page a2 10 22.qxp - Clayton Pioneer

IT’S YOUR PAPER 

www.claytonpioneer.com October 22, 2010 925.672.0500 

HANK STRATFORD 

MAYOR’S CORNER 

Don’t lose sleep on 

street project 

I’m guessing you wake up in 

the morning wishing you knew 

more about Clayton’s street 

maintenance. Since the city is 

about to start a $1.3 million 

street project, I thought I would 

give you some information you 

can use as you stand around the 

water cooler at work. 

In order to qualify for state 

and federal funding for street 

projects, the city is required to 

maintain an acceptable pavement 

management program. As part 

PRSRT STD 

US POSTAGE 

PAID 

CLAYTON, CA 

PERMIT 190 

See Mayor, page 20 

Museum 

event brings 

history into 

perspective 

Photo by Mike Dunn 

FIONA SUNDY watches as her 

sister Branna grinds seeds 

into a pulp at the Clayton 

Museum. Looking on is Aiden 

Dvorak. 

MIKE DUNN 

Clayton Pioneer 

Whispers of local people 

from the past were clearly witnessed 

at the Clayton Museum 

on Oct. 9. 

The “whispers” were visual 

clues seen with the help of 

Christine McCollum, a local 

archaeologist and 1994 Clayton 

Valley High alumnus. 

McCollum and museum 

curator Mary Spryer created an 

engaging and interesting focus 

See Museum, page 6 

Clayton Valley High continues to lead 

way in Save High School Sports effort 


THE FAMILY FUN RUN/WALK was a highlight of the second annual Save High School Sports 5K event at Newhall Park 

in Concord. Over 1600 runners and walkers, plus some of the four-legged variety, took part in the event helping 

raise approximately $75,000 to fund sports a the six high schools of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District. Runners 

and walker wearing the school colors of Clayton Valley, Concord, Northgate, College Park, Ygnacio Valley and Mt. 

Diablo high schools included students, parents, teachers, school staff, alumni and community supporters. 

The year’s Ghost Walk marks 30 

years of ghoulish goings-on 

PAMELA WIESENDANGER 


The Halloween Ghost Walk, 

an annual Clayton favorite, is 

marking its 30th anniversary this 

year. 

Clayton historian Richard 

Taylor leads the hauntingly fun 

tour from Endeavor Hall. The 

first Ghost Walk was really a history 

field trip. Taylor taught a 

class called “Clayton Past and 

Present” for Clayton 

Community School, an afterschool 

program at Mt. Diablo 

Elementary School. 

He walked 24 students and 

parents around Clayton, sharing 

interesting stories of Clayton’s 

What’s Inside 

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

Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 

Church News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 

Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 

history. The abundance of scary 

stories coincided with it being 

Halloween that day, earning him 

a command performance the 

following Halloween. Word and 

interest spread and by the third 

year, 500 people showed up for 

the ghost walk. 

Today’s crowd averages 

about 200 people. The city of 

Clayton sponsors the event, and 

Police Explorers escort the 

crowd safely through the streets. 

Taylor’s mother assisted with 

the walks until she died in 2005. 

His father kept the ghouls and 

goblins satisfied at home by handing 

out candy to trick-or-treaters. 

See Ghostwalk page 18 

Take action against online bullying now 

SARAH ROSEN 

TEEN SPEAK 

Over the past month or so, 

six kids have killed themselves as 

a result of bullying in the United 

States alone. Two of these were 

from California. 

The kids, ranging in age from 

11 to 19, could no longer take 

the relentless bullying. Whether 

they were taunted because they 

were thought to be homosexual 

or were seen as being different, 

these children took their lives 

Community Calendar . . . . . . . .16 

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

Financial Sense . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 

Food for Thought . . . . . . . . . . . .21 

From the Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 

Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 

Going Green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 

because they couldn’t live with 

the abuse. 

This past spring, I joined a 

group of Clayton Valley High 

School students as volunteer 

camp counselors for Ayers 

Elementary School’s fifth-grade 

Camp Sea Lab in Monterey. 

Upon my arrival, I realized that 

times had changed. There were 

no hand games and singing 

“Wheels on the Bus.” Instead, 

these kids were singing songs 

with references to alcohol and 

sex. 

After I got home from camp, 

I found that several of the kids 

had “friended” me on Facebook. 

Though I questioned why fifthgraders 

had Facebook pages, I 

accepted the requests. 

Holiday Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 

Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . .7 

Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 

Mayor’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 

Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 

Police Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 

Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 

Have a Happy 

Halloween 

FOR 30 YEARS, RICHARD TAYLOR has led the annual Halloween 

Ghost Walk through the streets of Clayton. At the Oct. 19 City 

Council meeting, Taylor was honored for his efforts. 

See Bullying, page 18 

JAY BEDECARRÉ 


As families rally to save 

sports in the Mt. Diablo Unified 

School District, the second 

annual Save High School Sports 

5K Run/Walk at Newhall Park 

in Concord raised $75,000. 

Clayton Valley High School 

took a leadership role in the 

United Mt. Diablo Athletic 

Foundation, which was formed 

in 2009 to spearhead the Save 

High School Sports fund-raising 

efforts. At the second annual 

run/walk Oct. 10, CVHS had 

the most registered participants 

with 450 runners or walkers. 

Decorated former Eagle runner 

Nathanael Litwiller once again 

the first runner to cross the finish 

line of the 5K course around 

Newhall Park in a time of 

16:31.46. 

Last year, families and community 

members were told they 

must raise more than $1.2 million 

so athletes from the six high 

schools can participate in boys 

and girls sports. 

See 5K Run page 13 

Downtown 

business 

development, 

potential 

conflicts 

addressed at 

Candidates’ 

Forum 

TAMARA STEINER 


Attracting more businesses 

to the downtown was the central 

issue at last Monday’s 

Candidates’ Forum sponsored 

by the Clayton Pioneer and the 

Clayton Library Foundation and 

moderated by Concord Mayor 

Guy Bjerke. 

Dave Shuey, an attorney, is 

running for a third term and 

Hank Stratford, a businessman 

and CPA is running for a second. 

Challenger Ted Meriam is a 

Microsoft executive currently 

sitting on the Planning 

Commission and Jim Diaz is a 

businessman with a security and 

law enforcement background. 

This is his third run for City 

Council. 

Shuey and Stratford are 

essentially conducting a single 

campaign and say their skills and 

experience are needed in some 

critical areas. Shuey brings legal 

expertise to the city’s ongoing 

See Forum page 17 

Safety Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 

Senior Moments . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 

Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 

Take a Hike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 

Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 

Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 

Your Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Page 2 Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com October 22, 2010 

Julie and Steve Pierce – ‘best 

friends’ celebrate 40 years 

Julie and Steve Pierce celebrated 

their 40th wedding 

anniversary on August 8 with 

Clayton 

Windmill Canyon/Ironwood! Super 

single story “Augusta” model with 

views of rolling hills! 

3 bedrooms, 2 baths, approx. 1816sf. Large combination 

living & dining room with semi vaulted ceiling & neutral 

carpet. Eat-in kitchen features tile counters & 

island, upgraded tile floors, maple cabinets, built-in 

recipe desk & pantry, plus nook with views! Family room 

with cozy fireplace & custom built-in media cabinet. 

Spacious master suite with views of hills. Low maintenance 

lot offers a brick trimmed aggregate patio, lawn 

areas & views of rolling hills. $495,000 


Oakhurst Country Club! Peacock 

Creek! Fantastic “Nantucket” 

model backing to open space! 

PENDING 

4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, plus an downstairs den and 

an upstairs loft! Approx. 3820sf, inside laundry & 3 car 

garage! Upgraded flooring and lighting with neutral 

décor & plantation shutters throughout! Gourmet eat-in 

kitchen! Expanded family option with stacked stone 

fireplace! Spacious master overlooks opens space and 

ridgeline. Private lot features a custom salt washed 

patio & walks, relaxing spa, nice lawn area & lots of 

trees! $795,000 

Around Town 

Fay Bower 

receives Holy 

Names Faculty 

Award 

Dr. Fay Bower was presented 

with the 2010 Holy Names 

Faculty Award at the 37th 

Annual Alumni Awards 

Ceremony on Oct. 1. She was 

recognized for her outstanding 

service and loyalty to the university. 

Dr. Bower is chairperson 

and a professor in the 

Department of Nursing at Holy 

Names and is an award-winning 

healthcare professional. In 2009, 

Cambridge Who’s Who recognized 

Dr. Bower for demonstrating 

a lifetime of dedication, 

leadership and excellence in 

healthcare education. She is an 

expert on evidence-based practice, 

research and community 

healthcare and a founder of the 

Center for Third Age Nurses. 

Dr. Bower lives in Clayton. 


Regency Woods! Great single story 

tucked away at the end of a quiet 

court backing to open space! 4 bedrooms, 

2 updated baths, approx. 1895sf . Updated 

kitchen boast gorgeous slab granite counters, gleaming 

hardwood floors & breakfast nook with Bay window! 

Combination step sown living and dining room. 

Family features hardwood floors a brick fireplace with 

raised hearth & slider to yard! Roomy master suite 

offers dual closets with extensive organizer system & 

slider to private patio. Large totally private .20 acre lot 

backs to open space and features multiple patio areas, 

lawn area & mature lush landscape! $499,000 


PENDING 


Creek! Stunning “Coronado” on a 

premium view lot backing to open space with 

un-obstructed breath taking views of oak dotted hills, 

canyons/valley & Mt. Diablo. Private quiet court setting! 

4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths plus a loft, approx. 

3308sf & 3 car garage! Rare & desirable first floor 

master suite! Elegant living & dining room with fireplace. 

Spacious gourmet kitchen opens to large family 

room with soaring ceiling, fireplace & wall of windows. 

Meticulously maintained professionally landscaped 

huge level lot features a sprawling lush lawn, custom 

patio, palm trees & a variety of ornamentals! 

$829,000 

Clayton Market Update provided by George Vujnovich of Better Homes Realty 

5920 Herriman Dr.....................$615,000 . . . . .3614 . . . . .5/3 . . . . .9/30/10 

473 Obsidian Way ....................$655,000 . . . . .2455 . . . . .4/2 . . . . .9/30/10 

5850 Pine Hollow Rd................$445,000 . . . . .1494 . . . . .3/2 . . . . .9/30/10 

5222 Keller Ridge Dr................$689,900 . . . . .2894 . . . . .4/3 . . . . .9/24/10 

8028 Kelok Way .......................$630,000 . . . . .2237 . . . . .4/2 . . . . .9/22/10 

379 Mount Sequoia Pl..............$670,000 . . . . .3216 . . . . .5/3 . . . . .9/21/10 

Rotary Goes Hollywood 

Each Office Is Independently 

Owned & Operated. 

What’s happening 

Around Town? 

We want to know what’s 

happening in your families and 

in your neighborhoods. 

Send your news of births, 

engagements weddings, 

anniversaries, celebrations, etc. 

to info@claytonpioneer.com. 

Please attach your photos to 

the email as JPEG files between 

between 3MB and 6MB and 

include a caption to identify 

people in your photos. 

GEORGE VUJNOVICH 

Broker 

Better Homes DRE#00933393 

The Clayton Valley/ 

Concord Sunrise Rotary Club 

went Hollywood with their 

annual dinner and charity auction 

fundraiser on Sat. Oct. 9th. 

Among the Clayton folks 

attending in character were the 

Scarecrow and Charlie Chaplin 

(Al & Renee Martin), Bugsy 

KinderCare has new director 

dinner at Moresi’s Chophouse 

followed by cake and champagne 

at their home in 

Clayton Joining them were 

Julie’s father Wil Barnes and 

son Robert and his wife Jennie 

and grandchildren Gavin and 

Ellie. Son Shawn and wife 

Jaime and granddaughters 

Ashlyn and Sadie live in 

Nipomo and were unable to 

attend. 

Julie and Steve met in 

Ames, Iowa, where they were 

high school sweethearts. “We 

started out as best friends over 

43 years ago,” says Julie, “And 

we still are.” DR. FAY BOWER 

Sydney Alcock has been 

named Director of Clayton 

KinderCare on Main Street. A 

native of Clayton and graduate 

of CVHS, she has worked for 

KinderCare since 2007. 

“I have always loved working 

with children and my heart 

warms as they grow and discover 

the world around them,” says 

Sydney. 

Sydney is the daughter of 

Mike and Susan Fossan, also of 

Clayton. 

SYDNEY ALCOCK 



Creek! Sensational single story 

“Lenox” model on a prime view lot! 

PENDING 

tucked away at the top of Peacock Creek with views of 

hills, ridgeline & canyons!. 3 bedrooms plus a den, 2 

baths, approx. 2748sf, inside laundry & 3 car garage! 

Spacious gourmet kitchen boasts slab granite counters 

and center island with breakfast bar. Adjoining large family 

room with fireplace flanked by custom built-in media 

cabinets. Spacious master suite with Huge walk-in closet! 

Large level private lot features a custom patio, lush 

lawn areas & an assortment of ornamentals and offers 

beautiful views and refreshing spa! $729,000 

Siegel and his Vegas showgirl 

(Pete & Sheri Lawrence). Many 

other Clayton celebrities walked 

the red carpet, posed for the 

photographers and actively bid 

on the many fine auction prizes. 

Following dinner, they danced 

to music by Clayton musician 

Santiago Martinez and his band. 

From upper left: Cindy Haydon and Debbie Mullins; Bob and Karen 

Deiss, Al and Renee Martin dine and dance at Rotary Hollywood dinner 

Helping friends, neighbors 

& newcomers buy and sell 

their homes since 1979 

georgevujnovich.com 

(925) 672-4433 

6160 Center St., 

Suite E, Clayton 

ADDRESS PRICE SF BED/BATH SALE DATE ADDRESS PRICE SF BED/BATH SALE DATE 

5210 Keller Ridge Dr................$680,000 . . . . .3079 . . . . .4/3 . . . . .9/20/10 

3030 Windmill Canyon Dr ........$605,000 . . . . .2313 . . . . .4/2.5 . . . .9/15/10 

53 El Portal Dr..........................$608,150 . . . . .2857 . . . . .5/3 . . . . .9/14/10 

3307 Coyote Cir .......................$370,000 . . . . .1595 . . . . .3/2.5 . . . . .9/8/10 

1015 Feather Cir ......................$450,000 . . . . .1638 . . . . .3/2.5 . . . . .9/8/10 

51 Tule Court............................$430,000 . . . . .1749 . . . . .3/2.5 . . . . .9/3/10

October 22, 2010 Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com Page 3 

‘Symphony of Favors’ draws CVHS 

music supporter for a common cause 

WENDY AND ERIC MOORE; Karen 

and Richard Vales were among 

the supporters. 

Supporters of the CVHS 

music programs gathered at 

Endeavor Hall for a wine and 

cheese and a bit of socializing 

on Oct. 8. 

On hand to provide background 

music during the 

“Symphony of Flavors” 

fundraiser were members of 

CVHS String Orchestra, 

Heather Raymond and Jessica 

Untalan, Latin percussionist 

Arthur Jones and the five-member 

electronic “Gregg Fogg 

Band.” 

The event, designed to bring 

1824 Princeton Court, Concord $449,800 

Down a Private Lane – Wonderful 3BD/2.5BA offering 

fabulous kitchen & vibrant gardens galore with a 

quiet creek. Ample space for your RV/Boat/Toy parking. 

1824PrincetonCourt.com 

Clayton Resident 

& Broker Owner 

JUST LISTED! 

4323 Briones Valley Road, Brentwood $580,000 

Ranch Property – 4BD/2.5BA appointed on nearly 7 

acres is once in a lifetime deal! Enjoy chef ’s kitchen, 

travertine tile in dining & family rooms. 2 barns w/tack 

rooms & more! BrionesRanch.com 

NEW PRICE 

Photo by Donna Price 

EVENT ORGANIZERS SANDY FOGG, Mundy Viar, Linda 

Minorsky and Andrea Raymond. 

needed attention to the CV 

music department drew nearly 

150 to the event. 

“We wanted more than anything 

to just gather music supporters 

together and get 

focused at the beginning of the 

year,” said CV music teacher 

Maundy Viar. “This did it.” 

BRIAN FOGG, PIANO AND ARTHUR JONES, DRUM. The two played together 

for the very first time, with no rehearsal, at the fundraiser. 

Around Town 

BOB AND JANET STICKLE 

JUST LISTED! JUST LISTED! JUST LISTED! 

4903 Keller Ridge Drive, Clayton $289,000 

Diablo Ridge – Located adjacent to 7th hole at 

Oakhurst, this home offers 2 master bedrooms & 2.5 

baths. This is a perfect place to relax w/a drink on the 

patio. Easy living, low maintenance at a great price. 

5741 Tamarack Way, Concord $508,000 

Dana Farms – Clayton schools w/this single-story 

3BD/2BA. Cozy fireplace in family room & updated 

kitchen with pantry, bay window & hardwood floors. 

TamarackWay.com 

Marcia and Harvey Maslin mark 50 years 

Marcia and Harvey Maslin celebrated 

their 50th anniversary last month with a 

cruise to the Greek Isles and Turkey and a 

renewal of their wedding vows on Aug. 21. 

Marcia wore her original wedding gown 

and veil at the celebration held at the home 

of their oldest daughter and her husband. 

The evening, attended by family and friends, 

included an outdoor dinner party with music 

and dancing. 

The couple met at Tucson High School, 

when Marcia was a freshman and Harvey was 

a senior. She asked Harvey out to a girl-askboy 

party, but they did not see each other 

again for three years. They courted during 

Harvey’s junior year in college and after they 

married, Marcia began the University of 

Arizona as a freshman and Harvey was a senior. 

He received the “Cradle Robbing Award” 

that year from his fraternity before starting 

the University of Arizona Law School. 

They live in Clayton. 

The Pioneer visits the Normandy 

Beaches with the Stickles 

In September, Bob and Janet 

Stickle of Clayton traveled to 

France and visited the 

Normandy Beaches, including 

Utah, Omaha and Point du Hoc. 

They took the Clayton Pioneer 

along with them and took this 

picture at Ste. Mere – Eglise, the 

little town where the 82nd 

Airborne and 101 Airborne 

Divisions parachuted and landed 

to begin the liberation of northern 

France on June 6, 1944. 

Bob retired as a Commander 

after serving 20 years in the 

Navy and Naval Reserve. They 

have lived in Clayton for 38 

years and have raised both their 

children here. 

5561 Maryland Drive, Concord $350,000 

Clayton Valley Highlands – 3BD/2BA has large, 

fenced front yard and a spacious living room with dining 

area, all with fresh wood laminate floors. Updated 

kitchen with gas range & dining nook. Close to schools! 

328 Mt. Washington Way, Clayton $539,000 

Dana Hills – Single-story home with 4BD/2BA 

includes office/retreat off master. Convenient built-in 

cabinets in living & family rooms. Plush backyard with 

spa. MtWashingtonWay.com 

SUSAN AND DAVID SISSON 

MARCIA AND HARVEY MASLIN 

Sissons travel to China 

Susan and David Sisson 

recently returned from China 

where they took this photo at 

the Terra Cotta Warrior site in 

Xi’an They spent 12 days touring 

and visited the Great Wall 

of China, The Forbidden City, 

Tiananmen Square, the Three 

Gorges area of the Yangtze 

River and the Three Gorges 

Dam. 

2238 Southwest Court, Martinez $399,800 

Diablo View – Quiet cul-de-sac location backing to 

open space makes for great privacy. 3BD/2.5BA with 

upgrades galore including landscaping, windows, paint & 

deck. SouthwestCourt.com 

170 Brandywine Place, Clayton $839,000 

Peacock Creek – Located on a prime, corner lot, 

4BD/3BA plus den has over 200K in superior upgrades. 

Impeccable landscaping & outdoor kitchen & spa. 

170Brandywine.com 

DRE# 01122025


City proclaims November as 

Pulmonary Hypertension month 

KATIE GRACE GROEBNER, left, joins the Piranhas soccer team as 

they wear blue lips to boost awareness of pulmonary hypertension. 

In honor of a local family, 

the city is proclaiming 

November as Pulmonary 

Hypertension Awareness Month 

in Clayton. 

New 

Stylist in town 

Leia Herbst 

(925) 765-8245 

In conjunction with the 

national event, the local effort is 

on behalf of the Groebner family. 

They ended up in Clayton – 

far from their home in 

�� Cutting edgeor classic 

�� Color specialist 

50% off Cut or 

Complimentary Cut 

with chemical service 

For first-time customers. Mention this ad when making appt. 

Offer expires 11/05/2010 

Located at Althea Corrin Salon & Day Spa, 

5458 Ygnacio Rd, #30, Concord 

next to Peet’s in the CV Shopping Center 

Lease Listings 

925-693-0757 (Main) 

925-766-6745 (Direct) 

Coming Soon 

4411 Morgan Territory Rd. Clayton 

Nestled back off Morgan Territory Rd. Single story 

4BD/2 BA upgraded ranch-style home. Detached 4 car 

garage. Small animals welcome. Horses possible. 

