
1384 Springbrook Rd, Walnut Creek,<br />
REDUCED Now just $749,000.<br />
1714 6th Street, Concord,<br />
Priced at 825,000.<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> resident &<br />
ranch property owner.
Page 16 <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer.com October 22, 20<strong>10</strong><br />
CLAYTON EVENTS<br />
Oct. 25<br />
Pros and Cons of the Nov. 2 Ballot Propositions<br />
Featuring a speaker from the Diablo Valley League of Women<br />
Voters. Sponsored by the <strong>Clayton</strong> and Concord branches of the<br />
American Association of University Women. 7:30 p.m.,<br />
Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center St. All interested voters welcome.<br />
Contact Carolyn at 672-0700.<br />
Oct. 28<br />
California Garden Clubs Meeting<br />
The <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley Garden Club will host the Diablo Foothills<br />
District meeting and luncheon. Gary Gragg will speak about<br />
“Subtropical Plants for Bay Area Gardens.” <strong>10</strong> a.m.-1:30 p.m.,<br />
Oakhurst Country Club, <strong>10</strong>01 Peacock Creek Dr. $25. Contact<br />
Shelia at 682-7887 or president@claytonvalleygardenclub.org.<br />
Saturdays through October<br />
Farmers Market<br />
8 a.m.-noon Saturdays, Diablo Street between Main and<br />
Center, downtown. pcfma.com or 800-949-3276.<br />
Nov. 6<br />
Community Emergency Response Team Drill<br />
The drill will include Incident Command System procedures and<br />
Search and Rescue. 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Endeavor Hall, 6008 Center<br />
St. claytoncert.org.<br />
HALLOWEEN<br />
Oct. 31<br />
Halloween at Rodie’s Feed Store<br />
Get a free photo of your dog and enter the costume contest.<br />
Free door prizes, treats and awards. <strong>10</strong> a.m.-1 p.m., 8863<br />
Marsh Creek Road, <strong>Clayton</strong>. Call Sarah at 672-4600.<br />
Oct. 31<br />
Halloween at the Fire Station<br />
For pre-K to fifth-graders; children must be accompanied by an<br />
adult. 5:30-7:30 p.m., 6500 Center St., <strong>Clayton</strong>. Free. Contact<br />
Emily at 941-3505.<br />
Oct. 31<br />
Ghost Walk<br />
7:30-<strong>10</strong> p.m. Meet at Endeavor Hall, 6008 Center St., <strong>Clayton</strong>.<br />
Free. Bring a flashlight; costumes optional. Contact Richard at<br />
228-9144.<br />
EVENTS/ENTERTAINMENT<br />
Nov. 6<br />
“Reach for the Sky”<br />
The Contra Costa Wind Symphony opens its 30th season with a<br />
program featuring brass, music with an outer space theme and<br />
Dick Callahan, a voice familiar to sports fans. 8 p.m., Walnut<br />
Creek Presbyterian Church, 1801 Lacassie Ave. $15.<br />
ccwindsymphony.org.<br />
Nov. 6-7<br />
Gem and Rock Show<br />
Jewelry, gems, minerals, fossils and gold, plus rock painting for<br />
kids. Sponsored by the Contra Costa Mineral and Gem Society.<br />
<strong>10</strong> a.m.-5 p.m. both days, Centre Concord, 5298 <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Road. 289-0454.<br />
Through Nov. 7<br />
“Sleuth”<br />
The Willows presents a mystery thriller with plenty of plot twists<br />
and turns. $22-$32. Campbell Theatre, 626 Ward St.,<br />
Martinez. 798-1300 or willowstheatre.org.<br />
Through Nov. 14<br />
“Becoming Britney”<br />
A caustic, but loving PG-13 fable that chronicles the rise, the<br />
dip and the salvation of a foolhardy celebrity phenom. $25.<br />
Center Repertory Co., 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. centerrep.org<br />
or 943-SHOW.<br />
Through Nov. 20<br />
“Dracula”<br />
Experience the gothic<br />
classic as you’ve never<br />
seen it, presented by<br />
Center Repertory.<br />
$36-$42. 1601 Civic<br />
Dr., Walnut Creek.<br />
centerrep.org or 943-<br />
SHOW.<br />
Nov. 29-Jan. 16<br />
“Sister Robert Anne’s Cabaret Class”<br />
The Willows Theatre presents everybody’s favorite nun, starring<br />
Deborah Del Mastro. Campbell Theatre, 626 Ward Street,<br />
Martinez. willowstheatre.org or 798-1300.<br />
FUNDRAISERS<br />
Oct. 23<br />
“Music, Masquerade and Fine Arts”<br />
Food, wine, dancing, costumes, art auction, live music. $50;<br />
$25 is tax-deductible. 7-<strong>10</strong> p.m., St. John’s Episcopal Church,<br />
5555 <strong>Clayton</strong> Road, <strong>Clayton</strong>. 672-8855.<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Community Calendar<br />
PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M. OCT. 27 FOR THE NOV. 5 ISSUE. ITEMS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY EMAIL TO calendar@claytonpioneer.com<br />
Madeline H. D. Brown and<br />
Eugene Brancoveanu in “Dracula,”<br />
presented by Center Rep.<br />
Oct. 30<br />
Clodagh Martin will<br />
“Viva Arts!”<br />
perform with the Diablo<br />
Civic Arts<br />
Regional Youth Orchestra<br />
Education stu-<br />
at the Oct. 30 Civic Arts<br />
dents will per-<br />
Education fundraiser<br />
form, including<br />
the Diablo<br />
Regional Youth<br />
Orchestra’s<br />
Leadership<br />
Ensemble, Diablo<br />
Ballet’s professionalintermediate<br />
program and the Youth Theatre Company. Silent and live<br />
auctions benefit art scholarships for low-income county residents<br />
of all ages. 6:30 p.m., Shadelands Auditorium, 111 N.<br />
Wiget Lane, Walnut Creek. 939-2787 or friendsartsed.org.<br />
SCHOOLS<br />
Oct. 27<br />
Panda Express Fundraiser<br />
To benefit the <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley High School Music Boosters. 3-8<br />
p.m., 2280 Oak Grove Road, Walnut Creek. Download a flier<br />
at claytonbands.org.<br />
Oct. 30<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Valley High School Clean-up Day<br />
Bring gardening gloves and tools to help spruce up the school.<br />
9 a.m.-noon, 1<strong>10</strong>1 Alberta Way. Email Micki at mcwalls@comcast.net.<br />
Nov. 3<br />
Tavo’s Pizzeria Fundraiser<br />
Mention Mt. Diablo Elementary School and the restaurant will<br />
donate 15 percent of the purchase to the Parent Faculty Club.<br />
11 a.m.-9 p.m., 5434 Ygnacio Valley Road, Concord.<br />
Nov. 4<br />
Highlands Elementary School Holiday Boutique<br />
Local vendors and crafters, raffle drawings, food and bake<br />
sale. Also, the Gold Refinery will purchase gold jewelry 2-5<br />
p.m. Sponsored by the Parent Teacher Association. 2-8 p.m.,<br />
1326 Pennsylvania Blvd., Concord. Contact Vixen at 681-3382.<br />
Through Dec. 17<br />
Box Tops for Diablo View<br />
Girl Scout Emma Hall is collecting box tops for the middle<br />
school. Bring box tops to the Diablo View office, 300 Diablo<br />
View Lane, in a ziplock bag with your child’s full name and<br />
grade on it. Students will compete for prizes. Residents without<br />
students can bring box tops to the <strong>Clayton</strong> Community Library,<br />
6125 <strong>Clayton</strong> Road, or State Farm Insurance Agency, 6200<br />
Center St.<br />
“Building a Pathway to Success”<br />
Families can purchase a personalized brick for the pathway to<br />
the flag in front of Mt. Diablo Elementary School. Prices begin<br />
at $55. Order forms at mdusd.k12.ca.us/mountdiabloelementary.<br />
Contact Michelle at michellejcurry@sbcglobal.net or 672-<br />
1257.<br />
HEALTH<br />
Oct. 23<br />
Bone Marrow Donor Drive<br />
Co-sponsored by state Sen. Mark DeSaulnier and the Asian<br />
American Donor Program. 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Seafood City<br />
Supermarket, 2030 Diamond Blvd., Concord. 942-6082.<br />
Nov. 1<br />
“Diabetes Dialogue: A Taste of Good Health”<br />
5:45-8:30 p.m., Ball Auditorium, John Muir Medical Center,<br />
1601 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek. Free. Register by<br />
Oct. 25 at 941-4141. johnmuirhealth.com/index.php/diabetes.html.<br />
Nov. 6<br />
John Muir Medical Center Open House<br />
Includes tours of the new Hofmann Family Patient Care Tower,<br />
a health fair, local food vendors, activities for kids, music and<br />
more. <strong>10</strong> a.m.-4 p.m., 2540 East St., Concord. johnmuirhealth.com.<br />
AT THE LIBRARY<br />
The <strong>Clayton</strong> Library is at 6125 <strong>Clayton</strong> Road. Programs are free<br />
unless otherwise noted. 673-0659 or claytonlibrary.org.<br />
Through Oct. 27<br />
Guess the Pumpkin’s Weight<br />
The person with the closest guess without going over wins the<br />
pumpkin. For children through age 12.<br />
Through Nov. 18<br />
“<strong>Clayton</strong> Reads”<br />
All residents are invited to read “The Tortilla Curtain” by T.C.<br />
Boyle. Pick up a free copy at the library.<br />
Oct. 23<br />
“Mexican Immigration: Past and Present”<br />
Professor Manuel Gonzales takes a look at legal and illegal<br />
immigration since the Mexican Revolution. Part of the “<strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Reads” program. 2 p.m.<br />
Nov. 7<br />
“Tortilla Curtain” Book Discussion<br />
Librarian Karen Hansen-Smith will moderate a discussion. Part<br />
of the “<strong>Clayton</strong> Reads” program. 2 p.m.<br />
Nov. 8<br />
Folktales from Mexico<br />
Performer Michael Katz tells tales from Mexico. A “<strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Reads” program for the whole family. 7 p.m.<br />
Nov. 15<br />
“Tortilla Curtain” Book Discussion<br />
Librarian Karen Hansen-Smith will moderate a discussion. Part<br />
