www.claytonpioneer.com
May 22, 2009
925.672.0500
New leadership, new programs come to the Clayton YMCA JULIE PIERCE
MAYOR’S CORNER
See Mayor, page 14
City needs to cut landscape water 45 percent TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Time to tell state to halt cash grab As the deadlines approach for every issue of the Pioneer, I struggle with what to include in this column. I thank all of you who have said you enjoy it and learn something from it. I try to keep it somewhat light, positive and informative, but this week it may have to be just informative with a couple local rays of sunshine at the end. You have no doubt heard that the state of California is in a severe budget crisis. As I write this, it’s five days before the special election and it looks like voters will reject most if not all of Sacramento’s proposals. In anticipation of that, and in acknowledgment of at least a doubling of the projected deficit, the governor has already proposed that the state “borrow” more money from the cities. You will remember that you helped pass Prop. 1A in 2004, saying that if the state borrows from the cities in a time of financial crisis, the “loan” must be repaid within three years with interest. I’m betting they ignore Prop. 1A and simply “steal” the money again – and tell the cities and counties to find their own money somewhere else.
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IT’S YOUR PAPER
on weekends. “We get to go to a S.F. Giants game and then have dinner and arcade games at the Metreon,” Beck noted. Other trips include Great America, Day at the Bay, Alcatraz and a concert at the Sleep Train Pavilion in Concord. The day camps and teen trips start June 24. The Y has already
Starting May 1, the city must cut its landscape water use by 45 percent to comply with Contra Costa Water District’s mandatory rationing. In a report to the City Council on May 5, maintenance supervisor Mark Janney outlined how the city plans to make the cuts. “We’re looking at policy and strategy,” he explained. “We plan to pool all of the city’s water and allocate to the highest priority areas.” The newer landscaping along Marsh Creek Road and Oakhurst Boulevard will take priority over lawns that can be more easily replaced. Trimming and pruning, which encourages growth, will be cut back to meet safety standards. Most of the trees and shrubs that are well-established “may not look too good,” Janney said, “but they’ll survive.” Meeting the stiff requirements will mean letting much of the city’s median plantings and ground covers die back in order to save the turf in The Grove and on the playing fields, says City Manager Gary Napper. The loss of the median shrubs is not terrible. These manzanita-like plants have reached the end of a lifespan that began in poor soil, Napper explains.
See YMCA, page 13
See Landscape, page 18
André Gensburger/Clayton Pioneer
THE CONCORD/CLAYTON YMCA IS EXPECTING DEMAND FOR SUMMER RECREATION opportunities to be higher than ever because of the severe cuts to sports and enrichment programs in the schools. Under new leadership, the Y has a renewed emphasis on program development and is ramping up for a full summer of sports, classes, day camps and field trips. ANDRÉ GENSBURGER Clayton Pioneer
She may be new to the Concord/Clayton YMCA, but Jennifer Beck has made great strides in the four months since she took over as executive director and program development director. “With basketball going gangbusters and getting great reviews,
the focus right now is getting summer programs in place,” she said. “We have a fantastic full day camp,” she added, noting that the 9 a.m.-4 p.m. camp also has extended hours, with daycare 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. NEW TEEN PROGRAMS For the first time, the Y is offering teens a counselor-in-
training option to shadow the camp counselor. “This gives them the opportunity to see whether they want to be a counselor with hands-on experience,” Beck said. “This program is near and dear to my heart. It focuses on responsibility and they get to assume the lead for games or craft activities and also give some relief to the counselor.” Then there are the teen trips
Explorer program opens a window into police work DENISEN HARTLOVE Clayton Pioneer
The Clayton Police Department is looking for a few good teenagers who are interested in learning about – and experiencing – the day to day life of being a police officer. In 1991, Sgt. Richard Enea founded the Clayton Police Department’s Explorer post, after starting others in Crescent City and Belmont. Today, Enea’s son, Cpl. Rich Enea, is following in his father’s footsteps. Formerly an Explorer himself, Enea acts as an advisor to the new generation of Explorer recruits. Enea described the program as serving two purposes. “They’re doing community service for the place where they live,” he said. “But the main one is it decides whether you want to be a police officer or not.” Explorers help the department at community events such as the Art & Wine festival and
Oktoberfest, attend monthly trainings in various aspects of police work and ride along with officers on patrol – usually a favorite activity. Matt McLaughlin, 18, has been with the program for three years. Recruited by Chief Dan Lawrence, McLaughlin recently achieved the rank of Sergeant Explorer. He described the atmosphere in Clayton as like a family. “You are like the little brother of the department,” he said. “Everybody can really count on you.” McLaughlin’s favorite aspect of being an Explorer is learning skills from each of the officers on the force. “You’re able to put together different parts from each person. You can learn everything there is to know about police work,” he said. McLaughlin is now studying criminal justice at Diablo Valley Junior College. His experience working in varying aspects of the job – community service, traffic
What’s Inside Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Community Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Deal With It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
directing, watching officers conduct traffic stops – cemented his long-fostered desire to become a police officer. “Every day is different,” he said. “That’s what makes the job to me really interesting. You go out there and don’t really know what to expect.” Katie Hill, 16, is another of the Clayton Police Explorers. She joined at the suggestion of a classmate at Clayton Valley High School. “A lot of people don’t know who’s protecting their city. I know from experience Clayton is in good hands,” she said. Enea said the Explorers learn appropriate behavior from the officers. “I really think that all of our officers really care about the community. (The Explorers) are going to see that and not know to treat people any differently. They’re not going to know how to do it the wrong way,” Enea said. “They’re going to have no problem being professional, being courteous, being nice.”
Directory of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 DVMS Reporter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Financial Sense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Food for Thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 For the Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
“You learn how to have respect for people. It teaches you how to be a better person, how to respect different people for their differences,” said McLaughlin.
The experience isn’t specific to police work, and the lessons can be valuable in all areas of the Explorers’ lives. “How to use computers, basically how to get along with others, how to be a
respectful person, how to follow rules, how to be a team player,” said Enea. Applicants must be 14-21
See Explorer, page 15
Denisen Hartlove/Clayton Pioneer
Police Explorer Advisor, Cpl. Rich Enea, center, is flanked by Explorers Matt McLaughlin and Katie Hill. The program is designed for ‘teens who are considering a career in law enforcement.
Movie Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Police Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Safety Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Sharing History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
School News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Student Reporter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Tech Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Time to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
May 22, 2009
Around Town Clayton welcomes Farmers Market back for second year
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
The Farmers Market is back this year to cheers and raves. Starting and ending a hour earlier to beat the heat, the market was elbow-to-elbow Claytonians on opening day, May 9 as vendors lined Diablo Street with tables laden with the season’s early fruits and vegetables. “Gotta keep eatin’ healthy,” said Corinne Vasquez, picking up a bag of oranges at Juan Lujan’s booth, and the Farmers Market is the cornerstone of her summer eating plan. Strawberries were on everyone’s list, but unless you got there early, you were out of luck. They were gone by 10:30. But cherries, oranges and apples were plentiful and tomato lovers
CORINNE VASQUEZ OF CLAYTON and vendor Juan Lujan celebrate the first Farmers Market of the season. The market is open Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. - noon through October 31.
filled their bags with Early Girls. The market is every Saturday morning, 8 ‘til noon, through Oct. 31(except July 4 and Labor Day weekend).
Cpl. Rich Enea receives third MADD award
Scouts build nesting boxes, hope for birds Junior Girl Scout troop 32554 of Clayton has earned a Bronze Award by building nesting boxes to attract native birds in the Mt Diablo area. The nesting boxes are installed on the Cardinet Trail. This industrious group of five girls pledged to “make the world a better place” and since they are all “eco-aware,” the nesting boxes were a natural choice for them. After learning that many nesting habitats have been altered or removed by development, the girls researched ways to provide safe nesting cavities for our native birds They hope to attract flickers, chickadees, bluebirds, finches, and Phoebes. The Bronze Award is the
highest level of achievement for Junior Girl Scouts and requires at least 15 hours of planning
CPL. RICH ENEA
LAURA RUSCITTI, ANNA RAD, MARIS DEGENER, EMILY MCCLUHAN, AND CAITLIN ARANGO crafted nesting boxes to place along the Cardinet Trail in hopes of attracting a variety of native birds.
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and completing a community service project. The troop is led by Rose Rad.
On Apr. 18, Clayton’s Cpl. Rich Enea received his third consecutive California Hero Award from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento. Enea’s parents Richard and Beth also attended the ceremony. He had 54 Driving Under the Influence (DUI) arrests for 2008, and 52 arrests for 2007. Thirteen of last year’s arrests happened in December 2008. “Don’t drive drunk in Clayton,” Enea warns. - André Gensburger
NE
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
It didn’t take long for the Latin beat of Lava to loosen up dancing feet on opening night of the summer concert series in The Grove.
A warm May night, hot “Lava” and good friends – it was obvious that Claytonians were ready for summer as they filled the park last week for the first of the 2009 Concerts in The Grove series. “Is this pent-up demand or what,” laughed Planning Commissioner Keith Haydon, surveying the lawn chairs and picnic blankets that covered every square inch of the park “We’re so ready for this.” For two hours, downtown rocked to Lava’s high-octane
Latin-salsa beat. On May 30, Houserockers, a 10-piece rock and soul band, brings swing, blues, 60s soul and R & B that is guaranteed to get everyone up and dancing to the music of the Rolling Stones, Springsteen and more. The summer series is sponsored by the city of Clayton, the CBCA and Allied Waste and runs every other weekend through Sept. 19. See the insert in this issue for a list of local eateries and a complete concert schedule.
What’s happening Around Town? Send your news of births, deaths, engagements weddings, anniversaries, special recognitions, etc. to info@claytonpioneer.com. There is no charge to publish these items in the Clayton Pioneer. Please attach your photos to the email as JPEG files between between 3MB and 6MB and include a caption to identify people in your photos.
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2009 Concerts open to blockbuster crowd
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Lynne offers free Professional Staging on her listings Clayton Resident & Broker Owner
May 22, 2009
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 3
Around Town Conc
Community BBQ at Rodie’s
Brave girl runs relay to help the cause
Bob and Sarah Rodenburg, (top left) owners of Rodie’s Feed and Country Store sent out a great big “thank you” to the community last week when they hosted a free BBQ as part of their “Customer Appreciation Day.” Kamp’s Propane supplied the hot dogs, area breeders supplied the puppies and Rodie's threw the party at their place on Marsh Creek Road. Pictured top right, Clayton kids Karlie and Colton cuddle 8week-old Yorkie puppies; Above, The Lenz family, Tom, George, Marianna and Debbie.
Katie Grace Groebner, a “but Katie Grace was really Clayton resident with pul- there for others. monary hypertension, has made “It was cold, wet and rainy, great strides in her battle with but the racers never stopped,” the disease. And she added Kathy added. “Then she went another accolade to her list up to the road and said, ‘I want when she participated in a relay to run across the finish line, fundraiser touted as too.’ So she held up her muddy “California’s Longest Party” on pants and gave it all she had.” May 2-3. While crossing the line, a Katie Grace was out sup- racer from the Danville group porting the runF o r w a r d ners, despite Motion recogcomplications nized Katie from her heart Grace and the catheter Broviac group took a unit that caused photograph a serious infecwith her. tion just before One of the Christmas. It runners asked required the Katie Grace removal of the when she will line delivering get her heart and vital medicalung transplants. tions that help “I think they will regulate her pulfind a cure for monary presPH before that sures and extend WEARING HER “I’M A LITTLE happens,” said S.O.B.” (short of breath) t-shirt, her life. Katie Grace. KATIE GRACE GROEBNER braves Founded in the rain and mud to cheer run- “I’m here for my 1996, Organs ners at the finish line in the PH friends who ‘R’ Us is a non- Organ’s R Us relay race on May already got profit that pro- 2-3. theirs.” motes organ donations through According to Kathy, the running and walking events. runners kept coming all day The Relay of 199 miles from long. “We were there from 11 Calistoga to Santa Cruz symbol- a.m.-6 p.m. and the only reason izes organ donations through we left was because we had to the passing of the baton from mix Katie Grace’s IV meds and runner to runner or walker to couldn’t stay any longer. But walker. there were racers still coming in Katie Grace cheered runners as we pulled out.” at the finish line in a race that For more information about was in part dedicated to her. “All Organs ‘R’ Us visit the racers thought they were www.therelay.com. there for her, with her picture on their van and a sign that said For more Around ‘We Race for Katie Grace,’ ” said mom Kathy Groebner, Town turn to pg. 4
A real traffic stopper Traffic on Peacock Creek Drive came to a standstill one day early this month when a local wild turkey with boundary
issues initiated a “standoff ” with a Honda Accord driven by Sandi Seberras. Around 2 p.m. on May 6, a militant “attack turkey” adamantly and loudly defended his right of way causing a minor traffic jam. An adolescent male exited his car and attempted to negotiate a peaceful resolution, but the turkey would have none of it and chased him back up the hill where he took cover in his vehicle.Kahni Horton
If your bank is changing signs...
n The G i s t er r Saturdays 6-8 p.m.
ove
May 16 through Sept. 19 At the Gazebo in The Grove May 30
HOUSEROCKERS Rock and Soul
June 13
Mamaluke Classic Rock
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
Local Food To Go Support your local businesses & Restaurants. Takeout or dine in before or after the concert. Moresi’s Chophouse 6115 Main St. 672 - 1333 Ed’s Mudville Grill 6200 Center St. 673 - 0333 * La Veranda Cafe 6201 Center St. 524 - 0011 Skipolini’s Pizza 1035 Diablo St. 672 - 1111 Village Market 6104 Main St. 672 - 0188 * Johnny’s Int’l Deli & Cafe’ 6101 Center St. 672-0188 Cup O’Jo 6054 Main St. 672-5105*
FREE CONCERT SERIES
Thurs. May 28, 6:30pm & 8:30pm
Rusty Evans Salute to Johnny Cash
Isn’t that a sign to change where you bank? Become a member-owner at Travis Credit Union today! Are all the ownership changes taking place within the banking industry today making you lose sleep? Don’t know whom to trust with your money? Become a member-owner at Travis Credit Union, where we don’t play the name game with your financial future. Travis Credit Union is financially fit and we have money to lend for homes, cars or whatever you need because we didn’t take undue risks with our members’ money.
If you left a big bank and find yourself back where you started, Travis Credit Union is a great alternative. We’re large enough ($1.6 billion in assets, 158,000 members and 20 branches) to provide you with the products and services you need but small enough to value your business.
Fri. May 29, 6:30pm & 8:30pm
Triple Rock Classic Salute to John Fogerty, Tom Petty & Bob Seger
5 & under FREE Children 6-12 $5 Adults 13-61 $8 Seniors 62+ $5 Parking $5
NEW AT THE FAIR
Buy Tickets Now and
SAVE
Go to ccfair.org or the Fair office
Sat. May 30, 5:30pm
Gwen in Doubt Salute to No Doubt
Ride the bus and SAVE $3 Win tickets at www.trideltatransit.com
Shouldn't who you bank with be your choice? Join Travis Credit Union today!
Ag-venture Land
Sat. May 30, 7:30pm
TWO BRANCHES IN CONCORD
Aeromyth
Clayton Valley Shopping Center
Salute to Aerosmith
5442 Ygnacio Valley Road, Suite 10 1257 Willow Pass Road Mon.-Fri. 10am-5:30pm, Sat. 10am-2pm
Where You Belong
(800) 877-8328
www.traviscu.org
NCUA–Your savings federally insured to at least $250,000 and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government. Everyone who lives, works, worships or goes to school in the 12-county area is eligible to join. Certain membership requirements may apply.
Farmyard Follies
Check out a full schedule & great savings at www.ccfair.org Sat. May 30, 9:30pm
Original Kiss Army Salute to Kiss
Four Big Days of Family, Fun and Entertainment... Best Family Value in Contra Costa County!
Shark Exhibit
Page 4
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Summer is coming. Are you swimsuit ready? Don’t get in shape alone! Grab a friend or two and sign up for
Buddy Training and SAVE 10%-20%.
Time is Precious.
