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May 8, 2009
925.672.0500
Local band proves family values rock at 14th annual Art and Wine MAYOR’S CORNER
TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
City honors Skipolini’s for 35 tasty years
See Mayor, page 19
City gives amnesty to encourage payment of back taxes
Deanna “Dee” Munk, well known and respected member of the Clayton community, died at home suddenly last week of an aortic aneurysm. She was 67. Dee was active on many community fronts, most recently with the CBCA Art and Wine Festival. For eight years, she has supervised the vendor selection and coordination. Her death came just three days before this year’s event. Her membership in the CBCA goes back 12 years. She served on the board of directors for three terms and was currently secretary. Dee was a woman of boundless energy, says close friend, Julie Pierce. “She had multiple interests – all at once, and gave enthusiastic support to everything she did.” Andre Gensburger/Clayton Pioneer
THE CROSSMAN CONNECTION’S TWO FATHERS AND THREE SONS captivated the audience with country favorites at the 2009 Art and Wine Festival. (From left) Andrew Freeman, Butch Crossman, Jeff Crossman, Kevin Crossman and Fred Freeman. ANDRÉ GENSBURGER Clayton Pioneer
The 2009 Art and Wine Festival got off to a slow start last Saturday as a heavy morning rain drenched downtown. “We only sold six beer tickets in three hours,” lamented festival volunteer Cindy Hayden. Event chair, Joe Medrano,
recalls only two other times that Art and Wine was rained on. But, by early afternoon, the storm broke and Main Street began to fill up with what would end up being a decent sized crowd. Despite the weather and the sluggish economy, this year’s festival drew more vendors than last year, Medrano said, and people
were in a buying mood. Food and art sales were brisk and the the mood, if not the sky, was sunny. The small crowd at the entertainment tent began to grow as people grabbed a seat on a bale of hay and settled in to rock out. This is the 14th year for the Art and Wine Festival sponsored by the Clayton Business and Community Association.
FAMILY BAND PERFORMS ON HOME TURF
Of the performers at the festival, one of the unique headliners was the Crossman Connection, a country rock band comprised of two fathers and their sons.
See Art & Wine, page 4
Kimberly Goddard wins Mothers’ Day title for mom in Pioneer’s essay contest
TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Business owners who have not paid their business license tax to the city of Clayton will be granted amnesty from back taxes and penalties if they pay the tax before November 1. In a 3-2 vote, the Council agreed to amnesty for business owners who have failed to pay the current year’s tax out of of fear getting hit with back taxes and stiff penalties which can double the amount owed. The Business License Tax, levied on anyone conducting business within the city of Clayton, raises about $100,000 a year. The amnesty period would only apply to those businesses that have never paid the tax, and would not be granted to those businesses that are simply late in paying.
She’s strict, but she laughs easily and often. She’s a team mom, the homework cop and the lunch patrol. She scrapbooks and loves the theater. She’s Monika Maytum, 12-yearold Kimberly Goddard’s mom and our 2009 Mothers Day Queen. Kimberly’s essay “My Mom Is Absolutely the Best” was the winning entry in the Clayton Pioneer’s Mothers Day essay contest. “She’s my love,” Monika said when she read Kimberly’s essay. “She’s not often open with her feelings, so this is really special.” The essay actually came about almost on a dare, Monika says. “Kimberly was complaining one day that she was bored, so I pointed to the Pioneer which was sitting on the table and said
See Tax Amnesty, page 8
Dee Munk March 30, 1942 April 29, 2009
JULIE PIERCE
On May 3, 1974, Skip and Bev Ipsen opened Skipolini’s Pizza in downtown Clayton and their award-winning pizza has been a Clayton staple for 35 years. From the beginning, Skip’s has been the place to go for great pizza. We all have our favorites. Steve loves double pepperoni and my favorite is mushrooms, black olives and fresh tomatoes. Now owned by their son, Kent, and his wife Yvette, Skipolini’s has grown to four locations and won many awards for their family-friendly restaurants and fabulous pizza. Skip’s is “going green,” so check out their new Website, SkipolinisPizza.com, where you can sign up to get coupons online. In recognition of their anniversary and their great support of the Clayton community, we declared May 3 Skipolini’s Day in Clayton. Take the family in, order a great pizza and raise a glass to them on this special anniversary.
Obituary
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
“SHE MAKES THE MONSTERS IN OUR HEAD GO AWAY,” writes Kimberly Goddard of mom Monika Maytum in her Mothers’ Day essay
What’s Inside Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Community Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Deal With It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Directory of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Food for Thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 For the Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
‘here’s something for you to do—write an essay about what a great mother I am.’ “I never dreamed she would actually do it,” laughed Monika. “It was a joke.” But, the seed was planted and the essay that grew out of that thought was no joke. In a touching tribute to her mother, Kimberly writes “We are four kids in the family, but when one of us is sick, she makes us feel as if we are the only person on earth.” “If my siblings or I were to have a nightmare she would be there to make sure that the monsters in our heads will go away.” The Maytum-Goddard family lives in Regency Meadows and includes Monika’s husband Colin, Kimberly, Jennifer 15, Anthony 10 and Samuel 7. A yellow lab named Holly greets
Dee was born on March 30, 1942 in Redwood City, California. She grew up on the peninsula and graduated from Carlmont High School in 1960. She went on to study French and French foreign studies at the University of California, Berkeley, from 1960 to 1965. A brilliant woman and a bit quirky, Dee’s talents ranged from artisan quilt making and award winning needlework to determined advocate for the area’s ranchers and farmers as executive director of the Contra Costa Farm Bureau. She was an ardent water conservationist, serving on boards and committees from the regional level to the state. A supporter of the Friends of Mt. Diablo Creek, Dee worked on the watershed mapping project in 2005. “She was smart,” says Julie. “Oh, so smart—and very wise.” And she was passionate about her sports teams – the Giants, the ‘Niners and all the Cal Bears teams. “On our first date, I took her to a Raiders playoff game,” Ron recalls. “Then, the next
See Mom, page 16
See Munk, page 4
From the Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Home and Garden Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Movie Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 On the Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 School News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Weather Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
May 8, 2009
Around Town 200 turn out for community clean up day
2
Oldest business in Clayton, Skipolini’s is honored by city Skipolini’s Pizza will be 35 on May 3 and the city of Clayton is helping them celebrate. As the oldest business in Clayton, Skipolini’s will claim May 3, 2009 as Skipolini’s Day in Clayton. The Ipsens’ Clayton roots run deep. The business was started in 1974 by Skip and
Bev Ipsen and is owned today by son Kent and his wife Yvette. Bev Ipsen passed away a few years ago. Skip has remarried and he and his wife Linda are active in the CBCA. Kent and Yvette live in the white house on the hill that looks over downtown Clayton.
3
1 If you were trail trash anywhere in Clayton last week, you were in trouble as an army of rubbish-seeking warriors, waving their big orange bags like victory flags, declared war on litter on Clayton streets and trails. By any measure, the day was a grand success. Nearly 200 individuals, families, scout troops and Rotarians proudly wore the
colors of the day in Clayton Cleans Up t-shirts as they went about the business of sprucing up the town in preparation for the Art and Wine Festival. They were rewarded for their labors with a barbeque lunch in the city hall courtyard. Clayton Cleans Up t-shirts and lunch were generously provided by Allied Waste. In recognition of Earth Day
on April 22, Navlet’s Garden Center brought packets of California poppy seeds to scatter on the hillsides come September. The event was organized by the Clayton Pioneer and cosponsored by the city of Clayton, Allied Waste, Navlet’s Garden Center, Peet’s Coffee & Tea and Cathie’s Custom Creations.
4 (CLOCKWISE) 1: MAYOR JULIE PIERCE sets up a one-woman sorting station after lunch, digging through the trash can to rescue paper plates and soda cans for the recycle bin. 2. NO SUCH THING AS TOO MANY COOKS IN THIS KITCHEN. Pictured here are Craig Johnson, Howard Geller and Frank Russian. 3. LYNETTE AND MELISSA COX AND NOLAN AND MARIS MEGENER check their trash bags for possible hidden treasures. 4. PEET’S MANAGERS DARREN MATSUURA AND ANDREW POLLARD donated the coffee that kept the volunteers in overdrive; shown here serving Herb Yonge. 5. BOY SCOUTS WYATT BREDELL, MASI LATU, ANDREW KINAUER AND TROOP LEADER KURT KINAUER of Troop 492 had no trouble filling their oversize garbage bags with litter from the creek. 6. CLAYTON CLEANS UP EVENT CHAIR BOB STEINER AND COMMITTEE CHAIR LINDA PINDER are all smiles as the day’s work winds down.
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
KENT IPSEN, CURRENT OWNER OF SKIPOLINI’S PIZZA, with Mayor Julie Pierce and founder Skip Ipsen.
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Photos by Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 3
Around Town Senavsky sisters go to state music festival
CVHS 50th year celebrations come to a close
FREE r Concert e Seri m m es u S Saturdays 6-8 p.m.
May 16 through Sept. 19 At the Gazebo in The Grove
May 16
LAVA Latin/Salsa
CHRISTINE AND VALERIE SENAVSKY
May 30
May 9, Christine and Valerie Senavsky of Clayton will compete in the state level Solo and Ensemble Festival at Sacramento State University hosted by California Music Teachers’ Association. Both girls earned the right to participate by winning command performance honors at the March 7 District CMEA Festival held at Los Medanos College. For the state event Christine will perform “Bach Sonata for Violin and Keyboard.” Valerie will play the “Mozart Concerto #1 for Horn.” Christine will also play the horn with the Northgate Brass Octet. on the horn. Christine is a freshman at Northgate High School and plays both violin and horn in orchestra and band. Valerie is a 7th grader at Diablo View Middle School. She is also assistant first horn with the prestigious Oakland Youth Orchestra and a member of the 2009 All State CBDA Concert Band.
June 13
HOUSEROCKERS Rock and Soul
Mamaluke Classic Rock
MUNDY VIAR, ELIZABETH EMIGH, SUE KWON (‘86), TOM WILLS cut into the CVHS cake.
Clayton Valley High School’s year-long 50th anniversary celebration came to an entertaining and nostalgic close on Saturday, April 25 at Centre Concord. Alumni, friends, teachers and staff gathered to share memories and honor distinguished graduates. Sue Kwon, Consumer Watch reporter for CBS 5 Eyewitness
Bridget Billiter-Gillespie (‘89), Dee Billiter and Marisa Alioto of San Diego catch up on news.
AND
CVHS
Photos by Mike Dunn/Clayton Pioneer GARY SWANSON prepare to
PRINCIPAL
News and a 1986 CVHS graduate who grew up in Clayton was Master of C e r e m o n i e s. “This event totally re-connected me with Clayton Valley CVHS staffer Cheryl Long of Clayton buys two High School,” arm lengths of raffle tickets. said Kwon. “It’s amazing how much talent has with music and drama. Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo (‘71) presented come from this school.” Clayton resident and attor- a kinetic monologue on peace. ney Bridget Billiter Gillespie The CVHS Show Choir “raz(‘89) was recognized for her zled and dazzled” the audience career achievements in law. with selections from “Chicago” Popular art teacher James and the Women’s Ensemble and Enemark was honored posthu- a mixed student/alumni choir each performed. mously. Enemark died in 2006. - Mike Dunn While the audience dined, former students entertained
June 27
The Sun Kings Beatles
July 11
Mixed Nuts ‘40s to present dance music
July 25
BECCA Country
August 8 In Disguise Jazz, R&B, Pop Hits
Aug 22
Diamond Dave Oldies to today’s top hits
Aug 29
Replica 80s rock tribute band
Sept 19
Harvey & The Wall Bangers Rock, R&B, Country and Oldies
Sponsored by the city of Clayton, CBCA and Allied Waste Services
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
The
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Art & Wine, from page 1
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The Crossman Connection has played frequently at the Clayton Club, but more importantly, has survived the test of time. “We started 15 years ago,” said founder Butch Crossman. “At the time, I didn’t think it would go anywhere but at least I’d know where they’re at and what they’re doing,” referring to his sons, Jeff and Kevin, also a part of the band. At the time, they were in their teens and the music, which ran in the family anyway, seemed like a good fatherson bonding activity. For Butch, a general contractor by trade, music has been a mainstay in his life. “I’ve been playing guitar since
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I was 10,” Butch said. “I’d play around the house, so the kids grew up with me playing and my ex (wife) singing.” As time passed, the two boys also started playing – Kevin when he was 5 and Jeff from age 13. “We do threepart harmony and the voices just gel,” said Butch. For fun, they entered a karaoke contest at a Fairfield Shakey’s Pizza in 1989, Kevin in the kids’ division and Butch in the adult. “He kicked my butt,” Butch said with only the pride a father could feel about being overtaken. “He was so good that they put him in the adult division and he beat me.” The impressed owner asked Kevin if he had a band. After Kevin mumbled that he did, the owner wanted the band to play once a week. “So we stayed up all night practicing,” Butch said. “At first, Jeff didn’t want his friends to know about it so they wouldn’t tease him, but when they did they used to come and hang out.” That gig lasted six months. Their first bar performance was at the Cadillac Ranch in Cordelia and things took off from there. The band also features Dave Copeland, called “Uncle Dave.” “Dave and I were best friends and I was married to Dave’s sister,” Butch explained. “I divorced her and kept Dave. He used to be a lead guitar player.” The other member of the band is Fred Freeman, a drummer who started this past year. “I first heard Butch four or five years ago,” Fred said. “I
May 8, 2009 was blown away by this guy playing such great music. And he was playing with his kids.” Their wives knew each other and it came out that Fred played drums. “Over time, Butch and Kevin invited me to sit in while they played at the Clayton Club and here we are.” Fred’s 13-year-old son Andrew made an appearance at the Art and Wine Festival, playing the bass. “It’s my first live performance,” Andrew said. The seventh-grader at Diablo View Middle School has had stage experience playing to recorded tracks. “It’s funny,” Andrew said. “I listen to rock and metal. I’ve never really played country before, but it’s pretty cool.” “It’s all original music,” Butch said. “I’m a harmony guy. I look at them (Kevin and Jeff) and I’m amazed at what they can do.” Butch and the boys burned a CD of songs in 1997 and are working on a new CD. The boys write constantly, Butch reports, and they have enough material for “five or six CDs.” Fred likes being a positive role model for kids. “You know, all the oldies from the ’40s are back and you get a fortysomething father able to play with their kids, it doesn’t get better than that.” “If I had all the money in the world to pay my bills,” Butch concluded, “I’d be happy just playing music.” The Crossman Connection has more dates at the Clayton Club and will play at the Suisun City Waterfront Concert Series on July 31. For more information, visit www.myspace.com/crossmanconnectionband.
Munk, from page 1
Mechanical repairs and computer diagnostics including 30K, 60K, 90K factory maintenance on all European, Imported and domestic vehicles.
Corner of Clayton Road and Kirker Pass Road
925 672-3900
weekend, she cooked me dinner.” Dee and Ron were married for almost 34 years. Together, they raised three children in their Clayton home, and both were tireless supporters of the Clayton Valley Little League. For more than 20 years, Dee served as head scorekeeper and Ron coached. Six years ago, they moved from Clayton to their present home on Laurel Drive in Concord. A gourmet cook, Dee could spend days preparing for a special meal. “She was passionate about food – both cooking it and eating it,” says her husband, Ron, “Once, she fixed a Chinese dinner. It was in the days before the Cuisinart and it took her three days to chop everything up.” She loved the holidays and celebrated each with a new vest. “She had them for Halloween, 4th of July, Valentine’s Day, changing seasons — all of them,” remembers Ron. “She called them wearable art.”
She waited all year for Christmas and the carols were her favorite music. “She’d put them on the day after Thanksgiving and play them all the way ‘til New Years,” Julie recalls. Dee leaves behind a legacy of friendship. “She was a friend to everyone,” said Ron. “She was bright, articulate and caring. She was my best friend.” “She had deep friendships,” says Julie. “We talked almost every day. I can’t believe that I can’t just pick up the phone and call her right now.” Dee is survived by her husband Ron, sons Darren and Dale and daughter-in-law Kris; daughter Dawn Risden and grandchildren Taylor, Kori and Robbi Munk; Travis, Caitlin, Courtney and Blake Risden, and sister Sue Marshall. Friends and family celebrated her life at a memorial service at St. Bonaventure’s Catholic Church in Concord on May 4. The family
Upcoming Events MAY 9 FARMERS MARKET The Farmers Market returns to Clayton, opening and closing an hour earlier than last year. The market will set up on Mt. Diablo St. between The Royal Rooster and Skipolini’s between 8 a.m. and noon on Saturday mornings beginning May 9. Come early to beat the heat, buy your veggies, then stop for coffee or stay for lunch at one of downtown's great eateries. MAY 16 CONCERT IN THE GROVE The first of the free summer concert series is May 16 in The Grove. Bring lawn chairs or a blanket and plunk down on the lawn with sandwiches, a pizza or a fine takeout dinner from Ed’s, Moresi’s Chophouse or La Veranda. First up is Lava, a high energy Latin-Salsa band featuring Mio “Timbalero” Flores. Concert is from 6-8 p.m. MAY 16, 17 CLAYTON VALLEY GARDEN TOUR Tour five beautiful Clayton homes and top off the day with wine and cheese in the bonus garden. An all native-plant garden and a “hill that will thrill,” are just two of the exciting landscapes on this year’s Clayton Historical Society Garden tour. The Clayton Valley Garden Club will host a plant sale at the museum on Main Street both days of the tour. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 on tour days. Buy tickets at R&M Pool, Patio and Gardens, 6780 Marsh Creek Road, or at the Clayton Museum on Main Street. For more information, call 6720240. See Tour Preview, page 20
has requested any memorial gifts be made to We Care Services for Children, 2191 Kirker Pass Rd., Concord, 94521 or to Vestia, 400 Ellinwood Way, Pleasant Hill, 94523.
