PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA PERMIT 190
IT’S YOUR PAPER www.claytonpioneer.com
December 3, 2004
925.672.0500
Huge local rescue effort saves 48 foals JILL BEDECARRÉ TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
AND
JULIE PIERCE
MAYOR’S CORNER
City asks for minor changes to ULL As Clayton’s representative on the Urban Limit Line (ULL) committee and a Contra Costa Transportation Authority member, I want to correct misinformation printed in other publications and to bring you up-todate regarding Clayton’s position in this discussion. The Clayton Council is requesting minor changes to the current 1990/2000 ULL (binding only on the County) but, first some background… Measure J, passed by Contra Costa voters last month, includes a requirement for the cities and the county to establish a mutually agreeable, mutually binding ULL before 2009. Measure J requires that the County and the cities cooperate to develop a new ULL and criteria for future modifications by Dec 31, 2004. The new line must then receive approval of four fifths of the board of Supervisors and three fourths of the cities representing three fourths of the incorporated population. A Master Environmental Impact Report will then be prepared and the proposal will be submitted to the voters by November 2006. Once ratified by the voters, the new mutually agreed upon ULL will then be considered as the countywide voter approved ULL. If a city disagrees with the new line, it may develop and submit to its voters an alternative ULL for
See Mayor, page 6
AFTER
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
A GRUELING THREE DAY TRIP
from Canada, all these tired and cranky foals wanted was a drink and a nap
Hospice brings light to final days JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
You matter to the last moment of your life, and we will do all we can, not only to help you die peacefully, but to live until you die. - Cicely Saunders, founder of the modern hospice movement The “Tree of Lights” in Clayton Station Shopping Center is a shining example of the many lives touched by Hospice and Palliative Care of Contra Costa. (HPCCC). Hospice kicked off the tree lighting in a special ceremony on November 17. The 5 p.m. event was brief and poignant. People gathCAREN FURRER ered to hear a
few speeches, a poem, music by the Mt. Diablo Elementary School Chorus and a solemn rendition of Amazing Grace by Rachael Thomas from Clayton Valley High School. Other than the excited buzz of elementary school children and their siblings, the crowd was somber and reflective. Frank Rinnella of Concord held a lit candle and stroked the memory book, which contains the name of his wife who died less than a year ago. Hospice was there when she died and Frank is forever grateful. “They were wonderful,” he said. Caren Furrer, president of the Hospice of Contra Costa Foundation spoke about her own son Kyle, who was diagnosed with brain cancer when he was 10 months old and died before he reached the age of two. Kyle was the third patient in the Comfort for Kids pro-
The City welcomed new police sergeant Shelly Crain at her swearing in on Nov. 29. She replaces Sergeant Rich Enea who is retiring at the end of December. The 45-year-old veteran officer comes to the table with four and a half years of small town police experience as a sworn officer on the Kensington police force. Kensington, a tiny town nestled between El Cerrito and Berkeley, has less than half the population that Clayton has, but Crain sees many parallels between the two communities. Traffic issues and property
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
NEW CLAYTON SERGEANT SHELLY CRAIN receives badge from husband Paul, a police captain from Concord. crimes are typically the biggest law enforcement challenges in
these two towns and she is eager to address Clayton’s chronic
See Foals, page 14
Ron Van Buskirk 1944-2004 TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
SINCE 1989, THE TREE OF LIGHT has symbolized the light that Hospice brings to the final days of the seriously ill gram, a pediatric palliative program offered by Hospice. “It was important for me, as a mom, to continue to take care of him,” Furrer said. “Comfort for Kids saved my life.” Furrer has been active in the
Hospice organization for the past 10 years. “ I see how much they enhance lives. They add life to the final days,” she says.
See Hospice, page 5
New sergeant brings small town experience to job TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
There was a lot of horsing around at Marilyn Groene’s Creekside Farms on Marsh Creek Road the day after Thanksgiving. Forty-eight foals were part of a planned “drop” orchestrated through the efforts of local volunteers and an organization called FoalQuest. Based in Alberta Canada, FoalQuest is a volunteer organization that finds homes for Pregnant Mare Urine (PMU) foals. Even though the adoption process and three-day journey from Canada is a stressful one for the foals, the alternative is often unthinkable. Thousands of foals wind up in feedlots and are eventually slaughtered. The PMU industry has been operating in Canada for more than 50 years. Pregnant mare urine is contracted to companies that extract estrogen from the urine to make the popular hormone replacement therapy drug called Premarin. Because
speeding and vandalism issues by taking a more proactive approach. “You have to go to them before they get to you,” she said. “We can’t be everywhere at once, but what we can do is look at (the statistics) ahead of time…and up the manpower during certain hours or in specific places.” Crain’s law enforcement career began with the Concord Police Department in 1986, where she served first as a dispatcher, then as a sworn officer. She relies on her experience in dispatch in calming the frayed nerves of citizens at the scene. “Many times individuals at the scene are upset because what they heard on the phone (from
the dispatcher) isn’t what they wanted to hear,” she explains. “Knowing what dispatch can and cannot do and what they have time to do gives you patience, (and) patience is a big thing in law enforcement.” While serving as an officer in Concord, Crain met her husband, Paul, who is a Captain on the Concord force. Following her swearing in by City Clerk Rhonda Basore, Captain Crain pinned the badge on his wife, giving her a quick kiss. “This is the only sergeant on the force that I will greet that way,” he laughed, addressing onlookers. The two have been married for 16 years and live in Easley Estates in Clayton.