of the “<strong>Clayton</strong> Reads” program. 7 p.m.<br />
Tuesdays through Dec. 7<br />
Patty Cakes<br />
Story time for babies to 3-year-olds. Child attends with caregiver.<br />
Drop in 11 a.m. Tuesdays.<br />
Wednesdays<br />
Book Buddies<br />
Reading to 4- to 7-year-olds. 3-4 p.m.<br />
Thursdays through Nov. 4<br />
Picture Book Time<br />
Story time for 3- to 5-year-olds. Child may attend without caregiver.<br />
Drop in 11 a.m. Thursdays.<br />
MEETINGS<br />
Oct. 26; Nov. 9, 23<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Planning Commission<br />
7 p.m., Hoyer Hall, <strong>Clayton</strong> Library, 6125 <strong>Clayton</strong> Road. 673-<br />
7304 or ci.clayton.ca.us.<br />
Oct. 26<br />
Mt. Diablo Unified School District<br />
7:30 p.m., 1936 Carlotta Dr., Concord. mdusd.org.<br />
Nov. 2, 16<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> City Council<br />
7 p.m., Hoyer Hall, <strong>Clayton</strong> Library, 6125 <strong>Clayton</strong> Road. 673-<br />
7304 or ci.clayton.ca.us<br />
CLUBS<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Business and Community Association<br />
Meets 6:30 p.m. last Thursday of the month, except holidays,<br />
Oakhurst Country Club, <strong>10</strong>01 Peacock Creek Dr., <strong>Clayton</strong>. Call<br />
Sue at 672-2272.<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Valley Garden Club<br />
Meets 7 p.m. second Wednesday of the month, Diamond<br />
Terrace, 6401 Center St., <strong>Clayton</strong>. On Nov. <strong>10</strong>, Lew Thompson<br />
will present “Crazy for Chrysanthemums.” Contact Nancy at<br />
673-3522 or claytonvalleygardenclub.org.<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Valley Woman’s Club<br />
Meets 9:30 a.m. for coffee, <strong>10</strong> a.m. meetings, second and<br />
fourth Tuesdays of the month, Holy Cross Lutheran Church,<br />
<strong>10</strong>90 Alberta Way, Concord. Call Shirley at 672.1163 or claytonvalleywomansclub.org.<br />
Clutch Busters Square Dance Club<br />
Meets 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Willow Pass Community Center<br />
Hall, 2748 East Olivera Road, Concord. Contact Karen at 686-<br />
3774.<br />
Concord Stompers Square Dance Club<br />
Meets 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Willow Pass Community Center,<br />
2748 East Olivera Road, Concord. Call Jennie at 672-9676 or<br />
angelfire.com/id/stompers.<br />
Contra Costa Chess Club<br />
Meets 6:30-9:30 p.m. Thursdays, Starbuck’s, 1536 Kirker Pass<br />
Road, <strong>Clayton</strong>. Players of all ages and skill levels welcome.<br />
Contact Mike at 639-1987 or uschess.org.<br />
Contra Costa Mineral and Gem Society<br />
Meets 7:30 p.m. second Monday of the month, Centre<br />
Concord, 5298 <strong>Clayton</strong> Road. 779-0698 or ccmgs.org.<br />
Creekside Artists Guild<br />
Meets 7-8:30 p.m. second Wednesday of the month, <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Library Story Room, 6125 <strong>Clayton</strong> Road, <strong>Clayton</strong>. All artforms<br />
and both emerging and experienced artists welcome. Contact<br />
Arlene at 673-9777 or nielsenjanc@aol.com.<br />
Creeksideartists.org.<br />
Diablo Valley Democratic Club<br />
Meets 7-9 p.m. third Wednesday of the month, Ygnacio Valley<br />
Library, 2661 Oak Grove Road., Walnut Creek. On Nov. 17,<br />
Polo Morales of Contra Costa Interfaith Supporting Community<br />
Organization and Mark Silverman, director of Immigration<br />
Policy for the Immigrant Legal Resources Center in San<br />
Francisco, will discuss the essentials of good immigration<br />
reform. Contact Pat at 946-0469 or dvdems.org.<br />
Knights of Columbus, Concord Council 6038<br />
Meets 7:30 p.m. first Wednesday of the month, except holidays,<br />
Cauchi Hall, St. Agnes Catholic Church, 3966 Chestnut St,<br />
Concord. Contact George at 685-9547 or visit kofc6038.org.<br />
Rotary Club of <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley/Concord Sunrise<br />
Meets 7 a.m. Thursdays, Oakhurst Country Club, <strong>10</strong>01 Peacock<br />
Creek Dr., <strong>Clayton</strong>. Includes breakfast and a speaker. 566-<br />
8166 or claytonvalleyrotary.org.<br />
Scrabble Club<br />
Meets 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. second and fourth Saturdays of the<br />
month, Carl’s Jr. Restaurant, 1530 Kirker Pass Road, <strong>Clayton</strong>.<br />
All ages and skill levels welcome. $3 fee. Call Mike at 639-<br />
1987 or scrabble-assoc.com.<br />
Sons In Retirement (SIRs)<br />
Meets 11:15 a.m. first Thursday of the month, Crown Plaza<br />
Hotel, 45 John Glenn Dr., Concord. 429-3777.<br />
Soroptimist International of Diablo Vista<br />
Meets 12:15 p.m. first, second and third Wednesdays of the<br />
month, September-June, Sizzler, 1353 Willow Pass Road,<br />
Concord. Contact Nicole at 692-2224.
October 22, 20<strong>10</strong> <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer .com Page 17<br />
Think Palm Desert for a ‘cool’ time<br />
PEGGY BIDONDO<br />
TIME TO GO<br />
It was <strong>10</strong>0 degrees in<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> and we were heading to<br />
Palm Desert, where it was<br />
bound to be a lot hotter.<br />
Fortunately, the weather turned<br />
out to be perfect – 75 to 80<br />
degrees each day. It was great<br />
for sightseeing, shopping, sunbathing<br />
and sitting outdoors<br />
while sipping local libations.<br />
We had booked a week at a<br />
resort more than a year ago and<br />
decided to go in spite of the<br />
weather. The drive from<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> is a relatively easy one<br />
as the majority of the trip is on<br />
Interstates 5, 2<strong>10</strong> and <strong>10</strong>. With<br />
stops to fill up the tank (both<br />
for the vehicle and us), we made<br />
it in about seven hours. Thanks<br />
to an audio book and snacks,<br />
the time went by quickly.<br />
The Agua Caliente Band of<br />
Cahuilla Indians was drawn long<br />
ago to the canyons of the<br />
Coachella Valley, which provide<br />
an oasis of palm groves, natural<br />
waterfalls and hot mineral<br />
springs at the base of towering<br />
mountains. It is a rich agricultural<br />
area, where 95 percent of<br />
the nation’s date crop is grown.<br />
After buying some dates at<br />
Hadley’s Fruit Orchard in<br />
Cabazon (which was featured<br />
on the Food Channel), we can<br />
attest to their delicious quality.<br />
If you have one of their “date<br />
shakes,” it supposedly makes<br />
Photo: gowestusa.com<br />
THE PALM SPRINGS AERIAL TRAMWAY traverses the rugged Chino<br />
Canyon These high tech rotating tram cars give every visitor<br />
desert and mountain views during the ten minute ride to the top.<br />
you a local.<br />
Also in Cabazon are three<br />
buildings housing 150 outlet<br />
stores in case you need to<br />
update your wardrobe and 3,200<br />
wind turbines that power electricity<br />
to about 200,000<br />
Southern California homes.<br />
This area is the best place in the<br />
United States to harness wind<br />
power.<br />
HEAD FOR THE HILLS<br />
The best heat-beater in the<br />
summer is to take the Palm<br />
Springs Aerial Tramway to Mt.<br />
Jacinto State Park. The trip takes<br />
only <strong>10</strong> minutes aboard a rotating<br />
tram car that travels up to<br />
8,516 feet of pristine wilderness.<br />
Once there, it’s 30 degrees<br />
cooler than in the parking lot<br />
where you left your car. There<br />
are spectacular views of the valley<br />
floor and surrounding areas.<br />
You can hike on the 54 miles of<br />
trails, bring a picnic or have<br />
lunch at the restaurants.<br />
Even with a couple of hundred<br />
people at the top, it was<br />
quite quiet. Everyone seemed to<br />
have a reverence for what we<br />
were viewing. From there you<br />
could see the San Andreas Fault<br />
which runs down the middle of<br />
the valley, the Salton Sea – the<br />
largest lake in California, and on<br />
a really clear day, all the way to<br />
Las Vegas.<br />
STAR SEARCH<br />
This area is one of the<br />
world’s premier golf destinations.<br />
With more than 350 days<br />
Club news Health, from <strong>page</strong> 8<br />
BUILDING A PATH<br />
TO SUCCESS<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Valley Garden Club<br />
members delivered a second<br />
elevated raised bed that allows<br />
wheelchair and other disabled<br />
students access to gardening<br />
classes at Diablo View Middle<br />
School. Garden club member<br />
Appliance<br />
Repairs<br />
by Bruce, Inc.<br />
35 years experience<br />
Neal Richmond built the two<br />
elevated raised beds. Soil and<br />
vegetables ready for planting<br />
were also donated to the<br />
school. Shown here are special<br />
ed teacher Stephanie<br />
Barambani, Richmond and<br />
David Walters of the school<br />
district.<br />
“We do a dog gone good job”<br />
- Zoey & Bruce<br />
Bruce & Holly Linsenmeyer<br />
We repair all<br />
major appliances,<br />
most major brands,<br />
and we’re local<br />
30 year <strong>Clayton</strong> residents<br />
Office: (925) 672-2700<br />
Cell: (925) 956-8605<br />
State of California B.E.A.R<br />
license #A44842<br />
http://appliancerepairsbybruce.com<br />
require antibiotics as our bodies<br />