A STRONG SUPPORTER of conservation and a member of Friends of Mt. Diablo Creek, Dee Munk is shown here during a watershed study in 2005.
May 8, 2009
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 5
Directory of Advertisers P.O. Box 1246 6200 Center Street, Suite H, Clayton, CA 94517 TAMARA AND R OBERT S TEINER , Publishers TAMARA S TEINER , Editor A NDRÉ G ENSBURGER , Reporter and Feature Writer P ETE C RUZ , Graphic Design B EV B RITTON , Copy Editor R ANDY R OWLAND , Sports B ETH N EUDELL , Advertising Sales C HRISTINA S CARLOTT , Administrative Assistant 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 André Gensburger Andre@claytonpioneer.com Beth Neudell beth@claytonpioneer.com Send ads to ads@claytonpioneer.com Send Sports News to sports@claytonpioneer.com Send Club News to clubnews@claytonpioneer.com Send Church News to churchnews@claytonpioneer.com
Send School News to 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) 6720500 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 discriminates 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 Web site are forms for submitting Community Calendar items and press releases for your organization.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Clayton Pioneer welcomes letters from our readers. As a general rule, letters should be 300 words or less and submitted at least one week prior to publication date. Letters concerning current issues will have priority. We may edit letters for length and clarity. All letters will be published at the editor’s discretion. 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.
City of Clayton accepting applications for Clayton Planning Commission Term: July 2009 thru June 2011 The Planning Commission is comprised of five members appointed by the City Council for two-year terms. The Planning Commission advises the City Council on land use matters, including general plan amendments, zone changes, and proposed projects. The Commission also makes decisions on site plans, use permits, subdivisions, and variances. Planning Commission meetings are open to the public and its decisions can be appealed to the City Council. The Planning Commission meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, 7 p.m., in Hoyer Hall at the Clayton Community Library. Planning Commissioners presently receive a monthly stipend of $120. An applicant must be 18 years of age, registered voter and a resident of Clayton. Apply in person at Clayton City Hall, 6000 Heritage Trail. For an application, call City Hall at (925) 673-7300 or send email to ljackson@ci.clayton.ca.us. Visit the city’s Website at www.ci.clayton.ca.us. Deadline for application is 5 p.m., June 5, 2009. Interviews will be held in mid June and appointments announced at the June 16 City Council meeting.
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Classified FOUND Parakeet Found 4/24 in Easley Estates. Call to identify. 765-3822.
SUMMER CHILDCARE
Saturday May 16 th
Summer Childcare offered at Clayton Community School Kindergarten – 5th grade, Monday – Friday 7 am to 6 pm. Preschool offered Tuesday and Thursday 9 am to 11:30 pm. Contact (925) 672-0388.
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New Ford Rousch Propane Truck on display by Big Valley Ford
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Baby Chicks arrive May 8 from $
1.99 each
(925) 672-4600 8863 Marsh Creek Rd. Clayton
South Lake Tahoe Vacation Rental Great location, sleeps 6 to 8 comfortably. Pictures and home details can be found at www.tahoehansenhouse.com. Still have questions, call Debbie Hansen at (925) 7668961. Dana Ridge Townhome 4Bds/2.5Bth, Views, Cul de sac, New carpet and paint, Washer/ Dryer, Garbage included. Required deposit $3,100. Monthly rent $2,125. No Smoking, Credit check req. Email Dave at emailinfostuff@ comcast.net. Cabin Rental Pinecrest – Rustic cabin, sleeps 11. Near lake, stores, restaurant, post office and movie. Huge deck. $1000/wk. Available June, July and August. Call 925-837-2870.
HELP WANTED Real Estate Agents Be Successful! Lynne French is expanding and interviewing for a few agents. Call her today (925) 672-8787.
VOLUNTEERS WANTED Meals on Wheels Drivers hairbyjim@sbcglobal.net or call 673-0300. Anna’s Attic Volunteers Call 674-9072 or (925) 766-5066. Hospice of the East Bay Call Volunteer Dept. at (925) 8875678 or email volunteers@ hospiceeastbay.org. Clayton Historical Society Museum Call the museum at 672-0240. Clayton Community Library. 673-9777 or email: akikkawa@ccclib.org
Auto Clayton Valley Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3900 Mike's Auto Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-1739 Yamaha of Napa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .707-254-7432 Construction and Trades Belfast Plumbing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .457-5423 Burkin Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2482 Insite Design and Build . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .980-0465 Michael Dwyer & Sons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3980 Olde World Mill & Cabinets . . . . . . . . . . . .1-707-558-0259 S&K Nellis Painting, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .687-2233 Smith & Bernal Roofing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0138 Straight Line Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .335-9801 Tipperary Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-2679 Woodin’ It Be Nice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-5595 Dentist Children's Dentistry of Walnut Creek . . . . . . . . . .938-2392 Jason Renner, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-2800 Richard Rissel, D.M.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-2800 Dining and Entertainment Clayton Club Saloon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-0440 Diablo Light Opera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .944-1565 La Veranda .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0011 Willows Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .957-2500 Financial and Insurance Services Andre-Grimesey Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-3000 Benton, Mureleen - Ameriprise Financial . . . . . .685-4523 Carol Keane and Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .937-5200 CD Federal Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .825-0900 Doug Van Wyck - State Farm Insurance . . . . . . .672-2300 Ferrante Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .674-1755 Real Prosperity Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .472-6808 Richard Littorno - Attorney at Law . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6463 Travis Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-877-8328 Fitness Traveling Trainers for Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .890-6931 Funerals Ouimet Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4242 Home and Garden Abbey Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-9901 Clayton Valley Frameworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6066 Clear Splash Pool Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-6245 First Choice Abbey Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .838-5580 Floors to Go Danville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .820-8700 Just Floors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .681-4747 Keenan Heinz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .288-0159 Lewis & Lewis Carpets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .939-2145 Majestic Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .676-1545 Navlet’s Garden Centers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .681-0550 Nichols Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9955 Pans on Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .600-7267 Persson’s Touch Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240-1711 R & M Pool, Patio and Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0207 Sparkle Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-5025 The Maids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-6243 Utopic Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0055 Waraner Tree Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250-0334 Welcome Home House Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . 584-5980 Window Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-1930 Mailing and Shipping The UPS Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6245 Postal Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-9030 Personal Products and Services Bella Mia Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-7792 Perfect Tan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8261 Roberta Claire Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .625-1123 Tammy’s Hair Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-2126 The Makeup Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .408-8010 The Tanning CO! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2022 Pet Services Aussie Pet Mobile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-738-6624 Cat Hospital of Clayton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2287 Doggie Doo Drain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .286-5564 Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1100 O’Brien Family Pet Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .899-7354 Peace of Mind Pet Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9781 Rodies Feed and Country Store . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4600 Preschool Walnut Country Preschool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-9686 Real Estate and Mortgage Services Flannery, Patty - Diablo Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0541 French, Lynne - Windermere Real Estate . . . . . .672-8787 Laurence, Pete - RE/MAX Realty . . . . . . . . . . . .937-0150 Lopez, Stephanie - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . .932-7329 Morucci, Kim - Intero Real Estate Services . . . . .280-8563 Rahimzadeh, Helen - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . .932-7375 Vujnovich, George - Better Homes Realty . . . . .672-4433 Recreation Clayton Valley Bowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-4631 Dana Hills Homeowners Assn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .381-2021 Oakhurst Country Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9737 Senior Services Diamond Terrace Senior Retirement Living . . . . .524-5100 Services, Other Appliance Repairs by Bruce, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2700 Clean Cleaner Carpets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .383-1253 Computers USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9989 Diablo View Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8300 Recycling Center & Transfer Station . . . . . . . . . .473-0180 The Cutting Edge Knife Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7892 Shopping Clayton Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-3325 Pacific Coast Farmers Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .825-9090 Seasonal Reflections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4425 The Royal Rooster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2025 Travel Cruise Adventures Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .935-7447
Page 6
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Clayton Rancher with Pool! This beautiful and upgraded Plambeck/Skinner built home is in immaculate condition ready to just move in and enjoy. 4 Bedrooms with a Master Suite with its own slider to the sparkling blue swimming pool.
er
h Anot
D L SO n sell
faced fireplace. Features include a recent 30 year roof, dual-pane windows, base and crown molding, 6-panel doors, a huge bay window in the living room and a spa-tub in one of the 2 bathrooms. A detached artists studio built with city permit, parklike landscaping with privacy, decks and a stamped concrete patio for outdoor entertaining. See it before its gone!
ca o! e t e P s to your
Highlights include an oak kitchen with gourmet Corian counters and built-in wine cooler. A delightful breakfast nook is adjacent to the large family room with custom accent lighting and marble-
$539,000
Give him a call, he can sell yours too. KNOWLEDGE
SERVICE
INTEGRITY
RESULTS
Pete Laurence,
Broker, Realtor, GRI 2950 Buskirk Avenue, Ste. 140, Walnut Creek Direct 940-2777 Cell 890-6004 Fax 937-0150
Now is the time to buy.
May 8, 2009
Put safety first when taking bikes on the road Bicycling is a great way to combine exercise and basic transportation and has become a popular choice for many who want fitness and a fun way to commute. May has been declared National Bike Month as a way to promote bicycling as a healthy, fun, economical and viable form of transportation. Many Bay Area folks will participate in the 15th annual Bike to Work Day on Thursday, May 14, and enjoy the health benefits, including reduced air pollution and no waiting in traffic. By California law, bicyclists have the same rights and must follow the same rules as
motorists. The following tips will help you follow the law and stay safe on the road. Wear a helmet. Bicyclists and bicycle passengers under 18 years of age are required to wear a helmet. Always ride with traffic. Motorists are not looking for bicyclists riding on the wrong side of the road. Observe stop signs, signals and basic right-of-way rules. You can receive a citation if seen violating these traffic laws. Keep clear of the car door zone. It will hurt if you strike a car door that is suddenly opened. Use hand signals to signal motorists of your intentions.
DAN LAWRENCE
FROM
THE
CHIEF
Keep both hands ready to brake. You may not be able to stop in time with one hand. In rain, allow for extra stopping distance. Ride a well-equipped bicycle. Be sure your bike is sized for you and is well-maintained. Use lights at night. The law requires both front and rear lights while riding at night. Reflectors and reflective vests
See Chief, page 7
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Agent’s history with Farmers began at 16, as a customer ANDRÉ GENSBURGER Clayton Pioneer
Her parents taught her the value of insurance at a young age by making her pay her own way, a lesson that Danielle André-Grimesey takes seriously in her job as a Farmers Insurance agent. “I’ve been insured with Farmers since I was 16,” she says. “My dad is a cop and my parents have been insured with Farmers for over 40 years.” With that kind of responsibility taught early and as the wife of a San Francisco firefighter, Patrick Grimesey, Danielle takes prides in the information she makes sure that her clients receive. “I do like to educate people,” she says. “It is important that they understand what coverage they have. Too many people do not know.” She considers herself a people person and knows how to hold a constructive discussion, a skill she learned from her time as Miss San Francisco in 1998 and later as a runner up in the Miss California contest. “I’m a tomboy,” Danielle confesses, laughing at the image of the beauty queen which she says was heavily based on the interviewing criteria that year. “My friend suggested I enter to earn some money for college,” she explains. “I was really surprised when I won.” From there, she had an eight-year career as a mortgage underwriter. That career ended and she was laid off. During a real estate open house with a friend, she met a Farmers’ agent and knew it was a good fit. “I get to stay home with my daughter,” she says, “and when I need to meet a client, I go to the office. I love my job. I especially like that there is something new each day.” While her 2-year-old agency focuses on public employees, given her family affiliations with firefighters and police officers, she is not limited to that group. And she will be the first to tell you that understanding how insurance works and what coverage you should have is important, although she knows that many people are hardly thrilled with having to read all the fine print. “Take uninsured drivers,” she says, discussing the impact of the recession. “It used to be that
Photo courtesy of Danielle André-Grimesey
DANIELLE ANDRÉ-GRIMESEY with her San Francisco firefighter husband Patrick, credits her parents for her early training in the value of insurance.
one out of five drivers was not insured. There is a study that is not finished yet, but potentially half the drivers may be uninsured. And yet some people want to carry minimums on their uninsured motorist coverage. Make sure that you protect yourself as well as you are protecting other people.” Danielle also noted that many homeowners let their policies lapse because of an inability to pay for them. It makes her uneasy. “My main goal is to protect you,” she adds. “I really do care about what happens; that’s my personality. If I feel I gave you bad coverage, it really would affect how I slept at night.” For fun, she gardens and takes her two Boxers to the dog park. Danielle and Patrick are also sports fans and avid divers. “Whenever we travel, it has to be somewhere tropical,” she says. She doesn’t want people to mistake Miss San Francisco with the agent watching out for her clients. “I take my job seriously,” she notes. For more information, contact Danielle at 689-3000 or visit www.dag-insurance.com.
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May 8, 2009
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com
Dancing with germs, part of the human condition One of the lessons we are learning from the recent global outbreak of the Swine Flu is the speed and ease by which it spreads throughout the world. From a small village in Mexico, a world can get infected – demonstrating the massive inter-connectedness that we have in our societies. The government suggestion of using Kleenex and washing hands, while simplistic, does actually tackle what has essentially become an exercise in laziness. Too few people wash their hands, regardless of whether it is to retain a measure of sanitation or to prevent the spread of germs. Trying to stay clean proves to be an interesting task. Certainly wash your hands. A common practice now, especially in restrooms, is to use the paper towel you dried your hands with to open the door – and with good reason. With an informal statistic showing that more than 30 percent of males using the bathroom did not wash their hands and touched the handle on their way out, a paper towel seems a very good idea. A study of how germs are
ANDRÉ GENSBURGER
DEAL WITH IT spread involves all aspects of our lives. ATM machines, restaurants and coffee shops, libraries and malls are all areas of multiple proximity contacts. I touch the counter to pay for merchandise. You touch the counter to pay for merchandise and, in the process, receive some free germs from me. At work, using a photocopy machine, filing cabinet or telephone puts you in very close contact with fellow germ-infested humans. Teachers and day-care providers always get the sickest; here you have a tightly packed institution of learning and germ development where one cold becomes 30 colds in a short time. Is it any wonder why a school
Movie Review
‘State of Play’ delves into journalist endeavors THOMAS VO Pioneer Movie Reviewer
“State of Play” delivers a fast-paced storyline delivered by a cast of A-list actors. However, “State of Play” may have to do more with blogs taking over the print news than with political conspiracies. Directed by Kevin Macdonald (“The Last King of Scotland”), the movie is based on a BBC miniseries of the same name. The plot follows Cal McAffery (Russell Crowe), an old-school, gruff journalist. He is one of the best and most experienced in the business. Della Frye (Rachel McAdams) plays the young blogger working for the newspaper. Their editor (Helen Mirren) puts the two together to tackle the story of Rep. Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) and his affair with a woman who worked in his office. Della and Cal delve deeper into the woman’s death to find that it may be more complicated than originally thought, having connections with multiple other deaths and with private security corporation PointCorp. “State of Play” immediately jumps into the action; the murders occur in the first 10 minutes of the film. One can feel the movement in the film, almost as if you are tailing Crowe while he is following
leads. There are numerous twists in the story. Some are surprising, while you can see others coming a mile away. What really picks this film up was the acting. Crowe puts on a great performance as the gritty journalist. Mirren portrays the editor as vinegary and hardened; often she is what provides comic relief in this suspense thriller. McAdams and Affleck also provide good support. Overall, the acting was believable and interesting – although I didn’t think it was credible that Crowe, 45, and Affleck, 37, were college roommates. It is also worth mentioning Jason Bateman, who plays a party guy PR representative. He nearly steals the scene from Affleck and Crowe, but his character disappeared just as soon as it was introduced. While the plot was interesting enough, it was not what drew me into the film. I was more interested in seeing Crowe seek out his leads and put this puzzle together. When the focus shifted from Crowe’s character to any other part of the story, my attention would trail off. Once I left the movie, I wasn’t wowed by the brilliance of the film – but rather I was intrigued by the newspaper and journalism world.
