DEC 17 Clayton Pioneer 2010.pdf

Mer ry Chri stma s

Look for your next Clayton Pioneer on Jan. 14

and

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IT’S YOUR PAPER www.claytonpioneer.com

December 17, 2010

925.672.0500

Home tour brings holidays to life TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer

DAVE SHUEY

MAYOR’S CORNER On with the serious side of city business I’m back! And the mayor’s messages will never be the same again. Well, in a year they will be but that is for another day.

Now that I am elected, there are a few campaign promises I have to renege on right away before I go broke: 1) Free beer for everyone at Mudville’s.

2) Free mixed drinks for everyone at Moresi’s.

3) Free wine for everyone at La Veranda. (Do you notice a theme of how easy it was to get votes at these establishments?)

See Mayor, page 10 Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

Clayton Counts Down to go forward

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA PERMIT 190

The city’s annual free New Years’ Eve event will go ahead as planned, says Clayton City Clerk, Laci Jackson. A slow economy and late volunteer signups had the event in jeopardy until last week. But a last minute appeals to the community generated enough money to carry the event, this year with a carnival theme, one more time.

The event is entirely subsidized by the community with help from the city and All Out Sports League. Donations are fully tax deductible.

However, says Jackson, volunteers are still desperately needed for setup and cleanup and to help run the event.

Volunteers do not have to attend any meetings, only to provide a couple of hours’ assistance at the event. Volunteers are needed to fill time slots between noon and 9 p.m. To volunteer, call the city clerk at (925) 673-7300, or send an email to ljackson@ci.clayton.ca.us.

Clayton Counts Down Carnival 2010 is at the Clayton Community Gym on New Years Eve from 5-8 p.m.

FIVE LOCAL HOMES WERE OPENED TO VISITORS ON DEC. 10 for the first of what is expected to be an annual Holiday Home Tour by the Clayton Historical Society. Pictured is the decorated dining room in JoAnn Caspar’s Oak St. home.

I remember as a child the seasonal trip around town to look at all the Christmas lights.

Bundled up with pillows and blankets, we would pile in the car after a weeknight dinner to look for the very best rooftop Santa sleigh.

Last week’s Clayton Historical Society Christmas Home Tour reminded me of those annual sojourns that revved up the Christmas spirit.

“You are our 100th visitor,” Sheila Driscoll exclaimed as I walked through the front door of Barbara Allen’s home on Herriman Drive.

It was only a little after 6.

There were still nearly two hours of the tour, which began at noon. “It’s been a steady stream all day,” Driscoll said.

The Historical Society’s popular Home and Garden Tour in the spring has been the major fundraiser for the club, which supports the museum. When

See Home Tour, page 17

Contested vice mayor election breaks with tradition TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer

Councilman Dave “Shoe” Shuey took over the mayor’s duties from outgoing mayor Hank Stratford at the annual City Council reorganization on Dec. 7.

Following tradition, the fivemember City Council unanimously elected Shuey, who served as vice mayor last year.

Shuey is in his third term on the

council. This will be his second time as mayor.

“I anticipate an interesting year,” said Shuey. “(We may not have) budgetary problems, but certainly these are challenging economic times for the city as well as the state.

“And then there’s ‘the elephant in the room’ coming before us this year,” he said, referring to the Clayton Community Church’s proposed worship center on Main

Street. The project calls for an amendment to the Town Center Specific Plan and a waiver of parking requirements. Both must be approved by the City Council.

“Anytime there is religion involved, although this is more a land use issue, there are potential divisions forming in the community, and both sides think they are right,” Shuey said.

See Council, page 18

Hoffmeister takes lead as Concord council begins new era

Flora Square leases bring life to west end

DENISEN HARTLOVE Clayton Pioneer

Spirits were high at the Dec. 7 Concord City Council meeting, as retiring members were lauded, freshmen took their oaths of office and a new mayor was appointed to lead the city into the coming year.

The meeting, which started at 6:30 p.m. and went on for nearly three hours, was standing room only for council supporters and community members, as well as dignitaries from other cities and state agencies.

See Concord, page 7

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

OUTGOING MAYOR HANK STRATFORD (left) and new mayor David Shuey exchange gavels at the City Council reorganization meeting on Dec. 7.

TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer

Photo by Mike Dunn

NEW CONCORD CITY COUNCILMEMBERS TIM GRAYSON and Ron Leone joined returning member Laura Hoffmeister in taking their oaths of office, before starting the hard work of as city recovers from the effects of the recession.

What’s Inside Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Car Tuned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Church News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Community Calendar . . . . . . . . . . .16 Cookie Contest Results . . . . . . . .19 Directory of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . .5 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Holiday Shopping Guide . . . . . . .20

Three new businesses have inked deals with the owners of the Flora Square building at the corner of Oak and Center Streets.

A produce store, a sandwich shop and a fitness studio will fill the ground floor spaces which have been vacant since the build-

Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Parenting Today . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Readers' Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Safety Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 School News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

ing was finished in 2007.

A family owned company with produce stores in Concord and Walnut Creek will open a farmers market in the 2000 square feet on the corner of the building. Building owner Steve Thomas projects a late spring or early summer opening.

Levity, Longevity Fitness

See Flora Square, page 8

Senior Moments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Teen Speak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Time to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Weather Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Your Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

December 17, 2010

Around Town Blue Star Moms get wrapped up in the season

CV families join in fight against pulmonary hypertension

Photo by Mike Dunn

CONTRA COSTA BLUE STAR MOMS with some of the 400 boxes of supplies collected for the troops. From front: Laurie Arbour, Nancy Porfirio, Loretta Masnada, Debi Fautt, Iris Yunck, Jeanie Urban, Julie Hall, Jan MacDonell, Franca Schepis, Becky Kummer, Patricia Wendt and Connie Schulte.

More than 25 Contra Costa Blue Star Moms and volunteers were busily working at the group’s storage units on Dec. 4.

Their goal was to pack, box and ship 400 care packages to people serving in the military overseas.

“We have the help of a Scout from San Ramon working on his Eagle Scout project and a Girl Scout working on her Girl Scout project,” says Laurie Arbour, whose son is in the Marines at Camp Pendleton. “Clayton Valley High School Public Service Academy has a number of volunteers who have been amazing. The community has also been remarkable. We just have had great donations. It’s all been good.”

According to Arbour, Bank of America employees made Christmas ornaments and the boxes also contain other holiday mementos. The Blue Star Moms’ sewing group made 400 pillow cases to include.

“We end it with letters from home and letters from lots of the public that we have been getting from the last six months,” she adds.

For the year, Chapter 20 shipped more than 1,000 boxes for its Kuwait and K9 projects.

“The packages include candy, treats, hot chocolate, oatmeal – anything that they can make out in the field that’s better than an MRE,” says chapter president Nancy Porfirio, who’s son is in the Army in Kandahar, Afghanistan. “Also, toys, stuffed animals, pencils and paper so they can write home are greatly appreciated. It’s like a mom in a box.”

For more information, visit ccbluestarmoms.org or call 8760724. Donations may be sent to Contra Costa Blue Star Moms California Chapter 20 P.O. Box 6379, Concord, CA 94524.

- Mike Dunn

Clayton Windmill Canyon at Oakhurst Country Club! Fantastic Single Story!

PENDING

Take a deep breath. Easy, wasn’t it?

Not for those with pulmonary hypertension disorder.

PH, a rare lung disorder in which the blood pressure in the pulmonary artery is far above normal levels, severely constricts breathing and quality of life. Life expectancy is also greatly diminished.

To raise awareness, several Clayton Valley High School students and staff participated in Stanford’s Race against Pulmonary Hypertension on Nov. 7.

CV families know of the generous contributions that former college counselor and vice principal Cheryl and Jim Long made to CV, but many aren’t aware that their daughter, Kimberly Tryhorn Nunes (CV class of 1990), suffers from PH.

Crystyl Ranch! Beautiful Two-Story in a Quiet Circle Setting!

Jim Frazier, owner of the Best Little Hairhouse in Clayton, Hair by Jim, knows how to make lemonade from

JIM FRAZIER

lemons. Frazier lost his business when a Thanksgiving Day fire destroyed the historic red building where he had his salon. But, the loss was only temporary. Moved by a “vando” spirit, Frazier quickly located a mobile hair salon in Redondo Beach, drove down and picked up the van. He was back in business a week after the fire. It will be parked at the Main Street location.

Frazier will move to permanent quarters in the building next door in February.

Hair by Jim is open Thursday through Monday “I started this schedule when the kids were little so I could volunteer in their classrooms. It still work for me.

For appointments, call (925) 826-6329.

Clayton Diablo Ridge at Oakhurst Country Club! Prime View lot backs to golf course/fairway

Jennifer Stojanovich Realtor-Associate Lifelong Concord/ Clayton Resident.

(925) 567-6170 jenstojanovich@yahoo.com

www.jenniferstojanovich.com

Pioneer goes along with Barbara Bassett on Eqyptian tour The Pioneer stowed away in Barbara Bassett’s suitcase when she met an old friend for a tour

BARBARA BASSETT

of Egypt in early November.

Here we are at the Sphinx in Egypt.

On the weeklong trip, we visited Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, Wadi el Natrun and Marsa Matruh. The highlight of the trip was definitely Agiba Beach (The Amazing Beach) near Marsa Matruh, a large waterfront town built around a charming bay of clear Mediterranean waters in lower Egypt, where we ate Movenpik ice cream.

Send your news and photos of births, engagements, weddings, special recognitions, etc. to info@claytonpioneer.com.

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Nunes understands first-hand the immense struggles PH patients face.

“The hardest day-to-day part about my disease for me is being unable to be fully engaged with my kids,” Nunes blogs. “I have to plan out any excursions with them based upon accessibility for me (especially no inclines) and even the stairs at their school are cause for me skipping some events.”

She must carry a device that continuously pumps medication into a heart catheter. While drugs slow the progression of PH, there is no cure. PH also inflicts children, like Clayton’s 8-yearold Katie Grace Groebner.

PARTICIPATING IN THE 5K RUN for pulmonary One way to work toward a cure is to hypertension are JP DeSousa, Jack Loflin,

Clayton Peacock Creek at Oakhurst Country Club! Huge “Belvedere” model backing to open space!

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Merry Christmas and r a e Y w e N Happy

December 17, 2010

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page 3

Around Town for the Holidays Clayton Lights Up

Mrs. Claus takes center stage Local kids and their parents had a chance to chat with Santa’s better half at the Dessert with Mrs. Claus event sponsored by the CBCA on Dec. 11 at Endeavor Hall.

Out on the patio, Santa took names and checked lists in preparation for Christmas Eve. Pictured: Top Mrs. Claus with Aidan, Zoe and Tristan Fossan.

Bottom left: Event organizer Sydney Alcock (right) with her chief elf, Jody Sparks. Bottom right Grandma Kathy Yonge with grandson Riley and Santa.

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

Photo by: Steve Pierce

Neighborhood kids vie for top ‘cookie decorator’ Kids and adults alike had a great time at the 8th Annual Kenston-Tiffin Cookie Decorating contest hosted by Mike and Cindy Pearsall. The competition was fierce, the cookies and hors d’oerves were yummy and everyone had a great time.

Winner of the Adult competition was Tiffany Welker with her snowman embellished stocking cookie, and the Kids division was won by Jadyn Harris with her beautifully detailed Christmas Tree cookie. The top prize is bragging rights ‘til next year.

Clayton turned out once again in big numbers for the annual Christmas Tree Lighting on Dec. 4. Festivities began at 4:30 with the clip-clop of horse-drawn carriage rides sponsored by local Realtors Stephanie Lopez and Leigh Klock and the Ed Moresi Family. As the carriage ferried riders around town at dusk, there was a magical feel as the Christmas lights all over town come to life.

This was the second year for the carriage rides “It was so fun to see the smiles on the kids,” says Realtor Stephanie Lopez. “We hope to see everyone back again next year.”

Later, everyone gathered at the gazebo for some Christmas music by the Mt. Diablo Elementary School chorus. At the close of the concert, Santa, who arrived at the park by police car, led the crowd up Main Street to the town tree where he pulled the switch and lit up the tree.

Many stopped along the way for

cider and donuts at Clayton Community Church. Christmas 2010 in Clayton had officially arrived.

Photos clockwise from top: MDES chorus at the Gazebo; Tree Lighting at the town tree on Main Street; The Cinderella carriage sponsored by Stephanie Lopez and Leigh Klock and the Moresi Family.

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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

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Businesses appreciate customers who spend holiday dollars near home DENISEN HARTLOVE Clayton Pioneer

This year, many Clayton residents are giving the gift of their patronage to local businesses.

Small store owners have continued to suffer the effects of the recession, but many residents who previously went online and to nationwide chain stores are instead spending their money in town to help the businesses they know and love.

City numbers are showing the effect of that support. A June memo from Clayton’s city manager to the City Council characterized an increase in sales tax revenues of 2 percent as “a very promising sign.”

Sara Skow, who owns the local gift shop the Royal Rooster, is grateful for the added business.

Sales during the weekend after Thanksgiving showed a significant jump over last year.

“Overall, the loyal customer base is what has been keeping us going during this difficult time for independent retail. We have a lot of loyal customers who don’t want to see us go anywhere.”

Susan Safipour is one of those customers. “We are absolutely shopping locally,” she said. “On Sunday, I was shopping on Amazon, about to put in my credit card, when I suddenly realized: What am I doing? And I canceled the order. Yes, it was going to be easy, but we love Clayton and we’d much rather keep our money in town.”

Melanie Alarcon has coowned R&M Pool, Patio and Garden with her husband Roy since 1983. The store, which specializes in pool/spa supplies and garden decor, has experienced sig-

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December 17, 2010

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Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

SARA SKOW, OWNER OF THE ROYAL ROOSTER on Diablo Street downtown, says business is better this year than last. “Loyal customers are the key.”

nificant losses in the last few years, but she is determined to persevere.

“I’m going to open tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that,” she vowed.

Getting Clayton shoppers to shop downtown is still an uphill battle, says Alarcon.

Although Clayton resident Jane Gerow passes through downtown Clayton two or three times a day on her way to work and errands, like many others she continues on down the road to Concord or Walnut Creek for “the practical items I need at an affordable price.”

Alarcon says that price savings is a common but incorrect assumption made by people who do their shopping in the big box stores. “I think the big misconception is that a small business is

more expensive. But that’s not the case. People are looking for cheaper, and they’re not doing their homework,” she said, noting differences in quality and customer service in addition to price.

“I think our customer service is outstanding,” Alarcon added.

“The people who work here are very helpful. It is a rare thing that anybody carries their own bag out of here.”

In addition to buying gifts at Royal Rooster and treating themselves to mochas at Cup o’Jo, Matt and Trish Brown find local stores to be more convenient than driving miles down the road, particularly for everyday needs.

“We invariably need a loaf of bread or eggs or butter or something, and it’s so easy to run to the Village Market,” said Trish.

“Literally, it’s just 10 minutes to

run your errand and come home.”

Like many others around them, Ed’s Mudville Grill and Moresi’s Chophouse have been affected by the economy.

“Business is challenging,” admitted owner Ed Moresi.

But he has faith in the local community. “I personally feel the Clayton Valley area likes to support downtown Clayton,” he said.

Brown agreed. “You feel like you’re shopping from your neighbors,” she said.

Skow noted that shopping locally creates a win-win situation for customers and shop owners alike. “If everybody remembers to stay focused on our local economy, then when things improve we won’t have a bunch of empty businesses.”

Shop local, Shop Clayton.

December 17, 2010

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

City of Clayton now accepting applications

P.O. Box 1246 6200 Center Street, Suite H, Clayton, CA 94517 TAMARA AND R OBERT S TEINER , Publishers TAMARA S TEINER , Editor R ANDY W ENGER , Display Advertising P ETE C RUZ , Graphic Design B EV B RITTON , Copy Editor J AY B EDECARRÉ, Sports PAMELA W IESENDANGER , Administrative Assistant S TAFF W RITERS : Denisen Hartlove, Jay Hartlove, Lou Fancher, Nicci Shipstead, Pam Wiesendanger, Mike Dunn

We remember Jill Bedecarré - Her spirit is our muse

PIONEER INFO CONTACT US Tel: (925) 672-0500 Fax: (925) 672-6580 Tamara Steiner tamara@claytonpioneer.com Randy Wenger Randy@claytonpioneer.com Send ads to ads@claytonpioneer.com Send Sports News to sports@claytonpioneer.com Send Club News to clubnews@claytonpioneer.com Send Church News to churchnews@claytonpioneer.com

Send School News to schoolnews@claytonpioneer.com

CLASSIFIEDS Classified rates per insertion: Non-profit: $12 for first 30 words, $.20 each additional word Individual/non-commercial: $18 for first 30 words, $.30 each additional word Commercial: $48 for first 30 words, $.40 each additional word To place your classified ad over the phone, call the office at (925) 6720500 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Mon.-Fri. Or, you may fax your typewritten ad and credit card information to (925) 672-6580. All classifieds must be paid for in advance by credit card (Master Card or Visa) We will not accept any ad that dis-

criminates on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, nationality, family status or disability. The Clayton Pioneer reserves the right to reject any advertising we believe is unsuitable.