$3,000/month 

Coming Soon 

1486 Yosemite Cir., Clayton. 

Beautiful 3 bedroom 2 bath home in Clayton. 1,500 sq. 

ft., hardwood floors, new paint on the inside and out, 

A/C, fireplace, pool. Relaxing backyard with a pool and 

HUGE overhang for shade. Rent includes pool care 

and landscaper. $2500/month Call for availability. 

925-693-0752 (Fax) 

mazzeirealty@yahoo.com 

6160 Center St. Suite #C, Clayton 

mazzeirealty.net 

Minnesota -- because their 8year-old 

daughter, Katie Grace, 

started receiving medical care at 

Stanford in 2008. 

“Alone, not knowing anyone 

and with little hope for our 

daughter’s life, this city has 

embraced us and made us one of 

their own,” mom Kathy 

Groebner says. 

Pulmonary hypertension is a 

rare disorder causing intolerable 

blood pressure levels in the 

arteries between the lungs and 

heart. Upon diagnosis, many 

patients are told they have six 

months to live. 

“But with earlier diagnosis 

and new treatments, many 

patients are living five, 10, even 

20 years with this illness,” 

Groebner notes. “Hope for 

tomorrow is even better.” 

Groebner cites advances 

such as eight FDA-approved 

treatments, 230-plus support 

groups, 6,000 PH-treating medical 

professionals and $9 million 

committed to PH research. 

In an effort to raise awareness, 

the city of Clayton urges all 

residents to recognize the seriousness 

of the disease and the 

meritorious work of the 

Pulmonary Hypertension 

Association to find a cure. 

Among the community 

efforts on behalf of the 

Groebners are local real estate 

agent Lynne French making her 

office a kissing booth for 

PuckerUp4PH and Clayton 

Valley High School students running 

the Race for a Cure at 

Stanford. 

“I am proud to call Clayton 

my new home and I can not 

think of any better place to end 

up in our situation,” Groebner 

concludes. 

For more information, visit 

phassociation.org. 

With interest rates 

at an all-time low, now is a 

good time to buy. 

Short Sales, REO’s, 

Foreclosures or 

Loan Pre-Qualification? 

Call Matt for a free 

Consultation. 

Matt Mazzei, Jr. 

Broker/Owner 

Matt Mazzei, Sr. 

Sales Agent 


residents 

since 1959 

DRE# 01881269 

DRE# 01879806 

Obituary 

Joyce Krieger Schilp 

October 5, 1939 – October 14, 2010 

Joyce Krieger Schilp died in the care of 

Hospice of the East Bay on October 

14 after a short, but valiant battle 

with cancer. 

She was a noted musician 

and singer and a 40-year member 

of the Masterworks 

Chorale at Diablo Valley 

College. She sang with the 

local Clayton choir, 

Yesterday’s Kids, and the 

Blackhawk Chorus in 

Danville. 

She was an accomplished 

pianist, organist and choir 

director at the Church of 

Jesus Christ of Latter Day 

Saints on Alberta Way in 

Concord. 

Her friends and family remember 

her for her warm, straightforward, “nononsense” 

way and her ever-present sense of 

humor. 

Joyce was a quilter and loved to travel. 

She played golf and was an avid 

hiker. And she loved her family, 

said daughter Linda. “She was 

my best friend forever.” 

A newlywed, Joyce is survived 

by her husband of 

one year, William Schilp, 

her daughter Linda Smith 

of Brentwood and sons 

Wendell Doman and Steve 

Doman, 11 grandchildren 

and two great-grandchildren. 

Friends and family 

remembered Joyce at a 

memorial service on Oct 20 at 

the LDS church on Alberta Way. 

Memorial donations can be made 

online to Hospice of the East Bay, 

www.hospiceeastbay.org, or by check to 

3470 Buskirk Ave., Pleasant Hill, CA 94523. 

Morgan Territory residents 

organize for fire protection 

Morgan Territory and Marsh 

Creek area residents are gearing 

up for a fight to keep the Cal 

Fire Sunshine Station on Marsh 

Creek Road open. 

State funding for the station 

will end after this fire season, 

and the station is set to go dark 

at month’s end. 

“Our goal is to keep the 

Sunshine Station open,” Cheryl 

Morgan told the crowd of more 

than 100 who met on Oct. 11 to 

hear their options for fire protection 

and emergency services 

during the off-season. “We need 

to keep that as the focus.” 

She urged the group to exert 

pressure on the East Contra 

Costa Fire Protection District 

(ECCFPD) to draw on its $4 

million in reserves to cover 

operating costs of the station 

November to April. 

“We are a community with a 

shared interest. Just laying back 

and letting the station close is 

not an option,” Morgan said. 

The off-season contract with 

Cal Fire costs $366,000. Area 

residents pay more than 

$400,000 to East County for fire 

protection. 

“The (budget) shortfall does 

not come from the Morgan 

Territory area,” acknowledged 

Erick Stonebarger, president of 

the East County board of directors. 

“You have more than 

enough to pay for it.” 

He said it was an issue of allocation 

of resources. “Tax revenues 

are down and the district is 

running out of money. Without a 

parcel tax measure, we will run 

out of cash in 2½ years,” he said. 

See Cal Fire Contract pg 7


P.O. Box 1246 

6200 Center Street, Suite H, Clayton, CA 94517 

TAMARA AND ROBERT STEINER, Publishers 

TAMARA STEINER, Editor 

RANDY WENGER, Display Advertising 

PETE CRUZ, Graphic Design 

BEV BRITTON, Copy Editor 

JAY BEDECARRÉ, Sports 

PAMELA WIESENDANGER, Administrative Assistant 

STAFF WRITERS: Denisen Hartlove, Lou Fancher, Nicci 

Shipstead, Pam Wiesendanger, Mike Dunn 

We remember Jill Bedecarré - Her spirit is our muse 

PIONEER INFO 

CONTACT US 

Tel: (925) 672-0500 

Fax: (925) 672-6580 

Tamara Steiner 

tamara@claytonpioneer.com 

Randy Wenger 

Randy@claytonpioneer.com 

Send ads to 

ads@claytonpioneer.com 

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sports@claytonpioneer.com 

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clubnews@claytonpioneer.com 

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schoolnews@claytonpioneer.com 

CLASSIFIEDS 

Classified rates per insertion: 

Non-profit: $12 for first 30 

words, $.20 each additional 

word 

Individual/non-commercial: 

$18 for first 30 words, $.30 

each additional word 

Commercial: $48 for first 30 

words, $.40 each additional 

word 

To place your classified ad over the 

phone, call the office at (925) 672- 

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

Mon.-Fri. Or, you may fax your typewritten 

ad and credit card information 

to (925) 672-6580. All classifieds 

must be paid for in advance by credit 

card (Master Card or Visa) 

We will not accept any ad that dis- 

BACK TO 

SCHOOL 

criminates on the basis of race, color, 

sex, religion, nationality, family status 

or disability. The Clayton Pioneer 

reserves the right to reject any advertising 

we believe is unsuitable. 

LET US KNOW 

Weddings, engagements, anniversaries, 

births and deaths all weave 

together as part of the fabric of our 

community. Please let us know of 

these important events. We ask only 

that the announcement be for a 

Clayton resident. You will find the 

appropriate form for your announcement 

on our Website. Attach your 

photo to the form. Make sure the 

image size you are about to send is at 

least 3 MB but not bigger than 6MB. 

The only format we accept is JPG. You 

can also mail or bring your print to the 

office and we can scan it for you. 

Also on our Website are forms for 

submitting Community Calendar items 

and press releases for your organization. 

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 

The Clayton Pioneer welcomes 

letters from our readers. As a general 

rule, letters should be 250 words or 

less and submitted at least one week 

prior to publication date. Letters concerning 

current issues will have priority. 

We may edit letters for length and 

clarity. All letters will be published at 

the editor’s discretion. 

Please include your name, address 

and daytime telephone number. We 

will not print letters from “anonymous.” 

E-mail your letter in a Word 

document to tamara@claytonpioneer.com. 

Letters MUST be submitted 

via E-mail. 

Classified 

$ 20off $ 15off $ 20off 

With 

Coupon 

Only. 

Brake Work 

ASE Certified Technicians 

Free shuttle service for major repairs 

SSPPECIIAALLSS 

LUBE, OIL & FILTER 

Includes 5 qts. of Oil, Filter and Inspection. 

With 

Coupon 

Only. 

Offers may not be combined and expire 11/04/2010 

Mechanical, electrical repairs and diagnostics including 

30K, 60K, 90K factory maintenance on all European, 

Imported and domestic vehicles. 

Clayton Valley Shell 

Full Service Auto Care 

Help Wanted 

Reporter/Writer 

Reporter, feature writer needed to cover events, news 

and people for Clayton and the Clayton Valley. Must be a 

local resident and have good community connections. 

Excellent writing skills using AP style guide. Send summary 

of experience and writing sample for a news story and a 

feature or personal profile to tamara@claytonpioneer.com. 

CLAYTON 

VALLEY SHELL 

WINTER SAFETY 

INSPECTION 

Official smog check 

and repair station 

SMOG Special 

$69 .88 + cert. 

FREE RE-TEST 

Corner of Clayton Road & Kirker Pass Road � (925) 672-3900 

Amir Jameson Gary Alex Peter 

Notice to Advertisers and Readers 

Clayton Pioneer and The 

Concordian not affiliated 

The Clayton Pioneer and The Concordian have been under 

separate ownership since December 2009 and are not affiliated 

in any way. 

During 2008 and 2009, Pioneer publisher Tamara Steiner 

was co-publisher and owned a half interest in The 

Concordian. In December, Andre Gensburger became the 

sole owner of the The Concordian. There is no editorial, 

advertising or financial connection between the two papers. 

The Clayton Pioneer is a community newspaper, published 

twice a month. Circulation is by direct mail and home delivery 

to 5400 homes in Clayton and 7200 homes in Concord. 

With 

Coupon 

Only. 

HELP WANTED 

Bus driver: Class B license. Good 

driving record. 30 hours/week 

transporting Seniors to appointments/outings. 

Able to assist and 

transfer clients. Aegis Living 692- 

5838, ext 207, 4756 Clayton Road, 

Concord. 

Real Estate Agents 

Be Successful! Lynne French is 

expanding and interviewing for a 

few agents. Call her today (925) 

672-8787. 

SERVICES 

Girl Gardening 

Garden care for your roses, perennials 

and ornamentals. Monthly 

pruning and fertilizing services. 

Plant suggestions and installation. 

If you want more flowers this year, 

call or email Nicole Hackett 673- 

1746, or 

gardengirl94517@yahoo.com. 

VOLUNTEERS 

NEEDED 

Help Fight Hunger 

Anna Chan ~ AKA: The Lemon 

Lady needs your help! 

Volunteers are needed to haul 

donated produce from Farmers' 

Markets to food pantries throughout 

the area. Weekly commitment 

appreciated. Please contact Anna at 

672-1988 or 

AnnaAndAva@gmail.com. 

Meals on Wheels Drivers 

1 – 1 1/2 per week. Drivers and 

relief drivers needed for delivery of 

Meals on Wheels in East County. 

Call Jim at 673-0300 or e-mail hairbyjim@att.net. 

Hospice of the East Bay – 

Anna’s Attic 

Volunteer at Anna’s Attic Thrift 

Shoppe, located at 5350 Clayton 

Road. It's a way to make a meaningful 

difference. You’ll have the 

opportunity to help customers, 

stock shelves and prepare merchandise 

for sale. For information call 

(925) 674-9072. 

Funds raised by the Hospice 

Thrift Shoppes benefit Hospice of 

the East Bay. 

Established in 1977, Hospice of 

the East Bay is a not-for-profit 

agency that helps people cope with 

life-limiting illnesses by providing 

medical, emotional, spiritual, and 

practical support for patients and 

families, regardless of their ability 

to pay. To learn more about volunteering 

for Hospice of the East Bay 

please contact (925) 887-5678, or 

email 

volunteers@hospiceeastbay.org. 

Clayton Historical 

Society Museum 

The Clayton Historical Society 

Museum needs a greeter for two 

hours per month from 2-4 p.m. 

Wednesdays or Sundays. No experience 

or extensive knowledge of 

Clayton history is necessary. Call 

the museum at 672-0240 and leave 

your name. 

Clayton Community Library 

Needs volunteers. Minimum age 

13. Minimum commitment is 6 

months. Some training provided. 

Shelver - to shelve and sensitize 

library materials. Various 

days/times. Tutors - no prior experience 

necessary! You determine the 

grade level and subjects you are 

comfortable with and the 

days/times. Requires good communication 

skills, patience and a desire 

to help students in the community. 

Contact: Arlene @ 673-9777 or 

email: nielsenjanc@aol.com. 

Directory of Advertisers 

Auto 

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

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

Construction and Trades 

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

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

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

Handyman Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .639-4209 

LHI Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-9941 

Mitolo Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2460 

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

Dentist 

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

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

Dining and Entertainment 

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

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

Events 

Contra Costa County Fall Faire . . . . . . . . . . . . . .757-4400 

Contra Costa Home & Garden Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.capitalshowcase.com 

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

Financial and Insurance Services 

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

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

Travis Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-800-877-8328 

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

Funerals 

Moore’s Mission Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-1100 

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

Home and Garden 

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

Alexander KAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .977-1616 

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

Diablo Lawnscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .381-3757 

Diablo View Flooring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .820-8700 

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

Navlet’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .681-0550 

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

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

Mailing and Shipping 

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

Personal Services 

Frontier Salon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6900 

Leia Herbst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .765-8245 

Main Street Nail Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .933-8606 

Pet Services 

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

Pet Suites Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .432-7387 

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

Real Estate and Mortgage Services 

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

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

Klock, Leigh - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212-5593 

Laurence, Pete - RE/MAX Realty . . . . . . . . . . . .890-6004 

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

Mazzei, Matt -Mazzei Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-0757 

Morucci, Kimberly - J. Rockcliff Realtors . . . . . . .437-1650 

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

Recreation 

All Out Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4303 

Castle Rock Arabians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .937-7661 

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

Earthquake Arabians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .360-7454 

Retail 

East Bay Work Wear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .687-9900 

Scary Decorations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8099 

Sport Chalet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .521-7009 

Senior Services 

Aegis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .692-5838 

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

The Chateaus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-1700 

Services, Other 

A & H Limousine Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200-2824 

Air Cloud Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-4119 x 2 

College Planning Specialists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .348-1704 

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

Net Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6029 

NextEnergy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-0600 

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

Travel 

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

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


More than awareness needed to fight breast cancer 

DENISEN HARTLOVE 


Not that long ago, a diagnosis 

of breast cancer was hidden 

from friends and relatives. And 

the word “breast” was never 

used in polite company. 

Today, a brief survey of 

Clayton residents found that 

every person asked knew at least 

someone who had been diag- 

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nosed or been diagnosed with 

the disease themselves. 

Maria Sousa, executive director 

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acknowledged that preaching 

awareness is no longer a struggle. 

“I think part of it is that the 

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“Women are much more open if 

they have been diagnosed or if 

they are survivors.” 

That’s a considerable change 

since National Breast Cancer 

Awareness Month was conceived 

by drug manufacturer 

AstraZeneca 25 years ago. 

“I really do think that 

National Breast Cancer 

Awareness Month was helpful 

when it was first established,” 

noted breast cancer researcher 

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Dr. Susan Love. “But at this 

point, I believe it has outlived its 

usefulness.” 

SIFTING THROUGH 

THE STUDIES 

The billions of dollars 

poured into research and early 

detection campaigns have 

helped raise five-year survival 

rates for early detection from 74 

percent to 98 percent of diagnoses. 

Yet today some sacred 

cows are being sacrificed, and 

women are finding that they are 

their own best advocates in wading 

through the conflicting studies 

and recommendations. 

Mammograms used to be the 

gospel preached by breast cancer 

awareness groups throughout 

the land for early detection. But 

in 2009, the U.S. Preventative 

Services Task Force came out 

with recommendations that radically 

contravened current wisdom. 

No longer should women 

be taught to do breast selfexams, 

said the group, because if 

done wrong, they could lead to 

anxiety, distress and unnecessary 

testing. 

Nor were routine mammograms 

indicated until age 50, lest 

women incur unnecessary radiation. 

Soon afterward, a study from 

Norway showed that mammograms 

accounted for the decline 

in only a third of breast cancer 

deaths, with the rest attributed 

to increased awareness and better 

diagnostic skills in physicians. 

The American Congress of 

Obstetricians and Gynecologists 

wasted no time in issuing its own 

opinion. “The college continues 

to recommend that fellows 

advise mammography screening 

for their patients aged 40 and 

older and that they counsel their 

patients that BSE (breast selfexamination) 

has the potential to 

detect palpable breast cancer 

and can be performed,” the 

group stated. 

The congress further noted 

that the task force’s recommendation 

would have implications 

for insurance coverage of mammograms 

for many women. 

Tamara Steiner, owner and 

editor of the Clayton Pioneer, is 

a breast cancer survivor. She 

learned of her diagnosis at age 

48, a few months after starting 

hormone replacement therapy. 

During a mammogram appointment, 

a vigilant technician spotted 

a dent on her breast. Further 

testing found a small but aggressive 

tumor. 

After more than two years of 

treatment that included a mastectomy, 

chemotherapy and radiation, 

Steiner has been cancerfree 

for 13 years. Steiner noted 

that if she’d waited until she was 

50 to have a mammogram, I’d be 

dead.” 

‘KNOW YOUR BODY’ 

The amount of information 

on the types of breast cancer, 

from ductal carcinoma in situ 

(DCIS) to infiltrating and invasive 

tumors, as well as the means 

of detection and treatment 

options, can be dizzying. 

Risk factors include some 

that can’t be controlled -- such as 

age, racial background and family 

history – but also factors some 

believe can be managed. Alcohol 

intake, obesity and lack of exercise 

have all been linked to higher 

rates of breast cancer. Some 

hormone therapies have also 

been found to be connected to 

increased risk. 

“It’s hard to quantify a lot of 

that because they’ll (the scientists) 

associate a lot of different 

lifestyle habits with increased or 

decreased risk. But you can’t add 

them all together,” said certified 

Museum, from page 1 

for the second annual 

“Whispers of the Past” event. 

Children from two fourth-grade 

classes at Highlands and Mt. 

Diablo elementary schools were 

invited to join in as a field trip to 

the museum. 

“October is archaeology 

month in California,” Spryer 

noted. “Last year was the first 

time we had it and we heard 

about that through Christine.” 

During a demonstration 

behind the museum, McCollum 

showed off the tools of the 

archaeologist’s trade – including 

4.49 % 

New / Used / Refi nance 

As low as 

brushes, small tools and measuring 

devices. Some archaeologists 

even use GPS units. 

Inside the museum, children 

and adults were asked to match 

up ancient tools, toys and 

devices to their current counterparts. 

McCollum, a resident of 

Sacramento, has been involved 

with archaeology for about 10 

years. She was inspired to 

become an archaeologist while 

reading her grandmother’s 

National Geographic magazines. 

“It’s very important to study 

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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 10 years old or newer. All loan rates are subject to 

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Everyone who lives, works, worships or goes to school in Contra Costa county is eligible to join. Certain membership requirements may apply. 

physicians assistant Elizabeth 

Sivesind. 

She noted as an example the 

higher number of diagnoses in 

women with college educations. 

“But you can’t say college causes 

breast cancer,” added Sivesind, 

who sees female patients every 

day in the Walnut Creek office 

she shares with ob/gyn Dr. 

Margaret Craig. 

Julie Durand, manager of the 

Muir Cancer Institute Cancer 

Program, also suggests taking 

many of the studies with a grain 

of salt. 

“I just don’t think there’s one 

set of rules – I think every person 

is different. And depending 

on their family history, you have 

to look at all the components 

that are part of your history,” 

Durand said. “It’s hard to just 

come out with a golden rule 

really.” 

Both experts counsel women 

to get information from more 

than one source and suggested 

Websites including the American 

College of Obstetrics and 

Gynecology (acog.org) and the 

American Cancer Society (cancer.com). 

In the meantime, most 

women surveyed plan to continue 

having mammograms every 

year or two after they turn 40. 

“The alternative is, I think, 

far worse,” Clayton resident 

Kelly Tuohey, 42, said of her 

decision. “How else are you 

going to catch it if they’re saying 

don’t even do self tests? I don’t 

know what the answer to that 

is.” 

In addition to regular mammograms, 

Duran said the answer 

is often self-awareness. 

“The bottom line is you just 

need to know your body, no 

matter what,” she said. “There’s 

a danger there when we don’t 

know our own bodies.” 

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Concord: 1257 Willow Pass Road 

science. Science is a very big 

part of what we do, obviously,” 

McCollum said. “Being really 

strong in the sciences and being 

comfortable being outdoors are 

important. Those are two things 

one needs to focus on.” 

According to McCollum, 

field work is essential in her profession. 

“You need to go out 

and learn the field methods and 

at least get a bachelor’s degree in 

anthropology. If you want to 

continue this as a career, you 

need to get a master’s degree,” 

said McCollum, who has an 

undergraduate degree from UC 

Davis and a master’s from Cal 

State Sacramento.