See Movie, page 8
would close down for the Swine Flu? Do you pump gas? How about pushing the supermarket shopping carts? Rent videos? Workout at a gym? These activities bring you direct germ-togerm contact. And let’s not forget dining out. Are you feeling like Mexican food tonight? Carnitas? It is customary in our society for business people to shake hands as a greeting. You’d better wash that hand afterward, especially if the man whose hand you shook fell into the 30 percent category. The funny thing is that were you to look at yourself under a microscope, you would find that we are actually a hosting organism for a multitude of life forms that live on our bodies. Germs are not our enemy; germs are actually our friend. Despite the anti-bacterial nation we live in, exposure to germs is what allows us to build immunity. Studies have shown that people who excessively clean actually do not help their immunity. Think about the concept of vaccination. You are receiving a
sample of the virus, so your body defenses can wipe it out and store the information for future use. It is ironic that on the one hand, germs can be helpful and on the other, fatal. The 1918 Spanish Flu that killed millions of people worldwide remains a warning that we could be overrun again. Another argument suggests that those people who could not develop immunity to the Spanish Flu were the millions who died. The rest retain that immunity. It is a nice argument were it not for the fact that the flu mutates from generation to generation. As we watch the Swine Flu spread throughout the world, we can take comfort in the fact that however the story ends, we will always be one step ahead of a virus with our names imprinted on its genetic code. While I can deal with it that way, I’m still not shaking your hand!
Page 7
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André Gensburger is a staff reporter and feature writer for the Pioneer. His email address is andre@claytonpioneer.com
Chief, from page 6 are valuable additions. Don’t weave between parked cars. Motorists may not see you. Look before you pass or merge. Make eye contact with the car driver. Avoid road hazards. Watch out for railroad tracks, parallel-slat sewer grates, utility covers, painted or oily pavement, gravel and pot-holes. These are more hazardous when wet. Bicycling can be fun and safe if you obey the law and take extra safety precautions while riding. Please have a fun summer and be safe while riding
your bicycle. The Clayton Police Department offers bicycle licenses for $3. If you would like addition information about bicycle laws, safety tips or licenses, call the Clayton Police Department at 673-7350, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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
159 Mt. Vernon, Clayton Move-in Condition! Turn key home with $649,000 fantastic curb appeal and spectacular landscape with sparkling PENDI pool and spa in private NG setting. This spacious home offers over 2300 sq. ft., four bedrooms PLUS den for home office, library, etc. formal living room & dining room, light & bright kitchen with garden window, new updated baths, new carpet, new paint & textured ceilings, RV parking and much more!
377 Blue Oak Lane, Clayton Gorgeous NEW hardwood floors, design center stainless appliances, double crown An incredible molding, paint, AND a $765,000! NEW yard and patio! Luscious NEW carpets and spectacular vistas from every angle of this approx. 3,200 sq. ft. Eagle Peak beauty – a perfect 10++
1119 Vista Point Lane, Concord $100k price reduction on this estate property! Semi custom with over 3500 sq. ft. of living space on almost an acre lot, fantastic vista views, huge wrap around deck, gourmet chef’s kitchen with granite counters, oversized butcher block island, expanded granite breakfast bar, two dining areas, family room with $799,000 extensive custom builtins, surround sound, & hardwood floors, new carpet, PLUS darling guest cottage for possible home office, media room, inlaw unit, etc. Amazing, mature working vineyard on property.
homes@helenandstephanie.com
925.932.7375 Helen
925.932.7329 Stephanie
Page 8
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
May 8, 2009
Go to these Websites and ‘go green’
MARK FREEMAN
ON
Appliance
Repairs by Bruce, Inc. 35 years experience
“We do a dog gone good job” - Zoey & Bruce
Bruce & Holly Linsenmeyer 30 year Clayton residents
We repair all major appliances, most major brands, and we’re local
Office: (925) 672-2700 Cell: (925) 956-8605 State of California B.E.A.R license #A44842
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Let us help make your
Graduation Celebration something memorable. We have Announcements, Invitations & Thank You cards, Centerpieces, Table Coverings, Plates, Napkins & Party Goods.
Custom local high school balloons in stock
The Holiday and Party Superstore
torels s n I ecia Sp
925-672-4425 5434 Ygnacio Valley Road, Ste. 130
THE
NET
If you think every day should be Earth Day, this summer is the perfect time to go green by using the Web. From recycling center finders to carbon footprint calculators, Websites for greenseekers are easy to find. Instead of just bringing cans and bottles to the curb for recycling, take them to a recycling center and receive cash. With Earth911.com, you can search for centers near your home. It also displays what materials can be brought there. For example, NexCycle on Willow Pass Road accepts four types of glass and three types of plastics, plus aluminum cans. If you’re more interested in junking that computer which broke five years ago, check out Erecycle.org. This Website lists recycling centers that specialize in hard-to-dispose E-waste. There are 19 such centers in Contra Costa County, including Bay Area Recycle of Walnut Creek. You can support local farmers by checking out LocalHarvest.org. This site lets you find farmers markets and organic food restaurants nearby. Clayton residents need not travel far – they can drop by the Clayton Farmers Market on Diablo Street on Saturdays, May to October. There are also farmers markets in Concord and Walnut Creek, so fresh food is only a short drive away. Since California is in a drought, the Contra Costa Water District is requiring households to reduce their water usage by 15 percent. Visit the district’s Website at CCwater.com for information on how to get free conservation devices and instructions on reading your water meter. The district also has loads of water-saving tips for homes and businesses. While I like the information provided by the district, the Save Water article on WikiHow.com is simpler to view. If you’re in the spirit of con-
servation, visit Ecomall.com for ideas on reducing the amount of garbage you produce. Their first suggestion will surely please Costco and Sam’s Club buyers: “Choose bigger sizes – they offer more products with less packaging.” To further reduce your impact on the environment, calculate a “carbon footprint” – which measures the amount of greenhouse gases your activities produce. Carbonfootprint.com offers calculators for homes and businesses and provides solutions to help reduce carbon emissions. Of course, you’ll want to
buy green products. GreenHome.com, one of the largest environmental product sellers on the Web, sells a variety of items made from natural materials. Their inventory sounds bizarre, but they explain that buying recycled umbrellas, organic mattresses and herbal toothpaste will help bring about a more sustainable existence. Be careful before buying, though. A recent report suggests that many so-called green products are marketed falsely. A survey by Canadian firm TerraChoice found that only two percent of green products “make completely legitimate
There’s nothing I love in fiction more than an unreliable narrator. In Brunonia Barry’s debut novel, “The Lace Reader,” we get unreliable in spades. Not only do we get a narrator whose sanity is seriously questionable, but we also get a story set in modern-day Salem along with real and pretended witches, ghosts, murder and wild dogs. To understand what it means to have an unreliable narrator, think Faulkner or Gregory McGuire’s “Wicked.” It means that sometimes the reader knows more than the storyteller. Or maybe just thinks they do. It’s a puzzle. “The Lace Reader” is narrated by a dazed young woman named Towner Whitney. But that isn’t quite right, either. Her real name is Sophya, and she states right up front lest there be any confusion, “I am a crazy woman … we’re from five generations of crazy.” So why should a person bother to follow a self-admitted crazy narrator? Because somewhere deep down, the story has a ring of truth to it. It contains a raw edge that makes it all but impossible to look away. Most of all, there’s something about Towner/Sophya that is fragile, and you want her to win. Even if she is a liar. When Towner receives a mysterious gift from her great-aunt Eva Whitney, it seems yet another strange message from one of her oddball family members. But
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Tax Amnesty, from page 1 The amnesty idea, first put forward by Vice Mayor Hank Stratford, met with vigorous resistance from Mayor Julie Pierce and Councilman Joe Medrano. “The first thing you do when you start a business is get a business license,” said Pierce. “It’s Business 101.” “Ignorance of the law is no
Mark Freeman is a student at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, studying economics and English. He enjoys creative writing and is a reporter for the school paper. Questions/comments can be sent to mfreeman543@gmail.com.
‘Lace Reader’ is a compelling, if odd, tale then her brother, Beezer, calls to tell her that Eva has gone missing and Towner is compelled to travel from Hollywood, Calif., to Salem, Mass., despite the fact that she is fresh out of the hospital and Salem is the last place she wants to be. Eva is the rock that gives Towner a tenacious grasp on the “real world” and she is drawn to the mystery by pure instinct. The allure of the Salem witch trials clashes with the Salem of modern world, where various factions fight over their particular versions of what is true. Tourist buses belch out zany crowds eager to sample a piece of history. Locals trade on the reputation of Salem’s witchy past and its prurient present. Back home again, Towner finds herself caught in the middle of a dream she can’t escape. She is the classic reluctant hero – compelled to move forward though she regrets every agonizing step of the way. Towner struggles to relate with her mother, who lives like a recluse on Yellow Dog Island, providing safe harbor to abused women and refusing to participate in the drama of Eva’s disappearance. Then just when it seems it can’t get weirder, Eva is found dead. Beezer is no help in the matter, and Towner’s Uncle Cal is a scary reminder of the past she fled the East to escape. Only local cop John Rafferty provides Towner a sense of balance, of a solid, sensible place to stand
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excuse,” said Medrano, agreeing. “Amnesty would be unfair to the current businesses that are in compliance.’ But the two failed to convince Councilmembers Howard Geller and Dave Shuey. Geller, who hopes amnesty will encourage even a few more businesses to pay up says, “Let’s get that money coming in on a
regular basis. It’s the only tax the state can’t grab.” For fiscal year 2008-09, the city budgeted $98,000 in revenue from the business license tax and about $89,500 of that has been collected to date. There are currently 475 active business licenses, a significant decline from 2007 when there were 625. For more information on business license amnesty, call the city at (925) 673-7300.
CYNTHIA GREGORY
FOR
THE
BOOKS
when all heck breaks loose and the truth of the Whitney legacy threatens to pull them all down. “The Lace Reader” is a compelling and dazzling read, and I highly recommend it. And if you’re afraid of ghosts or witches, don’t worry. The scariest character of all is the truth. Cynthia Gregory has won numerous awards for her short fiction. Her work has appeared in Glimmer Train Press, the Red Rock Review, Writer’s Digest, The Sun, The Ear, Santa Barbara Review, Black River Review, Briarcliff Review, Chicago Tribune, Bon Appetit, and the Herb Quarterly. You can write her at ceegregory@aol.com.
Movie, from page 7 The focus of the film was not steady or well-pronounced; it felt almost split between the newspaper world and political intrigue. Perhaps the purpose was to show how the two themes were intertwined, but if so, not a clear enough job was done. “State of Play” was an entertaining film. Although it may not be Oscar worthy, Crowe’s acting is enough to justify the trip to the movies. “State of Play” promises an entertaining ride for a few hours, without any weighty aftereffects. Score: Thomas Vo is a student at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, double majoring in business administration and creative writing. He is also a freelance photographer and musician.
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CVHS Academy students aim to ‘change the world’ ANDRÉ GENSBURGER Clayton Pioneer
On April 24, Clayton Valley High School’s Public Service Academy hosted the “If I Could Change the World” fair – showing what the students had learned about a variety of social issues from child abuse to homelessness. Helmed by teachers Margaret Ljepava, Dylan Perreira, Maureen Allan and Neil McChesney, the fair allowed the students to interact with the public and articulate the strengths they had acquired. “A project of this magnitude with so many complex steps and different potential manifestations requires a student to embrace all of their skills in order to negotiate it successfully,” said McChesney. “The great part is that with a little guidance now and then or a question or constructive criticism at just the right moment, the teaching happens naturally. “In other words,” he added, “we simply become facilitators and the students in many ways are teaching each other. It is under circumstances of this kind that I believe the most profound learning takes place.” Clayton resident Kevin Adams helped a group of students investigate child abuse. They gathered items such as hair products and clothes to donate to the Bay Area Crisis Nursery. On the table before them was a shocking display of photographs showing badly bruised and injured children, bringing their message to the forefront. “Every 10 seconds, a child is neglected or beaten by a parent,” said Adams, a sophomore. Clayton’s Sayra Gutierrez, a junior, worked with a group that focused on Friends Feeding
André Gensburger/Clayton Pioneer
CASSANDRA LONDRYGAN, NICOLE DUNKLEY AND LINDA DROBATZ ALONG WITH DODGER, THE CHIHUAHUA, focused on animal cruelty for their presentation at the “If I could Change The World” fair.
Friends. Each wore a cardboard sign announcing the plight of the homeless. “Forty percent of homeless men had previously served in the military,” explained Gutierrez. “We held a car wash,” added Kari Leyba, who was in the group with Gutierrez. They also sold Jamba Juice and raised $230 for Friends Feeding Friends. Before the research, Gutierrez had different perceptions of the homeless. “I expected it to be like it is portrayed in the movies,” she said, noting that all the exhibitors at the fair just want to make a difference. “There were several moments during or just after the fair in which many of the students realized that the philosophical rationale for doing the ‘If I Could Change the World’ project was real,” McChesney said. “They had actually made a difference (however small or large) in the world. That
School News CLAYTON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL The Safe and Sober Grad Night Committee is still seeking donations for Grad Night 2009. To make a monetary gift or an age-appropriate gift card or new item, contact Shari Case at sharicase@astound.net or Stephanie Andrews at stephaniea@heffins.com. *** The Music and Drama Departments will present their final show of the year, the award-winning musical extravaganza “Into the Woods,” May 21, 22, 29 and 30. With direction by Tom Wills, Elizabeth Emigh and Mundy Viar, the talented CV cast will take you on a fairytale journey that will leave you laughing, crying and ultimately transformed by the stories that strike at the heart of the child within us all. Performances are at 7 p.m. at the school, 1101 Alberta Way, Concord. Tickets are $7 at the door.
moment of pure, unadulterated belief in the power of the individual will and mind means everything. It is why we do what we do.” At the fair, a small Chihuahua in a cage paced nervously back and forth. The display offered statistics about animal cruelty. “It’s about treatment with kindness and care,” said freshman Nicole Dunkley of Clayton. Her group’s fundraising helped the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals through Rocco’s Pizza sales as well as boxes placed throughout the school. “If we make students aware of the issues, we can stop animal cruelty,” Dunkley added. “Our teachers gave us options,” explained Linda Drobatz, a senior. “We all came up with this idea.” Dodger, the Chihuahua, belonged to senior Cassandra Londrygan. “People don’t know,” she said of animal abuse.
“They need to learn.” The students manning “One True Friend” demonstrated the effects of stress on children and adolescents and how friendships help buffer that. Clayton residents Jonathan Kim, who organized the group, and Katie Marchant joined students on a visit to Children’s Hospital in Oakland. “I saw they did not have a normal life,” Kim said. “You just want to change that,” Marchant said. One of the academy’s mottos is “We learn as children to treat others as we wish to be treated.” “The most interesting and rewarding feedback has been the outpouring of suggestions to improve the way the project works,” McChesney reported. “Even before we were done with the fair, the students were proposing changes and predicting the increase in quality for the next year. The natural conclusion is that though this was
undoubtedly a struggle, they want to do it again and they want to do it better. This is the attitude of the PSA students and why I love teaching in this academy.” The gym in which the fair was held was crowded with students as they worked their way through the booths with a grading sheet in hand. They were rated on a 1-5 scale, with criteria that included levels of education, demonstration, motivation and an overall grade. Students were visibly impressed by the work of their peers and it was clear that a lot of effort had gone into the preparation for the fair. “Working with the PSA students and the PSA teachers is like a dream job most days,” McChesney said. “Challenging, yes, but also exponentially rewarding.” For more information, visit www.cvhspublicserviceacademy.org.
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FOUR DIABLO VIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL TEAMS COMPETED IN THE 14TH ANNUAL JUNIOR SOLAR SPRINT CHALLENGE AT LAWRENCE HALL OF SCIENCE ON APRIL 25. Monishaa Suresh is shown holding the Team M&M car, which won Best Appearance. Next to her are Emma Hall, Josh Rosen, Coach Sylvia Chatagnier, Sohnjay Reeve, Sam Albertsen, Arthur Jones, Connor Bredehoft and Andrew Nielsen. The car built by Sohnjay and Sam was awarded Best Design.
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Abbey Carpet Contra Costa Floors can help bring the feeling of springtime into your home. This time of year, when the hills are green and sprinkled with wildflowers, is the perfect time to spruce up one room or the whole house. Abbey will make it easy and
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MAJESTIC POOLS Summer is on the horizon and it’s time to build that swimming pool you’ve always dreamed of. Majestic Pools, a locally owned and operated company since 1973, is licensed for swimming pools, landscape and concrete which means they will take every large or small-scale custom project from start to finish – no need for any other contractor to finish the job. Majestic Pools’ philosophy is for unmatched service and quality, both during and after project completion. They are committed to excellence and take great pride in their work. Majestic Pools believes in good communication, regularly meeting with their customers to discuss the job’s progress and answer any questions. Majestic Pools knows that when the customer is happy, their business grows. Call today and swim this summer. (925) 676-1545.
R&M POOL, PATIO AND GARDENS R&M has been your neighborhood pool supply, patio furniture store and nursery for the past 26 years and can meet all your backyard needs. Locally owned and operated by Roy and Melanie Alarcon, R&M is located just outside of Clayton’s downtown on Marsh Creek Road. R&M carries pool sanitation supplies including granular, tablet, and liquid chlorine, multi-shock and bags of salt. Pool and spa equipment and repairs are offered as well as replacement parts, and filter cartridges. This year, cut water evaporation and heat your pool with a solar cover. R&M carries a huge selection of quality, made-in-theUSA furniture and will special order patio umbrellas and cushions in a wide range of beautiful Sunbrella fabrics. The nursery has a vast collection of perennial, shrubs, trees, fertilizers, amendments, and bark. Nicole Hackett, The Clayton Pioneer’s Garden Girl is on hand with suggestions, problem solving and plan recommendations. R&M is located at 6780 Marsh Creek Rd. For more information, call (925) 6720207.