Clayton lost a good friend last month. Ron Van Buskirk died of a heart attack Sunday morning, Nov. 21 on the golf course. Golf was one of his greatest loves—right behind his family, the VFW and the New York Yankees. Ronald Drew Van Buskirk was born Nov. 30, 1944 in New Jersey. After graduating from high school, he attended college, but, as his sister, Beth noted, “his mind was more on girls than studying.” So, VAN he dropped out RON BUSKIRK of college and joined the Army, volunteering for duty in Viet Nam. After attending the Language Institute where he learned to speak, read and write Russian, he shipped out to Viet Nam where he served in the protocol office, responsible for dignitaries in the war zone. During his tour in Viet Nam, Ron was awarded a Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for heroic action in combat. After returning from Viet Nam, he served the remainder of his service at the Pentagon in the office for presidential scheduling. Beth remembers Ron’s last night in Viet Nam. The night before he was due to ship out for home, Ron’s unit was severely shelled. “He spent his
See Van
Buskirk, page 5
Page 2
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
December 3, 2004
Around Town
8
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
1
2
It was just about the prettiest morning of the year on Nov. 20 as CBCA members gathered downtown to begin decorating the city for Christmas. But even with blue skies and sunshine, by 10 a.m. it was beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Starting the morning off right with home baked goodies, juices and coffee at the Museum, decorators munched and kibitzed over the best way to accomplish the job.
3
Soon, Main Street was alive with the chatter of drills and hammers and Wise Men and wise guys. Wreaths were propped up on the sidewalk against the streetlights waiting for Maintenance Supervisor John Johnston and the cherry picker to hang them. Balls and lights, pine boughs and bows, shepherds, angels and carolers found their way out of their boxes and into their proper places around town. By one
4
o’clock pretty much everything was done. The big tree was dressed to the nines with a bright gold angel on top; the menorah and the nativity nestled side by side in the vacant lot next to Clayton Community Church, and Black Diamond plaza was tied up pretty as you please with pine boughs and red bows. Once again, it’s Christmas in Clayton. Pictured: 1 Janet Johnson hangs ornaments while 2. John Johnston strings the lights; 3. Carolers at Museum; 4. Cindy Koll at Black Diamond Plaza; 5. Karen Deiss, Sue White, Cathie Gernhardt and Carol Chrobak unpack decorations for city tree; 6. Gernhardt and White unfurl the garland at Black Diamond Plaza; 7. Mike Corby and Police Chief Pete Peterson almost in agreement on something; 8. Four people to hang one wreath? Top row, John Johnston hangs the star on the city tree; and Decoration Committee Chairperson, Mike Fossan ties the bows on the town clock
7
6
5
Lynne French
invites you to a
Holiday Open House
Saturday, December 4, from 3 p.m. ‘til 6 p.m. Before the Clayton Christmas Tree Lighting
Santa C laus i s c oming t o C oldwell B anker Please join us for some holiday cheer and a complimentary picture with Santa. This will be an event for the entire family
Stop by today and enter to win
3 da y s, 2 nights luxury accommodations f or the whole f amily at a Tahoe area resor t Drawing on the day of the event for Tahoe trip and other door prizes
Ha wo ve a nd ho erfu lid l a sea y son
December 3, 2004
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 3
Around Town Martha Sobey celebrates 102nd birthday Martha Sobey hasn’t lived in Clayton very long, relatively speaking. That’s because she lived her first 96 years, that’s right, 96 years, in Chicago. Mrs. Sobey moved to Diamond Terrace Retirement Community (where she is the oldest resident) when it opened in 2002. She is shown holding her wedding picture from 1930. Mrs. Sobey, charming and witty at 102, enjoys her exercise class, playing bingo and blackjack. She thinks the twentieth century was remarkable for it’s technological and medical achievements. When asked to what she attributes her longevity, she replied, “I think it’s my genes!”