Upcoming Events MAY 25 MEMORIAL DAY Clayton will once again remember all service men and women who have lost their lives
Try something new! Slim down and tone up with private,
Train with a Purpose.
May 22, 2009
Pilates Reformer Training. Combine yoga,
Street and will include distinguished speakers and patriotic music by local choir, Yesterday’s Kids and the middle school bands. There will be seating for 400, many in the shade. The annual commemoration is hosted by the Lt. Jerry Novakovich VFW Post 1525 and the Korean War Veterans Assoc. Chap. 264.
Diamond Mines and Clayton. Exhibits, photos, demonstrations, and hands-on activities for the whole family. The museum will be open during the fair. For more information, call 6720240.
stretching and calisthenics to build and shape your core muscles. Get ready for the “Clayton Trails Boot Camp,” coming in June. Burn up to 1000 calories in one workout.
We bring the gym to you, so there are “No More Excuses!”
Traveling Trainers for Life Ilima Heuerman (925) 890-6931
Clayton Resident
travelingtrainersllc@gmail.com
www.travelingtrainersforlife.com
FREE session
l er e tria privat tes Reform a l i ny on P f off an l a H r o essio first s
in the service of their country at the annual Memorial Day Services on May 25. The two hour program begins at 10 a.m. at the VFW flagpole on Main
MAY 30 HISTORY FAIR 9 A.M. – 1 P.M. “History-We’re Full of It,” says the Clayton Historical Society as they prepare to host a History Day in the city parking lot next to the Clayton Museum. Come and take your fill of the rich history of the area at the
booths set up by local history centers, museums and East Bay Parks. See and touch old stuff, work the old coffee grinder, typewriter, and kitchen gadgets. Meet historians from the historical societies of Martinez, Concord, Contra Costa, Walnut Creek, East Contra Costa, Black
MAY 16 CONCERT IN THE GROVE The second of the free summer concert series is May 30 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. Get ready to rock and roll when the The Houserockers. take the stage at 6 p.m.
Around Town Clayton gymnastics champ to perform at KidFest www.yamahaofNapa.com Dave Antonson & Jeff Monroy
(707) 254-7432
Clayton Residents
We provide parts, accessories and service for all brands of motorcycles, ATVs and watercraft.
James Van Wyck of Clayton is the Northern California Boys Gymnastics Association State All-Around Champion for Level 8 (14-15 year olds). The State Championships were in Rancho Cordova in March. He is also state champ on rings, parallel bars and high bar and placed third on vault. He is a two- time USA Gymnastics Academic AllAmerican. A sophomore on the track and field team, Van Wyck competes in the pole
vault for De La Salle High. This weekend, Van Wyck and 60 of his Liberty Gymnastics teammates will be performing each day at Todos Santos Plaza in downtown Concord at the 20th annual KidFest. Admission is $5 ($1 off if you donate a can of food to Contra Costa Food Bank) with the event open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Memorial Day weekend, May 23-25. KidFest features hundreds of activities including face painting,
Pioneer gets a day in the shade
Why go anywhere else? Pick up and delivery service is available, and is provided FREE for major repairs and new purchases.
Visit our New and Used Showroom online at
entertainment on three stages, carnival games, sports, karaoke and photo opportunities with Dora the Explorer. For more information, visit www.kidfestconcord.com.
New grandson for O’Connors
www.yamahaofNapa.com
Yamaha of Napa 459 Soscol Avenue, Napa, CA 94559 (707) 254-7432 www.yamahaofNapa.com
JAMES VAN WYCK
Brian and Barbara O’Connor proudly welcomed a new grandson on February 1. Jack David Siegel signed in at 7 lbs. 7 ozs. and is at home in San Diego with his parents Kristin O’Connor and Andrew Siegel.
Clayton Valley Garden Club members took their first field trip of the year on May 4, visiting the Sonoma Horticultural nursery in Sebastopol, reveling in seven acres of shade loving plants. “This place looked like a park,” says Garden Club member Nicole Hackett. “We brought a copy of the Clayton Pioneer to help capture this moment.” Back row; Neal Richmond, Bob Beitler, Bob Frost, Barry Hart, Middle row; Dorothy Bradt, Linda Cruz, Marcia Hart, Tina Frost, Peggy Arundell, Nicole Hackett, Dianne Martinelli, Rosalie Zollars, Nancy Harvey, Front; Carin Kaplan and Linda Karp.
JACK DAVID SIEGEL
May 22, 2009
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
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
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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. 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.
T A E H E H T BEAT
f f o 0 1 $ OIL CHANGE
Clayton Valley Shell. May not be combined with other offers. Expires 6/13/09
ervice s e l t t u Free sh r repairs o
for maj
f f o 0 1 $
LING O O C E N I G EN INSPECTION SERVICE
City of Clayton now accepting applications for
Directory of Advertisers
TRAILS AND LANDSCAPING COMMITTEE Term: July 2009-June 2011
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 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 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 Snap Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-0110 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 Floors to Go Danville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .820-8700 Just Floors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .681-4747 Lewis & Lewis Carpets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .939-2145 Majestic Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .676-1545 Nichols Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9955 Pans on Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .600-7267 Persson’s Touch Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240-1711 Sparkle Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-5025 The Maids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-6243 Utopic Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0055 Waraner Tree Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250-0334 Welcome Home House Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . 584-5980 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 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 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 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 Aegis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .692-5853 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 Recycling Center & Transfer Station . . . . . . . . . .473-0180 The Cutting Edge Knife Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7892 Shopping Pacific Coast Farmers Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .825-9090 Seasonal Reflections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4425 The Royal Rooster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2025 Travel Cruise Adventures Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .935-7447 Travel to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9840 Worship Clayton Community Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-9061
The Trails and Landscaping Committee, comprised of up to 11 members is appointed by the Clayton City Council. This citizens’ committee advises the city council and city manager on maintenance, improvement and financial matters related to the 2007 Citywide Landscape Maintenance District. The District has an annual budget to maintain the roadway and median public landscaped areas, public open space/hillsides of the city, annual weed abatement and fire break tasks, the Clayton fountain, and the trail system of the city. For applications and more information: In person: Clayton City Hall, 6000 Heritage Trail By mail: call City offices at 925-673-7300 E-mail: contact ljackson@ci.clayton.ca.us City’s web site: www.ci.clayton.ca.us Please return a completed application to the city clerk by 5 p.m. June 5, 2009. Interviews will be conducted the city council, with appointment expected in late June.
City of Clayton now accepting applications for
LET US KNOW
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.
Classified LOST & FOUND Lost: Stroller. Bob Jogging Stroller, navy blue. Lost May 4 in the Vineyards shopping center. If found call 672-3287
f f o 0 1 $ AIR ING CONDITION SERVICE
Clayton Valley Shell. May not be combined with other offers. Expires 6/13/09
Clayton Valley Shell. May not be combined with other offers. Expires 6/13/09
Official S m and Rep og Check air Statio n
Our professionals are here to serve you: Amir, Jameson, Gary, Alex and Peter
Found: Parakeet. Found 4/24 in Easley Estates. Call to identify 765-3822 Found: I-Pod. Found May 1st near Mt. Diablo Elementary. Call to identify 672-2814
SUMMER CHILDCARE 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
RENTALS Office Space for Rent 250 Sq. feet, fully furnished office space in Concord. Call 685-45223 South Lake Tahoe Vacation Rental. Great location, sleeps 6 to 8 comfortably. Pictures and home details can be found at www.tahoehansenhouse.com. Still have questions, call Debbie Hansen at (925) 766-8961 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 Clayton Home for Rent. $2450/month. Clean 3bedroom, 3 bath home on charming Jalalon Place. Available July 1st. See www.rentals.com listing #910456 for details. Please do not disturb occupants. Call 925-285-7004
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
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
Page 5
925 672-3900
Meals on Wheels Drivers 673-0300 or hairbyjim@sbcglobal.net. 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
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Sharks, clowns and robots – see it all at the County Fair
Walnut Creek Closeness! Enjoy your closer commute in Walnut Creek and kids walking to nationally recognized De La Salle and Carondelet private schools! This 1 year new Custom home of 3,612 square feet of upgraded elegance filled with granite, travertine, hardwood & stainless also is draped and fully landscaped! Enjoy entertaining on your fantastic patio, gathering around the gas burning pit, BBQ-ing on your stone outdoor kitchen, or swimming in
KNOWLEDGE
SERVICE
INTEGRITY
May 22, 2009
your mountain style pool or just soaking in your built-in spa waterfalling into the pool! All done and ready to move into for only
$1,370,000
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.
This year’s Contra Costa County Fair features several new exhibits, including the Live Shark Encounter, Farm Yard Follies, Gascar Animal Races, Ag-Venture Land and the fascinating creatures of the Wildlife of the World exhibit. Visitors can also check out the Astronaut Plasterman, the trackless train, along with the ever popular Wild West Cowboys, Flo the Clown, Kids Town America and a new science show for kids with interactive robots. And don’t forget the carnival rides, exhibits and free entertainment. The fair runs Thursday, May 28, through Sunday, May 31, at the fairgrounds, 1201 W. 10th St., Antioch. Hours are noon11 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on the
weekend. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors 62 and over and $5 for children 6-12. Children 6
Contra Costa Ballet offers youth scholarship The Contra Costa Ballet Foundation is offering local dance students an opportunity to receive support for training through the Jo Tao Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship, named after a much-loved adult student at the school, will be awarded to students between the ages of 13 and 18. Class work and a solo
Police Log TWO WEEKS ENDING MAY 14 ACCIDENTS May 12, 12:24 p.m., Clayton Rd. Hit and run, property damage ARRESTS May 2, 9:10 p.m., Clayton Rd., a Concord man, 27, was contacted after a report of a suspicious person. He was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. May 4, 5:41 p.m., Ygnacio Valley Rd., a Concord man, 41, was stopped for crossing the street illegally and arrested on
an outstanding warrant. May 6, 3:36 a.m., Malibu Ct. and El Portal Dr., a Concord man, 30, was arrested and charged with a DUI. May 7, 8:51 p.m., Caufield Dr. and Atchinson Stage, a Walnut Creek youth, 17, and a Walnut Creek man, 18, were issued citations for possessing alcohol after being contacted about obstructing traffic. The youth was released after obtaining permission from his mother. May 9, 1:21 a.m., Kelok Dr., a Concord man, 18, was issued a citation for possession of a controlled substance. May 13, 7:17 p.m., Mt. Dell
Spring Refresher Book any facial and receive a complimentary eyebrow or lip wax.
The
Makeup Girl A Skin Care and Make-up Studio
925-408-8010 6064 Main Street, Clayton (Frontier Beauty Salon)
Gift certificates available.
www.themakeupgirl.com
Professional Makeup Artistry & Esthetics
Airbrush Makeup
and under are free. Parking is $5. For more information, call 7797916 or visit www.ccfair.org.
Custom Facials
Waxing
Peels & more
chosen by the applicant will be judged in a competition on June 14. “It’s entirely based on merit,” says Zolla Dishong, coartistic director of the ballet. For more information and to enter, call 935-7984 or email Nikki@ContraCostaBallet.org.
Dr., a Concord man, 22, and a Clayton man, 25, were contacted after reports of a disturbance with weapons present. The men were found to be in violation of probation. The Concord man was issued a citation and the Clayton man was arrested. BURGLARIES/THEFTS May 1, 7:34 a.m., Tiffin Dr. Grand theft May 2, 6:45 a.m., Mountaire Pwky. Grand theft May 6, 4:38 p.m., Shell Ln. Residential burglary May 8, 6:05 a.m., Bigelow St. Vehicle burglary May 8, 6:55 a.m., Mt. Trinity Ct. Vehicle burglary May 8, 2:43 p.m., Feather Cr. Identity theft May 8, 3:51 p.m., Marsh Creek Rd. Grand theft May 11, 6:15 a.m., Malibu Ct. Grand theft May 11, 11:30 a.m., Mt. Teton Pl. Identity theft May 11, 2:31 p.m., Clayton Rd. Attempted burglary May 13, 9:04 a.m., Clayton Rd. Identity theft May 13, 12:49 p.m., Silverado Ct. Grand theft May 13, 11:16 a.m., Cardinet Dr. Vehicle burglary May 13, 4:56 p.m., Indian Wells Wy. Petty theft May 14, 3:44 p.m., Black Diamond Tr. and Clayton Rd. Vehicle burglary VANDALISM May 6, 4:38 p.m., Shell Ln. May 14, 7:37 a.m., Mountaire Cr.
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com
Local cabinet maker marries old world quality with modern function in kitchen, bath design TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Walk through the big roll up doors at Kevin Mancino’s waterfront cabinet shop on Mare Island and sniff the air— what you smell is wood, real wood. And listen – what you hear are tools – not machines. And watch – what you see are unhurried craftsmen, not assembly lines. What you don’t see in Kevin’s shop are rows and rows of prefabricated cabinets stacked to the rafters. “At Olde World Mill and Cabinets, every cabinet is custom designed and crafted for a particular place, a specific purpose and a perfect fit,” Kevin says, running his hand along the corner of an alder cabinet that will actually serve as a three way wall between kitchen, living room and dining room in its Danville home. Prefabricated or “cookie cutter” cabinets are pre-measured and pre-cut. “They come close then use filler for the rest,” he explains. This results in lost space. “With our cabinets, every inch of your space is usable, filled with a custom cut cabinet, drawer or cubby. Olde World uses only the
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
KEVIN MANCINO, owner of Olde World Mill and Cabinets, takes final critical look at a cabinet door before finish is applied.
highest grade plywood in their cabinets. Kevin won’t use particle board, which is heavier than plywood and prone to chipping. “Particle board’s a disaster if it gets wet,” he explains. “It swells up like a sponge.” Plywood is lighter and more easily repaired if it gets damaged. Drawers are all dovetail construction. With concealed glides, space in the drawer can be
increased sometimes an inch or more, especially critical for smaller kitchens. With the recent downturn in the real estate market, more homeowners are opting to stay put and upgrade their homes. Kitchens and bathrooms are typically the first rooms to get the makeover and are usually account for the lion’s share of any remodel budget, so quality is critical when it comes time to
sell. Kitchens and baths will historically return 80 percent or more of the investment, but only if the workmanship and materials are quality. For insurance executive Jack Finegold, quality and value were paramount in deciding on a contractor to remodel his Alamo kitchen. Finegold was impressed with the millwork that Kevin and his crew did on the 1515 Restaurant and Lounge in Walnut Creek. He was also impressed with Kevin’s design and pricing. “You really get a custom, handmade job at prices that are comparable to ‘off-theshelf ’ cabinets found in many reseller’s shops,” he said. “Kevin’s very attentive,” Finegold continued. “Even today, if something needs to be touched up, Kevin’s all over it. You can’t get a better deal.” (See the Finegold kitchen in Olde World’s ad on this page.) Kevin’s career originally started off on the east coast in the food service industry. But, following an auto accident six years ago, Kevin took a year off to reevaluate. He met and married his wife, Karolina, who was on a student visa from Poland
LYNNE FRENCH
REAL ESTATE Many of the reasons for a delayed closing can be avoided if you know what to watch for in advance. Closing delays often have to do with the buyer’s new home loan. For example, lenders require that buyers have a homeowner’s insurance policy in effect at closing. If this critical item is overlooked, closing will have to be postponed until the buyers have their insurance in place. A closing could be late if the funding check from the buyer’s lender isn’t issued on time. This can happen if you don’t sign your loan documents promptly – a situation over which you have control. Another circumstance over which you have a little control is a delay due to lender backlog. This will occur when there’s a
who’s buying another home. If the seller listed his home contingent upon a simultaneous close with the home he’s purchasing and that closing is delayed, then your closing will also be delayed. The closing can’t take place without the buyer’s money for the down payment and closing costs. Buyers often have money wired from various accounts. If wire orders aren’t placed early enough or if wire routing instructions aren’t correct, the closing will be delayed. The first thing to do when you hear that your closing isn’t going as scheduled is to stay calm. Be sure that your agent informs all other parties involved in the transaction that there is an unavoidable delay. Get a written extension of the closing if it will be postponed for longer than 24 hours. The last thing you should do, no matter how frustrated you may feel, is call the loan processor directly to complain. Let your loan agent handle the problem if it’s related to your new loan.
randa Restaurant & B e V ar La (925) 524-0011 6201 Center St. Clayton
Don’t miss
Mediterranean Night Belly Dancing, Monday, June 1, 6:30 pm
t Take ou
$40 per person
oft f 15ev% ery nigh
www.LaVerandaCafe.com
NOTARY SERVICES No appointment necessary
Hours: 8:30-6:30 M-F, 10-4 Sat, Closed Sun
Always plenty of convenient PARKING Clayton Valley Shopping Center (Yardbirds/Longs Center - Located Next to Travis Credit Union)
5442 Ygnacio Valley Road, Suite 40, 925-524-9030
See Olde World, page 8
Proper diligence can close the deal, despite delays lot of refinancing and/or a buyer’s real estate market. If you know the lender is busy, try to get all your loan-related paperwork in early. Sometimes work on the property needs to be completed before closing. For example, if the lender requires that the termite work be done and the work is delayed for some reason, your closing will have to be postponed. If you’re buying new construction and the completion date is held up, your closing will be delayed. Sometimes the lender imposes last minute requirements, such as review appraisal of the property or a further explanation of a credit defect. When your loan is approved, be sure to ask if there are any loan conditions that must be met before closing. If so, get these resolved as soon as possible. When two home sales are closing concurrently, a delay in one can cause a delay in the other. This can happen if you’re buying a home from a seller
Page 7
Where the artisan meets the craftsman
Ideally, buyers shouldn’t take possession of their new homes until the sale has closed. Whenever possible, postpone the move until the last-minute problem has been sorted out. In busy real estate markets, it may not be possible to reschedule professional movers late in the game. As a last resort, the buyer can ask the seller for permission to occupy the property before the closing and, if the seller is agreeable, an addendum should be drawn up indicating the terms and conditions under which the buyer can move in early. An interim occupancy agreement should also be signed by the buyer and seller, and the buyer’s personal property and liability insurance should be in effect as of the date of occupancy. Lynne French is the broker/owner of Windermere Lynne French & Associates and a Clayton resident. For any real estate needs or questions, contact her at 672-8787, Lynne@LynneFrench.com or stop in at 6200 Center St. in Clayton.