are quite capable of fighting<br />
them off on their own. As an<br />
example in ear infections,<br />
based on recent studies,<br />
Pediatricians are now withholding<br />
antibiotics in most<br />
patients for two days to assess<br />
whether or not the infection<br />
clears on its own. Surprisingly,<br />
a large number of those infections<br />
disappear without the aid<br />
of antibiotics.<br />
PREVENTION IS KEY<br />
The best way to defeat bacteria<br />
and to avoid antibiotic<br />
resistance is to prevent the<br />
infection from developing in<br />
the first place. This can be<br />
accomplished through the use<br />
of immunizations, discarding<br />
suspicious foods, having a safe<br />
water supply, and practicing<br />
good hygiene; wash your<br />
hands. These simple acts are<br />
surprisingly and dramatically<br />
effective. As an example, due<br />
to immunizations we have virtually<br />
eradicated many diseases<br />
in our country, diseases that<br />
had plagued our parent’s gener-<br />
Music Video<br />
Happy Hour<br />
Mondays 4pm to 8pm<br />
6096 Main Street, <strong>Clayton</strong>, 673-0440<br />
Entertainment from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.<br />
Oct. 22, 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Relyks<br />
Oct. 29, 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Whiskey River<br />
Karaoke Wed. nights<br />
Open Mic Thur. nights, 8 to 11 p.m.<br />
2 for the price of 1<br />
www.claytonclubsaloon.com<br />
of sunshine, mild winters and<br />
more than 200 golf courses in<br />
the valley, it becomes a haven<br />
for “snowbirds” from October<br />
through May. One source told<br />
me it takes 800,000 to 1 million<br />
gallons of water per day to keep<br />
all those courses green.<br />
It has been a magnet for<br />
Hollywood stars since the<br />
1930s, when Bing Crosby and<br />
Ralph Bellamy founded the first<br />
tennis club in Palm Springs.<br />
Other 1930/1940s stars known<br />
to stop by were Mary Pickford,<br />
Judy Garland and Humphrey<br />
Bogart. The ’50s and ’60s<br />
brought Frank Sinatra, Dean<br />
Martin and the rest of the Rat<br />
Pack, along with famous folks<br />
from Washington such as JFK,<br />
Eisenhower and Nixon.<br />
We took a celebrity home<br />
tour along with two couples<br />
from Britain who were ecstatic<br />
when we entered the home of<br />
Elvis and Priscilla Presley at 845<br />
West Chino Canyon Road. One<br />
of the women was an Elvis<br />
devotee and knew more about<br />
him than the tour guide. This<br />
was the highlight of her trip to<br />
the United States.<br />
EATING ON THE CHEAP<br />
A walk along El Paseo, the<br />
Rodeo Drive of Palm Desert,<br />
brings you past every kind of<br />
upscale retail store you can<br />
imagine. From clothing, to jewelry,<br />
fine art and even finer<br />
prices, it is definitely a fun place<br />
to window shop. When you get<br />
tired of walking, there is a little<br />
yellow golf cart that gives complimentary<br />
rides up and down<br />
the street.<br />
Forever in search of a good<br />
meal deal, we sought out many<br />
of the Happy Hour offerings in<br />
the area. Just about every<br />
See Travel, <strong>page</strong> 18<br />
ation. In our own children we<br />
are also seeing a fast decline in<br />
the incidence of bacteria that<br />
can cause life threatening<br />
pneumonia and meningitis.<br />
Immunizations work and the<br />
benefits far outweigh the risks<br />
so please do not be influenced<br />
by alternative opinions.<br />
To summarize, listen to<br />
your doctor and don’t be upset<br />
if you don’t receive the antibiotics<br />
you think that you need.<br />
Your physician is really looking<br />
out for your best interest. As<br />
well, remember to cover your<br />
mouth when you sneeze or<br />
cough, remember to wash your<br />
hands, and practice basic good<br />
hygiene. If not, we will see you<br />
down the road at John Muir<br />
Concord.<br />
Dr. Birdsall is the Medical<br />
Director of the Emergency<br />
Department and Chief of Staff of<br />
John Muir Hospital in Concord.<br />
He lives in Walnut Creek with his<br />
wife, Dr. Marian Birdsall, and two<br />
children. Please email him at<br />
David.Birdsall_md@johnmuirhealth.com<br />
Beer only. Good anytime with<br />
original coupon. Exp. 11/14/<strong>10</strong><br />
Candidate’s Forum<br />
from <strong>page</strong> 1<br />
Oakhurst landslide litigation.<br />
Stratford brings needed<br />
accounting and financial skills<br />
to a city faced with the worst<br />
recession in recent memory<br />
and continued state takeaways.<br />
Meriam, although new to<br />
politics, serves on the<br />
Planning Commission and<br />
says he will bring a “fresh perspective”<br />
to the Council. Diaz<br />
likes to “think outside the<br />
box” and says the city needs<br />
to find new ways to cut costs,<br />
including outsourcing landscape<br />
maintenance.<br />
The four candidates share<br />
a common vision for the<br />
downtown – a bustling Main<br />
Street lined with shops,<br />
Western storefront buildings<br />
with no vacancies, pedestrian<br />
walkways and the ka-ching of<br />
sales tax revenues.<br />
But, say Meriam and Diaz,<br />
the city hasn’t done enough to<br />
realize this vision.<br />
“The city needs to do<br />
more to create a business<br />
friendly environment and<br />
engage with current businesses,”<br />
Meriam said.<br />
Shuey, running for a third<br />
term, countered their claim<br />
with a list of major projects<br />
completed by the city during<br />
his terms. “We’ve brought the<br />
concerts in, which drives traffic<br />
downtown. We’ve built a<br />
CVS drugstore, the Grove<br />
Park, Flora Square and now<br />
the Creekside Terrace Project<br />
is ready to go to a developer.”<br />
“We’ve changed the building<br />
requirements to allow bigger<br />
buildings on smaller<br />
parcels and revised the parking<br />
requirements to encourage<br />
new business.”<br />
Diaz says the city should<br />
use Redevelopment Agency<br />
money to offer incentives to<br />
attract new business. “I’ve<br />
seen this done in other cities,”<br />
he said, “It works,” but agreed<br />
that it could cause some fairness<br />
issues with existing businesses.<br />
PROPOSED CHURCH PROJECT<br />
All four were asked about<br />
their position on the <strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Community Church’s proposal<br />
for a worship center on their<br />
Main Street property.<br />
Approval of the project will<br />
require an amendment to the<br />
Town Center Specific Plan.<br />
As sitting Council members,<br />
Shuey and Stratford<br />
would not prejudge.<br />
“This is an important and<br />
divisive issue. Hank and I have<br />
both been careful not to do or<br />
say anything that we would<br />
have to recuse ourselves for.”<br />
Diaz and Meriam, however,<br />
were less reticent.<br />
“I do not favor the church<br />
as a church, but I would be<br />
open to reviewing the project.<br />
We need to be open<br />
minded,” said Meriam.<br />
“I don’t think it’s the right<br />
place for it,” said Diaz. “But I<br />
would be open to working<br />
with the church to find other<br />
land in the city. It should be<br />
outside the commercial area.”<br />
CONFLICT QUESTIONS<br />
All four candidates were<br />
quizzed as to any potential<br />
conflicts of interest they may<br />
have with current or proposed<br />
projects.<br />
City officials may not participate<br />
in decisions on projects<br />
within 500 feet of where<br />
they live. Meriam’s home on<br />
Oak Street is within 500 feet<br />
of the Creekside Terrace<br />
project and he will not be able<br />
to participate in or vote on<br />
the development. His 500 ft.<br />
radius does not touch the<br />
church’s property on Main<br />
Street and expects to participate<br />
in the church project<br />
hearings and decisions.<br />
However, said Shuey,<br />
because the project requires<br />
public parking in downtown,<br />
this may bring the scope of<br />
the project within 500 feet of<br />
Meriam’s home. Meriam said<br />
he would seek the advice of<br />
the California Fair Political<br />
Practices Commission if<br />
there was any question of<br />
conflict.<br />
None of the other candidates<br />
live within 500 feet of<br />
the Town Center.<br />
All of the candidates agree<br />
that the city has done a good<br />
job balancing the budget and<br />
containing costs without cutting<br />
services. But all are looking<br />
for the “biggest bang for<br />
the buck.”<br />
Meriam says the city could<br />
save money if they withdrew<br />
from the CalPERs pension<br />
plan and went to a 401k plan.<br />
“This is a hot topic with<br />
no easy answer,” Stratford<br />
said. ‘The city has already<br />
reduced retirement benefits<br />
by going to a Tier 2 plan.<br />
Scrapping the CalPERS plan<br />
altogether would cost the city<br />
$1.5 million in unfunded liabilities<br />
and without it, it<br />
would be difficult to attract<br />
quality employees.”<br />
Meriam is opposed to<br />
using public funds to pay for<br />
the concerts downtown and<br />
says the city should call on<br />
alcohol sponsors and sales to<br />
support the event.