October 22, 2010 Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com Page 7 

CVHS grad hits No. 1 on country music Billboard 

After graduating from 

Clayton Valley High School in 

1994, Michael Busbee set out 

to make it in the music business. 

“Our Kind Of Love,” a 

song he co-wrote, recently 

ascended to No. 1 on the 

Billboard country music 

charts. He also has produced 

and written music for numerous 

recording artists and is 

now known professionally as 

just Busbee. “It’s for branding 

purposes,” he says. 

The 34-year-old musician, 

composer and producer has 

amassed a large body of work 

in a relatively short time. He’s 

worked with artists such as 

Katy Perry, Timbaland, Tony 

During the fire season 

April to November, fire protection 

and emergency 

response services out of the 

Sunshine Station are funded by 

the state. During the off-season, 

these services have been 

covered by a contract between 

ECCFPD and Cal Fire. 

To help close this year’s 

budget gap of $1.8 million, the 

East County directors decided 

in June not to renew the 2010- 

’11Cal Fire contract. That 

leaves the Morgan 

Territory/Marsh Creek area 

without a nearby fire station 

for six months out of the year. 

Emergency response during 

the off-season will come from 

Antioch, Brentwood or 

Clayton – increasing response 

times for structural fires, medical 

emergencies and auto acci- 

JIM HUDAK 

MUSIC NOTES 

Braxton and Lady 

Antebellum. He’s placed his 

music into films and commercials 

and has released two solo 

albums as an EP with his 

band, GoNorthToGoSouth. 

Busbee was born in Walnut 

CalFire Contract, from page 4 

dents by as much as 20-30 

minutes. 

Property owners have 

already seen skyrocketing 

insurance premiums, as much 

as 300 percent. Some residents 

won’t be able to get insurance 

at all. Debbie Bell, who lives 

on Leon Drive, will be without 

fire insurance Nov. 1. Others 

have seen premiums increase 

from $1,500 to more than 

$4,000 a year. 

“We didn’t know what the 

response time would do to 

insurance rates,” Stonebarger 

noted. 

Property owners were not 

aware of the station closing 

until insurance bills began to 

arrive. The only public notice 

of the decision was in the East 

County Times, a paper with no 

circulation in the affected area, 

Creek, then spent the rest of 

his early years in Concord and 

Pittsburg. He attended CVHS 

for all four years. He began 

studying jazz trombone at an 

early age, citing CVHS band 

director Steve Ernest as the 

person who introduced him to 

jazz. 

“I never intended to be an 

artist,” says Busbee. “I was 

committed to being a behindthe-scenes 

guy.” 

Eventually, Busbee found 

his way into the world of pop 

music. He came to realize that 

it was music “with its own 

sophistication.” He decided it 

was a good vehicle for communicating 

to more people, 

whereas “jazz was more akin 

Morgan said. 

The East County board will 

hear from area residents at the 

Nov. 1 meeting, when the issue 

is on the agenda. They may 

reconsider the decision and 

could decide to draw on 

reserves to keep the station 

open, said Stonebarger. “Talk 

to us, tell us the issues.” 

“Spread the impact 

around,” said one member of 

the audience. “Why should we 

have to take 100 percent of 

the impact?” 

East County is looking at 

options for raising addition 

revenue including putting a 

parcel tax on the June ballot. 

The board meeting is at 6:30 

Nov. 1 at the ECCFPD office, 

3231 Main St., Oakley. 

to fine wine.” 

Jon Bendich, a teacher in 

the East Bay and San 

Francisco, further guided 

Busbee’s journey into pop 

music. Through Bendich, 

Busbee met Eric Valentine, an 

established rock/pop producer 

from the Bay Area who was 

moving to Los Angeles. In 

2000, Busbee moved to L.A. 

to become Valentine’s assistant. 

“After moving to Los 

Angeles, I signed a music publishing 

deal and that pretty 

much changed everything. It 

allowed me to write songs 

full-time, which is what I love 

the most,” Busbee explains. 

“The next big thing was having 

my first hit song, a song 

called ‘Summer Nights’ that 

was recorded by Rascal 

Flatts.” 

Talking with Busbee, I can 

sense his pride and determination, 

yet a certain down-toearth 

quality remains. He’s 

grateful that business has 

been pretty steady and urges 

aspiring musicians to keep at 

it. 

“I would rather speak to 

people who have a talent and 

a passion and say that so 

much of it is just showing up. 

I mean, there are a lot of talented 

people out there, but 

showing up, working hard and 

being a good person to work 

with and a person of integrity 

– those things have all mattered 

and have opened doors 

for me,” he says. “I’ve had 

perseverance and I’ve built 

relationships with people and 

I haven’t given up.” 

Songwriting is extremely 

competitive, and it took more 

than eight years in Los 

MICHAEL BUSBEE 

Angeles before things really 

began to happen for Busbee. 

It was refreshing to hear that 

the basic values of perseverance 

and treating people right 

have guided him in a cutthroat 

field that leads many people 

with dreams to give up too 

quickly. 

“No one particularly needs 

my songs,” he notes. “There 

are a lot of great songwriters 

out there. But I’ve built relationships 

in an open way 

because I tend to love people. 

It’s been a long story in the 

making.” 

Clayton resident Jim Hudak is 

a noted musician, recording artist 

and composer. You can mail him at 

jimmydak@pacbell.net. 

Letter to 

the Editor 

VOTE FOR LIBERTY 

Far too often in these pages 

we read the opinions of supposed 

knowledgeable authorities 

who impart their views and 

vision for Clayton as one that is 

“central” and “important” to 

our future. They talk about the 

“need for more revenues” as if 

that is something the government 

creates when in fact it is 

the people’s property that they 

seek and wish to con-scribe. 

These individuals feel compelled 

to advise us to follow and 

vote in manner to support their 

vision of Clayton because supposedly 

their service entitles 

them to a profound knowledge 

that they alone know what’s 

best for us. Our founders 

believed in limited and accountable 

governance and they 

revered the rights of individuals 

and organizations especially 

when it came to the use of private 

property and hard-earned 

treasure. As you evaluate your 

vote why not ask what do they 

want these revenues for? Why 

do they need more? And, why is 

their “vision” and “Plan” the 

only one you should consider? 

– Glenn D. Miller 

Clayton, CA 

Submit your letter to the 

editor on this or any other 

subject from our Website at 

www.claytonpioneer.com or 

email to 

tamara@claytonpioneer.com 

The Pioneer -- It’s your paper!


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Law Offices of 

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Since 1979 

Legal Services: 

�� Probate and Trust Administration 

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Clayton Office: 

6160 Center St., Suite D 

Clayton, CA 94517 

Phone: (925) 672-6463 

Richard@LittornoLaw.com 

CST 2074362-40 

My family is thinking about 

Q installing a pool in our back 

yard. We have plenty of room in 

our yard and we all love water 

activities. We have never had a 

pool before. Would this be a 

good investment? 

A pool is not a financial 

A 

LYNNE FRENCH 

REAL ANSWERS 

investment, but it is an 

investment in your quality of life. 

Since you have never had a 

pool before, you should investigate 

what it might entail both in 

expense and upkeep. In an area 

like ours, where you will get 

many months’ use, a pool can be 

an attractive feature when selling 

a home. Some buyers only want 

a home with a pool. 

On the other hand, some 

buyers won’t consider a home 

with a pool. These are often people 

who have had a pool in the 

past and don’t want the upkeep 

any longer. 

Pool is a fun option, 

if you consider all costs 

If you simply want one for 

your family’s enjoyment, then go 

for it after checking out the actual 

expense. 

The first thing, of course, is 

installation fees. On the very low 

end, that could be $25,000- 

$50,000 and up, depending on 

the options you want. Experts 

estimate that pools can cost 

$3,000-$5,000 in maintenance a 

year. If something goes wrong, 

say the filters or pump need to 

be replaced, costs can quickly 

add up. When it needs to be 

resurfaced, it could cost more 

than $10,000. If you wanted to 

upgrade the tile, decking or plaster, 

that could cost up to 

$20,000. If at some point you 

wanted to remove the pool, it 

can cost more than $15,000. 

Knowing all this, pools are 

still always in demand. They may 

be costly, but quality of life is 

priceless. 

What is all this I am hearing 

Q about banks suspending 

foreclosures? Is this a strategy to 

improve the housing market? I 

am trying to time the sale of my 

house. 

This moratorium on fore- 

Aclosures isn’t a strategy to 

control the market, but it will 

definitely affect the market. In 

California, most foreclosures 

are conducted as non-judicial 

foreclosures or trustee sales. 

This means that they don’t 

involve a court process to foreclose. 

Twenty-three states that 

have judicial foreclosures are 

suspending them due to problems 

with the signing of declarations 

in connection with 

these. 

Bank of America, however, 

has suspended theirs in 50 

states to see if lenders have 

complied with other legally 

required procedures. They want 

to insure that homes weren’t 

improperly foreclosed on and 

are following state law. Other 

banks may follow suit. Some 

legislators are pushing for a 

nationwide moratorium on 

foreclosure sales. 

In the short run, this could 

improve the market because 

there won’t be as many foreclosed 

properties on the market 

for competition. The problem is 

the “shadow inventory” will still 

be increasing. These moratoriums 

will postpone the recovery 

because we need the inventory 

to be absorbed to begin normal 

appreciation. 

Are there any new “health 

Q and safety” items I need to 

know before I sell my home? 

One new law is coming up 

A 

soon. Gov. Arnold 

Schwarzenegger recently signed 

into law Senate Bill 183, which 

will require the installation of 

carbon monoxide detectors in 

single family homes by Jan. 1, 

2011. 

Send your question and look for 

your answer in a future column. Email 

Lynne@LynneFrench.com. 

French is the broker/owner of 

Windermere Lynne French & 

Associates and a Clayton resident. For 

any real estate needs or questions, contact 

her at 672-8787 or stop in at 

6200 Center St., Clayton. 

What doesn’t kill them makes them stronger 

The kids are back to school 

and I am not sure if I am happy 

about it or not. On one hand 

they are out of the house for 7 

hours a day, but on the other 

there is homework, school 

projects, soccer, piano, etc. I 

can’t keep up. Then I think on 

Pittsburg Office: 

2211 Railroad Ave. 

Pittsburg, CA 94565 

Phone: (925) 432-4211 

www.LittornoLaw.com 

the other facet of fall. Those 

little Petri dishes we call children 

are repeatedly passing 

germs amongst themselves and 

bringing them home. It makes 

me want to put up a decontamination 

room in our entryway 

for the kids to go through 

when they get home each day. 

Fall is also the time of year 

where we see a rise in the number 

of patients who travel to 

their doctor’s office and to the 

emergency room requesting 

antibiotics for a cough, runny 

nose etc. 

Remember back in the day 

when you would go to your 

doctor and they would give you 

antibiotics at a drop of the hat? 

“You have a cough and runny 

nose for one day? Here, have a 

10 day course of antibiotics.” 

“You feel like you may be 

getting sick? Let me write you 

a prescription.” 

Well, the times have 

changed. Now in order to get 

antibiotics, you practically have 

to beg, plead, and cry. 

However, your doctor should 

hold firm to the American 

Medical Association criteria, 

the CDC and the World Health 

Organization’s recommendations 

by withholding such 

antimicrobials unless they are 

absolutely indicated. 

DR. DAVID BIRDSALL 

YOUR HEALTH 

OVERUSE CREATES 

SUPER BUGS 

The reason for this is that 

we have created, and we are 

continuing to create, a legion of 

super bugs; bacteria that are 

resistant to many and sometimes 

all of our antibiotics – 

bacteria like MRSA (methicillin 

resistant staphlococcus), VRE, 

gonorrhea, penicillin resistant 

streptococcal pneumonia, and 

some strains of tuberculosis. 

These bacteria are mutating 

at alarming rates far exceeding 

our ability to create new antibiotics. 

The medical community’s 

overuse of antibiotics has set 

about Darwinism on a cellular 

level. What doesn’t kill them 

makes them stronger. 

As in animals, bacteria 

select out and propagate those 

traits that improve the chance 

of survival for all like bacteria. 

For example, if an antibiotic 

doesn’t kill a bug because of 

the bacteria’s cell wall make up, 

that bacteria will create more of 

its kind. This leads to super 

bugs. The more super bugs 

there are the more likely they 

will share their special resistance 

genes among bacteria and 

the more likely they will spread 

among humans. Likewise, the 

overuse of broad-spectrum 

“strong” antibiotics (those 

antibiotics that kill a number of 

different bugs) can lead to 

cross-resistance. This means 

that if certain bacterium is 

resistant to a certain antibiotic, 

it will also be resistant to other 

antibiotics in the same class. 

That is why if your doctor does 

choose to use antibiotics it is 

important for her to use antibiotics 

that have a narrow spectrum 

of activity so that if 

resistance does develop it will 

be to fewer antibiotics. 

It is important to note that 

antibiotics are only effective 

against bacteria and not viruses 

such as the common cold and 

your typical stomach flu. As 

well, not all bacterial infections 

See Health, page 17


New shop in Concord offers the 

right clothes for the right job 

PAMELA WIESENDANGER 


East Bay Work Wear is a 

family affair, with owner 

Glenn Moffatt and his wife 

Robin managing the store and 

son Nick ordering and updating 

the website from college. 

This is the Moffatts’ “first 

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retail thing,” although they 

have been in the business of 

good customer service for 15 

years with Glenn’s Auto Body 

in Antioch. After selling that 

GLENN AND ROBIN MOFFATT, OWNERS OF EAST BAY WORK WEAR, with sales manager Gary 

White bring a legacy of good customer service to new venture. 

business, Glenn recognized a 

niche for one-stop shopping 

for work clothes – heavy duty, 

safety or uniform-specific 

attire, accessories or footwear. 

Customers of work-specific 

clothing are brand loyal to 

insure quality, safety and comfort. 

“If a tow truck driver has 

to lie down in the pouring rain, 

he doesn’t want to get wet,” 

says Robin. “A welder doesn’t 

want to catch on fire. They 

need clothing to protect 

them.” 

Ordering parts for the auto 

body business prepared the 

Moffatts for purchasing different 

brands, sizes and styles of 

clothing and footwear for their 

new business. Networking 

resulted in the right vendor 

contacts. East Bay Work Wear 

opened three months ago 

behind the Park ’N’ Shop center 

in Concord. 

“A lot of people know 

what they want, they just have 

to find the store,” says Robin. 

East Bay Work Wear is at 

1950 Market St., Concord. For 

more information, call 687-9900. 

Seniors a high risk group in flu season 

KELLY FERRO 

SENIOR MOMENTS 

The flu is a contagious 

infection of the nose, throat 

and lungs caused by the 

influenza virus. In temperate 

climates, influenza A usually 

arrives between early winter 

and early spring. Influenza B 

can appear at any time of the 

year. 

The most common way to 

catch the flu is by breathing in 

droplets from coughs or 

sneezes. The flu can also be 

spread by touching a surface 

such as a door knob or phone 

that has the virus on it and 

then touching the eyes, nose or 

mouth. 

Symptoms can appear one 

to seven days later, but most 

commonly within a few days. 

The flu spreads through the air 

and is very contagious. It often 

strikes a community all at 

once, causing an epidemic illness. 

This results in many 

school absences and missed 

employment. 

Seniors who live in a senior 

living community need to be 

diligent about hand washing 

and wiping down surfaces as 

this is a community in itself. 

Tens of millions of people 

in the United States get the flu 

each year. Most get better 

within a week or two, but 

many become ill enough to 

need a stay in the hospital. 

About 36,000 people die each 

year from complications from 

the flu. 

The flu usually begins 

abruptly with a fever of 102- 

106 degrees. Often an adult 

will have a fever lower than 

that of a child. This fever can 

last for a day or two but can 

last as many as five days. 

Other common symptoms 

include body aches, chills, 

dizziness, headache, lack of 

energy, nausea and vomiting. 

Between two and four days, 

the “whole body” symptoms 

begin to subside and respiratory 

symptoms increase. 

The most common respiratory 

symptom is usually a dry 

hacking cough. Runny nose 

and sneezing are also among 

“The flu spreads 

through the air and is 

very contagious. It 

often strikes a community 

all at once, causing 

an epidemic illness. 

This results in many 

school absences and 

missed employment.” 

these symptoms, which usually 

disappear within four to seven 

days. Other symptoms may 

include loss of appetite, muscle 

aches, stiffness and sweating. 

Treatment for a mild case 

of the flu and for those not at 

high risk includes plenty of 

rest, taking medications that 

relieve symptoms and help you 

rest, drinking plenty of fluids, 

and avoiding aspirin (especially 

teens and children), alcohol, 

tobacco and antibiotics (unless 

necessary for another illness). 

Most individuals who get 

seasonal flu will likely recover 

without needing medical care. 

Those at high risk, such as seniors, 

should talk to a doctor 

about getting a flu vaccine. 

The shot is normally given at 

the beginning of the flu season, 

late October or early 

November in the United 

States. The flu shot is 

approved for those individuals 

6 months and older. 

During this season, take 

every precaution to stay 

healthy. Talk to your doctor 

and take steps to be the best 

you can be this winter. 

Kelly Ferro is a marketing director 

for Aegis Living. Send comments 

or questions to 

kelly.ferro@aegisliving.com 

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Page 10 Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com October 22, 2010 

Kitchens 

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Keep trick-or-treating safe – and fun 

DAN LAWRENCE 

FROM THE CHIEF 

Most people look forward to 

Halloween each year, especially 

kids. Children like dressing up in 

costumes, but mostly they like 

to get the candy and treats that 

are given out at each house they 

visit. 

However, the excitement 

Police Report 

ACCIDENTS 

7:18 p.m. Oct. 2, Clayton 

Rd./Washington Blvd. Noninjury 

collision. 

8:15 a.m. Oct. 7, Clayton 

Rd./Atchinson Stage Dr. Noninjury 

collision. 

ARRESTS 

9:52 a.m. Oct. 1, Mt. 

Olympus Pl. A 43-year-old 

Clayton man arrested for outstanding 

warrant. 


Rd. A 40-year-old Clayton 

woman arrested for petty theft 

after call for service. 

8:52 p.m. Oct. 1, Main St. 

A male juvenile arrested for 

receiving stolen property and 

petty theft after call for service. 

What to consider in deciding 

where aging parents should live 

As parents age, it often 

becomes more difficult for them 

to live independently and manage 

their own affairs without 

outside help. The thought of 

mom or dad leaving the comfort 

of the family home can be a 

painful and challenging proposition 

for everyone involved, but if 

it’s no longer safe or practical for 

them to live alone, adult children 

often need to intervene and help 

find an alternative living arrangement. 

At that point, the question 

becomes whether you should 

invite Mom or Dad to live with 

you in your home or help facilitate 

a move to a nursing home or 

other senior living facility. 

Consider the following when 

deciding how to address an elderly 

parent’s living situation. 

THE EMOTIONAL 

ROLLER COASTER 

It helps to realize you’re 

that this holiday creates can 

sometimes cause trick-ortreaters 

to engage in unsafe 

activity while trying to get as 

much candy as possible. 

Historically speaking, accidents 

and injuries are more likely 

to occur on Halloween night 

than on other nights of the year. 

As a result, I have provided a 

few common sense and simple 

ideas to help you protect yourself 

and your kids while trickor-treating 

on Halloween. 

� Know the trick-or-treat 

route that your kids will take. 

� Wear light-colored or reflective 

costumes. 

� Younger children should be 

accompanied by an adult. 

� Kids should go out in a 


Rd. A 51-year-old Oakland 

man arrested for commercial 

burglary and robbery after 

call for service. 

8:30 p.m. Oct. 3, Main St. 

A 48-year-old Concord man 

arrested for domestic battery, 

DUI, evading an officer and a 

probation violation after call 

for service. 

10:03 p.m. Oct. 6, 

Clayton Rd./El Camino Dr. A 

33-year-old Clayton woman 

arrested for possession of 

marijuana after stop for vehicle 

code violation. 

8:15 a.m. Oct. 7, Clayton 

Rd./Atchinson Stage Dr. A 30year-old 

Clayton man arrested 

for driving on suspended 

entering a very emotional territory 

– for you and your parents 

– when you broach the subject 

of a move. Adult children typically 

experience feelings of 

worry, guilt and sadness. You 

may also be frustrated by a parent’s 

lack of cooperation or 

combativeness. For the parent, 

there most likely will be a degree 

of sadness and, in some cases, 

anger. Understandably, parents 

will mourn their status as independent 

adults, which may be 

compounded by grief over a 

lost spouse, failing health or the 

prospect of dying. Be patient 

and respectful of one another 

and avoid rushing the decisionmaking 

process as best you can. 

AVAILABLE 

ACCOMMODATIONS 

Before you ask Mom or Dad 

to move in with you, think 

about the realities of this scenario. 

Does your home have the 

group and stay together. 

� Take a cell phone and flashlight 

with you. 

� Do not enter a stranger’s 

house or car for any reason. 

� Look both ways before 

crossing the street. 

� Carefully examine your 

treats before eating them. 

Don’t eat any treat that looks 

like it has been tampered 

with or looks suspicious. 

� Vandalism is not cool. 