Quality Custom Cabinets Kitchen, Bath, Office and Entertainment Centers Commercial Millwork Kevin Mancino, Proprietor Local Resident
(925) 915-0822
www.oldeworldcabinets.com With our compliments
Free granite countertop with your kitchen cabinet purchase Limited to granite styles in stock, fabrication not included
LIC # 915172
May 22, 2009
Luxury Cruise Experts For reservations or information call
Book today to reserve some of our best fares ever to Alaska and Europe!* With tough news all around there’s never been a better time to ESCAPE THE ECONOMY. Experience the relaxation and rejuvenation of sailing with Princess and ENJOY UP TO 2-for-1 SAVINGS on select cruises and cruisetours.
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* Up to 2-for-1 fares are based on a per person discount o applicable Escape Fares on a space available basis at time of booking on select Europe and Alaska 2009. Escape Fares are offering fares and may not have been in effect for the past 90 days or resulted in actual sales in all categories. Intermediate discounts may have been taken and fares may remain at discounted levels after this promotion. This offer is capacity controlled and applies to select categories. Savings may vary by departure and category. Fares are per person, non-air, cruise-only, based on double occupancy and apply to the first two passengers in a stateroom. Government fees and taxes are additional and subject to change. Princess reserves the right to impose a Fuel Supplement of up to $9 per person per day on all passengers if the NYMEX oil price exceeds $70 per barrel, even if the fare has already been paid in full. This offer may not be combinable with other past passenger, group or public discounts, including shipboard credits. Offer is only available to legal residents of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Fares are quoted in U.S. dollars. See the applicable 2009 Princess Cruises brochure or princess.com for terms, conditions and definitions that apply to your booking. ©2009 Princess Cruises. Ships of Bermudan and British registry.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
May 22, 2009
Nightmare layoff turns into business opportunity for Jan Weiss
Nicci Shipstead/Clayton Pioneer
Clayton Valley
JAN WEISS OWNER OF ARTPRINTS-ONLINE works with husband and master framer Craig Andersen on location at Clayton Valley Frameworks in Concord.
Frameworks Introduces
NICCI SHIPSTEAD Clayton Pioneer
A new way
to shop
for art Shop online today for your art consulting and design projects. Jan@artprints-online.com 925-787-8682
Welcome to Artprints-Online. A place, a space, a collection of art for home, art for office and art for art's sake. This is a place for social expression and a place to browse and be inspired. Let us use our 30 years of experience to enhance and enliven your environment and to create an artistic presence.
Use Coupon Code CVF15 for 15% discount
Law Offices of
Richard A. Littorno Since 1979
As the only formally educated artist employed by a large online art retailer, Jan Weiss was flooded with dark emotions after her sudden layoff in February from her three-year career as a merchandiser. “I was so scared,” said Weiss. “But it wasn’t the end of the world.” Just two weeks later, a friend suggested Jan use her experience, education and knowledge to create her own store. Enthusiastic to transfer her intensity to a positive focus, two months later Weiss launched www.Artprints-Online.com. It offers hand-chosen, trend-forward selections through a virtual art boutique. “I think the intensity of the feelings helped me process them quickly,” Weiss explained. “I didn’t wallow in unemployment.” In September 2008, Weiss married Clayton Valley Frameworks owner and master framer Craig Andersen. “Craig didn’t worry. He supports every-
thing I do,” Weiss added. Using her outstanding relationships with vendors and publishers of fine art prints, Weiss offers exclusive product, rare posters, limited-edition plate signed and some artist signed prints. Artaissance, a branded collection hard to find online, provides choice of paper or canvas and selections are sized to fit your unique space. A collection of open edition “green” prints, produced on 100 percent cotton, archival recycled paper using VOC-free water-based inks, are offered in exclusive sizes not published anywhere else. Artprints-Online provides quality, customized framing by a master framer with 30 years experience. “It’s the perfect fit with my experience framing and Jan’s experience in art,” said Andersen noting that other art retailers offer framing, but their objective is to keep their cost down by using inexperienced framers and lower quality material. Artprints-Online retails about 5,000 hand-chosen (not vendor dictated) items. “I don’t bother with museum art – I
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Clayton Office:
Pittsburg Office:
6160 Center St., Suite D Clayton, CA 94517 Phone: (925) 672-6463 Richard@LittornoLaw.com www.LittornoLaw.com
2211 Railroad Ave. Pittsburg, CA 94565 Phone: (925) 432-4211 Fax: (925) 432-3516
Olde World, from page 7 and the couple moved to the west coast to be nearer Kevin’s family. He went to work contracting for his brother-in-law. After working with him on several high-end projects, including Bing Crosby’s in Rancho Mirage, Kevin knew that fine cabinetry was his calling. He hired Lloyd Crawford who brought a lifetime of experience in cabinet making to Olde World and is still shop
foreman today. Together they have built long and solid relationships with their trusted suppliers. Kevin and Karolina live in the Clayton Valley Highlands and await their first child due in November. Step inside Olde World Mill and Cabinets and you truly take a step into a place where a kitchen drawer is a work of art and nothing gets out the door until Kevin’s expert eye says
can’t compete,” said Weiss. “I have the hottest new look. I like to keep it fresh.” With a fine art degree from Cal State Hayward, the published artist understands price vs. quality in making sophisticated selections. In regard to launching a business in a struggling economy, Weiss stated: “We always need art in our life.” Using a Yahoo store template to start, Weiss stayed in budget to make important changes. “I know how people shop online, with as few clicks as possible,” Weiss explained. Artprints-Online donates a percentage of sales to Kiva.org, a charity providing independent business loans to Third World countries. Weiss learned about these “micro-loans” from a newspaper article and has provided loans to merchants supporting families in Asia, Africa and South America. For more information, go to www.artprints-online.com or contact Jan Weiss at jan@artprintsonline.com or call Craig Andersen at Clayton Valley Frameworks, 6726066.
“it’s good.” “Nothing substitutes for a good long look,” Kevin says, holding a cabinet door up to the light. “It has to be perfect before you put the finish on it. Otherwise, cracks or scratches will show up.” You can learn more about Olde World Mill and Cabinets on their Website at www.oldeworldcabinets.com. View cabinet styles, doors, trims, drawers and finishes for ideas. Then call Kevin at (925) 915-0822, and together you can plan the kitchen of your dreams at a price you can afford.
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May 22, 2009
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com
Page 9
Take care when moving with your pets
ELENA BICKER
PAWS
AND
CLAWS
May is National Moving Month and millions of American families are expected to relocate between now and Labor Day. Our pets are family members too and there are many things we can do to ensure their safety and comfort during the big move. In general, cats are more focused on their surroundings and don’t adapt to change as readily as dogs. It’s important to h Help your cat learn to love her travel carrier. Leave it out near her favorite resting spot and place her favorite bed, toys and treats inside the carrier. Dogs are often easier to travel with, but you may want to practice short car trips to the park or practice confinement training in a travel crate. Positive associations will reinforce the pleasurable aspect of car rides and help decrease anxiety.
On the day of the move, place your cats in their carriers and confine your dogs to one room. Once everything is out of the house, retrieve your animals and place them in the car. Dogs should be restrained with a safety harnesses, safety gates, or travel crate to ensure the safety of both the driver and the dog. During the first few hours of your trip, you may wish to cover the cat carrier with a sheet to help keep your cat calm.
Once in the car, make sure your pets have proper ventilation and never leave them unattended on very warm or very cold days. Don’t forget to pack food and water, a litter box for long trips with a cat, a pet first aid kit and some extra towels. Place temporary ID tags with your new address and emergency phone number on your pet’s collar. If you are crossing state lines, many states will require a current health certificate for
your pet. If you must stop for the night, call ahead to a pet-friendly hotels and reserve a room for yourself and your pets. In the hotel room, check for open windows or holes in the wall, before letting your cat out of her carrier or your dog off his leash. When you reach your final destination, confine your pets to a single room while you make a
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It was a “howl-y” birthday at the Clayton Dog Park last month when 9 very energetic Labrador littermates gathered to celebrate their second birthday. A tenth littermate was laid up with a leg injury and couldn’t attend. Parents of the litter, Tank and Shakira and one of the pups, live in Pittsburg with their owner, Mario Molina. The litter gets together frequently for play dates at the Dog Park. The dog park has a picnic table with a shade cover, which makes it an ideal place to hold canine gatherings. This summer, there will be “splash pool” parties during the months of June, July and August. Watch for the notices posted on the bulletin board at the dog park. The Clayton Dog Park is located across from Diablo View Middle School on Marsh Creek Road. Enter the park from Regency Drive.
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Puppy Mart at Rodie’s Every Saturday 10 am - 4 pm Free space for breeders to display and sell puppies. (Reserve your spot.) LYDIA LYNCH Lydia Lynch is a lively young dog still getting used to all the new sights and sounds she’s experiencing. She will need time and patience while she gets more confident. Attending training classes will be a great way for her to build confidence. The adoption fee for adult dogs is $225 and includes a seven-week training class. Sebastian is a sweet, affectionate fellow who is patiently waiting for that special someone. He loves to lounge around and enjoys a good scratch behind the ears! 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.
SEBASTIAN 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.
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Page 10
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
May 22, 2009
Clayton Sports CV lacrosse wins league, reaches NCS playoffs
Photo Courtesy of CVHS Lacrosse
THE CVHS LACROSSE TEAM: Front row: Aaron Barker, Kurt Beranis, Nick Fabris, Austin Roderick, Horatio Urias, Logan Dongallo, Conner Lawson, Louis Newacheck, Tommy Eisner, Louie Jacobus, Kyle Smith and Shaun Duckworth. Back row, assistant coach Dan Gentry, Eagle mascot, Dario Trento, Keith Landesman, Cory Callahan, Conrad Carlson, JP Dulude, Tommy Kohlmeyer, Cody Anderson, Jake Looney, Zach Bangert, Garrett Whisten , Dom Garaventa, Eagle mascot and head coach Matt Hill. JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Six is definitely a magic number for the Clayton Valley High School boy’s lacrosse team. In its sixth year of existence, the Eagles realized a couple firsts. CVHS won the Diablo Valley Athletic League championship with an undefeated record. The team was awarded a place in the North Coast Section playoffs for the first time and, by holding their initial NCS opponent to six goals, avenged a regular season defeat and won their maiden playoff game 8-6 over Las Lomas of Walnut Creek. The team has come a long way since lacrosse began at Clayton Valley during the 2003-’04 school year when student Cody Clausen petitioned the administration to add the sport. Lacrosse has been described as a combination of basketball, soccer and hockey. It is considered America’s first sport, born of the North American Indian, christened by the French and adapted and raised by the Canadians. Modern lacrosse has been around the United States and British Commonwealth for more than a century and is now finding a place at American high schools across the country. Matt Hill answered an advertisement that first year and became CV’s junior varsity coach. When head coach Jim Burkin left, Hill stepped up to handle the varsity and JV posts. He
had played club lacrosse on the Monterey Peninsula and always had a great interest in the sport. Hill’s youngest son, Matt, was a sophomore on JV that first season. When Clayton Valley officials granted permission to start lacrosse, it came with a caveat – there would be no school funding for uniforms, officials, transportation and coaches. That’s when a small but dedicated
group of parents including the coach’s wife, Michelle Hill, stepped up. The self-described “No. 1 cheerleader” for Clayton Valley lacrosse helped organize fundraising to make the program a reality. You can imagine the pride and satisfaction for the Hills, varsity assistant/defensive coach Michael Barker, varsity assistant coach and CVHS LAX alumni Dan Gentry, JV coaches Ernie Schwarz and Keith Whisten, Eagles alumni and parents when the varsity took the Gonsalves Stadium field under the lights for the school’s first NCS game last Wednesday evening. STRONG SUPPORT FROM SENIORS
GOALIE CONRAD CARLSON OF CLAYTON was stellar stopping shots for Clayton Valley in the NCS lacrosse playoffs.
