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February 24, 2012
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Amgen Tour to come through Clayton on third leg of race JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
HOWARD GELLER
MAYOR’S CORNER
New homes selling well despite sluggish market The challenge of writing the Mayor’s Column is to meet biweekly deadlines, be factual and to cover items important to our community that have not already been beaten to death by other media. My desire is to inform my readers about what has transpired at our City Council meetings and in the community. I must admit these deadlines do come quickly. Most of the time, Clayton is just what it appears to be: a quiet, low-key community where people know their neighbors and enjoy the natural ambiance our town exudes. For this, we are thankful. So what has recently happened in Clayton?
See Mayor, page 8
Photo by Doug Pensinger, Courtesy Amgen Tour of California
THE STREETS OF CLAYTON AND CONCORD WILL BE FILLED with nearly 200 of the world’s greatest cyclists competing in the seventh annual Amgen Tour of California bicycle race May 15. America’s most successful cycling event has included a climb of Mt. Diablo in its route for the first time and after descending the mountain riders will travel over Ygnacio Valley, Clayton and Marsh Creek roads in our area.
CVHS alum Daniel Zacapa finds stardom as he heads down ‘The River’
GARRET PEARSON – better known as actor Daniel Zacapa – cuts through the jungles of Hollywood to star in a new hit ABC series. ELLEN FINDLAY HERDEGEN Special to the Pioneer
Daniel Zacapa has had quite a ride – from Clayton Valley High School to the Amazon. Zacapa is one of the stars of ABC TV’s new hit series, “The River,” about a group of friends hunting for a famed adventurer who goes missing in the Amazon. Some of his 1969 CVHS classmates may think that Zacapa has gone missing himself from his high school yearbook, but he is there. Back then, he was known as Garret (Gary) Pearson. Zacapa was active in the CVHS drama department, and pursued his dream to be an actor. After high school he attended San Francisco State, then backpacked through Europe, joining
up with several street theater troupes. Back in the Bay Area he performed with Berkeley Stage Company and the Kensington Players. He earned his Screen Actors Guild (SAG) card soon after with two words of dialog, “Yes, sir,” in the 1977-78 science fiction television series, “Man From Atlantis.” Roles were few and far between until a theatrical agent suggested he change his name. “You don’t look like a Garret Pearson. That sounds like someone who is blond haired, blueeyed and six-feet tall,” Zacapa recalls. He took his mother’s maiden name, Zacapa, better suited his dark features and Hispanic background; he was born in Honduras. The name Daniel
See Zacapa, page 4
What’s Inside Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . .15
For a half hour on May 15 the streets of Clayton and Concord will be filled with nearly 200 of the world’s greatest cyclists competing in the seventh annual Amgen Tour of California bicycle race, just weeks before many of those same athletes compete in the Tour De France and only 10 weeks prior to the Summer Olympics in London. Course Director Eric Smith credits the allure of Mt. Diablo as the reason our local cities are now part of the tour. “Every year riders and fans have said ‘why aren’t we climbing Mt. Diablo?’” This year Smith worked hard to incorporate Mt. Diablo into the route and set Stage 3 to begin in San Jose and end in downtown Livermore. The riders will enter Mt. Diablo State Park on South Gate Road near Blackhawk and then come down
See Amgen, page 11
Garden Club ‘Blossoms for Barbara’ brightens Valentine’s Day for many NICOLE HACKETT Special to the Pioneer
The Clayton Valley Garden Club brightened Valentine’s week for many during their first “Blossoms for Barbara” event. This event was created by Clayton Valley Garden Club member and Program Chair Linda Manss Karp in honor of her mother Barbara Manss, who passed away in November. Karp had an idea to give flowing plants in celebration of Valentine’s Day to the patients of the Hospice Foundation of the East Bay. A similar foundation brought Linda and her family comfort during their difficult time, and she wanted to give back. Karp approached the Clayton Valley Garden Club with her idea. Originally, each member was asked to bring one or two florist quality flowering plants to the February Membership meeting. The hope was to be able to donate 50 plants to the patients of hospice. The interest began to grow. Members formed a committee, people began to talk, and letters were written. Hospice had comforted so many through difficult times that there was an outpouring of compassion. Local retailers and restaurants gave to this event, as well as a generous donation from our own CBCA. All the contribuClassified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Community Calendar . . . . . .12 Directory of Advertisers . . . . .5 DVMS Reporter . . . . . . . . . . .9 Financial Sense . . . . . . . . . . .8
tions, including those from family and friends, made it possible for the Clayton Valley Garden Club to donate 350 flowering baby roses, tulips, anemone and primula that were wrapped with festive foils and fabrics, tied with decorative ribbons, and topped with hand cut heart shaped Valentine wishes. The Foundation of the East Bay only needed 75 flowering plants for the patients in their care last week. Blossoms for Barbara Valentines then made their way to the recipients of Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services in Concord, Clayton and Walnut Creek, Stone Brook
Convalescent, Montecito Oakmont Senior Living, Windsor Manor nursing care and Walnut Villa residential care in Concord and Diamond Terrace retirement living in Clayton. Deliveries took a week to finish, with the final delivery on Feb. 13 to Meals on Wheels in the pouring rain. The volunteer drivers for Meals on Wheels received “warm and glowing thank yous,” where the “heartfelt gifts will proved many days of joy to their homebound seniors,” said Sharon Fitzgerald, program manager of Meals on Wheels in Concord. During the days of delivery Linda Manss
Karp was graciously thanked, blown kisses, and smiled at by those she touched through Blossoms for Barbara. Thanks came from as far away as the East Coast, as an email was sent to the Clayton Valley Garden Club by a woman named Faye from Midlothian, Virginia, whose mother is in the convalescent care center at Montecito Concord. She said, “Mom’s heart was touched by the kindness of your organization; being remembered on Valentine’s Day was a true gift.”
See Blossoms, page 3
DENNIS KAUMP AND LINDA MANSS KARP from the CVGC, Kelly Trujillo Out Reach Worker and volunteers from Meals on Wheels deliver colorful flower pots in memory of Karp’s mother.
Food for Thought . . . . . . . . .16 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Hiker’s Haven . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Letter to the Editor . . . . . . . . .5 Obituary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Pioneer Photo Album . . . . . . .4 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Safety Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Sports Shorts . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Tech Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Teen Speak . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 The Charter Papers . . . . . . . .9
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA PERMIT 190
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
February 24, 2012
Around Town New flagpole honors Clayton’s ‘first lady’
ELDORA HOYER, shown here with husband Bob Hoyer in 2006, will be remembered with a flagpole in The Grove, donated by her family. Dedication is Feb. 25 at 11 a.m.
On Saturday February 25 there will be a ceremony in The Grove to dedicate a new flagpole donated by the Hoyer fam-
ily in honor of Eldora Hoyer who was a driving force behind Clayton’s incorporation as a city in 1964. Her husband, Bob
Hoyer, was Clayton’s first mayor. A dedicated historian, she kept meticulous records and huge scrapbooks chronicling the efforts and was a founding member of the Clayton Historical Society and the Clayton Woman’s Club. After she died in May of last year, friends and family pondered ways to honor the woman known as Clayton’s ‘First Lady.” She was a veteran of WWII and a tireless supporter of The Grove. “A flagpole in the park seemed the most fitting tribute,” said friend and Councilwoman Julie Pierce. The public is invited to attend the short ceremony at 11 a.m. at the southeast corner of The Grove Park at Marsh Creek Road and Center Street.
Ted Hall earns Eagle Scout rank Ted Hall, Boy Scout Troop 484, earned his Eagle Scout status by creating Search and Rescue kits for his high school, Clayton Valley. The school had no on-site materials for use in the event of a disaster. Local business Emergency Services Interactive Simulators donated all of the supplies to assemble 20 kits. They included first aid kits, crowbars, flashlights, safety vests, hard hats and work gloves. More than a dozen scouts from Troop 484 volunteered to help with the assembly. Ted, assisted by high school seniors and troop members then held a teacher training session on emergency preparedness at the school during lunch. The kits are stored on campus.
Renee Bragg marks 49 with 50-yard dash For Renee Bragg, turning 49 was merely an opportunity to rev up her motor. When her 16-year-old son, Zach, started giving her a hard
time about getting old, she fought back. She looked Zach in the eye and challenged him to the 50-yard dash. This former hurdles athlete is
RENEE BRAGG (THIRD FROM LEFT) gave son Zach (left) some serious competition in a birthday challenge race last week. Renee, 49, was trained by her father, Olympian Don Bragg and cheered on by mom Theresa Bragg.
a competitor and has winning in her DNA. Daughter of Olympic Gold Medalist Don Bragg, Renee trained for three months under the expert eye of her father, running every night and working out. “I got into fantastic shape,” she laughed, as she warmed up. On race day, more than a dozen family members turned out to cheer the two on. The race started with Renee slightly out in front. But Zach, at about 30 yards and with the advantage of his 16 years, passed his mom and crossed the finish line first. “She quit too early,” lamented Don Bragg. “She coulda beat him if she’d run for the finish.” “She has a great stride,” he added.
Clayton woman wins Shellie Award
MEMBERS OF TROOP 484 AND CLASSMATES of Ted Hall helped Hall achieve Eagle Scout rank. From left: Anthony Maytum, Vincent Lehman, Mariane Lindholm, Matthew Lindholm, Jacob Moulton, Duncan Bradley and Emma Hall. Front: (Left-Right) Elias Roles, Ryan Wilson, Ted Hall, Ben Linzey and Jeffery Colline.
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Clayton resident Hope Birdwell won the Shellie Award in January for her costume design in “Driving Miss Daisy” performed by the Diablo Actors’ Ensemble. The Shellie Awards were created in 1979 to recognize outstanding achievement in the performing arts in the Central Contra Costa/Diablo Valley region. Birdwell was always interested in creating costumes whether for Halloween when her children were young or for church plays. She has been the resident costume designer for DAE for
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the last three years, volunteering over 50 hours per play and up to six plays per year creating and maintaining costumes. Birdwell says, “It’s always fun for me. I usually get the costumes at thrift stores or make things as cheaply and quickly as possible.” She credits the support of her family for allowing her to pursue her passion. They even help with the shopping. “It is quite a sight to see him (my husband) with an arm full of purses going down the aisles at the thrift stores.”
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WINNERS. DAE’s Scott Fryer, artistic director and Hope Birdwell, costume designer, both won Shellie Awards for “Driving Miss Daisy.”
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207 Condor Pl......................$285,000 7022 Molluk Way .................$460,000 325 Roundhill Ct ..................$465,000 14 Nottingham Cir................$400,000 112 La Encinal Ct ................$620,000 1377 Shell Lane...................$249,900 17 Capistrano Ct..................$500,000 316 Ahwanee Lane ..............$628,000 9 Donner Court ....................$187,000 968 Tiffin Drive ....................$489,000 1288 Shell Circle .................$315,000 8114 Marsh Creek Road......$680,000
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February 24, 2012
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 3
Take a tour of Mount Diablo’s second volcano PEGGY SPEAR Clayton Pioneer
It’s funny what you might stumble over in the course of what seems to be a routine project. Just ask Save Mount Diablo. The organization was pursuing its mission to reestablish the Diablo Wilderness along Marsh Creek when it acquired two distinctive properties. “Lo and behold, we found that both properties feature unique geologic features,” says SMD Executive director Ron Brown. What he means by “geologic features” is simple: volcanoes, or at least the remnants of two. The second property was named Marsh Creek-VI – in
Blossoms, from page 1 When asked what her mother Barbara would think of all this, Karp replied with a sad smile, “I know my mom. She would have thought it was nice, and she would be proud, but she would definitely say, ‘Boy, that’s a lot of work.’” The Clayton Valley Garden Club is already thinking about and planning next year’s “Blossoms for Barbara” because this event generated so much kindness, touched so many and gave joy to the patients, recipients and families of those, sick, shut in and dying. Questions regarding Blossoms for Barbara can be emailed to president@claytonvalleygardenclub.org.
honor of the California State Parks and Recreation Commission’s recent designation of Cowell Ranch as “Marsh Creek State Park,” and a nod to John Marsh, Contra Costa County’s first American settler, as well as to Marsh Creek. The volcanic plug dome is the second one that the organization has preserved in the past six months, and is located just 900 feet upstream from the first dome property, Marsh Creek-V. That parcel of land contains a high-quality 250-foot section of the creek, a known habitat for the threatened California red-legged frog, several rare plant species including Contra Costa Manzanita – the tallest of that species in the world – and
By Scott Hein, www.heinphoto.com.