LET US KNOW Weddings, engagements, anniversaries, births and deaths all weave together as part of the fabric of our community. Please let us know of these important events. We ask only that the announcement be for a Clayton resident. You will find the appropriate form for your announcement on our Website. Attach your photo to the form. Make sure the image size you are about to send is at least 3 MB but not bigger than 6MB. The only format we accept is JPG. You can also mail or bring your print to the office and we can scan it for you.

Also on our Website are forms for submitting Community Calendar items and press releases for your organization.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Clayton Pioneer welcomes letters from our readers. As a general rule, letters should be 250 words or less and submitted at least one week prior to publication date. Letters concerning current issues will have priority. We may edit letters for length and clarity. All letters will be published at the editor’s discretion.

Please include your name, address and daytime telephone number. We will not print letters from “anonymous.”

E-mail your letter in a Word document to tamara@claytonpioneer.com. Letters MUST be submitted via E-mail.

Clayton resident to serve as Appointed member on the County Advisory Council on Aging The Contra Costa County Advisory Council on Aging advises the County Area Agency on Aging on all matters related to the development and administration of senior programs throughout the County, in accordance with the mandates of the Older Americans Act. The Council is comprised of 40 members, appointed by the County Board of Supervisors in partnership with the local cities and the membership committee of the council. Each city has one designated appointee.

Members are appointed by the respective city councils from each of the 18 cities in Contra Costa County. The term of office is Jan.1, 2010 to Jan. 1, 2012 The Advisory Council meets monthly in Concord, 9:30 a.m. noon on the third Wednesday. Members also choose one of four work groups on which to serve: Housing, Health, Transportation and Legislative Advocacy. These groups meet monthly in Martinez. Mileage expenses to and from meetings are reimbursable.

To apply, send a letter of interest to the mayor at city of Clayton, 6000 Heritage Trail, Clayton 94517, or email ljackson@ci.clayton.ca.us. The mayor will review applications, interview applicants, and recommend appointment to the city council.

Installations – Repairs Toilets Faucets Water heaters Garbage disposals Clogged drains

Belfast Plumbing

Page 5

Directory of Advertisers Holiday Guide A & H Limousine Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200-2824 Bella Mia Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-7792 Butler Limousine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-5466 Cegielski Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-2855 Clayton Bicycle Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2522 Hunhoff, Ashley - AAA Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . .287-7265 Kommer, Paul - Merrill Lynch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .988-2111 Mason, Christina D.D.S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1559 Moresi’s Chophouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1333 Pet Suites Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .432-7387 Postal Annex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-5246 R & M Pool, Patio, Gifts and Gardens . . . . . . . . .627-0207 SNAP Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-0110 Sweet Bakery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0936 The Royal Rooster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-2025 The UPS Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6245 Auto Clayton Valley Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3900 Mike's Auto Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-1739 Construction and Trades Appliance Repairs by Bruce, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2700 Belfast Plumbing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .457-5423 Burkin Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212-3339 Handyman Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .639-4209 J&J’s Final Coat Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .625-5849 LHI Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-9941 Mitolo Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2460 Smith and Bernal Roofing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0138 Tipperary Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-2679 Dentist Renner, Jason D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-2800 Rissel, Richard D.M.D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-2800 Dining and Entertainment Clayton Club Saloon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-0440 Willows Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .957-2500

Credit Cards accepted: Visa, MasterCard, Discover

(925) 457-5423 www.belfastplumbing.com License. 906211

Financial and Insurance Services Benton, Mureleen - Ameriprise Financial . . . . . .685-4523 Littorno, Richard - Attorney at Law . . . . . . . . . . .672-6463 ProFit Business Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-1025 Turner, Mary Anne - Farmer’s Insurance . . . . . . .348-7781 Van Wyck, Doug - State Farm Insurance . . . . . . .672-2300 Fitness Naruschchen, Margaret - Yoga Shala . . . . . . . . .349-4686

Classified SERVICES Child Care Active, stay-at-home Mom looking to give you a break and give your child a fun experience. Home professionally child proofed. Beautiful, gated community (Montecito Homes). Available days, Mon-Sat. 686-6252.

Girl Gardening Garden care for your roses, perennials and ornamentals. Monthly pruning and fertilizing services.

Plant suggestions and installation.

If you want more flowers this year, call or email Nicole Hackett 6731746, or gardengirl94517@yahoo.com.

WANTED Real Estate Agents Be Successful! Lynne French is expanding and interviewing for a few agents. Call her today (925) 672-8787.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Help Fight Hunger Anna Chan - AKA: The Lemon Lady needs your help!

Volunteers are needed to haul donated produce from Farmers' Markets to food pantries throughout the area. Weekly commitment appreciated. Please contact Anna at 672-1988 or AnnaAndAva@gmail.com.

Meals on Wheels Drivers 1 – 1 1/2 per week. Drivers and relief drivers needed for delivery of Meals on Wheels in East County.

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

Funerals Moore’s Mission Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-1100 Ouimet Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4242 Home and Garden Abbey Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-9901 Alexander KAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .977-1616 Clear Splash Pool Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-6245 Diablo Lawnscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .381-3757 Diablo View Flooring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .820-8700 Navlet’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .681-0550 Nichols Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9955 Utopic Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0055 Personal Services Frontier Salon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6900 Pet Services Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1100 Rodie’s Feed and Pet Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4600 Real Estate and Mortgage Services Brandt, Steve - Real Estate Group . . . . . . . . . . . .324-1138 Flannery, Patty - Diablo Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0541 French, Lynne - Windermere Real Estate . . . . . .672-8787 Klock, Leigh - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212-5593 Laurence, Pete - RE/MAX Realty . . . . . . . . . . . .890-6004 Lopez, Stephanie - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . .932-7329 Mazzei, Matt -Mazzei Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-0757 Vujnovich, George - Better Homes Realty . . . . .672-4433 Recreation Clayton Valley Bowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-4631 DFC Soccer Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-4625 Earthquake Arabians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .360-7454 Retail East Bay Work Wear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .687-9900 Sport Chalet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .521-7009 Senior Services Aegis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .692-5838 Diamond Terrace Senior Retirement Living . . . . .524-5100 The Chateaus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-1700

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.

Services, Other Air Cloud Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-4119 x 2 Computers USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9989 Net Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6029 Recycling Center & Transfer Station . . . . . . . . . .473-0180

Clayton Historical Society Museum Call the museum at 672-0240.

Travel Cruise Adventures Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .935-7447 Travel to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9840

Clayton Community Library.

673-9777 or email: akikkawa@ccclib.org

Worship Eternal Life Lutheran Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0295

Page 6

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

December 17, 2010

City honors Clayton Valley’s Middendorf ’s fundraising JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer

Outgoing Concord Mayor Guy Bjerke made as one of his last acts in office last week the presentation of the 2010 Mayor’s Community Service Award to Clayton Valley High School athletic director Pat Middendorf.

The award to the Clayton educator was for her initiative in forming and serving as chair of the United Mt. Diablo Athletic Foundation, which has raised funds to maintain sports programs in the six high schools of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District.

“The Mayor’s Community

Service Award is given to a person of the mayor’s choice, whom he/she feels has made a significant contribution to the citizens of Concord,” says Concord city clerk Mary Rae Lehman.

The last honoree, in 2008, was a former Clayton resident, Dan Ashley. Along with corecipient Dave Goldman, Ashley has supported the Friends of Camp Concord program – including an annual golf tournament that helps send needy children to the camp at South Lake Tahoe.

“I presented the 2010 Mayor’s Award to Pat for her leadership of UMDAF and to raise awareness about the acute

Metro 1 to merge with Travis Credit Union Executives at Travis Credit Union announced that a merger with Metro 1 Credit Union is targeted for completion by late spring, 2011. The proposal to merge the two long-standing credit unions, which was accepted by the National Credit Union Administration on Nov. 3, adds more than 19,000 members and $177 million dollars in assets to Travis Credit Union.

“This merger combines two outstanding financial institutions,” says Patsy Van Ouwerkerk, president and CEO of Travis Credit Union. “We look forward to serving the financial needs of our new members at Metro 1, while expanding our own branch network to include more locations. The merger of these two credit unions provides additional strength and security for all members.”

Although the actual conversion of member records and systems

will not occur until late spring, 2011, the two credit unions will combine their financial statements as of Dec. 31, 2010.

The local Travis branch is in the Clayton Valley Center with headquarters in Vacaville. Travis Credit Union is a not-for-profit, cooperative financial institution serving those who live or work in Solano, Yolo, Sacramento, Placer, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Napa, Contra Costa, Alameda, Sonoma, Colusa, and Merced Counties. Currently, Travis Credit Union is the 17th largest credit union in California, with more than 160,000 members and over $1.6 billion in assets. As one of the leading financial institutions in Solano, Contra Costa, Yolo, Napa, and Merced Counties, Travis Credit Union’s strength lies in its faithful commitment to its members; its solid, secure history; and its long-standing track record of dedicated service.

need for financial support to save high school athletics,” Bjerke said at the Dec. 7 meeting.

“Without her constant, enthusiastic support and valiant efforts, the program would not have gotten off the ground.”

During her comments, Middendorf applauded the “phenomenal” 12 members of the fundraising board. The board staged successful 5K Walk/Runs at Newhall Park in Concord during the falls of 2009 and ’10 as the major fundraisers toward the annual goal of providing $1.2 million to fund all the boys and girls sports programs at Clayton Valley, Concord, Ygnacio Valley, Northgate, Mt.

Diablo and College Park high schools.

Middendorf was adamant that all fundraising dollars be shared equally among the six schools.

UMDAF is also the major recipient from the annual Bay Area KidFest in May at Mt. Diablo High. The high school sports programs provide volunteer help for the event.

Middendorf is a teacher and athletic director at Clayton Valley. She and her husband Jim have raised their three children in Clayton. She formerly was the girls soccer coach of the Eagles.

Photo by Denise Bjerke

For more information, visit unitedmtdiabloathletics.org.

CONCORD MAYOR GUY BJERKE, right, lauds the “valiant efforts” of CVHS athletic director Pat Middendorf in helping save high school sports.

CBS honors food pantry volunteer DANA GUZZETTI Clayton Pioneer

GEORGE CONLOW helps sort food for the St. Bonaventure’s Food Pantry.

Conlow will receive the Jefferson Award for his community service on Jan. 13.

For more than 20 years, George Conlow has quietly gone about the business of finding and delivering food to Central Contra Costa residents who are most in need. For seven days a week, morning and night, he has been driving and unloading food, organizing, answering phones and doing paperwork to support the Share Food Pantry in Concord.

On Jan 13, CBS TV-5 will present the final 2010 Jefferson Award for community service to Conlow at a ceremony at the Herbst Theatre in San Francisco Clayton’s Anna Chan, also a Jefferson Award recipient, recommended Conlow for the honor.

“When I received the award, I immediately thought about George,” says Chan, the Lemon

Lady, who gathers produce for the needy.

“Who do you know who works six to eight hours a day for 20 years for free? This is someone who does it just because he loves people,” Chan adds.

Conlow seems uncomfortable about receiving public recognition for his work. However, Chan and countless others have watched as Conlow spends the majority of his time providing for others and inspiring volunteers.

The food pantry opened in 1986, after a group of people from various churches in the Faith Council got together to help the poor. “None of us got into it for recognition,” Conlow says. “In the beginning, we were not only giving food, but transportation and shelter. As prices for transportation and shelter went up, we decided to just do food.”

Tough economic times have made it ever more challenging.

Conlow’s heart attacks and health problems also have put limits on his strength. Still Conlow, his wife Lynda and friends persistently find a way to deliver about $5,000 worth of food per month through the Share Food Pantry organization, with help from churches such as St. Bonaventure, First Christian Church and St. Agnes in Concord.

“I am in awe of it. No matter how much we do, there is always that much more to be done,” Conlow says of the program. “It is my way of paying back. I have been so blessed.”

The city of Concord’s Human Relations Commission also recently awarded Conlow the Humanitarian Award. The retired Chevron executive speaks glowingly of his family and their tradition of volunteerism.

“My wonderful wife Lynda allows me to do this. She is the same way. She worked with Girls Scout and Boy Scouts,” Conlow reports. “Our daughter is a teacher and our son is a businessman in Boston. They both went to UC Davis. I have so much to be thankful for.”

Conlow’s wish is that he will have enough food to distribute for the holidays. “We have been falling short every month and we are using all of the reserves we have been able to build up,” he says. “The organization has been receiving about $600 to $800 per month worth of Food Bank purchasing power in donations monthly.”

The Food Pantry uses up its annual FEMA allocation within the first three months of the year and then must draw down its reserves. Individual churches, the Boy Scouts, the Post Office and supermarkets contribute to the cause. “Chevron has helped and other Chevron retirees volunteer,” Conlow notes.

The only requirement for aid is that recipients be residents of Central Contra Costa County. “A lot of them don’t go to church and we don’t evangelize,” he said.

“If they ask a question, we refer them to the church that they grew up in.”

The Food Pantry also saw high demand during the tech industry downturn. When tech workers found employment, they donated their time and even some money. “Sometimes we get donations from the parents of people whom we have helped. We hope that will happen again,” Conlow says.

“There is always a call for food and volunteers, but we never had a fundraiser or asked for money.

By word of mouth, it would come in and somehow everything works out,” he concludes.

Donations may be delivered to the Share Food Pantry at the First Christian Church, 3039 Willow Pass Road, Concord. For more information, visit sharefoodpantry.blogspot.com.

December 17, 2010

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com

Page 7

Readers’ Forum

Share your

Holidays with the Horses

Don’t let food scraps end their lives too soon KARA KOHLER Special to the Pioneer

As the season’s bounty fills our kitchens in preparation for holiday feasts, one unsuspecting source may be getting more than its fair share of leftovers.

Think of all the clipping, snipping and peeling it takes to make that green bean casserole or those much-anticipated mash potatoes. I think it is safe to assume the scraps will be

headed straight to the trash bins to hide the evidence.

Most of us don’t even think twice before chucking our apple core in the trash.

This trend of disposing of food scraps along with yard trimmings into our trash bins makes for nearly 30 percent of the country’s waste output.

When organic waste is sent to a landfill, it takes up spaces needed for other wastes.

Landfills also deprive the organic matter of oxygen,

which leads to the production of environmentally problematic gases. This is not only costly to the environment but economically inefficient as well.

Just because you may not be an occupational farmer gives no excuse to deny your food scraps the life they once knew in earth’s soil.

Composting is simply a natural form of recycling nutrients back to the soil.

You can compost just about all your unused produce

Earthquake Arabians

Holiday Camp

scraps, aside from dairy, meat, fish, oils and fats. Any hard container can do the job.

Some cities offer composting services to properly dispose of this rich waste. If not, other options include public composting sites or community gardens.

Better yet, start your own garden to enjoy the wonders of composting.

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Letters to the Editor

Drill gives CERT members chance to practice skills

Watch out for email scams

Clayton Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers put their training to work in a field exercise on Nov. 6 when 15 members were joined by volunteer

(Some time ago) my father, an 89-year-old WWII veteran who proudly displays his purple heart on all his clothing, began receiving hundreds of legal-looking sweepstakes mailings from scam artists who target the elderly, telling him he was a winner and all he had to do was mail in a “processing fee” to receive thousands.

We may never know how long this had been going on, but after an alert phone call from the bank, we found that his checking account had been compromised along with the use of his credit card. After filing a police report with a very informative Clayton Police Officer, closing both accounts, getting an unlisted number . . . and having all his mail forwarded, things are improving. As of this date, we have now received over 400 sweepstakes mailings, all of which would have been in my father’s hands and more loss of money would have occurred.

Watch your parents closely, keep an eye on their mail and pay attention to who is phoning them…

- Lynn Zweig

Thank you to city workers On Sat., Nov. 20, the CBCA decorated downtown Clayton for the Christmas holiday season. I have been one of the decorating volunteers for the past 5 or 6 years and find it a very rewarding experience. I would like to personally thank the group of men from Diablo Valley Ranch who come out to help us each year. They are a good natured and very hard working bunch of guys and we couldn’t do it without them.

With their help, we were able to finish the ground level decorations in about 4 hours. Also, I would like to give a big thank you to John Johnston, maintenance supervisor for the City of Clayton. Each year, rain or shine, John is there with his cherry picker doing all the high level work. He decorates the Christmas tree and hangs the banners and wreaths from the light poles – both downtown and on the main arterial ways.

While our work is done in only half a day, John is out there all day Saturday and a good chunk of Sunday. And then he has to take it all down again after the first of the New Year. Many years I have seen John doing this work all by himself, but this year he had the help of fellow city maintenance worker, Dan Johnston. Thank you, John and Dan, for a job well done.

- Sincerely, Linda Pinder

victims, the police department and personnel from American Medical Response.

The CERT program teaches basic survival skills and self sufficiency in the event of a major

Photo courtesy Clayton CERT

disaster. The volunteers used basic radio communications skills and search and rescue techniques learned in the eight week CERT training.