Page 18 <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer.com October 22, 20<strong>10</strong><br />
Patty Flannery<br />
Your local neighborhood REALTOR<br />
since 1986<br />
Installations – Repairs<br />
Toilets � Faucets � Water heaters<br />
Garbage disposals � Clogged drains<br />
�elfast<br />
�lumbing<br />
Credit Cards accepted: Visa, MasterCard, Discover<br />
(925) 457-5423<br />
www.belfastplumbing.com<br />
DRE#00906625<br />
Office: 925.975.5255<br />
home & fax: 925.672.0541<br />
email: granyflany@msn.com<br />
License. 906211<br />
Complete<br />
Landscape Design<br />
& Installation<br />
�� Lawn & Plant Installation<br />
�� Retaining Walls �� Drainage<br />
�� Paver Patio & Walkway �� Low Voltage Lighting<br />
925-672-9955<br />
www.nicholslandscape.com<br />
Lic. 542812<br />
Fully Insured<br />
FREE ESTIMATES<br />
Boyce Nichols - Owner<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Resident<br />
It could be a virus or it<br />
could just need a tune-up.<br />
Prevent problems caused by viruses and spyware<br />
with Regular proactive maintenance.<br />
TOTAL DESKTOP CARE & SERVER WATCH<br />
Low cost, fixed fee<br />
services that<br />
monitor & maintain<br />
your network<br />
to minimize<br />
IT problems<br />
Call Mark 925.672.6029 or<br />
info@netsolutions-ca.com<br />
Bullying, from <strong>page</strong> 1<br />
VICIOUS COMMENTARY<br />
A few weeks ago, I had one<br />
of those “what has happened<br />
to the world?” moments. I was<br />
checking Facebook when I<br />
saw a picture of myself with<br />
dozens of smiling kids from<br />
Camp Sea Lab on one of the<br />
kid’s Facebook <strong>page</strong>s. I smiled<br />
as fond memories flooded my<br />
mind – but then I read the<br />
fifth-graders’ comments.<br />
My joy turned to astonishment<br />
followed by anger so<br />
deep, I felt physically sickened.<br />
I couldn’t comprehend the<br />
utter barbarity of the words<br />
these kids used to refer to their<br />
peers. The worst attacks<br />
focused on a disabled classmate.<br />
At camp, I felt proud of<br />
the way some of the students<br />
had treated this child, but<br />
behind his back, others found<br />
the “courage” to call him<br />
names. I wonder where these<br />
<strong>10</strong>-year old children learned<br />
this language – words I didn’t<br />
even know existed when I was<br />
in fifth grade.<br />
Then I saw a comment<br />
from one of the mothers.<br />
“Leave him alone ... Be nice ...<br />
I hope he is not your friend on<br />
Facebook, cause if he is he<br />
knows now you guys don’t like<br />
him.”<br />
That was it. Even after her<br />
son had joined in on the commentary.<br />
I wondered how a<br />
parent could under-react to<br />
such blatant bullying that was<br />
continuing nearly six months<br />
after camp ended.<br />
Just because a child is<br />
unaware of the hatred spread<br />
behind his back doesn’t mean<br />
he’s not suffering the effects at<br />
school. One minute, he could<br />
be friends with somebody, and<br />
Travel, from <strong>page</strong> 17<br />
restaurant has half-price specials<br />
on drinks and food –<br />
some starting at 11 a.m. and<br />
going to closing. But the<br />
majority of the places we visited<br />
had a 4-7 p.m. timeframe.<br />
We enjoyed some delicious<br />
dishes such as mussels in garlic<br />
wine sauce, crab sliders, chicken<br />
pot pie, chopped salads and<br />
mac and cheese with bacon<br />
and mushrooms. All the dishes<br />
were plentiful enough to share<br />
and allowed us to try things we<br />
might not order otherwise.<br />
Certain nights will also get you<br />
bottles of wine at half price.<br />
After a week of indulging<br />
ourselves in the pleasures that<br />
Palm Desert and the surrounding<br />
cities had to offer, it<br />
was time for the trip home and<br />
a plan to return soon to a<br />
the next, they’re making faces<br />
at him or calling him the<br />
names created by the cyberbullies.<br />
ESCALATING TREND<br />
Retired third-grade<br />
teacher Maxine Buxbaum,<br />
who began her career in<br />
Chicago during the 1950s,<br />
stated in an interview that the<br />
extreme nature of bullying<br />
today mimics the extreme<br />
nature of our society.<br />
“The growing pressures to<br />
have material things, drugs,<br />
teenage drinking and more<br />
permissive parenting go hand<br />
in hand with the escalations in<br />
our behaviors in society,” she<br />
noted.<br />
Perhaps parents are more<br />
permissive nowadays because<br />
they’re more concerned about<br />
being “buddies” with their<br />
children. Little do they know,<br />
their permissive attitude could<br />
lead to the demise of another<br />
child.<br />
According to a recent study<br />
by the National Institute of<br />
Health of 7,000 students,<br />
cyber bullying can cause higher<br />
levels of depression since<br />
one may feel more helpless.<br />
The experts state that messages<br />
posted on the Internet<br />
are difficult to remove and can<br />
reach thousands of students<br />
with one click of the mouse.<br />
Often, the student being bullied<br />
is unaware of why the<br />
attacks against him are growing.<br />
Sameer Hinduja, co-director<br />
of the Cyberbullying<br />
Research Center, says cyberbullying<br />
is now the most common<br />
form of bullying because<br />
kids are attracted to hiding<br />
behind a screen.<br />
place that has become a new<br />
favorite spot to visit.<br />
Recently retired, <strong>Clayton</strong> resident<br />
Peggy Bidondo is a tireless traveler with<br />
a passion for travel planning and writing.<br />
Send your questions and column<br />
ideas to Peggy Bidondo at<br />
timetogo@claytonpioneer.com.<br />
Travel Tip<br />
If you are flying to a new<br />
city and don’t know where to<br />
go or what to do when you<br />
arrive, ask your flight attendant<br />
for dining, shopping<br />
and sightseeing advice. Most<br />
crews have up-to-the-minute<br />
recommendations gleaned<br />
from layovers and they are<br />
more than happy to share<br />
the information.<br />
FEW LEGAL OPTIONS<br />
The California Department<br />
of Education code section 4<br />
8900(r) allows for suspension<br />
or expulsion of a bully and<br />
asks that parents report cyber<br />
bullying to law enforcement<br />
officials or the local Internet<br />
service provider.<br />
California passed renewed<br />
legislation SB719 in October<br />
2003 that treats bullying as a<br />
punishable crime. However,<br />
according to <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley<br />
assistant principal Sharon<br />
Brockman, it’s extremely difficult<br />
to prosecute bullies.<br />
“Because kids have trouble<br />
getting enough evidence, prosecutors<br />
have difficulty building<br />
enough of a case,” Brockman<br />
stated.<br />
She advises students to<br />
notify the school immediately<br />
upon being bullied and to save<br />
all evidence supporting the<br />
accusation, including texts,<br />
phone records and Facebook<br />
<strong>page</strong> printouts.<br />
A CALL TO ACTION<br />
While schools have policies<br />
aimed at protecting students<br />
who have the courage<br />
to report bullying and state<br />
laws support citizens providing<br />
sufficient evidence, I<br />
believe there’s a giant, missing<br />
link to solving a problem that<br />
is claiming so many young<br />
lives.<br />
I’m reminded of a CNN<br />
article about the suicide of a<br />
13-year-old child from<br />
Tehachapi. Seth Walsh, an<br />
openly gay eighth-grader, had<br />
been teased since fourth<br />
grade.<br />
“He was teased in fourth<br />
and fifth grade and by sixth<br />
grade the kids got really<br />
mean,” said his mother,<br />
Wendy. “By seventh grade,<br />
Seth was afraid to even walk<br />
home from school, and in<br />
Church News<br />
September, he ended his misery<br />
and hung himself in his<br />
backyard.”<br />
At his funeral, which 600<br />
people attended, his younger<br />
brother, Shawn, remarked: “I<br />
just wish people could have<br />
been nice to him, like my<br />
mom taught me.”<br />
Considering 600 people<br />
from this tiny town attended<br />
this boy’s funeral, I can’t help<br />
but wonder where they were<br />
when the bullying was taking<br />
place.<br />
What will it take for us to<br />
recognize our own accountability?<br />
The giant, missing link<br />
is each of us who turn a blind<br />
eye to nasty remarks, hateful<br />
slurs and physical attacks. It’s<br />
those of us who don’t urge<br />
children to stand beside the<br />
bullied and not the bully.<br />
Technology is here to stay<br />
and we, as a society, must<br />
respond to its rapid growth in<br />
a responsible manner. Will we<br />
be the next community to<br />
show our support after a child<br />
takes his life? Or will we, as a<br />
community, stand beside this<br />
child at the start of trouble?<br />
Sarah Rosen is a junior at<br />
CVHS. You can e-mail her at<br />
sarah_rosen@claytonpioneer.com.<br />
CONCORD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH<br />
The church will host its Bell Bazaar Nov. 5-6. The event includes<br />
the sale of handmade items, crafts and home-baked goods, plus<br />
tickets for raffle prizes. Lunch is served 11 a.m.-1 p.m. both days.<br />
The bazaar will be 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-2 p.m.<br />
Saturday. The church is at 1645 West St., Concord. For more information,<br />
call 685-5260.<br />
Ghost Walk, from <strong>page</strong> 1<br />
Taylor moved to Antioch<br />
with his parents from Kansas<br />
in 1955 and then to <strong>Clayton</strong> in<br />
1961. His parents were school<br />
teachers drawn to the area<br />
when friends relocated to<br />
Martinez. Taylor is a teacher,<br />
writer, illustrator and actor.<br />
When he heard about various<br />
shootings in <strong>Clayton</strong>’s past,<br />
Taylor started collecting articles<br />
and other tales about<br />
town. He excitedly retells these<br />
events, with one rolling into<br />
the next – from creepy burial<br />
grounds and bloody buggy<br />
accidents to deadly bar fights.<br />
Taylor tracks live celebrity<br />
sightings as well, such as seeing<br />
Robert Redford in a local<br />
restaurant.<br />
Spectators of the specters<br />
are thrilled by guest ghost<br />
Support Hotlines<br />
The Trevor Project,<br />
24-hour support for gay<br />
youth, 866-4UTREVOR.<br />
24-Hour Youth Crisis<br />
Line, 800-843-5200.<br />
Contra Costa Crisis<br />
Center: 24-hour suicide<br />
hotline, 800-SUICIDE or<br />
800-273-TALK.<br />
What’s happening in your place of worship?<br />
New pastor or choir director? Special projects?<br />
Active ministries? Send your news of community interest to<br />
churchnews@claytonpioneer.com.<br />
Recycle<br />
this paper<br />
appearances on the walk.<br />
Taylor sets the macabre mood<br />
by donning a top hat and cape<br />
like an undertaker. Walk participants<br />
receive an “I Survived<br />
the Ghost Walk” certificate.<br />
“It’s been a lot of fun,” says<br />
Taylor. Because many regulars<br />
take the walk, “I can’t leave out<br />
any stories.”<br />
For more tall tales of the<br />
town, see “Ghosts and Other<br />
Celebrities of <strong>Clayton</strong>” by<br />
Richard Taylor at the library.<br />
Be prepared to wait; copies<br />
keep “disappearing” from the<br />
shelf.<br />
Gather for the Ghost Walk at<br />
7:30 p.m. Oct. 31 at Endeavor<br />
Hall, 6008 Center St., <strong>Clayton</strong>. The<br />
walk is 8-<strong>10</strong> p.m. Bring a flashlight.<br />
Costumes are optional.