Earlier this season, Las Lomas edged Clayton Valley 10-9 in a nonleague game. But in the playoff, the Eagles had a scoring burst on either side of the halftime break that propelled them to their first post-season win, earning them a NCS quarter-final berth against De La Salle. “I am just so proud of this whole group of guys,” Hill said after the game. That group includes six seniors – Dario Trento, Louis Jacobus, Logan Dongallo, Louis Newacheck, JD Dulude and Kyle Smith. Jacobus and Trento scored three goals each in the playoff win, and Aaron Barker rounded out the scoring with a pair of goals. Juniors Jake Looney and Conrad Carlson of Clayton are members of
the undefeated DVAL championship squad. Looney is a defensive middie and face off specialist, while Carlson is one of the team’s two goalies. Carlson had nine saves in the playoff win, the 18th victory of the season for CVHS. When not in goal, Carlson is also a defensive middie. Jacobus, the team’s scoring leader, will attend UC San Diego in the fall. His goals and assists this year total more than 100. He is a four-year scholar athlete with a GPA above 4.0 and is also part of the CVHS orchestra, playing the violin. Quickness and speed are two highly prized qualities in lacrosse. Demonstrating those traits this spring, Jacobus is doing double duty as a member of the 4x100 track relay team. He also played on the CVHS 2009 NCS runner-up football team. Dongallo is another busy Eagle – playing football, track and lacrosse this year. MAINTAINING TEAM SPIRIT Clayton Valley started with varsity and JV teams, a difficult task when launching a program. When Hill took over, he didn’t realize there was no funding and the program was in already in debt. “We were able to fund our referee bills by hosting a car wash,” Michelle Hill recalled. “Later we began fundraising by working a concession stand at 49er games.” Clayton Valley lacrosse has proven to be a Hill family effort. Sons Danny
and Sean still help out with the 49er game fundraisers. “This effort could not be completed without the assistance of our parent volunteers,” Michelle added. “This is where the feeling of community comes in. We all work together to make the program go.” The annual budget for both teams is at least $10,000, with referee fees at $4,000 this year. Coaches forego any pay to keep the program running. The team makes an annual trip to coach Hill’s old stomping ground, Carmel, where this year the team defeated Pacific Grove and Carmel high schools. The Hills encourage graduated players to return each year for an alumni game. This year, the varsity beat the alumni in the third annual alumni competition. Many players have gone on to play lacrosse in college, including Matt Dini (St. Mary’s College), Jeff Smith (Chico State), Kevin Louchis (UC Santa Cruz) and Pat Schwarz (Cal State Fullerton). Other alums, including Brian Prell and Chris Morrisey, have started a club team at Diablo Valley College. “It’s been a long, but fulfilling road achieving this goal,” Michelle Hill noted. “Our program has participated in three different leagues since 2003’04. Each league has brought its challenges but has prepared us for the position we are now in.” For more information on the team, visit www.cvlacrosse.com.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com
Page 11
Clayton Sports
Installations – Repairs Toilets Faucets Water heaters Garbage disposals Clogged drains
New coaching staff ’s first year sees stellar results for St. Bonnie’s track team JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
The St. Bonaventure CYO track and field team entered this season with a big void to fill. After 15 years in charge of the program, Joe Sullivan stepped down as head coach after the 2008 season. New head coach Darren Newell of Clayton ran the training program last year and brought more than 20 years coaching experience to his new post this spring. “I thought I had it figured out. I had no idea how big a job it was to try to run a team this size,” Newell explained after finishing up his first year in charge of more than 120 boys and girls from second to eighth grade. The new coaching staff and volunteers ran two full meets, along with managing the team through four practice and three competitive meets. “Our team did really well in every meet,” Newell stated. “From what other teams had to say about our program, the kids were some of the best-behaved, well-mannered sportsmen at any event.” One of the top performers was Clayton seventh-grader Megan Coppa. She broke the Oakland Diocese record for the 400 meters with a time of 59.6 and was also part of the seventh-grade girl’s 4x100 meter relay team that took first with a 54.6 clocking. She finished off the seasonending meet by winning the high jump, missing the Diocese record by an inch with her winning jump of 4-11. She is cur-
Photo courtesy of CYO
MEGAN COPPA broke the Diocese 400-meter record with a time of 59.6. The Clayton seventh grader also captured her second straight Diocese high jump title and then joined three St. Bonaventure teammates to win the 4 x 100 meter relay. rently home schooled but plans to go to Clayton Valley High School, where she might be reunited with Newell as he has been the Eagles’ jumping coach for the past five years. St. Bonnies was represented by more than 40 athletes at the Oakland Diocese meet May 8-9 at Diablo Valley College, meaning a third of the team qualified for the ultimate event of the season. Parker Ewing took first place in the eighth-grade 100meter dash and third place in the 400 meters. The eighth-
grade relay of Ewing, Robert Hines, Nathan Williams and Devaughn Cooper was second in the 4x100. Cooper also placed second in the 100 and 200. Noah Williams won the fourth-grade boys 100 and 200 meter dashes and his 4x100 relay team took first place. Alec Mitchell, Brando Abon and Cade Heremeston joined Williams on the winning relay quartet. Mitchell won the 50 meters, while Abon took first in the long jump and third in the 200.
Photo courtesy of CYO
ST. BONAVENTURE CYO TRACK TEAM’S LONG DISTANCE RUNNERS HAD A MEDAL HAUL AT THE OAKLAND DIOCESE MEET. From left, head distance coach Lee Marigold, Brad Morucci, Marcus Dickerson, Michael Cox, Lucy Marigold, Erin Wardle and coach Danny Sullivan.
Third grade is the youngest to compete at Diocese, but two local second graders showed their prowess among the older competitors. Zion Pullin won the third-grade 100 and 200 meter dashes and was part of the sprint medley team that placed second. Kelly Kern, a second-grade Clayton resident, took second in the third-grade girl’s long jump. Sisters Gabrielle and Jessica Forester both brought home medals. Gabrielle won the sixth-grade shot put, while Jessica took second in the seventh-grade 100 and 200 and was part of the champion 4x100 meter relay along with Jordan Johnson, Kayla Dickerson and Coppa. Cassandra Butler was the seventh-grade shot put champ. Brianne Newell took third in the sixth-grade 400 and softball throw. Sixth-grader Jonathan Bellesorte won his second consecutive Diocese high jump title. Coppa also took a second straight HJ crown. Kaylie Collins won the fifthgrade long jump and was third in the 50. Lucy Marigold placed third in the 800-meter run for fourth grade, and fellow distance runner Michael Cox was second in the fourth-grade mile. Haley Pascoe was runner-up in the sixth-grade mile, while Brad Morucci was third in the fourth-grade 800 meters with his best time of the year. Newell was effusive in his praise for his coaching and volunteer team. “We could never have done this without Kathy Enemark, Kim Mitchell, Megan Kommer and Kim Morucci, who were indispensable in keeping everything from managing meets to organizing volunteers.” Coaches were Ron Mitchell, Todd Enemark, Andrew Jackman, Lee Marigold (head distance coach), Bill Jaggers, Randy Bone, Craig Mizutani, Keith Muller and Gil Llacuna, who pulled double duty as parish coordinator and assistant coach along with running the data entry program for the entire section. And Newell certainly hasn’t forgotten his beloved predecessor. “We really missed Joe. But the good news was, he was really never more than a phone call or email away,” Newell said. “At least for me,” the new coach noted, “the biggest reward is running into these kids at Clayton fests, school or the grocery store and seeing their faces light up and say, ‘Hi Coach, I can’t wait for next season.’ ”
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Clayton Sports
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Dream ' Plan ' Track '® [drem plan trak] -noun
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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.
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You won’t be seeing double at the Greco Roman World Duals wrestling tournament May 30-31 in Concord when the Moita brothers of Clayton take to the mat to compete against elite level wrestlers from Germany, Poland and around the United States. The local boys are part of the Community Youth Center team and they’ll be looking to help the hosts at this unique meet for junior wrestlers 19 years and younger. Vince Moita and younger brother Joey are making their mark on the high school and competitive wrestling scene. At the 13th World Duals, they’ll be competing in an elite field of 100 wrestlers featuring eight national champions and 30 AllAmericans. California state high school champs Nick Pica of Concord High and David Klingsheim of Liberty Union will also be there. Another pair of brothers at the meet is Tyler and Luke Sheridan of De La Salle. A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT The host Community Youth Center has become a mecca for developing wrestlers. “We took our sons there for the first time several years ago and couldn’t believe the level of coaching,” Jim Moita said. The senior Moita has a wrestling background, having competed for former CYC coach Bill Martell at UC Berkeley. “It’s not only wrestling. The CYC gymnastics coach helped our boys with better ways of exercising,” he noted. Under the direction of CYC head coach Mark Halvorson, the objective of the Greco Roman World Duals is to host a high-level international wrestling tournament to help elite wrestlers prepare for national and international competition while promoting sportsmanship and camaraderie. CYC families host the German and Polish teams in their homes. Halvorson has also been making progress with the De La Salle High School team, in no small part due to the efforts of the Moita and Sheridan brothers. This winter, Vince took third at 105 pounds in the CIF state finals, the highest ever DLS finish. During the past high school season, Vince wrestled at 112 pounds so his younger brother Joey, a freshman, could wrestle
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Clayton’s own Mas Morimoto, a former Cal Bear National Champion and member of the Eagles, the United States men’s national team, will be on hand May 31 at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara for the third annual Setanta Challenge Cup. This kicks off the Eagles international season as they face the reigning RBS 6 Nations and Grand Slam Champions, Ireland. The Eagles are led by the USA’s 2007 Rugby World Cup props Mike MacDonald of Cal and Mate Moeakiola and ex-Golden Bear Louis Stanfill. The showdown between the USA and Ireland will begin at 1 p.m. Tickets start at just $10 and are on sale at www.tickets.com or 1-800-225-2277.
Photo courtesy of Jim Moita
CLAYTON BROTHERS VINCE (LEFT) AND JOE MOITA Celebrated Vince’s bronze medal at this year’s California State Wrestling Championships in Bakersfield. The De La Salle High Spartan wrestlers will be competing for their club, Community Youth Center, at the World Greco Duals May 30-31 in Concord.
at 105. “Their mom Julie tries to keep them apart,” a smiling Jim Moita explained. When it came time for league and section meets, Vince dropped back down to 105 and had outstanding results. He’ll enter his senior year at De La Salle next fall with an eye on even bigger success. He has already attracted interest from a number of Ivy League colleges with wrestling programs. At the World Duals, Vince will wrestle one weight class higher than Joey. Tyler is concluding his senior year at De La Salle and will be competing for Columbia University next year. Sophomore Luke, at about 20 pounds heavier, is a defending World Duals champ at 174 pounds and also Northwest Region and Greco State champion. BUILDING CHARACTER The Community Youth Center is a non-profit organization founded by Ken H. Hofmann in 1995 to serve the athletic and academic needs of local youth. The CYC currently serves more than 1,300 kids ages 3 to 18 by providing professional training in boxing,
wrestling, taekwondo, judo, gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, dance, cheerleading, sport specific conditioning and outdoor activities. Academics are also strongly emphasized through the CYC’s academic excellence center. The goal of the CYC is to teach youth basic core values for developing inner strength and confidence to become good people with high character. The CYC program is nationally recognized under the guidance of Halvorson. Since he took over the program in 1998, the CYC has produced two USA World Team members, one Junior Pan American champion, 15 national champions, 61 All-Americans, 35 regional champions and 108 state champions. In addition, CYC has won 29 age group team state championships. The World Duals are May 3031 at the Community Youth Center, 2251 Galaxy Court, Concord. Wrestling starts at 9 a.m. both days, with the finals at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $10 a day or $15 for a two-day pass. Youth 18 and under are free. For more information, visit www.communityyouthcenter.org.
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. Call Joe at 673-2210 or Chance at 693-9910 for information or sponsorship opportunities. AUGUST 17 CVHS ATHLETIC BOOSTERS CLUB GOLF TOURNAMENT The 18th annual Clayton Valley High School Athletic Boosters Club Golf Tournament is scheduled for Mon., Aug. 17 at Oakhurst Country Club. The tournament is sponsored by Clayton Valley High School and benefits the football and golf programs as well as the Athletic Boosters Club. Along with a special appearance by the Oakland Raiderettes, golfers will have lunch before teeing off and there are contests on the course – hole-in-one, longest drive and closest to the pin. Golf is followed by a dinner banquet with raffle prize drawing and silent auction. Entry fee is $150 (if paid by Aug. 1) or $175 (if paid after Aug. 1) and includes green fees, golf cart, raffle ticket, golf shirt, lunch and dinner. Banquet only tickets are $40. Entry forms and additional information can be found at www.cvhsboosters.org or by contacting the Tournament Chairman Dave Looney at 925-285-9903 or email mmdclooney@comcast.net
May 22, 2009
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Seniors aren’t left out of the computer age This three-part series examines the impact of the Internet and computer technology on senior citizens. In part one, we looked at the emerging market of the over-65 set in the field of technology. In part two, we explore the role of computers in staying connected and in part three, we will look at online tools and resources specifically geared towards seniors.
Abby Stokes, author of two books on introducing seniors to computers, said there isn’t a clear answer to whether using a computer is required to stay “connected.” “I hate to say yes to that question, because I don’t want
just go ahead and break it – they don’t care,” he said. Fogerson agreed with Claney that some older adults are held back by fear. “The first time you ever have a computer, you say, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s going to break if I turn it on.’ I think
it’s just a matter of getting used to it,” she said. Nonetheless, Stokes said computer manufacturers have a long way to go. “There isn’t anybody who can’t learn it,” she said, “but shame on the people who designed it. Usability on the computer is ridiculous.” Touch pad computer mice are one of Stokes’ pet peeves. For sufferers of Parkinson’s disease or those with arthritis, the sometimes over-sensitive pads make learning to use a computer considerably more difficult. She is nothing if not a prob-
lem solver, however, and meets this challenge with an index card to cover the touch pad and the installation of a “regular” mouse. Jakob Nielsen wrote a 146page report detailing Website usability issues for seniors. The 2002 study took into account differences including eyesight and memory issues. “Websites tend to be produced by young designers, who often assume that all users have perfect vision and motor control and know everything about the Web. These assumptions rarely hold, even when the users are not seniors,” he wrote. He recommends use of larger type and distinguishing clearly between links that have been visited and those that have not. “Besides the business reasoning, we all have a very personal interest in increasing usability for seniors: It’s the one user category we’re all likely to join one day,” he wrote. Claney often helps older clients learn to use their computers with the games that come built in. This makes them become less hesitant using the keyboard and mouse. “That helps them learn more about their computer,” he said. “And so when they go to a word processor or something like that, they’re curious. They’re not as afraid to click on something.” Claney strives to teach his clients to be fearless. “It’s a matter of just taking those first few steps and not being afraid. It’s OK to make a mistake – we’ll fix it.”
Clayton to be closer to family – offering her an opportunity to make a difference in a very community-centered niche. “I’ve always worked with kids,” she said. “Starting when I was 17, I was a lifeguard and a swim instructor.” She also has a business degree and enjoys the opportunity to mix sports and business into the development of the new YMCA attitude and efficiency. She hopes to get past the problems that frustrated some Clayton residents in previous seasons by stressing reliability and communication. “I’ve brought more of a business-minded plan,” Beck said, “and we look at budget and revenue items, things not always looked at in the past.” With her experience working for the city of San Ramon’s teen programs, Beck believes she offers the right amount of experience and enthusiasm. Beck enjoys working with the board of directors, a five-member group that includes Eric
Maldonado and Police Chief Dan Lawrence. She hopes to expand the board to eight or ten members. “If my name is tied to it, then I take it as a reflection of myself,” Beck said. “I take that very seriously and want people to be aware that this is about quality. We’ve taken the swim program to new heights and we have had a lot of positive responses from our basketball program.” Beck is looking to start a Youth and Government program geared for high schoolers that includes a field trip to Sacramento. For five days, they would take over the capital – pitching bills they have developed to other groups in the program from across the state. As for her success, Beck believes that it is all about visibility. “I am publicly visible. The public can see that interaction. That helps. That’s what we need.” For more information, contact Jennifer Beck at 692-2364.
DENISEN HARTLOVE Clayton Pioneer
Senior citizens are becoming a major market force in the computer and Internet industry, flocking in droves to retailers to join in the party. But for some, bridging the gap between old-fashioned pen and ink correspondence and the more modern tools of email, Facebook and online shopping can be daunting. While a study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project showed that 43 percent of people aged 55-59 have gone online, only 23 percent aged 6569 go online – with percentages going down as users age. Barbara Fogerson of Clayton uses her computer regularly, for email, writing letters and catching up with news on her favorite television shows. But she’s not sure computers are the be-all, end-all of civilization. “Computers are very useful. And they’re absolutely required,” she said. “You should take advantage of all of the programs and adapt it for what you do. But it’s not necessary to do it just for the sake of having a computer.”