Fall wedding planned for Clayton couple MARTHA SOBEY
Newest Claytonian Bob and Dawn Filgas have increased Clayton’s population by one. Michael Ryan, 8 lbs., 10 oz. and 21 inches long joined brothers Richard, 10, and Bradley, 7, students at Mt. Diablo Elementary School, in the family’s Regency Meadows home on November 15.
Woman’s Club Boutique The Clayton Valley Woman's Club held their annual boutique at Clayton Community Library last month. All kinds of handcrafted items were for sale creating perfect opportunities to purchase that special gift or to make your home more festive for the holidays. Members of the club worked for months to ensure a successful event.
PEGGY ARUNDELL AND DELL DECEW show off some of the handmade items for sale at the Clayton Woman’s Club holiday boutique.
Jennifer Courtney Armstrong and Adam Roy Elliot, both of Clayton, are pleased to announce their engagement. Jennifer is the daughter of Bob and Carol Armstrong of Clayton. Adam is the son of David Elliot of Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania and Marilu Elliot of Las Vegas, Nevada; and the grandson of Daniel and Mary Lou Helix of Concord. Adam and Jen met while attending Clayton Valley High School and became reacquainted three years later at a party at the home of the best-man-tobe and longtime friend of the couple, Zach Connors. Jennifer attends Diablo Valley College part time and is employed as a co-manager at Aeropostale. Adam is employed by the New York Mets Baseball Team as a pitcher in their minor league organization. The couple plans an October 16, 2005, wedding at Heather Farm Rose Garden in Walnut Creek.
Directory of Advertisers Abbey Carpets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-9901 ACME Auto Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .685-8495 Aegis Senior Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .692-5838 Aircloud Wireless Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-4119 Alaimo's Wood Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .439-2769 Alise Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7701 Apronstrings Pet Sitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-7621 Aragon, Al - Wells Fargo Home Mortgage . . . . . . . . . . . . .287-6921 Asemi, Hamid - State Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6622 BJ's Groom & Zoom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .550-5626 Beaconquest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .473-4899 Benton, Mureleen - American Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .685-4523 Blondie's Comics & Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-7783 Burkin Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1519 CBCA - Mrs. Santa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2272 CTA Crossroads Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .944-0597 Call, J. Richard - Mortgage Broker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .937-2300 Candy Bouquets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6818 Clayton Community Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-9060 Clayton Family Dentistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0110 Clayton Fitness and Tanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2010 Clayton Flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4664 Clayton Hair Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1500 Clayton Home Inspection Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9405 Clayton Valley Bowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-4631 Clayton Valley Pumpkin Farm & Christmas Trees . . . . . . .672-5198 Computers USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9989 ComUnity Lending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-5363 Concord Feed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .825-9530 Consignment Treasures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-7123 Contra Costa Termite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-7665 Country Dog Boutique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6100 Crocker Insurance Agency - Sam Totah . . . . . . . . . . . . . .941-1536 Cruise Adventures Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .935-7447 Diamond Terrace Senior Retirement Living . . . . . . . . . . . .524-5100 Donna's Gifts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2440 Fantastic Sam's . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-8580 Flannery,Patty - Coldwell Banker Real Estate . . . . . . . . .210-7480 Fleury's Floor Covering, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .676-1010 Fox and the Fiddle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1333 French, Lynne - Coldwell Banker Real Estate . . . . . . . . . .672-8787 Graham Family Photo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-1333 Gregory, Cynthia - Permanent Solution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .286-5162 Head's Up Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-2277 Help You Sell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-4950 Holy Cross Lutheran Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-2000 HomEquity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1119 IMC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-2200 Instant Imprints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .825-9815 Laurence, Pete - Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .939-7920 La Veranda Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0011 Law Office of Richard Littorno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6463 Lela's Hair Salon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2000 Lyone Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .827-1520 Dr. Christina Mason, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1559 Mavericks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .602-5600 Mazzei Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .757-5600 Melanie's Gifts & Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0207 Mike's Auto Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-1739 Miller, Thomas C.P.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .354-1385 Mr. Pickwick's British Pub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .459-0574 Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1100 Morucci, Kim - Intero Real Estate Services . . . . . . . . . . . .280-8563 Network Service Center (NSC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-5009 Northgate Gardening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .944-8711 Nu Image Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1777 Oakhurst County Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9737 Ouimet Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4242 Pacific Coast Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .429-2123 Pasta Primavera Café & Bakery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .687-5300 Piano Doc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-9874 Pro Home Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .937-3300 Pro Tech Heating and Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-3776 R&M Pool, Patio & Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0207 Robin's Nest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4600 Robin's Ranches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7323 Rocco's Ristorante & Pizzeria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .947-6105 Smith Bernal Roofing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-6461 Something Special . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3666 St. John's Episcopal Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8855 Straight Line Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .335-9801 Sweet Bakery & Café . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0936 Team Power Tractors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .443-7600 The Dog Smoothies & Sausages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-5415 The Dunn-Wright Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8460 The Maids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-6243 The UPS Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6245 Tipperary Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-2679 Truesdell, Lisa - State Farm Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-4747 Van-Fleet-Bronson, Remax Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4333 Van Wyck, Doug - State Farm Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2300 Vujnovich, George - Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4433 Walcutt, Bill - Prudential Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .437-5535 We The People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246-0370 Young, Susan - All Natural Nails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .963-0893 Zandonella's Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .432-1700
Morales and Tredinnick announce engagement
Jessica Morales and Brian Tredinnick became engaged on October 26 after a two-year courtship. The wedding date is set for January 22 at St. Bonaventure’s Catholic Church to be followed by a reception at the Walnut Creek Marriot. Jessica is the daughter of Mario and Patricia Morales of Concord. She graduated from Ygnacio Valley High School and is a student at San Francisco State College. She will graduate next May. Brian is the son of Diane Favero of Clayton and Paul Tredinnick of San Francisco. Brian graduated from Clayton Valley High School and is employed as an electrician.