Throwing eggs at cars or 

houses can cause injuries or 

property damage. If you see 

anybody engaged in this type 

of criminal behavior, report 

them to the police immediately. 

I firmly believe that by 

license after traffic collision. 

2:07 a.m. Oct. 9, 

Clayton Rd./Mitchell 

Canyon Rd. A 20-year-old 

Clayton man arrested for 

public intoxication after 

being contacted by officers 

in the roadway. 

12:31 p.m. Oct. 10, 

Marsh Creek Rd./Clayton Rd. 

A 40-year-old Concord 

woman arrested for driving 

on suspended license after 

stop for vehicle code violation. 

2:30 p.m. Oct. 13, 

Clayton Rd. A 34-year-old Los 

Angeles woman arrested for 

cruelty to animals after call for 

service. 

6:15 p.m. Oct. 14, 

Clayton Rd. A 40-year-old 

man arrested for commercial 

burglary after call for service. 

necessary space and amenities? 

You may need to remodel to 

accommodate special needs, 

such as a ramp for wheelchair 

access, safety bars in the bathrooms 

and so on. Many senior 

living communities are designed 

with these needs in mind. 

LOCATION, LOCATION, 

LOCATION 

It’s safe to assume your parent 

would prefer to remain close 

to the old neighborhood and 

existing support systems such as 

friends, place of worship, 

healthcare providers and so 

forth. If moving in with you 

means moving across town (or 

across the country), the transition 

may become all the more 

difficult for your parent. 

THE PRECARIOUS NATURE 

OF RELATIONSHIPS 

How well you get along with 

your parent can also help you 

decide whether living together 

again (after all these years) is a 

smart move. If your relationship 

was contentious, it probably 

won’t get better in close 

quarters. Then again, if your 

parent is opposed to living in 

senior housing such as a nursing 

home, living together may be 

the only option to keep the 

peace. But wait — you also need 

to consider others living in your 

home. Before you settle on a 

decision, be sure to have an 

open and frank discussion with 

the other members of your 

household about the implications 

of having Mom or Dad 

move in. 

LEVEL OF CARE REQUIRED 

Be honest with yourself 

about how much care you can 

give on your own. If your parent 

moves in with you, will you 

be able to provide the appropri- 

incorporating these basic, common 

sense safety tips into trickor-treating, 

the risk of accidents 

or injury will be greatly reduced 

this year. By keeping Halloween 

a fun and safe adventure, you 

and your kids will look forward 

to many happy years of 

Halloween fun in the future. 

Contact the Clayton Police 

Department at 925-673-7350, 9 

a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, if 

you have questions or can offer 

additional ideas for a safer 

Halloween. 

Dan Lawrence is Clayton’s Police 

Chief. Please send your questions, 

comments or topics you’d like to 

see covered to DanL@cpd.ci. 

concord.ca.us 

BURGLARIES/THEFTS 

8:52 p.m. Oct 1, Main St. 

Petty theft. 


Rd. Petty theft. 


Rd. Commercial burglary, 

robbery. 

11:20 p.m. Oct. 2, Center 

St./Oak St. Robbery. 

9:15 a.m. Oct. 3, Main 

St./Morris St. Grand theft. 

5:04 p.m. Oct. 6, Diablo 

View Lane. Petty theft. 

11:15 a.m. Oct. 14, 

Heritage Trail. Petty theft. 

VANDALISM 

8:13 p.m. Oct. 8, 

Oakhurst Dr./Indian Wells Dr. 

3:25 p.m. Oct. 8, 

Stranahan Dr. 

6:03 a.m. Oct. 10, High 

St./Oak St. 

MURELEEN BENTON 

FINANCIAL SENSE 

ate level of supervision, assistance 

with daily cares and doses 

of medication, rides to the doctors’ 

office and more? Are you 

ready to make and serve three 

meals a day, manage the additional 

burden on your laundry 

and tolerate the invasion of 

your privacy? You may have the 

time, energy and willingness to 

joyfully take on these responsibilities. 

Or you may not. Avoid 

taking on more than you can 

handle and seek the help of professionals 

if you are able to do 

so. 

THE COSTS AND WHO 

WILL PAY THEM 

Whether you open your 

home to a parent or help find a 

suitable alternative, there will be 

costs involved. If your parent 

needs to rely on you for financial 

assistance, a financial advisor 

can help you sort out the 

ramifications to your budget of 

having another boarder under 

your roof or contributing to the 

cost of nursing home care. If 

you are paying for more than 

half of a parent’s living expenses 

or paying for medical expenses, 

you may be eligible for a tax 

break. Talk to your tax preparer 

to see if you qualify for deductions. 

DON’T HESITATE TO SEEK 

HELP WITH THE DECISION 

No one can tell you what to 

do when the time comes to 

decide on new living arrangements 

for an elderly parent. 

Rally extended family members 

See Financial, page 15


The tail tells the story – from excitement to anxiety 

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 

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 

movement. 

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 

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 

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 

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- 

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- 

uncertainty -- perhaps at the aware the dog is of his environ- its environment. 

is waiting for the other dog to takable easy grin. 

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 

ELENA BICKER 

PET PALS 

when going someplace new. A 

relaxed dog, wandering in for 

belly rubs, wags about level with 

its back. An excited dog seeing a 

squirrel or anticipating someone 

throwing a tennis ball has a high 

focused, while hunting or perceiving 

a potential for danger, 

for example, his tail might not 

wag at all. A dog whose tail is 

wagging wildly might be totally 

unaware as he smacks the furni- 

of all three factors gives a better 

picture of the meaning of the 

tail wag. For example, when a 

dog greets another dog with a 

high, stiffly wagging tail, expect 

sudden action – usually a 

flight or play. 

Looking at the whole dog, 

including the tail, is the best 

evaluation of a dog’s feelings. A 

dog with a rigid body, a closed 

mouth and a low wagging tail is 

which your best friend greets 

you at the front door. 

Elena Bicker is the Executive Director 

of Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue 

Foundation. She can be reached at (925) 

256-1ARF (1273) 

(above back level) wagging tail. ture or clears a coffee table. 

A high tail wag can also predict The stiffness of a dog’s tail 

extreme behavior such as charg- directly relates to the dog’s level 

ing rather than trotting or walk- of relaxation. The dog’s whole 

ing to greet. 

body usually corresponds with 

The rate of the wag express- the tail’s rigidity. A dog that is 

Wagging tails aren’t always a 

sign of joy. 

A wag expresses the many 

states of a dog’s mind and is as 

nuanced as a smile. It’s capable 

of expressing not only happiness, 

but also anxiety, confusion, 

mischief, excitement and ambi- 

Canine thwarts endangered 

escapee just yards from freedom 

NICCI SHIPSTEAD 


Laura Kelly’s dog Ryley 

always finds the biggest tree 

branch possible to carry home 

from a walk. So she was not surprised 

when the 5-year-old 

golden retriever dashed into the 

brush off the fire trail in 

Oakhurst and began snuffling 

around one day in mid- 

September. 

But this time, the treasure 

began to move. That is how 

Kelly’s companion became the 

first Clayton canine to rescue an 

endangered species – a desert 

tortoise. 

“The turtle went half way 

into his shell. It seemed a little 

startled, but then kind of 

friendly,” she said. 

Kelly picked up the 10-inch 

diameter shell like a football and 

brought it home to her two 

boys, Nicholas, 5, and Brayden, 

3. They named the green, wrinkled 

prehistoric-looking creature 

Yoda in honor of the character 

in one of their favorite 

movies, “Star Wars.” 

“I thought he was a baby 

giant tortoise like we see at 

Marine World,” Kelly said. “The 

kids were all excited. We 

propped up a plastic swimming 

pool in the backyard and he 

went under there.” 

Kelly promptly called the 

Lindsay Wildlife Museum, 

researched a tortoise rescue 

group and called a couple of pet 

shops hoping to find a missing 

pet report. After about two 

hours, she assumed she would 

have the tortoise overnight. So 

she called Lindsay 

Rehabilitation Hospital again to 

Clayton Girl Scouts Casey 

Mitchell and Miranda Hansen 

of Troop 31895 are collecting 

pet supplies for Tony La 

Russa’s ARF at Pet Food 

find out how to care for it. This 

time, someone recalled a report 

from Aug. 5 regarding a missing 

tortoise from a neighboring 

street in Clayton. 

Kelly contacted the Marr 

family, who was excited to get 

their long-time family pet back. 

John Marr estimates the desert 

tortoise is more than 50 years 

old. 

John’s brother, Jim, was gifted 

Sugar at the age of 5 following 

good behavior at a dental 

exam. When the adult Jim’s 

home could not accommodate 

the pet with a projected lifespan 

of 80-100 years, it moved to the 

mother’s home in Palo Alto – 

where it once escaped. When 

she moved to a retirement facility, 

Sugar moved to John’s home 

in Clayton. 

John’s 14-year-old son could 

not bear to call the reptile by its 

oh-so-sweet name and dubbed 

him Torti. While the Marrs 

Girl Scouts collect pet 

supplies for ARF 

Casey Mitchell and Miranda 

Hansen earn their Silver 

Award with ARF fundraiser. 

SUGAR, A 50-YEAR-OLD DESERT TORTOISE escaped from his Clayton 

home in early August and was on the run until mid-September. 

The Kelly family’s golden retriever Ryley discovered Sugar while 

on his daily stick-hunt. Sugar is now home with his owners. 

Express, 5404 Ygnacio Valley 

Rd., Concord, from 11 a.m. to 

3 p.m., Nov. 6-7. 

Help the girls earn their Girl 

Scout Silver Award by donating 

cat and dog toys, treats, litter 

boxes and scoopers and pet 

toys. Customers who purchase 

an item to donate from Pet 

Food Express will receive a 

coupon for 20 percent off 

toward a future purchase. Their 

goal is to collect at least 75 

items to help ARF care for dogs 

and cats rescued from shelters. 

The Girl Scouts are also collecting 

gently used supplies 

including towels and blankets. 

Drop these donations off at 

Diablo View Middle School 

during the month of October. 

For more information, call 

Christine Mitchell (925) 348-3925. 

vacationed, Torti made his second 

escape on Aug. 2. 

“We searched for more than 

four weeks and posted signs 

around the neighborhood,” said 

Leslie Marr. “We didn’t want to 

tell Jim. But after six weeks, we 

were resigned he was gone and 

getting ready to tell him.” 

Then the Lindsay Wildlife 

Museum left a message reporting 

Torti had been found. 

“We had him checked by a 

local vet. He had an eye infection 

and scratches on his under 

shell,” Leslie reported. 

The Marrs had searched 

downhill, thinking Torti had 

gone in search of water. 

However, the tortoise rescue 

group Kelly contacted explained 

that they usually travel east. 

Kelly said that, in fact, the tortoise 

was headed uphill through 

tall, thick and stickery underbrush 

– or eastward. 

“I think he was headed to 

the top for the view,” Kelly said. 

“After planning his escape for 

more than 50 years, he’s found 

just yards from his destination 

by a young golden … it makes a 

good headline though,” she 

said. 

Western & English, 

Beginner to Advanced 

Aerial Parade and Motta are 

ARF’s Adoption Stars 

AERIAL PARADE 

One-year-old Aerial Parade 

is a flurry of life and activity. 

She is a bright, outgoing Basenji 

mix who will do best with an 

adopter who can provide daily 

activity to satisfy her mental and 

physical energy demands. Aerial 

Parade’s agility and intelligence 

will make training her a joy. 

View her video at 

youtube.com/tlrarf. 

The adoption fee for adult 

dogs is $225 and includes 60 

percent off one 7-week dog 

training session. 

Motta is a social butterfly 

who loves tons of attention. 

This friendly, playful Siamese 

would make a great addition to a 

busy family looking for an 

attentive companion. Threeyear-old 

Motta may enjoy kitten 

friends as well. She is suitable 

Private Riding Lessons - 

1/2 price lessons for Oct/Nov 

($32.50 reg $65) 

for a first time cat owner. 

The adoption fee for adult 

cats is $50. 

Meet your forever friend at 

Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue 

Foundation, 2890 Mitchell 

Drive, Walnut Creek, during 

adoption hours: 3 to 7 p.m. 

Thursday and Friday, Noon to 5 

p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The 

primary caretaker must be present 

to adopt. ARF also encourages 

kids 16 and younger and 

canine family members (dog 

adoptions only) to be present 

during the adoption process. 

Would you like to be part of the 

heroic team that saves the lives of rescued 

dogs and cats? Can you share 

your talents to connect people and ani- 

MOVE IN SPECIAL 

$395/mo. 

for the first 3 months 

(Oct. through Dec.) 

925-360-7454 �� 3141 Morgan Territory Rd. 

earthquakearabians.com 

mals? ARF volunteers are making a 

difference! For more information see 

our website, www.arf.net, or call 

925.256.1ARF. 

MOTTA 

Extraordinary Care for your Pet 

FALL SPECIAL 

Staffed 

24/7 

Come check us out 

25% off Boarding & Grooming services 

FREE Pick up & Delivery 

First time customers 

Must bring this ad. 1 per customer, exp. 12/31/2010 

Josie Van Fleet, Owner and Operator 

(925) 432-PETS (7387) 

671 Willow Pass Road #6, Pittsburg 

visit our website at www.PetSuitesInn.com 

State of the Art, 

Boarding Facility, 

with Covered Arena


925.689.4631 

visit: visit: claytonvalleybowl.com 

Clayton Valley Bowl 

5300 Clayton Road �� Concord, CA 

Clayton Sports 

Water polo alumni games show mixed results 



The longest running alumni 

games at Clayton Valley High 

School are the annual water 

polo matches at Concord 

Community Pool, which are followed 

by a barbecue for current 

and former Eagle polo players. 

This year, the Clayton Valley 

girls’ alumni defeated the varsity 

team 16-11, while the CVHS 

varsity boys wore down the former 

Eagles to claim a 17-11 win. 

The girls’ alumni squad featured 

players going back to the 

class of 1995. Scoring goals for 

the winning grads were Lindsay 

Kiyama, Allison Johnstone, 

Natalie Jennings, Meghan Pardi 

and Natalie Nelson, while Dani 

DeBoever got in the pool for 

the first time in years and made 

nine saves in goal for the alums. 

The varsity boys’ team won 

against an alumni team with the 

majority of the players from the 

1980s and ’90s. The oldest player 

in the pool was Vernon 

Rogers, who is going into the 

CVHS Hall of Fame this 

month and graduated in 1979. 

Long-time CVHS polo 

coach Dennis Bledsoe, who 

hosted the post-game meal, said 

the alums “ran out of gas” in 

the fourth quarter and the varsity, 

in the midst of its season, 

powered to victory. 

Kid’s Fall Leagues 

Photo credit: Kathy DeBoever 

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 

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 

(Soph), Ashley Richman; bending over second row, Cherlyn Brock (Sr), Kimi Anderson (Fr), Sara Johnson (Fr), Sarah Abele (Fr), Avery Van Horn (Sr), Cheyenne 

Colomb (Jr), Alexis Lamareaux (Jr); standing, Ashley Jennings, Ally Hansen (Sr), Michelle Lutz (Soph), Taylor Ryle (Soph), Logan Shaw (Jr), Hannah Polshuk, Gabby 

Creamer (Sr), Gina Devecchio, Dani DeBoever, Meghan Pardi, Sabrina Inloes, Kayla Butler, Lindsay Hansen and Lindsay Kiyama. 

CVHS Hall of Fame welcomes second class of inductees 

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Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer 

CLAYTON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME CO-CHAIRS 

BILL NELSON AND DEE BILLETER have spent countless hours 

researching potential members of the Hall of Fame. CVHS 

yearbooks were a good source of information as they followed 

up on nominations submitted by the public. The Hall of 

Fame Class of 2010 induction ceremony is Oct. 30 at Centre 

Concord. Nelson and Billeter spent a combined 69 years on 

the Concord campus as teachers, coaches and athletic directors 

before both retired in 2003. 

Saturdays 

at 10:30 am 

This is the second in a three-part 

series about the 2010 Clayton Valley 

High School Athletic Hall of Fame. 



An incredible array of athletes, 

coaches, teams and community 

leaders from the 1960s, 

’70s and ’80s will be permanently 

memorialized at the second 

Clayton Valley High School 

Athletic Hall of Fame induction 

ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 30, 

at Centre Concord. 

A committee of long-time 

CVHS coaches and alumni 

selected a distinguished Class of 

2010 to join the inaugural Hall 

of Fame Class from 2008 during 

the Concord school’s golden 

anniversary. Plans call for special 

displays in a new Wall of 

Fame in the multi-use room at 

CVHS featuring athletics, arts 

and academic Hall of Famers. 

The inductees this year are: 

Doug Van Wyck 

CLU ChFC, Agent 

Insurance Lic. # 0586396 

6200 Center St. Ste. A 

Clayton, CA 94517 

925-672-2300 

Coaches: Howard Marshall 

and Roger Zino. 

Athletes: Jenny Bader Baker, 

Kris Colchico, Brook Knight 

Constable, Jeri Pournaras Feuer, 

Dave Gotz, Lisa Barbieri 

Hobson, Tom Hook, Kellie 

Ruiz Leffle, Craig Marble, 

Gilbert Martinez, Courtney 

Nelson Murrell, Vernon Rogers, 

Ray Santucci, Todd Skow, Frank 

Snyder, Karey Sheehan Venegas, 

Steve Villa and Mickey 

Wharton. 

Teams: 1960 boys basketball, 

’60s-’70s girls Pioneers, 1974 

football and 1988 girls basketball. 

Community Leadership: 

Laurie Anderson Rose and Mike 

Rose. 

Hall of Fame co-chairs Dee 

Billeter and Bill Nelson gathered 

nominees from the general 

public during the past year. 

Making the final selections with 

the chairs were Ralph 

Belluomini, Dennis Bledsoe, 

Protect your family for less, 

build cash value or even get 

your premiums back if the 

death benefit has not been 

paid out at the end of the 

level premium period. 

Pete Carpino, Ron Clark, Tom 

DiMercurio, Dick Ellis, Debra 

Gonsalves, A.J. Hanson, Karen 

Johnson, Kim Lackey, John 

Millar and Herc Pardi. Lackey is 

a 2008 inductee. 

CVHS grad Terry Newberry 

will be master of ceremonies at 

the induction ceremony. 

Kellie Ruiz Leffle 

Volleyball-softball, 1980 

Kellie entered Clayton Valley 

High in 1976, playing four years 

of varsity volleyball and softball 

while winning seven league 

championships. While at CVHS, 

her teams won three league 

titles in volleyball and, as a 

frosh, her Eagles were North 

Coast Section 3A champions. 

Tickets are $50 and may be purchased 

through mdusd.k12.ca.us/ 

claytonvalley, click on Web store, or by 

sending a check to CVHS Hall of 

Fame, P.O. Box 203, Clayton CA 

94517. Contact Billeter at 672- 

6379 or Nelson at 672-4092 for 

more information. 

2010 CVHS Hall of 

Fame inductees 

She was named All-League and 

NCS All-Tournament. The 

1976 volleyball team was 

inducted into the CVHS Hall of 

Fame in 2008. 

Volleyball went on to repeat 

as NCS champs in her sophomore 

and senior years. The 

1979 team went to the first 

round of the state tournament. 

See Hall of Fame, page 14


Athlete 

Name: Camille Condit 

Age: 17 

Sport: Volleyball 

Team: CVHS Volleyball 

Camille Condit has always enjoyed 

music and the Clayton Valley High senior 

has been in the school choir for four years. 

However her biggest notoriety in high 

school has come on the volleyball court. 

She was introduced to the sport when older 

5K run, 

from page 1 

CVHS athletic director Pat 

Middendorf, who chairs 

UMDAF, said that the $75,000 

exceeded the group’s projections. 

“All in all, we thought it was a 

very fantastic event,” she said. “It 

was pretty evident that the athletes 

themselves showed up in 

great number to support this 

event.” 

Following Clayton Valley 

with the most registered participants 

were College Park, 

Northgate, Concord, Mt. Diablo 

and Ygnacio Valley high schools. 

CVHS coach Michelle 

Howisey’s Eagles cross country 

team was well-represented in the 

15-19 and 10-14 age groups. “All 

my athletes participated in the 

5K. They weren’t racing, but all 

ran,” Howisey said. “They were 

very organized and dressed in a 

jungle theme, which included 

them meeting in advance to 

make costumes together. We 

even had quite a few parents 

run.” 

Six of the top 10 girls in the 

15-19 age group are on the 

CVHS cross-country team. 

Sarah Litwiller (1st), Alexandra 

Tate (2nd), Megan Mayhew 

(4th), Melissa Del Bene (5th), 

Brigitte Leblow (7th) and Ning 

Ning Hu (10th) all placed in the 

top 10. Rachel Preeg was second 

in the 10-14 age group. 

On the boys’ side, Clayton 

freshmen Danny Condon and 

Taylor Linzey placed among the 

top six in the 10-14 age group. 

Sean Wanket of Concord was 

first. Clayton’s Johnny McCluhan 

and Braden Hart were leaders in 

the boys 9 and under race. 