S&K NELLIS PAINTING Spring is “spiff-up” time and nothing spiffs up a home quicker than new paint.
Let S&K Nellis bring back your home’s original beauty. They are The Repaint Experts for private homeowners, proudly serving the Bay Area for 82 years, earning an outstanding reputation with their commitment to customer service and providing a quality finished product. S&K Nellis employs highly skilled labor and uses only top quality products, providing value engineering for cost effectiveness, keeping your project on budget. Hire the Professionals at S&K Nellis Painting, 30 year Clayton residents. Call for a free estimate and mention the Clayton Pioneer to receive $150 off your complete exterior or complete interior repaint. For your convenience, they accept Visa, Mastercard, and Discover. www.sknellis.com. (925) 6872233.
SPARKLE POOLS Sparkle Pools is owned and operated by John Khashabi. John is water chemistry certified and factory trained by many pool product manufacturers and an accomplished repair technician who has been praised for looking at tough situations from different angles to solve problems that others had given up on. Sparkle Pool and Spa is licensed by the California State Contractors License Board (Lic.#926085) and is a
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member of IPSSA (Independent Pool & Spa Service Association), which provides General Liability Insurance. John offers free estimates to everyone who calls and a generous 50 percent off the first month of service for new customers. Check out Sparkle’s Website at www.sparkle-pool.com for more details about their services. Sparkle Pools is a complete professional pool service for all your pool needs. Call John at (925) 260-5025
UTOPIC GARDENS Clayton residents, Angela and Ash Hakimi of Utopic Gardens, are committed to bringing more peace, harmony, and balance to your landscape by creating your own sanctuary through professionalism and attention to detail, all the while getting the most from your landscaping budget. They understand that the ideal garden is one that is thoroughly crafted to have balance between your needs and desires and such environmental factors as exposure, soil conditions, and climate zone, all woven together with a thread of harmony and creativity to achieve your own Utopia. They offer artistic, creative design, planning and consultation to include the many phases of landscaping such as natural rock walls, wood
crafting of pergolas, trellises, fences, arbors and gates, water features, drip and spray irrigation, low voltage lighting, concrete and total installation. While their personal favorite type of landscape to create is what may be called ‘California Casual,’ ‘California Native,’ or ‘Mediterranean,’ they invite every opportunity and challenge that each and every garden, like a personality, presents. Creating landscapes for 17 years, a family owned business in Clayton. (925) 524-0055
WARANER TREE EXPERTS Protect and save your trees. Waraner Tree Experts can identify and treat potential problems caused by insects and disease, rot, poor drainage or improper pruning. Locally owned and operated by Certified Arborist and Licensed Contractor, Dustin Waraner and his wife, Kim, the company’s goal is to provide the finest tree work care available. All pruning is done in accordance with ISA standards and the company is experienced in all aspects of tree care. With summer coming, fire prevention is critically important. Waraner Tree Experts are certified in fire abatement
and will trim, clean up and remove fire hazards to help you clear a defensible space around your home. No job is too small or too big, call (925) 250-0334 today for your free appointment. A Certified Arborist will come to your property and assess the health and safety needs of your trees. Visit WaranerTreeExperts.com for more information.
THE WINDOW WORKS Have you heard the great news? The Window Works is celebrating its 31st year in business AND the new Federal American Recovery Act of 2009 is now providing homeowners a tax credit up $1500 for installing qualified energy efficient windows and doors. Let The Window Works “Cure Your Window Panes” and install new Simonton “Impression” series windows and doors with LowE366 glass that meets and can exceed the new required energy ratings. This tax credit is meant to promote “green” energy saving projects and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Going “green” will reduce your energy costs, create a safer home and a healthier living environment by eliminating molds and mildew. You are invited to visit their comfortable showroom and see the Simonton product and
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FIRST CHOICE ABBEY CARPET Selecting flooring and window fashions that are right for your home or office can be a difficult task. The professionals at First Choice Abbey Carpet will help make these choices stress-free. Their selection can satisfy every budget, ranging from the most economical to the exotic. You’re invited to visit their 4000+ square foot showroom in Danville’s Village Center or call (866) 915RUGS (7847) for an appointment to ‘Shop At Home’. The expert staff will guide you every step of the way and their experienced professional installation team will pamper your home from start to finish. First Choice Abbey Carpets offers fashion, not just flooring. They provide a comfortable and friendly atmosphere, 30+ years of experience, a diverse selection of carpet, area rugs, hardwood, environmentally friendly products, laminate, vinyl and porcelain tile, and window fashions. Visit their Website at firstchoiceabbeycarpet.com. Showroom is located at 101G Town and Country Drive in Danville.
WOODEN’ IT BE NICE Wood – there’s really nothing like its beautiful grains and rich colors. Wood cabinetry takes any project from nice to WOW! Wooden’ It Be Nice started in 1986 when Bob Maes started a family-owned wood working business – creating and designing kitchens, home offices and bath cabinets in his garage. When the business grew large enough, the Maes family moved to the
foothills of Clayton where they converted an old barn on the property to a wood working shop. The philosophy of Wooden’ It Be Nice has always been “Absolute Quality.” Customers notice how much time Bob spends on getting the correct color or design. Bob has a comfortable personal style of connecting with families as he enhances their home. Call for your appointment. (925)673-5595.
Page 12
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
May 8, 2009
Clayton Sports Eagles baseball shines bright on school’s golden year JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
During its 50th anniversary celebration this school year, Clayton Valley High School has been able to look back at past accomplishments as well as gaze to the future for the Alberta Way campus and its students. One constant during this special year has been the “phenomenal” senior class of athletes that has led the boys and girls teams in basketball and water polo, boys football, volleyball, lacrosse and baseball and girls soccer and softball teams to already qualify for North Coast Section championship play. CVHS head football coach Herc Pardi enjoyed the fall season when the Eagles went undefeated all the way to the NCS championship game for the first time in school history, before losing the title game. This spring, Pardi rejoined his longtime colleague Bob Ralston as pitching coach for the Ugly Eagles and has seen his alma mater perform just as well on the diamond as they did on the gridiron. “This senior class has been very special in this 50th anniversary year. They’ve made it exciting and fun for the students and alumni. They have also been very close to the coaches,” Pardi says. There couldn’t be a better way
“Through the end of April, we are ranked by the San Francisco Chronicle as the best team in the Bay Area.” Bob Ralston, Eagles Head Coach to end the magical run than with a place in the NCS finals May 30 at the Oakland Coliseum. SEVERAL STRONG TEAMS For Ralston, a teacher at the school for the past decade, this season is special in a couple ways.
Photo courtesy Bob Banks
CLAYTON VALLEY “UGLY” EAGLES BASEBALL TEAM HAS WON A PAIR OF INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENTS THIS SEASON AND HAS BEEN RANKED #1 IN THE BAY AREA. (Front row, from left) Pitching Coach Herc Pardi, Cody Stephens, Kevin Chirco, Johnny Bekakis, Chaz Meadows, Christian Kaplan, Peter Stoiber and Darrel Matthews. (Back row) Brandon Weller, Ricky Dunley, Wes Darrow, Julian Thornton, Vince Bruno, Head Coach Bob Ralston, Mike Banks, Andrew Lassen, Antonio Acosta, Jordan Dyer, Solomon Cazares and Coach David Jeans.
“Through the end of April, we are ranked by the San Francisco Chronicle as the best team in the Bay Area. On MaxPreps, we are ranked first in our section, 14th in the state and 81st in the nation,” the proud coach announces. For the past two years, Ralston was head coach at Diablo Valley College after stepping down from his CVHS coaching duties following the 2006 season. His successor, Casey Coakley, moved to Los Medanos College after last year and Ralston came back into the Eagles dugout this year. “DVC was a great experience, but I’m happy coaching at Clayton,” Ralston says. Ralston and his Clayton Valley baseball team are no strangers to success. The Eagles made it to the NCS championship game in 2002 and ’03, although they fell short each time of claiming the top prize. Coakley’s team last year lost 1-0 to College Park in the NCS
semi-finals. The only other time CVHS has been as far as the NCS semifinals was in 1977. One of the standouts on that team was Tim Bruno. This year, his son Vince is the Eagles first baseman and one of the top hitters in Bay Area high school baseball. As the Diablo Valley Athletic League season winds down, Clayton Valley has been at or near the top of DVAL all year. Concord High, which upset CV 3-1 in their first meeting, poses the toughest challenge to deny the Eagles an 11th league title. The Eagles lost only three of their first 21 games of the season, just one of those in league play. SUCCESS IN TOURNAMENTS The season began to take shape when Clayton Valley won two prestigious invitational tournaments. At the Crown Dublin Tournament, the Eagles capped a 4-0 record by defeating Foothill
Are parents of young athletes out of control? Each issue, for the past year-anda-half, our panel of Clayton sports enthusiasts aired their views on a current topic in the sporting world. This is the final installment of “Speaking of Sports” and the Clayton Pioneer would like to thank the panel for a job well done. Some leagues have Quiet Days, when parents are not allowed to say anything during their kids’ games. Should parents be able to cheer for their kids or should they be quiet and watch the kids play? Also, what should be done when parents go over the line at their kids’ games? And have you seen this happen locally?
HELENA: Parents should be allowed to cheer and support the kids. No criticism. No sideline coaching. Defining what’s over the line is a gray area that varies by sport. What makes sports special is the emotional aspect. Fighting and verbal abuse are easy suspension actions. Everything else is tough. I’m not sure that zero tolerance is the answer. In the mid-’80s, high school basketball games in Oakland were closed to the public. Once, we had a youth basketball game in Clayton and the other team brought at least 100 fans. The environment became intimidating for some. The game was close and the visiting fans screamed and yelled at the referees the whole time, while the home team fans were uncomfortable to say or do anything. What do you do kick everyone out? I say, just behave and enjoy the game. KIRMSSE: Parents do get excited and competitive while watching their children play. That is part of the culture of youth sports. I enjoy this in myself and other parents. It’s fun. When it turns negative, though, it’s a drag for everyone particularly the kids. A Quiet Day sounds like a real bum-
Rob Helena
of Pleasanton in the finals. Captain Vince Bruno was the MVP of the tournament and was joined on the all-tourney team by pitchers Joey Levine and Brandon Weller. Levine and returning allleague pitcher Mitchell Wilhite have both been lost for the season with elbow problems. “The staff has been solid if not outstanding all year. Overcoming these injuries makes it all the more satisfying,” notes Pardi, who like Ralston is a Clayton resident. Sophomore pitcher and second baseman Chaz Meadows leads the team in victories in the starting rotation, alongside his senior teammates Weller and Ricky Dunley. Ralston and Pardi were both quick to also laud catcher Mike Banks. In their second tournament, the Gordie Classic in Livermore during Spring Break, the Eagles won three straight – including the
Leigh Kirmsse
mer and I am totally against that kind of stuff. So parents, police yourselves and keep it positive. STELZNER: I’m one of those parents who loves to cheer for my kids’ team during a game, and I’m also very supportive of letting parents do so. I don’t agree with Quiet Days or no cheering rules. At the same time, I know it can get out of hand and cross the line pretty quickly. Truth be told, I’ve blurted out “Oh no!” or “Come on, hustle!” in a way that might come across as negative. I make a conscious effort not to cross the line between being a fan and a parent. Over the last 10 years of watching my kids play sports, I can only count a handful of times when I’ve seen a parent really go over the line. I recall an incident when a parent from the opposing team yanked their daughter aside. Grabbing her arm, the parent chastised her for the lack of playmaking. This was clearly over the line and that parent should be reprimanded. That takes some guts from coaches and sports leagues. For those cases, I want sporting leagues to have clearly communicated and consistently
Deanna Merrigan
finale over Irvington of Fremont. Both Irvington and Foothill are Top 10 teams in the Bay Area. At Livermore, outfielders Wesley Darrow and Andrew Lassen (also MVP) were named all-tournament. “It’s significant that five different players earned tournament honors,” Pardi points out. Two CV players have already committed to Division 1 colleges for next year. Center fielder Darrel Matthews, sporting a glossy batting average over .400 all season, will be a Cal Bear next fall. Power-hitting right fielder Lassen has won a scholarship to UC Davis. “Our offense is one of the best we’ve had here. We are solid 1 through 9 with a team batting average of .400,” Ralston says. Echoing Pardi’s comments, he adds: “We have an outstanding group of seniors.” That special group includes Matthews, Lassen, Bruno, Darrow, Banks, defensive
Tina Rafallo
enforced policies. The first offense should remove the parent from the game, with further measures for subsequent offenses. The goal should be to make kids sports an enjoyable experience for everyone. MERRIGAN: I’ve never heard of Quiet Days. I believe parents should be able to cheer for their kids. However, they should not referee or coach their kids from the sidelines; they need to let the coaches do their job. If an over-exuberant or rude parent is ruining a game for a child or other spectators or is harassing a referee, a coach should have options. A coach can enforce a “parent suspension” at the next game. If it’s stated at the beginning of the season, the parents should comply. SNYDER: Parents and youth sports should always go together. Doing Quiet Days, like in Danville, seems absolutely crazy. No talking, no cheering no fun. I have coached a lot of youth teams over the years and watched many more games and, of course, there are times when the adults go overboard. Recently, we have heard bad language from the dugouts in youth baseball and it came
whiz second baseman Kevin Chirco, DH Julian Thornton, Weller, Dunley, Levine and Wilhite. You shouldn’t worry about the Eagles in future seasons, as the baseball cupboard will hardly be bare. The juniors are led by 3B Johnny Bekakis, slick fielding shortstop Cody Stephens and pitchers Antonio Acosta and Jordan Dyer. Due to a trio of injuries, Ralston brought up sophomores Peter Stoiber, Christian Kaplan and Solomon Cazares to join their classmate Meadows on varsity. Ralston salutes his entire staff for their roles in the successful campaign. The coaches include Pardi, third base coach David Jeans and first base coach Mark Reed. The JV coach is Skip Ray and the frosh coaches are Ron Poppi, Mark Peterson, Bob Banks and Travis Silveira.
Chris Snyder
Ralph Stelzner
from a parent sitting on the bench. The solution is training the parents. Once the parents are educated that the coaches are solely in charge of talking to the refs and umpires, without exception, they will know they are out of line when they have something “constructive” to say. Parents can voice their opinions but when they are personally directed to the officials in a negative way, it is time for them to leave the premises that day and the following game. League officials also need to record the event. RAFALLO: Sports events are not meant to be quiet. We need to start teaching our kids to have a backbone. Not allowing parents to cheer is baloney. I know I’m in the politically correct minority, but I have a real issue with this. No one wants to hear a parent scream or berate a kid. It’s not appropriate. But encouragement and cheering is fine. This is like zero tolerance, by making everyone pay for inappropriate actions of a few. Rather than take the awful parent to task, it’s ridiculous to make everyone act the same. Any league that starts a Quiet Day will not see another dollar from me.
May 8, 2009
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 13
Clayton Sports Covering Clayton sports an amazing adventure
Rowland signs off as Pioneer sports writer TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
RANDY ROWLAND Clayton Pioneer
This issue is my final one as the sports writer at the Clayton Pioneer. In taking over the department in June 2007, my thought was to help out the paper until they could find a “real” writer. Without any background in writing (unless you count the long emails to my soccer team), I came to the paper only with a love of sports – especially youth sports. This venture became about the amazing sports scene and the athletes in this great community. I have enjoyed getting to know many athletes, young and old, women and men, who have been accommodating enough to meet with me so often over the past couple of years (usually at Peet’s). All of your stories were wonderful, and I was happy to be able to feature you and your achievements to the readers of the Pioneer. From budding young athletes to adults of all ages, from all of the traditional sports to some not so traditional, your stories were compelling and always interesting. There are a lot of great athletes in this little town, and it was fun to cover their successes and have them tell me their stories. This adventure turned into an almost two-year run, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. Now it’s back to being a fulltime husband to my beautiful wife Gabriela, a father to my great girls Camila and Emily and my other hobby – being soccer coach to the incredible girls on the Diablo FC Fury. I want to especially thank Tamara Steiner and all of the staff at the Pioneer who have been incredibly supportive and helpful. Thank you T, for letting me live out my dream of being a sports writer. Also thanks to all of the staff who have helped me along the way, especially Bev Britton for her amazing editing skills. I also want to mention my fabulous “Speaking of Sports” panelists. They have been phenomenal for a year and a half, providing you with a wide range of opinions on the world of sports. I am indebted to all of you for your consistent responses and beating deadlines. Thanks Ralph, Tina, Chris, Leigh, Robert and Deanna. You guys are the best! I may pop up once in a while as a fill-in, but the baton is being passed to a new writer. I am already looking forward to receiving the next issue and going straight to the Clayton sports pages. See ya on the pitch!