Tom’s Turkey Drive Clayton resident and real estate broker, Tom Legault, recently completed his sixteenth annual Turkey Drive. Each year, Legault collects turkeys and donations from friends, associates and past clients for distribution to needy families, churches and soup kitchens throughout Contra Costa C o u n t y. L e g a u l t matches each donation, dollar for dollar. Tom Legault This year, the drive collected 349 turkeys— so many that the Food Bank had to send a semi truck to pick up the 4000 pounds of poultry. It’s not too late to donate a turkey for Christmas, said Legault. “I want to thank all of the generous people who have helped with this even each year, and invite everyone to get involved and call me.” To donate a turkey or for more information, call 925-937-8181.
GEORGE VUJNOVICH, Broker 6160 Center Street, Suite E, Clayton 94517 Each Office Is Independently Owned & Operated.
Tel: (925) 672-4433 Fax: (925) 672-4424
georgevujnovich.com Clayton Market Update Provided by George Vujnovich of Better Homes Realty
ADDRESS
PRICE
SALE DATE
SF
1778 Indian Wells Way 249 El Pueblo Place 3081 Windmill Canyon 1183 Shell Lane 5126 Keller Ridge Drive 5021 Keller Ridge 1261 Shell Circle 403 Chupcan Place 117 Crow Place 401 Chupcan Place 408 Hummingbird Place
$635,000 $760,000 $790,000 $452,500 $659,950 $540,000 $464,900 $579,000 $610,000 $579,000 $639,000
11/23/04 11/19/04 11/18/04 11/18/04 11/18/04 11/17/04 11/17/04 11/17/04 11/16/04 11/14/04 11/12/04
1904 2831 2315 1145 1493 1343 1355 1939 1561 1904 1877
BED/BATH
3/2.5 4/2.5 3/2.5 2/2 3/2 3/2 3/2.5 3/2.5 3/2 3/2.5 3/2.5
ADDRESS
PRICE
SALE DATE
SF
1721 Indian Wells Way 5117 Keller Ridge Drive 719 Acorn Drive 6015 Golden Eagle Way 3405 Coyote Circle 1876 Eagle Peak Ave 501 Suisun Court 1215 Buckeye Terrace 120 Gold Rush Court 101 Salazar Court 479 Obsidian Way
$590,000 $729,000 $830,000 $837,000 $432,500 $750,000 $579,000 $570,000 $596,000 $645,000 $809,480
11/05/04 11/05/04 11/03/04 11/02/04 11/01/04 10/29/04 10/29/04 10/28/04 10/27/04 10/26/04 10/22/04
1,991 2,313 2,237 2,536 1,252 2,313 1,958 1,710 1,591 1,813 2,981
BED/BATH
3/2.5 4/2.5 3/2 5/2.5 2/2.5 4/2.5 3/2.5 3/2.5 3/2 3/2.5 4/2.5
ADDRESS
PRICE
SALE DATE
SF
3089 Windmill Canyon Dr 522 Mt. Davidson Court 302 Windmill Canyon Pl 5020 Raven Way 30 Fleming Court 1021 Feather Circle 3908 Coyote Circle 1240 Buckeye Terrace 260 Stranahan Circle 5830 Del Trigo Lane 1025 Feather Circle
$615,000 $685,000 $739,000 $620,000 $810,000 $599,000 $499,000 $605,000 $549,000 $565,000 $539,000
10/18/04 10/15/04 10/13/04 10/13/04 10/08/04 10/08/04 10/08/04 10/01/04 09/30/04 09/30/04 09/30/04
1,816 2,325 2,313 2,053 2,368 1,886 1,595 1,639 1,663 1,659 1,338
All information contained herein is deemed reliable but not guaranteed
BED/BATH
3/2 3/2 4/2.5 3/2 4/2.5 3/2.5 3/2.5 3/2.5 3/2.5 3/2 2/2
Page 4
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
December 3, 2004
s o i e J V e a n Fleet-Bro h T nson Team
ses are selling so f u o h e s , s a u t a a n w o c d i l v n s e t o o n s r e i e y e h p r s t fect time B this i to sell.