Litwiller, now at Sacramento 

State, ran both races and then 

said he needed to run six more 

miles for his team workout. He 

hoped to make it back before the 

awards ceremony was over. Of 

course, he did. 

“An outstanding runner and 

person, we are really proud he 

represented CV again this time 

as an alumnus,” Middendorf said 

of Litwiller. 

In the adult categories, Katie 

of the 

Week 


Wanket of Pleasant Hill was the 

first overall woman in a time of 

19:28.65. Shannon Carr and 

Patricia Sackett were Concord 

runners in the top six of women 

20-29. Ursula Reynosa of 

Concord was first in women 30- 

39, Mary Trumble of Concord 

and Carina Fryer of Clayton 

were in the top five 40-49; 

Kimberly Tank of Concord and 

Jennifer Roe of Clayton were top 

six in 50-59. 

On the men’s side, local runners 

Aaron Takahashi, Tapinder 

Singh, Kevin Dixon and Shaneel 

Kumar were top 20-29 finishers. 

Abel Vanegas of Concord was 

third in men 30-39, while Kevin 

White, Dan Wanket, Tim 

Llacuna and Mark Catalano 

were top 8 at 40-49. The men’s 

50-59 group was dominated by 

local runners with Thom 

Trimble, Chris Ware, Bill 

Hermens, Michael Smidebush, 

Bob Hermens, Keith 

I can help you 

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then find the appropriate financial solutions that can help you 

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To start a conversation, call me at (925) 685-4523 

sister Amanda signed up for club volleyball 

and the girl’s mom enrolled younger sister 

Camille too. The Condit sisters played 

together for one year at CVHS when 

Camille was just a freshman and made the 

varsity squad. Four years later she leads the 

Christensen, Bill Svoboda and 

Stan Roe all in the top 10. In 

men 60-69, Fortwnato Perez, 

Rex Takahashi, Rees Markham 

and Tony Pawlowicz posted top 

times. Bryan Holmes was the 

No. 1 70-79 runner. 

“Our second annual Save 

Our Sports 5K run was a magical 

morning of our community 

coming together to support athletics 

in our high schools,” said 

event co-chair Marci Finley. “We 

had a total of 110 volunteers 

coming from all of the six high 

schools, including 30 provided 

by Diablo Futbol Club.” 

According to Finley, the 

sense of urgency created by the 

initial announcement of the 

school board cutting the funding 

of sports has waned. 

“What the public is missing is 

that we are in the exact same 

position as we were last year. We 

need to raise $1.2 million to continue 

athletics in MDUSD or the 

Antioch 

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Brentwood 

(925) 634-6366 

team in kills, is second in blocks and third in 

aces and digs. She’s also “one of the first 

players in the gym for practice or back from 

water breaks, and can be found hitting or 

serving extra balls,” according to her coach 

Lisa Barbieri Hobson, herself a former 

Eagle standout. Camille was first-team all- 

DVAL last year and has hopes of attending 

the US Naval Academy next year. 

Sport Chalet congratulates Camille Condit 

and rewards her achievement with a Sport Chalet 

gift card. 

Do you know a young athlete that 

should be recognized? Perhaps he or 

she has shown exceptional sportsmanship, 

or remarkable improvement, 

or great heart for the sport. 

Send your nomination for the Pioneer 

Athlete Spotlight to 

sports@claytonpioneer.com. 


THE BROTHER-SISTER COMBO OF SARAH AND NATHANAEL LITWILLER was all smiles after posting top 

times at the second annual 5K Run benefiting the United Mt. Diablo Athletic Foundation in 

Newhall Park. Nathanael Litwiller, who now runs for Sacramento State and is an alumnus of 

Clayton Valley High School, repeated as the fastest overall runner in the 5K race with a time of 

16:31.46. Sister Sarah Litwiller, a CVHS senior, was the top 15-19 female runner with her 

20:47.58 time, which barely edged her Eagle teammate Alexandra Tate. 

Mureleen Benton, CFP ® , Financial Advisor 

5356 Clayton Rd., Suite 211, Concord, CA 94521 

(925) 685-4523 

Mureleen.M.Benton@ampf.com 

CA License #0692378 

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Member FINRA and SIPC. Your meeting will include a review of your existing financial situation and 

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planning services for which fees are charged. © 2010 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved. 

Concord 

(925) 686-1739 

Pittsburg 

(925) 432-9910 

board will cancel sports,” Finley 

noted. 

“Sunday’s 5K was a success. 

The six high schools and the 

community came together to 

make a difference and we did. 

Now we just have to keep at it.” 

Adding to the color and festivities 

at Newhall Park were San 

Francisco radio station KMEL 

blasting music while cheerleaders 

and school mascots from several 

schools, including the CVHS 

Eagles, were dancing and playing 

with the crowd. The Mt. Diablo 

High Tahitian dancers made a 

repeat appearance. The school 

mascots led off the kiddie race 

and had a dance contest to conclude 

the morning’s festivities. 

“We had more sponsors this 

year, but had about 600 fewer 

runners,” said Middendorf, who 

was still reviewing figures. “It 

appears the adult runners were 

the category that dropped the 

most.” 

Clayton resident, 

Mike Rose, has been in 

business for over 36 

years and has always 

provided quality repair 

with excellent 

customer service! 

Mike Rose’s Auto Body 

Concord (925) 689-1739 

Six other locations to serve you 

Walnut Creek 

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Walnut Creek 

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Help the Pioneer cover the local sports scene. 

Send competition results, story ideas, announcements, 

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

attach a high-resolution photo whenever available. 

Sports Shorts 

CVHS ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTION OCT. 30 

The second Clayton Valley High School Athletic Hall of Fame 

induction ceremony and dinner will be Saturday, Oct. 30, at Centre 

Concord. The event will honor athletes, coaches, teams and community 

leaders from the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s. 

Tickets are $50 and may be purchased at mdusd.k12.ca.us/claytonvalley 

(click on Web store) or send a check to CVHS HofF, P.O. 

Box 203, Clayton CA 94517. 

For more information, call Dee Billeter at 672-6379 or Bill Nelson 

at 672-4092. 

YOUTH FUTSAL, OTHER TEAMS FORMING AT 

CLAYTON GYM 

Indoor soccer, aka futsal, is coming to Clayton Community Gym 

this winter. Boys teams in the under 10, 12 and 14 age groups are 

forming a league for the five-a-side game. The league will run Nov. 

6-Dec. 30. There will also be an under 14 girls tournament at the 

gym Nov. 27-28. 

Other November events at the Clayton gym include a youth winter 

basketball academy for boys and girls second to ninth grades, an 

adult winter volleyball league and total body fitness for adults. 

For more information or to register, visit their website at 

alloutsportsleague-clayton.com. 

DIABLO FC WINTER SOCCER ACADEMY STARTS JAN. 6 

Diablo FC is holding its 10th annual Winter Soccer Academy 

Jan. 6-Feb. 17, 5-6 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays at Willow Pass Park 

No. 5, adjacent to the Willow Pass tennis courts in Concord. 

The renowned Diablo FC professional coaching staff will teach 

boys and girls 5-12 basic dribbling and juggling skills, passing and 

receiving the ball and ball striking. Youth of all skill levels from 

novice to those ready for competitive soccer are invited to attend. 

There are no tryouts; sign up at diablofc.org. 

DIABLO FC U8-U11 COMPETITIVE TRYOUTS IN JANUARY 

Diablo FC tryouts for the 2011-’12 season for under 8 through 

under 11 competitive teams will be held Jan. 23-30 in Concord. Boys 

and girls born between Aug. 1, 2000, and July 31, 2005, are invited 

to try out. 

There is no charge to try out; pre-register at diablofc.org. 

Dentistry 

for Infants, Children & Teenagers 

GGoo AAlll Outt!! Outt! 

Youth and 

Adult 

sports at the 

Clayton Community 

Gym 

Coed Adult 

Volleyball league 

in October 

Total body fitness 

class for adults in 

October 

Youth Winter 

Basketball 

Academy 

See website or 

call for details 

Jason M. Renner, D.D.S. 

Richard C. Rissel, D.M.D 

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Kellie was first team allleague 

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in volleyball and softball. 

Softball placed second in NCS. 

In her senior year, Kellie was 

CVHS softball MVP and All- 

East Bay. 

She received a softball 

scholarship to Cal State 

Fresno. 

Lisa Barbieri Hobson 

Volleyball-basketball-track, 1989 

Lisa moved up to varsity 

volleyball as a freshman for 

the playoffs and went on to 

play middle blocker on the varsity 

for the next three years. 

She also played two years of 

JV and one season of varsity 

basketball and four years on 

varsity track. 

During Lisa’s sophomore 

year, the volleyball team won 

the league championship with 

a 25-1 record and went to NCS 

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LISA BARBIERI HOBSON, 1989 

CVHS Athlete of the Year 

Most Improved and All- 

DVAL. Her junior year, volleyball 

finished second in DVAL 

and fifth in NCS playoffs. Lisa 

was again All-DVAL. 

She played center/forward 

on the basketball team that 

finished second in NCS and 

went to the NorCal playoffs. 

Lisa was again chosen MIP 

and first team All-League. She 

still holds school record for 

most rebounds (376) in a single 

season. She finished second 

in the high jump at DVAL 

and third at NCS. 

As a senior, Lisa was captain 

of the volleyball team that 

finished second in the new Bay 

Valley Athletic League and 

fifth in NCS. Lisa was MVP 

and first team All-BVAL. 

She was high jump champion 

at BVAL track finals and 

finished her career at Clayton 

Valley winning the 1989 

Athlete of the Year Award. 

Lisa received a full scholarship 

for volleyball at 

University of the Pacific and 

her team was second in the 

nation as a freshman and in 

the top 10 each of her final 

three years. She currently is the 

girls’ head varsity volleyball 

coach at CVHS. 

Brook Knight 

Constable 

Tennis-soccer-track, 1988 

Brook played three sports 

for Clayton Valley. She earned 

the No. 2 tennis singles spot 

and was team captain her senior 

year. Soccer became a sport 

in her junior year and she was 

All-DVAL and league scoring 

champ. As senior captain, she 

was instrumental in securing 

the Eagles their second 

straight DVAL championship. 

She made her mark as a 

freshman high jumper and 

would go on to three more 

track seasons, racking up accolades 

such as DVAL, NCS and 

Meet of Champions winner. 

She finally ascended from 16th 

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to fifth place at CIF State 

Meet. 

By the end of high school, 

Brook was 1988 Female 

Athlete of the Year, lettering 

nine times. 

Brook excelled at Fresno 

Pacific College in track and 

volleyball (a sport she took up 

in college) and finished with 

an NAIA National qualification 

in high jump and led the 

Sunbirds to an NAIA National 

Tournament fourth place in 

volleyball. 

She returned to Clayton 

Valley to teach English and 

leadership for 12 years. She 

also coached soccer and track 

for many seasons. 

Howard Marshall 

Coach, 1980-’93 

Howard coached girls’ basketball 

at Clayton Valley for 13 

years – 11 years at the varsity 

level. He has the longest 

tenure for a head varsity girls’ 

basketball coach in CV history. 

He also has the distinction of 

being the first Clayton Valley 

basketball coach to take a team 

to the North Coast Section 

championship game and the 

first to go to the Northern 

California Championships. 

He coached his Clayton 

Valley teams to 195 wins for a 

career .635 winning percentage. 

Before the 1982 season, 

Howard and Roger Zino 

switched places on the girls’ 

basketball staff with Howard 

taking over the varsity reins. In 

four seasons from 1985-’88, 

the team won three DVAL 

championships and was second 

once. The 1988 team was 

runner-up at NCS and went to 

the Northern California 

Championships. 

The coach always had a 

great love for the game of basketball 

and was an excellent 

teacher. With his skill and 

knowledge, he was able to 

inspire and motivate his athletes. 

His son Steve was inducted 

into the CVHS Hall of Fame 

in 2008 as part of the 1977 

State Champion wrestling 

team. 

1988 Girls’ 

Basketball Team 

The ’88 girls’ basketball 

team was the first Clayton 

Valley basketball team, boys or 

girls, to play in the championship 

game of the North 

Coast Section. They were also 

the first team to go on to the 

Northern California 

Championships. 

The DVAL championship 

team, under head coach 

Howard Marshall and assistant 

Roger Zino, featured seniors 

Kricki Bader, Michelle Jones, 

Amy Lunsford, Erin Schriefer, 

Kristie Van Fleet and Becky 

Vigil and juniors Lisa Barbieri, 

Bridget Billeter, Courtney 

Kenworthy and Amy 

Rufenach. They won DVAL 

with a 14-2 record, finished 

with an overall record of 23-9 

and made it to the NCS championship 

game. 

They received an at-large 

bid to the NorCal 

Tournament, where the Eagles 

lost to eventual the state champions, 

Fremont High of 

Oakland. 

Barbieri, Bader, Jones and 

Van Fleet were All-DVAL and 

Van Fleet was chosen DVAL 

Player of the Year and All- 

East Bay. 

Karey Sheehan 

Venegas 

Tennis-volleyball-basketballsoftball, 

1980 

Karey, a versatile, talented 

athlete who played four varsity 

sports, still has her name on 

the basketball record board in 

Clayton Valley Gym 30 years 

after graduating. She holds 

records for most career points 

(1236) and assists (442). 

As a freshman, she played 

basketball and tennis and both 

teams won league championships. 

The basketball team 

took third at the NCS championships. 

Her sophomore year, 

Karey played volleyball, basketball 

and softball. Volleyball 

won league and NCS championships, 

while softball took 

league and came in second at 

NCS. 

Karey’s junior year, the volleyball 

team won league again 

and she was All-League and 

NCS All-Tournament. Karey 

was the basketball captain and 

MVP. She was first team All- 

League, league leading scorer 

with a 22.1 average, All-East- 

Bay second team and Concord 

Transcript Girls Athlete of the 

Year. 

She was captain of the 

softball team, which won 

league for the third straight 

year, and she was on her third 

All-League team with a batting 

average of .453. 

The accolades continued in 

Karey’s senior year. She was 

volleyball captain and MVP, 

winning league and NCS 

championships. Karey was 

again an NCS All-Tournament 

selection and the team went to 

the state tournament. 

Basketball brought another 

league championship as she 

was captain and MVP, averaging 

23 points per game. Her 

honors included All-League, 

All-East-Bay, Big C Athlete of 

the Year, 1980 CVHS Athlete 

of the Year, All-Northern 

California and All-America by 

Scholastic Magazine. 

After graduation, she went 

to UC Berkeley and then Santa 

Clara. Her senior year, she was 

Santa Clara basketball captain 

and MVP. 

Courtney Nelson 

Murrell 

Diving, 1987 

Courtney entered CVHS in 

the fall of 1983 and was Most 

Valuable Diver and captain of 

the diving team for four years. 

She ended her first high school 

season setting a school record 

and placed second at NCS. 

During her sophomore and 

junior years, Courtney was 

league champion, placed at 

NCS meet, was third in the 

National Junior Olympics 

while doing well enough to 

qualify and compete in the 

Senior Nationals. 

Courtney earned All- 

America honors as a junior 

and senior. Her final year, she 

won the league and NCS 

championships and represented 

the United States in the 

Junior World Championships. 

Courtney finished her high 

school career as 1987 Athlete 

of the Year. 

In college, she won 11 All- 

America honors and was 

inducted into the BYU Hall of 

Fame in 2001. Courtney was a 

member of the U.S. National 

Team 1989-’92. In 1989, she 

competed in the U.S. Diving 

Nationals and, through a vote 

of coaches and peers, was presented 

the Phillips 66 

Performance Award. 

In 1992, Courtney competed 

in the Olympic Trials on the 

10-meter platform and 3meter 

spring board. She placed 

sixth and fifth in these events. 

Jeri Pournaras Feuer 

Tennis-basketball-track, 1985 

The three Pournaras siblings, 

Jeri, Dean and Shawn, 

played tennis together at 

Clayton Valley. Jeri lettered 10 

times at Clayton Valley and 

was 1985 Athlete of the Year. 

She was on varsity tennis four 

years, competed in varsity 

track her freshman through 

junior years and was varsity 

basketball her last three years. 

On the tennis courts, she 

was DVAL runner-up in No. 1 

doubles for two years, No. 3 

singles runner-up her junior 

year and league champion as 

No. 3 singles player her senior 

year. 

Switching to the basketball 

court, she was MVP as a sophomore 

and senior and twice 

All-DVAL. As a senior, she 

won the Oakland Tribune 

Athlete of the Year award. She 

led CVHS to the DVAL championship 

her senior year and 

still holds the record for most 

assists in a game at 14. She 

averaged 15.7 points, 5.6 

rebounds, 3.8 assists and five 

steals per game. 

As a freshman, Jeri was 

fourth in the NCS triple jump. 

She was first at the DVAL 

meet in the mile relay, 100 

meters and triple jump. She 

took second in the long jump. 

In 1983, she was track and 

field MVP. 

Jenny Bader Baker 

Volleyball-basketball, 1986 

Jenny still holds three 

records on the CVHS basketball 

board in the gym. She set 

marks for most career 

rebounds (831), rebounds in a 

game (22) and career free 

throws (301). 

Jenny began earning honors 

early in her athletic career. 

As a freshman, she was selected 

MVP for JV basketball. Her 

sophomore year, the first time 

she played volleyball, she was 

JV MVP. She played varsity 

volleyball her junior and senior 

years and was on varsity basketball 

as a sophomore, receiving 

Most Improved Player 

award. 

Her junior year, the basketball 

team won league and 

placed sixth at NCS. She was 

first team All-League and NCS 

All-Tournament. 

During Jenny’s senior year, 

the team won the Tracy Lion’s 

Club Tournament and she was 

named tourney MVP. The 

team repeated as DVAL 

champs and sixth place at 

NCS, with Jenny as co-captain 

and team MVP. She was named 

All-League first team, NCS 

All-Tourney and All-East Bay 

first team. She received the 

Oakland Tribune DVAL Girls 

Basketball Player of the Year 

Award and San Francisco 

Examiner Bay Area All-Star 

Honorable Mention. She 

ended her high school career 

as 1986 Girls Athlete of the 

Year. 

Jenny attended Los 

Medanos College and played 

basketball for two years, winning 

Coast Conference All- 

Conference honors and voted 

LMC MVP. Her sister Kricky 

is also being inducted this year 

as a member of the 1988 basketball 

team. 

Laurie Anderson Rose 

and Mike Rose 

For decades, Clayton Valley 

High graduates Mike and 

Laurie have given their time, 

talent and financial support to 

their alma mater. Their generosity, 

creativity and hard 

work have benefited CVHS 

programs in many areas. The 

Roses are staunch supporters 

of athletics and, through their 

efforts, the annual boosters’ 

golf tournament was started. 

Mike and Laurie and their 

business, Mike’s Auto Body, 

have worked in all aspects of 

fundraising with the CVHS 

Athletic Boosters Club and the 

list of their activities and 

donations is extensive. Their 

enthusiastic and generous 

response to the many and varied 

requests over the years has 

been phenomenal. 

Laurie is also being inducted 

this year as a CVHS Girls 

Sports Pioneer for her softball 

and basketball excellence.


Book Review 

‘Baking Cakes’ a backdrop for worldly lessons 

SUNNY SOLOMON 

FOR THE BOOKS 

I could tell Kigali was a place 

in Africa from the cover of 

“Baking Cakes in Kigali,” but 

until I turned the book over and 

read the blurbs, I had no idea 

about the story. 

When I read that the protagonist, 

Angel Tungaraza, a 

Tanzanian woman living with 

her family in Rwanda, was a 

kindhearted soul who befriended 

many people in the process 

of running her home business 

of baking cakes, I was intrigued. 

But don’t let the blurbs 

about Angel Tungaraza fool 

you. Author Gaile Parkin, a 

white South African who spent 

two years in Rwanda after the 

genocide, may have created a 

character who is kindhearted, 

but sweet Angel is also savvy, 

inherently wise, gutsy and a collector 

of stories the reader will 

not soon forget. 

Kigali is Rwanda’s capital 

city and was the heart of the 

1994 genocide. Parkin has not 

softened Kigali’s history. She 

has written the story of one 

woman who becomes a wellspring 

of stories depicting the 

human condition. 

Angel, a Catholic, lives with 

her Muslim husband, a consultant 

to a local university, and her 

grandchildren (her own children 

are dead) in a compound housing 

foreigners helping rebuild 

Rwanda. She is an entrepreneur 

who bakes cakes for almost anyone 

celebrating almost any 

occasion. 

Parkin wastes no time (page 

one) in showcasing Angel’s business 

acumen when describing 

her awaiting an important customer: 

She “had dressed smartly 

for the occasion, in a state of 

great anticipation of the benefits 

that it might bring.” Make 

no mistake, “benefits” is another 

word for money. 

Each customer must come 

to the Tungaraza apartment so 

that Angel can determine exactly 

what kind of cake she will 

bake. This requires her customers 

to reveal a great deal 

about themselves and the event 

to be celebrated. 

There is enough humor in 

the novel to ease any reader 

through its most difficult tales. 