October 22, 20<strong>10</strong> <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer .com Page 19<br />
Theatre<br />
Pursue the mystery with Willow’s ‘Sleuth’<br />
LOU FANCHER<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong><br />
Reviewers do not allow theater companies<br />
to tell them what or what not to write.<br />
So it’s not the Willows Theatre Company<br />
that’s holding the reins of a reviewer’s pen:<br />
it’s Anthony Shaffer, the playwright of<br />
“Sleuth,” the Willow’s current production.<br />
Since the play’s original 1970 staging in<br />
London, audiences have been asked to<br />
remain mum about the plot. “Sleuth” is a<br />
murder mystery with multiple layers of<br />
deceit and deception. A tell-all would spoil<br />
half the fun of seeing the show.<br />
Many may already have seen the play or<br />
either of the two movies – a 1972 version<br />
with Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine<br />
or the 2007 film starring Caine and Jude<br />
Law. Yet due to Shaffer’s skillful playwriting<br />
and the popularity of the mystery<br />
genre, there’s still good reason to buzz<br />
over to the Campbell Theatre in downtown<br />
Martinez.<br />
Director Richard Elliott spins out an<br />
efficient tale, with enough humor and danger<br />
to satisfy the nearly sold-out houses<br />
the production is attracting.<br />
What can be told about the plot is simple.<br />
Andre Wyke, a wealthy thriller writer,<br />
invites young Milo Tindle to his home for<br />
a drink. Over scotch, Andrew reveals that<br />
he knows about the affair his wife is having<br />
with Milo. He suggests a devilish plan<br />
to rid himself of a tiresome wife and grant<br />
Milo his heart’s desire.<br />
Of course, there’s something fishy in<br />
Andrew’s motivation and in Milo’s participation,<br />
but that’s where the exposition<br />
must come to a halt.<br />
Shaun Carroll as Andrew Wyke is<br />
vibrant. He’s not as haughty as Olivier or<br />
as gritty as Caine, but his portrayal of a<br />
wronged spouse gains depth as the play<br />
progresses.<br />
Especially in the first act, Carroll bounds<br />
Everybody’s favorite nun is back at the<br />
Willows Theatre. Billed as a “one Nun-sense<br />
musical event,” “Sister Robert Anne’s<br />
Cabaret Class” stars Willows’ veteran<br />
Deborah Del Mastro as the tune-belting,<br />
wise-cracking, trumpet-playing nun who left<br />
her sandal prints over all the previous<br />
Nunsense musicals.<br />
“Sister Robert Anne’s Cabaret Class” is<br />
the Willows’ holiday musical offering, opening<br />
Nov. 29 in Martinez. The show features<br />
songs from all the “Nunsense” shows and is<br />
directed by Dan Goggin, the creator of all<br />
seven (so far) “Nunsense” musicals.<br />
“Danny Goggin made the Willows an<br />
offer that we couldn’t pass up: the West<br />
Coast premiere of a ‘Nunsense’ special,<br />
written specifically for Deb Del Mastro,”<br />
said Willows general manager Christine<br />
Marshall.<br />
Del Mastro and Goggin premiered<br />
“Sister Robert Anne’s Cabaret Class” in July<br />
Photo credit, David Faustina.<br />
SHAUN CARROLL AND ERIC INMAN star in the Willows Theatre production of Sleuth,<br />
Oct. 4-Nov. 7 at the Campbell Theatre in Martinez.<br />
across the Campbell’s diminutive stage with<br />
the dexterity of a gymnast. Although this<br />
energizes the production, it detracts from<br />
his character’s claims that he needs Milo’s<br />
help because he, an older gentleman, is less<br />
agile. It’s a small point, but an important<br />
one early on, when the plot is still dependent<br />
on an old cliché: Seeing is believing.<br />
Eric Inman is an enchanting blend of<br />
gullible lover and resentful, pouty, young<br />
professional. As Milo, he’s deft at comedic<br />
moments: climbing into a clown suit with<br />
all the delight of a 6-year-old at Halloween<br />
and in other scenes too far into the play’s<br />
“protected plot” to describe.<br />
The kitschy set is full of visual charm,<br />
at the Playhouse on the Green in Bridgeport,<br />
Conn., where it played to full houses and got<br />
superb reviews. The Willows is the first West<br />
Coast theater to produce the show.<br />
Del Mastro, a “singing nun with a difference,”<br />
is a longtime member of Goggin’s<br />
favorite nunnery, the Little Sisters of<br />
Hoboken. She originated Sister Robert Anne<br />
in “Nunsense Jamboree,” “Nuncrackers,”<br />
“Meshuggah-Nuns” and “Nunsensations,”<br />
all of which played at the Willows over the<br />
years, many as world premiers. She can be<br />
heard on all the original cast CDs.<br />
Del Mastro filmed “Nunsense Jamboree”<br />
with Vicki Lawrence, “Nuncrackers” with<br />
Rue McClanahan and “Nunsensations” with<br />
the original cast. She is also a Beach Blanket<br />
Babylon alumna. And as a U.S. Navy Band<br />
veteran, she really is the one playing the<br />
trumpet.<br />
“Sister Robert Anne’s Cabaret Class” plays<br />
Nov. 29-Jan. 16. at the Campbell Theatre, 626<br />
Ward Street, Martinez. Tickets available at willowstheatre.org<br />
or 798-1300.<br />
from a collection of colorful masks to a<br />
bubbling fish tank to the 4-foot tall fisherman<br />
doll that laughs upon the press of a<br />
button. Elliott demonstrates once again his<br />
affinity for humor, even amidst the blood<br />
and bullets.<br />
If you know the plot, it’s still a delight<br />
to watch how human desire for love or<br />
revenge leads to … well, I can’t tell you<br />
that part. You’ll have to go and see for<br />
yourself.<br />
“Sleuth” plays through Nov. 7 at the<br />
Campbell Theatre, 626 Ward St., Martinez.<br />
Tickets are $22-$32. For more information, call<br />
798-1300 or visit willowstheatre.org.<br />
Willows toasts the holidays with<br />
new ‘Nunsense’ musical<br />
GARY CARR<br />
Special to the <strong>Pioneer</strong><br />
Britney and friends play it out in Center REP show<br />
“Becoming Britney” opens at the<br />
CenterREP Oct. 28.<br />
How does a pop sensation wind up bald<br />
and trapped in her own musical?<br />
“Becoming Britney” is a caustic (but loving)<br />
PG-13 fable that chronicles the<br />
rise…the dip…and the salvation of a foolhardy<br />
celebrity phenom.<br />
Produced by Center REP and directed<br />
by Daya Curley, the show features eleven<br />
original songs that pay homage to multiple<br />
musical theatre genres including shows like<br />
“Annie” and “Rent,” and composers like<br />
Rodgers and Hammerstein among others.<br />
The songs include a comical waltz between<br />
Britney and K-Fed as they both agree the<br />
other is, “The Love of My Life (So Far),” a<br />
show-stopper called “Push It Out” in<br />
which Brit has two babies and “Out of<br />
Control,” a swingin’ jive number about her<br />
downward spiral with the help of friends<br />
Lindsay and Paris.<br />
NY Fringe Festival award winning<br />
DEB DEL MAESTRO stars as Sister Robert Anne,<br />
a part written especially for her, in the latest<br />
Willows Theatre “Nunsense” production,<br />
opening Nov. 29 at the Cabaret in Martinez.<br />
actress Molly Bell wrote the book, music<br />
and lyrics and also stars in the show. Bell<br />
was recently seen in Center REP’s “A<br />
Marvelous Party.”<br />
Performances run from Oct. 28 through<br />
Nov. 14 in the Knight Theater, Lesher<br />
Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek. Tickets<br />
are $25. For more information go to<br />
CenterREP.org or call (925) 943-SHOW<br />
(7469), or go to the LCA Ticket Office at<br />
1601 Civic Drive or the Ticket Office Outlet<br />
at Barnes & Noble in Walnut Creek.<br />
The <strong>Pioneer</strong> --<br />
It’s your paper!<br />
Brought to you by<br />
Concord<br />
Disposal<br />
Recycle your<br />
waste at our<br />
place<br />
Mt. Diablo Recycling<br />
www.mtdiablorecycling.com<br />
We’ll buy back your recyclables!<br />
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.<br />
Open Monday - Friday<br />
925-682-4518, Please call for prices<br />
INSPIRED REAL ESTATE<br />
www.3699OakCreekCt.com<br />
Fabulous Northgate estate on private 1 acre beautifully landscaped<br />
lot. 6 bedrooms 3 1/2 bath with downstairs master suite.<br />
Offered at 1,399,900<br />
Considering<br />
Downsizing?<br />
Recycling Center<br />
& Transfer Station<br />
www.contracostawaste.com<br />
Open 7 days a week,<br />
7 a.m. to 6 p.m.<br />
925-473-0180 Please call for prices<br />
1300 Loveridge Road,<br />
Pittsburg<br />
Concord Disposal<br />
WILL BE picking up on Thanksgiving!<br />
www.OharaCourt.com<br />
Beautiful single family detached home in <strong>Clayton</strong>! Hardwood<br />
Floors, single level, vaulted ceilings, large yard, sparkling clean,<br />
light and bright! Offered at $395,000<br />
3743 Gainsborough Dr., Concord<br />
Beautifully updated throughout. 4 bedroom 2 full bath with<br />
gorgeous new kitchen and master bath. Single level with pool &<br />
yards. $2,300/mo. Includes pool and yard maintenance<br />
SAVE THE DATE<br />
Join us, first Saturday in December<br />
for a horse and carriage ride through<br />
lovely downtown <strong>Clayton</strong>!