Call us tod ay
. s i s y for a free market anal The Best Real Estate Professional How do you know you have found the right real estate professional for you? A little research can answer your questions.
Karen Riessen, Josie Van Fleet-Bronson, Miroslav Bronson, Erika Maes, Colby Chambers, JoAnn Danilson, Kim Chambers, Darren Banke, and Kathy Frame.
• Will you be given an explanation of the selling/buying process and how it will affect you. • What kind of marketing strategy can you expect from your realtor?
The Van Fleet-B Bronson Team wishes you a very Merry Christmas
• What kind of advertising will be done? • Will your realtor be able to communicate effectively with you? • Is your realtor knowledgeable about the local community and schools? • What is the fair market price for the property? • Does your realtor have a good working relationship with local lenders, title companies?
J o s i e V a n F l e e t -B Bronson For superior service and a successful real estate transaction in Clayton or surrounding communities, call Josie, a 20-year Clayton resident and area specialist — The Van Fleet-Bronson Team. Specializing in: Real Estate Sales Residential and Investment Loans/Refinancing Property Management
These are some of the basic questions you should consider asking when interviewing a realtor. You should review the realtor’s background and history of success. In an ever changing and competitive market you should never choose a realtor on price alone. Experience and personal service will make all the difference. The selling price of a home as well as the purchase price of a home is a well calculated process. The current market is typically a good indicator as to the price of a home. Ask your realtor for market statistics. Considering the obvious, both buyers and sellers want what is in their best interest and a good realtor should always have their client’s best interests in hand. The fact is a good realtor will be able to successfully complete a transaction with diligence and professionalism. Should your property not elicit the attention you are looking for within the first several days and or weeks depending upon the market conditions, the cause can most likely be attributed to one of these three factors: location, condition, and price. The location obviously cannot be changed however with examining the condition of the property adjustments can then be made. Always feel free to ask your Realtor to offer an explanation of the competition and the pricing strategy.
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Concord sales on the Clayton side of town Address