A hidden reference to HIV as 

“the problem” is raised by one 

customer and Angel must think 

of a tactful way to respond. In 

so doing, her “eyebrows rushed 

Keep safety at the top of 

your holiday shopping list 

As we enter the busy season 

of shopping and parties, 

we may need to be reminded 

about “safety first.” 

First, here are a few tips 

when going shopping – not 

just for holiday gifts but even 

grocery shopping. 

Women should place handbags 

in the trunk of the car 

before leaving home. Take into 

the store only the credit 

card(s) you need or the appropriate 

cash. Do not broadcast 

to people hanging around 

parking lots that you have your 

purse in the trunk. 

Be careful of those behind 

you at the checkout counter, 

because people with cell 

phones could take a picture of 

your credit card and make a 

fraudulent card. 

After shopping, place all 

articles in your trunk; do not 

leave them inside of your car. 

Holiday gifts, groceries, etc. 

should be placed in the trunk 

and out of sight. 

Next, it’s time to think 

about rotation of emergency 

supplies. The Community 

Emergency Response Team 

suggests rotating water stored 

for emergencies every six 

months. Do it at the same time 

you replace smoke alarm batteries. 

Most folks will do this 

at the switch from standard 

time to daylight saving time 

and vice versa. 

Some people who use prescription 

drugs place a small 

emergency supply in the car’s 

glove compartment. Heat can 

change the chemical content 

of some drugs, so be careful 

about storing and rotating the 

drugs. Also, dispose of 

expired drugs properly. 

Pharmacies do not have “takeback” 

programs. However, we 

have a program in Clayton to 

dispose of unwanted drugs, 

including vitamins and liquids 

(cough syrup, etc). Place the 

items in a plastic bag and 

deposit them in the container 

on the second floor of City 

Hall. There is also a container 

for sharp objects, such as used 

needles. 

Following are the monthly 

recommendations for emergency 

preparedness: 

Financial, from page 10 

and wise family friends to 

explore your options and decide 

what may be the best route, 

given the circumstances. Enlist 

the insights of your financial 

advisor and tax preparer to 

determine how expenses will be 

managed and potentially shared 

by you and the parent involved. 

Keep a positive attitude and 

take advantage of the opportunity 

to help make things easier 

for your parent at this stage of 

life. By giving the situation 

proper care and thought, you 

can find a solution that works. 

to consult with each other 

across the bridge of her nose.” 

What is most striking in 

Parkin’s writing is the respect 

and warmth she shows for her 

characters. Most of the world 

knows Rwanda by its violence, 

and Parkin does not skirt this 

issue. Her characters deal with 

murder, prostitution, 

HIV/AIDS, the effects of 

colonialism, female genital 

mutilation, lack of sanitation, 

education of women and infidelity. 

They also deal with a 

fierce love of family, a keen and 

forgiving understanding of 

their neighbors, and a determined 

insistence to find ways 

around the obstacles that 

would prevent them from moving 

past the horrors they’ve 

survived. 

Rwanda’s population is 

attempting peace through 

Unity and Reconciliation, a 

program similar to South 

Africa’s Truth and 

Reconciliation. Parkin weaves a 

tale in which even Angel must 

come to accept her own family 

truths before she can reach a 

state of forgiveness and reconciliation. 

She gains this understanding 

after she tells her own 

story to a young, and wise, 

prostitute she befriends. 

Parkin has an ear and eye 

for capturing the essence of 

her characters, both in their 

strengths and weaknesses. You 

will laugh out loud, probably 

cry and often recognize yourself. 

The reader will not forget 

the women who populate this 

novel. They are strong, loving, 

resilient and pragmatic. They 

come from many parts of 

Africa and the world. Should 

anybody wonder if feminism is 

HERB YONGE 

SAFETY ZONE 

1. Obtain a container and 

make it your Family Emergency 

Container (FEC). Place it in area 

that is easily assessable, near the 

primary exit of the home. 

2. Place a minimum of a 

three-day supply of food and 

water for each family member in 

the FEC. Consider food that 

does not require water, such as 

peanut butter, crackers, canned 

tuna or meat. 

3. Place a pair of shoes and 

flashlight under each family 

member’s bed. 

4. Develop an emergency 

escape plan and practice at least 

once a month. 

Herb Yonge is a volunteer with 

the Clayton Police Dept. & a member 

of the city of Clayton Citizen 

Corp Council, CERT Team. He 

can be reached at 673-7355 or by 

email at hlyonge@att.net. 

Mureleen Benton is a Certified 

Financial Planner. Call her with 

questions at 685-4523 

This information is provided for informational 

purposes only. The information is intended 

to be generic in nature and should not be 

applied or relied upon in any particular situation 

without the advice of your tax, legal and/or your 

financial advisor. The views expressed may not 

be suitable for every situation. 

Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., 

Member NASD and SIPC, part of 

Ameriprise Financial, Inc. 

alive and well, read this book. It 

is time to take a much closer 

look at the continent and people 

of Africa. 

Sunny Solomon is the “Book 

Lady” for the Clayton Community 

Library Book Club. She holds an 

MA in English and Creative Writing 

from San Francisco State University. 

Her poetry and prose has been published 

in literary journals and 

magazines. You can each her at 

memorie3@yahoo.com. 

(925) 820-8700 

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CLAYTON EVENTS 

Oct. 25 

Pros and Cons of the Nov. 2 Ballot Propositions 

Featuring a speaker from the Diablo Valley League of Women 

Voters. Sponsored by the Clayton and Concord branches of the 

American Association of University Women. 7:30 p.m., 

Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center St. All interested voters welcome. 

Contact Carolyn at 672-0700. 

Oct. 28 

California Garden Clubs Meeting 

The Clayton Valley Garden Club will host the Diablo Foothills 

District meeting and luncheon. Gary Gragg will speak about 

“Subtropical Plants for Bay Area Gardens.” 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., 

Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Dr. $25. Contact 

Shelia at 682-7887 or president@claytonvalleygardenclub.org. 

Saturdays through October 

Farmers Market 

8 a.m.-noon Saturdays, Diablo Street between Main and 

Center, downtown. pcfma.com or 800-949-3276. 

Nov. 6 

Community Emergency Response Team Drill 

The drill will include Incident Command System procedures and 

Search and Rescue. 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Endeavor Hall, 6008 Center 

St. claytoncert.org. 

HALLOWEEN 

Oct. 31 

Halloween at Rodie’s Feed Store 

Get a free photo of your dog and enter the costume contest. 

Free door prizes, treats and awards. 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 8863 

Marsh Creek Road, Clayton. Call Sarah at 672-4600. 

Oct. 31 

Halloween at the Fire Station 

For pre-K to fifth-graders; children must be accompanied by an 

adult. 5:30-7:30 p.m., 6500 Center St., Clayton. Free. Contact 

Emily at 941-3505. 

Oct. 31 

Ghost Walk 

7:30-10 p.m. Meet at Endeavor Hall, 6008 Center St., Clayton. 

Free. Bring a flashlight; costumes optional. Contact Richard at 

228-9144. 

EVENTS/ENTERTAINMENT 

Nov. 6 

“Reach for the Sky” 

The Contra Costa Wind Symphony opens its 30th season with a 

program featuring brass, music with an outer space theme and 

Dick Callahan, a voice familiar to sports fans. 8 p.m., Walnut 

Creek Presbyterian Church, 1801 Lacassie Ave. $15. 

ccwindsymphony.org. 

Nov. 6-7 

Gem and Rock Show 

Jewelry, gems, minerals, fossils and gold, plus rock painting for 

kids. Sponsored by the Contra Costa Mineral and Gem Society. 

10 a.m.-5 p.m. both days, Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton 

Road. 289-0454. 

Through Nov. 7 

“Sleuth” 

The Willows presents a mystery thriller with plenty of plot twists 

and turns. $22-$32. Campbell Theatre, 626 Ward St., 

Martinez. 798-1300 or willowstheatre.org. 


“Becoming Britney” 

A caustic, but loving PG-13 fable that chronicles the rise, the 

dip and the salvation of a foolhardy celebrity phenom. $25. 

Center Repertory Co., 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. centerrep.org 

or 943-SHOW. 


“Dracula” 

Experience the gothic 

classic as you’ve never 

seen it, presented by 

Center Repertory. 

$36-$42. 1601 Civic 

Dr., Walnut Creek. 

centerrep.org or 943- 

SHOW. 

Nov. 29-Jan. 16 

“Sister Robert Anne’s Cabaret Class” 

The Willows Theatre presents everybody’s favorite nun, starring 

Deborah Del Mastro. Campbell Theatre, 626 Ward Street, 

Martinez. willowstheatre.org or 798-1300. 

FUNDRAISERS 

Oct. 23 

“Music, Masquerade and Fine Arts” 

Food, wine, dancing, costumes, art auction, live music. $50; 

$25 is tax-deductible. 7-10 p.m., St. John’s Episcopal Church, 

5555 Clayton Road, Clayton. 672-8855. 

Clayton Community Calendar 

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 

Madeline H. D. Brown and 

Eugene Brancoveanu in “Dracula,” 

presented by Center Rep. 

Oct. 30 

Clodagh Martin will 

“Viva Arts!” 

perform with the Diablo 

Civic Arts 

Regional Youth Orchestra 

Education stu- 

at the Oct. 30 Civic Arts 

dents will per- 

Education fundraiser 

form, including 

the Diablo 

Regional Youth 

Orchestra’s 

Leadership 

Ensemble, Diablo 

Ballet’s professionalintermediate 

program and the Youth Theatre Company. Silent and live 

auctions benefit art scholarships for low-income county residents 

of all ages. 6:30 p.m., Shadelands Auditorium, 111 N. 

Wiget Lane, Walnut Creek. 939-2787 or friendsartsed.org. 

SCHOOLS 

Oct. 27 

Panda Express Fundraiser 

To benefit the Clayton Valley High School Music Boosters. 3-8 

p.m., 2280 Oak Grove Road, Walnut Creek. Download a flier 

at claytonbands.org. 

Oct. 30 

Clayton Valley High School Clean-up Day 

Bring gardening gloves and tools to help spruce up the school. 

9 a.m.-noon, 1101 Alberta Way. Email Micki at mcwalls@comcast.net. 

Nov. 3 

Tavo’s Pizzeria Fundraiser 

Mention Mt. Diablo Elementary School and the restaurant will 

donate 15 percent of the purchase to the Parent Faculty Club. 

11 a.m.-9 p.m., 5434 Ygnacio Valley Road, Concord. 

Nov. 4 

Highlands Elementary School Holiday Boutique 

Local vendors and crafters, raffle drawings, food and bake 

sale. Also, the Gold Refinery will purchase gold jewelry 2-5 

p.m. Sponsored by the Parent Teacher Association. 2-8 p.m., 

1326 Pennsylvania Blvd., Concord. Contact Vixen at 681-3382. 

Through Dec. 17 

Box Tops for Diablo View 

Girl Scout Emma Hall is collecting box tops for the middle 

school. Bring box tops to the Diablo View office, 300 Diablo 

View Lane, in a ziplock bag with your child’s full name and 

grade on it. Students will compete for prizes. Residents without 

students can bring box tops to the Clayton Community Library, 

6125 Clayton Road, or State Farm Insurance Agency, 6200 

Center St. 

“Building a Pathway to Success” 

Families can purchase a personalized brick for the pathway to 

the flag in front of Mt. Diablo Elementary School. Prices begin 

at $55. Order forms at mdusd.k12.ca.us/mountdiabloelementary. 

Contact Michelle at michellejcurry@sbcglobal.net or 672- 

1257. 

HEALTH 

Oct. 23 

Bone Marrow Donor Drive 

Co-sponsored by state Sen. Mark DeSaulnier and the Asian 

American Donor Program. 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Seafood City 

Supermarket, 2030 Diamond Blvd., Concord. 942-6082. 

Nov. 1 

“Diabetes Dialogue: A Taste of Good Health” 

5:45-8:30 p.m., Ball Auditorium, John Muir Medical Center, 

1601 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek. Free. Register by 

Oct. 25 at 941-4141. johnmuirhealth.com/index.php/diabetes.html. 

Nov. 6 

John Muir Medical Center Open House 

Includes tours of the new Hofmann Family Patient Care Tower, 

a health fair, local food vendors, activities for kids, music and 

more. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 2540 East St., Concord. johnmuirhealth.com. 

AT THE LIBRARY 

The Clayton Library is at 6125 Clayton Road. Programs are free 

unless otherwise noted. 673-0659 or claytonlibrary.org. 

Through Oct. 27 

Guess the Pumpkin’s Weight 

The person with the closest guess without going over wins the 

pumpkin. For children through age 12. 


“Clayton Reads” 

All residents are invited to read “The Tortilla Curtain” by T.C. 

Boyle. Pick up a free copy at the library. 

Oct. 23 

“Mexican Immigration: Past and Present” 

Professor Manuel Gonzales takes a look at legal and illegal 

immigration since the Mexican Revolution. Part of the “Clayton 

Reads” program. 2 p.m. 

Nov. 7 

“Tortilla Curtain” Book Discussion 

Librarian Karen Hansen-Smith will moderate a discussion. Part 

of the “Clayton Reads” program. 2 p.m. 

Nov. 8 

Folktales from Mexico 

Performer Michael Katz tells tales from Mexico. A “Clayton 

Reads” program for the whole family. 7 p.m. 

Nov. 15 

“Tortilla Curtain” Book Discussion 

Librarian Karen Hansen-Smith will moderate a discussion. Part 

of the “Clayton Reads” program. 7 p.m. 

Tuesdays through Dec. 7 

Patty Cakes 

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

Drop in 11 a.m. Tuesdays. 

Wednesdays 

Book Buddies 

Reading to 4- to 7-year-olds. 3-4 p.m. 

Thursdays through Nov. 4 

Picture Book Time 

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

Drop in 11 a.m. Thursdays. 

MEETINGS 

Oct. 26; Nov. 9, 23 

Clayton Planning Commission 

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

7304 or ci.clayton.ca.us. 

Oct. 26 

Mt. Diablo Unified School District 

7:30 p.m., 1936 Carlotta Dr., Concord. mdusd.org. 

Nov. 2, 16 

Clayton City Council 

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

7304 or ci.clayton.ca.us 

CLUBS 

Clayton Business and Community Association 

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

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

Sue at 672-2272. 

Clayton Valley Garden Club 

Meets 7 p.m. second Wednesday of the month, Diamond 

Terrace, 6401 Center St., Clayton. On Nov. 10, Lew Thompson 

will present “Crazy for Chrysanthemums.” Contact Nancy at 

673-3522 or claytonvalleygardenclub.org. 

Clayton Valley Woman’s Club 

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

fourth Tuesdays of the month, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 

1090 Alberta Way, Concord. Call Shirley at 672.1163 or claytonvalleywomansclub.org. 

Clutch Busters Square Dance Club 

Meets 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Willow Pass Community Center 

Hall, 2748 East Olivera Road, Concord. Contact Karen at 686- 

3774. 

Concord Stompers Square Dance Club 

Meets 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Willow Pass Community Center, 

2748 East Olivera Road, Concord. Call Jennie at 672-9676 or 

angelfire.com/id/stompers. 

Contra Costa Chess Club 

Meets 6:30-9:30 p.m. Thursdays, Starbuck’s, 1536 Kirker Pass 

Road, Clayton. Players of all ages and skill levels welcome. 

Contact Mike at 639-1987 or uschess.org. 

Contra Costa Mineral and Gem Society 

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

Concord, 5298 Clayton Road. 779-0698 or ccmgs.org. 

Creekside Artists Guild 

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

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

and both emerging and experienced artists welcome. Contact 

Arlene at 673-9777 or nielsenjanc@aol.com. 

Creeksideartists.org. 

Diablo Valley Democratic Club 

Meets 7-9 p.m. third Wednesday of the month, Ygnacio Valley 

Library, 2661 Oak Grove Road., Walnut Creek. On Nov. 17, 

Polo Morales of Contra Costa Interfaith Supporting Community 

Organization and Mark Silverman, director of Immigration 

Policy for the Immigrant Legal Resources Center in San 

Francisco, will discuss the essentials of good immigration 

reform. Contact Pat at 946-0469 or dvdems.org. 

Knights of Columbus, Concord Council 6038 

Meets 7:30 p.m. first Wednesday of the month, except holidays, 

Cauchi Hall, St. Agnes Catholic Church, 3966 Chestnut St, 

Concord. Contact George at 685-9547 or visit kofc6038.org. 

Rotary Club of Clayton Valley/Concord Sunrise 

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

Creek Dr., Clayton. Includes breakfast and a speaker. 566- 

8166 or claytonvalleyrotary.org. 

Scrabble Club 

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

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

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

1987 or scrabble-assoc.com. 

Sons In Retirement (SIRs) 

Meets 11:15 a.m. first Thursday of the month, Crown Plaza 

Hotel, 45 John Glenn Dr., Concord. 429-3777. 

Soroptimist International of Diablo Vista 

Meets 12:15 p.m. first, second and third Wednesdays of the 

month, September-June, Sizzler, 1353 Willow Pass Road, 

Concord. Contact Nicole at 692-2224.


Think Palm Desert for a ‘cool’ time 

PEGGY BIDONDO 

TIME TO GO 

It was 100 degrees in 

Clayton and we were heading to 

Palm Desert, where it was 

bound to be a lot hotter. 

Fortunately, the weather turned 

out to be perfect – 75 to 80 

degrees each day. It was great 

for sightseeing, shopping, sunbathing 

and sitting outdoors 

while sipping local libations. 

We had booked a week at a 

resort more than a year ago and 

decided to go in spite of the 

weather. The drive from 

Clayton is a relatively easy one 

as the majority of the trip is on 

Interstates 5, 210 and 10. With 

stops to fill up the tank (both 

for the vehicle and us), we made 

it in about seven hours. Thanks 

to an audio book and snacks, 

the time went by quickly. 

The Agua Caliente Band of 

Cahuilla Indians was drawn long 

ago to the canyons of the 

Coachella Valley, which provide 

an oasis of palm groves, natural 

waterfalls and hot mineral 

springs at the base of towering 

mountains. It is a rich agricultural 

area, where 95 percent of 

the nation’s date crop is grown. 

After buying some dates at 

Hadley’s Fruit Orchard in 

Cabazon (which was featured 

on the Food Channel), we can 

attest to their delicious quality. 

If you have one of their “date 

shakes,” it supposedly makes 

Photo: gowestusa.com 

THE PALM SPRINGS AERIAL TRAMWAY traverses the rugged Chino 

Canyon These high tech rotating tram cars give every visitor 

desert and mountain views during the ten minute ride to the top. 

you a local. 

Also in Cabazon are three 

buildings housing 150 outlet 

stores in case you need to 

update your wardrobe and 3,200 

wind turbines that power electricity 

to about 200,000 

Southern California homes. 

This area is the best place in the 

United States to harness wind 

power. 

HEAD FOR THE HILLS 

The best heat-beater in the 

summer is to take the Palm 

Springs Aerial Tramway to Mt. 

Jacinto State Park. The trip takes 

only 10 minutes aboard a rotating 

tram car that travels up to 

8,516 feet of pristine wilderness. 

Once there, it’s 30 degrees 

cooler than in the parking lot 

where you left your car. There 

are spectacular views of the valley 

floor and surrounding areas. 

You can hike on the 54 miles of 

trails, bring a picnic or have 

lunch at the restaurants. 

Even with a couple of hundred 

people at the top, it was 

quite quiet. Everyone seemed to 

have a reverence for what we 

were viewing. From there you 

could see the San Andreas Fault 

which runs down the middle of 

the valley, the Salton Sea – the 

largest lake in California, and on 

a really clear day, all the way to 

Las Vegas. 

STAR SEARCH 

This area is one of the 

world’s premier golf destinations. 

With more than 350 days 

Club news Health, from page 8 

BUILDING A PATH 

TO SUCCESS 

Clayton Valley Garden Club 

members delivered a second 

elevated raised bed that allows 

wheelchair and other disabled 

students access to gardening 

classes at Diablo View Middle 

School. Garden club member 

Appliance 

Repairs 

by Bruce, Inc. 

35 years experience 

Neal Richmond built the two 

elevated raised beds. Soil and 

vegetables ready for planting 

were also donated to the 

school. Shown here are special 

ed teacher Stephanie 

Barambani, Richmond and 

David Walters of the school 

district. 

“We do a dog gone good job” 

- Zoey & Bruce 

Bruce & Holly Linsenmeyer 

We repair all 

major appliances, 

most major brands, 

and we’re local 

30 year Clayton residents 

Office: (925) 672-2700 

Cell: (925) 956-8605 

State of California B.E.A.R 

license #A44842 

http://appliancerepairsbybruce.com 

require antibiotics as our bodies 

are quite capable of fighting 

them off on their own. As an 

example in ear infections, 

based on recent studies, 

Pediatricians are now withholding 

antibiotics in most 

patients for two days to assess 

whether or not the infection 

clears on its own. Surprisingly, 

a large number of those infections 

disappear without the aid 

of antibiotics. 