With this issue, Clayton sports fans will bid farewell to sports writer Randy Rowland. The entire Pioneer staff joins the community of Clayton in saying “thank you” for a tireless two years of covering a very active sports scene. Randy’s stories are always accurate and always from the heart. We will miss his enthusiasm for local sports, always
reflected in a genuine interest in his subject. Also leaving this issue is the Speaking of Sports panel. Rob Helena, Leigh Kirmsse, Deanna Merrigan, Tina Rafallo, Chris Snyder and Ralph Stelzner have all participated in these lively discussions. We thank them all for their wisdom, insight and humor. Picking up where Randy leaves off, Jay Bedecarré will take over as the Pioneer sports writer. Jay is no stranger to the pages of the Pioneer and a very familiar
The 2012 London Olympics may seem far away, but they are already on the mind of 16-yearold Kristian Ipsen of Clayton. That is, when he’s not busy flying across the country for major national and international diving competitions while trying to fit in studies to complete his sophomore year at De La Salle High School. The young diving prodigy, who competes for Diablo Divers under the watchful eye of coach Phil Tonne, has a whirlwind schedule during April and May. It began when he trained at Stanford for three days with three-time U.S. Olympian Troy Dumais. Ipsen and the 29-yearold Dumais were paired together by USA Diving for the synchronized 3-meter springboard event. USA Diving sent the 26-time national champion to the Bay Area from Texas to train with Ipsen in preparation for the Spring Nationals. LOOKING FOR MIRROR IMAGES
In synchronized diving, an Olympic sport since 2000, two divers go off the 3-meter springboard (or 10-meter platform) simultaneously. They do identical dives and are judged on the synchronization of the dives as well as the quality of each individual’s dive. Dumais and Ipsen are very close in height and weight, so they present a pleasing look to judges (and spectators) when they have their synchronization down. After their brief training together, the duo successfully competed April 22-26 in the USA Spring Nationals at the Ft. Lauderdale Aquatic Complex and International Swimming Hall of Fame. The new team’s winning score at nationals of 439.32 would have been good
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enough for the silver medal in Beijing. Ipsen also won the senior men’s 3-meter springboard title at nationals. This was the first senior-level title for Ipsen, who twice finished second last year in 3M Springboard National finals. “Kristian is steadily progressing,” Tonne says. “We’re looking toward 2012 for him to be competing in both the individual and team 3-meter events.” A return flight to the Bay Area and Ipsen was back in the classroom at De La Salle. The East Bay Athletic League diving championship last Saturday delayed Ipsen’s trip back to Florida, where he and Dumais trained twice a day this week before competing in the AT&T USA Diving Grand Prix in Ft. Lauderdale. Their synchronized 3-meter springboard event is on Friday. Ipsen will stay in Ft. Lauderdale this Sunday and Monday for a two-day selection camp with USA Diving coaches to determine the team that will
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
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Clayton resident Jonathan Kim has the distinction of being the only freshman playing No. 1 singles on any tennis team in the Diablo Valley Athletic League (DVAL). J.K, as he is known by his friends, solidified his No. 1 spot after a summer of intense work and improvement. As he enters his high school tennis career, he looks to become one of the dominant men’s players in the history of Clayton Valley High School. It is rare for a freshman to play varsity and even rarer to be the best at such a young age. Born in the Big Apple 15 years ago, Kim and his family moved to Clayton when he was 6. He went to Mt. Diablo elementary and Diablo View Middle schools. He was initially interested in baseball, competing in the Clayton Valley Little League
MAY 16-17 15 LOCAL SOCCER TEAMS IN CONCORD CUP XVI A record-breaking field of 124 boys and girls youth soccer teams will take part in Concord Cup XVI on the May 16-17 weekend at a variety of local fields including the Daniel Boatwright Sports Complex where five fields will host 58 games. Mt. Diablo Soccer Association has 13 teams entered in the tournament in all age groups from Under 10 through Under 19. Diablo FC has a pair of teams taking part. Admission is free at all fields. Foe complete information, schedules and results visit www.concordcup.com. MAY 18 CLAYTON VALLEY HIGH FOOTBALL PARENT MEETING
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An important hour-long Clayton Valley High School football parent’s meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 18, at the CVHS Multi Use Room at 8 p.m. All varsity, JV and incoming freshman parents are urged to attend. The Eagles are defending DVAL champions and North Coast Section finalists. Varsity coach Herc Pardi and his staff will discuss spring football , football tutorial , CV youth football camp June 22-26, San Jose State camp June 14-17, team’s summer strength and conditioning program, passing league/tournaments, lineman competition, fundraising and 2009 season. Call Pardi at (925) 682-7474 x3115 or email him at herc_pardi@hotmail.com. JUNE 8 23RD ANNUAL CLAYTON CLASSIC GOLF TOURNAMENT Clayton Business and Community Association hosts the 23rd annual Clayton Classic Golf Tournament sponsored by Allied Waste at Oakhurst Country Club on Monday, June 8, with an 11 a.m. shotgun start. Entry fee includes dinner, teeprizes, 20% off all Pro Shop merchandise, hole-in-one opportunities (Hole #3, $10,000 sponsored by IMC and Hole #11, win a New Mustang sponsored by Diablo Ford) and lots of other prizes. Entry fee is $150 per person before May 29 and $175 after. Sign up at http://claytoncbca.org/golftournament.aspx. Call Joe Medrano (925) 673-2210 or Chance Gernhardt (925) 6939910 for more information and sponsorship opportunities.
Mike Dunn/Clayton Pioneer
JONATHAN KIM, freshman at CVHS, is undefeated by his teammates and ranks as No. 1 singles player.
program for six years. He played first base and center field. His last season he hit .600 and was on a Twins team that was among the best in the age group. “Baseball was great because it was the last time I played a team sport,” said Kim. HITTING THE COURTS WITH DAD Around the same time he was playing baseball, his father Anthony talked him into trying tennis. They began taking tennis lessons at Oakhurst Country Club in the summer of 2001. The younger Kim took lessons with head pro Calvin
Thompson and then-pro Joe Sablan and also played 1-3 times per week with his father. “My dad was an inspiration to me and encouraged me to play,” said Kim. His skills improved and he continued to play more. But Kim hit a roadblock during his middle school years and almost left the sport. However, he was re-energized during a summer tennis program after graduating from DVMS. Last summer, he joined a group of players under Oakhurst coach Rick Ortega, who also serves as the varsity and JV coach at Clayton Valley. The group played in U.S. Tennis
TAKING IT UP A NOTCH That experience committed Kim to dedicate himself to the sport. He began playing almost daily with teammates or his father. He worked on the weaknesses of his game, most noticeably serving. His group with Ortega began playing for hours every Saturday at Oakhurst, something that continues year-round during both the tennis season and the off-season. During the tennis season, the team is training six days a week – including rigorous workouts of crunches, pushups and running. A practice can consist of up to two hours of training, along with playing sets and working on technique for ground strokes, volleying, serving and returning serve. Because tennis is not a mainstream sport, fewer athletes try out. The CV team carries everyone who comes to tryouts and has an interest in the sport. This year, the boys team has 26 players between JV and varsity. During a typical match, 12 athletes play – six singles and
See Tennis, page 20
CV grad mixes business, BMX and the wire cage JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
On the surface, Eric Lawson led a pretty regular life in Clayton as he moved from Mt. Diablo Elementary to Diablo View Middle School to Clayton Valley High School and then onto UC Davis, where he earned a degree in economics with a minor in communications. In December 2004, Eric was celebrating the holidays and his recent college graduation with a view toward finding a satisfying career. Five years later, Lawson has successfully established himself as a local mortgage broker. This might be sufficient to occupy a 28-year-old bachelor, with maybe some time left to play golf or softball with his classmates and business associates. Not for Lawson. He spends time away from the office riding BMX bikes or as a professional mixed martial arts fighter, training for his first nationally televised fight on Showtime in July. Despite the housing market collapse and massive foreclosures, he stays busy in his mortgage broker position with Land Home Financial Services of Concord. “It’s been a real tough time, but I think the worst is behind us. The upside for those of us who have weathered the storm is that 70 percent of the competition has left the business,” Lawson says. Putting on his marketing hat, he adds: “Home prices are artificially low and interest rates are at all-time lows, so it’s a great time to buy.” FROM BMX TO WRESTLING From a young age growing up in Clayton, he enjoyed BMX. “Lime Ridge Open Space was a favorite spot. They actually did
Photo courtesy of Eric Lawson
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS FIGHTER ERIC LAWSON prepares for his first nationally televised fight in July. Lawson grew up in Clayton.
photography for a lot of national BMX magazines there,” he recalls. He also spent a lot of time at Clayton Bikes, checking out the latest equipment and BMX advancements the Kramer family featured in their store. The euphoria of dirt bike riding over jumps and unknown terrain has its downside, too. “I suffered many injuries which impacted my other sports,” he notes. Still, his riding proficiency eventually landed him a spot in X Games qualifying meets. Lawson was also a successful 162-pound wrestler at Clayton Valley High. He began the sport at a young age at the Concord Youth Center, under the watchful eye of USA National coach Bill Martell. He won a couple league titles at Clayton Valley but missed his entire junior season following
knee surgery. As a senior, he had a 35-2 record going to North Coast Section but had a disappointing, non-placing finish due to a dislocated shoulder. At UC Davis, he briefly participated on the wrestling team. He was taken aback when the coaching staff told him he had to stop his BMX riding because of the danger it posed for injuries. Lawson realized he would have to give up his favorite pastime and train year-round for a couple years before he’d see first-team competition for the Aggies. For an action guy, that was a sacrifice too high. Thus wrestling was gone and he spent the rest of his college days studying. He also kept up his BMX pursuits and enjoyed a full college social life.
See Lawson, page 16
May 8, 2009
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Clayton Sports Clayton teen bats her way to Minnesota college scholarship
VARIETY OF EXPERIENCES Moore credits Arnold-Garcia for helping develop her softball skills. “She has coached me since I was 14 on the high school team as well as travel ball,” said Moore. The blond right-hander played
first base and outfield as a freshman and since then has been the Eagles third baseman. Traveling (or club) softball has taken Moore to Illinois, South Dakota, Florida, Utah, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Southern California, Canada and Colorado. It’s at these tournaments that toplevel players gain exposure to college coaches. Along with the tough competition, Moore has been tutored on club teams by former Cal Berkeley softball players, including Olympian Vicky Galindo. Her first travel softball experience was when U12 Glory (Concord Junior Optimist Softball) traveled to Mattoon, Ill., to play in the Babe Ruth World Series. “We were the Pacific Conference champions playing against 10 other teams from around the country. We stayed with a host family who took great care of us,” she recalled. “Another highlight was the ASA 16U Nationals in Sioux Falls, S.D. We flew into Minneapolis and drove across the state to get to Sioux Falls,” she added. “Minnesota is one of my favorite places that I have visited. It was my first time playing in front of hundreds of top college coaches.” On the high school diamond, Moore and Clayton Valley have played against top-level league competition from Freedom, Antioch, Deer Valley and Carondelet. As a result of the North Coast Section realignment, CVHS was placed in the Diablo Valley Athletic League this year and is battling Concord High for the championship. Moore has put up an impressive batting average and slugging percentage that would make a top flight baseball player blush, let alone a softball player facing pitchers just 40 feet away. Among her school softball high points was hitting a “gamewinning homerun against Heritage that allowed the Eagles to go to the NCS championship playoffs.”
is over, Ipsen is headed back to California to get ready for the North Coast Section diving finals at Concord Community Pool on May 14. As a freshman last year, Ipsen broke the 36-year-old NCS diving record with a score of 618 points, 63 more than the previous mark. High school diving is on the 1-meter springboard, so Ipsen needs to make quick adjustments after spending so much time on the 3-meter board. He’s heavily
favored to defend his NCS title and help DLS in the team championship race. Regardless of the results in Ft. Lauderdale and Concord, Ipsen will need to dive back into his academic schedule to prepare for finals June 3-4. He hopes his summer plans include a trip to Rome. Then he’ll really have a topic when a teacher asks the students to write an essay about “what I did during my summer vacation.”
JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Clayton resident Amanda Moore took up softball in Clayton Valley Little League when she was 11. She made the All-Star team twice and was soon accompanying the Concord Junior Optimist All-Star team to Illinois for the 2004 Babe Ruth World Series. That started a journey which reached a high point on April 20, when she was joined by family, friends and her Clayton Valley High School softball teammates and coach to sign a national letter of intent for a scholarship to Minnesota State University Moorhead. The signing had special meaning for CV softball coach Jenn Arnold-Garcia. “I started coaching here four years ago and Amanda is the only player to be on my team all four years,” the coach said. “I am so excited for you,” she said to Amanda. Arnold-Garcia then turned to the other players in the classroom and added: “I hope you younger kids get to do this, too.” HEADING TO THE MIDWEST For the 17-year-old Moore and her proud parents, Walter and Melinda Moore of Clayton, it is the culmination of many practices, games, teams, travels and family sacrifices. This August, Moore will venture to the western edge of Minnesota in the Red River Valley, adjacent to the North Dakota city of Fargo. The power-hitting corner infielder will jump right into her freshman classes and fall softball with the MSUM Dragons. Coach Kristin Boyes first saw Moore on video last September. “I am in my second year as head coach here at MSUM, and Amanda was the first player after I got here that I knew we needed to get,” Boyes said. “Amanda brings a solid bat that will fit well into the middle of our batting
AMANDA MOORE (seated) celebrates with Coach Jenn ArnoldGarcia as she signs her National Letter of Intent to attend Minnesota State University Moorhead on a softball scholarship.
order next season, along with great defensive play at the corners. Amanda will compete right away for a starting spot as a freshman.” Moore is looking forward to college life. “The people, students and staff were extremely kind,” she said of her visit. “The campus is clean, newly remodeled and has a new S p e e ch / L a n g u a g e / H e a r i n g Sciences building. The athletic facilities include new locker rooms, which most schools don’t have for their softball players.” Moore is going to be in the S p e e ch / L a n g u a g e / H e a r i n g Sciences Department. American Sign Language is her favorite high school subject. Jessica Seghers, Moore’s American Sign Language teacher and senior project mentor, has supported her as both a student and an athlete. “She often comes out to watch the softball games. My senior project is on audiology and she has had a great impact on my
Ipsen, from page 13 American divers will be looking for their first Olympic medal of any kind in synchronized diving in London. Tonne expects the decision for the team going to Rome coming down to Ipsen-Dumais or 2008 Olympians Jevon Tarantino and Chris Colwill, the tandem who took fourth at Beijing. Tarantino and Colwill
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were in a World Series meet in Mexico at the time of nationals, but they scored about 40 points less than their new rivals did in Ft. Lauderdale. At the meet this weekend and in the selection camp, the two teams will be doing identical dives so the comparison should be clear. As soon as the selection camp
project,” Moore reported. “I can see that she is very intentional about doing her best not only in my class but on the softball field as well,” Seghers said. Moorhead is a Division 2 school that competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference with 13 other schools from Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska. MSUM’s outstanding audiology program made Moore’s college choice easier. “I was also recruited by several East Coast Division 1 Schools: Seton Hall, Fairfield University, Providence, University of Rhode Island, Brown and Sacred Heart,” Moore added.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
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a Restaurant & d n a r e V Bar a L (925) 524-0011 6201 Center St. Clayton
Mother’s Day Brunch
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10 am to 2 pm, Children $12.50
Mother’s Day Dinner A la carte menu. Please call for details. www.LaVerandaCafe.com
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Mom, from page 1 visitors at the front door and immediately flops down for a belly scratch. The family’s two cats, Roger Norris and Daisy keep a watchful eye from the backyard. The dining room is Monika’s crafts studio where she works on her detailed scrapbooks. She loves photography and fills the books with pictures of her children. Kimberly’s essay wins a huge prize package for her mom that includes theater tickets, dinners out, spa visits, beauty products, jewelry, portraits. MANY MOMS HONORED It was not easy this year picking just one essay. Articulate and thoughtful, each entrant had something special to say about their mom that seemed to jump off the page. They lauded them for their support, respect and strength. Henry Smith, 9, tells us “she’s always there for me and seems to know me better than I know myself . . . and she makes a mean bowl of popcorn.”