Denisen Hartlove/Clayton Pioneer
BARBARA FOGERSON enjoys using her home computer for writing letters and following up on her favorite television shows via the Internet as well.
to make anybody who’s not on the computer feel bad,” she said. “If you really want to stay connected, to make it easy for the people you want to stay connected with, the answer is yes. It’s easier for them to email you or text message you than it is to get on the phone. Whether that’s right or wrong is up for debate, but it just is.” Will Claney, the 62-year-old owner of ComputersUSA! in Clayton, estimated that about half of his clientele is over 50. He only sees an age divide in that younger clients take more risks. “The younger person will
YMCA, from page 1 been getting calls and some families have booked their kids for the full 10 weeks of day camp. While Beck acknowledges a public perception that the Y lost its focus on organization and program fulfillment in the recent past, this year, she brings a renewed commitment to program excellence. Her contagious enthusiasm, coupled with a solid background working with youth programs, has attracted both newcomers and regulars. COPING WITH THE ECONOMY Beck is not too concerned by the economy’s effect on the programs. In fact, she has seen an opposite effect. “The demand has increased,” she said. Although the city of Clayton offers ideas about programming, all the funding is derived from fees and fundraising. “Our funding comes from our Strong
Kids Campaign,” Beck explained. The campaign also raises funds for scholarships for families who cannot afford the fees. “No child is turned away because of finances,” she added, emphasizing that 100 percent of the money raised goes to the program. With the downturn of the economy, Beck sees a greater need for the activities and programs offered by the Strong Kids Campaign. With the day camp priced at an affordable $115 week, Beck believes that the Y offers quality recreation with field trips thrown in for less than standard area daycare rates. AN EYE FOR BUSINESS For the last three years, Beck taught high school U.S. history and government in the Central Valley, along with coaching sports. She moved back to
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
May 22, 2009
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Hundreds of years ago, our country was an immense open space. Over time, urbanization required us to redefine our spaces. Today, public open space has become more than a mere term it’s an important asset to our communities. Clayton’s Landscape District contains 515 acres of open space. While we continually demarcate living spaces, many of our creatures have survived the impositions which urbanization has placed upon them. During Colonial times, early settlers complained to Capt. John Smith and others that they had seen serpents with rattles inside their tails. Descendants of the rattlesnakes that perplexed the early colonists challenge communities like Clayton to this day. Spring is widely known as rattlesnake season. Female snakes retain their eggs inside their bodies. Once they are laid, eggs hatch, launching young, independent snakes. Subsequently, their mothers desert them. Rattlesnakes are poisonous and have flat, triangular heads, elliptical eyes and rattle buttons at the end of their tails. Gopher snakes, frequently confused with rattlers, have rounded heads, rounded eyes and are not poisonous. The infamous rattle sound indicates the snake is agitated and may strike. The rattle is a series of hollow beads consisting of modified scales. Beads run along the tail’s tip. The first bead is called a button. If the rattle absorbs enough moisture, the snake is able to strike without a rattle. According to the University of California Rattlesnake
Management Guidelines, “Most bites occur when inexperienced people try to pick up or move a snake.” About 8,000 Americans, including 4,000 children, are bitten by poisonous snakes each year. Of all snakes, rattlers are the most deadly. Baby rattlers are the most venomous. If you or someone you know is bitten, call 911. Victims should remain calm, minimize movement and keep the bitten area lower than the heart, if possible. If a resident discovers a rattlesnake on their property, contact the Clayton Police. According to Chief Dan Lawrence, “An officer will respond if a rattlesnake is involved.” The Clayton Police Department can evaluate the situation and determine whether to refer it to Animal Control. Here are some safety tips for trails and open spaces: Be in tune to your surroundings and note that snakes blend into theirs. Be aware of tall grasses, shady hangouts like ledges and underneath rocks and logs. Wear socks, closed-toe
Mayor, from page 1 Despite the economy, out city is in better shape than many agencies as we’ve been careful over the years with our funds. And this is one time we’re fortunate that we’re not heavily dependent on sales taxes for our revenue. Of course, it’s also why we’ve always had to be thrifty. Our largest source of tax income is motor vehicle registration fees, which were written into state law as local revenue back in the ’50s. Our next highest revenue comes from property taxes, though only 4.2 percent of your assessed valuation tax comes back to your city. (So, if your annual property taxes are $3,000, we get $126. The rest goes elsewhere, primarily to fund public education.) Sales tax is our third highest revenue source, at 6.2 percent of our General Fund revenues. But its annual total of $214,000 pales in comparison to many small businesses. So our revenues are down. But
by freezing controllable expenses, cutting staff costs and transferring a bit from our healthy General Fund reserve, we can make next year’s budget balance. Unless, the state steals even more as looks likely. Their possible $2 billion hit would mean another $130,000 from our budget. That’s equivalent to the cost of a police officer or the annual operation of our wonderful library. Since they started raiding cities’ coffers in the early 1990s, the state has stolen more than $5.4 million from the city of Clayton alone. The annual take-away is now $497,298 – with no prospect of repayment. Think of all the services we could provide with that. If we thought this would truly be just a one-time theft or that Prop. 1A really guarantees we get paid back, we could wince and borrow once from our reserve. But, if this is going to be yet
shoes/hiking boots and long pants. Look carefully before reaching or sitting down. Keep your distance from snakes. Allow them room to retreat. Don’t poke snakes dens or burrows with sticks. Keep pets leashed at all times
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full inspection of the house. Check for open windows, chemicals, mousetraps, holes in the fences or doors, and even drapery cords, which are dangerous for cats because they can get tangled in them. When all of your boxes and furniture have been moved in and all of the movers have left, you can let your animals out to explore the home. Placing familiar objects in similar locations as in your previous home and keeping your pets on the same routine will help ease your animal’s anxiety.
It’s important for you to remain calm throughout the move. A lot of the stress that your animal feels comes from you. Your calm demeanor will help your pet feel comfortable too. A little preparation and planning will help the moving process go smoothly from beginning to end.
another chronic theft, it will create a structural deficit for us and we’ll have to consider further service cuts. These will be painful. That’s not a scare tactic, it’s the hard truth. So here’s where you come in. Every government above us is passing their deficits on to us in the form of higher fees, contract prices or, in the case of the state, simply stealing our city funds. I don’t expect you would vote “yes” to approve a new local tax to replace those dollars, so I need you to help us fight back. I don’t believe Sacramento will stop here, despite what Prop. 1A says. So I’m asking you to call, email or write our representatives in Sacramento and say: “Stop stealing city tax dollars.” Here are the numbers to call. You will make a difference. Governor’s Office: 916-4452841. Assemblyman Tom Torlakson: 916-319-2011. Sen. Mark DeSaulnier: 916651-4007. OK. Time to focus on what’s right in Clayton. Summer’s almost
here and that means it’s time for the classic Clayton Fourth of July Parade. I’m asking for volunteers to help out on the day of the parade. If you can help for a couple hours, you’ll still have time to enjoy the Pancake Breakfast with your family and most jobs allow you to see the whole parade. Please let me know if you can help us out. You’ll have a great time. Our Farmers Market is off to a great start on Saturday mornings from 8 a.m.-noon, and we had good weather for our first concert of the season. I hope to see you in The Grove Park for our next concert with the Houserockers on May 30. You’ll find an insert in this paper with a complete schedule of the bands printed on one side and some great concert night specials at our downtown restaurants printed on the other side. Post it on your fridge or calendar so you won’t miss a thing. Help yourself and your city by patronizing our local eateries. As always, you can contact me at Julie_Pierce@comcast.net with any feedback, ideas or concerns.
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within Clayton city limits. Leashing pets may prevent them from provoking a snake. Safety is also important around your home: Survey moist, cool shelters in hot weather such as fishponds, spas and shady porches. Keep the rodent population under control to discourage snakes. Seal cracks and openings greater than a quarter inch to prevent snakes from entering. Avoid dead rattlers which can inject venom for one hour or longer by reflex action. Remember, we share our open space and trails with many creatures. By being aware of our surroundings and using common sense, we can share them safely.
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May 22, 2009
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 15
Customer service may not be dead, but sure in bad shape ANDRÉ GENSBURGER
DEAL WITH IT Customer service has taken a nose dive over the past few years, a fact that surprises few people. I do not like people who are rude, especially when I am the customer. I do not like it when companies claim that customer service is their top priority and yet are not able to deliver even a rudimentary level of service. I particularly despise the gum chewing cashiers who ignore you in favor of maintaining a conversation with another cashier two
lanes over, with that cashier also ignoring his customer. In addition, I detest the bombardment of requests at checkout for charitable donations – whether it is for breast cancer or for egg donations for the infertile, Viagra for old men unable to score or the many other causes that seem to crop up. My grocery store has become an advocate for everyone but the shopper. Worse still is Safeway’s obtrusive policy requiring the cashier to butcher my name each and every time I pass through because some genius in their marketing department considers this a sign of respect. “Thank you Mr. Gersenberger,” or “Thank you
Explorer, from page 1 years old and maintain a 2.5 grade point average. Volunteers fill out an application, go through an interview and have a background check. “We’re very selective about who we have in here,” said Enea. “It takes a mature person. But if they show interest, we’re willing to work with somebody, give them a chance.” Hill is grateful for the
chance to contribute to – and learn more about – her community. “Through the Explorer program, I get the opportunity to help those that are having trouble. I can just be there for them,” she said. For more information on joining the Clayton Police Department Explorers Program, contact Sgt. Tim Marchute at (925) 673-7350
Mr. Garzenbeeger.” There are many variations, each said with a straight face and a disregard for accuracy. I am tempted to get a Safeway card in the name of Mr. Watsurname just to experience that exit greeting with delight instead of disdain. Surveys are another irritant. Is this anything more than blatant marketing designed to thrust even more unwanted products in my face? And then there are the special discounts available to shoppers who apply for a store charge card on the spot. “You can save 10 percent off today’s purchase,” the gum chewer informs you, failing to add that your first interest payment of 22 percent would destroy any savings you may have gleaned while addicting you to make even more easy-tocharge purchases. Similarly, it has become fashionable to offer terms like buy now with no payments and no interest due for 14 months. Of course, the interest accumulates over that period; you just do not get charged until the end of the period. That doesn’t sound like a good plan to me. In our desire to inject some interaction into an otherwise dead customer service business, we forget that the problem lies less in the intention and more in
the lack of ability of many semiliterate employees to offer a coherent, let alone problemsolving sentence. As such, we have come to expect nothing in the way of service and yet still find ourselves disappointed. I don’t like wrestling with my product packaging for an hour before slicing my finger trying to force the plastic off, only to collapse exhausted and no longer enthralled with my purchase. I understand that this has less to do with waste and more to do with decreasing product returns by destroying the packaging in which it came. Nonetheless, it is a scam and designed to annoy me. It is never our fault, this mess we call employee/customer relations. We cannot find good people, not that we want to pay good wages, not that the recession has created an unhealthy environment. We now prefer to spend on generic instead of brand names while still retaining a brand name expectation and attitude. Customer service, shopping and advertising have all become unreasonable at best and we should not have to deal with it.
André Gensburger is a staff reporter and feature writer for the Pioneer. His email address is andre@claytonpioneer.com
When doing your estate planning, watch out for gift-splitting tax traps Annual exclusion gifts can be a powerful estate planning tool, and they’re doubly effective if you and your spouse elect to “split” gifts. This year, the inflation-adjusted annual gift tax exclusion is $13,000, up from $12,000 in 2008. But before you get out your checkbook, it pays to review your gifting strategies with your estate planning advisor. The annual exclusion allows you to give up to $13,000 per year to an unlimited number of people tax free without tapping any of your $1 million lifetime gift tax exemption or $3.5 million estate tax exemption. Let’s say you have two children and six grandchildren. If you give all eight of them $13,000 per year for five years, you can transfer a total of $520,000 tax free. If you elect to split the gift with your spouse, that amount doubles to $1.04 million. By splitting gifts, you can double your lifetime gift tax exemption, allowing you to make $2 million in tax-free gifts. Say you want to give your son $25,000 in stocks that are your separate property. Your annual
exclusion shelters $13,000 from gift tax, but the remaining $12,000 is taxable. If your spouse consents to gift splitting, the entire gift is tax free. There are three basic requirements for splitting a gift: You must be married at the time you make the gift. You and your spouse must be U.S. citizens. You must file a gift tax return in which your spouse consents to gift splitting. If the amount of the gift exceeds the $26,000 combined annual exclusion, both you and your spouse must file gift tax returns. Also, you can’t split gifts to your spouse or gifts over which one spouse has a power of appointment. After you check the box on your gift tax return and your spouse signs the consent, it applies to all gifts either of you made during the year. So if you or your spouse plans to use your exclusions separately for certain gifts the following year, you should think twice before electing to split gifts. Making a gift that you incorrectly assume is splittable can lead
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to estate tax liability. The most dangerous tax traps involve gifts to trusts. Suppose you establish a family trust that gives the trustee unlimited discretion to distribute income and principal among your spouse and children. The trust also provides that when your spouse dies, the assets will be distributed to your kids. In 2009, you make a $2 million gift to the trust from your separate property, and you and your spouse elect to split the gift. In 2010, you receive a $435,000 tax bill from the IRS – because the gift wasn’t splittable. The $2 million gift benefits both your spouse and your children and, as previously noted, you can’t split a gift to your spouse. Your children’s portion of the gift can be split to the extent it’s “ascertainable” at the time you make the gift and severable from your spouse’s interest. But in this case, your spouse and children may receive discretionary distributions from the trustee, so their interests in the trust aren’t ascertainable. The bottom line: The gift can’t be split, so you can use only
RICHARD LITTORNO FINANCIAL SENSE your own $1 million exemption. The remaining $1 million is subject to gift tax. You can avoid this result by designing the trust so the beneficiaries’ interests are ascertainable. For example, you might provide your spouse with an annuity or limit distributions to an “ascertainable standard,” such as health, education, maintenance or support. Even if you set up the trust this way, only your children’s portion of the gift is splittable. Your spouse’s portion will be at least partially taxable. And because your spouse’s interest in the trust terminates on his or her death, the gift doesn’t qualify for the marital deduction.
Richard A. Littorno is an attorney specializing in estate planning. He has offices in Clayton and Pittsburg. Send your questions to Richard@LittornoLaw.com.
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Ecstasy use is new epidemic at CVHS Ecstasy is a potent, euphoric drug. A common misconception is that ecstasy, or MDMA, is a sex or energy drug that only dominates the illicit rave scene. However, I have found it is common at our local high school. On May 2, Clayton Valley High School held its senior ball in San Francisco. I had an absolutely fantastic time and can say that many of my peers did as well. Unfortunately, a number of my classmates showed up under the influence, particularly under the influence of ecstasy. When I arrived at the ball, my priorities were typical – taking pictures, greeting my classmates and enjoying the sight of everyone in formal attire. But something just looked extraordinarily wrong. The abnormally rapid speech and teeth grinding were dead giveaways. A complete stranger approached me to tell me that he just loved my orange
With the end of the school year just around the corner, plans for the graduation night party are well underway. “Parents put on this popular event across the country to provide a safe, fun and memorable event for their graduating seniors on graduation night,” said Tammy Brown, one of the cochairs for the Clayton Valley Parent Teacher Student Association. “This has been a tradition at CVHS for close to 20 years.” “It was first created by Mothers Against Drunk Driving 20 years ago,” noted CV co-chair Pamela Newacheck. That was a “lockdown” event where the graduates would stay through the night cutting down the incidence of alcohol and driving that was associated with fatalities. From its inception at
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STUDENT REPORTER shoes. I couldn’t help but notice that his pupils were the size of a dime. As I proceeded to the dance floor, I sadly realized that at least 50 others were in similar states – and that is a conservative estimate. Some people may believe that the students taking ecstasy are “troubled” or that their academic performance is under-
Graduation night a gift from the parents and the community ANDRÉ GENSBURGER Clayton Pioneer
Walnut Country Preschool
May 22, 2009
Clayton Valley in 1990 until 2001, the event was held on the Clayton Valley campus. “Parents would take a week or two to transform the gymnasiums into a fantasy world with entertainment and activities for the graduates,” Brown said. In 2002, Clayton Valley joined forces with the parents from College Park, Concord High, Northgate and Ygnacio Valley High for an event at Centre Concord. “In our efforts to ‘be green’ while promoting ‘re-use and recycle,’ this seems an appropriate and financially smart solution still today,” Brown said. “You can be competitive with these parents from other sports teams through the year,” Newacheck said, “and then put all that aside to work together to make the grad night memorable for our kids.” The mission statement for grad night is: “To provide a fun
See Graduation, page 19
School News DIABLO VIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL The student body is offering a Community Discount Card to raise money for activities on campus. The card is good through the end of 2009 and may be used over and over (once per transaction). Cost is $10.