Page 20 <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer.com October 22, 20<strong>10</strong><br />
Sponsored by NextEnergy<br />
by Doug Hamilton<br />
Creating electricity on your rooftop has<br />
long been a popular idea. But solar has had<br />
serious limitations that kept most homeowners<br />
from taking the plunge.<br />
Panel efficiency was low, reputable installation<br />
companies were few and far between,<br />
and product choices were limited. One-byone,<br />
these limitations are melting away. But a<br />
persistent limitation is also the most vexing:<br />
the high up-front cost.<br />
The solar industry is finally getting its act<br />
together and providing a creative array of<br />
financing options for homeowners.<br />
The first and best option to finance a<br />
solar electric system is a home equity loan.<br />
This secured financing product usually has<br />
the lowest interest rate, and a percentage of<br />
the payments can be deducted from your<br />
taxes. However, fewer people have much<br />
equity in their homes these days, and some<br />
folks are upside-down on their mortgages.<br />
So it’s time to get creative.<br />
There has been a recent flourishing of<br />
“no money down” financing, such as the<br />
solar lease and the solar PPA (power pur-<br />
Finally, creative<br />
financing for solar<br />
chase agreement). The lease is much like a<br />
car lease in that the buyer has no up-front<br />
cost and pays a monthly lease payment for<br />
<strong>10</strong>-18 years.<br />
This is one of the lowest cost ways to get<br />
solar on your home. The savings is usually<br />
smaller than if you bought the system, and<br />
most leases have a yearly payment escalator.<br />
Most leasing installers also provide a performance<br />
guarantee where they pay the difference<br />
for the expected solar production if<br />
the system doesn’t perform as promised.<br />
In the PPA, the buyer agrees to rent roof<br />
space to a company, who then pays the<br />
homeowner in the form of reduced rates for<br />
electricity. These power purchase contracts<br />
can range <strong>10</strong>-20 years. The installation company<br />
will maintain the system and make sure<br />
the panels are clean.<br />
Even more creative are the Same As Cash<br />
(SAC) programs and a variety of unsecured<br />
loans. With SAC, the buyer would not have<br />
any payments or have interest accrue for a<br />
specified period of time – 90 days to a year.<br />
The cost of this money is usually absorbed<br />
by the solar installation company to entice<br />
people to buy their product. However, buyers<br />
must pay the balance off in full at the end<br />
of that term or re-structure the principle<br />
into another loan.<br />
The most creative unsecured loan program<br />
is a five-year term with a balloon payment<br />
at the end. Although most balloon payments<br />
make people nervous, this program<br />
offers homeowners flexibility. The payments<br />
are amortized over <strong>10</strong>-15 years to keep<br />
monthly payments low. Monthly payments<br />
are made for five years and then there is<br />
either a balloon payment or refinancing of<br />
the loan balance.<br />
It’s a relatively easy qualification process<br />
and the interest rates vary depending on<br />
credit qualifications. The loan can also be reamortized<br />
when the buyer gets that 30 percent<br />
federal tax credit, making the monthly<br />
payments even lower.<br />
These are just a few of the financing<br />
innovations that are taking place in the solar<br />
industry today. The idea is to make solar<br />
affordable for more people than ever before.<br />
And given PG&E’s propensity for rate hikes,<br />
a solar electric system will be more valuable<br />
in the coming years.<br />
Hamilton is a senior solar consultant at<br />
NextEnergy Solar.<br />
TAKE A HIKE<br />
Save Mount Diablo is hosting<br />
the first public tours of the<br />
spectacular 320-acre Irish<br />
Canyon property on Oct. 24<br />
and Nov. 14.<br />
The land is marked by three<br />
spring-fed branches of Irish<br />
Creek, a blue oak woodland, a<br />
valley oak savannah and grassland<br />
heading toward Kreiger<br />
Peak. Steep slopes are sculpted<br />
by landslide slumps.<br />
The property supports<br />
more than 400 species of<br />
plants and animals, provides<br />
world-class views and has a rich<br />
history, including two home-<br />
Mayor, from <strong>page</strong> 1<br />
of this program, each street in<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> is evaluated and given a<br />
numeric score based on its condition.<br />
A firm specializing in these<br />
types of evaluation performs the<br />
evaluation and scoring.<br />
Our streets were recently<br />
scored. Our weighted average<br />
score was 76, putting us in the<br />
“very good” category – the highest<br />
of the Pavement Condition Index.<br />
In the county, only Brentwood,<br />
Contra Costa County, Oakley and<br />
Concord scored higher.<br />
We are able to use the street<br />
scoring to select which streets to<br />
include in improvement projects.<br />
We selected the 34 worst residential<br />
streets, based on scoring, to be<br />
included in the project. For the<br />
first time, this included some of<br />
the Oakhurst streets. (Thank you,<br />
Oakhurst residents, for driving<br />
carefully and making your streets<br />
last longer.)<br />
We also included what is<br />
referred to by some as Old Marsh<br />
Creek Road, the stretch of road<br />
that runs from downtown to the<br />
middle school. We began to see<br />
failings in the pavement and, since<br />
this road is heavily traveled, we<br />
wanted to make sure that our arterial<br />
roads are in good condition.<br />
One of the signs of pavement<br />
failure is the presence of alligator<br />
cracking, or fatigue cracking. I like<br />
the sound of alligator cracking<br />
stead sites. Bob Jones, the first<br />
professional baseball player<br />
from Contra Costa County, was<br />
born in Irish Canyon. Jones<br />
played for the Detroit Tigers<br />
with Ty Cobb.<br />
Save Mount Diablo (SMD)<br />
has been unable to lead public<br />
hikes on the property for the<br />
last three years due to access<br />
restrictions. A recent acquisition<br />
by the East Bay Regional<br />
Park District bridged the gap<br />
from <strong>Clayton</strong> open space to<br />
Irish Canyon and Black<br />
Diamond Mines Regional<br />
Preserve.<br />
better. It’s a series of interconnected<br />
cracks, giving the appearance of<br />
alligator skin. Other cracking can<br />
be sealed, but once alligator cracking<br />
appears, a more extension<br />
repair is required.<br />
The work to be performed<br />
with our current project ranges<br />
from adding an overlay to grinding<br />
and repaving, depending on<br />
the street’s condition. One of the<br />
exciting parts of the project, and<br />
something you will want to<br />
remember to mention at the water<br />
cooler, is the use of rubberized<br />
asphalt on Old Marsh Creek<br />
Road.<br />
Rubberized asphalt is made of<br />
traditional asphalt and ground up<br />
old tires. In addition to the environmental<br />
benefit of recycling old<br />
tires, rubberized asphalt is quieter<br />
and requires less thickness than<br />
traditional asphalt. Caltrans has<br />
been using rubberized asphalt on<br />
many of freeways.<br />
Over the next few months,<br />
you will be seeing paving crews<br />
working on this current project.<br />
As funds become available, we will<br />
continue to maintain and improve<br />
our streets.<br />
I hope when you wake up<br />
tomorrow morning that you feel<br />
you know a little more about our<br />
street maintenance.<br />
You can contact the mayor at<br />
hank_stratford@yahoo.com<br />
Save Mount Diablo leads first<br />
public hikes in Irish Canyon<br />
Photo by George Phillips<br />
Two guided hikes will follow<br />
new trails at Irish Canyon.<br />
During the spring, SMD<br />
built two trails that provide<br />
access to some of the more<br />
rugged areas on the property.<br />
Although Irish Canyon is<br />
closed to the public, SMD will<br />
lead public hikes at 9:30 a.m.<br />
Oct. 24 and Nov. 14. Tours<br />
begin at the carpool lot at<br />
Peacock Creek Drive and<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong> Road in <strong>Clayton</strong>. The<br />