Max Marcil, 18, believes his mom when she says “…respect is the most important thing, both in a marriage and in raising children. And when I look back, respect is what I remember… she didn’t talk down to me; she did not dwell on my imperfections, she did not micromanage and she did not apologize for me. I was not a burden to her,
Pamper Mom with the gift of
RELAXATION
Mother’s Day Special, $120
We are four kids in the family, but when one of us is sick, she makes us feel as if we are the only person on earth. When I forget I have a Science project due the next day, she will stay up with me until 11 pm to make sure I get it done. She makes sure I get the best teachers possible so I do well in school. When I don’t, she doesn’t just talk to me, she will talk to the teachers so I do better. She is my ride to school. Sometimes I forget to eat lunch, she then does whatever she can to get food into my system. During soccer season she isn’t just like a cheerleader, she decides to be the team mom for one of our teams. (My 2 brothers and I are playing soccer), she will bring coffee and cocoa on a cold day and water and ice
Four tickets to Diablo Light Opera musical, “Hello Dolly” at the Lesher Center ($160 value) Two tickets to the Willows Theatre Company production of “The Wedding Singer” ($80 value) Grand Portrait Package by Roberta Claire Photography includes sitting fee and an 11 x 14 portrait, two 8 x 10s and three 5 x 7s ($400 value) Gift certificate for $50 for The Tanning Co! in the Clayton Valley Shopping Center From the Beautique in the Clayton Station, a Pureology Essential Hair Repair Collection ($88 value) Three month membership to SNAP Fitness in Clayton ($200 value)
30 minute Massage, Traditional Pedicure & European Facial Call 925-680-7792
SPA
5439 E Clayton Rd., Clayton (across from Blockbuster’s)
We will be open Sunday, May 10 for Mother’s Day
And finally, Isabella Montijo, 11, says of herself and two sisters, “We are a handful, but my mom loves us!!” At a time when it seems that every sound byte and headline are competing for “gloom and doom” awards, children proclaiming the greatness of their moms is an extraordinarily welcome distraction. Happy Mothers Day to every heromom, whether sung or unsung.
when it’s hot. She is there cheering me on at every soccer game. She will buy material to make our banner. She will scream her heart out at every game. My mom can be strict and I can think she gives unnecessary punishments, but she uses them as a lesson. If my siblings or I were to have a nightmare, she would be there to make sure that the monsters in our heads will go away. Everyone’s mom can be strict, but remember, we all have to grow up sometimes and as we grow old so do our parents. Out moms won’t stay with us forever, so don’t waste years full of hate, fill them with love and happiness. I love my mom no matter what! Kimberly Goddard, 12
A spa pedicure at Bella Mia Spa in the Clayton Station Luxury bath products and a gift certificate for $25 from A Perfect Tan in the Clayton Station A gift certificate for $50 from R&M Pool, Patio, Gardens and Gifts on Marsh Creek Rd. in Clayton A selection of summer reading from Clayton Books in the Clayton Station A picture frame from Clayton Valley Frameworks in the Clayton Valley Shopping Center Englund’s Bistro and Tea Room in Concord, $50 gift certificate Dining out gift certificates for $25 each at La Veranda, Ed’s Mudville Grill and Moresi’s Chophouse “Queen-sized” bouquet from Sonset Flowers in Concord Gemstone bracelet from The Royal Rooster in Clayton
Please support these generous merchants
Lawson, from page 14
THE
nor a mark of shame to be excused in public.” Sami Pickolick, 14, says “…my mother is a hero. She is a hero for being strong, caring and sincerely wanting the best for her kids.” “My mother is pretty close to a perfect person,” writes Zoey Dow, 15. “Always cheery and optimistic, she makes everything seem like a game. She is a genuinely good person who rarely loses her temper.”
My Mom Is Absolutely the Best
Fantastic Mothers Day Prize Package
a i M a l l e B
May 8, 2009
ENTRY INTO CAGE FIGHTING One connection he did make through the Davis wrestling program was with Urijah Faber. Lawson was still living near campus after graduation and ran into his friend Faber. “It had to be fate. I was getting ready to move away and we hadn’t seen each other in some time,” Lawson says about the chance encounter that changed his life. His former teammate showed Lawson photos of cage fighting. Faber had begun participating in this still largely unknown activity. It immediately intrigued the adventuresome Lawson. “I’ll try anything once.” He ended up spending two or three months training with Faber in Sacramento and competed in his first mixed martial arts (MMA) fight on his 23rd birthday at the Colusa Casino near Chico. MMA is a combination of boxing, wrestling, kickboxing and Jiu-Jitsu. The fighters are barefoot with four-ounce gloves. “The
gloves protect ourselves from breaking our hands but don’t do much to cushion the blows from our opponents.” Most anything goes in an MMA fight inside a hexagonal ring surrounded by chain-link fence – except there’s no head butting, kicking an opponent when they are on the mat, biting, gauging or hair pulling. COMPETING FOR STRIKEFORCE Both Lawson and his sport of mixed martial arts have come a long way since he first glanced at Faber’s glossy photos. Sen. John McCain called it “human cockfighting” in the late ’90s. Since then, entrepreneurs have come into the sport, getting it sanctioned by state commissions that also govern professional boxing and finding wide exposure on TV, like wrestling and poker before them. Donald Trump, Mark Cuban, Spike TV and Showtime are all involved in the sport. Lawson has risen this wave
Meet
the
and is affiliated with a leading MMA organization, Strikeforce. At the last three big fight nights at HP Pavilion in San Jose, he’s been the top ticket seller – even though he’s toiled away from the TV cameras on the undercard. “I sold 250 tickets for the last fight,” he says. That would be the April 11 card, when Lawson won in the first round over Waylon Kennell on a TKO. It was probably the most significant of his 11 bouts, of which he’s won nine. “This was the first time I really got hit hard. I saw stars for a couple seconds but shook them off and came right back,” Lawson recounts. “You always wonder how you’ll respond when you take one on the chin. Now I know.” The victory earned him a step up in the Strikeforce pecking order to the main event. In July, he’ll be fighting a highly ranked foe at the Tacoma Dome in Washington. You’ll be able to see his bout on Showtime. KEEPING THE WEIGHT DOWN Lawson trains in Concord at
authors
at
Schedule of May events
Combat Fitness Gym with another local fighter Ryan Basanelli, who wrestled at Northgate High. Their fight coach is Gil Castillo, a threetime MMA champion. Lawson competes as a middleweight at 185-pound weight limit. “I walk around at about 202 pounds,” the 6-foot fighter explains, “so I have to drop down below 185 for the weighin the night before each fight. It’s mostly water weight and I gain it back the same evening.” For Lawson, each fight seems like a high school reunion. “I have so much support from Concord and Clayton. I really want to do well and represent the community,” adds Lawson, who now lives near his high school alma mater. “When there’s a football game, I hear the announcer and cheers.” Venturing north to Tacoma to take on a hometown fighter will be his biggest challenge yet. But for Lawson, a challenge is nothing more than another adventure and he has plenty of experience handling those.
If you cannot attend, we are happy to get books signed for you.
Clayton Books
05/09 4pm . . .Children’s author Teri Sloat presents “There Was an Old Man Who Painted the Sky.” 05/10 3pm . . .Max Isaacman, author of “Investing with Intelligent EFT’s.” 05/12 7pm . . .Shawna Ryan, author of “Water Ghosts.” 05/14 7pm . . .Mahbod Seraji, author of “Rooftops of Tehran.” 05/16 1pm . . .Kids Otter Read Day Around the Bay, a celebration of children’s books. Scheduled authors are - Deborah Davis, Ben Esch, Elizabeth Koehler-Pentacoff, Kathryn Otoshi, Deborah Lee Rose, Liz Hockinson 05/17 3pm . . .Joanne Schwed, creator of “Backpocket Crosswords.” 05/21 7pm . . .C.W. Gortner, author of “The Last Queen.” 5/24 3pm . . . .Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve authors Traci Parent & Karen Terhune 5/26 7pm . . . .Fantasy authors Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon
4820 Burgundy Drive
05/29 10:30 am . . .Children’s story time with author Jennifer Riggs Vetter.
Oakley, CA
Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
(925) 625-1123 e-mail: contact@robertaclaire.com www.robertaclaire.com
In the Clayton Station joelharris@aol.com
Ask about our Wedding Special
www.claytonbookshop.com
5433 D Clayton Rd., Clayton (925) 673-3325
May 8, 2009
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Causes vary for chronic ear infections; prevention is key MARYBETH RYMER,
PAWS
AND
DVM
CLAWS
Reoccurring ear infections can be painful for dogs – and frustrating for owners. There are many reasons for these chronic infections. Some can be cured after diagnostic tests are performed, while others are controlled with maintenance. The dog’s ear canal is about twice as long as ours, with a vertical and horizontal component. The earflap, or pinna, forms a funnel shape with the narrow bottom portion becoming the vertical canal. The canal then makes approximately a 90degree turn inward toward the brain, forming the horizontal canal. This portion corresponds to our own ear canal. The tympanic membrane, or eardrum, marks the inner edge of the external ear. MOISTURE LEADS TO TROUBLE
Otitis externa is infection of the external ear. Head shaking, ear scratching and rubbing are common symptoms. Many breeds have ear formations that predispose to infection. The droopy earflaps of golden retrievers and Labs along with the narrow canals of the Shar-Peis and pugs prevent canals from drying. Other breeds with copious ear canal hair, such as schnauzers and poodles, have problems with moisture being trapped in the canals. Bacteria and yeast then invade this moisture, creating infection. These organisms,
along with the moisture, will irritate the canal – causing the ear to secret wax that harbors more organisms and eventually becoming a smelly infection. Swimmers and routinely bathed dogs are at higher risk. BEWARE OF ALLERGIES Skin allergies are also a common cause of Otitis externa. The two main allergy types are airborne/contact allergy, which is called atopy, and food allergies. Common airborne allergens that can cause atopy are pollen, grasses, trees, dander and fabrics. We see Otitis externa more often in the spring and summer. With time, atopy may become a year-round problem. Allergens can also be absorbed through the skin with contact, such as when lounging on grass or a wool blanket. Most dogs with atopy develop a classic pattern of hair loss and red skin of the feet, legs, underside and around the mouth and eyes, as well as ear infections. The most common allergenic food is beef, with perhaps corn and wheat the next most common. But an individual may be allergic to any type of food. Food allergy lesions are usually generalized but may be limited to one or both ears. This inflammation sets up the ideal environment for the growth of bacteria and yeast. The most common organism found in the ear is yeast, Malassezia pachydermatis. The bacteria species consist of two groups, cocci or round-shaped bacteria and rod-shaped bacteria. The cocci species are Staphylococcus and
Streptococcus. The more antibiotic resistant rods are Pseudomonas and Escherichia coli species. FINDING THE RIGHT MEDICATION
When presented with a canine ear infection, I examine the ear canal as best I can. This may be difficult if there is a lot of wax or infected debris filling the ear canal or if the canal is swollen closed. Sedation may be needed if there is too much pain. If a foreign body is found, it is removed. Ear cytology is an important test to determine which organisms are present. This involves staining slides of the ear debris for microscopic exam of the type of cells and organisms present. A pure bacterial infection will be treated with an antibiotic that best treats cocci or rods, while yeast requires a fungicide. These medications can be instilled in the canal and/or given orally. A topical or oral steroid is used to calm the inflammation, reduce the swelling and alleviate pain. Many ear ointments are combinations of these drugs. Ear mites certainly cause ear discomfort but are easily treated with newer medications and rarely cause chronic infections unless there is a source of reexposure. Treatment recommendations may include solutions or ointments to cleanse the ear of debris or anesthesia for a complete ear flush and exam of the canal. When treating medically to clear the ear canal, I advise the owner to use three steps. First apply a generous amount of ointment to the canal. Then
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ORNETTE Ornette is a lively, busy little fellow searching for a new home with folks that have the time to take him to training classes and provide him with regular mental and physical activity. The adoption fee for adult dogs is $225 and includes a seven-week training class. Madrid is an outgoing fellow who is just waiting to be your constant companion. His favorite pastime is giving kisses
MADRID and receiving chin and head scratches. 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 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The primary caretaker must be present to adopt. ARF also
encourages kids 16 and younger and canine family members (dog adoptions only) to be present during the adoption process. Would you like to be part of the heroic team that saves the lives of rescued dogs and cats? Can you share your talents to connect people and animals? ARF volunteers are making a difference! For more information see our website, www.arf.net, or call 925.256.1ARF.
massage the outer canal to work the ointment down into the horizontal canal and wipe clean with a soft tissue or cotton ball. Head shaking will help clear out the broken-up debris. Rechecks are always important for monitoring response to treatment and to establish the best maintenance ear care. I recheck within one or two weeks. After appropriate cleansing of the canal, I hope to now see down to the level of the eardrum. I examine closely for tumors, polyps and foreign bodies such as foxtails that may have been hiding under the debris and assess the integrity of the eardrum. If a bacterial infection does not respond to the chosen medications, a culture and sensitivity test of the ear debris is recommended to identify the bacteria and determine the best antibiotic. Preventing reoccurrence requires a commitment to routine maintenance of the ear canals. To avoid getting water in the ears when bathing, use cotton balls to absorb the water. (Be sure to remove them.) Or avoid running water over the head. Stop at the neck and use a washcloth to clean around the face. Your groomer should be well aware of these tips. Routine use of an ear cleaner or astringent can help reduce reoccurrence. Your veterinarian will discuss the appropriate cleaner for your dog’s ears. These are best used weekly and after bathing. For dogs who love swimming, use an astringent after every swim to help dry the canal. Routine plucking of ears is not generally recommended but may be needed if your poodle has repeated infections. Despite our best efforts, inflammation and infection often reoccur because of ongoing allergies. We must then work on reducing these allergy reactions. Drugs such as antihistamines and appropriate use of steroids or cyclosporine can reduce inflammation. Avoid beef-based foods or any food that causes your dog to react. Blood allergy testing can help determine what allergens to avoid. If we cannot avoid allergens, such as pollen, desensitizing injections can dramatically reduce the inflammation of allergies. The frustration of canine ear infections can be minimized with routine ear care and allergy control. The successful management of chronic ear infections depends on good teamwork between owners, groomers and veterinarians. Marybeth Rymer, DVM, can be reached at Monte Vista Animal Hospital, Concord. 672-1100.
Page 17
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Page 18
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
May 8, 2009
Clayton Community Calendar PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M. MAY 11 FOR THE MAY 22 ISSUE. ITEMS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY EMAIL TO calendar@claytonpioneer.com
EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT
In Clayton May-October Clayton Farmers Market 8 a.m.-noon Saturdays, Diablo Street in downtown Clayton. www.pcfma.com or 800-949-3276. May 9 Drought-Tolerant Garden Talk Plant explorer and author Dan Hinkley will speak on “The Dry Lush: Drought-Tolerant Gardens Need Not Be Spare.” 10 a.m., Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Dr. $15 for Markham Arboretum Society members, or $30. RSVP at 681-2968 or info@markham.arboretum.org. May 13, 20, 27 Classic Cars and Rock & Roll Classic cars on display, plus a live DJ. 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays, Main and Diablo Streets May 16 Shred Day at St. Bonaventure’s Shred sensitive documents through Shred This, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., St. Bonaventure's Catholic Church, 5562 Clayton Road, Concord. $5 per grocery bag, $10 and up per box. Proceeds benefit Bosco Yuvodaya, a care center for street kids in Bangalore, India. 6725800. May 16-17 Clayton Valley Garden Tour Self-guided tour of a native garden, a Mediterranean drought style, California natural, a thrilling hillside and a beautiful backyard. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $25, or $30 at the door. A party at a sixth garden is $10. Get tickets at Clayton Historical Museum flagpole, 6101 Main St., or R&M Pool, Patio and Gardens, 6780 Marsh Creek Road. 672-0240 or claytonmuseum@scbglobal.net. May 16-17 Clayton Valley Garden Club Plant Sale Featuring more than 500 plants. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Clayton Historical Museum, 6101 Main St. Call Neal at 672-2624 or www.claytonvalleygardenclub.org. May 16, 30 Concerts in the Grove Bring lawn chairs or a blanket. 6-8 p.m. May 16, Lava (latin/rock/salsa). 6-8 p.m. May 30, Houserockers (rock/soul). The Grove Park in downtown Clayton. May 25 Memorial Day Ceremony Sponsored by VFW Post 1525. 10 a.m.-noon, downtown Clayton flagpole, Main and Oak streets. Contact Ming at 672-4911 or Pete at 682-6533. May 30 History Day Information, demonstrations and hands-on activities from representatives from museums, history centers and East Bay parks. 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Clayton Museum, 6101 Main St. www.claytonhistory.org or 672- 0240. June 8 Clayton Classic Golf Tournament Sponsored by the Clayton Business and Community Association. 11 a.m. shotgun start, Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Dr. $150 before May 29, or $175. hhttp://claytoncbca.org/golftournament.aspx. Call Joe at 673-2210 or Chance at 693-9910 for information or sponsorship opportunities.
Close by May 11-June 14 “The Wedding Singer” A musical filled with ’80s nostalgia. Willows Theatre, 1975 Diamond Blvd., Concord. $10-$40. 798-1300 or www.willowstheatre.org. May 16 Handbell Concert Featuring the Ringing Bells, LVs and handbell soloist Carol Smith of Clayton. 4 p.m., Walnut Creek United Methodist Church. 543 Sunnyvale Ave. Free.
May 16-17 Diablo Valley College Music Department A program of choral music featuring the colleges combined choirs. 8 p.m. May 16 and 2 p.m. May 17, Diablo Valley College Performing Arts Center, 321 Golf Club Road, Pleasant Hill. $20, or $25 at the door. 687-4445. Through May 17 “No Sex Please, We’re British” Diablo Actors Ensemble ends its season with the hysterical farce. $10-$25. 1345 Locust St., Walnut Creek. 482-5110 or www.diabloactors.com. May 21-June 27 “Cabaret” Award Winning musical with great songs and killer dancing. Center REPertory Co, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $14.50-$41. CenterREP.org or 943-7469. May 25-June 21 “Pageant” A beauty pageant musical satire. Willows Cabaret at the Campbell Theatre, 636 Ward St., Martinez. $22-$32. 798-1300 or www.willowstheatre.org.