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DVMS students work for a greener future Emma Hall became interested in the competition because her brother had done it two years ago. “We live on Earth and we need to save the environment, educate people about solar energy and make it a better place,” she noted. Josh Rosen enjoyed the experience. “It was a lot of fun to build and race the cars,” said Josh, who hopes to be an engineer. He is looking forward to next year and wants to improve his design and make his car faster. Sam Albertsen believes finding ways to produce renewable energy is important. “We have to stop global warming, having too many emissions and help the environment.” Students at DVMS understand the importance of protecting the environment and finding new ways of producing of renewable energy. All people can work on improving the planet by starting with things as simple as recycling, conserving water and producing less pollution. We can make Earth a better place for everyone. Robbie Parker is a sixth-grader at Diablo View. Send comments to Robbie@claytonpioneer.com
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With today’s emphasis on protecting Mother Earth, students at Diablo View Middle School have found a way to be a part of the solution while having a great time building and creating. For about 10 years, Sylvia Chatagnier, eighth-grade science teacher and coach of the Solar Car Club, has taught students to utilize solar energy. When participating in this club, students are put in pairs and given several parts to build a solar powered race car. They work on it at home until they compete against other schools for the annual Junior Solar Sprint Challenge at Lawrence Hall of Science. Students are not only encouraged to come up with creative designs but also raise awareness toward making products that are energy efficient. “It’s important for kids to be involved in this process,” said student Monishaa Suresh. “We need to stop global warming and use solar energy so we won’t be using fossil fuels. We need to help kids learn at a younger age, so when they are older they can spread the ideas. I think we need to move people to think more energy efficient.”
Michelle Trosclair is a senior at CVHS. Send comments to Michelle@claytonpioneer.com
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Dance” (thizz is slang for ecstasy). The lyrics go “First of all, I hope you got you a juice a thizzle because it’s time to pop you a few.” They continue to say “Do not get oo-op by them foo cops.” The grammar and language is atrocious, but I’m pretty sure that the message is to take ecstasy and evade the police. Still, I don’t think it’s entirely fair to blame the administration. They certainly would not knowingly allow drugs to be taken at a school event, and I think that an age gap is largely at fault. Ecstasy is fairly new. My parents’ generation explored drugs like marijuana and LSD, but ecstasy is entirely different and many adults are not familiar with it. One student even had the gall to brag about talking to an administrator while on ecstasy without getting caught. I’m not attempting to condone drug use, but I think experimenting is one thing. I’m no “thizz virgin,” but many of my classmates have taken it to an extreme level. Perhaps what I find most alarming is that ecstasy has woven its way into youth culture. Forget the swine flu, a bigger epidemic has already hit Clayton – and hard.
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whelming. But I overheard many of the students in my advanced placement classes talking about their plans for the ball. I heard people asking who they should get the pills from, how much they were charging, how strong the pills were, and I also heard them contemplating how many they should take. One of these classmates said that she was planning on getting six. The same student asked me if I was “popping” at ball. I shook my head no. The administration at Clayton Valley claims to have a strict anti-drug policy, and this policy is supposed to apply to school functions as well. I understand that it’s hard to police so many students at once, but the state that some of these students were in was blatant. A huge number of my peers entered the dance wearing mammoth sunglasses. Maybe it’s a “fashion statement,” but I have a sneaking suspicion that these students had something to hide. Prior to senior ball, the administration emphasized their demand for appropriate dancing. When the senior class tested the limits, the music was shut off for five minutes. But while the administration more or less enforces the dancing policy, they are far less strict about what type of music gets played. One of the favorites was Mac Dre’s “Thizzle
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Clayton Community Calendar PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M. JUNE 1 FOR THE JUNE 12 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 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 27, June 3, 10, 17, 24 Classic Cars and Rock & Roll Classic cars on display, plus a live DJ. 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays, Main and Diablo streets. May 30 History Fair Take your fill of the rich history of the area at booths set up by local history centers, museums and East Bay parks. Work the old coffee grinder, typewriter and kitchen gadgets. Meet historians from area historical societies. Exhibits, photos, demonstrations and hands-on activities for the whole family. 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Clayton Museum, 6101 Main St. www.claytonhistory.org or 672- 0240. May 30, June 13, 27 Concerts in the Grove May 30: Houserockers, rock/soul. June 13: Mamaluke, electric guitar rock. June 27: Sun Kings, Beatles cover band. Bring lawn chairs or a blanket. 6-8 p.m. The Grove Park in downtown Clayton.
June 7 Contra Costa Wind Symphony “The Russian Connection.” 2 p.m., Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $12-$18. www.lesherartscenter.org or 943-7469. June 12 Contractors Expo Sponsored by the Contra Costa Builder’s Exchange and the Concord Chamber of Commerce. 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Heald Conference Center, 5130 Commercial Circle, Concord. Free admission. Register for a booth at www.concordchamber.com or 685-1181. Through 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. Through June 21 “Pageant” A beauty pageant musical satire. Willows Cabaret at the Campbell Theatre, 636 Ward St., Martinez. $22-$32. www.willowstheatre.org or 798-1300. Through 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.
AT THE LIBRARY
June 7 Mohandas Gandhi Lecture Carol Anne Corlett will present “His Life and Powerful Non-Violent Movement.” 11 a.m., Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center St., Clayton. Call Guity at 672-1095.
The Clayton Community Library is at 6125 Clayton Road. 6730659 or www.claytonlibrary.org.
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.
June 6 Journaling for Caregivers With B. Lynn Goodwin, author of “You Want Me to Do What?"/Journaling for Caregivers” and managing editor of the online journal www.writeradvice.com. 1:30 p.m.
Close by Through May 31 “The Spitfire Grill” Contra Costa Christian Theatre show with country, bluegrass and Broadway pop ballads. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $21-$28. 943-SHOW or www.ccchristiantheatre.org. May 29, 30 “Swan Lake” A Contra Costa Ballet production. 8 p.m. May 29 and 2 p.m. May 30, Lesher Center for the Arts,1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. 943SHOW. May 31 Diablo Women’s Chorale “How Can I Keep from Singing?” 3 p.m., Trinity Lutheran Church, 2317 Buena Vista Ave., Walnut Creek. $10-$12. Reception in hall after concert. www.angelfire.com/ca/dwchorale or 945-4305. June 7 Voices of Musica Sacra “Mostly Mendelssohn” concert, plus works by Brahms and Bruckner. 3 p.m., St. Stephen Catholic Church, Walnut Creek. 944-5239 or www.vmschorus.org.
Clayton Community Recreation YMCA DAY CAMPS begin June 15. For information on trips, activities and a camp schedule, come to a Camp Open House on June 2 at 6 p.m. at Skipolini’s Pizza, 1033 Diablo Street. Summer Day Camp hours are 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., with extended care available 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. Camp Counselors will be on hand to answer questions. Go to www. mdrymca.org or call 889-1600 for more information and day camp schedule.
Children with special needs who can function successfully in a group of 15-20 campers with two staff members are welcome to participate in any of the summer camp programs. Contact Jennifer Beck at 692-2364 prior to registration to ensure proper staffing and accommodations.
May 26 Patty Cakes For babies to 3-year-olds. Child attends with caregiver. 11 a.m.
June 8-Aug. 17 Summer Reading Program For kids age 2 through 5th grade or 6th-12th graders. Includes prizes. Parents and caregivers of babies from birth to 2 years can earn prizes in the early literacy-building Baby Reading Program. Readers ages 18 and up can submit a book review online at ccclib.org or at the Clayton library for a chance to win a Booklover’s Bag of goodies. June 11 Paper Airplane Workshop Featuring New York City artist and cartoonist Mark “Z-Man” Zieman. For ages 6 and up. 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Registration required.
FUNDRAISERS June 6 Contra Costa Blue Star Moms The group is collecting items for care packages for a July 4 mailing to our troops overseas. 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Wal-Mart, 1021 Arnold Dr., Martinez. Donations most needed are small toys (yo-yos, hacky sacks, frisbees) and game books (Sudoku, crossword puzzles). Checks for postage in the amount of $11.95 (per box) may be made payable to Contra Costa Blue Star Moms, P.O. Box 6379 , Concord CA 94524. www.ccbluestarmoms.org. 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 23 Round Valley Wildlife/Spring Flower Hike With wildlife biologists Jim Hale. Meet 8:45 a.m. at Round Valley Staging Area on Marsh Creek Road. RSVP at 939-4304. May 23 Mt. Olympia Summit/Bruce Lee Spring Trail Hike With leader Helene Crowley. Experienced hikers only. 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Meet at the end of Regency Drive off Clayton Road. 415-9742209 or crowh_8558@yahoo.com. May 24 Old Borges Ranch Tour With Ranger Dan Bylin. Meet at 2 p.m. under the windmill near the parking lot at Old Borges Ranch in Walnut Creek. 942-0225.
May 24 Young Canyon Hike With Save Mt. Diablo steward Burt Bogardus. Meet at 9 a.m. at the Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road. www.savemountdiablo.org. May 30 Chaparral Spring Heritage Trees Hike With Save Mt. Diablo members Burt Bassler and Julie Seelen. Meet at 9:30 a.m. at the Three Springs Entry, 10030 Marsh Creek Road (2.2 miles east of Regency Drive), Clayton. 947-3535 or www.savemountdiablo.org. June 6 Moonlight Hike on Joseph Galvin Ranch With leader Dave Sargent. Meet at 7:45 p.m. at the Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road. 933-9402, earlyrider@earthlink.net or www.savemountdiablo.org. 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 June 2, 16 Clayton City Council 7 p.m., Hoyer Hall, Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road. 673-7304 or www.ci.clayton.ca.us. June 9, 23 Clayton Planning Commission 7 p.m., Hoyer Hall, Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road. 673-7304 or www.ci.clayton.ca.us.
CLUBS Clayton Business and Community Association Meets 6:30 p.m. the last Thursday of the month, except holidays, Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Dr., Clayton. Call Sue at 672-2272. Clayton Valley Garden Club Meets 7 p.m. June 10, Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center St., Clayton. Ted Merriam will speak about “Gardening with Computers.” 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. June 17, Ygnacio Valley Library, 2661 Oak Grove Road, Walnut Creek. “Saving the Delta/Protecting Our Drinking Water” is the topic. 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.
Page 18
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
May 22, 2009
In assessing his long life, this senior comes up smiling
COLLEEN ELWY
SHARING HISTORY Joe Swicegood, 82, is the first one to admit that he is one “Uppity Okie.” Even the license plate on his car reads similar for all to know that he definitely is driving his car, and his life, with spunk. “I was born in Oklahoma and we were incredibly poor. My parents had grandchildren by the time I came along,” Joe shares. “And growing up we had little food, only hand-me down clothes and I carried buckets of garbage home from school to
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change the horse assessment. Joe’s determination paid off when it was passed in Sacramento and he no longer had to worry about that part of a job that he ended up holding for 36 years. In 1978, Joe ran for county tax assessor. When asked by the press what he thought about Prop. 13, he answered that he wasn’t sure that it would work the way it was written. Joe believes he lost the race because of his stance on Prop. 13. “But you know, you don’t have to win a race to be a success,” Joe says with a smile. “You just have to participate.”
Photo courtesy of Joe Swicegood
he has of his early life.
Never-ending fortitude also has touched Joe through other’s determination, and he has written a book called “Desert Runner.” Joe becomes quite choked up and teary eyed when he explains the strength and courage of Glenn Cunningham,
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
JOE SWICEGOOD in the front yard of his Lydia Lane home
who was burned and told he would never walk but ended up setting the world record for running the mile. “Like me, he also had the will to prove them wrong in life. And I have included this story in my book as it means so much to me,” Joe shares. A widower, Joe has been married twice, and has lived in Clayton for 47 years. He has several children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He chuckles as he tries to put a count on all of them. “Just put down a whole bunch of people and that will cover it.” Joe believes he has had many lucky breaks. “And living in Clayton is definitely one of them,” he said. “When preparation meets opportunity, it can come along for people and be a good thing,” he concluded. If you are a senior living in Clayton, or know of a senior that would like to share their life story with the Clayton Pioneer readers, please contact Colleen Elwy at colleensbyline@aol.com or call 672-9565.
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feed the pigs. My parents were the problem all together,” Joe hard working and honest, but I says. “I had no idea how to know never even knew my dad with how many horses were out there teeth. There were just no safety on the ranches and all. But I nets in the health systems, or for knew that I couldn’t go chasing anything else.” young girls riding their horses At 16, Joe left Oklahoma with down the street that I hadn’t his parents’ hard-working values assessed and asking them their and a goal to individually change names and where they lived. I people’s strong negative views would have been locked up that about those from Oklahoma, or same day.” “Okies” as they were often called Hoping that someone could disapprovingly. make his job easier, Joe was told “I was determined to make a to call Walnut Creek Saddle to difference,” says Joe. “I thought, get a count on the horse popula‘I am going to be in your face tion. “I called and the woman California’ and headed out west.” answered the phone and when After being in the Navy and she heard what I was looking for, attending Pepperdine, Joe settled she said ‘Well, why don’t you just in the Bay Area and became chief appraiser for Contra Costa County. “I could never have pictured myself doing that kind of job. I had the photo on the wall of me standing in the hills of Oklahoma with the reins of a donkey and told the people in the office that those were the only qualifications I had,” Joe says with a laugh. Joe was in This photo of Joe at 16, is one of the few photos charge of assessing all personal property, call the chief assessor’s office,’ ” including farm animals. “Here I Joe recalls with humor. “I didn’t was having to assess the value of let her know that I was that horses for tax purposes. We had office and just hung up.” a lot of people complaining that Joe eventually called on I was assessing some people’s George Cardinet, who was presihorses and not others and I was dent of the Horse Association. trying to figure out the size of Joe begged George to help
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“All we can do is be prepared” was the headline recently in a local newspaper relating to the fires in the Santa Barbara area. On May 9, 30,000 had been ordered to evacuate – with another 23,000 warned to be ready to flee. If you were in the fire area, would you have been prepared to evacuate? Would you have had the necessary items to sustain your needs for a week to 10 days? Would you have had your medications? Have you established a meeting place for family members to meet if you were not all together at the time of evacuation? Would your children know where to meet you should they be in school at the time you were ordered to evacuate? Many in Clayton live near open space and have experienced fires on Mt Diablo, as well as earthquakes, so we need to be prepared. We do not know when the emergency will occur,
HERB YONGE
SAFETY ZONE but we know it will happen. Some of us have a “grab and go” bag containing things of value and importance such as family pictures, medications, extra eye glasses, family photos for identification purposes, a list of important phone numbers, granola/energy bars and money. There are additional items that we should have in the bag – copies of important documents, birth certificates, driver’s license, passport, immunization records, bank
Landscape, from page 1 Plants will be pulled out as they die, “so it doesn’t look like a desert out there,” Janney said. Last year, the Landscape Maintenance District spent $169,000 for water. If use is cut by the required 45 percent for the next 12 months, it could save the district as much as $76,000, less the cost of replacing dead or damaged plants. WELL WATER AN OPTION While the lawns in the city parks that use metered water will die, Westwood and Lydia Lane parks and the library grounds are irrigated by well water and should be unaffected by the cutbacks.
Dan Richardson, who led the successful effort to renew the city’s Landscape Maintenance District in 2007, wants the city to look at more wells as water source. “I’m disappointed we find ourselves in this situation and I appreciate the city’s leadership. But, I hope that, as a community, we can look at wells as an alternative to metered water in the future, he said. Well water irrigation may be a solution to future water shortages, but not in the short term, says Napper. The cost of drilling and hooking into the existing mains makes it prohibitive for a city with a budget the size of Clayton’s.
and credit card numbers. Do you have these items in one location, so you can “grab and go?” On May 4, 31 Clayton residents attended the first of six sessions of the spring Community Emergency Response Team class (CERT). There were 11 additional participants from Walnut Creek, Concord and Pittsburg for a class enrollment of 42. The May 4 meeting dealt with emergency preparedness. The May 11 class covered fire safety to include the operation of a fire extinguisher and how to put out small fires. The May 18 class addressed emergency medical operations, with the classes scheduled for June 1 and 8 to cover additional emergency skills and CERT procedures. The final evening of the training will be a drill to practice the new skills learned in class. These are skills and information we need to put into practice so we are
prepared. We have already trained 118 residents in emergency preparedness. We will have another CERT class in the fall and hope for another good turnout of residents who want to “be prepared.” All residents should prepare a “go bag,” establish a meeting place, know who in your neighborhood may need assistance, such as a senior citizen, and start collecting an inventory of food and water and store in a safe place. Access the CERT Website at www.claytoncert.org for information or feel free to email me. Also, when you go to the Website, complete the CERT application and enroll in our next class!