PREVENTION IS KEY 

The best way to defeat bacteria 

and to avoid antibiotic 

resistance is to prevent the 

infection from developing in 

the first place. This can be 

accomplished through the use 

of immunizations, discarding 

suspicious foods, having a safe 

water supply, and practicing 

good hygiene; wash your 

hands. These simple acts are 

surprisingly and dramatically 

effective. As an example, due 

to immunizations we have virtually 

eradicated many diseases 

in our country, diseases that 

had plagued our parent’s gener- 

Music Video 

Happy Hour 

Mondays 4pm to 8pm 

6096 Main Street, Clayton, 673-0440 

Entertainment from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. 

Oct. 22, 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Relyks 

Oct. 29, 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Whiskey River 

Karaoke Wed. nights 

Open Mic Thur. nights, 8 to 11 p.m. 

2 for the price of 1 

www.claytonclubsaloon.com 

of sunshine, mild winters and 

more than 200 golf courses in 

the valley, it becomes a haven 

for “snowbirds” from October 

through May. One source told 

me it takes 800,000 to 1 million 

gallons of water per day to keep 

all those courses green. 

It has been a magnet for 

Hollywood stars since the 

1930s, when Bing Crosby and 

Ralph Bellamy founded the first 

tennis club in Palm Springs. 

Other 1930/1940s stars known 

to stop by were Mary Pickford, 

Judy Garland and Humphrey 

Bogart. The ’50s and ’60s 

brought Frank Sinatra, Dean 

Martin and the rest of the Rat 

Pack, along with famous folks 

from Washington such as JFK, 

Eisenhower and Nixon. 

We took a celebrity home 

tour along with two couples 

from Britain who were ecstatic 

when we entered the home of 

Elvis and Priscilla Presley at 845 

West Chino Canyon Road. One 

of the women was an Elvis 

devotee and knew more about 

him than the tour guide. This 

was the highlight of her trip to 

the United States. 

EATING ON THE CHEAP 

A walk along El Paseo, the 

Rodeo Drive of Palm Desert, 

brings you past every kind of 

upscale retail store you can 

imagine. From clothing, to jewelry, 

fine art and even finer 

prices, it is definitely a fun place 

to window shop. When you get 

tired of walking, there is a little 

yellow golf cart that gives complimentary 

rides up and down 

the street. 

Forever in search of a good 

meal deal, we sought out many 

of the Happy Hour offerings in 

the area. Just about every 

See Travel, page 18 

ation. In our own children we 

are also seeing a fast decline in 

the incidence of bacteria that 

can cause life threatening 

pneumonia and meningitis. 

Immunizations work and the 

benefits far outweigh the risks 

so please do not be influenced 

by alternative opinions. 

To summarize, listen to 

your doctor and don’t be upset 

if you don’t receive the antibiotics 

you think that you need. 

Your physician is really looking 

out for your best interest. As 

well, remember to cover your 

mouth when you sneeze or 

cough, remember to wash your 

hands, and practice basic good 

hygiene. If not, we will see you 

down the road at John Muir 

Concord. 

Dr. Birdsall is the Medical 

Director of the Emergency 

Department and Chief of Staff of 

John Muir Hospital in Concord. 

He lives in Walnut Creek with his 

wife, Dr. Marian Birdsall, and two 

children. Please email him at 

David.Birdsall_md@johnmuirhealth.com 

Beer only. Good anytime with 

original coupon. Exp. 11/14/10 

Candidate’s Forum 

from page 1 

Oakhurst landslide litigation. 

Stratford brings needed 

accounting and financial skills 

to a city faced with the worst 

recession in recent memory 

and continued state takeaways. 

Meriam, although new to 

politics, serves on the 

Planning Commission and 

says he will bring a “fresh perspective” 

to the Council. Diaz 

likes to “think outside the 

box” and says the city needs 

to find new ways to cut costs, 

including outsourcing landscape 

maintenance. 

The four candidates share 

a common vision for the 

downtown – a bustling Main 

Street lined with shops, 

Western storefront buildings 

with no vacancies, pedestrian 

walkways and the ka-ching of 

sales tax revenues. 

But, say Meriam and Diaz, 

the city hasn’t done enough to 

realize this vision. 

“The city needs to do 

more to create a business 

friendly environment and 

engage with current businesses,” 

Meriam said. 

Shuey, running for a third 

term, countered their claim 

with a list of major projects 

completed by the city during 

his terms. “We’ve brought the 

concerts in, which drives traffic 

downtown. We’ve built a 

CVS drugstore, the Grove 

Park, Flora Square and now 

the Creekside Terrace Project 

is ready to go to a developer.” 

“We’ve changed the building 

requirements to allow bigger 

buildings on smaller 

parcels and revised the parking 

requirements to encourage 

new business.” 

Diaz says the city should 

use Redevelopment Agency 

money to offer incentives to 

attract new business. “I’ve 

seen this done in other cities,” 

he said, “It works,” but agreed 

that it could cause some fairness 

issues with existing businesses. 

PROPOSED CHURCH PROJECT 

All four were asked about 

their position on the Clayton 

Community Church’s proposal 

for a worship center on their 

Main Street property. 

Approval of the project will 

require an amendment to the 

Town Center Specific Plan. 

As sitting Council members, 

Shuey and Stratford 

would not prejudge. 

“This is an important and 

divisive issue. Hank and I have 

both been careful not to do or 

say anything that we would 

have to recuse ourselves for.” 

Diaz and Meriam, however, 

were less reticent. 

“I do not favor the church 

as a church, but I would be 

open to reviewing the project. 

We need to be open 

minded,” said Meriam. 

“I don’t think it’s the right 

place for it,” said Diaz. “But I 

would be open to working 

with the church to find other 

land in the city. It should be 

outside the commercial area.” 

CONFLICT QUESTIONS 

All four candidates were 

quizzed as to any potential 

conflicts of interest they may 

have with current or proposed 

projects. 

City officials may not participate 

in decisions on projects 

within 500 feet of where 

they live. Meriam’s home on 

Oak Street is within 500 feet 

of the Creekside Terrace 

project and he will not be able 

to participate in or vote on 

the development. His 500 ft. 

radius does not touch the 

church’s property on Main 

Street and expects to participate 

in the church project 

hearings and decisions. 

However, said Shuey, 

because the project requires 

public parking in downtown, 

this may bring the scope of 

the project within 500 feet of 

Meriam’s home. Meriam said 

he would seek the advice of 

the California Fair Political 

Practices Commission if 

there was any question of 

conflict. 

None of the other candidates 

live within 500 feet of 

the Town Center. 

All of the candidates agree 

that the city has done a good 

job balancing the budget and 

containing costs without cutting 

services. But all are looking 

for the “biggest bang for 

the buck.” 

Meriam says the city could 

save money if they withdrew 

from the CalPERs pension 

plan and went to a 401k plan. 

“This is a hot topic with 

no easy answer,” Stratford 

said. ‘The city has already 

reduced retirement benefits 

by going to a Tier 2 plan. 

Scrapping the CalPERS plan 

altogether would cost the city 

$1.5 million in unfunded liabilities 

and without it, it 

would be difficult to attract 

quality employees.” 

Meriam is opposed to 

using public funds to pay for 

the concerts downtown and 

says the city should call on 

alcohol sponsors and sales to 

support the event.


Patty Flannery 

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Bullying, from page 1 

VICIOUS COMMENTARY 

A few weeks ago, I had one 

of those “what has happened 

to the world?” moments. I was 

checking Facebook when I 

saw a picture of myself with 

dozens of smiling kids from 

Camp Sea Lab on one of the 

kid’s Facebook pages. I smiled 

as fond memories flooded my 

mind – but then I read the 

fifth-graders’ comments. 

My joy turned to astonishment 

followed by anger so 

deep, I felt physically sickened. 

I couldn’t comprehend the 

utter barbarity of the words 

these kids used to refer to their 

peers. The worst attacks 

focused on a disabled classmate. 

At camp, I felt proud of 

the way some of the students 

had treated this child, but 

behind his back, others found 

the “courage” to call him 

names. I wonder where these 

10-year old children learned 

this language – words I didn’t 

even know existed when I was 

in fifth grade. 

Then I saw a comment 

from one of the mothers. 

“Leave him alone ... Be nice ... 

I hope he is not your friend on 

Facebook, cause if he is he 

knows now you guys don’t like 

him.” 

That was it. Even after her 

son had joined in on the commentary. 

I wondered how a 

parent could under-react to 

such blatant bullying that was 

continuing nearly six months 

after camp ended. 

Just because a child is 

unaware of the hatred spread 

behind his back doesn’t mean 

he’s not suffering the effects at 

school. One minute, he could 

be friends with somebody, and 

Travel, from page 17 

restaurant has half-price specials 

on drinks and food – 

some starting at 11 a.m. and 

going to closing. But the 

majority of the places we visited 

had a 4-7 p.m. timeframe. 

We enjoyed some delicious 

dishes such as mussels in garlic 

wine sauce, crab sliders, chicken 

pot pie, chopped salads and 

mac and cheese with bacon 

and mushrooms. All the dishes 

were plentiful enough to share 

and allowed us to try things we 

might not order otherwise. 

Certain nights will also get you 

bottles of wine at half price. 

After a week of indulging 

ourselves in the pleasures that 

Palm Desert and the surrounding 

cities had to offer, it 

was time for the trip home and 

a plan to return soon to a 

the next, they’re making faces 

at him or calling him the 

names created by the cyberbullies. 

ESCALATING TREND 

Retired third-grade 

teacher Maxine Buxbaum, 

who began her career in 

Chicago during the 1950s, 

stated in an interview that the 

extreme nature of bullying 

today mimics the extreme 

nature of our society. 

“The growing pressures to 

have material things, drugs, 

teenage drinking and more 

permissive parenting go hand 

in hand with the escalations in 

our behaviors in society,” she 

noted. 

Perhaps parents are more 

permissive nowadays because 

they’re more concerned about 

being “buddies” with their 

children. Little do they know, 

their permissive attitude could 

lead to the demise of another 

child. 

According to a recent study 

by the National Institute of 

Health of 7,000 students, 

cyber bullying can cause higher 

levels of depression since 

one may feel more helpless. 

The experts state that messages 

posted on the Internet 

are difficult to remove and can 

reach thousands of students 

with one click of the mouse. 

Often, the student being bullied 

is unaware of why the 

attacks against him are growing. 

Sameer Hinduja, co-director 

of the Cyberbullying 

Research Center, says cyberbullying 

is now the most common 

form of bullying because 

kids are attracted to hiding 

behind a screen. 

place that has become a new 

favorite spot to visit. 

Recently retired, Clayton resident 

Peggy Bidondo is a tireless traveler with 

a passion for travel planning and writing. 

Send your questions and column 

ideas to Peggy Bidondo at 

timetogo@claytonpioneer.com. 

Travel Tip 

If you are flying to a new 

city and don’t know where to 

go or what to do when you 

arrive, ask your flight attendant 

for dining, shopping 

and sightseeing advice. Most 

crews have up-to-the-minute 

recommendations gleaned 

from layovers and they are 

more than happy to share 

the information. 

FEW LEGAL OPTIONS 

The California Department 

of Education code section 4 

8900(r) allows for suspension 

or expulsion of a bully and 

asks that parents report cyber 

bullying to law enforcement 

officials or the local Internet 

service provider. 

California passed renewed 

legislation SB719 in October 

2003 that treats bullying as a 

punishable crime. However, 

according to Clayton Valley 

assistant principal Sharon 

Brockman, it’s extremely difficult 

to prosecute bullies. 

“Because kids have trouble 

getting enough evidence, prosecutors 

have difficulty building 

enough of a case,” Brockman 

stated. 

She advises students to 

notify the school immediately 

upon being bullied and to save 

all evidence supporting the 

accusation, including texts, 

phone records and Facebook 

page printouts. 

A CALL TO ACTION 

While schools have policies 

aimed at protecting students 

who have the courage 

to report bullying and state 

laws support citizens providing 

sufficient evidence, I 

believe there’s a giant, missing 

link to solving a problem that 

is claiming so many young 

lives. 

I’m reminded of a CNN 

article about the suicide of a 

13-year-old child from 

Tehachapi. Seth Walsh, an 

openly gay eighth-grader, had 

been teased since fourth 

grade. 

“He was teased in fourth 

and fifth grade and by sixth 

grade the kids got really 

mean,” said his mother, 

Wendy. “By seventh grade, 

Seth was afraid to even walk 

home from school, and in 

Church News 

September, he ended his misery 

and hung himself in his 

backyard.” 

At his funeral, which 600 

people attended, his younger 

brother, Shawn, remarked: “I 

just wish people could have 

been nice to him, like my 

mom taught me.” 

Considering 600 people 

from this tiny town attended 

this boy’s funeral, I can’t help 

but wonder where they were 

when the bullying was taking 

place. 

What will it take for us to 

recognize our own accountability? 

The giant, missing link 

is each of us who turn a blind 

eye to nasty remarks, hateful 

slurs and physical attacks. It’s 

those of us who don’t urge 

children to stand beside the 

bullied and not the bully. 

Technology is here to stay 

and we, as a society, must 

respond to its rapid growth in 

a responsible manner. Will we 

be the next community to 

show our support after a child 

takes his life? Or will we, as a 

community, stand beside this 

child at the start of trouble? 

Sarah Rosen is a junior at 

CVHS. You can e-mail her at 

sarah_rosen@claytonpioneer.com. 

CONCORD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 

The church will host its Bell Bazaar Nov. 5-6. The event includes 

the sale of handmade items, crafts and home-baked goods, plus 

tickets for raffle prizes. Lunch is served 11 a.m.-1 p.m. both days. 

The bazaar will be 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. 

Saturday. The church is at 1645 West St., Concord. For more information, 

call 685-5260. 

Ghost Walk, from page 1 

Taylor moved to Antioch 

with his parents from Kansas 

in 1955 and then to Clayton in 

1961. His parents were school 

teachers drawn to the area 

when friends relocated to 

Martinez. Taylor is a teacher, 

writer, illustrator and actor. 

When he heard about various 

shootings in Clayton’s past, 

Taylor started collecting articles 

and other tales about 

town. He excitedly retells these 

events, with one rolling into 

the next – from creepy burial 

grounds and bloody buggy 

accidents to deadly bar fights. 

Taylor tracks live celebrity 

sightings as well, such as seeing 

Robert Redford in a local 

restaurant. 

Spectators of the specters 

are thrilled by guest ghost 

Support Hotlines 

The Trevor Project, 

24-hour support for gay 

youth, 866-4UTREVOR. 

24-Hour Youth Crisis 

Line, 800-843-5200. 

Contra Costa Crisis 

Center: 24-hour suicide 

hotline, 800-SUICIDE or 

800-273-TALK. 

What’s happening in your place of worship? 

New pastor or choir director? Special projects? 

Active ministries? Send your news of community interest to 

churchnews@claytonpioneer.com. 

Recycle 

this paper 

appearances on the walk. 

Taylor sets the macabre mood 

by donning a top hat and cape 

like an undertaker. Walk participants 

receive an “I Survived 

the Ghost Walk” certificate. 

“It’s been a lot of fun,” says 

Taylor. Because many regulars 

take the walk, “I can’t leave out 

any stories.” 

For more tall tales of the 

town, see “Ghosts and Other 

Celebrities of Clayton” by 

Richard Taylor at the library. 

Be prepared to wait; copies 

keep “disappearing” from the 

shelf. 

Gather for the Ghost Walk at 

7:30 p.m. Oct. 31 at Endeavor 

Hall, 6008 Center St., Clayton. The 

walk is 8-10 p.m. Bring a flashlight. 

Costumes are optional.


Theatre 

Pursue the mystery with Willow’s ‘Sleuth’ 

LOU FANCHER 


Reviewers do not allow theater companies 

to tell them what or what not to write. 

So it’s not the Willows Theatre Company 

that’s holding the reins of a reviewer’s pen: 

it’s Anthony Shaffer, the playwright of 

“Sleuth,” the Willow’s current production. 

Since the play’s original 1970 staging in 

London, audiences have been asked to 

remain mum about the plot. “Sleuth” is a 

murder mystery with multiple layers of 

deceit and deception. A tell-all would spoil 

half the fun of seeing the show. 

Many may already have seen the play or 

either of the two movies – a 1972 version 

with Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine 

or the 2007 film starring Caine and Jude 

Law. Yet due to Shaffer’s skillful playwriting 

and the popularity of the mystery 

genre, there’s still good reason to buzz 

over to the Campbell Theatre in downtown 

Martinez. 

Director Richard Elliott spins out an 

efficient tale, with enough humor and danger 

to satisfy the nearly sold-out houses 

the production is attracting. 

What can be told about the plot is simple. 

Andre Wyke, a wealthy thriller writer, 

invites young Milo Tindle to his home for 

a drink. Over scotch, Andrew reveals that 

he knows about the affair his wife is having 

with Milo. He suggests a devilish plan 

to rid himself of a tiresome wife and grant 

Milo his heart’s desire. 

Of course, there’s something fishy in 

Andrew’s motivation and in Milo’s participation, 

but that’s where the exposition 

must come to a halt. 

Shaun Carroll as Andrew Wyke is 

vibrant. He’s not as haughty as Olivier or 

as gritty as Caine, but his portrayal of a 

wronged spouse gains depth as the play 

progresses. 

Especially in the first act, Carroll bounds 

Everybody’s favorite nun is back at the 

Willows Theatre. Billed as a “one Nun-sense 

musical event,” “Sister Robert Anne’s 

Cabaret Class” stars Willows’ veteran 

Deborah Del Mastro as the tune-belting, 

wise-cracking, trumpet-playing nun who left 

her sandal prints over all the previous 

Nunsense musicals. 

“Sister Robert Anne’s Cabaret Class” is 

the Willows’ holiday musical offering, opening 

Nov. 29 in Martinez. The show features 

songs from all the “Nunsense” shows and is 

directed by Dan Goggin, the creator of all 

seven (so far) “Nunsense” musicals. 

“Danny Goggin made the Willows an 

offer that we couldn’t pass up: the West 

Coast premiere of a ‘Nunsense’ special, 

written specifically for Deb Del Mastro,” 

said Willows general manager Christine 

Marshall. 

Del Mastro and Goggin premiered 

“Sister Robert Anne’s Cabaret Class” in July 

Photo credit, David Faustina. 

SHAUN CARROLL AND ERIC INMAN star in the Willows Theatre production of Sleuth, 

Oct. 4-Nov. 7 at the Campbell Theatre in Martinez. 

across the Campbell’s diminutive stage with 

the dexterity of a gymnast. Although this 

energizes the production, it detracts from 

his character’s claims that he needs Milo’s 

help because he, an older gentleman, is less 

agile. It’s a small point, but an important 

one early on, when the plot is still dependent 

on an old cliché: Seeing is believing. 

Eric Inman is an enchanting blend of 

gullible lover and resentful, pouty, young 

professional. As Milo, he’s deft at comedic 

moments: climbing into a clown suit with 

all the delight of a 6-year-old at Halloween 

and in other scenes too far into the play’s 

“protected plot” to describe. 

The kitschy set is full of visual charm, 

at the Playhouse on the Green in Bridgeport, 

Conn., where it played to full houses and got 

superb reviews. The Willows is the first West 

Coast theater to produce the show. 

Del Mastro, a “singing nun with a difference,” 

is a longtime member of Goggin’s 

favorite nunnery, the Little Sisters of 

Hoboken. She originated Sister Robert Anne 

in “Nunsense Jamboree,” “Nuncrackers,” 

“Meshuggah-Nuns” and “Nunsensations,” 

all of which played at the Willows over the 

years, many as world premiers. She can be 

heard on all the original cast CDs. 

Del Mastro filmed “Nunsense Jamboree” 

with Vicki Lawrence, “Nuncrackers” with 

Rue McClanahan and “Nunsensations” with 

the original cast. She is also a Beach Blanket 

Babylon alumna. And as a U.S. Navy Band 

veteran, she really is the one playing the 

trumpet. 

“Sister Robert Anne’s Cabaret Class” plays 

Nov. 29-Jan. 16. at the Campbell Theatre, 626 

Ward Street, Martinez. Tickets available at willowstheatre.org 

or 798-1300. 

from a collection of colorful masks to a 

bubbling fish tank to the 4-foot tall fisherman 

doll that laughs upon the press of a 

button. Elliott demonstrates once again his 

affinity for humor, even amidst the blood 

and bullets. 

If you know the plot, it’s still a delight 

to watch how human desire for love or 

revenge leads to … well, I can’t tell you 

that part. You’ll have to go and see for 

yourself. 

“Sleuth” plays through Nov. 7 at the 

Campbell Theatre, 626 Ward St., Martinez. 

Tickets are $22-$32. For more information, call 

798-1300 or visit willowstheatre.org. 

Willows toasts the holidays with 

new ‘Nunsense’ musical 

GARY CARR 

Special to the Pioneer 

Britney and friends play it out in Center REP show 

“Becoming Britney” opens at the 

CenterREP Oct. 28. 

How does a pop sensation wind up bald 

and trapped in her own musical? 

“Becoming Britney” is a caustic (but loving) 

PG-13 fable that chronicles the 

rise…the dip…and the salvation of a foolhardy 

celebrity phenom. 