hike is about six miles round<br />
trip.<br />
To reserve a spot on a tour, call<br />
(925) 947-3535. For more information,<br />
go to www.savemountdiablo.com
October 22, 20<strong>10</strong> <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer .com Page 21<br />
Get creative<br />
with ornamental<br />
grass selections<br />
NICOLE HACKETT<br />
GARDEN GIRL<br />
Ornamental grasses can create<br />
movement and add texture<br />
to a <strong>Clayton</strong> Valley landscape or<br />
garden. This time of year, ornamental<br />
grasses take center stage<br />
in many yards around town.<br />
Whether it’s the common red<br />
fountain grass or the uniquely<br />
striped zebra grass, they are here<br />
to be enjoyed and the season to<br />
notice them is now.<br />
Red fountain grass may be<br />
the reason that ornamental<br />
grasses have become so popular.<br />
About <strong>10</strong> years ago, tufts of reddish-bronze<br />
foliage began popping<br />
up here and there. At first,<br />
they did not command much<br />
attention. But as the season<br />
wore on and summer peaked,<br />
stalks of fuzzy pinkish plumes<br />
appeared above the grassy<br />
foliage. These plumes added<br />
much to the look of the plant, as<br />
they swayed in the slightest<br />
breeze.<br />
GO BIG, OR A BIT SMALLER<br />
Red fountain grass is identi-<br />
fied as Pennisetum Rubrum. This<br />
ornamental can reach 3-4 feet<br />
tall, with plumes that stand even<br />
taller, so planing in the right<br />
place is important.<br />
Red fountain grass has a<br />
smaller brother, Pennisetum<br />
Rubrum Dwarf. This would be a<br />
good selection for someone<br />
with less planting area. The<br />
dwarf red fountain grass has all<br />
the same features but is just<br />
slightly smaller. It reaches 2-3<br />
feet tall and wide, with the<br />
plumes 16-18 inches taller than<br />
the foliage.<br />
For gardeners who crave<br />
green foliage but want the same<br />
look, there is Pennisetum Orientale.<br />
This ornamental will reach 2-3<br />
feet tall and wide, with ivory<br />
plumes as the bloom.<br />
If you want more color with<br />
fountain grass, Fireworks was<br />
released last year and has really<br />
hit it big this planting season.<br />
Bright red, pink and bronze variegation<br />
runs along this plant’s<br />
grassy foliage. The bloom is<br />
more like the red fountain grass,<br />
and the size of this selection is<br />
about 2 feet tall and wide.<br />
Fireworks fountain grass is nice<br />
in a landscape and equally as<br />
nice in the ground.<br />
ZEBRA GRASS A BOLD MOVE<br />
Miscanthus sinensis Zebrinus is<br />
commonly called zebra grass.It<br />
has green blades with horizontal<br />
stripes of yellow positioned<br />
every inch or so along its length.<br />
This grass is extremely appealing<br />
and unique. It satisfies that urge<br />
to grow something different.<br />
However, be cautious when<br />
planting zebra grass. This ornamental<br />
can reach 5 feet tall and<br />
wide. Picture it taking up an<br />
entire fence panel.<br />
Placement is important. If<br />
you don’t have room within your<br />
yard, consider installing zebra<br />
grass in a large container. It<br />
would make a dramatic statement<br />
on a patio or in the distance<br />
of the landscape.<br />
Calamagrostis acutiflora Karl<br />
Foerster is another large ornamental<br />
grass selection that looks<br />
fabulous when installed in the<br />
right spot. Dark green, grassy<br />
foliage will reach 3 feet tall, and<br />
beige plumes of blooms stand<br />
5-6 feet tall.<br />
This grass is exceptional.<br />
Karl Foerster could be used as a<br />
backdrop for a dry garden or<br />
creekbed. It also makes a nice<br />
privacy screen or living wall.<br />
CLUMP IT UP<br />
If you need a smaller ornamental<br />
grass, consider the family<br />
of Carex. It has selections of<br />
green, orange and variegated<br />
foliage. Some are runners, so be<br />
careful not to select those. The<br />
clumping varieties are fantastic<br />
in a landscape.<br />
Carex testacea is an all-time<br />
favorite of mine. It will grow 18<br />
inches tall and 24 inches wide.<br />
During fall, the color of the<br />
blades changes and become a<br />
russet orange, which is desirable<br />
this time of year.<br />
Carex testacea Prairie Fire is a<br />
newer selection with a bolder<br />
orange color. It is definitely<br />
worth a try.<br />
The Northern Lights grass<br />
called Deschampsia cespitosa is<br />
good for those who crave pink.<br />
This clumping grass will reach 8-<br />
12 inches tall and wide, making<br />
it a great border plant.<br />
Ophiopogon planiscapus<br />
nigrescens is commonly called<br />
black mondo grass. This small<br />
clumper has almost black blades<br />
and reaches 8 inches tall and<br />
slightly wider with age. It is evergreen<br />
and very conversationworthy.<br />
Install in the ground or<br />
in a container.<br />
Acorus variegatus ogon is a yellow-bladed<br />
ornamental grass.<br />
Acorus is exceptional in a container<br />
or in the ground. Fescue<br />
Elijah Blue is a great gray<br />
foliage grass. Those who think<br />
they know fescue grass should<br />
really try this selection – it’s<br />
marvelous.<br />
Ornamental grass season is<br />
here, so get planting.<br />
Nicole is the Garden Girl at<br />
R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts and<br />
Garden Contact her with questions,<br />
comments or suggestions at<br />
gardengirl@claytonpioneer.com<br />
It’s time for the crepe escape<br />
LINDA WYNER<br />
FOOD FOR THOUGHT<br />
Tired of the same ol’ pancake<br />
for breakfast? A tortilla<br />
for lunch? A dosa for dinner?<br />
It’s time to escape the routine<br />
and go back to the past by making<br />
a crepe.<br />
Crepes originated centuries<br />
ago in Brittany, a region in<br />
northern France. They were<br />
made from buckwheat, which<br />
isn’t wheat at all – it’s a glutenfree<br />
grain. Breton crepes were<br />
the staple bread of the peasant<br />
class.<br />
As sweeter, less coarse<br />
white flour became available to<br />
the middle and lower classes<br />
around the start of the 20th<br />
century, the more familiar<br />
crepe emerged and is now<br />
widely regarded as the national<br />
dish of France.<br />
Crepes also have a traditional<br />
religious role in France. La<br />
Chandeleur or Candlemas celebrates<br />
the Virgin Mary’s blessing<br />
on Feb. 2 each year. It’s also<br />
known as avec crepe day, a traditional<br />
offering of crepes with<br />
historical roots dating back to<br />
when peasants gave crepes to<br />
landowners as a sign of allegiance.<br />
The goal of avec crepe<br />
is to hold a coin in one hand<br />
and flip the crepe in the pan<br />
with the other. A successful flip<br />
portends financial success in<br />
the coming year.<br />
Crepes rapidly became the<br />
culinary darling of neighboring<br />
European countries. There’s<br />
the crespella of Italy (the basis<br />
for meat-based cannelloni),<br />
palacsintas in Hungary, filloas<br />
in Spain, pannekoeken in the<br />
Netherlands, blintzes on Jewish<br />
tables and blini in Russia.<br />
Crepe’s cousins are easily recognized<br />
around the world: the<br />
African injera, the Indian dosa,<br />
the Mexican sope and the<br />
Mandarin pancake for Chinese<br />
moo shu pork.<br />
Simply made of flour, eggs,<br />
butter, milk and seasonings, the<br />
crepe gallette is the French<br />
savory pancake filled with<br />
meat, poultry, cheese, vegetables,<br />
seafood and sauces. When<br />
sugar and sometimes spices are<br />
added, a sweet crepe sucres<br />
emerges – begging to be filled<br />
with jam, fruit and cream.<br />
A crepe batter is simple to<br />
prepare but requires planning<br />
because the batter must rest for<br />
at least an hour before cooking.<br />
The resting period allows the<br />
bubbles to subside and minimizes<br />
the risk of tearing during<br />
cooking. Most batters may be<br />
refrigerated for up to 48 hours.<br />
Here’s a successful recipe<br />
adapted from renowned Food<br />
Network personality Alton<br />
Brown:<br />
BASIC CREPE BATTER<br />
2 large eggs<br />
¾ c. milk<br />
½ c. water<br />
1 c. flour<br />
3 T. butter, melted<br />
Butter, for cooking<br />
Pulse all ingredients in a<br />
blender for about <strong>10</strong> seconds.<br />