There is an unused well behind the post office, but the cost of bringing it online is “well into the six figures,” says Napper. “And the gallon-perminute yield just doesn’t warrant the cost.” In addition to the irrigation cuts, the city must reduce building and facilities usage by 15 percent. Since the city has already been using water saving devices such as low-flow toilets and auto shut off faucets, cutting another 15 percent will largely depend on cooperation from the public. After posting signs in public buildings asking for conservation, if the goals aren’t being met, the city may be forced to shut off faucets. Or “as a final drastic measure,” Janney said, “close the public restrooms.”
GATEWAY RENOVATIONS In other business, the council moved ahead with Redevelopment Agency plans for the renovation of the city’s gateway at Marsh Creek and Clayton Roads, awarding a contract for $199,167 to Maxicrete Inc. for the hardscape. Project plans include a stone-faced monument sign on the hill and directional signage at the corner. A vintage tractor at the gateway and another in the Corral at Black Diamond Plaza will honor Clayton’s agricultural heritage. The Clayton Business and Community Association has pledged $60,000 for landscaping and $12,000 for the tractors. Any plantings will have to wait until after rationing is lifted. The total budget for the project is estimated at $320,000.
Herb Yonge is a volunteer with the Clayton Police Department and a member of the Clayton Citizen Corps Council. He can be reached at 673-7355 or hlyonge@att.net.
May 22, 2009
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 19
Diablo Theatre Company celebrates 50th Anniversary with Broadway classic ‘Hello, Dolly!’ Celebrating 103 shows and 50 years of presenting the music and magic of Broadway, the Diablo Theatre Company, formerly DLOC (Diablo Light Opera Company), is mounting a glittering production of the classic Broadway musical “Hello, Dolly!” The show runs June 5 to June 28 for 14 performances at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek. It will be the first time the award-winning Jerry Herman musical has been presented in the Lesher Center’s Hofmann Theatre since it opened. “We pride ourselves in reimagining elements of our classic musicals,” said Daren A.C. Carollo, Diablo Theatre
Graduation, from page 16 and memorable experience for our graduating seniors in a secure environment that is free from drugs and alcohol. To ensure that our graduates are safe on what is one of the most memorable nights of their young lives.” This year, the city of Concord, who oversee Centre Concord, will user a breathalyzer on every graduate prior to entry to ensure that no drinking had taken place. Parents from all five schools gather in September to plan and pool their resources and decorating talents. “Recent transformations have included jungles, beaches, underwater scenes, cruise ships,” Brown said. “An incredible amount of coordination is needed as sets are built and designed separately at each school’s location and then brought into Centre Concord on the weekend before the graduations began.” Family and friends can preview the décor the Sunday before graduation. Seniors are forbidden in an effort to maintain secrecy about the theme. Following graduation, the students from that school are dropped off at Centre Concord and enter the gated area to enjoy the all-night activities, which include inflatable games, casino, karaoke, dancing, photo opportunities, T-shirt and body air-brushing, all you can eat food and drink, prizes and cosmic bowling. “Over 130 volunteer positions will be filled,” said Brown, “ensuring the safety of the graduating class. The final prizes are drawn by 5 a.m., the event concludes and the students are then picked up by their parents.” The center is then cleaned and readied for the next group. About 1,400 seniors will attend over the graduating week. Clayton Valley’s Grad Nite committee budgeted close to $40,000 for the event this year. “The support of the Concord and Clayton community continues to be overwhelming and vital to the success of the Grad Nite tradition,” Newacheck said. “Because this event is parent-run, we truly appreciate the positive feedback we receive through financial, food and service donations. It allows us to create a magical memory and keep the ticket price affordable.” Donations have also allowed for scholarships so that all seniors could attend regardless of financial ability. The committee welcomes all volunteers to help make the evening a success. For more information, contact Trina Brandt at trina1010@comcast.net or Veeve Detmer at freaking5@aol.com.
Company’s artistic director. “For ‘Hello, Dolly!’ our talented set designer, Mark Mendelson (‘Will Rogers Follies’ and the upcoming Stars
2000 ‘Guys and Dolls’) is creating 3-D buildings and seven full stage sets that fly, pivot, and spin. The audience will see the most beautiful Harmonia
TERRY DARCY D'EMIDIO AS DOLLY GALLAGHER LEVI, Curt Denham as Horace Vandergelder in Diablo Theatre Company’s Hello Dolly opening June 5 at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek.
Gardens ever.” The cast includes Terry Darcy D’Emidio, a 25 year veteran of East Bay theater, as Dolly; Curt Denham, from DLOC’s “La Cage Aux Folles” and “The King and I,” as Horace Vandergelder; Rena Wilson, who starred as Marian the Librarian, in “The Music Man,” as Irene Malloy; Will Giammona as Cornelius Hackl; Andrew Willis-Woodward as Barnaby Tucker; Caleb Haven Draper as Ambrose Kemper; Meghan Ihle as Minnie Fay; Jessica Knudsen as Ermengard; and Mary Kidwell as Ernestina.
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Tickets ($29-$41) are on sale at the Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek (925) 943-7469, or online at www.lesherartscenter.org. For more information go to www.dloc.org.
‘Pageant’ spoofs beauty queens at Willows Cabaret in Martinez Audience members play judges and determine winners GARY CARR Special to the Pioneer
Pageant is more than a musical. It’s a real beauty pageant with all the trappings that make you cringe and weep and giggle with delight. The emcee is an outrage, and the “girls” are everything you’ve ever seen … and beyond. Pageant runs May 25 – June 21 at the Willows Cabaret at the Campbell Theatre, 636 Ward Street in Martinez. The Willows production is directed and choreographed by Steven Edlund, with musical direction by Kim Vetterli. Pageant could be one of the funniest musicals to emerge from Off-Broadway in many years. Six beauty queens, Miss Deep South, Miss Bible Belt, Miss Industrial Northeast, Miss
Great Plains, Miss Texas, and Miss West Coast, compete to become the new Miss Glamouresse. The judges are chosen from the audience, so every night a different contestant is a potential winner. Pageant celebrates every element that makes beauty pageants … well … what they are. The emcee is smarmy and overthe-top. Each contestant has already won a regional title, so they each represent a different part of the country, competing with each other in several different categories - swimsuit, evening gown, spokesmodel, and, of course, talent. The girls are sniping, ambitious, vulnerable, and truly believe that a good accordion solo can bring about world peace. If nothing else, they are sincere. The Cast includes Randy Nazarian, Ricardo Rust, Ben Wetzel, Anthony Jackson, Sean Patrick Murtaugh, Danny Noble, Matt Petromilli, and Jonathan Spencer.
Ricardo Rust, Randy Nazarian and Sean Patrick Murtaugh star in “Pageant” at the Willows Cabaret through June 21.
Performances are Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., 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. To purchase tickets call (925) 798-1300 or visit the Willows web site at www.willowstheatre.org.
Slow economy could lead to bargain travels PEGGY BIDONDO
TIME
TO
GO
If the current economic woes are causing you to frown and worry, remember that just as everything that goes up must come down, we can also hope that everything that came down will go up again. In the meantime, it’s a “buyer’s market” for the travel industry. Deals abound for cruises, airfares, hotel stays and major events. If you are flexible and can take advantage of last minute travel deals, then sign up for emails from Travelzoo (www.travelzoo.com). They have up-to-the-minute bargains on cruises, airfares, hotel stays and complete vacations at greatly reduced prices. You will receive a weekly email with the Top 20 Travel Deals of the Week. I was writing this column, I received a Newsflash from Travelzoo announcing one-way airfare on JetBlue from Oakland to New York for $79. Some date restrictions do apply. The other good news is that
the U.S. dollar is growing stronger against many foreign currencies. The Euro is trading at $1.29 U.S. dollars compared with $1.59 at this time last year. For many years, you could get 10 Mexican pesos to the dollar and now it is 13 pesos to the dollar – with a high of 15 pesos as recently as March 2009. While it used to cost you 2 U.S. dollars to purchase one British pound, the rates are down to $1.45 for a pound. By taking advantage of the favorable exchange rates, your travel dollar can go much further. The years 2009 and 2010 are significant in Europe and the world. In France, they will be celebrating the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings. If you are Scottish, you may want to be there for the nationwide “Homecoming of the Clans” as they celebrate “Whiskey Month” and the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns’ birth. In 2010, the Soccer World Cup will be held in South Africa, and in Germany, the centuries old Oberammergau Passion Play will be offered for the first time since 2000. Performed for 102 days every 10 years, the show attracts visitors from around the
world. The first performance isn’t until May 2010, but tickets go on sale this month and sell out quickly. Some tour operators have already set up itineraries that include play tickets. With each column, I plan to end with a travel tip that I hope will be useful. My all-time favorite: If you don’t like to use travel underwear because it just doesn’t fit right and you don’t like disposable underwear because it is just too uncomfortable, then save all your old underwear with the holes and the stretched out elastic. Bring along some brown paper lunch sacks and just toss them after wearing. By the end of the trip, you will have created more room in your suitcase for travel treasures. Be sure to use the lunch sack to dispose of them, otherwise the housekeeping staff may find them, have them laundered and return them to you the next day! Recently retired, Clayton resident Peggy Bidondo now has the time to indulge her passion in travel planning and writing. Send your questions and column ideas to Peggy Bidondo at timetogo@claytonpioneer.com.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
May 22, 2009
‘Secret’ reveals a compelling character study SUNNY SOLOMON FOR THE BOOKS Do you have a few things that, for whatever reason, you’ve never told another person? Well, Nora Trimble Hammond, the protagonist of Mary McGarry Morris’ latest novel, “The Last Secret,” has a biggie. Nora actually has two secrets, both of which she’s relegated to the darkest recesses of her subconscious. Luckily for the reader, Nora’s first secret, the one about running away
from home at age 17 on a drunken spree with 23-year-old Eddie Hawkins, is described in a prequel chapter. But the reader can trust Morris; the telling of the first secret only serves to stir the plot. Morris is a master storyteller. She sets it up for us: young, rebellious teenager makes a big mistake and becomes involved in a violent incident in which her boyfriend beats up a stranger they’d met in a bar. Terrified and shamed by what has occurred, Nora runs away from both the scene of the violence and Eddie. Chapter one begins many years later with Nora all grown up, the mother of two teenagers and a pillar in her community. She’s now married to Ken Hammond, whose brother runs
the family-owned newspaper. In addition to her charitable work, she has begun work at the newspaper. Nora’s favorite charity, a home for battered women, has just received national attention in Newsweek magazine. A picture of Nora accompanies the in-depth article. Even before we get to the chapter where a much older and seedier Eddie Hawkins, clear across the country, scans through the magazine and happens upon and recognizes the picture of the upright and highly esteemed Mrs. Hammond, we have that sinking assurance that Nora’s secret is about to surface. What makes this novel a sharp cut above just another story of one person’s past closing in on an unsuspecting protagonist is Morris’ skill in devel-
oping her characters as they play out their scenes with uncomfortable realism. Morris has a keen sense of what makes us tick and she doesn’t pull any punches. It takes more than Nora’s husband admitting an affair with his high school sweetheart and Eddie Hawkins’ smarmy reappearance to really shake Nora. It isn’t until she confronts Hawkins at her own home and expresses her regret for whatever he’s gone through in the ensuing years but reminds him that the act of violence had been his “… that’s what really happened.” Hawkins’ reply is sadistically
revealing: “What really happened was you split the f ’ers skull in two. And then you took off running. And who ends up in shackles?” Eddie’s not the only one in shackles. This is a tale of a past, a present and a future, each, in its own way, shackled to the other. Morris is uncompromising in presenting her characters with all their foibles. She doesn’t ask that we actually like all these people, but because she treats her characters even-handedly and their behavior is often recognized as more than a little familiar, we care about them.
Nora’s tightly contained world comes apart. She has more than one disturbing secret, her husband has his own litany of events and the town itself becomes a microcosm of the way in which we manage to live alongside the unspoken. Morris brings her novel to a horrific climax and then back down to earth where resolution is achieved, sides taken and truths believed or not. The resolution is real, but not much changes. Redemption, it seems, can be most uncomfortable and ultimately arriving at a very high cost. Sunny Solomon holds a Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. She is a poet and published author. Email her with questions or comments at memorie3@yahoo.com
Patchett’s essay a powerful lesson LOU FANCHER Special to the Pioneer Sponsored by:
Central Contra Costa Sanitary District
Dispose of hazardous household waste in Martinez According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, you may have as much as 100 pounds of household hazardous waste in your home. The technical definition of household hazardous waste is “leftover or unneeded household products that contain corrosive, toxic, ignitable, reactive ingredients, or which might be ecologically harmful.” Consider this:
Most antibacterial soaps contain triclosan, a toxic chemical that is harmful to aquatic organisms. All batteries contain metals and other toxic or corrosive materials. Most non-digital fever thermometers and all fluorescent tubes/bulbs contain mercury, one of the most toxic substances known. Pesticides are poisons; even so-called “safer” choices may contain toxic ingredients such as pyrethroids, pyrethrins or permethrin. Wood preservatives may contain copper, dioxin or tributyltin, toxic compounds that are extremely hazardous to ecosystems. Paint and paint products may contain solvents and pigments that are known carcinogens.
Other forms of household hazardous waste include: Household cleaning products such as bleach, oven cleaners and furniture polish. Personal care products such as fingernail polish and hair color.
Automotive products such as motor oil, gasoline and antifreeze. Garden products such as herbicides and fertilizers.
When discarded improperly, these and other forms of household hazardous waste can threaten human health and the environment. For this reason, it is illegal in California to dispose of household hazardous waste in the trash or down any drain. The Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility in Martinez is a convenient and environmentally safe disposal solution. Hazardous wastes brought to the facility will never reach waterways through sewers, storm drains or landfills. More than 18 million pounds of household hazardous wastes have been brought to the facility for recycling, reuse or safe disposal since it opened in 1997. The facility is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. There is no drop-off fee and no appointment necessary for residents of central Contra Costa County. Small businesses require an appointment and are charged a nominal fee. State transportation regulations limit the amount of hazardous waste you can bring to 15 gallons or 125 pounds per visit. The facility does not accept medicine, medical wastes (including needles and other sharps), electronic wastes, explosives or compressed gas cylinders. Propane tanks of five gallons or less are OK. For more information, call 1-800-646-1431 or visit www.centralsan.org.
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There may not be a perfect answer for every question, but there is a perfect question for today: What now? It’s a timely question, amidst high school and college graduations, summer’s advent, global economic strife, job loss, home renovations, diaper changes, funerals, winning the lotto and finding the love of your life on Facebook. It’s an ageless question, bursting forth from the mouths of babes and grandfolks alike. And it’s the question Ann Patchett, New York Times bestselling author of “Bel Canto” and “Run,” has chosen to answer. “What Now?” is based on a commencement address Patchett delivered at Sarah Lawrence College. Preserved in this slim, portable edition, it’s is a 97-page packet of dynamite. Lighting the fuse with wit and humor, the words burn along effortlessly, until, Blam! there’s a flash of insight, a revelation, an idea so pure and true you wonder why you didn’t think of it yourself. This is the magic of Patchett: gently sifting,
calling little attention to herself and all the while uncovering gems amidst the ashes. Lacing her message with intelligence and compassion, Patchett shares stories of her life before becoming a celebrated novelist. She learns the value of listening from an encounter with a Hare Krishna in Chicago’s O’Hare airport: “Once you decide that strangers are more than just dangerous accidents waiting to happen, you will find yourself able to listen. How much sadness could be averted by taking the time to notice all the people we have come to ignore?” She discovers purposeful staring while washing dishes during one of her many incarnations as a waitress: “I had never stared as a way of solving a problem … which is to say I had never just stayed still, been quiet, and thought things through. In the end it was the staring that got me the novelist job I wanted.” But it is Patchett’s dedication
to being last in line that is most unusual. Humility, a trait she learned in Catholic schools and restaurants and not often promoted at graduation ceremonies, taught Patchett that “… wisdom comes in chips rather than blocks. You have to be willing to gather them constantly, and from sources you never imagined to be probable.” A postscript to the essay, describing the arduous process of creating it, makes plain the most profound lesson of “What Now?” Perseverance is how literary works are written, perseverance is how cures for AIDS and other devastating diseases are discovered, perseverance is how the next generation is born, and perseverance is how today’s graduates will go on to live fulfilling, rewarding lives. There isn’t a person on this planet who has not thought, “What am I going to do now?” The first step may be to read Patchett’s answers to the perfect question.