The “twin” volcanic domes, Save Mount Diablo’s Marsh CreekVI in the foreground and Marsh Creek-V behind.
the endemic Mt. Diablo Globe Lily, the unusual fragrant, citruslike hop tree, as well as the
uncommon volcanic rock rhyodacite, all within its six acres. Located at the western
mouth of the narrowest point of Marsh Creek Canyon known as “Dark Canyon,” Marsh Creek-VI is also rich in many ways. With some slopes greater than 45 degrees and unusual rock outcroppings, the property possesses amazing view “that will take your breath away,” Brown says, particularly of Mount Diablo to the west. “Many of us have driven by those properties over the years and seen the small domes, but didn’t realize they were the remnants of volcanoes,” Brown says. “A lot of the geography was masked by the foliage.” Once mortgaged for $929,000, Marsh Creek-VI was bankowned and preserved by Save Mount Diablo for $395,000 last
month. This is the seventh parcel under 10 acres acquired by the organization in the last year. SMD, which transfers properties to park agencies for long-term management and public access, will probably own Marsh CreekVI for many years. “Given the economy, Save Mount Diablo has to hold properties longer, but this has been a great time for us to preserve land,” Brown said. The public will have a chance to visit the new property on Saturday, Feb. 25 when Seth Adams, SMD’s Land Programs Director, will lead a hike from 10 a.m. to noon. Meet at 3240 Aspara Drive, Clayton. Directions are available on the Hike Calendar at www.savemountdiablo.org. RSVP to smdinfo@savemountdiablo.org or call. 925-947-3535.
Short Globe Lily Trail packs a punch the days still a bit short on sunlight, I thought it fitting to share a quick hike off-the-beaten path minutes from Mitchell Canyon Staging Area. Plus you might even be able to fit this one in after work without a flashlight. Follow Mitchell Canyon Fire Road to Black Point Trail and you will find yourself on the Globe Lily Trail, which meanders up through lush vegetation and tree cover from the very start. I can’t say I’ve ever seen anyone else on this trail, must be a Route 66/Radiator Springs kind of thing, but there’s something about the road less travelled that always lures me in. And trust me, Globe Lily will not disappoint.
KEVIN PARKER
HIKER’S HAVEN For this week’s hike, I have returned to an old favorite, namely Mount Diablo State Park. And talk about close to home; Mt. D is a stone’s throw from anyone with the right zip code to get this paper. And with
The Globe Lily Trail itself it little more than a half-mile long, but this little trail packs a punch with stunning views of Mitchell Rock, Uncle Sam Canyon and even Black Point Peak. I also hear April is the best time for Globe Lilies, which line full sections of trail if you’re lucky enough to time it just right. As you continue to gradually head uphill, you really feel nestled into the hillside and elevated from the base of Mitchell Canyon, so it gives you the feeling of being up and above all that is happening below. Globe Lily really is a series of scenic vista points, so it’s easy to take your eyes off the trail to take in the scenery.
Globe Lily junctions into Red Road, which allows you to continue on or quickly hook back up with Mitchell Canyon Road and head back to your starting point. As a side note, Red Road is another trail that does not see a lot of foot traffic but truly should as you will once again feel like you have the park to yourself. Mitchell Canyon Road provides an easy exit from the park, as you will be back at the staging area in no time at all. Enjoy Yourself! For more information on this hike or other outdoor experiences, contact Kevin at hikershaven@claytonpioneer.com.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
February 24, 2012
Obituary
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ON ‘THE RIVER’ In the new thriller drama that has Steven Spielberg as one of its executive producers, Zacapa plays Emilio Valenzuela, a master ship mechanic. “I get to play the role of a Honduran which pleases me to honor my mother, who was born in Honduras,” Zacapa says. Argentina Pearson was an ESL Instructor in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District and passed away in April 2011. Daniel is the oldest of five children. One sister, Danette Nelson, lives in Clayton with her husband Shawn and their two sons. Sister Michelle Pearson, CVHS class of 1976, lives in Concord and laughs that she is Daniel’s career “handler.” His brother Ron, CVHS class of 1971, is in Santa Barbara, and sister Doriel Nishioka lives in San Mateo. Daniel is the proud father
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came from his childhood idol, Daniel Boone. His new name helped open doors to auditions for new roles. “Had I remained Garret Pearson, I would never have gotten my breakout role on Showtime’s ‘Resurrection Blvd,’ the highly regarded series that made history for being the first English-speaking weekly series with Hispanic actors, written, directed and produced by Hispanics,” he said. Zacapa has shared the big screen with actors Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon in “Odd Couple 2,” Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt in “Se7en,” Brad Pitt again in “The Mexican,” Robert Redford and Michelle Pfeiffer in “Up Close and Personal,” Mel Gibson in “Tequila Sunrise,” Forrest Whitaker in “Witness Protection,” and with Samuel Jackson in George Clooney’s directorial debut, “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.”
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of two daughters and has four grandchildren. His ongoing charity work with children include the Foundation for Youth Non-Violence in Northern California and Woodcraft Rangers in L.A.; he reads regularly in elementary schools throughout the state. About his career, he says, “I never had thoughts in my head of being a movie star; it was never my agenda. I wanted to be the best storyteller I could and play as many different characters as I could. I always, even when I was younger, wanted to be a character actor because those are the fun roles to play.” COMING ATTRACTIONS Future projects for Daniel include “El Tio Sam” and “Destiny Road.” He is looking forward to shooting “Wooden Lake,” an independent film directed by Ron Perlman and written by his best friend, screenwriter Bryant Turner. Zacapa was the recipient of an ALMA Award in 1998 for Best-Supporting Actor for his work in “Foto Novelas” on PBS. He also was inducted into the CVHS. Arts & Academics Hall of Fame at the school’s 50th Anniversary Spring Gala in 2009. He has three dreams he would like to fulfill in the Bay Area and hopes his journey up The River will help him accomplish them: to throw the first pitch at a San Francisco Giants game, to lead the Giants crowd in “Take Me Out To The Ballgame,” and to appear as Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” at San Francisco A.C.T. “Being on ‘The River,’ a prime-time network drama, is like being in the Major Leagues. Think about it. How many actors in all the shows put together are blessed with this kind of ride?” The River” airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m.
Don Boyd July 14, 1932 – February 4, 2012 Long-time Clayton resident, Don Boyd, 79, died February 4 at Kaiser Hospital in Walnut Creek. Born on July 14, 1932 in Williamsburg, Ohio to Russell and Doratha Boyd, Don enjoyed growing up in that small, rural town east of Cincinnati. He graduated from Williamsburg High School, and in 1954 earned his bachelor’s degree in Education from Miami University, in Ohio. Don served on active duty in the United States Marine Corps from 1954 to 1956, then in the Marine Reserves until 1984, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. After moving to San Francisco in 1962, Don took a job at Wells Fargo Bank, where he worked for 42 years as a manager of stock investment portfolios for the bank‘s private clients. Don was an active member of Concord United Methodist Church, serving as chair of the endowment committee, a lay reader, and a member of the men’s group. Don and his wife Jeanne Kirchhoff Boyd met while skiing in Squaw Valley, California, and were married in 1964. They moved from San Francisco to the Dana Hills community of Clayton in 1971, where they raised three children, Brooks, Kevin, and Lynn. Don coached their soccer games for many years, and served several more seasons as a referee. A dedicated fishermen and lover of the outdoors, Don took his family on many backpacking trips in the Sierra Nevada mountains and on
camping vacations all over the western U.S. After retirement, Don and his wife Jeanne traveled the world, learning about cultures and places of Asia, Africa, and South America. They also took annual summer trips to Alaska, often returning with many pounds of salmon and halibut. Friends and relatives will miss his gentle, caring presence, his curiosity and love of learning, and his dry Midwestern sense of humor. Don is survived by his wife Jeanne Kirchhoff Boyd sons Brooks and Kevin and daughter Lynn Boyd Hermansen; and grandchildren Emma, Nathaniel, Vivian, Phoebe, Nicholson and Savannah. Funeral services will be Saturday, February 25 at 3 p.m. at Concord United Methodist Church, 1645 West Street in Concord. Friends and family are asked to consider making a memorial donation to their favorite charity in lieu of sending flowers.
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Kim Zocchi Herrera took this beautiful shot from downtown Clayton at the roundabout after the rain on February 13. In keeping with our motto, “It’s Your Paper,” the Pioneer is proud to spotlight our reader’s photos. Send in your cute pets, funny kids, great landscapes, favorite sites in town or whatever makes your heart beat a little faster. Email your photo in a hi-resolution jpeg or tiff format to album@claytonpioneer.com with a description of the photo, where and when it was taken and a little about why you like it. Include your name and phone number. Then look for it in the next Pioneer.
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February 24, 2012
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Correction P.O. Box 1246 6200 Center Street, Suite H, Clayton, CA 94517
Page 5
Directory of Advertisers
In our front page story in the Feb. 10 issue about the CV students appearing with local honor bands, we misspelled the name of one of the students. The euphonium player is Jason Fernandes, not Fernandez.
Auto Clayton Valley Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3900 Mike's Auto Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-1739 Business Services
TAMARA
AND
R OBERT S TEINER , Publishers
Letter to the Editor
TAMARA S TEINER , Editor P ETE C RUZ , Graphic Design P EGGY S PEAR , Copy Editor J AY B EDECARRÉ, Sports PAMELA W IESENDANGER , Administration S TAFF W RITERS : Denisen Hartlove, Lou Fancher, Nicci Shipstead, Pam Wiesendanger, Mike Dunn
We remember Jill Bedecarré - Her spirit is our muse
PIONEER INFO CONTACT US Tel: (925) 672-0500 Fax: (925) 672-6580 Tamara Steiner tamara@claytonpioneer.com Send ads to ads@claytonpioneer.com Send Sports News to sports@claytonpioneer.com Send Club News to clubnews@claytonpioneer.com Send Church News to churchnews@claytonpioneer.com
Send School News to schoolnews@claytonpioneer.com
CLASSIFIEDS Classified rates per insertion: Non-profit: $12 for first 30 words, $.20 each additional word Individual/non-commercial: $18 for first 30 words, $.30 each additional word Commercial: $48 for first 30 words, $.40 each additional word To place your classified ad over the phone, call the office at (925) 6720500 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. Or, you may fax your typewritten ad and credit card information to (925) 672-6580. All classifieds must be paid for in advance by credit card (Master Card or Visa) We will not accept any ad that discriminates on the basis of race, color,
sex, religion, nationality, family status or disability. The Clayton Pioneer reserves the right to reject any advertising we believe is unsuitable. LET US KNOW Weddings, engagements, anniversaries, births and deaths all weave together as part of the fabric of our community. Please let us know of these important events. We ask only that the announcement be for a Clayton resident. You will find the appropriate form for your announcement on our Website. Attach your photo to the form. Make sure the image size you are about to send is at least 3 MB but not bigger than 6MB. The only format we accept is JPG. You can also mail or bring your print to the office and we can scan it for you. Also on our 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.