Produced by Center REP and directed 

by Daya Curley, the show features eleven 

original songs that pay homage to multiple 

musical theatre genres including shows like 

“Annie” and “Rent,” and composers like 

Rodgers and Hammerstein among others. 

The songs include a comical waltz between 

Britney and K-Fed as they both agree the 

other is, “The Love of My Life (So Far),” a 

show-stopper called “Push It Out” in 

which Brit has two babies and “Out of 

Control,” a swingin’ jive number about her 

downward spiral with the help of friends 

Lindsay and Paris. 

NY Fringe Festival award winning 

DEB DEL MAESTRO stars as Sister Robert Anne, 

a part written especially for her, in the latest 

Willows Theatre “Nunsense” production, 

opening Nov. 29 at the Cabaret in Martinez. 

actress Molly Bell wrote the book, music 

and lyrics and also stars in the show. Bell 

was recently seen in Center REP’s “A 

Marvelous Party.” 

Performances run from Oct. 28 through 

Nov. 14 in the Knight Theater, Lesher 

Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek. Tickets 

are $25. For more information go to 

CenterREP.org or call (925) 943-SHOW 

(7469), or go to the LCA Ticket Office at 

1601 Civic Drive or the Ticket Office Outlet 

at Barnes & Noble in Walnut Creek. 

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Join us, first Saturday in December 

for a horse and carriage ride through 

lovely downtown Clayton!


Sponsored by NextEnergy 

by Doug Hamilton 

Creating electricity on your rooftop has 

long been a popular idea. But solar has had 

serious limitations that kept most homeowners 

from taking the plunge. 

Panel efficiency was low, reputable installation 

companies were few and far between, 

and product choices were limited. One-byone, 

these limitations are melting away. But a 

persistent limitation is also the most vexing: 

the high up-front cost. 

The solar industry is finally getting its act 

together and providing a creative array of 

financing options for homeowners. 

The first and best option to finance a 

solar electric system is a home equity loan. 

This secured financing product usually has 

the lowest interest rate, and a percentage of 

the payments can be deducted from your 

taxes. However, fewer people have much 

equity in their homes these days, and some 

folks are upside-down on their mortgages. 

So it’s time to get creative. 

There has been a recent flourishing of 

“no money down” financing, such as the 

solar lease and the solar PPA (power pur- 

Finally, creative 

financing for solar 

chase agreement). The lease is much like a 

car lease in that the buyer has no up-front 

cost and pays a monthly lease payment for 

10-18 years. 

This is one of the lowest cost ways to get 

solar on your home. The savings is usually 

smaller than if you bought the system, and 

most leases have a yearly payment escalator. 

Most leasing installers also provide a performance 

guarantee where they pay the difference 

for the expected solar production if 

the system doesn’t perform as promised. 

In the PPA, the buyer agrees to rent roof 

space to a company, who then pays the 

homeowner in the form of reduced rates for 

electricity. These power purchase contracts 

can range 10-20 years. The installation company 

will maintain the system and make sure 

the panels are clean. 

Even more creative are the Same As Cash 

(SAC) programs and a variety of unsecured 

loans. With SAC, the buyer would not have 

any payments or have interest accrue for a 

specified period of time – 90 days to a year. 

The cost of this money is usually absorbed 

by the solar installation company to entice 

people to buy their product. However, buyers 

must pay the balance off in full at the end 

of that term or re-structure the principle 

into another loan. 

The most creative unsecured loan program 

is a five-year term with a balloon payment 

at the end. Although most balloon payments 

make people nervous, this program 

offers homeowners flexibility. The payments 

are amortized over 10-15 years to keep 

monthly payments low. Monthly payments 

are made for five years and then there is 

either a balloon payment or refinancing of 

the loan balance. 

It’s a relatively easy qualification process 

and the interest rates vary depending on 

credit qualifications. The loan can also be reamortized 

when the buyer gets that 30 percent 

federal tax credit, making the monthly 

payments even lower. 

These are just a few of the financing 

innovations that are taking place in the solar 

industry today. The idea is to make solar 

affordable for more people than ever before. 

And given PG&E’s propensity for rate hikes, 

a solar electric system will be more valuable 

in the coming years. 

Hamilton is a senior solar consultant at 

NextEnergy Solar. 

TAKE A HIKE 

Save Mount Diablo is hosting 

the first public tours of the 

spectacular 320-acre Irish 

Canyon property on Oct. 24 

and Nov. 14. 

The land is marked by three 

spring-fed branches of Irish 

Creek, a blue oak woodland, a 

valley oak savannah and grassland 

heading toward Kreiger 

Peak. Steep slopes are sculpted 

by landslide slumps. 

The property supports 

more than 400 species of 

plants and animals, provides 

world-class views and has a rich 

history, including two home- 

Mayor, from page 1 

of this program, each street in 

Clayton is evaluated and given a 

numeric score based on its condition. 

A firm specializing in these 

types of evaluation performs the 

evaluation and scoring. 

Our streets were recently 

scored. Our weighted average 

score was 76, putting us in the 

“very good” category – the highest 

of the Pavement Condition Index. 

In the county, only Brentwood, 

Contra Costa County, Oakley and 

Concord scored higher. 

We are able to use the street 

scoring to select which streets to 

include in improvement projects. 

We selected the 34 worst residential 

streets, based on scoring, to be 

included in the project. For the 

first time, this included some of 

the Oakhurst streets. (Thank you, 

Oakhurst residents, for driving 

carefully and making your streets 

last longer.) 

We also included what is 

referred to by some as Old Marsh 

Creek Road, the stretch of road 

that runs from downtown to the 

middle school. We began to see 

failings in the pavement and, since 

this road is heavily traveled, we 

wanted to make sure that our arterial 

roads are in good condition. 

One of the signs of pavement 

failure is the presence of alligator 

cracking, or fatigue cracking. I like 

the sound of alligator cracking 

stead sites. Bob Jones, the first 

professional baseball player 

from Contra Costa County, was 

born in Irish Canyon. Jones 

played for the Detroit Tigers 

with Ty Cobb. 

Save Mount Diablo (SMD) 

has been unable to lead public 

hikes on the property for the 

last three years due to access 

restrictions. A recent acquisition 

by the East Bay Regional 

Park District bridged the gap 

from Clayton open space to 

Irish Canyon and Black 

Diamond Mines Regional 

Preserve. 

better. It’s a series of interconnected 

cracks, giving the appearance of 

alligator skin. Other cracking can 

be sealed, but once alligator cracking 

appears, a more extension 

repair is required. 

The work to be performed 

with our current project ranges 

from adding an overlay to grinding 

and repaving, depending on 

the street’s condition. One of the 

exciting parts of the project, and 

something you will want to 

remember to mention at the water 

cooler, is the use of rubberized 

asphalt on Old Marsh Creek 

Road. 

Rubberized asphalt is made of 

traditional asphalt and ground up 

old tires. In addition to the environmental 

benefit of recycling old 

tires, rubberized asphalt is quieter 

and requires less thickness than 

traditional asphalt. Caltrans has 

been using rubberized asphalt on 

many of freeways. 

Over the next few months, 

you will be seeing paving crews 

working on this current project. 

As funds become available, we will 

continue to maintain and improve 

our streets. 

I hope when you wake up 

tomorrow morning that you feel 

you know a little more about our 

street maintenance. 

You can contact the mayor at 

hank_stratford@yahoo.com 

Save Mount Diablo leads first 

public hikes in Irish Canyon 

Photo by George Phillips 

Two guided hikes will follow 

new trails at Irish Canyon. 

During the spring, SMD 

built two trails that provide 

access to some of the more 

rugged areas on the property. 

Although Irish Canyon is 

closed to the public, SMD will 

lead public hikes at 9:30 a.m. 

Oct. 24 and Nov. 14. Tours 

begin at the carpool lot at 

Peacock Creek Drive and 

Clayton Road in Clayton. The 

hike is about six miles round 

trip. 

To reserve a spot on a tour, call 

(925) 947-3535. For more information, 

go to www.savemountdiablo.com


Get creative 

with ornamental 

grass selections 

NICOLE HACKETT 

GARDEN GIRL 

Ornamental grasses can create 

movement and add texture 

to a Clayton Valley landscape or 

garden. This time of year, ornamental 

grasses take center stage 

in many yards around town. 

Whether it’s the common red 

fountain grass or the uniquely 

striped zebra grass, they are here 

to be enjoyed and the season to 

notice them is now. 

Red fountain grass may be 

the reason that ornamental 

grasses have become so popular. 

About 10 years ago, tufts of reddish-bronze 

foliage began popping 

up here and there. At first, 

they did not command much 

attention. But as the season 

wore on and summer peaked, 

stalks of fuzzy pinkish plumes 

appeared above the grassy 

foliage. These plumes added 

much to the look of the plant, as 

they swayed in the slightest 

breeze. 

GO BIG, OR A BIT SMALLER 

Red fountain grass is identi- 

fied as Pennisetum Rubrum. This 

ornamental can reach 3-4 feet 

tall, with plumes that stand even 

taller, so planing in the right 

place is important. 

Red fountain grass has a 

smaller brother, Pennisetum 

Rubrum Dwarf. This would be a 

good selection for someone 

with less planting area. The 

dwarf red fountain grass has all 

the same features but is just 

slightly smaller. It reaches 2-3 

feet tall and wide, with the 

plumes 16-18 inches taller than 

the foliage. 

For gardeners who crave 

green foliage but want the same 

look, there is Pennisetum Orientale. 

This ornamental will reach 2-3 

feet tall and wide, with ivory 

plumes as the bloom. 

If you want more color with 

fountain grass, Fireworks was 

released last year and has really 

hit it big this planting season. 

Bright red, pink and bronze variegation 

runs along this plant’s 

grassy foliage. The bloom is 

more like the red fountain grass, 

and the size of this selection is 

about 2 feet tall and wide. 

Fireworks fountain grass is nice 

in a landscape and equally as 

nice in the ground. 

ZEBRA GRASS A BOLD MOVE 

Miscanthus sinensis Zebrinus is 

commonly called zebra grass.It 

has green blades with horizontal 

stripes of yellow positioned 

every inch or so along its length. 

This grass is extremely appealing 

and unique. It satisfies that urge 

to grow something different. 

However, be cautious when 

planting zebra grass. This ornamental 

can reach 5 feet tall and 

wide. Picture it taking up an 

entire fence panel. 

Placement is important. If 

you don’t have room within your 

yard, consider installing zebra 

grass in a large container. It 

would make a dramatic statement 

on a patio or in the distance 

of the landscape. 

Calamagrostis acutiflora Karl 

Foerster is another large ornamental 

grass selection that looks 

fabulous when installed in the 

right spot. Dark green, grassy 

foliage will reach 3 feet tall, and 

beige plumes of blooms stand 

5-6 feet tall. 

This grass is exceptional. 

Karl Foerster could be used as a 

backdrop for a dry garden or 

creekbed. It also makes a nice 

privacy screen or living wall. 

CLUMP IT UP 

If you need a smaller ornamental 

grass, consider the family 

of Carex. It has selections of 

green, orange and variegated 

foliage. Some are runners, so be 

careful not to select those. The 

clumping varieties are fantastic 

in a landscape. 

Carex testacea is an all-time 

favorite of mine. It will grow 18 

inches tall and 24 inches wide. 

During fall, the color of the 

blades changes and become a 

russet orange, which is desirable 

this time of year. 

Carex testacea Prairie Fire is a 

newer selection with a bolder 

orange color. It is definitely 

worth a try. 

The Northern Lights grass 

called Deschampsia cespitosa is 

good for those who crave pink. 

This clumping grass will reach 8- 

12 inches tall and wide, making 

it a great border plant. 

Ophiopogon planiscapus 

nigrescens is commonly called 

black mondo grass. This small 

clumper has almost black blades 

and reaches 8 inches tall and 

slightly wider with age. It is evergreen 

and very conversationworthy. 

Install in the ground or 

in a container. 

Acorus variegatus ogon is a yellow-bladed 

ornamental grass. 

Acorus is exceptional in a container 

or in the ground. Fescue 

Elijah Blue is a great gray 

foliage grass. Those who think 

they know fescue grass should 

really try this selection – it’s 

marvelous. 

Ornamental grass season is 

here, so get planting. 

Nicole is the Garden Girl at 

R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts and 

Garden Contact her with questions, 

comments or suggestions at 

gardengirl@claytonpioneer.com 

It’s time for the crepe escape 

LINDA WYNER 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT 

Tired of the same ol’ pancake 

for breakfast? A tortilla 

for lunch? A dosa for dinner? 

It’s time to escape the routine 

and go back to the past by making 

a crepe. 

Crepes originated centuries 

ago in Brittany, a region in 

northern France. They were 

made from buckwheat, which 

isn’t wheat at all – it’s a glutenfree 

grain. Breton crepes were 

the staple bread of the peasant 

class. 

As sweeter, less coarse 

white flour became available to 

the middle and lower classes 

around the start of the 20th 

century, the more familiar 

crepe emerged and is now 

widely regarded as the national 

dish of France. 

Crepes also have a traditional 

religious role in France. La 

Chandeleur or Candlemas celebrates 

the Virgin Mary’s blessing 

on Feb. 2 each year. It’s also 

known as avec crepe day, a traditional 

offering of crepes with 

historical roots dating back to 

when peasants gave crepes to 

landowners as a sign of allegiance. 

The goal of avec crepe 

is to hold a coin in one hand 

and flip the crepe in the pan 

with the other. A successful flip 

portends financial success in 

the coming year. 

Crepes rapidly became the 

culinary darling of neighboring 

European countries. There’s 

the crespella of Italy (the basis 

for meat-based cannelloni), 

palacsintas in Hungary, filloas 

in Spain, pannekoeken in the 

Netherlands, blintzes on Jewish 

tables and blini in Russia. 

Crepe’s cousins are easily recognized 

around the world: the 

African injera, the Indian dosa, 

the Mexican sope and the 

Mandarin pancake for Chinese 

moo shu pork. 

Simply made of flour, eggs, 

butter, milk and seasonings, the 

crepe gallette is the French 

savory pancake filled with 

meat, poultry, cheese, vegetables, 

seafood and sauces. When 

sugar and sometimes spices are 

added, a sweet crepe sucres 

emerges – begging to be filled 

with jam, fruit and cream. 

A crepe batter is simple to 

prepare but requires planning 

because the batter must rest for 

at least an hour before cooking. 

The resting period allows the 

bubbles to subside and minimizes 

the risk of tearing during 

cooking. Most batters may be 

refrigerated for up to 48 hours. 

Here’s a successful recipe 

adapted from renowned Food 

Network personality Alton 

Brown: 

BASIC CREPE BATTER 

2 large eggs 

¾ c. milk 

½ c. water 

1 c. flour 

3 T. butter, melted 

Butter, for cooking 

Pulse all ingredients in a 

blender for about 10 seconds. 

The batter should be like thick 

cream; don’t worry if there are 

small lumps of flour. Cover and 

refrigerate the batter for an hour. 

Preheat a small nonstick pan 

over medium to medium-high 

heat – not so hot that the butter 

browns or burns when added to 

the pan before the batter. Pour 

about 2 T. batter into the buttered 

pan and swirl to create a 

round shape of even thickness. 

Cook about one minute, then 

loosen with a thin spatula and 

turn, cooking another 30 seconds. 

Remove to a platter. You can 

continue to pile on the cooked 

crepes, separated by sheets of 

waxed paper. Cooked crepes can 

also be frozen; defrost before 

use. 

Suggested fillings include 

poached chicken in Mornay 

sauce or shirred eggs and minced 

ham. Let your imagination run 

wild. 

Sweet crepes can also be 

rolled in warm syrup, folded in 

fourths and served with a compound 

butter or flambéed in 

liqueur. French chef Henri 

Charpentier is credited with creating 

the famous dessert dish 

crepes Suzette, possibly named 

after an attractive young woman 

who accompanied a European 

royal to dinner at the restaurant 

where he worked. The batter 

contains lightly grated orange 

peel and the cooked crepe is 

doused with orange liqueur or 

brandy and ignited for a spectacular 

presentation (and taste). 

CREPES SUZETTE 

Basic Crepe Batter 

2½ T. sugar 

1 tsp. vanilla extract 

2 T. rum or orange liqueur 

Grated zest of one orange 

FOR THE SAUCE: 

¼ lb. butter 

2 T. sugar 

3 oz. favorite liqueur 

4 scoops vanilla ice cream 

Prepare crepes following 

Basic Crepe directions. Fold 

them in half and half again so 

they are in the shape of a triangle. 

Melt half the butter in a nonstick 

pan over medium heat. 

When it foams, stir in the liqueur 

and sugar. Use tongs to transfer 

the crepes back to the pan and 

turn to coat. 

Remove to serving plates 

with the ice cream. Return the 

pan to the heat, add the remaining 

liqueur and tilt the pan. 

Ignite the liqueur with a long 

match and spoon some of the 

flaming liquid over the crepes. 

Linda Wyner, a local attorney and 

foodie, owns Pans on Fire, a gourmet 

cookware store and cooking school in 

Pleasanton. 

Direct your suggestions or questions 

to lwyner@claytonpioneer.com 

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� Live Entertainment 

� FREE Kids Zone 

� Amateur Cookoff 

contest (Saturday) 

A & H Limousine 

Service 

A & H Limousine Service 

has been owned and operated 

by Clayton resident, 

Sanjay Behal since 2005. A 

& H offers 24-hour service 

to all Bay Area airports at 

no extra charge. Limos, 

party buses, Hummer 

November 13 & 14 

Hours: Sat. 10-5pm, Sun. 10-4pm 

the Fairgrounds in 

Antioch 

Free Parking 

Tickets: 13 and Over - $5 

12 and Under - FREE 

1201 West 10th St., Antioch � (925) 757-4400 � info@ccfair.org 

www.contracostafair.com 

SPONSORS 

Scads of scary 

costumes and 

accessories instock! 

*See store 

for details 

TCP#23286 


Resident 

Bring this 

ad & receive 

$2 off 

Sunday admission 

11/14/2010 

Locally Owned and Operated. Shop in 

confidence as we will meet or beat 

any price on identical items* 

for Men, Women, Kids and Pets. 100’s of Halloween 

props, decorations, gifts and special effects. 

including Rubies, Forum, Rasta Imposta and more. 

We also carry Leg Avenue, Dreamgirl and 

Secret Wishes Sexy Ladies Costumes. 

to view our large selection of realistic 

Animatronic props and Halloween decorations. 

Open 

7 days 

a week 

Mon-Th: 9 to 9 

Fri-Sat: 9 to 10 

Sun: 10 to 8 

4383 Clayton Road, Concord (Next to Starbucks) 

925-672-8099 www.ScaryDecorations.com 

Limos, sedans and mini-vans 

are available. Experienced 

drivers will take you to on 

wine tours, to proms, birthday 

parties or a night out in San 

Francisco. Get to holiday parties, 

concerts, weddings or any 

special event in style. Seniors 

can take a 10 percent discount 

for any round-trip booking. 

Please call (925) 200- 

2824 or email 

AH4LIMO@GMAIL.COM. 

Contra Costa County 

Fall Faire 

Christmas is just around the 

corner and its time to get a 

head start on your holiday 

shopping. The 2010 Contra 

Costa County Fall Faire is 

Nov. 13-14 at the fairgrounds 

in Antioch. Join us for this two 

day event that will showcase 

all that Contra Costa County 

has to offer...quality arts and 

crafts, carnival, food, beverage, 

local businesses, community 

services, Santa, kids’ 

zone, and even an amateur 

cookout contest. Applications 

are available online at 

www.contracostafair.com for 

anyone who might be interested 

in participating in this 

event. 

Enter your dog in our 

Costume Contest * 

Sunday Oct. 31, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

�� Free Doggie Photos 

�� Free Prizes for Winners 

*Dogs should know basic obedience. 

Premium 

Edge 35 lbs. 

HOT BUYS on Dog Food 

Choose from 

AvoDerm 

Chicken & Rice, 30 lbs. 

& AvoDerm Lite, 28 lbs. 

“Itch Relief Food” 

Lamb & Rice Chicken & Rice Skin & Coat 

$ 27 .99 

$ 34 .99 

$ 26 .99 

Nyjer Thistle - 20 lbs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17 .99 

Small Black Oil Sunflower Seed - 20 lbs. . . . . . . 

$ 11 .99 

Western Delight Value Mix - 40 lbs. 

$ 3 off 

Pet Tags 

With coupon 

exp. Nov. 5, 2010 

Wild Bird Feed 

Complete Supply of Wild Bird Feed, 

Feeders and Many Products to Attract 

Wild Birds to your Back Yard. 

Reg Tags: $6 .99 �� Premium Tags: $9 .99 

Four more opportunities 

to advertise advertise 

in the 

Pioneer Holiday 

Shopping Guide. 

Call 672-0500 

for more information 

Custom Engraved Pet Tags 

Many tag designs to choose from. 

Jeweled tags available 

Thru Nov. 

5 

Thru Nov. 

5 

(925) 672-4600 �� 8863 Marsh Creek Rd. in Clayton

page a2 10 22.qxp - Clayton Pioneer

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