AT THE LIBRARY The Clayton Community Library is at 6125 Clayton Road. 6730659 or www.claytonlibrary.org. May 9 Reading Festival At 10:30 a.m., Susan Elya will present “Learn to Rhyme in English and Spanish with Eight Animals,” a poetry program for grades 1-3. At 1:30 p.m., Dina Rasor will present a program about her most recent work, “Betraying our Troops.” dthomas@ccclib.org. May 18 How to Survive in Tough Times Consultant Randall Shores will discuss how small businesses can survive and prosper in a down economy. 7-9 p.m. Free. Register at tinyurl.com/7phv8x. Through May 21 Picture Book Time For 3- to 5-year-olds. Child may attend without caregiver. 11 a.m. Thursdays. Through May 26 Patty Cakes For babies to 3-year-olds. Child attends with caregiver. 11 a.m. Tuesdays.
FUNDRAISERS May 9 Stamp Out Hunger Leave a donation of non-perishable food by your mailbox prior to your regular mail delivery. Sponsored by the Food Bank and the National Association of Letter Carriers. www.bayareahunger.org or 800-870-3663. Children’s Hospital Magnolia Branch The group is looking for volunteers for the Rubber Ducky Race on Aug. 30 at Waterworld. Meetings 7-9 p.m. the first Monday of the month in Concord. Contact Lori at 998-8844 or lori@lorihagge.com.
NATURE Through June 6 Mt. Diablo Junior Ranger Program Each session includes presentations, hands-on activities and a hike. For children 7-12, plus one accompanying parent. 1-4 p.m. Saturdays. Program is free, but park entrance required. Contact Steve at 362-8697 or SAE612@msn.com. May 8 Mangini Ranch Moonlight Hike Learn how you can help preserve this open space. Meet at 7:45 p.m. at Galindo Creek. Moderate, two-hour hike. Heavy rain cancels. Contact Dave at earlyrider@earthlink.net or www.savemountdiablo.org.
Clayton Community Recreation Visit mdrymca.org or call 889-1600 to register for these teen field trips: Save the Bay/Canoeing. Canoe in Bay Area wetlands and help clean up the environment. 9 a.m. June 24. $45. Great America. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. July 1. $50. Giant’s Game/Arcade/Magic Show. S.F. Giant’s vs. Arizona Diamondbacks at Pac Bell Park, followed by dinner and arcade at the Sony Metreon and all-star magic show at the San Francisco Playhouse. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. July 19. $60. A’s Game. Oakland A’s vs. Minnesota Twins. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. July 22. $40.
Indoor Car Racing/Soccer Game. Indoor car racing at LeMan’s Karting Center, Fremont, followed by San Jose Earthquakes vs. DC United game in Santa Clara. 3-10:30 p.m. July 25. $70. No Doubt/Paramore Concert. Pizza party, followed by a show at Sleep Train Pavilion in Concord. 6-11:30 p.m. July 21. $50. Paintball/Discovery Kingdom. Paintball in American Canyon, followed by Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo. 9 a.m.5 p.m. Aug. 5. $85. Pier 39/Alcatraz. The quintessential San Francisco experience. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 12. $60.
May 9 Lime Ridge Native Plant Maintenance Sponsored by the Walnut Creek Open Space Foundation. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at No. 32 Lime Ridge Open Space, Rock Oak Road/Ygnacio Canal Trail. www.wcosf.org/activities/calendar.shtml. May 9 Oyster Point Hike Cross-country, 8.8-mile round trip; experienced hikers only. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Meet at No. 3 Curry Point parking area, a mile past Mt. Diablo State Park South Gate entrance. $7. Contact Helene at 415-974-2209 or crowh_8558@yahoo.com. May 9 Quail Habitat Exploration Join Ranger Dan to explore and observe wildlife at the Bob Wisecarver Quail Habitat. 9-11 a.m., Borges Ranch, 1035 Castle Rock Road, Walnut Creek. $10-$15. www.wildlife-museum.org. May 16 Marsh Creek Wildflower Hike A 6-7 mile educational hike, led by wildlife biologist Jim Hale. Meet at 8:45 a.m. at the Morgan Territory Staging Area. RSVP at 939-4304. June 27 Diablo Trail Endurance Ride Save Mount Diablo offers its first recreational opportunity for equestrians on this 30-mile limited distance and 50-mile endurance ride that starts and finishes at Castle Rock Park in Walnut Creek. www.savemountdiablo.org.
MEETINGS May 19 Clayton City Council 7 p.m., Hoyer Hall, Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road. 673-7304 or www.ci.clayton.ca.us. May 21 Diablo View Middle School Parent Faculty Club Next year’s budget will be planned. 9 a.m., Community Room, 300 Diablo View Lane, Clayton.
CLUBS Clayton Business and Community Association Meets 6:30 p.m. the last Thursday of the month, except holidays, Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Dr., Clayton. Call Sue at 672-2272. Clayton Valley Garden Club Meets 7 p.m. May 13, Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center St., Clayton. Rose Loveall of Morningsun Herb Farm will speak about medicinal herbs and have plants for sale. Call Dorothy at 672-2526 or www.claytonvalleygardenclub.org. Clayton Valley Woman’s Club Meets 9:30 a.m. for coffee, 10 a.m. meetings, second and fourth Tuesdays of the month, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1090 Alberta Way, Concord. Call Joyce at 672-3850. Contra Costa Blue Star Moms Meets 6 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month, Concord Police Station Community Room, 1350 Galindo St. Members have sons and daughters in uniform. Visit ccbluestarmoms.org or call Becky at 286-1728. Contra Costa Chess Club Meets 7-9:30 p.m. Thursdays, Starbuck’s, 1536 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton. Players of all ages and skill levels welcome. Contact Mike at 639-1987 or www.uschess.org. Contra Costa Mineral and Gem Society Meets 7:30 p.m. second Monday of the month, Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Road. 779-0698 or http://ccmgs.org. Creekside Artists Guild Meets 7-8:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month, Clayton Library Story Room, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton. All artforms and both emerging and experienced are welcome. Contact Arlene at 673-9777 or nielsenjanc@aol.com. Or www.creeksideartists.org. Diablo Valley Macintosh Users Group Meets 6:30-9 p.m. the third Tuesday of the month. Bancroft Elementary School, 2700 Parish Dr., Walnut Creek. 689-1155 or www.dvmug.org. Diablo Valley Democratic Club Meets 7 p.m. May 20, Ygnacio Valley Library, 2661 Oak Grove Road, Walnut Creek. 946-0469 or www.dvdems.org. Rotary Club of Clayton Valley/Concord Sunrise Meets 7 a.m. Thursdays, Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Dr., Clayton. Includes breakfast and a speaker. Contact Chuck at 689-7640 or www.claytonvalleyrotary.org. Scrabble Club Meets 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. second and fourth Saturdays of the month, Carl’s Jr. Restaurant, 1530 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton. All ages and skill levels welcome. $3 fee. Call Mike at 639-1987 or www.scrabble-assoc.com. Sons In Retirement (SIR) Meets 11:15 a.m. first Thursday of the month, Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Dr., Clayton. 429-3777. Widows/Widowers Meets for dinner, brunch, theater, etc. This is not a dating service nor is it a greiving class - just a way to meet other people. Contact Lori at 998-8844 or lori@lorihagge.com.
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Patty Flannery Your local neighborhood REALTOR since 1986 Call me. Let’s talk REAL ESTATE
Office: 925.975.5255 email: granyflany@msn.com,
home & fax: 925.672.0541
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 19
Once reluctant, seniors now enjoy the computer age This is part one in a three-part series that looks at local senior citizens and their experiences using computers and the Internet. Today’s article explores the emerging market of the over-65 set in the field of technology. Parts two and three will explore the role of computers in staying connected and look at online tools and resources specifically geared towards seniors. DENISEN HARTLOVE Clayton Pioneer
Whoever said it takes a teen to understand the Internet clearly didn’t have Marie Sutton in mind. The 88-year-old resident of Diamond Terrace in Clayton is just one of the surprising number of senior citizens who use – and benefit from – computers and the Internet. With new online services, games and social networks becoming as common as bugs at a picnic, the over 65 set is becoming the new “hip” crowd. Savvy to the way the market works, willing and able to learn new skills, this segment of the population is demanding its voice be heard as much as the 7-
Photo courtesy of Diamond Terrace
The pull of the Wii can win over techno-resistant seniors. Here Diamond Terrace residents Ginny Below and Judy Van Sickle work on their bowling scores. “I never bowled before in my life,” said Van Sickle, but look at me now.”
year old Wii addict in the house next door. Although Sutton now regularly uses one of the three computers available for Diamond
Mayor, from page 1 CITY UPDATES Many thanks to City Clerk Laci Jackson and our amazing Webmaster Jason Delmar for the many hours they spent on our newly updated city Website. Check it out at www.ci.Clayton.ca.us and tell us what you think. Meanwhile, the City Council and Planning Commission met in a joint session on April 28 to give policy direction to staff as we begin updating the Housing Element of the General Plan. The Housing Element update includes the goals, policies, objectives and implementation programs for the preservation, improvement and development of housing to meet the range of housing needs identified for our community. State housing law requires the Clayton Housing Element update to include site-specific data demonstrating that there is adequate land available to meet the housing needs as allocated by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG). The city’s housing need during the period of 2009-’14 has been determined to be 151 residential units, which includes housing for all income levels as required by state law. The general consensus of the council and commission
during our joint meeting was that while Clayton is largely built-out, there remain some parcels that are vacant or underutilized. Over the past year, the council and commission updated our Town Center Specific Plan to require ground floor retail and restrict non-retail and offices to the second floor in our core downtown. We have long-wanted a vibrant, walkable downtown full of small retail shops, businesses and residents. We have a great start with our local drugstore and market, post office, restaurants, personal-service businesses, local bus service, trails and our beautiful new park. By adding second-story residential units to our downtown, we can provide a significant number of affordable residential units while increasing the market demand for future retail development. By focusing on the underutilized parcels in and near our downtown, we can create our own economic stimulus while meeting the housing needs for our community. Wouldn’t it be nice to have housing that seniors with fixed incomes and young professionals, including our children, can afford? In June, the Planning Commission and City Council
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Terrace residents, she initially resisted the call of the wireless. “When I came here, they told my daughter they would teach me to use the computer,” she said tart-
will each hold public hearings to review and finalize the draft Housing Element update for submission to the state for approval. In early June, we will be posting the draft document on the Website and will have copies available at the library. Please give us your feedback. You can make your comments for the public record online at www.ci.Clayton.ca.us or by attending one of our meetings. We really do want to hear your ideas. MARK YOUR CALENDARS The Clayton Farmers Market opens this Saturday, 8 a.m.-noon, just in time to get Mom some lovely flowers and treat her to a special Mother’s Day meal with fresh veggies and pastries. Our Concerts in The Grove start next Saturday, May 16. This year, the concerts will be 6-8 p.m. to encourage everyone to patronize our downtown restaurants before, during and after the concerts. Our downtown restaurants lose a lot of parking during the concerts, so we need to make sure they enjoy the concert season, too. They are all offering pre- and post-concert specials and are working on special takeout menus for your enjoyment. Hope to see you there! As always, you can email me at Julie_Pierce@comcast.net with your thoughts.
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ly. “But I had no desire.” She changed her mind when her daughter moved to London. The two had previously enjoyed a letter correspondence, but stamps to London cost 93 cents and letters took longer to arrive. Inspired by a 100-year-old friend who was already using her own computer, Sutton learned to use email. In addition to emailing her daughter, Sutton emails other family members around the country, chats with friends about YouTube singer Susan Boyle and is in the process of writing her life story on the word processor with help from her granddaughter. “I’m addicted to that computer!” she said. Fred Fenton is a 74-year-old retired Episcopalian priest living in Concord. He and wife Billie have two computers in their house – a desktop and a laptop – that both use. “I have found it’s such a freeing experience from handwriting or typing or any other way,” Fenton said of composing emails and articles on his Mac. He estimates that he spends an
average of two hours a day at his computer. Abby Stokes, author of “It’s Never Too Late to Love a Computer – the Fearless Guide for Seniors” and “Is This Thing On? A Computer Handbook for Late Bloomers, Technophobes and the Kicking and Screaming,” said that the perceived complexity of computers and the Internet can scare off new users. A study conducted by Newsweek in 2005 showed that fewer than 31 percent of seniors older than 65 have ventured online. “Because people are afraid of it, they feel like they need to understand it, and that’s not the case,” she explained. Stokes has taught seminars for seniors on how to use computer technology. She says challenges include oversensitive touch-pad mice, Websites that time out and poorly displayed error messages. Nevertheless, once seniors are versed in the basics of how to navigate their computers, they remain active online and loyal to Websites they know and love. “I think part of why they stay is a comfort level. They got to
something they like that worked well, and they stuck with it,” said Stokes. Websites are cropping up that are geared toward older consumers. Seniornet.org and aarp.net are just two of many. Even the online matchmaking site eharmony.com, founded by Dr. Neil Clark Warren, himself in his 70s, is getting in on the act. Spokesperson Molly Galler wrote in an email that “Of those couples who share their success stories with us, nearly one in four involves at least one spouse 50 years old or older.” Websites aren’t the only computer application appealing to seniors these days. In 2008, an industry-wide study into computer game purchasing and sales patterns by the Entertainment Software Association showed that 26 percent of all computer and video game users were over 50 years old. This doesn’t sound like much until you realize that the more typically thought of customers, the under 18 crowd,
See Seniors, page 21
Clayton’s Mediterranean climate is unique, but easily explained The words climate and weather are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. My favorite explanation is that “climate is what you expect and weather is what you get.” Climate can be thought of as the average temperature, rainfall and wind expected for a particular region – usually taken over a 30-year period. Climatic elements can include phenomena such as fog, frost and snow. There is a branch of meteorology called climatology. Climatologists specialize in analyzing long-term weather records, specifically rainfall and temperature. They have divided the world into climate zones, classifying areas with similar temperature and precipitation patterns. Most of Northern California, including the Clayton area, is classified as having a Mediterranean climate. It is arguably one of the best climates in the world and certainly one of the most unique. Named for the region of the world where it is most prevalent, the climate can be found in literally only a handful of locations on the globe. These account for just 2 percent of the earth’s land area. Despite the small size,
WOODY WHITLATCH WEATHER WORDS Mediterranean climates are responsible for about 20 percent of the globe’s plant species. This is second only to the tropical rainforests for plant species density. Technically, climatologists classify the Mediterranean climate as a Dry Summer Subtropical climate characterized by wet, relatively mild winters and dry, hot summers. Geographically, the climate is controlled by its proximity to the cool ocean waters to the west and a large landmass to the east. Strong subtropical high pressure is the dominant factor in the summer, keeping the air predominantly dry and temperatures warm. In the winter months, westerly jet stream winds dominate, bringing periodic rainstorms.
In addition to Northern California and the areas surrounding much of the Mediterranean Sea, areas with a similar climate include a portion of the southwestern coast of Australia from about Perth to Adelaide, a small part of the coast of Chile near Santiago and an even smaller area on the southwest tip of South Africa near Capetown. When Europeans settled in distant areas with this climate, they began growing Mediterranean crops such as grapes, olives and citrus fruits. Today, all five areas are wellknown for their fine wines and excellent fruits. The wonderful climate we experience in the Clayton area doesn’t just happen by accident. It is the result of a unique combination of geography, ocean currents and wind patterns. While we “get” weather conditions that are occasionally extreme, such as heat waves, strong winds and cold outbreaks, we have learned to “expect” a climate that makes our area very desirable. Woody Whitlatch is a meteorologist with PG&E. Email your questions or comments to clayton_909@yahoo.com
Page 20
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
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How do these gardens grow? You can find out on Clayton Valley Gardens Tour NICOLE HACKETT Special to the Pioneer
Naturally styled gardens will contrast with formal outdoor-living landscapes during the Clayton Valley 2009 Gardens Tour, benefitting the Clayton Historical Museum. This annual event grows each year, just like the plants and shrubs in the five featured landscapes and gardens. The event is
Natives Gardens Tour. Roy and Rosadelia Detwiler’s yard is packed with essential garden elements – numerous seating areas, curving pathways, a fountain and a pond. Their collection of succulents is sensational, while the butterfly section of the garden supports all stages of the life cycle. Howard and Carin Caplin’s Clayton hillside has been a strenuous and grueling test to their
at the home of Mark and Lois Gill. These longtime Clayton residents transformed their entire backyard. They relocated the swimming pool to make room for a bocce ball court, added an outstanding outdoor kitchen and planted a perimeter garden packed with perennials and tree roses. This garden is always blooming. The dahlias are the size of dinner plates, wisteria clings to the pergola, and the
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Photo courtesy of Utopic Gardens
GET SOME GREAT IDEAS FOR DROUGHT TOLERANT LANDSCAPING from Tami and Allen Pierce’s garden on this year’s Clayton Valley Gardens Tour, May 16 and 17. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. May 16 and 17. Visitors will enjoy diversity in gardening – including a California native garden, a Mediterranean drought-resistant garden, an outdoor-living landscape, a hill that will thrill and a California natural-style garden collection. The California native garden is a two-time participant in the annual Bringing Back the
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gardening willpower. Through the years, they have triumphed over a dog, drought, sun and clay. Today, their yard gives hope to others who have steep, sloping hillsides. Carin has planted a plethora of hardy perennials that spike and mound, while robust shrubs give this site stability and ornamental grasses add texture to this billy goat garden. Outdoor living is the theme
espalier pear trees produced fruit last year for the first time. The Gill backyard is the epicenter for this family, and their friends are always welcome. Ash and Angela Hakimi’s Mediterranean drought-resistant garden is only two years new, yet feels old and established. They left some of the established landscape while creating a design that lends itself to Clayton’s hot
climate. Leucandendron, Kangaroo’s Paw, fruitless olives, sage and succulents are among the varieties in this garden. California natural is the theme of Tami and Allen Pierce’s garden. This newer landscape had challenges, due to a shallow yard and moderate slope. Stacked rock retaining walls and a winding walkway add dimension that the landscape lacked. The home definitely packs lots of curb appeal. Plants that were selected are perfect for our Clayton Valley climate. California native plants have been combined with Australian selections to create a hardy, sun and heat loving, low-water landscape. A rose arbor leads to a lovely outdoor kitchen and dining area. Two fountains add to the ambience. The Clayton Valley Gardens Tour ends each day with an optional garden for an additional donation of $10. Enjoy a complimentary glass of wine and a nibble of cheese as you tour the home and garden of Linda Landgraf. You’ll find an extensive shade garden under a glorious old oak, with sun-loving perennials and a babbling waterfall surrounded by Japanese maples and rhododendrons. The Clayton Valley Garden Club will be having a plant sale at the museum during tour hours. This is the club’s only fundraiser, and a large variety of perennials and succulents will be available. Buy four and get the fifth free. Garden tour tickets at $25 in advance, or $30 on tour days. Get tickets at the Clayton Museum, 6101 Main St., or R&M Pool, Patio and Gardens, 6780 Marsh Creek Road. For more information, call 6720240.