Kathleen Pritchard “It was an excellent learning experience.” said Kathleen Pritchard of Concord. “I learned the importance of being “upwind” in an instance where there may be poisonous substances in the air. I had read this in the manual but it went completely out of my mind when confronted by a chlorine leak in the drill.”

The next Clayton CERT training session will start in April 2011. Send any comments or questions to ClaytonCERT@yahoo.com or go to www.claytoncert.org for additional information on CERT.

Call now to start protecting your dream.

Mary Anne Young-Turner Insurance Services

(925) 348-7781 Mturner3@farmersagent.com Lifelong Clayton Valley resident

Lic. 0H01841

CERT MEMBERS PRACTICE THEIR RECENTLY LEARNED SKILLS on volunteer victims at the CERT drill on Nov. 6. From left: Leif Johansson, Mary MacPropersi, Evelyn Magas, Mary Mingay.

Concord, from page 1 Outgoing Mayor and Councilman Guy Bjerke spoke of the council’s recent accomplishments, including adopting a reuse plan for the Concord Naval Weapons Station and working to balance the city’s budget.

“All in all, we have done a lot of good work this year. I am very proud that we accomplished these things and that we did so while I was mayor,” he said.

“I feel the community feels they are respected, that you really honored their opinion and that you were there to serve them,” said visiting Supervisor Susan Bonilla, who along with State Assemblyman Mark DeSaulnier presented each of the council’s outgoing members with certificates honoring their service.

Helen Allen stepped down as well, following 17 years on the council. Prior to serving Concord, Allen was mayor of Clayton.

Fellow council members praised and gently teased Allen, who is arguably their most colorful member, about everything from her gigantic purses to her willingness to fight for what she thought was best for the city’s residents.

“You get straight talk from Helen, whether you want it, whether you like it, or not,” noted Mark Peterson.

“Yes, I’ve been straightforward; yes, I’ve been blunt,” she responded. “If you aren’t clear with what you say, all you’re doing is beating around the bush. And that isn’t smart.”

Peterson announced his resignation from the City Council as well, effective Jan. 1. He won the hotly contested race for Contra Costa County district attorney.

“I leave with good feelings about what we did,” said Peterson, who was especially proud of the 30 percent drop in crime in the city since he came onto the Council in 1995.

“There’s always more you’d like to do, but I feel proud of what I’ve accomplished.”

He had advice for the new members of the council. “Listen to everyone; consider all the facts from staff and from the public and from your fellow council members,” he said. “But then you need to be able to make a decision and it needs to be your own decision.”

New council members Ron Leone and Tim Gardner joined returning member Laura Hoffmeister to take the oath of office.

“I recognize that, due to the recession, we are in for some difficult times,” said Leone. “What I hope over the next four years is to be able to bring something to the table to assist the city in helping us forward through these economic times.”

“We have some very important problems to solve,” said Councilman Bill Shinn. “With this new era that’s beginning tonight, we have an opportunity to create a new team, a new approach, perhaps building on what’s left behind of a city that’s been decimated by budget cuts and economic downturns.”

Hoffmeister was unanimously elected to serve her fourth time as mayor. Leone was elected vice mayor.

Hoffmeister thinks it may take time, but she sees an optimistic future for Concord. “It’s not going to be a quick rebound,” she said. “But it’s going to be a slow improvement over a long period of time.”

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Page 8

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Low interest more important than cost in deciding when to buy

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I am trying to time my Q home purchase. Which is more important – low home prices or low interest rates?

The short answer is interest rates. Over the life of the loan, you come out way ahead with a low interest rate. But in the current market, we have both.

The other short answer for timing your home purchase is “do it now.” Home prices are low and interest rates are the lowest in history but threatening to rise.

A few days ago, rates went down in response to a surprising increase in unemployment. The debt crises in Europe also are helping rates.

However, two days later, the rates shot up a half of a percent in response to the announcement that the Bush tax cuts would be extended. This happened for two reasons. The tax cut extension is seen as a strong economic stimulus, and rates go up on expectation of a stronger economy. To a lesser extent, the tax cut extension is seen as an exacerbation of the deficit problem which pushes rates upward.

If inflation remains in check, rates may rise. Policy makers think the economy is too weak to

A

handle higher rates right now.

Interest rates will go up for many reasons. The only question is when. Now is a great time to buy a home.

My husband and I would like to get a home equity line of credit to do some home improvements. We have been in our home a long time, so we believe we have some equity. We also own a home that we rent out. I have heard that qualifying is much harder these days. Are these loans hard to get?

Home equity lines of credit are still available from most banks and some large financial planning firms. However, you need strong qualifications: usually an 80 percent combined loan to value, which equates to 20 percent equity in the home.

Our loan affiliate, JVM Lending, is often referring people to Schwab and Ameriprise financial planning firms because their terms are the best (no cost, no fees). Ameriprise goes to 90 percent combined loan to value.

This is a higher loan to value than most other lenders.

They haven’t found any lenders who offer equity lines against non-owner occupied (investment) properties.

Q

A

New Hospice program fills patients’ needs

In searching for a home, my Q family and I have seen many undesirable homes. The foreclosures and even many of the short sales need so much fixing they weren’t a possibility for us.

We finally found the perfect home for us. It was the best home we have seen. It was in a prime location and beautifully appointed in every way.

When we made an offer, we found out that there were multiple offers. We were shocked, as we thought this was a buyer’s market. We are now in escrow with this home after paying well over the asking price. We love the home, but I feel foolish. Do you think we over paid?

For homes such as the one you described, we aren’t in a buyer’s market. It is hard to negotiate a below market price on a property that is in so much demand. Chances are you would have to spend more than market value to purchase and fix the deferred maintenance on one of the lesser properties you mentioned. And you still would not have the ideal location.

If you are looking for a type of property that is hard to find and you have looked long enough to know that the proper-

A

LYNNE FRENCH

REAL ANSWERS ty is what you want for your long-term enjoyment, it might make sense to pay a little more.

Update: Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac are freezing all foreclosure evictions on the mortgage loans they own or back from Dec. 20 through Jan. 3.

The foreclosure attorneys will do this to “provide a greater measure of certainty” to families during the holidays.

Most of the large banks already observe a moratorium through the new year, unless the foreclosure involves an investor who chooses not to observe the holiday policy. (Such as Ebenezer Scrooge.)

Send your question and look for an answer in a future column. E-mail Lynne@LynneFrench.com. French is the broker/owner of Windermere Lynne French & Associates and a Clayton resident. For any real estate needs or questions, contact her at 6728787 or stop in at 6200 Center St., Clayton.

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Hospice of the East Bay has launched a Vigil Volunteer Program where trained patient support volunteers are at the bedside of dying patients.

The vigil program helps Hospice support its patients every step of the way bringing relief to family members who are unable to be present for the death of their loved one. And, most important, patients will know they are not alone.

Dying alone is often listed by patients as their greatest fear as they face the end of life. Yet many people are left to make the journey alone. They may have few relatives living nearby.

Or they have outlived their family and friends or are estranged from family.

Such patients face the disheartening possibility of ending their lives with no one at their side. Some of them die in hospitals or long-term care facili-

ties, unable to experience the comfort provided by the familiar surroundings of home.

In an effort to make patients’ final passages as peaceful and dignified as possible, Hospice of the East Bay works to bring them physical, emotional and spiritual relief.

Nothing is more central to the idea of hospice care than ensuring that each patient has someone with him or her at the end of life.

However, it is difficult to predict exactly when the end will come much less guarantee that each patient’s loved ones can be present during the final hours or days of life. The vigil volunteers can help fill any gaps in services.

To become a vigil volunteer, call 887-5678 or email volunteers@hospiceeastbay.org.

Why do you read the Pioneer?

“Your paper is like my hometown newspaper, full of interesting stories. It is good to read a real local paper.

The Contra Costa Times is full of news from Oakland, San Jose and other distant cities.”

- ELLEN HAGUE, CONCORD

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

A FARMERS MARKET, SELLING FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, is one of three new businesses going into Flora Square next year.

Studio will go into the 2700 square feet facing Oak Street.

Clayton fitness instructor Ilima Heuerman’s application for non-retail use of the space was approved by the city council at the Dec. 7 meeting.

City staff had initially recommended denial of a use permit for the studio because it isn’t strictly retail space, which is required by the Town Center Specific Plan. At that time, the building owners did not yet have signed leases for the two spaces on the ground floor.

“Given the current market and the fact that the rest of the ground floor is leased for retail use, we are now recommending approval,” said Community Development Director David Woltering in his Dec. 7 report to the City Council.

Heuerman’s current business, Traveling Trainers, has been renting various temporary class space locations in Concord. The new Clayton location will provide a permanent venue for her classes and is expected to bring upwards of 150 visitors a day to downtown Clayton. “We’ll have classes in all kinds of things you don’t normally see,” said Heuerman. “Expect classes in trapeze, kickboxing, Pilates— really different kinds of training.”

“This will spur development on the west end of town,” build-

ing owner Steve Thomas told the Council.

The Council voted 4-1 to approve the use permit, with Joe Medrano casting the no vote.

“Now that all the floodgates are in and the building is finished, I’ would like to give it six more months to see if a retail tenant could be found,” said Medrano.

“We still want retail,” said Mayor Dave Shuey. “But, this will build up foot traffic…this is making the best of a situation we didn’t want to be in.”

Huereman must open within a year and operate continuously as a fitness studio or risk losing her use permit.

The remaining 900 square feet facing Center Street will be a Subway Sandwich shop. “This is a corporate lease,” said Thomas, “and they will be selecting a franchisee for this location.”

The Subway in Clayton Station recently closed Flora Square was developed

by Uzoma Nwakuche and finished except for some fairly minor floodgate work just as real estate market hit a wall in 2007.

The building went into foreclosure and in August of this year, New Urban Communities Partners bought the property.

The second floor of the building can be used for non-retail and Thomas is actively seeking tenants.

December 17, 2010

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

The art of gift-giving, from knives to dragons SARAH ROSEN TEEN SPEAK It’s that time of year – the season of giving and nights spent around the fireplace, escaping from the bitter cold outside.

As Hanukkah passed this year and gifts were exchanged, I was reminded of past years and gifts I’ve given and received.

Most years, the traditions of candle lighting and normal gift exchanging occur, but other years, I face some random presents, either from my family or my friends.

This year, my grandmother gave me what she thought I would truly want for Hanukkah: a three-pound bag of pretzels.

These super-salty snacks are my absolute favorite and something my mother doesn’t always buy, but nonetheless it wasn’t your everyday gift. Although, after hearing what some of the kids around Clayton have given or received, my three-pound bag of

pretzels seemed pretty normal.

The day before winter break usually comes with a flurry of gift exchanges. Most kids give gifts that are exactly what their friends would want – hats, jewelry, itunes gift cards. While the box of chocolates CV senior Sarah Nelson received from fellow senior Gina Del Bene may have seemed like a nice gift, the truth was only, no pun intended, half there.

“One year, my friend Gina gave me a box of chocolates all wrapped up. I opened the box and I realized that every chocolate had a bite taken out of it.

While it was funny, I was a little disappointed that I didn’t have any chocolates,” Sarah recalled.

CV junior Jordann Tatum found it hilarious to make her friends struggle to open their gifts. “I used to give socks tied together with candy and random stuff that fits in a sock in the toes of each one, so you had to untie every single one. They were all stuffed inside an empty oatmeal canister that was duct taped closed,” she said, laughing. “We were cruel.”

My brother Jared Rosen, a

UC Berkeley junior, also received a strange gift. “I was given a rusty knife, a tiki mask and a ‘McCarthy for President’ pin from Erik LaDue and Jay Arms. I was mystified by the mask and the pin, but I was told the rusty knife was for ‘protection from attacks.’ ” If you’re stumped about what to give this year and you’re feeling crafty, consider duplicating one of these gifts. Harry S. Truman was given a rocking chair made of bottle caps. Or how about a collage of world leaders made from cigar wrappers, like the one given to Theodore Roosevelt, or the jelly bean portrait of Ronald Reagan.

Anybody on your naughty list? Give a Komodo dragon.

Upon his presidency, President George H.W. Bush was presented with a Komodo dragon from the president of Indonesia.

Nothing screams your dismay with someone more than a flesh-eating beast.

Page 9

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School News MOUNT DIABLO MUSIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION The foundation is hosting a 12-hour Music-A-Thon featuring music students from local elementary, middle and high schools on Saturday, Jan. 15.

The performances will be at Ygnacio Valley High School, 755 Oak Grove Road, Concord, starting at 10 a.m.

Tickets are $5 adults and $3 students. Students will also be collecting pledges to support music in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District. Donations will be accepted at the event.

Support for the school music programs is critical since the fourth and fifth grade instrumental music program has been eliminated because of the state’s budget crisis. The Music Education Foundation was formed to raise awareness of the cuts that have hit the music programs and to solicit donations to support music education.

For more information, visit mdmusicfoundation.org or call Michael McNally at 827-5706.

Heather Raymond (first chair oboe), Joshua Warzecha (first chair clarinet), Jessica Untalan (second chair flute), Jason Fernandes (second chair euphonium) and April Shepherd (percussion) will perform in the Contra Costa County Honor Band on Feb. 5 at San Ramon Valley High School. This is the largest representation CVHS has ever had in this event.

Additionally, 11 students were chosen to play in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District High School Honor Band on Jan. 8 at Diablo Valley College.

They are: Heather Raymond, Joshua Warzecha, Kayla Pedrani, Alison Abele, Laura Minorsky, Emma Thatcher, Jessika Svoboda, Kristen Paetz, Jason Fernandes, April Shepherd and Arthur Jones. *** The Public Service Academy’s annual Community Service Showcase will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 5, in the

CLAYTON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL Several instrumental music students were selected to county and district honor bands.

Pat Fraga, Elaine Loranger, Becky Estenson, Sarah Bingenheimer and Vicki Hufford

multi-use room, 1101 Alberta Way. The event highlights the community service projects of the 140 academy students, with display boards and presentations.

The Public Service Academy is a small learning community structured around dedicated and collaborative teaching that emphasizes academic success.

The academy is accepting applications for the 2011-’12 school year. Applications are due Feb. 18. For more information, visit cvhspublicserviceacademy.org.

MT. DIABLO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL The Parent Faculty Club has arranged a dine and donate fundraiser 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 12, with Mountain Mike’s Pizza, 5358 Clayton Road. The restaurant will donate 20 percent of the purchase price (alcohol excluded) to the PFC. Good for dine in, takeout and delivery. Print out a flier at mdusd.k12.ca.us/mountdiabloelementary.

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December 17, 2010

Adopting adult dog may fit your lifestyle

Free seminar covers basics of dog safety

During the holiday season, many households consider adding a furry family member.

Before bringing home that irresistible puppy, take a moment to consider an adult animal.

There are advantages to both age groups, so a realistic examination of your lifestyle and the needs of the animal will help your family make the best decision.

Most people see puppies as a blank slate. A puppy’s behavior can form around rules that are appropriate to a household, such as whether the dog will be allowed on furniture, given the run of the house, or walked on the left or right side.

By the same token, families must set aside time to teach these rules. Desired behaviors need constant reinforcement.

Habits ingrain quickly and neglecting to set the foundation during puppyhood can make for a rambunctious, rude and even frightening adult dog.

Many owners end up surrendering their dogs to shelters between the ages of 9 and 18, when their untrained puppy becomes a full-grown untrained dog.

House training can be difficult to maintain with puppies.

Dogs and puppies need to go to the bathroom upon waking and shortly after eating. Puppies have small bladders, tiny tummies and sleep often, so they need more frequent potty breaks than adult dogs. Their capacity to “hold it” is limited to about one hour per month of age, meaning an 8-week-old puppy needs to be taken outside at least every two hours. Overfull bladders can create health problems, and puppies/dogs that are housetrained become stressed when denied access to their proper potty area. “Piddle pads” can offer a relief area, but puppies using pads will have to be taught to go outside when they become adults –– making housetraining a multi-step

The Clayton Dog Park is having its first Dog Safety Seminar on Sunday, Jan. 30, at the Clayton Library.

The first half will focus on children and dog safety.

Children in attendance will receive gift bags.

The second half will include subjects such as interpreting canine body language, what to do to if a dog fight occurs and the difference between dogs fighting and rough play.

Barbara Dwyer will teach the seminar. She has 18 years experience training dogs and a vast professional knowledge from running her own rescue organization, completing an internship program in canine aggression and doing behavioral assessments for public shelters and rescues.

process.

Puppies also need their physical, mental and social growth addressed. Puppies must run, play and explore for proper musculoskeletal development.

They chew to loosen puppy teeth and encourage adult teeth growth. Interaction with other pups, people and environments helps puppies learn about their world and become more confident. A puppy kept in a crate or left alone for long periods can become underdeveloped socially, mentally and physically, causing damage that might be irreversible.

Adult dogs have established habits and personalities shaped by their prior experiences. It usually takes a few months for adopted adult dogs to relax into their new homes, but their size and temperament are evident.