The batter should be like thick<br />
cream; don’t worry if there are<br />
small lumps of flour. Cover and<br />
refrigerate the batter for an hour.<br />
Preheat a small nonstick pan<br />
over medium to medium-high<br />
heat – not so hot that the butter<br />
browns or burns when added to<br />
the pan before the batter. Pour<br />
about 2 T. batter into the buttered<br />
pan and swirl to create a<br />
round shape of even thickness.<br />
Cook about one minute, then<br />
loosen with a thin spatula and<br />
turn, cooking another 30 seconds.<br />
Remove to a platter. You can<br />
continue to pile on the cooked<br />
crepes, separated by sheets of<br />
waxed paper. Cooked crepes can<br />
also be frozen; defrost before<br />
use.<br />
Suggested fillings include<br />
poached chicken in Mornay<br />
sauce or shirred eggs and minced<br />
ham. Let your imagination run<br />
wild.<br />
Sweet crepes can also be<br />
rolled in warm syrup, folded in<br />
fourths and served with a compound<br />
butter or flambéed in<br />
liqueur. French chef Henri<br />
Charpentier is credited with creating<br />
the famous dessert dish<br />
crepes Suzette, possibly named<br />
after an attractive young woman<br />
who accompanied a European<br />
royal to dinner at the restaurant<br />
where he worked. The batter<br />
contains lightly grated orange<br />
peel and the cooked crepe is<br />
doused with orange liqueur or<br />
brandy and ignited for a spectacular<br />
presentation (and taste).<br />
CREPES SUZETTE<br />
Basic Crepe Batter<br />
2½ T. sugar<br />
1 tsp. vanilla extract<br />
2 T. rum or orange liqueur<br />
Grated zest of one orange<br />
FOR THE SAUCE:<br />
¼ lb. butter<br />
2 T. sugar<br />
3 oz. favorite liqueur<br />
4 scoops vanilla ice cream<br />
Prepare crepes following<br />
Basic Crepe directions. Fold<br />
them in half and half again so<br />
they are in the shape of a triangle.<br />
Melt half the butter in a nonstick<br />
pan over medium heat.<br />
When it foams, stir in the liqueur<br />
and sugar. Use tongs to transfer<br />
the crepes back to the pan and<br />
turn to coat.<br />
Remove to serving plates<br />
with the ice cream. Return the<br />
pan to the heat, add the remaining<br />
liqueur and tilt the pan.<br />
Ignite the liqueur with a long<br />
match and spoon some of the<br />
flaming liquid over the crepes.<br />
Linda Wyner, a local attorney and<br />
foodie, owns Pans on Fire, a gourmet<br />
cookware store and cooking school in<br />
Pleasanton.<br />
Direct your suggestions or questions<br />
to lwyner@claytonpioneer.com<br />
Where Quality meets Affordable Pricing<br />
Furniture<br />
Advertise in<br />
the <strong>Pioneer</strong><br />
672-0500<br />
� Over 6000 sq. ft. of showroom<br />
� Over 5000 <strong>page</strong>s of catalogs<br />
� Largest selection of rustic<br />
furniture<br />
� Leather and upholstery sofa,<br />
love seat and accent chair<br />
� Living room furniture<br />
� Bedroom and dining room sets<br />
� Kids bedroom sets<br />
� Authentic Persian rugs<br />
� Lamps and accessories<br />
(925) 977-1616<br />
License # 775713<br />
Flooring<br />
� home of exotic<br />
hardwood flooring<br />
� over 150 species of<br />
solid & engineered<br />
wood including<br />
green products<br />
� Installation<br />
� Refinishing, repair<br />
& refurbishing<br />
� maple, oak, ash,<br />
cherry, mahogany,<br />
bamboo, walnut,<br />
exotic african woods<br />
2995 Ygnacio Valley Rd.<br />
Walnut Creek
Page 22 <strong>Clayton</strong> <strong>Pioneer</strong> • www.claytonpioneer.com October 22, 20<strong>10</strong><br />
A&H Limousine Service<br />
Your Friendly Service<br />
Mini-Vans / Limos / Town Cars<br />
$<strong>10</strong> discount<br />
for round trip booking<br />
(mention this ad)<br />
Limo and executive car service for business or pleasure.<br />
Airport service to Oakland, San Jose, SFO daily.<br />
24 Hour Service with no extra charge.<br />
Concerts � Sporting Events � Birthdays � Anniversaries � Weddings � Proms<br />
Call Sunny for reservation (925)200-2824 or (925)270-7181<br />
AH4LIMO@GMAIL.COM<br />
WWW.AH4LIMO.COM<br />
Fall Faire at<br />
Crafts � Cookout � Carnival<br />
� Arts and Crafts<br />
� Carnival<br />
� Santa<br />
� Live Entertainment<br />
� FREE Kids Zone<br />
� Amateur Cookoff<br />
contest (Saturday)<br />
A & H Limousine<br />
Service<br />
A & H Limousine Service<br />
has been owned and operated<br />
by <strong>Clayton</strong> resident,<br />
Sanjay Behal since 2005. A<br />
& H offers 24-hour service<br />
to all Bay Area airports at<br />
no extra charge. Limos,<br />
party buses, Hummer<br />
November 13 & 14<br />
Hours: Sat. <strong>10</strong>-5pm, Sun. <strong>10</strong>-4pm<br />
the Fairgrounds in<br />
Antioch<br />
Free Parking<br />
Tickets: 13 and Over - $5<br />
12 and Under - FREE<br />
1201 West <strong>10</strong>th St., Antioch � (925) 757-4400 � info@ccfair.org<br />
www.contracostafair.com<br />
SPONSORS<br />
Scads of scary<br />
costumes and<br />
accessories instock!<br />
*See store<br />
for details<br />
TCP#23286<br />
<strong>Clayton</strong><br />
Resident<br />
Bring this<br />
ad & receive<br />
$2 off<br />
Sunday admission<br />
11/14/20<strong>10</strong><br />
Locally Owned and Operated. Shop in<br />
confidence as we will meet or beat<br />
any price on identical items*<br />
for Men, Women, Kids and Pets. <strong>10</strong>0’s of Halloween<br />
props, decorations, gifts and special effects.<br />
including Rubies, Forum, Rasta Imposta and more.<br />
We also carry Leg Avenue, Dreamgirl and<br />
Secret Wishes Sexy Ladies Costumes.<br />
to view our large selection of realistic<br />
Animatronic props and Halloween decorations.<br />
Open<br />
7 days<br />
a week<br />
Mon-Th: 9 to 9<br />
Fri-Sat: 9 to <strong>10</strong><br />
Sun: <strong>10</strong> to 8<br />
4383 <strong>Clayton</strong> Road, Concord (Next to Starbucks)<br />
925-672-8099 www.ScaryDecorations.com<br />
Limos, sedans and mini-vans<br />
are available. Experienced<br />
drivers will take you to on<br />
wine tours, to proms, birthday<br />
parties or a night out in San<br />
Francisco. Get to holiday parties,<br />
concerts, weddings or any<br />
special event in style. Seniors<br />
can take a <strong>10</strong> percent discount<br />
for any round-trip booking.<br />
Please call (925) 200-<br />
2824 or email<br />
AH4LIMO@GMAIL.COM.<br />
Contra Costa County<br />
Fall Faire<br />
Christmas is just around the<br />
corner and its time to get a<br />
head start on your holiday<br />
shopping. The 20<strong>10</strong> Contra<br />
Costa County Fall Faire is<br />
Nov. 13-14 at the fairgrounds<br />
in Antioch. Join us for this two<br />
day event that will showcase<br />
all that Contra Costa County<br />
has to offer...quality arts and<br />
crafts, carnival, food, beverage,<br />
local businesses, community<br />
services, Santa, kids’<br />
zone, and even an amateur<br />
cookout contest. Applications<br />
are available online at<br />
www.contracostafair.com for<br />
anyone who might be interested<br />
in participating in this<br />
event.<br />
Enter your dog in our<br />
Costume Contest *<br />
Sunday Oct. 31, <strong>10</strong> a.m. to 1 p.m.<br />
�� Free Doggie Photos<br />
�� Free Prizes for Winners<br />
*Dogs should know basic obedience.<br />
Premium<br />
Edge 35 lbs.<br />
HOT BUYS on Dog Food<br />
Choose from<br />
AvoDerm<br />
Chicken & Rice, 30 lbs.<br />
& AvoDerm Lite, 28 lbs.<br />
“Itch Relief Food”<br />
Lamb & Rice Chicken & Rice Skin & Coat<br />
$ 27 .99<br />
$ 34 .99<br />
$ 26 .99<br />
Nyjer Thistle - 20 lbs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17 .99<br />
Small Black Oil Sunflower Seed - 20 lbs. . . . . . .<br />
$ 11 .99<br />
Western Delight Value Mix - 40 lbs.<br />
$ 3 off<br />
Pet Tags<br />
With coupon<br />
exp. Nov. 5, 20<strong>10</strong><br />
Wild Bird Feed<br />
Complete Supply of Wild Bird Feed,<br />
Feeders and Many Products to Attract<br />
Wild Birds to your Back Yard.<br />
Reg Tags: $6 .99 �� Premium Tags: $9 .99<br />
Four more opportunities<br />
to advertise advertise<br />
in the<br />
<strong>Pioneer</strong> Holiday<br />
Shopping Guide.<br />
Call 672-0500<br />
for more information<br />
Custom Engraved Pet Tags<br />
Many tag designs to choose from.<br />
Jeweled tags available<br />
Thru Nov.<br />
5<br />
Thru Nov.<br />
5<br />
(925) 672-4600 �� 8863 Marsh Creek Rd. in <strong>Clayton</strong>