‘The Wedding Singer’ brings back the ’80s
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As an Ameriprise financial advisor, I’m pleased to offer our unique Dream > Plan > Track >® approach to financial planning. Using this comprehensive, customized process, I’ll work with you one-to-one, helping to make your dreams realities. To set up a conversation, call (925) 685-4523 today. Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Mureleen Benton, CFP®, Financial Advisor 5356 Clayton Rd., Suite 211 Concord, CA 94521 (925) 685-4523 Mureleen.M.Benton@ampf.com CA License #0692378 Ameriprise Financial cannot guarantee future financial results. Financial planning services and investments available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA and SIPC. © 2007 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.
GARY CARR Special to the Pioneer
The Willows Theatre brings back the ’80s (as if they’d ever left) with “The Wedding Singer,” the musical comedy based on the hit film that starred Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. Ryan Weible directs, with choreography by Gia Solari-Welch, and music direction by Tim Hanson. Ryan Drummond stars as the wedding singer, Robbie Hart, with Sarah Aili as his gal Julia. The Willows production runs May 11 – June 14 at the Willows mainstage, 1975 Diamond Boulevard in Concord. The Wedding Singer’s title character, Robbie, is a wannabe rock star who lives in his mother’s New Jersey basement and makes a living fronting a band that plays wedding receptions. Robbie is a wistful romantic
until he is left standing at the altar by his brassy fiancée. He finds solace with Julia, a sweetbut-clumsy waitress who unfortunately already has a boyfriend. The plot thickens with nearly non-stop musical numbers, dashing choreography, and a climactic wedding scene in Las Vegas. The stage version has music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin, with book by Chad Beguelin and Tim Herlihy. In the Willows production, Ryan Drummond (Robbie) has been seen recently as Leo Bloom in the DLOC production of The Producers, also directed by Weible. The cast includes Sarah Aili as Julia, Danny Cozart as Robbie’s best friend Sammy, Noel Anthony Escobar as Julia’s fiancé Glen Guglia, Linnea vonAhn as the lovable grandmother Rosie, Brady Woolery as the outra-
Tennis, from page 14 three doubles. Rankings are established by a ladder system, in which any player can challenge another to a match and the winner holds that spot. Kim has been No. 1 singles at Clayton since the day he stepped on the court and is undefeated against his teammates. However, there are other Clayton boys making an impact on the team, including No. 2 singles player Mark Albano, a junior, and the No. 1 doubles team of Chase Johnson and Ricky Ahlgren, both of Clayton. ONGOING CHALLENGES Kim considers himself an
“all-arounder,” a player who is as comfortable at the baseline as he is coming into the net. He calls his serve the most improved part of his game and can hit a serve with spin or slice. He has the advantage of being a natural left-hander. “I like to swing my serves out wide to the ad court,” Kim said. “That is always tougher for righties to return.” He does not have a big weapon but is confident that his all-around game is strong and continues to get better. “If anything, I think the strength of my game is my placement and setting up the point,” said Kim.
Photo courtesy of the Willows Theatre
RYAN DRUMMOND AND SARAH AILI star in the musical comedy “The Wedding Singer” at the Willows Theatre mainstage in Concord, May 11 – June 14.
geous band member George, and Mary Kalita as Robbie’s exfiancée Linda. For tickets and show times, call (925) 798-1300 or visit www.willow-
stheatre.org. Performances are Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with matinees Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m.
Kim enjoys watching Roger Federer’s court savvy and has gone to see Andre Agassi, James Blake and the Williams sisters play at local events. But he would much rather be out hitting the ball himself. “I like the challenge of being able to beat somebody older and more experienced,” he noted. “I never get down on myself. And even if I’m behind in a match, I always think I have a chance.” His coaches have had an impact on his game. He recalls Sablan as a great teacher and says Ortega “helped me develop a love of the game, and he is a very passionate guy about the sport.” “Jonathan is a pleasure to
coach,” Ortega said. “He is willing to adjust his game regarding tactics and is very motivated and enthusiastic.” Kim has only lost three matches this year and is approaching the 20 win mark at No. 1 singles in both league and non-league play. CV is in second place in DVAL, and Ortega believes Kim, Johnson and Ahlgren can reach the finals of the DVAL tournament in midMay. Noting the number of freshmen and sophomores on the team, Ortega is excited about the future of CV tennis. “We went from 1-15 in my first year to developing a very good competitive team now,” he said.
May 8, 2009
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 21
These cascading plants make happy trails black phormium. It would also look great paired with May Night sage and summer wine yarrow. Makino is a newer sedum on the block. The foliage of this trailing selection looks like
down the sides of the container, adding interest and texture. Use scaevolas under formal topiary shapes or patio trees. Fertilize occasionally for best results. If the winter nips this plant, you would have enjoyed
NICOLE HACKETT
GARDEN GIRL Plants that cascade over the sides of urns, garden vessels and pots are highly prized. It’s the look that any container gardener strives to achieve. There are many choices for plants that trail. Some are common and others more unusual; many are great in the sun and some prefer shade. Most Clayton Valley container gardeners deal with full to mostly sun situations. They need plants that can take our dry heat and winds. Calibrachoa is commonly called Million Bells. These hybrid petunias have been making waves though our gardens for seven or eight years. You can choose from white, pinks, lavender, yellow, oranges and red.
MILLION BELLS
If you are looking for a pop of orange to bring out some upright purple shades, try the Callie Orange. This newer introduction boasts a bright deep orange blossom and a dramatic cascade. Superbells white is a true white, petunia-shaped blossom. This selection is a great choice for gardener’s bored with alyssum. All of the million bell family members desire regular fertilizer. They will bloom better if given a water-soluble feeding every two weeks, May through October. SAY HELLO TO ANGELINA Sedums are a vast group of cascading perennials. These plants require less water and nearly no fertilizer. Some selections grip the container as they trail, while others have more arch in their cascade. Angelina has needle-shaped foliage that is a golden yellow color. This evergreen is stunning in a dark colored urn or garden vessel. The color of the foliage adds excitement to any combination of sun-loving plants. Use Angelina when planting Platt’s
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autumn all year long. So if you are a gardener who is attracted to the warm colors of fall, this would be the selection for you. Golden yellow flowers and true blues would complement the Makino sedum’s tiny silveryorange leaves. All of the sedums are drought-tolerant, so choose companion plants carefully. It would be silly to plant a sedum with a demanding Gerbera daisy. Tri-color is a sedum for those who enjoy a more cottage-looking cascading plant. This is a great choice for the gardener who loves delphinium or roses. Tri-color has tiny leaves that are variegated cream and green, with pink margins. During the summer, pink clusters appear, and the butterflies and bees become quite taken with this plant. A MORE FORMAL OPTION Scaevola is another nice looking trailing perennial. This plant has evergreen foliage, unless the winter becomes too cold. Flowers are fan-shaped, and the foliage is a nice, simple green. Scaevola has a formal look and does well in our Clayton Valley full sun. You can find scaevola flowers in both light and dark lavenders, mauves and white. One of my favorites is the scaevola New Wonder. This lavender seems to be the darkest of this selection, and the center of the flower is gold. The contrast is great. All of the scaevolas trail in pieces. The stems wave their way
the growth so much, you’ll replace it with the same plant next growing season. SHADY PROSPECTS Container gardeners with shady situations have a great selection of trailer to consider as well. There is a fabulous plant family called Lamium. These dead nettles have an awful common name for a great plant; Lamium is so much nicer to say. All Lamium plants have variegated foliage and a summer flower. They are a true perennial, meaning they sleep in winter and return in the spring. White Nancy is a superb selection of Lamium, with a bold variegation of silvery-green and white. Install this perennial to trail beneath firecracker fuchsia, or Nicco’s blue hydrangea.
During the summer, white two-lipped shaped flowers emerge. As this plant cascades, the flowers lift their heads from alongside of the container for a great look. Golden Anniversary is a chartreuse yellow and green variegated Lamium. The foliage is interesting enough, but you will be pleased in the summer when the lavender blossoms appear. Use this bright-colored Lamium under dark-leafed centerpieces, like any fancy heuchera or cestrum newellii. Campanula is another shady trailing selection. This family is big, so make sure you are choosing a cascading selection. Campanula poscharskyana Blue Waterfall is terrific. This selection will tumble over the side of any garden vessel. As the summer warms, violet-blue, starshaped flowers flow like a river over the top of crisp green foliage. This plant looks great paired with abutilon or hosta. Campanula Dickson’s Gold is a bright yellow foliaged selection. A leaf color like this will add brightness to the shade. The bloom is the same lavender color. Even alone, this plant has contrast. All trailing and cascading plant selections will need a small treatment of snail and slug killer occasionally. They are close to the soil and make for an easy dinner. Whenever you use a snail or slug killer, one pellet per square foot should be enough. Be sure to put the product away when you are finished applying. Use a soil moist product when planting to keep the soil in your pots moist longer. Spray with Wilt-Stop or Cloud Cover to prevent foliage dry out and top dress your pots with the mulch of your choice.
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Seniors, from page 19 make up a slightly smaller group of users – 25 percent. Diamond Terrace was given a Wii setup for Christmas in December 2008 as a gift from the CBCA. Residents have been gathering on Wednesday mornings to play “virtual” bowling, and activity director Allison DeAngelis is considering starting a league in connection with other local retirement communities. “It’s great,” DeAngelis said of the Wii gatherings. “The things (the residents) say to each other, the high-fives, the clap-
ping. I just think it’s a really positive experience for them to hear about from their neighbors.” Stokes recollected a visitor to one of her book signings a few years ago who seemed angry at the prospect of being forced to learn to use new technology. “I said, ‘You don’t have to go there, but you have to know you can,’ ” she said. If you are over 65 years old, and use – or are resisting using computers, we would like to hear from you about your experiences. Please contact Denisen Hartlove by email at denisen@myconcordian.com.
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Fava beans finally finding favor in US Fresh fava beans are coming to the market these days. Also known as Windsor, horse, English, broad and pigeon beans, favas are one of the world’s oldest known cultivated crops. Believed to be native to both Northern Africa and Southern Asia, favas are legumes covered by a waxy white skin encased in a leathery pod. They are the only bean known in Europe prior to Columbus’ voyages to the Americas. Fava beans are rich in L-dopa, a substances used by doctors in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. L-dopa is also considered a natural alternative to Viagra, although consumption for that purpose should be discussed first with a physician. The beans are also high in fiber and iron, while containing little sodium or fat. Their highprotein content means they are well-suited for people who have limited or no access to animal protein sources. As a matter of fact, it is said that favas saved ancient Sicilians during a famine. On a somber health note, some people of African, Mediterranean or Southeast Asian descent have a hereditary condition called favism that causes a severe allergic response that can result in hemolytic anemia. Merely walking through an area with pollen from the fava plant has been known to trigger this serious condition. Figuring prominently in both
ancient and contemporary Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, favas are comparatively unknown here. That appears to be changing, particularly given iconic Hannibal Lector’s famous declaration that he enjoyed favas with liver and a nice glass of Chianti. There are better food pairings, however.
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THOUGHT
While preparing favas is fairly labor intensive, they are worth the effort. The beans first need to be shucked from their cottony pod. They are then parboiled about 5 minutes in boiling water. The waxy coating is then squeezed to pop out a vibrant green bean that naturally splits in two. About 1 pound of whole favas yields one cup of shucked beans. The beans themselves have a buttery texture and a nice nutty flavor. They can be served boiled, mashed and spread on crostini or added to stews and soups. They are often paired with artichokes or other spring
vegetables such as peas and mushrooms. To make a simple, nutritious and tasty appetizer, put 1 cup fava beans, 1 chopped garlic clove, ½ fennel bulb that has been roughly chopped and salt and pepper in a food processor and puree. Spread on toasted baguette slices that were brushed with olive oil prior to going into the oven. A traditional spring dish from Italy features favas with pecorino, a sheep’s milk cheese. FAVA BEANS WITH PECORINO Serves 4 3 lbs. fava beans in their pods 8 oz. pecorino cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes 1 T. fresh lemon juice ½ tsp. dried oregano Dash of cayenne pepper, if desired ¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Prepare beans as indicated above. Mix the shucked beans and remaining ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Can be served on crostini (toasted bread drizzled with olive oil) or atop a salad of springtime greens. FAVA BEANS WITH PASTA 1 c. shucked fava beans 1 large leek, cleaned, trimmed and diced 1 large clove of garlic, minced
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3 T. olive oil 1-4 oz mild Italian sausage ½ lb. farfalle or papardelle pasta ½ to ¾ c. half and half ½ c. grated Parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste While cooking pasta in salted boiling water, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, leeks and crumbled sausage. Cook until the leeks are tender and the sausage is completely browned. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add ½ c. half and half and the Parmesan cheese. Bring to a simmer then shut off the heat and allow the cheese to melt into the sauce. Add the drained pasta, fava beans and salt and pepper to the sauce. Stir to coat. If needed, add additional cream and heat through. Serve immediately. 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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Peacock Creek at Oakhurst Country Club! Stunning home
Customized Palatial Tuscan Villa on a court backing to open space with tranquil & mesmerizing views! 4 bedroom + bonus room & office, 4 baths, approx. 4,436sf. Prof. Chefs dream kitchen! Unbelievable Master suite & bath! Impeccably maintained .33 acre lot boasts a Grecian pool & spa with waterfall sconces, raised patio with Tuscan pergola & endless views of open space-hills-ridgeline & city lights! $1,047,000
on a Premium view lot! overlooking hill, valley & City below. 4 bedrooms, plus loft, 2.5 baths, approx. 3307sf with 3 car garage. Main level master suite. Gourmet granite kitchen. Family room with fireplace & views! Great lot offers gorgeous views, lush lawn, prof. landscape & two patios.
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Ironwood/Windmill Canyon at Oakhurst Country Club! Great home in a fantastic quiet court location! across from neighborhood park with views! 4 bedrooms, plus loft, 3 baths, approx. 2,481sf. Gourmet kitchen boasts slab granite counters & stainless steel appliances. Downstairs bedroom and full bath. Master suite balcony offering sweeping views! Private lot with custom patio, lush lawn and lots of flowers & ornamentals!. $649,000 CLAYTON!
Silvercreek! Beautifully Maintained!
spacious home in a quiet court setting with views of Mt. Diablo & surrounding hills! 5 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, approx. 2,398sf, inside laundry & 2 car attached garage. Living & Formal dining room. Eat-in kitchen. Downstairs bedroom/den. Huge family room with fireplace. Backyard offers privacy & an in-ground pool, separate spa, workshop, plus a large side yard! $649,000
George Vujnovich of Better Homes Realty ADDRESS 1222 Bridlewood Court 236 Mountaire Pkwy 3301 Coyote Cir 5608 Calistoga Way 305 Mount Sierra Pl 14 Rialto Dr 1208 Bridlewood Ct 43 Mountaire Ct 1046 Tiffin Dr 23 Clark Creek Cir 7025 Molluk Way 2905 Coyote Circle 3105 Coyote Circle 181 Brandywine Pl
PRICE $709,500 $500,000 $385,000 $380,000 $737,500 $500,000 $788,500 $763,000 $590,000 $265,000 $650,000 $345,000 $277,000 $775,000
SALE DATE
SF
BED/BATH
4/23/09 4/23/09 4/23/09 4/21/09 4/17/09 4/15/09 4/15/09 4/13/09 4/06/09 4/1/09 03/25/09 03/25/09 03/24/09 03/16/09
2665 2177 1554 1825 3160 2324 2826 2623 2041 1050 2680 1252 1026 3820
3/2.5 4/2.5 3/2.5 4/2 5/3 3/2.5 3/3.5 4/3 4/2.5 2/2 5/3 2/2.5 2/2 4/2.5