Although an adult dog will probably need training, their physical demands for time are usually less. They might still

ELENA BICKER

PET PALS need to be housetrained, but they have a larger bladder capacity, although more than 8 hours without a potty break is not recommended for any age dog.

Puppies are cute and cuddly, but you should seriously examine the time and energy you have available to devote to their youthful exuberance before taking one home. If a puppy is not for you, consider an adult dog.

They would appreciate the opportunity for a second chance.

For more about adoptable adult dogs, visit www.arf.net.

Elena Bicker is the Executive Director of Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation. She can be reached at (925) 256-1ARF (1273)

The free seminar is 1-3 p.m. at the library, 6125 Clayton Road.

Donations are welcome.

Blitzen and Earl Gray are ARF’s Adoption Stars

BLITZEN

EARL GRAY

1-year-old Blitzen is a happy-go-lucky boy. He loves everyone he meets. He will thrive in a home where he can receive physical exercise as well as mental stimulation. Going to training classes is a great way for Blitzen to bond with his new family members while meeting new people, socializing with other dogs and brushing up on his manners.

Blitzen is rated for children of any age. He currently weighs 10 pounds and is suitable for a first time dog owner.

The adoption fee for adult dogs is $225 and includes 60% off one 7-week dog training session.

suitable for a first time cat owner.

The adoption fee for adult cats is regularly $50.

2-year-old Earl Gray is one big time social butterfly who loves to be the center of attention. If a snuggly, playful, affectionate cat is what you are looking for, than Earl Gray is your man! He is

Meet your forever friend at Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek, during adoption hours: 3 to 7 p.m.

Thursday and Friday, Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The primary caretaker must be present to adopt. ARF also encourages kids 16 and younger and canine family members (dog adoptions only) to be present during the adoption process.

Would you like to be part of the heroic team that saves the lives of rescued dogs and cats? Can you share your talents to connect people and animals? ARF volunteers are making a difference! For more information see our website, www.arf.net, or call 925.256.1ARF.

Mayor, from page 1 4) Free meatball sub and coffee at Cup o’ Jo/Canesa’s.

5) Free cheesesteak at Johnny’s Deli.

Ok, I just wanted to have an excuse to subliminally get all of you to frequent our downtown businesses. And if I had more space in this column, I would hit all the businesses in town. But you get the point, so go shopping and eating in town now.

And finally, the last promise I have to take back: watching the city manager streak through the Grove Park. I forgot to run that one by him before making that promise, and he said no way for some reason.

Seriously now, thank you all for re-electing Hank Stratford and me. (To be truthful, thanks from my ego for giving me the most votes. I will try not to let it go to my head. Darn, too late.)

Campaigning in a small town is interesting. You are running against friends and acquaintances you will see all the time,

whether you win or lose. So you have to be careful what you say.

But that doesn’t stop the public from talking trash, and you would be amazed at what you overhear: “He is a jerk. He doesn’t really care about us. He’s losing his hair.”

Then I leave my house and overhear more things like: “He is for the church. He is against the church.” Yes, both sides accused me of already making up my mind on that issue. How does that work?

I kept sneaking up behind groups of people and heard someone else talking about how one of the challengers had more campaign signs and they barely saw any of my signs, yet I won anyway. Remember, folks, quality over quantity.

Coincidently, I also heard someone say my signs were smaller. Well ... this proves size doesn’t matter.

OK, going forward, how many of you missed my constant harping on recycling? We just

got the latest figures and we have to do better. Remember, your brown can should be bigger than your blue can. Let’s do more so I do not have to “recycle” my old diatribes on this subject.

I happened to be doing some legal research at work and came across the following Facebook entry: “The schools have a program called ‘Do The Right Thing’ where when you are seen doing a kind act for others, you receive a wristband to wear that says ‘Do the right thing’ and you have two days to catch someone else doing a good deed and you pass the wristband on and so on and so on. … I am proud to say that my son received that wristband yesterday from his teacher.” That is pretty cool and let’s hope he was able to pass it on to someone.

Finally, whoever said this is pretty witty: “Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says ‘In an emergency, notify …’

I put ‘doctor.’ ” You can e-mail the mayor shuey@rankinlaw.com.

at

December 17, 2010

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com

Church News ETERNAL LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH Church members took some time off from the busy preChristmas season to prepare recycled Christmas cards for prison ministries. The members trimmed, stamped and added a handwritten Christmas greeting to more than 1,000 used cards.

The cards were mailed to WELS Prison Ministries in Minnesota, which in turn sends them with Bibles and devotional materials to thousands of prisoners nationwide. The hope is that the cards will bring some light to those in a dark place through a simple message of love, care and peace in Christ.

Area residents may recycle this year’s Christmas and other greeting cards at the Farm Bureau building, 5554 Clayton Road, in January.

CLAYTON COMMUNITY CHURCH The church is offering candlelight services at 5 p.m. (special family gathering) and 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Then join church mem-

Page 11

bers for “Pajama Sunday” at 10 a.m. Dec. 26. Come in your pajamas or dress casually.

On Sunday, Jan. 9, the church begins a message series entitled “Smart Money,” dealing with the reality that going to college, getting a job, buying a house and retiring a wealthy American isn’t sounding so certain anymore.

The church meets at Diablo View Middle School, 300 Diablo View Lane, Clayton. For more information, call 673-9060.

CROSSROADS COVENANT CHURCH A family-oriented candlelight service will be held at 7 p.m.

Christmas Eve. The church will host Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University beginning Thursday, Jan. 13.

The average family can reduce their debt by $2,500 and save an additional $1,000 during this 13-week course. The first class, 6:30-9 p.m. Jan. 13, is free. Child care provided.

The church is at 5353 Concord Blvd., Concord. For more information and seminar registration, contact Greg Jensen at greg56@pacbell.net or call the church at 798-5905.

py ys p a H a

id l o H

Include safety in New Year’s resolutions

HERB YONGE

SAFETY ZONE With 2011 approaching ever so quickly, it is a good time to start making New Year’s resolutions.

Some of us are pretty good about keeping them. We lose

some weight, enter into an exercise program or accomplish some items on our bucket list.

You should also consider adding some safety tips to your lists.

1. When walking on a road with no sidewalk, walk facing traffic. If walking in the evening hours, wear light-colored clothes, preferably white.

2. When riding your bike, ride on the right side of the road and have lights and reflectors on your bike. Always wear a helmet.

3. Program emergency phone numbers on your cell phone. Do not use 911 on your cell phone unless you want to contact the California Highway

Patrol. Program the Clayton police number of 673-7350. For fire, use 941-3300.

4. Keep your automobile gas tank at least half full at all times.

5. Enroll in the next twohour or 20-hour Community Emergency Response Team training. The next classes will be in the spring; call 673-7355.

6. Do not text or use a cell phone while driving.

7. Develop an emergency after-quake plan with your neighbors.

We also have started including monthly safety tips. We hope you find them useful and help in the building of your safety procedures and emer-

gency cache. Here are the tips for December: 1. Place a portable AM/FM radio and extra batteries in your Family Emergency Container (FEC). Place a note on the radio to tune to 740 AM (KCBS) for emergency information.

2. Practice your emergency escape plan.

3. If you forgot to change the batteries in your smoke alarms last month, do so now.

Herb Yonge is a volunteer with the Clayton Police Dept. & a member of the city of Clayton Citizen Corp Council, CERT Team. He can be reached at 673-7355 or by email at hlyonge@att.net.

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Don’t get caught in the cold this winter

KELLY FERRO

SENIOR MOMENTS Winter dangers for older people go beyond broken bones from falls on ice or breathing problems caused by colder air.

Cold weather can also lower the temperature inside your body.

This drop in temperature, called hypothermia, can be deadly if not treated quickly.

Hypothermia can happen anywhere – not just outside and not just in colder regions of the country. Some older people can have a mild form of hypothermia if the temperature in their home is too cool.

Shivering is one way the

body stays warm when it gets cold. However, shivering alone does not mean you have hypothermia. These are some of the signs: Confusion or sleepiness.

Slowed, slurred speech or shallow breathing.

Weak pulse.

Change in behavior or in the way a person looks.

A lot of shivering or no shivering.

Stiffness in the arms or legs.

Poor control over body movements or slow reactions.

A normal body temperature is 98.6F. A few degrees lower, say 95F, can be dangerous. This may cause an irregular heartbeat, leading to heart problems and death.

If you think someone could have hypothermia, use a thermometer to take their temperature. Make sure to shake the thermometer so it starts below its lowest point. If the reading doesn’t rise above 96F, call for emergency help. In many areas, that means calling 911.

While you are waiting for help to arrive, keep the person warm and dry. Try to get them to a warmer place and wrap the person in blankets, towels, coats whatever is handy. Even your own body warmth will help.

Give the person something warm to drink but stay away from alcohol or caffeinated drinks, like regular coffee.

Some illnesses may make it harder for the body to stay warm. These include problems with the hormone system, such as low thyroid, or health problems that keep blood from flowing normally, like diabetes.

Health problems also may make it harder to put on more clothes, use a blanket or get out of the cold. These include: Severe arthritis, Parkinson’s disease or other illnesses that make it difficult to move.

Stroke or other illness that leaves one paralyzed and may make clear thinking more difficult.

Memory loss.

A fall or other injury.

Being in a cold building can also cause hypothermia.

Hypothermia can occur in a nursing home or group facility if the rooms are not kept warm enough. People who are already sick may have special problems keeping warm.

If someone you know is in a group facility, pay attention to the inside temperature and whether they are dressed warmly enough.

This winter, whether you are inside or outside, pay attention to the temperature. This could keep you safe during this colder season.

If you know a senior that may need some extra care, please check to see if their home is being kept at a comfortable temperature. Make this season safe by keeping warm this winter.

Kelly Ferro is a marketing director for Aegis Living. Send comments or questions to kelly.ferro@aegisliving.com

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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

December 17, 2010

Clayton Sports Ipsen selects Stanford to continue scholastic and diving career JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer

Kristian Ipsen’s new college coach calls him “one of the greatest talents to come out of diving in the last 25 years.”

The 18-year-old Clayton resident recently signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Stanford University this fall. He will train with Rick Schavone, who is in his 33rd year coaching divers on The Farm.

Ipsen has become a regular medal winner on the U.S. National diving team in the past three years and follows in the footsteps of world-class athletes such as Tiger Woods, Michelle Wie, Janet Evans, John McEnroe and Summer Sanders – who attained national and international honors before they even entered Stanford.

The De La Salle High School student chose Stanford “because I felt like it was the perfect fit for me.”

“Some of the other schools I was considering were USC, Notre Dame, Texas and Duke,” he adds. “I picked Stanford because of its amazing diving program as well as its difficult academics.”

Diving at Stanford will allow his

IPSEN, 17, HAS WON ONE OR MORE national titles every year since he was 8

parents Kent and Yvette, sister Lauren, local relatives and friends to see him in action. “The proximity of the school played into my decision a little bit, but not as much as people would expect,” Ipsen explains.

TOP AQUATIC CENTER Stanford men’s swimming and diving have claimed eight NCAA titles and feature a veteran coaching staff, including head coach Skip Kenney with 32 years at Stanford .

The Cardinal swimming and diving teams compete at Avery Aquatic Center, called the best in the United States.

“I know the diving coach at Stanford well because I started practicing platform there when I was 8 years old,” Ipsen says. “He is a great coach and I am excited to start working with him next year.”

Schavone was effusive in evaluating his Clayton recruit. “He has moved up to the top echelon. He’s easily one of the best two or three male divers in the country. He’s a great catch for Stanford.”

Schavone says he’s been aware of Ipsen since he began diving at age 6. “He’s grown with the international experience in the past twothree years. He has a good shot at the 2012 London Olympics in synchro and individually,” the coach says.

Ipsen was paired by USA Diving staff with three-time Olympic veteran diver Troy Dumais in 2009 as a three-meter springboard synchro team. Within a couple months, they took the silver medal at the FINA World Championships in Rome.

This year, they won a pair of USA Nationals and are currently odds-on favorites to be the American representatives in London for threemeter synchro.

The Dumais-Ipsen connection also stretches to Stanford. Dumais’ younger brother Dwight was a diver for Stanford through the 2009 season. He was the first men’s scholarship diver on The Farm in many years and now Ipsen is the second.

Because the Stanford women’s swimming and diving team have more scholarships than the men due to Title IX restrictions, Schavone established a strong reputation for his women divers while tutoring his non-scholarship men’s divers to success as well.

Schavone has coached divers at

Photo courtesy of USA Diving

CLAYTON’S KRISTIAN IPSEN WAS THE MOST HEAVILY RECRUITED HIGH SCHOOL DIVER in many years and he’s cast his lot with Stanford University beginning next fall. On The Farm he’ll be coached by Dr. Rick Schavone, who ironically also coached Clayton’s greatest female diver, Courtney Nelson, for nine years leading her from a freshman at Clayton Valley High School through to the 1992 US Olympic Trials.

every U.S. Olympic Trials since 1988. Ipsen is his second diver from Clayton. “My first great diver was Courtney Nelson from Clayton Valley High School,” Schavone said.

Nelson went to Brigham Young University but spent nine years training with Schavone, from her freshman year at Clayton Valley High School through the 1992 Olympic Trails. (See accompanying story for more on Nelson.)

HECTIC DIVING SCHEDULE Ipsen, who has nearly 1,500 friends on Facebook – including many from the diving world, is excited about his new teammates.

“As for divers on the team, I met them when I went on my (official campus) recruiting trip in October.

They are all amazing and we got along really well,” he says. “Two of the other recruits who were on my official trip also got into Stanford and committed, which is exciting

because they were awesome as well.”

Before Ipsen goes to Stanford, he will finish up his senior year at De La Salle with final exams, senior ball and other typical activities. This spring, he’ll have his final season on the Concord school’s swimming and diving team.

He is a three-time North Coast Section champion and thrice AllAmerica choice. As a sophomore and junior, he was named National Champion by the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association rankings, which compares diver’s scores from around the country.

“It is really weird that this is going to be my last NCS. High school is going by much faster than I had imagined, but my goal for NCS this year is to have a solid meet and perform some new and more difficult dives,” Ipsen says.

Ipsen will go to the USA Winter Nationals on Feb. 1 in Iowa for his first meet of the new year. After that, his schedule gets hectic.

“Last year at the World Cup, I took sixth place in the three-meter individual and second place in the synchronized three-meter contest.

Because of these placements, I qualified for four different meets called the FINA Diving World Series, which are going to be held in China, Russia, Mexico and England,” he reports. “I do not think that I can go to all of them because of school, but I will go to two of them for sure.”

In May, he’ll attend the USA Grand Prix in Fort Lauderdale. The FINA World Championships are July in Shanghai. In early August, he will go to the Summer Nationals in Los Angeles and then hopes to participate in the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, in October.

Ipsen began diving when he was 6. At age 8, he became the youngest diver to final on all three boards at the Junior National Championships and, in 2003, became the youngest diver to win a Junior National title.

He has won one or more national titles every year since – plus a FINA Junior World Championship earlier this year.

“There have been many young age group phenoms,” Schavone says. “What makes Kristian different is that he grew with it and has continued to develop and excel.”

CV hall of famer was ‘first great diver’ for Stanford coach Several months before Kristian staying in the area all summer.

Ipsen was born in October 1992, Coach Schavone wasn’t a diver Stanford diving coach Rich himself, so his coaching methods Schavone took his “first great diver” were considered unorthodox.”

Speaking to the Pioneer last to the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Courtney Nelson of Clayton took week from her home in Truckee, she fifth and sixth place at the Olympic said Ipsen “will be in good hands” at Stanford under the Trials in the three-meter watchful eye of Schavone. springboard and 10“He breaks down dives meter platform, respecusing biomechanics. He tively, barely missing is an academic who out representing spends a great amount of America at the 1992 time on attention to Summer Games in detail. He cares about his Barcelona. athletes but also Courtney Nelson demands a lot of them.

Murrell was inducted His tenacity and perspecinto the Clayton Valley tive of the international High School Athletic diving scene are invaluHall of Fame on Oct. able. After 33 years 30, but her career as a coaching at Stanford and diver began long before she was a stand- COURTNEY NELSON internationally for the USA, he has an eye for out for the Eagles and continued five years after she left where the sport is going.”

Courtney entered CVHS in the the Alberta Way campus.

“When I was a freshman at fall of 1983 and was the Most Clayton Valley, my family looked for Valuable Diver and captain of the me to get more advanced coaching. diving team for four years. She Since I couldn’t drive, I would spend ended her first high school season the summer living with a family I setting a school record and placing didn’t even know so that I could second at North Coast Section. train with coach Schavone at During her sophomore and junior Stanford,” Nelson recalls. “There years, Courtney was league chamwould be other young divers from pion, placed at NCS, was third in around Northern California also the National Junior Olympics and

did well enough to qualify and compete at U.S. Senior Nationals.

Courtney earned high school All-America honors as a junior and senior and finished her high school career as 1987 Clayton Valley Female Athlete of the Year.

After capping her high school career with the North Coast Section championship, she represented the United States in the Junior World Championships. She then went to Brigham Young University in Utah on a full scholarship. Since the Provo school didn’t have a 10meter tower, she traveled once a month to Stanford so she could train on the tower with Schavone.