Get ready for the mighty Atom Notebook computers are shrinking and the public is going wild over the prospects of holding a computer in the palm of their hand. Small enough to be lightweight, elegant, stylish and cute, but big enough where one can type a letter, answer email and surf the Web, this new venue is called a “netbook” computer. Netbook computers are filling a niche between notebook computers and Palm Pilots. They’re small enough to carry around, about the size of a paperback book, but big enough to get real work done without abusing you thumbs. The netbook is powered with an Intel CPU called the Atom. This tiny, but mighty power plant provides plenty of pep for large applications yet sips power and runs very cool. The typical battery life is threefour hours and recharging is snappy at about two hours. According to Intel, “The Intel Atom processor is Intel’s smallest processor, built with the world’s smallest transistors and manufactured on Intel’s industry-leading 45nm Hi-k Metal Gate technology. The Intel Atom processor was purpose-built for simple, affordable netbooks and nettops.” It works like the Pentium 4
at 1.6GHz, so there is enough power to run demanding applications and the full version of Windows XP. I reviewed an Acer Aspire One cobalt blue satin finish with an 8-inch screen, a workable keyboard and 120GB hard drive and found it remarkably fun to use and lightweight at a smidge more than 2 pounds. The screen is clear, sharp and bright, albeit the type is a tad small so this ol’ guy had to use his reading glasses. But it was fun to use, sleek and well-built. We have models with 10-inch screens as well. Best of all, they are priced less than $500 (including the governor’s new tax). Everyone I’ve showed it to thought it was as cute as a puppy. The netbook has all the features of the bigger notebook, including WiFi wireless networking, USB 2.0, replaceable hard drive, 1GB main RAM, full color screen, etc. The one exception is no CD drive. The idea here is to bring lighter weight, smaller form and more portability. Since it is a “net” computer, it is designed to work as a network device. If you want to load a CD program like Microsoft Office, you could download the program from the Internet directly
WILL CLANEY TECH TALK to the netbook, load the program to a flash drive, or attach the computer to a local network then share the drive from a larger computer. Alternatively, purchase a USB external CD drive for loading purposes for about $60. So, take your Atom netbook, hop on down to the local Internet Café and have some fun surfing the Internet. When you’re done, go to the office, get email on Outlook, write a brief with Word and design your next ad in Adobe Illustrator, save your work to a flash drive or simply email it to whoever needs it. Will Claney is the CEO of Computers USA! in the Clayton Station. Contact him at 925-6729989.
May 22, 2009
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 21
The radish goes beyond small, red and round LINDA WYNER
FOOD
FOR
THOUGHT
Round and red or off-white with some weighing more than 100 pounds, radishes have made their mark on global cuisine and even popular culture. The Peanuts comic strip in Denmark is renamed “Radishes.” On Christmas Eve is Oaxaca, Mexico, you might find yourself carving radishes into animal shapes. If you’re a fan of “The Fantasticks”, the longest running play on Broadway, you might recall the famous song heralding vegetables, part of which goes: Plant a radish/Get a radish/Never any doubt. That’s why I love vegetables;/You know what you’re about! It’s likely that radishes were originally cultivated in China,
but it didn’t take long to find them being grown in Egypt and Greece. Slow to move out of the Mediterranean, radishes made their first appearance in England in the mid-1500s, but they grew quickly in popularity and accompanied the colonists to America. They are popular for home vegetable gardens because they grow rapidly and you can have multiple harvests each gardening season. The Pennsylvania Dutch ate radishes for breakfast, as do the Japanese and French today. In fact, a popular French breakfast consists of toast spread with herb butter (dill, thyme or oregano go well) layered with thinly sliced radishes and a pinch of salt. The Egyptians harvested the oil from radish seeds before they were introduced to olive oil. Today, it is a potential bio-
fuel. The a n c i e n t Greeks so r e v e r e d radishes that gold replicas were made. This view was not uniformly shared. Roman naturalist and philosopher Pliny vilified radishes, claiming them to be a “vulgar article of the diet” due to their “remarkable power to cause flatulence.” Most of the radishes we are familiar with have a distinctive peppery, sometimes bitter flavor. They are a root vegetable from the mustard family. Their heat is in the skin, so the flavor can be tamed by peeling. In contrast, the Daikon and Satsuma radishes are very mild. Most of their energy goes into growth – up to 3 feet long and weighing up to 100 pounds. Aside from the red globe variety (about 1 inch in diameter) with a solid, crisp flesh, it’s not too difficult to find icicle radishes. These are a white elongated variety with a milder flavor. Black radishes are beginning to appear in markets. They are almost as large as a turnip and have a pungent, drier interior flesh. Radishes make good “diet” food because they have very few calories; their nutritional value emphasizes ascorbic acid
(Vitamin C), folic acid and potassium. Americans consume about 400 million pounds of radishes each year, with the vast majority eaten raw. Nevertheless, they are quite good in stir fries and the leafy tops (if fresh) can be steamed and eaten as a side dish. Add sliced, diced or grated radish into tuna, egg, potato or chicken salad. Sprinkle slivered radishes on chowders, bisques and other thick soups for crunchy texture and spicy flavor. Sauté radishes in a little olive oil, or brush radish halves with olive oil and roast at 450 for 15 minutes to serve as a unique side dish. The following salad of Russian derivation is adapted from a Rachael Ray recipe. It’s something different to accompany a summer barbecue. QUICK RADISH AND WHITE BEAN SALAD 2 cans (15 oz.) cannellini or white beans, rinsed and drained 1 lb. radishes, trimmed and sliced thin (should yield about 3 cups) 1-2 tomatoes, chopped 8 Kalamata olives, pitted 1 T. capers 2 T. chopped parsley 1 T. chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp. dried) 2 T. olive oil 2-3 T. thick (Greek) yogurt Zest and juice of one lemon Salt and pepper to taste
Combine the vegetables and herbs in a large salad bowl. Whisk together the olive oil, yogurt, lemon and salt and pepper in a small bowl, then stir into vegetable mixture.
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
At the Movies
Quirky ‘Star Trek’ a sci fi masterpiece filled with humor and awesome special effects. The opening scene starts with action, putting you in the middle of a firefight. We later find out that this was a fight between Nero and George Kirk, the father of James T. Kirk. The next part of the film is devoted to portraying the growth from child into adulthood of James Kirk and Spock. The two end up meeting in a Starfleet training base, with Kirk cheating on a test that Spock created. This meeting escalates into a rivalry.
THOMAS VO Pioneer Movie Reviewer
If you did not see “Star Trek” on its opening weekend, then you better beg Scotty to beam you down to your local cinema, Warp Speed please. J.J. Abrams (“Lost,” “Fringe”) directs a great cast with an equally great script to science fiction perfection. I am not a “Trekkie” – I’ve seen a handful of episodes and none of the films. But I believe that “Star Trek” represents what any successful sci fi movie should have: good acting, a great script
See Movies, page 22
Est.1972
Smith & Bernal
Roofing
Cruisin’ the world all in a day’s work
Tile repairs Reroof Ventilation Gutter Cleaning Inspections Bird abatement
Jim Briggs was a Pioneer movie reviewer until last year, when he joined a cruise ship band. Home between gigs, we asked him to jot down a few impressions of life aboard a cruise ship. JIM BRIGGS Special to the Pioneer
“So, how’s the ship?” That’s the question I get asked most often. I don’t understand why the question takes this form. I think they’re asking how I’ve been, but it sounds like they’re inquiring about the current state of the ship. Hmmm. I’m a professional musician. From August 13, 2008 until January 10 of this year, I worked as a guitarist in the Royal Court Theatre Orchestra on Cunard’s Queen Victoria. During that time, I traveled to 19 countries on three continents. Now, if you asked “What’s a typical day on the QV?” – that’s an unambiguous question that’s easily answered. On port days, a group of musicians, dancers, singers and techies will go ashore, usually with two goals: food and Wi-Fi. It’s not that we’re dying to sample the local cuisine; we’d just prefer to avoid the crew mess. Usually an hour is spent on Facebook uploading pictures of where we’ve been (this would cost a fortune onboard) and gloating about where we are, leaving smug messages like “Hello from Venice! We’re in Athens tomorrow, then Rome;” or “Just visited the pyramids…How’s the job search coming along btw?” I guess the irony is that we’ve been to all these amazing places, but all we did was check our email and eat grilled cheese sandwiches. (I speak for myself; kebabs aren’t really my thing.) Obviously, there’s much more to do in most of these places, and we always say we’ll get around to it next time. But in the meantime, Twitter’s not going update itself. (Although in Naples, the pizza alone is
Photo courtesy of Jim Briggs
TAKING TIME OFF FROM HIS MUSICIAN DUTIES aboard ship, Jim does some sightseeing with girlfriend, Caroline.
worth the visit.) Sea days are quite different. The orchestra doesn’t usually start work until late afternoon. During the day, we read, practice, exercise, or maybe sleep until 3 or 4 (guilty). On the last sea day of a voyage, the orchestra plays a Dixieland set in the pub, getting the musicians out of bed before noon (the nerve!). Our workday usually begins with a rehearsal with that night’s
guest entertainer. It might be a singer, instrumentalist, comedian, juggler, magician or … gulp … all of the above. We rehearse their show that will be performed at 8:30 and again at 10:45. The acts we back range from brilliant to those who have us wishing Simon Cowell would attend rehearsals. I’m often asked, “Do you like it?” Well, I get paid to play music and travel! It’s a dream
job. That said, I couldn’t do it forever. I don’t like the idea of not living anywhere, of traveling but never getting to know a place, of eating in the crew mess forever. If people want to work on ships, they absolutely should. The lifestyle is kind of like college: you’re away from home for months at a time, you live in a cupboard with someone else and you question the nutritional value of your daily meals. On ships, though, room and board are free. Also like college, I think ships should be a means – not the end itself. It’s a great way to save money, if you can refrain from buying ridiculous souvenirs. (I bought a T-shirt that says “Ukraine: Original.”) But I don’t think it’s a way to live long-term, though people do it. This month, I started on the Queen Victoria. I’m going to save as much as I can, then look for my “end.” Hopefully, it won’t involve seasickness.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
May 22, 2009
Dahlias, phlox take on Clayton’s summer heat NICOLE HACKETT
GARDEN GIRL The heat of the summer season produces some sensational stunners for our beds, borders and containers. Install vibrant, bold colorful plants that explode in your landscapes – it’ll cause you to forget all about the pastels of spring. Outrageous orange, mellow yellow and cunning cabernets are a few of the colors that you could use to wow your garden until fall cools the yard. Mystic is a series of incredible dahlias. These plants are a natural in Clayton Valley landscapes. Mystic dahlias are available in four thrilling colors: Illusions, Desire, Spirit and Dreamer. The names are reflective of the moods that the dahlias set in the garden. The Mystic series of dahlia all possess dramatic, purplishblack foliage. The leaves are lacy and fragile looking. That’s as far as the fragile goes, though. This perennial can stand up to all of our heat and powerful sun. Each of the color selections has a simple 7-8 petal flower, creating an easy star shape. The centers of the blossoms are dark, mirroring the foliage below. CREATING AN ILLUSION Illusion is the clear, yellow selection of the Mystic dahlia. The color of this perennial seems out of place against the dark foliage. This plant contrasts itself. When you add the dark eye of the blossom to the
mix, the results are fantastic. Illusion is so interesting it can stand alone in a container, or join other perennial friends in a garden bed. Install Illusion with hot colored or tropical inspired plants such as canna lilies, leucandendron, abutilon, salvias or hibiscus. If you are going to container grow this selection, under plant with parrot’s beak or sedum tricolor for additional contrast. MY HEART’S DESIRE Desire is my favorite Mystic dahlia. This selection has a glossy, bright orange simple shaped flower. This is not the color of a pumpkin, but rather a persimmon dipped in a glaze. Keep in mind that all the series has dark foliage, and you can’t help but be intrigued by this outrageous selection. Adding Desire to your beds of perennials is a great idea. Mix with echinacea Sundown, Moonshine yarrow and salvia Indigo Spires for a butterfly attracting, sensational party of colors. Container grown Desire combined with tri-color geranium and scaevola New Wonder would be a feast for the eyes. Consider pairing this perennial with chartreuse feverfew and diascia Salmon Supreme for another thrilling container friendship. Mystic Spirit is a touch more subtle. The flower is a light apricot with a dark center. Spirit lends itself to purples and pinks. May Night sage and agastache Acapulco pink will make good companions. TIME FOR SOME INTENSITY Intensia phlox is a newer introduction of short-lived perennial. This plant resembles a wave petunia combined with
sweet William and is totally fab in containers, hanging baskets or garden borders. Intensia phlox is available in six colors. Throughout the growing season, expect Intensia to reach 10-12 inches tall and more than 30 inches wide. This mediumgrowing plant is both useful and colorful. Intensia cabernet is a deep wine hued phlox, almost a red, yet kind of a purple. Install the cabernet with contrasting colors, like the golden yellow of the Early Sunrise coreopsis or Stella d’Oro daylily. Trickle this selection over a moss-rock retaining wall; the reflective heat is no match for Intensia cabernet. Lavender Glow’s color will shine through the summer. Add to a spring planted hanging basket when your pansies wear out. Combine with Gold Marie bidens and superbells white million bells for a dramatic combination.
MYSTIC DAHLIA
time in your yard during summer evenings, than white is the color for you. Both the Intensia phlox and Mystic dahlias are productive
plants that will need a little help to perform to their maximum abilities. Feed either selection with a liquid fertilizer every twothree weeks and water regularly.
Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts and Garden Contact her with questions, comments or suggestions at gardengirl@claytonpioneer.com
WHITE AND PINK PAIR TOGETHER
Intensia pink is available for the pink people. It too would contrast with the Spanish lavender, which is so readily planted throughout the Clayton Valley in the spring. If you grow Shasta daisies, plant Intensia pink phlox. White and pink naturally go together in beds and borders. Since the Intensia phlox blooms longer than the Shasta daisies, you will lengthen color in your garden bed. Starbright is a bi-color Intensia phlox of pink with white margins. Plant this busier selection in a mass for more of a garden statement. White Intensia phlox is available for the twilight gardeners. If you find you spend more
Star Trek, from page 21 But when Nero reappears, hell bent on destroying the Vulcan planet, the two must join forces in order to combat their common enemy. The plot is filled with enough twists and turns to keep the critic interested but is still straightforward enough to keep casual watchers in the loop. The time travel concept was introduced easily, without wasting too much screen time trying to explain it. James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) is the rebel of the story. He grew up without a much of a family and enlists in Starfleet after fighting some cadets in a bar. Spock (Zachary Quinto) is the complete opposite. He is half Vulcan and
half human, and almost never shows emotions. He turns down the Vulcan academy to enlist in Starfleet. He is more experienced and knowledgeable than Kirk. Both characters serve as a foil for the traits of the other. Other standout performances include that of John Cho as Hikaru Sulu, Simon Pegg as Scotty and Anton Yelchin as Pavel Chekov. They all provide comic relief and add nice touches the script. Plus Leonard Nimoy plays the part of future Spock, a nice connection to the original series. The special effects are incredibly well done; everything from the USS Enterprise to the sound
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of lasers set to stun were believable and seamless. Cool little touches, such as the occasionally bright light shining from behind an actor, really boosted the film up and kept the action scenes from being stock sci fi footage. “Star Trek” incorporates a perfect script, great acting and flawless special effects into a sci fi masterpiece. As Spock and Kirk develop their bromance, the audience is able to develop connections with the storyline and characters involved. With a film like this, I sincerely hope that the series will continue to “Live Long and Prosper.” Thomas is a student at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, majoring in business administration and creative writing. He is a freelance photographer and musician.
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George Vujnovich of Better Homes Realty ADDRESS 20 Mount Rainier Ct 1228 Buckeye Terrace 1116 Peacock Creek Drive 502 Mount Dell Drive 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
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4/2.5 4/2.5 4/2.5 4/2 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