Questions charter school quest While I don’t really have a dog in this fight, and while I have not attended any of the sessions involved in the process of making Clayton Valley High School a charter school, I still see concerns about the outcome. … perhaps the greatest concern is if the primary goal of making Clayton Valley High a charter school is a quest for inequality, i.e., to seek it to be a better school than other high schools in the district. This is a growing trend in our country, and with inequality comes distrust among communities and within communities. As wellintentioned as the cause might be, if the main purpose for the charter school effort is to pursue inequality, then there is something wrong with that picture. - George Fulmore Concord, CA
Studies to be costly for CC Church project The Clayton Community Church must go back to their congregation to ask for the additional $68,000 required by the consultant and the city to complete the Environmental Impact Report for their proposed project. Because of the significant shortage of on-site parking spaces (only 54 of the 201
required), completion of a Comprehensive Parking Management Plan is the next step required for their project. This additional cost won't be known until the RFPs have been issued and reviewed by the city. While the church will be required to pay for this document, I further suggest they should also fund all the implementation, operation, and ongoing maintenance costs of any parking plan resulting from approval of their project since project is almost 85 percent church use. This is similar to St Bonaventure’s having to fund the installation and maintenance of the traffic light on Clayton Road when the church was proposing to build a school on their property. As the CCC project costs continue to mount, I think this begs two questions for the congregation: Is the Town Center location really the best and most cost effective use of your funds? Is it time to seriously look at alternate locations where your project could be built solely for church use and parking is not an issue? For instance, there is a five-acre parcel with a 5,500 sq ft building on it currently for sale on March Creek at Russelman Road that is listed for less than the cost of the vacant property purchased in Town Center. - Lynn Hadley Clayton
Rising Moon Marketing & Public Relations .672-8717 Chiropractor Coflin Chiropractic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6500 Construction and Trades Appliance Repairs by Bruce, Inc. . . . . . . . .672-2700 Belfast Plumbing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .457-5423 Black Diamond Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .777-3440 Burkin Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 672-1519 Diablo View Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . .822-5144 Steffan Smith Kitchen & Bath Remodeling .914-0497 Tipperary Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-2679 Dentist Children’s Dentistry of Walnut Creek . . . . .938-2392 Dining and Entertainment Clayton Club Saloon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-0440 Memo’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .914-0395 Ravioli’s Italian Market Place . . . . . . . . . . .689-3819 Subway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-0621 Willows Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-1300 Financial and Insurance Services Dawn King Bookkeeping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .933-0553 Held, Chris - Wells Fargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . .609-9415 Littorno, Richard - Attorney at Law . . . . . . .432-4211 Miller, Tom, CPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .354-1385 Prosperitas Wealth Management . . . . . . . .672-7700 Snyder, Ken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .270-3617 Travis Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-888-698-0000 Van Wyck, Doug - State Farm Insurance . .672-2300 Funerals Ouimet Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4242 Home and Garden Abbey Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-9901 Clear Splash Pool Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-6245 Diablo Lawnscape
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .381-3757
Nichols Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9955
Classified SENIOR SERVICES Getting you out and about. Local mom, active in the community, offering non-medical and practical help: shopping, errands, salon, doctor visits. Transportation included. Seniors About Town, Terri Gerow at 330-5090.
TUTORS NEEDED Diablo Valley Literacy Council needs English tutors. Tutor training class begins Mar. 3. Call Maureen 685-3881.
WANTED Come join Mazzei Realty! Currently interviewing and hiring new and experienced real estate agents. Call 693-0757 for details.
Utopic Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0055 Waraner Bros. Tree Service . . . . . . . . . . . .831-2323 Mailing Services The UPS Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6245 Optometry Foresight Optometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4100 Pet Services Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital . . . . . . . . . .672-1100 Rodie’s Feed and Pet Supply . . . . . . . . . . .672-4600 Real Estate and Mortgage Services 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
Real Estate Agents Be Successful! Lynne French is expanding and interviewing for a few agents. Call her today 6728787.
Recreation and Fitness
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Levity Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2995
Help Fight Hunger Anna Chan – AKA: The Lemon Lady needs your help! 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.
All Out Sports League . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203-5626 Clayton Valley Bowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-4631 Earthquake Arabians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .360-7454 Senior Services Always Available Home Care . . . . . . . . . . .689-6887 Diamond Terrace Senior Retirement Living .524-5100 Services, Other Ararat Exterminators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-7020 Computers USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9989 Net Solutions
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6029
Recycling Center & Transfer Station . . . . . .473-0180 The Maids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-6243
Hospice of the East Bay – Anna’s Attic Volunteer at Anna’s Attic Thrift Shoppe, located at 5350 Clayton Road. For information call 6749072. Or please contact 887-5678, or volunteers@hospiceeatbay.org. The Clayton Historical Society Museum needs a greeter for two hours per month from 2-4 p.m. Wednesdays or Sundays. Call the museum at 672-0240. Clayton Community Library Needs volunteers. Minimum age 13. Minimum commitment is 6 months. Some training provided. Contact: Arlene @ 673-9777 or email: nielsenjanc@aol.com.
Specialty Shops Blessed Brides by Sarah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1200 Travel Cruise Adventures Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . .935-7447 Travel to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9840
Self Discipline Do the Right Thing
Page 6
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
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Will new government plan really help troubled homeowners? Q. I have heard that there is a sweeping government plan to help struggling homeowners. Could you explain exactly what they are going to do? A. Along with the California Association of Realtors (CAR), I was ecstatic when I heard about the settlement. Finally…help for homeowners. Hooray! When I read about it I immediately began to study the bill. As with most government programs it isn’t simple to figure out how it will help on the
local level and how much it will help the housing market. I can share some general details in today’s column and as I decipher more, I will inform you in future columns. Having this plan at all validates the idea that improvement in the housing market is a necessary avenue to an economic recovery. Some details on the settlement are: The settlement doesn’t apply to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac mortgages. This excludes a huge amount of
Just the other day I was walking across the parking lot near Orchard Supply Hardware when I was almost hit by a person driving a large SUV. The driver was talking on her cell phone and apparently did not see me. Plus she was exceeding the speed limit. Fortunately I was aware of my surroundings. Perhaps if I was using my cell I may not have seen the SUV. Too many times when using a cell phone or texting we do not pay proper attention to what is happening around us.
Many times I have seen people crossing streets while on their cell phone and not watching traffic. Please, PLEASE watch where you are walking. Be aware of your surroundings. When driving and we need to use our cell phone, we are to pull off the road and stop before using the cell phone. When walking or biking, why not get out of the flow of foot or bike traffic to do your talking? I have seen individuals step off the curb while texting and nearly get hit by a car. Have any of you seen some-
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mortgages. (You can check if your loan is Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac online or by calling your lender). The settlement is between the U.S. government, the state’s attorney general, and the five biggest banks. These are: Bank of America Corporation, JP Morgan Chase & Co., Wells Fargo & Co., Citigroup Inc. and Ally Financial Inc. (formerly GMAC). Because of foreclosure processing problems over the last few years, lenders have three years to provide financial relief
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February 24, 2012
HERB YONGE
SAFETY ZONE one walk into a fire hydrant, bump into a pedestrian or some similar situation where a person was not aware of their surroundings? Probably so. Uneven sidewalks can cause a stumble. Just think of all the “opportunities” we have to injure ourselves when not being aware of our surroundings. Some of you may remember the situation that occurred several years ago concerning a walker near the old Systron Donner facility in Concord. The walker was on her cell phone and apparently not aware of her surroundings. The walker was attacked by a person hiding in the bushes. Perhaps the walker would have noticed the attacker had she not been on the cell phone. One last thing about being aware of your surroundings: when getting into or out of your car, pay attention to your surroundings and do not be distracted by talking on your cell phone. If you must be on your cell phone, do a 360degree circle to be aware of who and what is around you. Be observant and aware of your surroundings at all times. 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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REAL ANSWERS to financially troubled homeowners. It is a $25 billion settlement that will dedicate $20 billion toward various forms of financial relief to borrowers. At least $3 billion will go toward refinancing loans for “qualified borrowers” who are current on their mortgage, but who owe more than their homes are worth. In the future I will let you know what qualifies a borrower. $10 billion will go towards reducing the principal on loans for “qualified borrowers” who, as of the date of the settlement, are either delinquent or at imminent risk of default and owe more than their homes are worth. There is also a caveat that most principal reductions will be in the hardest hit counties, those with the largest percentage of foreclosures. It doesn’t address future defaults as far as I can see. Principal reduction is of utmost importance in helping borrowers and at this point. I am suspect as to how far reaching this solution will go. I will definitely provide more details on this later. Up to $7 billion will go towards other forms of relief for “qualified borrowers,” including anti-blight programs, short sales, forbearance of principal for unemployed borrowers, and transitional assistance. This agreement has bipartisan support. A large part of the funds will go toward homeowners whose homes were foreclosed illegally within a certain period. Most of these are in parts of the country where they engage in “judicial foreclosures.” This type of foreclosure is ripe with opportunities for abuse, in my opinion. Our state doesn’t use “judicial foreclosures.” In future columns you can look forward to more information on who these “qualified buyers” are and how they can benefit from these new programs. Send your question and look for your answer in a future column. Email Lynne@LynneFrench.com. French is the broker/owner of Windermere Lynne French & Associates and a Clayton resident. For any real estate needs or questions, contact her at 672-878 7or stop in at 6200 Center St., Clayton.
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February 24, 2012
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
New Nokia smart phone is 2012’s must-have gadget The 2012 CES (Consumer Electronics Show – Las Vegas, NV.) had two standout electronic marvels: one was the ultra slim notebook that we explored last time. The other is a new smarter smart phone made by Nokia and running a Microsoft Windows operating system. The Nokia Lumia 800 won best of show, and accolades from attendees, besting more than 2,000 products on display. Nokia is still the world leader
in the phone handset business (just a phone with some features) but has lagged sorely behind Apple and Android in the smart phone business (a phone with Internet access, etc.), but that’s about to change. Apple is the current market leader in the U.S. but Nokia still outsells them in sheer numbers of handsets worldwide. Nokia has about 29 percent of the world market share of phones, with Apple half that. Apple still dominates the apps business and Android is apps strong, but Nokia is gaining ground on apps very fast and may overtake Android by the end of this year. I’ve never seen anything like it – from nearly zero apps to 50,000 in just over one year. About a year ago Nokia and Microsoft teamed up to push the Windows 7.5 Mango operating system (OS) as a replacement to Nokia’s home grown OS. The new OS, known as Windows Mango, is a tile-based visual view of all important functions of the phone. For example, rather than pages of icons reporting on phone calls, several icons for music, games and programs one tile tells you that phone calls have been received, music is available, and games are in progress. Touch the tile and up pops a list of your important
events. That means rather than having separate icons for each program, the tile summarizes the activities within the group and reports it to the main page. This is much faster, and gives you a summary of your activities. Mango is also a forerunner of the newest computer OS known as Windows 8. When Windows 8 is released later this year it will integrate into the smart phone business, meaning what you see and do on one device, like the smart phone, you will be able to see and do on the other device, like the computer. So one operating system for both means the beginning of a unique ecosystem. By the way, the ecosystem is the holy grail of the smart phone business. It is my most intense recommendation if you’re a Microsoft user for your business to get in line for this product and prepare your computer systems and networks for Windows 8. I can’t make this point more clear: get your plans in place now. An informed IT tech should be able to help you make a plan to migrate your business to this new reality. Now for the best part, price. Nokia has always been known as a leader for low cos,t extremely high quality handsets. While Nokia’s offerings are not yet fully capable of some of Apple’s coolest features, or Android’s hype, they make up in price and a rapidly growing list of features and apps. T-Mobil is offering the Nokia Lumia 710 at $49.99 and
Page 7
NO POINTS, NO FEES
Refinance your home loan! WILL CLANEY TECH TALK Wal-Mart has it for free with a two-year commitment. This price point for a smart phone is a clear winner. New entries on the low end will be the Lumia 610 (working name) and on the high end to compete with the best in the world, the Lumia 900. Yes, smart phones are getting smarter. They are beginning to consolidate the world of operating systems so work on one platform is compatible with work on another. This is something Microsoft does best: Wait for the market to develop, then dominate it. RIM and to some extent Android are dead or dead-end platforms. Only Apple and Microsoft will survive. Agree or disagree, drop me a note and let’s talk at will@shopcusa.com or to this paper. William Claney is an independent tech writer and former owner of Computers USA in the Clayton Station. Email questions or comments to will@claytonpioneer.com.