“It worked out pretty well as I won the NCAA platform championship my junior and senior years,” Nelson recalls with pride.

She competed in all three diving events (one- and three-meter springboard and 10-meter platform) in college while earning 11 All-America honors and winning multiple conference championships.

She was team captain as a junior and senior.

Nelson was inducted into the BYU Hall of Fame in 2001. As a senior, she was the BYU Female Performance Champion of the year.

Heisman Trophy football quarterback Ty Detmer was the Male

Performance Champion that same year.

She continued to train for the Olympics with Schavone after returning to Clayton from college and living with her parents, Chris and Sharilyn. “I spent nine years with Rick Schavone as my coach, from the time I was 14 until 23.”

She was a member of the U.S. National Team 1989-’92, taking part in numerous national and international meets, typically placing in the top three. Coaches and fellow divers voted her the Phillips 66 Performance Award at the 1989 Nationals for the most outstanding performance of the meet.

She started her diving career when she was 9 with the Diablo Divers, Ipsen’s long-time club.

“We’re pretty fortunate to have such great coaching in the Bay Area,” she says.

She lives with her husband Mark and their children Gavin and Megan. She’s an exercise physiologist and also teaches Jazzercise and Zumba.

She was thrilled to participate in the recent CVHS Hall of Fame induction. “I didn’t know what to expect, but it was quite an event.”

- Jay Bedecarré

Photo courtesy of BYO Photo

THE

MOST FAMOUS DIVER TO EVER COME

CLAYTON WAS COURTNEY NELSON, who followed up a distinguished career at Clayton Valley High School with a NCAA championship run at BYU that culminated with fifthand sixth-place finishes at the 1992 US Olympic Trials. During the last nine years of her diving career she was trained by Dr. Rick Schavone, the long-time coach at Stanford University who will now also be coaching Clayton’s newest diving phenom Kristian Ipsen starting in the fall.

Courtney Nelson is in her high school and college Hall of Fames and was an All-America at both levels.

OUT OF

December 17, 2010

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Sports Shorts

Clayton Sports I could continue my management duties.”

Shea thanks all the coaches who have made it a great experience for him. “I honestly don’t know how high school would have gone if I was not involved with the CV football program,” he says.

“I am so happy my son got to be part of this amazing school,” adds his mom, Misty Bruns.

He will be going to Diablo Valley College in the fall and he’s actively trying to be part of their football team. “I think I can learn a lot in the JC football program.”

of the Athlete Week Name: Shea Bruns Age: 17 Sport: Football Team: Clayton Valley High School This issue’s Sport Chalet athlete, Shea Bruns, hasn’t set any records on a field, court, mat, track or in the swimming pool. In fact, he hasn’t even played in a game during his four years at Clayton Valley High School.

“Shea is an integral part of our team,” varsity football coach Herc Pardi says of his team manager. “His sacrifices of time to assist the coaching staff, his loyalty and his positive presence have been a god-

send to o u r football p r o gram.”

Shea went out for freshman football but, in his words “I didn’t like getting hit,” so athletic director Pat Middendorf asked him to be freshman football team manager.

“I had a great time. I didn’t know anyone at Clayton Valley before then since I came from a special ed school, but I just

wanted high school to be great,” Shea says. “I am so glad Pat and the freshmen coaches let me be part of the team.”

For the past three years, he’s been varsity team manager.

“I enjoyed being part of the games,” Shea says. “My senior year has been a bit tough because of a medical issue. But the coaches worked with me so

Sport Chalet rewards Shea Bruns’ achievement with a store gift card. If you know a young athlete who should be recognized for sportsmanship, remarkable improvement or great heart, send a nomination for the Clayton Pioneer Athlete Spotlight to sports@claytonpioneer.com.

Mashore brothers each get new pro baseball coaching assignments JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer

Damon and Justin Mashore have baseball in their blood.

The two sons of former major league player and Clayton Valley High School Hall of Fame athlete Clyde Mashore starred in their own right at CVHS before embarking on baseball careers.

They both recently earned new professional coaching assign-

ments on opposite sides of the country for the 2011 season.

Older brother Damon has been hired by the Los Angeles Angels as hitting coach for the team’s new California League affiliate, the Inland Empire 66ers in San Bernardino. For the 66ers, he will be working for manager Tom Gamboa – another former major leaguer who previously managed for the Angels in AA and in the Cal

Photo courtesy of Oakland Athletics

DAMON MASHORE WAS 1988 ATHLETE OF THE YEAR at Clayton Valley High School and All-America baseball player at the University of Arizona before having a career in major league baseball with the Oakland Athletics (above) and California Angels. He’s now a hitting coach for the Angels minor league affiliate in San Bernardino.

“I “ I had fun . I lea rne d a lot fro

League nearly 25 years ago.

Justin, at 38 three years younger than Damon, will be in his sixth season working for the Toronto Blue Jays. This coming year in Manchester, N.H., he will be the hitting coach for manager Sal Fasano of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the AA Eastern League.

Damon was a standout athlete for Clayton Valley through 1988, before spending three years at the University of Arizona. He was an All-America who played with the likes of J.T. Snow and Trevor Hoffman on the Wildcats. The outfielder played the 1996-’97 seasons with the Oakland A’s and 1998 with the Angels.

His MLB playing accomplishments include a home run off future Hall-of-Famer and 300-game winner Randy Johnson (June 3, 1998), two off former Angel lefty and 200game winner Chuck Finley (his first career on June 6, 1996, and June 22, 1997) and one off knuckleballer and nearly 200game winner Tim Wakefield (July 23, 1997).

He was born in Puerto Rico while his dad was playing winter league in 1969. He eventually played in the Puerto Rico Winter League with the Santurce Crabbers. He was on Team USA in the 1990 Baseball World Cup. Damon was a coach of the Lancaster JetHawks in 2003 and 2005-’06 and for the El Paso Diablos in 2004. In 2007, he managed the Missoula Osprey in the Pioneer League for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He moved to the Angels organization in 2008 as coach of the

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Cedar Rapids Kernels and moved up to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes the last two years.

Justin, CVHS Athlete of the Year in 1991 (as was his father in 1964 and Damon in 1988), was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the third round of the 1991 amateur draft. He spent 11 years in the minor leagues and has been a coach on the professional level since 2003. This past season, he was hitting coach for the Dunedin Blue Jays of the Class A Florida State League, where his club led the league in doubles and home runs.

He began his coaching career with the Pulaski Blue Jays (Rookie/Appalachian League) in 2004 before joining the Auburn Doubledays (Short Season-A/NY-Penn League) in 2006. Justin spent the 2008 and ’09 seasons as a coach with Lansing.

Their father played five seasons in the majors. He was primarily an outfielder and most of his time was spent with the Montreal Expos. Clyde was an original inductee to the CVHS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008 after a standout three-sport career for the Eagles, Class of 1964. He was the first CVHS grad to sign a professional baseball contract and hit a home run in his first big league at bat. He finished his career at the end of the 1973 season.

Clyde signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Reds in 1964 and spent most of his minor league career in the Reds’ organization, coming to the Expos in a 1970 trade. He had more than 100 minor league home runs.

Happy Holida ys from

Winter Soccer Academy

Page 13

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YOUTH TEE BALL, VOLLEYBALL, BASKETBALL AT CLAYTON GYM A winter youth basketball academy for boys and girls of all skill levels in first through ninth grades is being held two hours a week through March at Clayton Community Gym. Signups are now being taken for youth tee ball and volleyball leagues, which will run on Saturdays March 5-April 23. Tee ball is for boys and girls 3-6 years of age, while volleyball is for ages 8-14.

For more information or to register for any program offered by All Out Sports at the gym, visit alloutsportsleague-clayton.com.

DIABLO FC WINTER SOCCER ACADEMY STARTS JAN. 6 Diablo FC is holding its 10th annual Winter Soccer Academy 56 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays Jan. 6-Feb. 17 at Willow Pass Park No. 5, adjacent to Pixieland Park in Concord.

The renowned Diablo FC professional coaching staff will teach boys and girls 5-12 basic dribbling and juggling skills, passing and receiving the ball and ball striking. Youth of all skill levels are invited to attend.

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

DIABLO FC U8-U11 COMPETITIVE TRYOUTS IN JANUARY Diablo FC tryouts for the 2011-’12 season for under 8 through under 11 competitive teams will be Jan. 23-30 in Concord. Boys and girls born between Aug. 1, 2000, and July 31, 2005, are invited to try out. Tryouts for boys and girls in the U12-U14 age groups will be in February.

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

CLAYTON VALLEY LITTLE LEAGUE REGISTRATION OPEN Clayton Valley Little League provides baseball programs for kids 5-15, softball for girls ages 6-15 and a Challenger Division for players with physical and mental special needs.

Registration for baseball and softball players is accepted online through Jan. 16. For more information, visit cvll.org or email info@cvll.org. For details regarding the Challenger Division, contact Jim Brophy at 685-1801.

DIABLO YOUTH RUGBY ACCEPTING REGISTRATIONS Diablo Youth Rugby is assembling U10, U12, U14, frosh and varsity teams for the 2011 season, which runs February-May. Registration fee is $225. For additional information, visit diabloyouthrugby.clubspaces.com or call Mike Dominguez at 3815143.

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Page 14

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

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December 17, 2010

MICHAEL TREPPA Special to the Pioneer

The St. Bonaventure Bulldogs won the 2010 CYO Turkey Tip-Off Classic held Nov. 26-28 at Diablo View Middle School in Clayton.

The tournament featured many of the Bay Area’s top sixth-grade CYO teams. The championship game was a battle between two prior Oakland Diocese champions: St. Bede of Hayward and St. Bonaventure.

Both teams faced tough competition to make the finals. St. Bonaventure previously held off St. Raymond of Dublin and

Holy Rosary of Antioch.

The title game was a close battle, with St. Bede’s holding a 20-19 halftime advantage. The second half would be much of the same, with the Bulldogs focused on breaking St. Bede’s trap. Solid defense by Taylor Heuerman, Ryan Redmond and Kevin Snyder helped to slow St. Bede, and the hustle of Josh Lunsford and Evan Enos kept things close.

The fourth quarter was a see-saw battle with multiple lead

See Bulldogs, page 15

Front Row (L-R): Chad Treppa, Kevin Snyder, Spencer Tamichi, Ryan Redmond. Back Row:Coach Tim Lunsford, Bill Ralston, Taylor Heuerman, Chase Biles, Chris Rogan, Josh Lunsford, Evan Enos, Coach Mike Treppa.

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Walnut Creek Soccer Club Velocity took third place at the District Cup in Danville after claiming the title in the U14 girls Division 3 Green bracket of the Al Caffodio Fall League. The team rebounded from a small midseason slump to win two and draw two over a busy final league weekend. Coach Randy Rowland’s team has five players from Clayton and five girls who had no experience in competitive soccer before this year. Velocity’s record is 20 wins, 11 losses and six draws. The team is preparing for the season-ending CYSA Association Cup in January. Velocity includes, front row from left, Katie Kaprive, Cristina Lopez, Kelsey Baxter, Paige Farber, Emily Gatchell, Meredith Johnson, Ashley McNulty, Kelsey Wise, Isabella Younger; back row, Emily Bettencourt, Alison Taplin, Katie Garaventa, Zoe Westwater, Allie Macaulay, coach Rowland, Emily Rowland and Sydney Purser.

Diablo FC 96 champions secure promotion

Clayton Valley High School varsity football coach Herc Pardi was honored as the 2010 North Coast Section Football Honor Coach.

NCS includes 167 schools and he’s only the third coach in the 52-year history of CVHS to receive the prestigious NCS Honor Coach designation, following in the footsteps of water polo legend Dennis Bledsoe (2003) and 1977 State Championship-winning wrestling coach Bill Smith (2009). Pardi coached at Las Lomas, Mt. Diablo and Pittsburg high schools before coming back to his alma mater in 1996 to revitalize the football program, which has made it to 11 of 15 NCS playoffs during his tenure. Many of Pardi’s coaching colleagues and CVHS staff from the past and present joined two dozen Eagle football players along with Pardi’s family and friends at a lunchtime ceremony last Friday at the Concord school. He was variously called “very deserving,” “wonderful,” “mentor,” “competitive,” “class act” and “very, very special” by speakers including DVAL Commissioner Mario Balestrieri, CVHS Hall of Fame athlete, longtime area coach and BVAL Commissioner Bud Beemer, Pittsburg High athletic director Al Hurtado and CVHS Athletic Director Pat Middendorf.

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Diablo FC 96 coach Derricke Brown needed to refashion his U14 team last spring as he had only three players from the previous season. His new squad was second in the Diablo FC Summer Classic and Elk Grove Everton Cup tournaments and won the Ballistic United Summer Classic.

This fall, they were placed in the Golden State Soccer League Silver A bracket since they lacked returning players. They ended up with eight wins and

one draw to claim the fall league championship and earn promotion back to the gold division in 2011.

Timely goals by Jared Amodio and Daniel Garcia led the fall league charge.

Aiden Lineweaver proved to be one of the top keepers in the area, while Arthur Chiok and Brent Tovrea provided leadership and form in defense. The team includes, front row from left, Chris Kwasny, Michael Clancy, Valentin Huerta, Michael Samaniego, Thomas Pathoumthong, Garcia, Amodio; back row, coach Brown, Marshall Lyon, Felipe Medina, Chiok, Lineweaver, Miko Villarama, Tovrea and Jon Bellesorte.

Photo courtesy of the Mazza family

Clayton Valley High School junior Domenic Mazza (left), his family and friends have more than Christmas presents and holiday cheer to look forward to Dec. 25 and 26 when Mazza’s incredible runner-up performance at the Re/Max World Long Drive Championship in November is shown on national television.

Mazza’s golf exploits were critiqued by ESPN announcer Andy North, a two-time winner of the United States Open. You can tune in to see Mazza on Christmas morning at 11 a.m. on ESPN 2 and then on Dec. 26 at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN.

December 17, 2010

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com

Page 15

Trip to find roots yields connection to those gone before PEGGY BIDONDO

TIME

TO

GO

As we crossed the state line from Tennessee to Kentucky on our recent vacation, I started thinking about “My Old Kentucky Home.” I was here to find my roots.

My grandmother, mother and I were all born in Louisville, but I left when I was 2 years old and had never been back. I was eager to meet a cousin with whom I had been corresponding via email. She is a genealogist and had traced my mother’s side of the family back to the Mayflower.

We met in her hometown of Lexington, horse capital of the world. It was just as I had pictured it in my mind – rolling hills with white fences enclosing beautiful thoroughbred horses grazing to their hearts’ content.

In October, Lexington was the site of the 2010 World Equestrian Championship Games. Close to 500,000 people came to participate in the largest equine sporting event ever held in the United States, and 2010 marked the first time the event was held outside of Europe.

It took place at the 1,200 acre Kentucky Horse Park, an equine theme park and competition facility dedicated to man’s relationship with the horse.

Thankfully, we missed the people and the traffic by a week.

BIRTHPLACE OF BOURBON This area was home to Mary Todd Lincoln, Daniel Boone and Henry Clay. You can also tour places where America’s only native spirit – bourbon – is produced. If it’s not from Kentucky, it can’t be called bourbon but has to be called whiskey. There are

IF IT’S KENTUCKY, IT MUST BE HORSES, and a trip to the Blue Grass state would not be complete without a horse race.

Here, Breeders’ Cup favorite Zenyatta races to the finish line only to lose by a nose after 19 successful races.

many historic distilleries: Wild Turkey, Four Roses, Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark and Woodford Reserve, a national historic landmark, where we happened to be on Election Day. Because of the Blue Laws in Kentucky, we were not allowed to sample the product and had to be content to munch on a chocolate bourbon ball.

Once we arrived in Louisville, we made a beeline for the Brown Hotel to indulge in the famous Hot Brown Sandwich. It was created in 1926 to satisfy the more than 1,200 guests who came each evening to the hotel for a dinner dance and wanted breakfast afterward. It consists of toasted bread with a liberal amount of fresh turkey, covered in cream sauce, sprinkled with more Parmesan cheese and surrounded with tomato wedges. It’s broiled and served with two pieces of bacon crossed over the top. One order was enough for the two of us. In 1926, the price was 75 cents. In 2010, the price is $16.

Bulldogs, from page 14 changes.

Bulldogs guard Spencer Tamichi had a huge rebound put back, and the heads-up play and scoring of Bill Ralston pulled the Bulldogs even at 31-31.

Chris Rogan added some big baskets and a great block inside to ignite the Bulldogs. The steady rebounding of big man Chase Biles and some key stickbacks kept the St. Bede players off the glass down the stretch.

In the end, it came down to some clutch free throws by point guard Chad Treppa that sealed the 49-47 victory for St. Bonaventure before a raucous

crowd.

All 10 players scored for the Bulldogs as they continue to win with balance and teamwork.

With the bulk of the season remaining, it seems almost certain these two talented teams will meet again. St. Bonaventure travels to St. Bede’s for its holiday tournament beginning at Christmas break.