Price
Sale Date
SF
Bed/Bath
Address
Price
Sale Date
SF
Bed/Bath
973
2 & 1.5
5484 Haussner Drive
$517,500
11/17/2004 1361
3&2
5497 Roundtree Drive, E
$275,000
11/2/2004
1564 Schenone Court, D
$340,000
11/17/2004 1250
3 & 1.5
5505 Lowry Court
$520,000
10/29/2004 1548
3&2
5468 Roundtree Place, R
$255,000
11/16/2004 925
2&1
5360 Olive Drive
$740,000
10/29/2004 2115
5&2
1979 Ayers Road
$515,000
11/16/2004 1858
3&2
5192 Heritage Drive
$865,000
10/29/2004 3940
5&3
987 Autumn Oak Circle
$965,000
11/16/2004 3391
5 & 3.5
5455 Kirkwood Drive, B2
$207,000
10/28/2004 696
1&1
5488 Roundtree Drive, E
$281,000
11/16/2004 973
2 & 1.5
1175 Kenwal Road, A
$290,000
10/28/2004 915
2&1
5340 Paso Del Rio Way
$539,000
11/15/2004 1446
3&2
5294 Ableside Drive
$900,000
10/27/2004 3168
4 & 3.5
5323 Concerto Drive
$438,325
11/15/2004 1200
3&2
5460 Concord Blvd., F5
$215,000
10/26/2004 794
1&1
5718 Laurelwood Place
$610,000
11/8/2004
2228
5 & 2.5
5392 Concerto Blvd.
$420,000
10/22/2004 1037
2&2
5516 Nebraska Drive
$507,000
11/9/2004
1691
3&2
5309 Oak Point Court
$999,950
10/20/2004 2835
5 & 3.5
5460 Concord Blvd., A8
$261,500
11/8/2004
902
2 & 1.5
5468 Roundtree Place, T
$264,000
10/19/2004 914
2 & 1.5
1219 Missouri Drive
$550,000
11/5/2004
1437
4&2
5393 Aspenwood Court
$895,000
10/15/2004 2778
5&3
1134 Camino Solano
$639,000
11/5/2004
2162
4&3
5164 White Oak Court
$435,555
10/15/2004 1103
4&2
5250 Pebble Glen Drive
$510,000
11/5/2004
1683
3 & 2.5
5273 Clearbrook Drive
$545,000
10/15/2004 1676
3 & 2.5
5486 Roundtree Drive, C
$275,000
11/2/2004
973
2 & 1.5
5494 Wilke Drive
$515,000
10/15/2004 1338
3&2
All information contained herein is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
December 3, 2004
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Hospice, from page 1
shops. All proceeds from store merchandise goes to Hospice and the services provided “The lighted tree provides a offers informational and emo- through Anna’s (breast cancer) time to be grateful,” says Jo tional support to families who Program. It’s not like other Cundith, Community have lost a loved one. Furrer thrift shops in the area. One Education Coordinator for remembers how important grief step inside the front door and you notice an invitHospice. There are ing atmosphere, 18 cities throughout shopper friendly the Bay Area that displays and overall have Tree of Lights caring that permeceremonies. “Each ates the spacious tree has a distinctive store. “We are not personality and prohere to make vides a focal point money from our for taking time to customers. We’re remember,” she here to generate says. A $10 donafunds for our tion is requested to patients,” says remember a loved Roskelley. Prices are one. The first tree low and the staff is devoted just to chilfriendly, she dren was recently lit explains. “We know in Walnut Creek Anna’s Attic employee, Norma Jean Roskelley people by name, it’s while Clayton’s tree like “Cheers,” she laughs. lighting dates back to 1989. counseling was to her family. Volunteers play a crucial role Since 1977, the not for prof- “We had counseling for a year in the Hospice organization, like it HPCCC has improved the after Kyle’s death,” she said. David, who has been helping at quality and dignity of life for “Our caring staff has something the Concord Thrift Shop for the more than 9400 seriously ill very valuable to offer,” says past five years. “He’s the greatpatients and their family mem- Cundith. “For many of them, est helper,” boasts Roskelley. bers. Hospice care is for patients it’s a calling, not a job,” she says. with a terminal illness, while Cundith is proud of David is one of three hundred who support palliative care is for patients Hospice’s newest aspect of care volunteers HPCCC services in the area of continuing curative treatments called the Bruns House. The patient care, bereavement supat home for their disease. only “free standing” hospice port, office assistance and speHPCCC handles patients with facility in the region, The Bruns cial events. He assists employees cancer and a host of other dis- House is a peaceful and comeases such as AIDS, dementia, fortable private home providing at Anna’s Attic in all aspects of liver or kidney failure and severe around-the-clock acute care for the store’s operation. New and used merchandise at the store is genetic abnormalities. The team adult hospice patients. approach forms the basis of All care is offered regardless top quality. “We are very selecboth programs and includes of the ability to pay. Patient care tive,” Roskelley explains refernurses, physicians, social work- costs not compensated by pub- ring to donations. “Items must ers, spiritual counselors, health lic or private insurance are paid be ready to sell.” You can find aides, volunteers and bereave- for by the Hospice of Contra just about anything at Anna’s ment counselors. The team Costa Foundation. As president Attic from purses and clothing works together forming a spe- of the foundation, Furrer over- to books, knicknacks, furniture cial bond between patient, fami- sees applications for grants, and jewelry. Roskelley talks ly and professional. Specialized sponsors, donations, contribu- about the upbeat atmosphere at programs within the organiza- tions and the operation of five the store and special sales like the half price sale at the end of tion include Circle of Care for thrift stores. AIDS patients, Comfort for Long-time Clayton resident each month. “This store hums Kids, Anna’s Program for Norma Jean Roskelley is a full- all the time.” “Hospice is a very women with recurring breast time employee at Anna’s Attic caring and giving organization,” cancer and the Center for Grief on Clayton Road in Concord, she says. “Those are very imporand Loss/Bereavement which one of five Bay Area thrift tant qualities to me.”