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1. APR as low as 3.75% fixed for 10 years, based on 80% loan-to-value or less. For $200,000 loan, payment would be $2,001.22. 2. APR as low as 3.99% fixed for 15 years, based on 80% loan-to-value or less. For $200,000 loan, payment would be $1,478.37. 3. APR as low as 4.49% fixed for 30 years, based on 80% loan-to-value or less. For $200,000 loan, payment would be $1,012.18. Rates as of January 20, 2012, subject to change until locked. Financing available up to $417,000 (or the conforming loan limit for your county) for owner-occupied California primary residence properties only. Applies to no cash-out refinances. With cash-out, loan-tovalue limit is 75%. Payment example does not include insurance or taxes. Property insurance required. Some restrictions may apply. If impound account for taxes and insurance is desired, you are responsible for those set-up amounts and any charges assessed by your current lender such as reconveyance fees, payoff demand fees, pre-payment penalties and any interim interest collected at closing. Please consult your tax advisor regarding the deductibility of interest and charges. Offers cannot be combined with other discounts or promotions. Everyone who lives, works, or attends school in Contra Costa or Alameda County, part of our 12-county area, is eligible to join. Certain membership requirements may apply. NMLS registered. Equal Housing Lender
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
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deteriorating. It may be getting harder to get in and out of the bath, prepare your own meals, or put your shoes on. It may be getting difficult to get out of a chair or remember to take your medications on schedule. Someday, you may need help with such activities. So, what’s your plan? Perhaps you think your adult children can care for you. They will probably be more than willing to help out. But, what happens if you are no longer able to live independently? If you don’t have a plan for long-term care, your adult children may need to assume the role of unpaid caregiver. In fact, between 30 and 38 million unpaid caregivers, typically adult children, now provide the majority of long-term care service and support to their
Mayor, from page 1 DIABLO ESTATES SUBDIVISION IN CLAYTON Diablo Estates in Clayton, our newest subdivision at the end of Regency and Rialto Drives, consists of 24 semi-custom homes. The sale of these homes seems to be defying the trend in our current real estate market. The homes are upscale in amenities, which can be seen in the one completed model. With several floors plans and loads of upgrades to select from, they have 17 of the 24 homes/lots already spoken for. CLAYTON VALLEY CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL The Clayton Valley Charter High School (CVCHS) held their victory celebration on Saturday, Feb. 11 at the high school gym. One purpose of this event was to answer questions of incoming
freshmen and parents of students already attending the school. Another purpose was to acknowledge the hard work accomplished by the steering committee, community members and teachers who are continuing onward with the arduous task before them. Hot dogs and hamburgers, donated by Allied Waste Services, were sold along with snow cones, tacos, cookies, drinks and t-shirts. Donations were accepted to raise the much-needed “seed” money to pay for incidentals until the major funds become available. At last count, more than $4,500 was raised. If you have any questions about the CVCHS, go to www.claytonvalley.org. DECOY PATROL CARS I am sure all of you slow
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loved ones, according to a report from AARP. What’s more, the report showed that about 92 percent of those with the most caregiving responsibilities had to change their work schedules. More than 37 percent went from full-time to part-time work, and 35 percent gave up work entirely. Planning for your future with long-term care insurance (LTCI) can provide options to meet your needs in terms of safety and well-being, while allowing your adult children to live their own lives. If you’re considering LTCI, don’t wait until an illness or injury forces you to make a hasty decision; and very possibility make you uninsurable. Take the time now to consider your options. The majority of long-term
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care (LTC) is to assist people, through various support services, with the normal activities of daily living. LTC can be provided at home, in the community, in an assisted living facility, or in a nursing home. A home health care aide, for example, can help with weekly shopping or daily tasks, such as bathing and dressing, which may be difficult to accomplish without assistance. Knowing that someone is there to help can relieve stress for you, your spouse and your children. Plan for your future today so that your children can care about you, rather than for you. After all, that’s what parents do. Ken Snyder is a long term care planning and insurance professional. He can be reached at 925-2703617. California License 0H12142. down when driving through town and spot one of our patrol cars strategically parked on main thoroughfares. You just never know which cars are manned and which are not. These cars are a brilliant implementation by our Police Chief Dan Lawrence. The results of this trafficcalming device have been a huge success. The chief reported there was a 30 percent decrease in 2011 from 2010 in the number of speeding tickets issued. Contrary to what many people believe, issuing speeding tickets is not a revenue generator for the city as the court system and the State of California get the lion’s share of the ticket price. The tickets are issued as part of the local “education” process. One might speculate that the reduced speed by many motorists also lessened the number of injury collisions. Injury collisions in Clayton went down from twelve in 2010 to three in 2011. REPORTS OF COYOTES AND BOBCATS Many of our medians along Clayton Road have been replanted just in time to receive the benefits of the few winter rains we had. I think this is the first year I have lived in Clayton that our rolling foothills were not velvet green this time of year. With the lack of water, we are starting to see more signs of wildlife. Coyotes and bobcats have been seen roaming the hills of the Oakhurst Golf Course. Good advice is to keep your cats in, especially at night. In closing, a quote by Walter Putnam, “People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Send questions and comments to Councilmangeller@aol.com
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 9
Spring will be heating up as teachers, When senioritis sets students prepare to open CVCHS next fall in, take a chill pill
APRIL WINSHIP
THE CHARTER PAPERS “I once read the three C’s of life: You must make the choice, to take the chance, if you want anything in life to change.” –Clayton Mayor Howard Geller Our teachers made a choice and took a chance on change. I will add a forth “C” to Mayor Geller’s quote. Courage. Without courage, taking that first bold step away from the comfortable, conventional, towards new territory, would have been impossible. On Feb. 15 teachers who wished to join the charter terminated employment with MDUSD and signed contracts, becoming employees of Clayton Valley Charter High School. The CVCHS Governing Board approved a new school
CVCHS SUPPORTERS REVIEW A SCRAPBOOK chronicling the start up efforts: From left, Amber Lineweaver, Neil McChesney, Congressman George Miller and Pat Middendorf.
calendar for the coming 20122013 school year. School for all students will begin Wednesday, Aug.15 with the last day of the school year Friday, May 31, 2013. To view the complete calendar, along with key dates for freshmen, go to the website www.claytonvalley.org/news. Last week the letter mailed home to current Clayton Valley High School families from MDUSD Superintendent Steven Lawrence led some parents to be confused. Important facts to keep in mind: Clayton Valley High School will transition to Clayton Valley Charter High School on July 1,
2012. Clayton Valley Charter High School is a public high school. Clayton Valley Charter High School will no longer be under the governance of MDUSD, but will instead operate independently, governed by an elected Governing Board. “Meet” the Governing Board at www.claytonvalley.org/governing-board. Current CVHS students: Upon completion and return of the Enrollment and Authorization to Release Information form, current students will automatically be enrolled in CVCHS for the 2012-2013 school year. Incoming freshmen within
CVHS attendance area: Upon completion and return of the Enrollment and Authorization to Release Information Form, all incoming freshmen from Diablo View Middle School and Pine Hollow Middle School and living within the CVHS attendance area will automatically be enrolled in CVCHS for the 2012-2013 school year The deadline for returning the Enrollment and Authorization to Release Information form is Feb. 24, 2012. Enrollment will be complete upon receipt of a full registration packet by April 19, 2012. Registration Packets will be available in the CVHS front office. Questions regarding admissions can be sent to: admissions@claytonvalley.org. Teachers, students and the community gathered in the CV gym to celebrate the approval of CVCHS and salute the Clayton Valley community for their role in making CVCHS a reality. Keep informed at www. claytonvalley.org. April Winship is a parent of two CVCHS students in the Public Service Academy. She lives in Clayton with her family. If you have any questions, comments or simply have an idea to share, email info@claytonvalley.org.
International Choir makes DVMS students’ hearts sing It wasn’t just any assembly Diablo Valley Middle Schoolers had on Feb. 7. Rather, it was a performance by the Matsiko World Orphans Choir, a children’s choir that managed to touch the students’ hearts. The Matsiko Children’s Choir is a choir sponsored by International Children’s Network. Twenty-two children are in the choir (eight from Peru, seven from Liberia, and seven from India). The choir sang songs about love that expressed their cultural significance. “The Matsiko World Orphan Choir has been touring since 2007,” said choir representative Don Windham. “Each choir tours the USA as the representatives of our world’s 600 million orphaned and at-risk children around the world. Each touring team spends one school year touring, studying and performing throughout the USA. This team has been here since Thanksgiving and will leave in mid-September of this year.” Some of the performers
ONE OF THE SINGERS in the Matsiko Children's Choir.
show true dedication and devotion to the choir. Some of them have had to walk with their mothers and guardians 15 miles to rehearsals. Most of the children have been in the choir for one year, Windham says. Their love of music and singing was displayed through the many smiles on their faces.
One of the reasons why I am doing an article on the children is because they need help. They are very strong, spirited children who have been through a lot. What we can do is lend a hand, through being a sponsor. “The money raised will buy shelters for the children in Liberia and Peru,” Windham says. “It will also be used for needed medical clinics, feeding programs, needed material to build schools, as well as a center for the choir to be used in their home base of Kent, WA.” The process of being a sponsor is simple. “Being a sponsor through International Children’s Network and its Matsiko World Orphan Choir is most easy to do and will literally be the greatest miracle towards the life of an orphan child they have experienced in their entire life,” Windham says. “Simply go to the ICN Website at www.icnchildren.net and sponsor a child there,” he says. Sponsorship allows a child the opportunity to receive an education through their nation’s
CELINE HERRERA DVMS REPORTER highest university or vocational levels. In addition, sponsors can visit their child every year by being a part of ICN’s regular service trips and every sponsor can communicate with their sponsored child at any time. Every sponsor can rest easy knowing the more than 90 percent of every dollar goes to its intended purpose and their trust in ICN is rated at the highest levels of GuideStar’s rating (The “Watch Dog” of the charitable industry). I hope that you will “do the right thing,” and help these children. Celene Herrera is in the eighth grade at Diablo View Middle School. Email comments or questions to celine@claytonpioneer.com.