“This is the first of potentially many battles with a great St. Bede’s team,” said coach Mike Treppa. “It was a great win for the boys and fun for our entire community

We then made a stop at the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory. This building has a 120foot, 68,000-pound bat at the entrance and you can tour the factory where the baseball bats are made. In the beginning, it would take one man about 30 minutes on a lathe with different chisels to make one bat. That process is now done by computerized machines that turn a piece of wood into a finished bat in 30 seconds. However, the remaining processes of burning in the logo and dipping it into lacquer are still done manually.

They have more than 2,500 computer programs to be able to produce bats for individual players of both the American and National leagues. There are also films, exhibits and displays highlighting baseball’s greatest hitters. Because the World Series had just ended, all of the replica San Francisco Giants bats were sold out.

HORSE RACING HISTORY A trip to Louisville (or Luavall, as it is pronounced there) would not be complete without a visit to Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby. America’s most historic thoroughbred racetrack was established in 1874 and is the oldest continuously operated racetrack in the country. The first Kentucky Derby was held May 1875.

We arrived just as the Breeder’s Cup Classic races were starting and were able to view some of the early races on the rail at the finish line. These beautiful animals thundered past us in their effort to win. Everyone was anxiously awaiting the arrival of Zenyatta, the horse favored to win the cup. Looking to win her final race and retire, she ultimately lost by a nose later in the week with a 19-1 record.

At the Kentucky Derby

Est.1972

Smith & Bernal

Roofing

Museum, a $5 million renovation was just completed. A new exhibit celebrated the history, triumphs and the people behind the famed racehorse, Secretariat.

Just knowing that we were standing on the site where the race took place and the recent movie was made was exciting and made viewing the movie more enjoyable.

Wanting to try a favorite local dish, I ordered a bowl of Kentucky Burgoo. According to my server, this thick and spicy stew was once called Appalachian Road Kill Stew and could contain all sorts of wild game and squirrel. In the late 1800s when the men returned from their hunting expeditions, the women of the village pulled out the contents of their larders, added the meat that the men brought back and cooked a dish that they would share together.

I was assured that the contents of this particular recipe were beef, chicken, pork, vegetables and a spicy, tomato sauce. I chose to believe them.

IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD We also spent a fair amount of time doing research in historical societies and walking through cemeteries looking for my ancestors. Once we were able to determine the address of the house where I was born, we quickly raced to find it – only to discover that it was now a carwash.

The neighborhood has deteriorated since the 1940s. The cigarette factories where my greataunts worked and the distillery where my grandmother was a security guard were no longer there. Nor was the church where my grandparents and parents were married and where I was baptized.

Still, being there gave me a connection with so many people I did not know about or of whom I have no memory. It was exciting to walk the streets where they walked and imagine myself with them. I can’t wait to go back and discover more about them and, thereby, learn more about myself.

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Travel Tip: If you want to visit a museum but know that your children will be bored, go to the gift shop first and buy postcards of the museum’s most famous works. Have your kids go on a treasure hunt for these masterpieces. When you get home, these postcards can go right into your trip album.

Recently retired, Clayton resident Peggy Bidondo is a tireless traveler with a passion for travel planning and writing. Send your questions and column ideas to Peggy Bidondo at timetogo@claytonpioneer.com.

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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

December 17, 2010

Book Review

‘Unbroken’ a dramatic story of survival SUNNY SOLOMON

FOR

THE

BOOKS

Laura Hillenbrand is back with another gut-wrenching, heart-stopping story of stamina, resilience and survival. But unlike her earlier bestseller, “Seabiscuit,” “Unbroken” tells the story of a two-legged runner.

Hillenbrand is a master at writing a rich and compelling back-story, giving historic events an immediacy not often achieved. Louis (Louie to all but his mother) Zamperini is a wild kid who eventually ran his way

out of a life of petty delinquency in Torrance, Ca., and into the record books as a high school and college distance runner. He became an unlikely member of the American team at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

Hillenbrand paints a wide canvas, including broad strokes like Zamperini’s amazing records set throughout his high school and college career (USC), and details like his brother Pete cajoling him to train and take himself seriously as a distance runner.

We see the kid leave home, packing one sandwich from his mom and two bucks from his frustrated dad, to hop the rails with a few friends – returning only after leaping off a moving train. It was jump or wait to see if the officer with a gun pointed at them would really shoot.

We get to know his family, his teachers, his buddies and girlfriends and the admiring townsfolk who nicknamed him the Torrance Tornado.

He dreamed of taking part in the 1940 Olympics, slated for Japan. But by 1937, the Rape of Nanking had occurred and two years later the same man who shook Louie’s hand in Berlin would march an army into Poland. Japan withdrew as host of the 1940 Olympics and the United States activated its draft.

Zamperini was fast, but even he could not outrun world events pushing their way into the hopes and dreams of an entire generation of young men and women. By the time Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, Louie was training as a bombardier with the U.S. Army Air Force in Texas.

Hillenbrand gives as much life and complexity to the B24s, the aircraft most often flown by Louie, as she does to Louie’s fellow airmen. She also makes use of shocking statistics of downed planes and crews, lost not by enemy fire but by accidents born out design deficits.

Zamperini flew in the Pacific, where a downed crewman’s odds of surviving sharks were about the same as of surviving life in a Japanese POW camp. She quotes an ordnance officer on Oahu, who put it succinctly: “Life was cheap in war.”

We know upon opening this book that Zamperini goes down with his plane, so we hold our breath each time he takes off. Hillenbrand’s powerful descriptions of the bombings

and returns from Wake and Nauru are almost cinematic, and her depiction of life in a Japanese POW camp has the up close and very personal feel of a horror film. The will and determination of Zamperini the runner are the same traits called upon to survive his near extermination as a Japanese POW. Interspersed between battle and POW stories is news from home. Upon being told her son was missing in action, Mrs. Zamperini developed a rash that persisted until Louie returned home. Hillenbrand writes of the intimate moments of grief expressed by Zamperini’s family and the families of his friends and neighbors. His survival, not just of the camps but also of the war experience itself, is what makes this book so compelling.

It was a long and tough journey, and one that Hillenbrand asks us to take with him. This is narrative history at its best.

Sunny Solomon is the “Book Lady” for the Clayton Community Library Book Club. She holds an MA in English and Creative Writing from San Francisco State University.

Her poetry and prose has been published in literary journals and magazines. You can each her at memorie3@yahoo.com.

Theatre

ACT’s ‘Christmas Carol’ stirs the imagination

The Ghost of Christmas Past (Marisa Duchowny) takes Scrooge (James Carpenter) on a whirlwind journey through his past.

The American Conservatory Theater production of “A Christmas Carol” is a sparkling, music-infused celebration of goodwill.

The Charles Dickens classic stars Bay Area favorite James Carpenter, returning for his fifth year as Scrooge. ACT core acting company member Jack Willis also reprises his audience favorite turn as the Ghost of Jacob Marley, alongside other Bay Area favorites.

“Dramatizations of ‘A Christmas Carol’ have become an important American family ritual at holiday time, regardless of individual religious background or faith. Parents and grandparents have told us that the ‘Carol’ experience is

more important than ever,” says ACT artistic director Carey Perloff. “With everyone tightening their belts at this time, we are so proud that ACT can continue to be a part of Bay Area families’ holiday traditions.”

ACT is making this family classic affordable by offering discounted family four-packs and special group discounts.

Originated in 2004, this version of “A Christmas Carol” stays true to the heart of the timeless story of redemption and brings a playful sensibility to Dickens’ rich language. Each of the four ghosts that haunt the miser Ebenezer Scrooge and lead him to his transformation is theatrically staged.

In a children’s favorite, Scrooge’s former business partner Jacob Marley climbs out of Scrooge’s bed clad in chains.

The Ghost of Christmas Present (Steven Anthony Jones) is a Bacchic spirit of fecundity and abundance, robed in striated green velvet.

The Ghost of Christmas Past (Marisa Duchowny, in her ACT mainstage debut) is a candle, “lit from within, emanating radiance, who descends on a swing,” says Perloff. The Ghost of Christmas Future is a giant black ghost puppet that takes over the stage.

Dickens’ lovely descriptions of the abundance of Christmas bounty are depicted in “The

Waltz of the Opulent Fruit,” with six young actors as French plums, Turkish figs and Spanish onions.

“Dickens believed that triggering the imagination is the key to triggering change in a person’s heart,” Perloff says.

“Dickens realized that if Scrooge’s imagination could be stimulated, it would be possible for him to wake up on Christmas morning an entirely new man. What an incredible endorsement of the power of art.”

“A Christmas Carol” runs through Dec. 24, 415 Geary St., San Francisco. Tickets start at $15.

Call 415-749-2228 or visit www.act-sf.org.

Clayton Community Calendar PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M. JAN. 5 FOR THE JAN. 14 ISSUE. ITEMS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY EMAIL TO calendar@claytonpioneer.com

HOLIDAY EVENTS Through Dec. 19 “A Christmas Carol”

year’s theme is “I Love Books.” For ages 3-12. Pick up an entry form at the Information Desk.

Contact Mike at 639-1987 or uschess.org.

Contra Costa Mineral and Gem Society

Center Rep offers the classic tale of redemption. Lesher Center, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $20.50-$41. 943-7469 or centerrep.org.

Jan. 20 “Sure-fire Strategies for Job Seekers Over 50”

Meets 7:30 p.m. second Monday of the month, Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Road. 779-0698 or ccmgs.org.

An interactive workshop presented by job search specialist Mary Eileen Williams. 10:30 a.m.-noon.

Creekside Artists Guild

Through Dec. 20 “Whiskers”

Jan. 30 Dog Safety Seminar

The Galatean Players present the musical based on "The Velveteen Rabbit." Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $10-$15. 943-SHOW.

Taught by Barbara Dwyer. The first half will focus on children and dog safety, with the second half on canine behavior. Sponsored by the Clayton Dog Park. 1-3 p.m.

Dec. 23 Holiday Open House Meet at the fireplace for refreshments and holiday cheer. Model open; tours provided. Free gift for guests. 4 p.m., Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center St., Clayton. 524-5100.

ENTERTAINMENT Through Jan. 16 “Sister Robert Anne’s Cabaret Class” The Willows presents everybody’s favorite nun, with Deborah Del Mastro. Campbell Theatre, 626 Ward Street, Martinez. willowstheatre.org or 798-1300.

SCHOOLS Jan. 14 12-hour Music-A-Thon Sponsored by the Mount Diablo Music Education Foundation.

Featuring music students from local schools. 10 a.m., Ygnacio Valley High School, 755 Oak Grove Road, Concord. $5 adults, $3 students. 827-5706 or mdmusicfoundation.org.

AT THE LIBRARY The Clayton Library is at 6125 Clayton Road. Programs are free unless otherwise noted. 673-0659 or claytonlibrary.org.

Jan. 4-March 1 Patty Cakes Story time for babies to 3-year-olds. Child attends with caregiver.

Drop in 11 a.m. Tuesdays.

Jan. 6-March 10 Picture Book Time

MEETINGS Dec. 21; Jan. 4, 18 Clayton City Council

Diablo Valley Democratic Club Meets 7-9 p.m. third Wednesday of the month, Ygnacio Valley Library, 2661 Oak Grove Road., Walnut Creek. Contact Pat at 9460469 or dvdems.org.

East Bay Prospectors

7 p.m., Hoyer Hall, Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road. 673-7304 or ci.clayton.ca.us.

Dec. 28 Clayton Planning Commission 7 p.m., Hoyer Hall, Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road. 673-7304 or ci.clayton.ca.us.

CLUBS Clayton Business and Community Association

Meets 6:30 p.m. first Thursday of the month, Oasis Christian Fellowship, 2551 Pleasant Hill Road, Pleasant Hill. Clayton resident Douglas Junghans is president. 672-1863 or eastbaygpaa.webs.com.

Knights Of Columbus, Concord Council 6038 Meets 7:30 p.m. first Wednesday of the month, except holidays, Cauchi Hall, St. Agnes Catholic Church, 3966 Chestnut St, Concord. Contact George at 685-9547 or visit kofc6038.org.

Meets 6:30 p.m. last Thursday of the month, except holidays, Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Dr., Clayton. Call Sue at 672-2272.

Rotary Club of Clayton Valley/Concord Sunrise Meets 7 a.m. Thursdays, Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Dr., Clayton. Includes breakfast and a speaker. 566-8166 or claytonvalleyrotary.org.

Clayton Valley Garden Club

Scrabble Club

Meets 7 p.m. second Wednesday of the month, Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center St., Clayton. Contact Nancy at 673-3522 or claytonvalleygardenclub.org.

Clayton Valley Woman’s Club

Meets 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. second and fourth Saturdays of the month, Carl’s Jr. Restaurant, 1530 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton. All ages and skill levels welcome. $3 fee. Call Mike at 639-1987 or scrabble-assoc.com.

Meets 9:30 a.m. second Tuesday of the month except July and August, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1092 Alberta Way, Concord.

672-1163.

Sons In Retirement (SIRs)

Clutch Busters Square Dance Club

Soroptimist International of Diablo Vista

Meets 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Willow Pass Community Center Hall, 2748 East Olivera Road, Concord. Contact Karen at 686-3774.

Concord Stompers Square Dance Club

Story time for 3- to 5-year-olds. Child may attend without caregiver. Drop in 11 a.m. Thursdays.

Meets 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Willow Pass Community Center, 2748 East Olivera Road, Concord. Call Jennie at 672-9676 or angelfire.com/id/stompers.

Jan. 13-Feb. 14 Bookmark Design Contest

Contra Costa Chess Club

Winning entries will be printed for giveaway at the library. This

Meets 7-8:30 p.m. second Wednesday of the month, Library Story Room, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton. All artforms and both emerging and experienced artists welcome. Contact Arlene at 673-9777 or nielsenjanc@aol.com. Creeksideartists.org.

Meets 6:30-9:30 p.m. Thursdays, Starbuck’s, 1536 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton. Players of all ages and skill levels welcome.

Meets 11:15 a.m. first Thursday of the month, Crown Plaza Hotel, 45 John Glenn Dr., Concord. 429-3777.

Meets 12:15 p.m. first, second and third Wednesdays of the month, September-June, Sizzler, 1353 Willow Pass Road, Concord.

Contact Nicole at 692-2224.

Word Weavers Toastmasters Meets 7-8:15 p.m. Mondays, 4756 Clayton Road, Concord. Visitors welcome. Contact Marion at 686-1818 or marion48@live.com.

December 17, 2010

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com

Page 17 Brought to you by

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members started tossing out ideas for another source of revenue, a Christmas home tour seemed a logical choice.

“The Woman’s Club did this a few years ago,” said JoAnn Caspar, whose home is included on the tour. “It was really

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CLAYTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY Barbara Allen’s Herriman Drive home reflected her love of blue.

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The group selected five homes, all belonging to Historical Society members. The tour began at the museum, once the home of Joel Clayton. The Victorian era home is decorated throughout with wreaths, toys and garlands of the period.

At the other end of town, on Oak Street, a 19th-century coal miner’s cottage now owned by Historical Society president Ted Meriam sits behind a picket fence topped with a neat row of colored lights. Originally only three rooms, the house was moved to the Oak Street location in the late 1800s from the Black Diamond mines at Nortonville. Subsequent owners added on to the house.

Kent Ipsen, owner of Skipolini’s pizza, once lived there and left behind a hand-dug basement. “I remember him hauling load after load of dirt out of there,” recalled docent Cathy Gernhardt, a long-time Clayton resident.

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A 1919 PLAYER PIANO IN PERFECT WORKING ORDER fills the Blue Lake Way home of Ed and Dee Totman with a rousing chorus of “Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer.”

sparkles with white lights. Even the greenhouse is decorated.

The Morgan Territory Road ranch owned by Don and Carmen Williams sits behind an iron gate where Christmas bells and garland greet visitors in electronic splendor..

“Christmas has always been an exciting time for our family,” says Carmen Williams, who has collected ornaments for years. A cowboy tree, a family tree and “our regular Christmas tree” hold ceramic and porcelain dec-

orations that Carmen and her mother made.

Family heirlooms and treasures collected over a lifetime, nativity scenes, angels and handmade ornaments also were part of the richness of Allen’s home.

Ed and Dee Totman’s Blue Lake Way home in Concord was last on the tour. On the tree in the living room hung ornaments collected over a lifetime of world travels, while Christmas carols rolled off the stately 1919 player piano in the family room.

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CLAYTON VALLEY GARDEN CLUB The club has created a new low-maintenance, drought-tolerant garden in the middle raised bed at the Clayton Community Library. After many weeks of planning and rain delays, the club finally had a sunny weekend day on Nov. 13 for planting.

Interim club Library Bed Chairs Steve Lane and Nicole Hackett organized the planting party, and 10 members helped beautify the long-empty bed.

The week prior to the planting party, club member Bob Frost, his wife Tina and family members spent a full Friday afternoon amending and rototilling the soil for planting.

Sharon Petersen of Garden Artistry and club member/master gardener Nancy Harvey designed the preliminary plan.