HOW TO PLACE AN AD Go to our Web site, claytonpioneer.com. Click on the Classified Advertising tab on the left side of the page. Complete the form to submit your ad. Mail a check for the number of insertions to P.O. Box 1246, Clayton, CA 94517. Or, call the Clayton Pioneer, 925-672-0500 to place your ad over the phone. Or, come by the office at 6200 Center Street, Suite F, Clayton between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Rates are $12 for 30 words and 20 cents for each additional word. Classified deadline dates are printed above. The Clayton Pioneer will not accept any ad that discriminates on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, nationality, family status or disability. We reserve the right to reject any advertising we believe is unsuitable. All classified ads must be paid for in advance. 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 Web site. Also on our Web site are forms for submitting Community Calendar items and press releases for your organization. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Clayton Pioneer welcomes letters from our readers. As a general rule, letters
Page 5
Van Buskirk, from page 1 last night in Nam in a sewer,” laughed Beth, “said he figured that was the safest place for him.” After his discharge in 1969, he married his first wife, Penelope, and returned to college. “He did it the hard way,” said Beth. “He worked his way through school.” Ron graduated with honors from George Mason University in Virginia, and went to work in the insurance industry in sales and marketing, first for New York Metropolitan Life, then for Wausaw. He held various management positions with Wausaw in Virginia, Massachusetts, Oregon and California. Fourteen years ago, Ron married his present wife, Nancy. He retired from Wausaw as Regional Vice President 11 years ago, and the couple moved to Clayton. He was active in local civic affairs, running for the City Council in 2002. “He was such a nice man,” remembers Council Member Pete Laurence, “even during the campaign, he always had this self deprecating way about him, a real gentleman.” A man of deep convictions and love of country, Ron was an active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. At the time of his death, he was serving as Quartermaster of VFW Post 1525. His patriotism and love of history was shared with the community at the Memorial Day service this past year. Those attending will long remember his inspirational and erudite presentation of the history of the American Flag. At the Veterans Day celebration at Diamond Terrace last month, he presented Diamond Terrace resident Marie Sutton with a Blue Star Banner. Mrs. Sutton’s grandson is currently serving in Iraq.
A man of many interests and a limitless enthusiasm for serving others, Ron recently emceed the fundraising auction for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, a charity near and dear to the heart of his wife, Nancy. “He wore a tuxedo and his Yankee’s hat,” recalls his sister, Beth. The auction raised $6,800 for the foundation. Ron loved gardening, especially his roses. And he loved to travel with Nancy. He was a passionate cook, especially well known for his spaghetti sauce and “black skillet potatoes,” a Ron Van Buskirk barbecue specialty. The oldest of the five children of Andrew and Elma Van Buskirk, Ron celebrated his sixtieth birthday at a “big family bash” in Upstate New York this past August, where he played golf with his only brother, Glenn, for the first time. “All of us siblings so looked up to him. So did my mom and dad,” said Beth. “As the oldest,
Ron always had that kind of commanding, I can take care of you attitude. He was a wonderful brother and son, smart as the dickens,” remembers Beth. “When someone dies suddenly and dramatically,” she said, “you just kind of stand outside this big hole and think, ‘Wow, that’s a really big hole.’” He was memorialized at a Military Service at Ouimet Brothers, Concord Funeral Chapel on Nov. 24. Ron is survived by his wife, Nancy; daughters Amy Sinclair of Apple Valley, Ingrid Van Buskirk of Scottsdale, Arizona and Alexandra Van Buskirk of Fort Collins, Colorado; sisters Ellen Beth Knapp of Westport, Connecticut, Randi Beale of Dellwood, Minnesota and Lynn Nicholls of Volcano, California; brother Glenn Van Buskirk of Basking Ridge, New Jersey; and five grandchildren. Memorial contributions can be made to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, The Presidio, PO Box 29316, San Francisco, CA 94129
Classified FOR SALE FORMAL DINING TABLE. High gloss maple with darker inlaid border design. Six rust colored chairs newly upholstered and absolutely spotless! Two leaves and custom pads included. Paid 5K, asking 2K. 672-7554 HELP WANTED HVAC INSTALLER: 3 yrs. minimum experience. Good DMV and EPA certified. Call 925-673-3776 HAIR S TYLISTS . New Fantastic Sams Salon. Cuts, color, perms, free education, flex hours, fun atmosphere. Base plus commission. Great Concord location. Call Aaron, 925899-8687A. SERVICES PIANO LESSONS: Any age, any level, from 5-year olds to beginning adults, offered by experienced local teacher. Contact Eunice Flannery at 6739858.
PIANO LESSONS: Cynthia West, a Clayton Valley High School senior with ten years of playing experience and two years of teaching experience, is accepting beginning piano students for individual lessons. In each half-hour lesson, students are taught proper piano technique and theory in a comfortable environment. For more information call Cynthia at (925) 673-5026. MISCELLANEOUS M ARY KAY. You Can Please Everyone! You'll be pleased to know Mary Kay offers products everyone will love. From the latest looks to advanced skin care. Ask me about our exciting product line today! Anne Young, Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant. www.MaryKay.com/AnneY. (925) 408-4452.