SARAH ROSEN TEEN SPEAK The time has come. The time just after the first semester ends when high school seniors become a little bit . . . well . . . we want to tear our hair out. I, among those overanxious and easily distracted people, can completely relate. Quite honestly, after three-and-a -half years of AP classes and all-nighters, the last thing I want to do in the last semester before graduation is sit for three two-hour classes. The college applications are in, and all that is left to finish are those extensive scholarship applications. After that, the goal is to graduate with strong grades, a college acceptance in hand or a job lined up, and a sense of greater independence tucked in our back pockets. But until that final day when we take those last steps as high schoolers across the stage and clutch that diploma for dear life, school remains a formality we must endure. The monotony of school obviously becomes a little old, especially when life beyond the halls of high school is staring us in the face. In the middle of what seems like your billionth English essay as a high school student, when senioritis’s grasp takes hold and all you want to do is throw your computer against the wall in angst . . . don’t do it. Your computer will punish you, and you WILL be sorry. Been there,
done that. Rather, set it aside and just take a break. Get your mind off of it for a while. But, if you take too long of a break . . . the temptation to procrastinate even more than you already did becomes even greater than before. Trust me. What I’ve found, as my “senioritis” has truly settled in these last few weeks, particularly during homework time, is that distractions and thinking about events to look forward to really are a saving grace. Planning for the future has become the ultimate life-saver. Whenever I feel myself start to be sucked into the deep dark abyss that is senioritis, I stop, and do something that reminds me that college is just around the corner, even if that means looking online for dorm room items or comparing my top schools so it comes time to make a final decision, I’ve got all the information I need. If I can just look forward to a party at the end of the week, a three-day weekend, or even just my open period at the end of every other day, time flies by just that much faster. What I’ve learned is that the worst possible thing that you can do is to start crossing off days on a calendar until graduation day or the day those college admissions letters come out. Trust me, been there done that. If the mental reminder of counting down the days isn’t enough to of a reminder of just how long remains, a visual reminder hanging on your wall isn’t making anyone feel any better. I wish the graduating class of 2012 the best of luck in surviving the rest of the school year. Sarah Rosen is a senior at CVHS. You can e-mail her at sarah_rosen@claytonpioneer.com.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
February 24, 2012
Sports Clayton Valley winter sports teams all reach NCS JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Clayton Valley High School’s winter sports teams may not have hit their full stride early in the season but none of the Eagle squads can be faulted for their stretch runs as each took second place in Diablo Valley Athletic League final standings and qualified for North Coast Section post season play. The boys soccer team of coach Rory Gentry earned its second successive NCS semifinal berth with a pair of home playoff victories last week. The Eagles, seeded fourth in the tournament, faced three-time defending champion and topseed De La Salle Wednesday night in the semis with a berth in Saturday’s NCS Division 1 championship game at stake. The Eagles beat visiting DLS 10 in a pre-Christmas non-league match. The Eagles began NCS with a 4-2 win over Mt. Eden, a team they defeated last year in NCS and who they beat last month in a non-league game. Senior Josh Gomez scored three goals and assisted on Christian Pedraza’s score, all in the first half. Then the Eagles beat Monte Vista 4-1 in the quarterfinals with four different scorers. “I’m more than happy with how we’ve been playing,” Gentry said. “The kids have been playing outstanding soccer.” The coach spoke after the Eagles ninth successive victory. They were runner-up behind Ygnacio Valley in DVAL standings at 9-2-1 with an overall 194-3 mark. Eagle scorers against the Mustangs were Scott O’Sullivan, Lucas Arriaga, Adolfo Martinez and Gomez, who netted his 23rd of the season. Coach Scott Booth termed
his soccer girls’ NCS 13th seed “too low for our accomplishments.” The Eagles thus faced California High in the opening round and lost 3-0 to a team they had edged 1-0 earlier in the year. The girls finished second in league at 9-2-1 and 11-84 overall. Their only DVAL losses came to Ygnacio Valley and College Park, both of whom the Eagles beat the second time around. “Our team struggled to find its identity early on. It was the beginning of a rebuilding process having graduated a lot of girls last year. Many new faces joined our team and we are excited to watch their progression in the future.” Clayton Valley’s girls basketball team (16-10) of coach Bernard Barnes began the year with returning DVAL MVP Ashley Allen shelved due to injury and subsequently also lost Taryn Pascal and Jordan Johnson. Assistant coach Kris Pascoe says, “My motto for this team is ‘overcoming adversity.’ We have been marred with injuries, but filled with resolve.” The Eagles were 4-2 in league play before rattling off six straight wins in the second half of the schedule, the closest victory by 16 points including a 31-point drubbing of league champs Northgate in the DVAL finale. The Eagles, who reached the Northern California Championships last year, traveled to Santa Rosa Tuesday for their first NCS game against Montgomery. Clayton Valley ‘s boys basketball team missed NCS last year but they won their last four DVAL games to take second to College Park in final league standings at 8-4 and 17-9 overall for coach Troy Sullivan. The Eagles earned a NCS home
Sports Shorts IPSEN REPEATS AS PAC-12 DIVER OF THE MONTH Clayton freshman Kristian Ipsen won his second successive Pacific 12 Conference Diver of the Month Award for Stanford in January. Ipsen, who is at the World Cup in London for Olympic qualifying this week, has not lost a collegiate meet this season, winning all 14 of his 1- and 3-meter contests. He won eight of those contests in January, headlined by wins over Arizona and Arizona State and dual victories at the Stanford Invite. He recently swept through the 1- and 3-meter events over two days at USC. The
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freshman standout was also conference diver of the month in December. SPRING YOUTH, ADULT PROGRAM SIGNUPS AT CLAYTON GYM Spring youth basketball academy for boys and girls of all skill levels in first through ninth grades is returning to Clayton Community Gym for seven Friday evenings starting April 6. Signups are also being taken for spring youth volleyball league, which will run on Saturdays from Mar. 3-April 28. Spring adult leagues for soft-
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game on Tuesday against Mt. Eden, a team they beat on the road by one point in pre-season. Sullivan said before NCS started, “I guess we just played our best basketball when it was needed the most. Hopefully, we have better basketball still inside us. This is a very tough field and it is going to take great bas-
ketball to stay in the tournament and move on.” Coach Kyle Behmlander’s Eagles wrestlers are in the NCS championships this Friday and Saturday at Newark Memorial led by league champs Troy Lakin and Bryan Jimenez and six more Eagles who were DVAL meet finalists.
Photo courtesy Scott Anderson
SENIOR GUARD KARLEY MENEZ lays in another basket for Clayton Valley as the Eagles raced to a 10-2 record during the DVAL season and qualified for another berth in the North Coast Section playoffs. Junior Taryn Pascal (2) is ready for a rebound.
ball, dodgeball and volleyball are also gearing up. For more information or to register for any program offered by All Out Sports at the gym, visit alloutsportsleagueclayton.com. 18TH CVHS CRAB FEED & AUCTION ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY Clayton Valley High School Athletic Boosters will hold their 18th annual Crab Feed and Auction on Saturday, Mar. 17, at Centre Concord. Tickets are $50 each if purchased before Mar. 15 ($60 after that date) and sold on a first come, first served basis. The popular event sold out last year. Must be 21 or older to attend. For more info email cvabcrabfeed@gmail.com or go to cvhsboosters.org to order tickets.
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TRYOUTS FOR U15-U19 2012 DIABLO FC TEAMS APRIL 18-22 Competitive soccer team tryouts in Diablo FC for boys and girls in the under 15 through under 19 age groups will be held in Concord April 18, 21 and 22. Players born between Aug. 1, 1994 and July 31, 1998 can tryout. Boys and girls who missed U9U14 tryouts should go online to register for tryouts and the age group coach will contact them. To pre-register online for the free tryouts and a complete schedule visit diablofc.org. DANA HILLS SWIM TEAM SCHEDULES MARCH SIGNUPS Concord City Champion Dana Hills Swim Team will hold signups for the upcoming DHST
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CENTER GARRETT LEMOS (34) has had a productive senior season for the Clayton Valley High boys basketball team as the Eagles returned to the North Coast Section playoffs. The Eagles finished 8-4 in league play and were 17-9 entering NCS.
season at the Cabana Club on Mountaire Parkway in Clayton on Mar. 14 and 24. For complete information visit danahillsotters.com. ST. BONAVENTURE CYO TRACK GEARING UP FOR 2012 SEASON Coach Darren Newell is inviting signups for the St. Bonaventure CYO spring track and field program, which is open to boys and girls in second through eighth grades. The team works out at Newhall Park Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Practices are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 4:45-5:45 p.m. The season runs through May 12 culminating with the Oakland Diocese championships. The first meet of the season is Mar. 17. For more infor-
mation call (925) 209-1222 or go to stbonaventurecyo.com. LATE SPRING SIGNUPS ACCEPTED FOR MT. DIABLO SOCCER Mt. Diablo Soccer is accepting late applications for its spring program, subject to availability. Players who participated in fall season are charged only $50 for spring. Boys and girls 3-1/2 to 18 years of age can take part. Under 12 and older divisions in spring league are co-ed. Spring league ends in mid-May and is generally less formal than fall with players getting the opportunity to play soccer without any post-season playoff pressure. Registration is being taken online at mdsoccer.org.
February 24, 2012
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 11
Sports
“ Let Us Light Up Your Life” Residential
club soccer team and also swam many years during the summer for the Concord City Champion Dana Hills Otters. Coach Booth adds, “She is a hard worker both on the pitch and in the classroom. I have enjoyed coaching her the past three seasons and look forward to what she’s going to bring to the program next year as a senior.” The Clayton Pioneer congratulates Samantha Boeger and rewards her achievement with a gift certificate to Rocco’s Ristorante & Pizzeria.
Athlete Spotlight Name: Samantha Boeger Age: 17 Team: CVHS Soccer Sport: Soccer Clayton Valley High girls soccer coach Scott Booth says of junior Samantha Boeger, “She’s been a mainstay of our central midfield this year in both the holding and attacking positions. Sam started the season playing holding mid for us
but we have been utilizing her in the attacking mid position because of her ability to take shots from distance. She is also a physical presence for us, winning balls in the air and holding possession when we need it.” In her third year on varsity for
the Eagles, Boeger scored six goals, including a few on wellplaced free kicks from outside the penalty box area, as CVHS again qualified for the NCS playoffs. Boeger has been a long-time member of the Diablo FC 94 girls competitive
Spotlight Name: Sam Marchant Age: 18 Team: CVHS Soccer Sport: Soccer Senior captain Sam Marchant has patrolled the backline of the Clayton Valley High School soccer defense helping this year’s team to a school record in stinginess. The Eagles gave up only 17
The Clayton Pioneer congratulates Sam Marchant and rewards his achievement with a gift certificate to Rocco’s Ristorante & Pizzeria.
goals in 25 matches through the first round of the North Coast Section playoffs including seven consecutive victories to end the regular season. Marchant, who also plays for Diablo FC 93 club team, has
Amgen, from page 10 the area landmark through North Gate, taking Oak Grove Road to Ygnacio Valley Road before turning right on Clayton Road in Concord. The tour considered coming off Clayton Road at Marsh Creek Road to race through downtown Clayton but after inspecting the narrowing road in downtown and speaking to Clayton Police it was decided that the route and race would be better served staying on Clayton Road as it passes Oakhurst Country Club and
turns into Marsh Creek Road by Diablo View Middle School. From Clayton the route will continue on Marsh Creek Road to Camino Diablo and eventually end the 115.3mile stage in Livermore. Clayton Mayor Howard Geller is excited about the tour coming to town. “The City of Clayton is looking forward to the Amgen Bike Tour. It is not often that we can get national recognition. Clayton has become a starting point now for several bike races and
excelled in the classroom as well with a 4.5 GPA and is being courted by a number of colleges to continue playing next year. At 6-1, 190 pounds Marchant rarely loses an aerial battle on the pitch as a sweep-
we hope this trend continues. Mt. Diablo has piqued the interest of many bicycling clubs. I am sure that our town will be out in force to see this highly publicized event and make our retail stores very happy.” The tour drew over 2 million spectators in 2011. This year’s Amgen Tour of California will cover 750 scenic miles over eight days starting May 13 in Santa Rosa and ending May 20 in Beverly Hills. As America’s most successful cycling race, the Amgen Tour of California is one of the nation’s largest and most recognized annual sport-
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Do you know a young athlete who should be recognized? Perhaps he or she has shown exceptional sportsmanship, remarkable improvement or great heart for the sport. Send your nomination for the Rocco’s Pioneer Athlete Spotlight today to sports@claytonpioneer.com.
ing center back. Coach Rory Gentry says, “Sam is a very calm presence in defense. He is extremely fast and quick afoot and can run down even the fastest of opposing forwards. Sam will be sorely missed when he graduates in June.” He also is on the CVHS golf team and is a member of the Public Service Academy at the school.