Lane drafted a revised Planting Plan and Planting Key with advice from club member/master gardener Neal Richmond and Hackett of R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts & Gardens. The plan and planting key are on display in the library.

The selected plants have interesting colors and textural qualities and are good examples for Clayton residents to use for their own landscapes.

GIRL SCOUTS EARN SILVER

BY AIDING ARF Clayton eighth-graders Casey Mitchell and Miranda Hansen completed their Girl Scout Silver Award requirements by organizing a pet supply collection drive to benefit ARF, Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation.

MIRANDA HANSEN, left, and Casey Mitchell celebrate a successful campaign for ARF.

At Diablo View Middle School, the girls collected 154 donations – including dog and cat toys, treats and blankets. The scouts also held a two-day collection at Pet Food Express on Ygnacio Valley Road. In all, they gathered 368 items – far surpassing their goal of 75.

The ARF staff was thrilled to receive the supplies. People interested in helping ARF by donating, volunteering, fostering or adopting can visit arf.net.

Knowing parenting style can help understand child’s behavior

EVA PORTLEY WE CARE CENTER

PARENTING TODAY In order to understand human behavior, we must first acknowledge that every child is born unique. These unique individuals have distinct personalities, temperaments, sets of skills and abilities.

As parents, the role is always to be supportive and loving, responsive to the child’s needs and to set limits to ensure their safety and well-being.

There is a plethora of information and resources available to aid in child rearing. There are various articles and books on the Internet and at the library, along with local support groups and community services to help parents face any challenge.

KNOW YOUR STYLE First, it’s important to identify your parenting style. All children have different temperaments and often times these temperaments

conflicting with parenting styles.

There are four styles of parenting: authoritarian, authoritative, permissive and uninvolved.

The authoritarian style is extremely strict and controlling.

Children are expected to obey and are not given many choices or have control over decision making.

The authoritative style is more flexible. These parents set limits and high standards, are firm but kind and loving. They expect children to follow rules but also allow children to learn from their mistakes.

The permissive parenting style is a more laid-back approach. These parents are warm and caring but do not set limits and allow children to make their own rules.

The uninvolved parent is either absent or has minimal interaction with the child. This parenting style can be seen as neglect or rejection.

Parenting style has a major impact on children’s behavior.

Many studies have shown that children who have authoritative parents are better behaved, more independent, have higher selfesteem and are more emotionally secure than children of authoritarian, permissive and uninvolved parenting styles.

ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE It is important to acknowledge how a child feels and teach them how to appropriately

express themselves. Non-verbal children can be taught “baby signs” or “gestures” to help lessen frustration with communication.

Verbal children can be taught simple phrases to express when they are upset, frustrated, overwhelmed or afraid – such as “all done,” “help please,” “too loud” or “it’s scary.” This allows children to feel confident that their needs will be met and that they are understood.

Adults have the natural tendency to focus on the negative more than positive. While it’s important to focus on when a child is misbehaving, it is equally important to acknowledge when a child is behaving and doing the right thing.

Children are intrinsically motivated to please and make others proud. The more the child is praised and rewarded for doing a good job, the more the good behavior will increase. For example, if you see your child looking at a book quietly for several minutes, reinforce it by acknowledging the behavior. Always try to catch your child doing the right thing and make even the smallest thing a big deal.

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Don’t ignore check engine light The check engine light on the dashboard indicates a problem with one of the many systems on the vehicle.

It means one of the systems for emission, performance or transmission is sending the wrong signal to the computer. The computer detects the out-of-spec values and turns on the check engine or service engine light. Relative diagnostic trouble codes also are set.

A licensed technician must pull the codes to find which systems are at fault. After finding the appropriate system, the technician knows which sensors, components and circuits to test. Once the problem is narrowed down to a specific component and/or circuit, you need to replace the parts and correct the problem.

Then the system needs to be retested to insure there are no other problems. Sometimes, the vehicle must be driven to reset the monitors in the computer.

GARY TAYLOR CAR TUNED An example is a simple system like the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), which can have as many as five different components. Other systems may have even more.

Each component has its own test procedure. If a component tests poorly, it must be replaced before the rest of the system can be tested.

When you take your vehicle in for smog test, it will automatically fail if the check engine light is on.

Under California guidelines, a vehicle must be tested as presented.

However, if you tell the service writer beforehand, he can work with you to solve the problem.

Anytime you sign your vehicle into a repair shop, tell them if there are other things wrong, such as windows not working or lights staying lit on the dash. This will help the service writer and possibly avoid time and money spent looking at a problem that is not related to your complaint.

If your check engine light is flashing, stop driving your vehicle and take it to a repair shop before other systems are damaged. When the check engine light starts flashing, there is a severe problem including but not limited to misfires that will damage the catalytic converter.

Taylor is service manager at Clayton Valley Shell, at Clayton and Ygnacio Valley rods. Reach him with questions at 672-3900.

Thank you to all who joined us in the Cinderella Coach at the Clayton Tree Lighting.

- Stephanie Lopez, Leigh Klock and The Moresi Family

Page 18

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

December 17, 2010

Don’t let Jack Frost nip at your plants NICOLE HACKETT

GARDEN GIRL Several frosty nights have already made their way through Clayton Valley yards and gardens, catching some plants off-guard.

Just a few weeks ago, temperatures were irregularly warm leading shrubs and perennials to bloom way past their seasons.

Now these frosty conditions have

thrown our yards and gardens into a tailspin.

When a plant has frost damage, the foliage will change to a dark brown or ashy black. The leaves may wilt and appear mucky and wet. When a plant runs normal dormancy, foliage browns and begins to dry. The two looks are totally different.

You must resist the urge to prune away any damage to plants caused by cold temperatures. You should only prune plants that are running their normal dormancy, such as some yarrows, purple coneflower, agastache, veronica and aster. These perennials look awful this time of year. They die

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The plants that are most likely showing signs of frost damage are young lemon, orange and lime trees, bougainvillea, mandevilla and black-eyed Susan vines.

Gardeners growing false heather, hibiscus, Jade plants and other succulents probably have noticed damaged. Flowering ginger, fuschias, lantana and blue plumbago should have taken a hit also. You need to keep the damaged leaves and stems on all of these plants.

Winter hasn’t even officially begun, and we are sure to have more frost. By keeping the dam-

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I’ve worked with a lot of people who are trying to lose weight, and there is one thing that holds each and every one of them back: They don’t take action.

The weight loss formula isn’t that hard. Monitor calories, don’t eat junk and exercise.

There are a lot of variables, but this simple, three-part formula will carry you through your weight loss journey.

Fear keeps many of us from our goals. A lot of people are scared to put themselves on the line and start changing their lives for the better. It’s a frightening prospect to face failure, but the good news is that all of

us have failed to reach fitness goals at one point or another.

Start your weight loss journey with a friend and the fear that you’re facing will dissipate.

It’s not a lack of motivation that keeps us back. Our primal instincts tell us to be happy with our lives as they are; that level of comfort works against starting a fitness program. A few minutes of visualizing how you’d like to look, feel and act every day will help change your perception of an active lifestyle.

But it’s going to be hard work. That’s the simple truth. If you aren’t willing to put in the work, you won’t be able to make your body look the way you want it to look or feel the way you want to feel.

It doesn’t matter if you’re an Olympic athlete or a professional couch surfer, working out is hard. No matter how many squats you do or how much time you spend on cardio, the time you spend in the gym needs to push you outside of your comfort zone if you’re going to achieve the results you want.

Take the time to turn on

How do you keep your retirement plan working hard in this uncertain economy? It’s time for a New Perspective – a complimentary review where I’ll help you identify new strategies and new opportunities to get you back on track.

It’s time for a New Perspective Call (925) 685-4523 today to arrange your complimentary review.

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its leaves is frost-hardy, as well as any herbaceous perennial. If you are reading a plant’s description and it says anything about it being tropical or originating in Mexico or Hawaii, chances are it will be too tender to thrive in our climate.

Ask questions about possible plants to see if they are good for the area. If you see something thriving in your neighborhood, it probably will thrive for you too.

Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts and Garden Contact her with questions, comments or suggestions at gardengirl@claytonpioneer.com

urge the government to support the Tom Lantos PH Research and Education Act, which will allow researchers to form a greater collaborative effort. If everyone takes some small action, maybe the world can someday breathe a giant sigh of relief together.

For other PH events, ways to donate and more information, visit phassociation.org. Contact our legislators at Barbara Boxer, boxer.senate.gov; Dianne Feinstein, feinstein.senate.gov/public; Nancy Pelosi, pelosi.house.gov; George Miller, www.miller.house.gov.

- Sarah Rosen

WOODY WHITLATCH WEATHER WORDS For some California meteorologists, the cold wet storms of late November ushered in the beginning of the cloud seeding season.

Cloud seeding involves the intentional treatment of individual storm systems for the purpose of modifying the amount of precipitation that would naturally occur. Most applications

Council, from page 1 In his first act as mayor, Shuey nominated Joe Medrano for vice mayor. Traditionally, the vice mayor is chosen based on seniority and the council simply ratifies the mayor’s choice. But in a break with tradition, Julie Pierce then nominated Howard Geller. Geller was elected in a 32 vote.

Both Geller and Medrano were elected in 2008 and are in their first terms.

“With two equally qualified candidates, it is a tough decision,” Pierce noted. “But Howard has done more outside of the community to create relationships with other councils in the region, which has prepared

your mental fitness switch today.

Do something big – something you know will make your life better.

And there’s no better time for action. With all of the holiday parties and family gatherings it’s not surprising to find the scale reading 5 to 10 pounds heavier after the holiday season.

Cookies, candy and holiday treats are packed with simple sugars that, if unused, will be turned to fat fairly quickly. The simple answer to avoiding holiday weight gain is to shy away from treats at parties, but sometimes that’s not easy.

If you know that you’re going to be surrounded by sweets at a party, make sure to eat a healthy meal full of vegetables and lean protein before you go. Having those nutrients in your system will keep you fuller longer and help curb your sweet tooth. Having a solid base when you enter nutrition “danger zones” also means that the sweets you do choose to indulge in will have less impact on your system and won’t speed up your fat storing.

On the days you want to

have sweets, make sure that you have a great workout. This will rev up your metabolism so that your body will have a better chance of using the calories in the treats.

Knowing that you did something good for your body earlier in the day has a tendency to keep you away from the snack table as well.

Entering into those kinds of situations with a friend who is in support of your health goals is one way to have accountability when temptation knocks. Your guardian angel will keep you honest, and you them. When we have someone else avoiding the extra calories with us, it’s much easier to say no.

As William Ernest Henley once said, you are “… the master of (your) fate, the captain of (your) soul.” At the end of the day you decide what to eat and what to avoid.

Kian Ameli holds an MS in exercise science. He owns Ameli Training in Concord and specializes in helping clients get in shape.

Cloud seeding helps meet state’s water needs

PH Race, from page 2

REMEMBER WHEN THE ONLY RETIREMENT QUESTION YOU HAD WAS WHEN?

good dose of water the day before a frost acts like a miracle.

Wrapping plants with a frost cover cloth is good. Fabric works well for protection. Do not use plastic to protect your plants; it will make the leaves burn.

Mulching under the base of tender plants will help keep their feet warm. Synthetic frost protector sprays like Cloud Cover or WiltStop will help with the dehydration caused by the frost. Taking steps even after a frost will help prevent further damage.

Installing plants and shrubs that have a tolerance down to 30 degrees is always encouraged. As a rule, any woody shrub that loses

Getting to the heart of weight loss

by Bruce, Inc. Bruce & Holly Linsenmeyer 30 year Clayton residents

aged leaves and stems on the plants, you’ll protect the roots.

When frosty nights come along, the prior damage will keep taking the hit.

People who don’t take care of their own landscapes should tell the maintenance crew to leave the frost-damaged plants alone. As a rule, frost-damaged plants should not be pruned until early March.

Your landscape and garden still should be protected, even if it has already experienced some damage. One easy way to protect plants is to pull the tender selections near the home, a fence or under the canopy of an evergreen tree. If that is impossible, then a

him better to be mayor in 2012.”

Medrano takes exception to the process for electing the vice mayor. In his comments to the council, he said: “If we go by who received more votes in the [general] election between me and Howard . . . that would mean I should be vice mayor and then mayor prior to Howard in a rotation scenario.”

Calling the process “political,” Medrano said, “I am aware that some are disappointed and possibly upset that I provided support to Ted [Meriam] during this past [City Council] election.”

“Some people believe I may have some hidden agenda,” Medrano continued. “I would

of cloud seeding involve increasing the amount of precipitation.

In California, with its distinct wet and dry seasons, enhancing winter rainfall is important to water districts to ensure that reservoirs have enough water stored to meet human, industrial and agricultural needs during the dry summer. Electric utilities rely on cloud seeding to increase winter snowpack and recharge underground aquifers so that downstream hydroelectric power plants have enough runoff

water generate electricity during the hot and dry summer season.

Snowflakes form when water vapor combines with microscopic ice particles (known as ice nuclei). Many storm clouds do not have enough ice nuclei to convert all the available water vapor to snow. In theory, increasing the amount of ice nuclei would increase snowflake production in cold clouds.

The idea of cloud seeding was born in the 1940s when

like to be clear, I have no hidden agenda. I ran for council because I believe I can make a positive impact on the city and I think I am doing so . . . We may not always agree on every issue . . . but that is a good thing.

Disagreement encourages discussion, which stimulates ideas and opportunities to benefit the city.”

In follow-up comments to the Pioneer, Medrano said: “The reason Hank and Julie voted for Howard for vice mayor over me is they are both upset that I supported Ted in his campaign and I am not a part of the old boys’ network.”

Pierce is in her fifth term on the council and Stratford is beginning his second.

COUNCIL APPROVES NEW

See Weather, page 22

PENSION PLAN

In other business, the council approved a second-tier pension plan for new employees that will drop the city’s pension cost for a new police officer from more than 40 percent of the officer’s salary to only 13.4 percent. For other new staff hires, the city’s cost will drop from 21.2 percent of an employee’s salary to 6.7 percent.

The new plan, a “2 percent at 50” program, will allow new police officers to retire at age 50 and receive two percent of their highest salary, multiplied by the number of years worked. An officer who retires at 50 after 25 years will receive retirement benefits equal to 50 percent of his highest salary.

Other city employees can retire at 60 with the same benefit.

December 17, 2010

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com

Page 19

e n v l y a e e t n e coo H e t s h w y e a s d holi kies

Cookies have been known to put people in a state of rapture and the seventh annual Clayton Pioneer Cookie Contest really delivered this year.

The standing-room only crowd enjoyed great music, face painting, coloring, crafts and pictures with Santa while his judging elves loosened their belts to taste and evaluate the cookie entries from kids and adults.

So scrumptious were the junior baker (ages 6-12) cookies that first place was a tie between Sarah Cook for her Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies and Ryan Ross for Ryan’s Green Goodies. Master (adult) baker Tamara Aszklar won top honors for her SnowCovered Lemon Delights.

Cookies have been part of Western culture for more than 13 centuries, rapidly spreading out from Persia (ancient Iran), where farmers first cultivated cane for sugar. Originating as thin wafers, actually bits of cake batter placed in an oven to test its temperature, cookies were essential to bakers. The sweet little cakes were given the name “koekje” by the Dutch, eventually Anglicized into the “cookie” we so revere today.

When it comes to judging cookies, everyone who loves them is an expert.

The six local celebs and dignitaries judging the Pioneer contest took their assignments seriously. Councilman Howard Geller and Diablo View Middle School reporter Robbie Parker also judged the contest last year, so each brought an experienced palate to the

task. New to the judging game, but no less talented were Carol Racker and Tami Campora of the Italian Ravioli Marketplace opening this week in Concord, the Pioneer’s Garden Girl Nicole Hackett and Councilman Joe Medrano.

When picking a winner, judges must consider the cookie’s appearance and texture along with the flavor.

Appearance takes into consideration how uniform the cookies are, along with color and crispness, which varies with the type of cookie. The type of cookie comes into play again when eval-

1

LINDA WYNER Clayton Pioneer

ST

E JUNIOR (TI AC E) L P

E AT ES CH L I EWY CHOCO GI OK O NG ERBREAD C

JUNIOR BAKER FIRST PLACE SARAH COOK (TIE) SARA COOK’S CHEWY CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD COOKIES (from Martha Stewart Living, January 2001)

uating texture, or “crumb.” Thin cookies need to be crisp and tender, while thick cookies must be moist and tender.

Bar cookies have to be moist and chewy, but not tough. The cookie’s flavor has to be characteristic of its name (gingerbread should taste gingery, for instance), have a pleasing blend of flavors and a

7 oz. best-quality semisweet chocolate 1½ c. + 1 T. all-purpose flour 1¼ tsp. ground ginger 1 tsp. ground cinnamon ¼ tsp. ground cloves ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg 1 T. cocoa powder 8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter 1 T. freshly grated ginger ½ c. packed dark brown sugar ¼ c. unsulfured molasses 1 tsp. baking soda 1½ tsp. boiling water ¼ c. granulated sugar Line two baking sheets with parchment.