Athlete
Do you know a young athlete who should be recognized? Perhaps he or she has shown exceptional sportsmanship, remarkable improvement or great heart for the sport. Send your nomination for the Rocco’s Pioneer Athlete Spotlight today to sports@claytonpioneer.com.
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ing events. Listed on the international professional cycling calendar, the race awards important, world-ranking points to the top finishers. The teams and riders for the tour won’t be announced for a while but last year’s race included 180 riders. “It usually takes five to 10 minutes for every rider to pass any viewing point on the course.” Smith guesses riders will be in Concord and Clayton at about 1:30 p.m. on May 15. For updates on the tour look to future issues of the Clayton Pioneer or visit amgentourofcalifornia.com.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
February 24, 2012
Clayton Community Calendar PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M. MAR. 7 FOR THE MAR. 16 ISSUE. ITEMS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY EMAIL TO calendar@claytonpioneer.com
IN CLAYTON Mar. 4 Chili Cook Off 12th Annual celebration. Enter the contest or come for the fun. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Clayton Club Saloon, 6096 Main St. claytonclubsaloon.com. Mar. 23-25 Creekside Arts Celebration 9th Annual celebration and 17th anniversary for the library. Entertainment for all ages and interactive workshops. Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road. claytonlibrary.org. Apr. 14 Horse and Rider Sensory Training Clinic designed to help horse and rider overcome spook and confidence issues. 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association, 1600 Trail Ride Road, Clayton. Registration $80 for members; $105 nonmembers. $40 deposit required by April 1. cmdtra@yahoo.com or info@bentsonsensory.com.
EVENTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Thru Feb. 25 “Arms and the Man” A charming tale of romance going awry. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $38-$43. centerrep.org. 943-7469. Thru Mar. 3 “A Light in the Piazza” Romance and intrigue in Italy during the summer of 1953. Willows Theatre, 1975 Diamond Blvd., Concord. willowstheatre.org, 798-1300. Thru Mar. 3 “Legally Blonde” Elle Woods proves being true to yourself never goes out of style. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $34-$48. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Thru Mar. 3 “The Philadelphia Story” Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $22. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Feb. 26 Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra Performing four of Mozart’s greatest compositions. 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $10-$30. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Mar. 1-4 “The Princess and the Pauper” Two look-a-likes decide to switch places. The audience plays an important role in this real life shell game. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $14. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Mar. 2-5 “Inside the Dancer’s Studio” Breathtaking dance in an intimate setting with Diablo Ballet. Shadelands Arts Center, 111 N. Wiget Lane, Walnut Creek. $28$37. diabloballet.org. Mar. 4 California Symphony Internationally renowned pianist John Novacek plays Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3. 4 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $39-$69. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Mar. 6-10 Percussion Discussion Ken Bergmann returns with his smashing spectacle of drums, cowbells, chairs and more. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $13. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Mar. 8 Get Your Glee On East Bay Performing Arts glee-style show with grades 6-12. 7:15 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $12. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Mar. 8-31 “Life Could be a Dream” Hilarious heartaches ensue as The Crooning Crabcakes enter the Big Whopper Radio contest. Full of doo-wop hits. Campbell Theatre, 636 Ward St., Martinez. $19-32. willowstheatre.org. 798-1300. Mar. 12 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouts Girl Scouts, alumni, family and friends are welcome to join in this light celebration. Bring LED candle or flashlight. Members wear uniform. 6:30 - 8 p.m. Todos Santos Plaza, Grant Street and Willow Pass Road, Concord. Contact Karen Oliver at koliver@astound.net. Mar. 15-Apr. 7 The Tempest Written by Shakespeare, this play is set on a remote island where Prospero, exiled Duke of Milan, tries to bring about the restoration of his title and status while revealing plots against him. Butterfield 8 Theatre Company, Cue Productions Live, 1835 Colfax St., Concord. $10-$18. brownpapertickets.com. 800-838-3006. Mar. 9 In the Mood Artbeat Inc. presents this brassy, upbeat 1940s musical revue. 2 and 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $39-$59. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Mar. 9, 10 Bye, Bye Birdie Get your poodle skirt and leather jacket and join Contra Costa Christian High School for this outrageously fun musical. 7:15 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $10. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Mar. 16 Elizabeth Hunnicutt Elizabeth paints an authentic picture of hope in the midst of pain and doubt with her acoustic-folk-pop music. 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $15. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Mar. 16 Glen Staller Concert of Classical and Flamenco music. 7:30 p.m. St. John’s Episcopal Church, 5555 Clayton Road, Clayton. $15. brownpapertickets.com. 672-8717. Mar. 16 – Apr. 15 “Sunset Boulevard” A magnificent tale of faded glory and unfulfilled ambition performed by the Contra Costa Musical Theatre. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $44-$49. lesherartscenter.org. 9437469. Mar. 17 Chamber Music San Francisco Stephen Hough, widely regarded as one of the most important pianists of his generation, performs. 2:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. Tickets on sale March 17 at 12 a.m. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Mar. 17, Apr. 21 Help for Distressed Mortgage Holders Series of community workshops sponsored by volunteer experts and experienced homeowners. 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Salvation Army, 3950 Clayton Road, Concord. Free. Register at realhelp.eventbrite.com. neighborshelpingneighbors.biz for more information. Mar. 18 Diablo Symphony Orchestra Jerome Simas, clarinet, performs. 2 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $25. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Mar. 18 Diablo Wind Symphony Performance by honor youth band representing over 30 schools in four counties. 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $10. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Mar. 18 The Pirates of Penzance Sing-a-Long Ever popular sing-a-long with the Lamplighters Music Theatre to celebrate the leap year birthday of Frederic, the Pirate Apprentice in “The Pirates of Penzance.” 2:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $35. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Mar. 21 Walnut Creek Concert Band Celebrating the birthday of Modest Mussorgsky with “Pictures at an Exhibition.” 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $17. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Mar. 24 Contra Costa Wind Symphony Great music inspired by great authors, including Mark Twain and William Shakespeare. 3 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $6-$22. ccwindsymphony.org. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
CHURCHES AND RELIGION Mar. 2 World Day of Prayer All people of faith are invited to share a time of prayer and reflection focused on the theme “Let Justice Prevail.” Coffee fellowship at 10 a.m.; service at 10:30 a.m. Concord United Methodist Church, 1645 West St., Concord. Free. Donations benefit Church Women United and National World Day of Prayer Committee. Contact Lenita Shumaker at 672-1053. Mar. 3 Baha’i, interaction, fellowship and discussion. Topic: Destiny of America - A Message a Century Ago. Speaker: James Andrews. 7:30 p.m. Free. For directions, call 672-6686. Tuesdays thru Mar. 6 Christianity for Progressives 101 Group discussion based on Marcus Borg’s book “The Heart of Christianity.” 7:30 p.m. Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church, 1578 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton. Call to attend, 672-4848.
FUNDRAISERS Feb. 25 An Evening in New York - Broadway Bound Clayton Valley High School bands’ evening of entertainment, dinner and auction. Entertainment by CVHS Jazz Band and Wind Ensemble with special guest Greg Fogg. 6 p.m. CVHS Multi-Use Room, 1101 Alberta Way, Concord. $20. claytonbands.org, linminmailboxmusic@yahoo.com. Feb. 28 Five Guys Burgers and Fries Organized by Mt. Diablo Elementary Parent Faculty Club. Every purchase earns 15 percent for the PFC. Must bring flier downloaded from school website. Dine in or takeout. 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Five Guys is located at 5442 Ygnacio Valley Road, Concord. 672-6030. Mar. 3 Crab Feed Concord High School Choir’s Big Kahuna crab feed, no-host bar and dancing. 6 – 11 p.m. Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Road, Concord. Tickets must be purchased by Feb. 24. $45 single or table of 10 for $400. Contact Tammy Brumley at chschoirtickets@gmail.com or 250-2264.
AT THE LIBRARY The Clayton Library is at 6125 Clayton Road. Programs are free unless otherwise noted. 673-0659 or claytonlibrary.org.
Mar. 9-23 “Steel Magnolias” A group of gossipy southern ladies in a small-town beauty parlor in an alternately hilarious and touching play. Diablo Actors’ Ensemble, 1345 Locust St., Walnut Creek. $10-$25. diabloactors.com.
Wednesdays Book Buddies A volunteer will read stories for children of all ages. 1-2 p.m.
Mar. 10 A Tribute to Patsy Cline With Joni Morris and her After Midnight band. 8 p.m. Willows Theatre, 1975 Diamond Blvd., Concord. $25. willowstheatre.org, 798-1300.
Thru Feb. 29 Go Bananas for Books Children kindergarten through third grade. Pick up reading record at Information Desk. Color banana for each book read. Pick up prize after 29 books.
Mar. 10 Pink Floyd Concert Experience The ultimate Pink Floyd tribute starring House of Floyd with live music and laser light show. 8 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $40-$45. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Thru Mar. 6 Patty Cakes Story time for babies to three-year-olds. Attend with caregiver. Drop in at 11 a.m.
Mar. 11 Time Zones Musical montage of the United States during the years 1890-1915 presented by Sullivan Studios. 2:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $17.75. lesherartscenter.org. 9437469.
Thru Mar. 8 Picture Book Time Story time for three- to five-year-olds. May attend without caregiver. Drop in at 11 a.m.
Feb. 28, Mar. 6 Paws to Read Grades 1 through 5. Read aloud to a dog to encourage children to read. Maximum three sessions. Registration required. 4:30 p.m. Mar. 14 “Two Among the Righteous Few: A Story of Courage in the Holocaust” Book talk with author Marty Brounstein about this remarkable, true story of courage and compassion as well as one with a personal connection. 7 p.m.
SCHOOLS Feb. 29 Homework Without Hassles Mt. Diablo Elementary Parent Faculty Club presents this talk for parents with adult educator Kim Koppenhaver-Klute. 7 – 8 p.m. MDE Multi-Use Room, 5880 Mt. Zion Drive, Clayton. Free.
GOVERNMENT 1st and 3rd Tuesdays Clayton City Council 7 p.m. Hoyer Hall, Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road. 673-7304 or ci.clayton.ca.us. 2nd and 4th Tuesdays Clayton Planning Commission 7 p.m., Hoyer Hall, Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road. 673-7304 or ci.clayton.ca.us.
CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS Claycord 4-H The group meets 6:45 p.m. second Tuesday of the month, Farm Bureau Hall, 5554 Clayton Road, Concord. Clayton Business and Community Association Meets 6:30 p.m. last Thursday of the month except holidays, Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Dr., Clayton. Call Sue at 672-2272. Clayton Valley Garden Club Meets 7 p.m. second Wednesday of the month, February through November. Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center St., Clayton. Mar. 14 speaker: Buzz Bertolero. Topic: New plants and products for 2012. Contact eugenia5050@gmail.com or claytonvalleygardenclub.org. Clayton Valley Woman’s Club Meets 9:30 a.m. second Tuesday of the month except July and August, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1092 Alberta Way, Concord. 672-9448. Clutch Busters Square Dance Club Meets 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Willow Pass Community Center Hall, 2748 East Olivera Road, Concord. Contact Karen at 686-3774. Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association Meets 6 p.m. first Saturday of the month for a potluck. Open to members and guests. CMDTRA, 1600 Trail Ride Road, Clayton. cmdtra.org or cmdtra@yahoo.com. Contra Costa Chess Club Meets 6:30-9:30 p.m. Thursdays, Starbuck’s, 1536 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton. Players of all ages and skill levels welcome. Contact Mike at 639-1987 or ccchess.com. Contra Costa Genealogical Society Meets 7 p.m. second Thursday of the month, LDS Church, 3700 Concord Blvd., Concord. cccgs.ca@gmail.com. Contra Costa Mineral and Gem Society Meets 7:30 p.m. second Monday of the month, Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Road. 289-0454, ccmgs.org. Creekside Artists Guild 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. Diablo Valley Democratic Club Meets 7-9 p.m. third Wednesday of the month, Ygnacio Valley Library, 2661 Oak Grove Road., Walnut Creek. 946-0469, dvdems.org. East Bay Prospectors Meets 6:30 p.m. first Thursday of the month, Oasis Christian Fellowship, 2551 Pleasant Hill Road, Pleasant Hill. Clayton resident Douglas “Pucky” Junghans is the founder. 672-1863, eastbaygpaa.webs.com. Knights of Columbus Meets 7:30 p.m. first Tuesday, St. Bonaventure Church, Ministry Center, 5562 Clayton Road, Concord. Art 672-1850, shanone@comcast.net or Chuck 849-5466, cecooper3@comcast.net. MOMS Club of Concord/Clayton Meeting dates vary. 331-0674, concordclaytonmomsclub @hotmail.com or concordclaytonmomsclub.webs.com. 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, claytonvalleyrotary.org. Scrabble Club Meets 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. second and fourth Saturdays of the month, Carl’s Jr. Restaurant, 1530 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton. All ages and skill levels welcome. $3. Call Mike at 639-1987 or scrabble-assoc.com. Sons In Retirement (SIRs) Branch 19 meets 11:15 a.m. first Thursday of the month, Crown Plaza Hotel, 45 John Glenn Dr., Concord. 429-3777. Branch 146 meets 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. second Thursday of the month. Boundary Oaks, 3800 Valley Vista Road, Walnut Creek. Mar. 8 speaker: Ann White. Topic: Road Scholar program. $24. Reservations required. 939-8073. sir146.com. Soroptimist International of Diablo Vista Meets 12 p.m. second, third and fourth Wednesdays of the month, September-June, Sizzler, 1353 Willow Pass Road, Concord. Contact Nicole at 692-2224. Strike a Chord Woman’s chorus. Rehearsals 7 – 9 p.m. Mondays. Openings for new members. Schedule audition. strikeachord@gmail.com or contact Benedikte at 935-4313. Veterans of Foreign Wars Breakfast 8-11 a.m. second and fourth Sundays, 2290 Willow Pass Road, Concord. Eggs, pancakes, sausage, beverage. $4, $2 children under 12. Word Weavers 400 Toastmasters Meets 7-8:15 p.m. Mondays, first floor of Montecito – Oakmont Senior Living, 4756 Clayton Road, Concord. Visitors welcome. Contact Marion at 686-1818 or marion48@live.com.
February 24, 2012
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 13
Turning your puppy uppers into doggie calm-downers SUE SKIFF
PET PALS Many people think that they need to tire their dogs out in order to get their dogs to be calm. This seems to make sense when you think about it. It’s hard to be hyper if you’re worn out. The problem with this idea is that as a dog gets used to a certain activity level, that activity level no longer wears it out. You then have to exercise the dog more and more to wear it out, and this can become a never-ending cycle So, what is the answer to calming a hyperactive dog? The answer, of course, is teaching calmness. Here are some tips.
Reinforce your when it’s calm
dog
When are you least likely to give your dog attention? I’m going to guess that it’s when
your dog is lying down, being calm. Well, if you have a dog with any hyperactive tendencies, then you need to give your dog attention when it is lying down. Yes, that’s right. When your dog is lying down, praise it, pet it toss it treats; whatever you can do to let it know that you like the fact that it is lying down. Just be careful to do it in a way that doesn’t cause your dog to get excited, or to get up.
Ignore your dog when it is hyper Dogs often get attention for being hyper. Never mind that this attention is often human attempts to stop the dog from being hyper, it’s still attention. This leads the dog to becoming hyper when it wants attention. So, walk away from your dog when it’s hyper. If your dog gets destructive when it is hyper, then you can have it drag its leash around, so that you can calmly take it to its crate without giving it much
attention,when it gets too active. Just do your best to ignore the hyperactivity, so that you are not inadvertently reinforcing it.
Practice “stay” often It is easiest to learn something by practicing it. Your dog can learn to be calm by being given chances to practice being calm. Teach your dog to stay, and practice it often. Reinforce your dog for staying for longer and longer periods of time.
Give your dog positive outlets for its energy The best outlet for your dog’s energy is obedience training. So, throughout the day, give your dog training sessions that are fun. And, do training while you take your dog for its walks. Your dog will have to use its brain, as well as its body. This will help to tire your dog out faster than simple exercise would do. Another positive outlet for
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Coyotes pose threat to family pets Do you have a Little Bear, a 16 lb. Jack Russell/Chihuahua mix was severely injured last week after tangling with a coyote on his owner’s property off Marsh Creek Road. Bear’s owner, Joan Bergum was outside around 9:30 in the morning, when she saw Bear take off after a coyote, scrambling under the fence that separates their property from the open space behind them. A few minutes later Bear returned, bleeding from puncture wounds in his neck. He was
still in critical condition at press time, but expected to survive. Coyotes are abundant in Contra Costa County, even in urban areas. They quickly lose their natural fear of people and become bold and aggressive. “This guy was as bold as brass,” Bergum said. “It was broad daylight and in our yard.” Coyotes resemble a small German shepherd dog, but they have a long snout and bushy, black-tipped tail. They are extremely adaptable and can survive on whatever food is
available. They hunt rodents, cats, birds and other small animals, as well as young deer and sheep. They will also feed on the carcasses of dead animals and will accept handouts from people in the form of table scraps, pet food and garbage. According to the Lindsay Wildlife Museum, problems between the coyotes and people Little Bear suffered serious happen when people begin injuries when he was attacked feeding coyotes, either deliber- by a coyote. ately or inadvertently by leaving pet food outside or making Help reduce the danger to garbage cans accessible. your pet by always feeding indoors or immediately removing dishes and leftover pet food from outside. Keep dogs on leash when walking the trails and keep dogs and cats indoors at night. For more information on coyotes go to wildlife-museum.org and click on “Living With Wildlife.”
Nigiri and Cleo are ARF’s Adoption Stars
NIGIRI
Nigiri is a bubbly, spirited little lady who will bring smiles and giggles wherever she goes. Being a bright little terrier, Nigiri will benefit from an exercise routine that can keep her happy and healthy. Attending a Basic Manners training class would be a lovely way for little Nigiri to bond with her new adopter and learn some handy dog skills. The adoption fee for adult dogs is $225 and includes 60 percent off one 7-week dog training session. Cleo is a social girl who is looking for a cat-savvy companion! She’s an early bird who loves to play, but never misses her afternoon nap. A talkative girl, Cleo will tell you when she’s ready to cuddle! The adoption fee for adult cats is $50.
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Meet your forever friend at Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek, during adoption hours: Noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday, 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.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Theatre
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Glenn Staller March 16 at 7:30 p.m.
CCMT scores another East Bay premiere Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Sunset Boulevard’ opens at Lesher Center on March 16.
Extraordinary guitarist presents an evening of Classical and Flamenco music: Scarlatti, Coste, Antonio Lauro, Piazolla $15 at brownpapertickets.com or at the door Limited seating
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Costa Musical Theatre will add another jewel to its crown of local premieres when it presents Andrew Lloyd Webber’s lushly romantic “Sunset Boulevard” at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts, March 16 through April 15, 2012. “Sunset Boulevard” weaves a magnificent tale of faded glory and unfulfilled ambition. Silent movie star Norma Desmond longs for a return to the big screen, having been discarded by tinsel town with the advent of ‘talkies.’ Her glamour has faded in all but her mind. When she meets struggling Hollywood screen-writer Joe Gillis in dramatic circumstances, their sub-
sequent passionate and volatile relationship leads to an unforeseen and tragic conclusion. With book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton, “Sunset Boulevard” boasts Lloyd Webber’s “most shamelessly and artfully constructed score, and offers two of his best songs in ‘With One Look’ and ‘As If We Never Said Goodbye.’” (Time Magazine). The writing team has reinvented Billy Wilder’s 1950 classic film noir as a romantic musical spectacle, adhering closely to the screenplay co-authored by Wilder. Praised by many critics when first released, the film, starring Gloria Swanson and William Holden, was nominated for eleven Academy Awards and won three. Lloyd Webber’s musical adaptation was first produced in London’s West End in July 1993, featuring Patti LuPone as Norma Desmond. The American Premiere opened in Los Angeles later that year,
featuring Glenn Close. Close recreated her role for the Broadway Premiere in 1994, earning her a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress; the production garnered an additional 6 Tony Awards including those for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book of a Musical. Tickets for Sunset Boulevard range from $44 to $49 (with discounts available for seniors and students, and special group rates) and are on sale now at the Lesher Center for the Arts Ticket Office, 1601 Civic Drive in Walnut Creek, (925) 943.SHOW (943-7469). Tickets can also be purchased online at www.lesherAr tscenter.or g . Group Sales: 925.295.1472
Annmarie Martin as Norma Desmond in CCMT’s “Sunset Blvd”
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Joni Morris’ Tribute to Patsy Cline Comes to Willows in Concord GARY CARR Special to the Pioneer
Patsy Cline is back – at least in spirit and for only one night. The multi-talented Joni Morris brings the legendary singer to the Willows
Mainstage in Concord in a tribute to the “Queen of Country Music.” A star in her own right, Morris has been playing to sold-out crowds across the country. Audiences are transfixed by the authenticity Joni Morris
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brings to her show. Her rousing performances of Cline’s best-loved songs like “Your Cheatin’ Heart”, “Crazy”, and “Walkin’ After Midnight” make this an extraordinary evening to remember. Patsy Cline was not just a country star, but a true crossover artist, and her lights have not faded. She is more popular now than she was at the peak of her career which was cut tragically short by an airplane crash in 1963. Her heart-breaking melodies of lost love live on and touch us deeply. Joni Morris transfixes audiences, transporting us back to the Golden Years of the late 50s and early 60s with hits like “Sweet Dreams” and “I Fall to Pieces.” Joni is accompanied by her “Jordanaires-singingstyle” band, After Midnight. Willows Theatre and Esses Productions team up “A Tribute to Patsy Cline” to the Willows, 1875 Diamond Blvd., Concord, Saturday, March 10 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25. Call (925) 7981300 to purchase or go to www.willowstheatre.org.
Classical Guitarist Glenn Staller coming to St. John’s March 16 Celebrated guitarist Glenn Staller will present a concert of Classical and Flamenco music on Friday, March 16 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 5555 Clayton Road in Clayton. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Staller plays Classical, Brazilian, Argentine, Flamenco, and other regional guitar styles. He performs frequently throughout the Bay Area and around the country in venues such as the Valley Forge Convention Center and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Originally from Philadelphia, and now living in the East Bay, Glenn Staller began his musical career at the age of 14. He has performed up and down the Eastern Seaboard and has studied with such outstanding instructors and mentors as Rey de la
Torre, Julian White, Chuscales, and with Dušan Bogdanoviæ at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Besides performing as a soloist and in ensembles, he has accompanied some of the most renowned vocalists, instrumentalists, and dancers on the Flamenco scene. He teaches guitar, theory, and piano and is writing instructional books and videos for both guitar and ukulele. He is the founder of the East Bay Guitar Society. The Staller guitar concert is the first in the “St. John’s Stage,” a planned series of public arts presentations and lectures at the Clayton church. Tickets are $15, available at www.brownpapertickets.com or by calling (925) 672-8717.