Chop chocolate into ¼-inch chunks and set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cocoa.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and grated ginger until whitened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar and beat until combined. Add molasses and beat until combined.

In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the boiling water.

Beat half the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Beat in baking soda mixture and then the remaining half of the flour mixture. Mix in the chocolate and turn out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough into a disk about 1-inch thick, cover with the plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about two hours.

Preheat the oven to 425. Roll dough into 1½-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.

Refrigerate 20 minutes. Roll the balls in granulated sugar. Bake until the surfaces crack slightly, about 13-15 minutes, and remove from the oven. Cool five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

AC PL GR 1ST

nice aroma. There can’t be any noticeable taste of salt, fat or leavening.

After tasting (and sometimes re-tasting) the entries, the judges announced the winners to great fanfare. In the junior class, Jenny Linderman placed second for her Red Velvet Rich and Creamy Cookies. Best Rolled Sugar Cookies from Ruth Rodriguez and S’Mores Rockin’ Rudolph Ravioli Cookies from Charleen Cohen placed second and third, respectively, in the master baker division. Clayton Smith’s Peanut Butter Cookies were a terrific (if solo) entry in the teen division.

Here are the winning recipes for you to try in your own kitchen. Happy baking.

E EE JUNI OR (TIE) N GO ODIES

JUNIOR BAKER FIRST PLACE RYAN ROSS (TIE) RYAN ROSS’ GREEN GOODIES 1 c. butter, room temperature 1 c. powdered sugar 1½ tsp. peppermint extract 2 egg yolks Green food coloring 2¼ c. flour ½ tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. salt 2 c. white chocolate chips 1 c. milk chocolate chips 20 chocolate mint patties, chopped Preheat oven to 350.

Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy.

Add the peppermint extract, egg yolks and enough food coloring to reach the desired shade of green. Beat until blended.

Add the flour, baking powder and salt on low speed until combined.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Use a wooden spoon handle to put an indentation on top of each cookie.

Bake for 10 minutes, then cool for 15 minutes.

In a microwaveable bowl, melt the white chocolate in 10-second increments, stirring between increments, until just melted. Stir smooth, using remaining heat to melt the few remaining pieces. Working quickly, fill the indentations with the melted white chocolate.

In a separate microwaveable bowl, melt the milk chocolate following the same procedure. As quickly as possible, put a little dollop of milk chocolate on top of the white chocolate.

Sprinkle with the chopped chocolate mint patties when chocolate layer is not yet dry.

M PLACE ASTER T 1S N SN MO E O W-C L OVERED S DELIGHT

MASTER BAKER FIRST PLACE TAMARA ASZKLAR TAMARA ASZKLAR’S SNOW-COVERED LEMON DELIGHTS 2 c. flour 2 sticks butter ½ c. confectioner’s sugar Preheat oven to 350.

Combine ingredients until smooth.

Press into well-greased 9 by 13 pan.

Bake 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the following: 4 eggs 4 T. lemon juice

2 tsp. lemon zest 2 c. granulated sugar 1 tsp. baking powder 2-4 tsp. flour Beat all ingredients until combined.

Pour over shell while still hot. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes.

Let cool and cut into pieces. Dust with confectioner’s sugar.

CE JUNIO PLA R D N 2

RE D VE D CR LVET RICH AN EA MY COOKIES

JUNIOR BAKER SECOND PLACE JENNY LINDERMAN JENNY LINDERMAN’S RED VELVET RICH AND CREAMY COOKIES (from Betty Crocker) Makes 3 dozen 1 pouch (1 lb., 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix 1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa ¼ c. butter or margarine, softened ¼ c. sour cream 1 T. red food color 1 egg ¾ to 1 c. Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting ¼ c. chopped nuts Preheat oven to 375. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, cocoa, butter, sour cream, food color and egg until soft dough forms. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-9 minutes or until set. Cool two minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

Frost cooled cookies. Sprinkle with nuts. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

The rest of the winning recipes and photos of the contest are posted on our Facebook page, Clayton Pioneer Cookie Contest.

Page 20

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

e ift f t t idea... v i G a g ginute gif a i

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AAA Make a holiday resolution to protect your family with AAA. AAA insures more drivers in Northern California than any other carrier, with one in five choosing AAA as their preferred insurance provider. AAA also receives high marks in customer satisfaction, with a 90 percent renewal rate from both auto and homeowners policyholders. Add to that over 90 years of insurance experience, access to world-class Emergency Road Service, quality discounts, tailored policy options, and claims service 24/7 and your choice is clear.

Select AAA Insurance and begin enjoying your exclusive benefits as a AAA Member.

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A & H Limousine Service A & H Limousine Service has been owned and operated by Clayton resident, Sanjay Behal since 2005. A & H offers 24hour service to all Bay Area airports at no extra charge. Limos, party buses, Hummer Limos, sedans and mini-vans are available.

Experienced drivers will take you to on wine tours, to proms, birthday parties or a night out in San Francisco. Get to holiday parties, concerts, weddings or any special event in style. Seniors can take a 10 percent discount for any round-trip booking. Please call (925) 200-2824 or email AH4LIMO@GMAIL.COM.

Bella Mia Spa Where Life is Beautiful~ Come let us pamper your body, mind and spirit in our luxurious day spa. Water fountains, cupid fairies and grape vines add to the Italian-inspired atmosphere. The spa’s customized European Facial incorporates a cleansing, exfoliation, face, neck and shoulder massage, extractions, a hydrating facial mask and aromatic moisturizer and sunscreen.

Our massage therapy and spa body

Holiday “Must Haves”

treatments are of the highest quality and are customized to your personal health and beauty needs. We specialize in professional skin care providing facials, manicures, pedicures, waxing, microdermabrasion, cellulite treatments, airbrush tanning and body wraps. Bella Mia is in the Clayton Station across from Blockbuster. 925-680-7792

Butler Limousine Enjoy the experience of having your own personal attendant with Butler Limousine Services. We provide private limo transportation services anywhere. Whether you are looking to celebrate a special occasion or are in need of corporate transportation, Butler Limousine Services will provide the high-quality transportation you are accustomed to. With our fleet of sedans, stretch limousines and SUVs comes the best trained butler chauffeurs who will give you the confidence and assurance that we are taking care of you. Please explore our website to learn more about us or contact us with any questions. Gift certificates are available and always make an excellent present!

Cegielski Jewelers Walk into this little jewelry store tucked away off Clayton Road and the artistry of Anna Cegielski is everywhere. Elegant platinum, gold and silver, sparkling diamonds, sapphires, rubies and luscious pearls are all worked into spectacular one-of-a-kind pieces that will make that special person’s heart sing this Christmas.

Customize a piece of jewelry in your collection or design something new for your loved one. Visit this little store for gifts that are sure to become the next treasured family heirloom.

Festive gift wrapping is included.

Cegielski Jewelers at 5354 Clayton Road, across from Mountain Mike’s Pizza, is open Tues. through Fri. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sat. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. (925) 682-2855.

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December 17, 2010

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com

Page 21

a i M a l l e B THE

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Clayton Valley Pumpkin and Christmas Tree Farm There’s nothing like celebrating Christmas with a fresh-cut Christmas tree. Choose from our premium selection including Noble, Grand, Douglas and Fraser firs. All trees are trimmed, shaken and fresh-cut to prolong greenery. Flocking, fire-proofing and baling are also available.

Enjoy a complimentary cup of hot apple cider with purchase of a tree. Our Gift Shop is filled with hundreds of Christmas decorations, flags and ornaments. New for 2010 are Rachel Dunn Chocolates, an assortment of holiday goodies that make the perfect gift for anyone on your holiday list, including yourself!

Visit cvpumpkinfarm.com for additional information including train rides on weekends.

Dr. Christina Mason Certified Patient Review: Last month Jeff wrote: I have a long history of very painful sessions with other dentists but Dr. Mason and staff have tamed that problem. I’ve been with them over nine years and I look forward to going! I drive 75 miles round trip to visit and I’m glad to do it. If you’ve ever been hurt or unhappy with dentistry, try Dr. Mason’s office.

Visit the website at www.demandforce.com/dentist/ claytonsedationdentist & bring new life to your beautiful smile.

Encina/Clayton Bikes Bicycles and Christmas are made to go together.

Remember waking up Christmas morning to see that shiny new bike under the tree?

Parents, of all the gifts you can give your children this year, a bicycle from Encina/Clayton bikes will provide many years of healthy outdoor activity. All bikes come fully assembled and ready to ride so Santa can relax on Christmas Eve. Lifetime free service is included.

Bikes are not just for kids. We have a full selection of adult street and mountain bikes to suit every age and skill level with all the accessories. Brands include F.I.T., BMX, Trek and Santa Cruz. Have a Merry Christmas!

Moresi’s Chophouse Moresi’s Chophouse provides a warm and inviting atmosphere in which to enjoy a generous meal. VIP treatment begins at our front door when you are greeted by our personable staff that shares a commitment to your dining pleasure.

Moresi’s has a wide selection of delicious entrees, appetizers, side dishes and desserts. Check out our menu online at www.moresischophouse.com for all the delicious options. To complement your experience, we have a full bar and a wine list with over 70 wines by the bottle.

Moresi’s Chophouse brings people together to celebrate, to socialize and enjoy the full dining experience.

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www.PetSuitesInn.com Pet Suites Inn Josie Van Fleet, owner of Pet Suites Inn, has 18 years of experience boarding and grooming family pets. Pet Suites Inn is recommended by local veterinarians and offers very large play/socialization areas and a small dog and cat section. Services include boarding, bathing, grooming, flea and skin treatments, dog walks, obedience training, treats and tender loving care.

The facility is new with 5000 square feet of indoor space. Suites are five by ten. Two Very Important Dog (VID) Suites of 10 by 10 are available also.

The facility is staffed 24 hours, 7 days a week. Tours available during business hours, 9 a.m.-12p.m. and 2 p.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call (925) 432PETS.

Paul Kommer Merrill Lynch With the changing economic environment, now is an important time to review your personal financial plan.

Having over 20 years of experience in financial services, Paul brings his zeal for accomplishing goals into his pursuit to successfully manage client assets.

Before recommending specific investment solutions, Paul gets to know his clients’ goals, needs, risk tolerance, tax situation, planned retirement lifestyle, charitable intent, and any other important details and issues. He then develops and implements a plan suitable for each client. If you have been considering seeking financial advice, please contact Paul for an initial consultation with no obligation. (925) 988-2111.

Postal Annex The Clayton PostalAnnex+ is here to take the stress out of the holiday season! Store owner Urmila Patel and her staff are available to pack your valued gifts and ship them off to your loved ones on time and undamaged.

Additional products are available such as boxes, packaging peanuts, bubble wrap, greeting cards, decorative mailers and assorted gift items.

Urmila’s PostalAnnex+ also offers high quality color and B&W copies, notary services, mailbox rental, office supplies, key cutting and passport photos. One stop to Urmila’s PostalAnnex+ is sure to get all of your holiday errands done with ease. PostalAnnex+ is in the Clayton Station. Call (925) 673-5246.

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Melanie’s Gifts and Interiors at R&M Pool, Patio and Gardens Melanie’s is all decked out for the holidays. The trees are trimmed with exquisite ornaments. Stylish accent pieces, elegant serving dishes and beautiful platters are on display. Festive candles, table runners, and pillows will brighten your festivities this year. Peruse this unique specialty store located within R&M Pool, Patio and Gardens at 6780 Marsh Creek Road in Clayton Tuesdays – Sundays. (925) 672-0207.

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Page 22

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

December 17, 2010

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The Royal Rooster

Sweet Bakery

Tired of the same old look available in every national chain store? The Royal Rooster is not just another furniture shop.

Find antiques and custom-ordered furniture to fit your needs.

The Royal Rooster also sells unique gifts for friends and family of all ages, including the popular Webkinz and a line of Melissa and Doug Toys. French Country specialties have gorgeous stationary and bath items for every occasion. Try distinctive lines such as Thymes Bath & Body and Caldrea.

The Pantry is stocked with delicious gourmet foods, especially Barefoot Contessa and Clayton’s own Elaine’s Toffee. The Royal Rooster is downtown on Diablo Street. (925) 672-2025

Make your season memorable with various goodies from Sweet Bakery. Enjoy mouth-watering party trays, gourmet sandwiches, cream cheese brownies and freshly made loaves of bread, all preservativefree!

Take home a Yule log. Leave Santa some sugar cookies and gingerbread men by the chimney. Give that someone special a gift box of cookies, cinnamon bread or a gift certificate. With dinner rolls, pies, custom cakes, coffee rings and assorted pastries, you can’t go wrong!

We look forward to serving you this holiday season. M-F 5:30-8pm, Sat/Sun 5:30-7pm. (925) 672-0936. 5435 Clayton Rd # E, Clayton, CA 94517.

SNAP Fitness Happy Holidays from SNAP Fitness!

Join us as we enter our third year in downtown Clayton –with our best new member offer ever! There’s no need to drive far to get a great workout. We have state-ofthe-art equipment, personal entertainment and we’re open when YOU want to work out (4 am to midnight, 365 days a year)!

Need a little encouragement? Our personal trainers are here to help you reach your goals. Come and visit with Clayton legend Don Fitzgerald to see how affordable and fun it is to work out in a clean, safe and convenient environment. Be Well!

The UPS Store Do you have packages that need to be mailed? Pressed for time? Stop by The UPS Store in the Vineyard Shopping Center and let owner Tricia Tamura and her knowledgeable staff help you get your gifts delivered safely and on time. Working seamlessly with the US Postal service, they can offer you options on how to ship your gifts.

The UPS Store can save you the hassle of long lines and multiple stops. Besides packing and shipping, they can assist you with copies, FAXing, Notary Services, Passport photos, Mailboxes and Document Services & Binding.

Stop by or call and let The UPS Store help you make your holiday season more enjoyable. Ample parking available.

Parenting, from page 17 the behavior if the child is not endangering himself or others.

A quick solution to problem behavior is a time-out of one minute per age of child. The child should be placed in a safe, lit, non-threatening and stimulus-free area. Before implementing timeout, the parent must give the rule (i.e., No jumping off the stairs), then a warning (i.e., The next time you jump from the stairs, you will be put on time-out).

Depending on the severity of the behavior, a warning can be skipped. But the rule must always be given first (i.e., Do not hit. If the child hits, the child is placed on time-out).

Time-out should occur immediately after the problem behav-

ior. It is non-negotiable and no attention is given to the child.

DOWN TO THE ABCS Children display problem behaviors for several reasons. The most common functions are for attention, to get access to something, to escape or avoid something, a need for sensory input (i.e., rocking, jumping, headbutting others) or avoiding unwanted sensory input (i.e., selfinjurious behavior due to itchy clothes, loud sounds, bright lights, large crowds).

Parents should identify why the problem behavior occurs, what it looks like and who and what may trigger the behavior. All parents should know and recog-

Weather, from page 18 research scientist Vincent Schaefer discovered that dry ice shavings converted near-freezing water droplets to ice crystals.

Further experimentation showed that silver iodide was an ideal ice nuclei, since it has a crystalline structure very similar to ice and was harmless to the environment.

Cloud seeding operations involve injecting silver iodide into a cold, moist storm cloud.

There are two common methods for adding silver iodide ice nuclei into clouds. Both are used to enhance snowpack in the Sierra Nevada.

The first is known as the ground-based method. Radiocontrolled, propane-powered burners release silver iodide that

is buoyantly lifted into storm clouds upwind of the target area.

The second is called direct the injection method. Aircraft equipped with meteorological instruments and silver iodide flares fly into storm clouds and release the ice nuclei into the air.

Not all clouds can be seeded cost effectively, so meteorologists monitor temperature and wind conditions to choose the storms with the best chance of optimizing precipitation in target areas.

Various studies have been performed on cloud seeding effectiveness, and the consensus is that a 5 to 20 percent increase in winter precipitation is likely.

Cost benefit studies based on

nize the ABCs of behavior: the antecedent (what happens before the behavior), the behavior itself and the consequence (what happens after the behavior). By knowing the ABCs, parents can extinguish or minimize problem behavior.

Children need structure and routine. When children know what to expect during the day and are given choices, the likelihood of problem behavior is decreased tremendously.

If you have concerns about your child’s behavior, seek help from your pediatrician or other available resources.

Eva Portley is a child development specialist working with special needs children.

She holds a BA from UC Davis and is currently working toward a Masters in teaching. Contact her eportley@wecarebmcc.org

these statistics indicate that the payback in power production or water supply enhancement is well worth the cost of the cloud seeding operations.

An additional benefit is the reduction in fossil fuel emissions since hydroelectric power production is nearly emission free.

Mark Twain once said, “Everyone talks about the weather, and no one does anything about it.” If he were writing in the 21st century, his famous quote might need to be altered. Weather modification by cloud seeding shows that meteorologists have learned how to do something about the weather, at least on a small scale.

Woody Whitlatch is a meteorologist with PG&E. Email your questions or comments to clayton_909@yahoo.com