GLENN STALLER
‘Dream’ brings 60s doo-wop to Campbell in Martinez GARY CARR Special to the Pioneer
Sh-Boom! Slick back your hair, pouf up your bouffant, and roll up your Luckies in your tshirt sleeve. The Doo-Wop musical “Life Could Be a Dream” hits the Willows’ Campbell Theatre in Martinez, March 8-31. From nostalgia maven and creator Roger Bean comes another trip to Springfield where we meet the Crooning Crabcakes, the boy group banned from the Springfield High School prom. Now, in an era before “American Idol” and “Star Search,” the guys get one more chance at fame and fortune as Denny and his friend Eugene form a singing group so they can enter and win the local radio contest on Big Whopper Radio and realize their dreams being the next Dion and the Belmonts or Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs. The Willows production is directed by Lisa Drummond, with musical direction by Mark Ferriera and choreography by LaTonya Watts. Featured in the cast are Michael Austin, Joshua James, John R. Lewis, Joseph Brunicardi and Sophie Rose Morris. The cast is ready to go allout in this early 60s spectacular. Brunicardi, last seen at The Willows as the Bobbie Fischer character in Chess, says, “I was born to play Skip!” (The one with the motorcycle jacket and D.A. haircut.) “Life Could Be a Dream” features such classic songs as “Stay (Just A Little Bit Longer),” “Runaround Sue,” “Tears On My Pillow,” “Earth Angel,” “The Glory of Love,” and, yes, “The Great Pretender.” Add the title song, and “Life Could Be A Dream” guarantees another musical trip down memory lane. A long-running hit in Los Angeles, “Life Could Be a Dream” won numerous honors, including the L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award. The Campbell Theatre is located at 636 Ward Street in Downtown Martinez. Tickets are $30 General Admission and $25 for Seniors. www.willowstheatre.org or 925-7981300.
February 24, 2012
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 15
Book Review
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‘The Snow Child’ will thaw icy hearts
SUNNY SOLOMON FOR THE BOOKS Most readers, knowingly or unknowingly, bring something of themselves to each book they read. If they’re lucky, the book they have read will give something back. For those of you who choose to read Eowyn Ivey’s “The Snow Child” – whether or not you are childless, love the snow, seek solitude from the hustle-bustle of life or believe in miracles – as long as you simply love a good story well-told, you will be abundantly rewarded for your effort. Mabel and Jack have left family, friends and farm in Pennsylvania to build a new life in the cold and uncompromising
wilderness of 1920 Alaska. What Mabel seeks is silence from “those sounds of her failure and regret. . .” What possible “failure and regret” could drive a woman, city bred and educated, away from everything familiar to start all over; and a husband, who knew only a life on his family farm, to willingly follow? It was the sound of others’ children that drove them away. It was the sounds their stillborn child had never made in the 10 years since its death, and the loud pronouncement of their last chance at parenthood. Jack and Mabel settle near the Wolverine River, homesteading on acreage they have chosen for its remoteness, its near isolation from neighbors or town. Their sole connection to the world they have abandoned is the train, newly tracked through that part of Alaska. The life they have chosen not only isolates them from neighbors, but its harshness and demands begin to separate husband from wife as each harbors an unshared grief. Ivey’s one sentence description of who Mabel is tells the reader of
Mabel’s depth and sensitivity: “All her life she had believed in something more, at the mystery that shape-shifted at the edge of her senses.”
But nothing prepares Jack or Mabel for what happens to them after building a snow child in front of their cabin. A young girl’s face is lovingly carved by Jack, and Mabel wonders if it isn’t “…a glimpse at his longing.” Mabel puts mittens on the snow girl’s birch branch arms and around her neck she wraps a delicately knitted scarf that had been a gift to her from her sister.
The making of the beautiful snow child creates a rare togetherness for the couple that continued even after returning to the cabin. Much later that night, Jack goes outside for wood to reheat the cabin. There is fresh snow, a bright moon and a sudden movement between the trees in the distance. Jack turns to the snow child, but she has been knocked apart and the mittens and scarf are gone. The rest of the novel is pure magic. The child materializes, disappears and appears again. Is she real or the result of cabin fever as suggested by Ethel, one of Mabel’s few neighbors? Eowyn Ivey has written one of the most moving stories this reviewer has ever read and already reread. It is a novel as beautiful, as real, and haunting as the Alaskan wilderness itself.
Sunny Solomon is the former Book Lady from Clayton Books and currently heads up the Clayton Book Club. Visit her website bookinwithsunny.com for her latest recommendations or just to "talk books."
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New book uncovers heroes in the Holocaust
6096 Main Street, Clayton, 673-0440 PAMELA WIESENDANGER Clayton Pioneer
Marty Brounstein, author of “Two Among the Righteous Few” will be at the Clayton Community Library at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 14 to talk about his book. A trip to the Netherlands during the brilliant colors of spring in 2009 led Brounstein and his wife Leah Baars on an unexpected journey back in time to the dark days of the Holocaust. Brounstein and Baars connected with the children of
Frans and Mien Wijnakker during their visit overseas. Frans and Mien were Catholics living in the small town of Dieden who risked the safety of their own family to save the lives of two dozen Jewish people during World War II. Their story began to unfold another with a very meaningful personal connection to Brounstein and Baars. Brounstein tells this story in a book released last fall, “Two Among the Righteous Few: A Story of Courage in the Holocaust.” Baars encouraged Brounstein to research the
LEAH BAARS AND MARTY BROUNSTEIN
Wijnakkers’ story in great detail. Inspired by the message of hope from Otto Frank, “Anne Frank: the Diary of a Young Girl,” and Corrie ten Boom, “The Hiding Place,” Brounstein began to weave a new story of courage and triumph during mass devastation. “This is one of the few positive stories. No one was caught or harmed,” Brounstein says. Brounstein filled the gaps in records left behind by Frans with interviews and visits to Yad Vashem museum in Jerusalem. Sharing history and writing are not new to Brounstein. He previously taught history at the middle and high school levels. He published seven other books, though not about a world war, but about leading and developing people on the job. His firm, The Practical Solutions Group, offers management consulting in the Bay Area where he resides. Author and lay minister, Al Garrotto, recently attended Brounstein’s book talk at Christ the King Church in Pleasant Hill. “I really admired the passion he has for his subject. He has a message for a universal audience.” Brounstein’s hope in sharing the story of a couple risking
their lives to do the right thing is that people “walk away with a good message of courage and interfaith compassion.” For more information, contact Marty Brounstein at mabruns@earthlink.net.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
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THOUGHT
Well, Valentine’s Day is over and darn if the chocolate is just about gone. When’s Easter? One of the favorite chocolate recipes in Pans on Fire cooking classes is bark, basically a molten sheet of chocolate prepared in the French style by adding ingredients on top (not in) the chocolate. And one of the favorite toppings for chocolate bark is pistachio nuts. Pistachio nuts come from trees that are part of the cashew family, which also includes mango (and poison ivy!). They’ve been cultivated for over 7,000 years and are one of the two nuts mentioned in the Old Testament. Iran is the largest producer of pistachios, followed by the U.S. Legend has it that the Queen of Sheba declared pistachios royal food and prohibited commoners from growing the nut for personal use. The Chinese call the pistachio “the happy nut” probably because the shell splits into something like a grin. Pistachio trees won’t start producing appreciable quantities of nuts for 7 to 10 years and they prefer cold winters for optimum production. The nuts are harvested, the outer casing removed, and the in-shell nuts dried, sized and sorted into “closed mouth” and “open mouth” nuts. Red-dyed pistachios are a marketing gimmick – to disguise shell imperfections and to make them stand out in vending machines.
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Pistachios are a good source of protein and many other nutrients and have proved beneficial in weight loss and control programs. A recent study shows that some of the fat in a pistachio may not be metabolized, so while they already are the lowest-calorie nut (160 cal. per serving), that number may actually be lower. It’s hard to describe the flavor of the nut—sort of like a soft, buttery almond, although some think the taste resembles an avocado. Whatever…eat pistachios! This is a recipe I adapted from Ina Garten, one of my favorite Food Network celebrities. FRENCH CHOCOLATE BARK 8 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped 8 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 1 c whole salted pistachios 1 c chopped dried apricots 1/2 c dried cranberries Melt the 2 chocolates in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Meanwhile, line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Using a ruler and a pencil, draw a 9 by 10-inch rectangle on the paper. Turn the paper facedown on the baking sheet. Pour the melted chocolate over the paper and spread to form a rectangle, using the outline. Sprinkle the nuts, apricots and cranberries over the
chocolate. Set aside for 2 hours until firm (or refrigerate if you can’t wait that long!). Cut the bark in 1 by 3-inch pieces and serve at room temperature. PISTACHIO CRUSTED CHICKEN Serves 2-4 1 c chopped pistachios ½ c bread crumbs 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp honey salt and pepper to taste 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves ¼ c sour cream ½ c milk or half-and-half Salt and pepper Pound each chicken breast with a mallet to even out the thickness. Mix together pistachios and bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together Dijon mustard, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper until smooth. Dip chicken into mustard mixture to coat, then coat with bread crumbs.
Pretty primula and anemone can brighten up any February day. They are charming both in the garden – and in containers. Both of these plants thrive in our Clayton Valley climates, and as long as you know where to plant them, you’ll enjoy them for many years to come. Primulas are familiar and are commonly called primrose. They have gotten a bad rap since their saturation in the hardware and box store nurseries. When you see rows of a plant crammed into 6-pack containers, they lose their prestige. Primulas are hardy perennials that will reseed once established. They will grow 8- to 10-inches wide and anywhere from 6- to 12-inches tall when in flower. Primulas are edible plants, both the leaves and the flowers. They are nice when installed as a usable novelty in dormant veggie bed, or mixed with your herbs. New to the primula scene are the primlet series primroses. This is an attractive group of
primrose with blossoms that look like bouquets of mini roses. Look for the tags labeled Primula vulgaris, Primlet Lavender, Primlet Rose Shade and even Primlet Yellow, or Sunset. This primula is even fragrant. Anemones are another group of delightful early spring blooming plants that are not treated with all the respect they deserve. This family is large, and the relatives that bloom in late winter through early spring are fantastic. Anemone coronaria resemble poppies, yet their foliage is much more appealing. It is a medium green color and finely serrated. The plant’s flowering stem comes from the base, and can reach 16-inches tall. The flowers have crepe-like petals and can be 1- to 2-inches wide. All of the Anemone coronaria have a contrasting black center. Anemone coronaria Jerusalem Red, Blue-White and Violet are all exceptional selections. Anemone coronaria add a vivid punch to a container or garden bed, during the time of
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Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken pieces to the skillet and sauté until browned on one side. Turn and repeat. Transfer the cooked chicken to paper towels while you make the sauce. Pour the milk or half-andhalf into the skillet with the browned bits from the chicken, stirring to incorporate. Bring just to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. After it has reduced by about half, add the sour cream, stir and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, bias slice (cut at an angle) the chicken breast pieces into 1” strips, serve on a platter or plates and spoon some of the sauce on top. Linda Wyner, a local attorney and foodie, owns Pans on Fire, a gourmet cookware store and cooking school in Pleasanton. Direct your suggestions or questions to lwyner@pansonfire.com
Life’s a holiday on primrose lane
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GARDEN GIRL year that there is not much punch available. Anemones are excellent in providing color to a dormant perennial bed. The winter can made beds look empty. We have a raised bed at the nursery that is explosive with color in the late spring, summer and fall. The addition of the anemones has given some colorful life to the location. When purchasing these selections, you will be lucky to find the plants available in 4-inchsized containers, and you may have to settle for 1-gallon-sized plants. Install with a premium soil, or potting soil in the full sun. These are productive plants, and they need a boost from below. Feed your primula and your anemone with a water-soluble fertilizer for bloom, such as a 210-10, or 10-52-8 (if you want to really gets them going). Sometime in April or May when the weather really begins to warm, both the primula and the Anemone become quiet in the garden. The leaves may stay of your primula, and the entire plant of the anemone goes to sleep. Please don’t remove once sleeping. Come January of next year, your plants will return and rebloom. Beauty can be found in the garden at any time of the year.
Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts and Garden and the 2012 Clayton Valley Garden Club president. Contact her with questions, comments or suggestions at gardengirl@claytonpioneer.com