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P.O. Box 1246 6200 Center Street, Suite F Clayton, CA 94517 Office: 925.672.0500 Fax: 925.672.6580 TAMARA AND R OBERT S TEINER Co-Publishers TAMARA S TEINER Editor J ILL B EDECARRÉ Assistant Editor and Display Advertising J IM Z EWAN , Sports P ETE C RUZ , Graphic Design B ETH N EUDELL , Administrative Assistant
Over the past several years we have aligned ourselves with several of the top rated insurance companies in the industry today. This gives you the opportunity to take advantage of Competitive Pricing Comprehensive Coverage & Complete Personalized Service. Our commercial client list ranges from companies with as little as 2 employees to more than 12,000 employees, assets of $10,000 to more than $1 billion and companies with only one office to companies with offices all over the world. General Liability Property Garage Liability
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Medical/Dental Business Auto Workers Comp
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should be less than two double spaced pages 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.” You can also e-mail your letter to tamara@ claytonpioneer.com
Phone: (925) 673-2200 Fax: (925) 673-2212 6160 Center Street, Ste. B, Clayton, CA 94517
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Page 6
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Upcoming Events Handbell Concert
Ring in the holidays with Canto Bello, a local, community handbell ensemble directed by Claytonian, Cindy Krausgrill.
CANTO BELLO
This year’s “Christmas With Canto Bello” concert benefiting the Monument Crisis Center is on Friday evening, December 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church. The concert includes many styles of holiday songs from secular and pop tunes to sacred and classical selections. Special guests include the Sanctuary Choir of Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church and “Heartsong,” a women’s vocal ensemble. All are invited to a “Christmas Cake” reception following the concert.
Mayor, from page 1 local approval. The Measure J Growth Management Program requires that “all jurisdictions must comply with either the ‘Countywide ULL’ or the ‘local jurisdiction’s voter approved ULL’ before that jurisdiction would be eligible to receive the 18% local return-tosource funds.” In 1991, in response to development and annexation requests from property owners in the area immediately east of town, Clayton began the Marsh Creek Specific Plan (MCRP). This master planning effort was financed by the property owners in the MCRP area, and continued through hundreds of public meetings before it was finally approved in 1995. We took a thorough look at the entire area (475 acres) on both sides of Marsh Creek Road to the pass just east of Rodie’s. To preserve this area of transition from Clayton’s urban development to the clearly rural area east of town, we developed very strict guidelines to preserve scenic vistas, hilltops, ridgelines, and slopes. These guidelines far exceed the county standards applicable to the area. In 1990 the County drew their own ULL without input from the City of Clayton, using topographic lines (approx. 720’ elevation) on the south side of Marsh Creek Road. This line divides many of the properties in the area, making annexation difficult or unlikely. On the north side of the road, properties were again split by the County’s ULL as the line was drawn following the location of an oil pipeline. Many of the properties in the area had previously dedicated all development rights above the 720’ elevation to the county, precluding development on those portions of their properties regardless of whether they are in or out of the ULL. Clayton requested adjustment of the ULL in 2000 when the County did its only review of its 1990 line. At that time the County denied our request, saying it was only interested in tightening the line and would not entertain any expansion of the
line regardless of the reason. Several property owners in the Marsh Creek Specific Plan area have submitted active annexation requests to the City of Clayton in order to obtain city services including police and sewer service. Based on our Marsh Creek Specific Plan, Clayton is once again requesting that the ULL be corrected to include the full area of these split parcels and allow for partial implementation of the MCRP. The Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), which makes decisions regarding annexations, has issued a statement requesting that the ULL conform to legal parcel boundaries. Contrary to articles in other publications, our request is limited to an addition of only 66 total acres (adding 75; deleting nine), resulting in a net addition of 45 developable acres. The Clayton City Council feels strongly that any development east of town should be subject to Clayton’s much stricter development standards. The residents of the area consider themselves to be part of
December 3, 2004
Admission is free, however your free will donation will benefit the Monument Crisis Center.
Visit with the Clauses
Santa and Mrs. Claus have made room in their busy holiday schedule to stop at the Clayton Community Library to visit with Clayton’s children. Circle Dec. 11 on your holiday calendar and be sure to bring the children to meet with Santa and enjoy cookies and cake with Mrs. Claus. This is the fourth year Mr. and Mrs. Claus have made visiting with Clayton’s children a top priority. Don’t miss this event. Admission is $1 or donation; free for children under
Hear Ye Hear Ye, announcing the Second Annual Clayton New Year’s Eve Celebration from 6:30 p.m. to midnight at the Clayton Community Gym! Once again
Clayton, use our services and now want to annex, and will be subject to all Clayton fees. In our discussions at the ULL meetings, I have received strong support from the cities for our request – all agree it is quite reasonable. Only the County is objecting at this time. So, what’s the hang-up? Frankly, there are three possible approaches to the development of an ULL that would govern growth in our county until 2034. One scenario would have all jurisdictions adopt the County’s 2000 ULL and establish criteria allowing for review and adjustment every five years. For a variety of reasons many, including most of the environmental community, feel every five years is too frequent. Another scenario would adopt the current line and establish strict criteria that would make future movement of the line virtually impossible. It would require that infill densities and redevelopment standards be met before the line could be adjusted. This would require cities to increase current densities to meet required housing needs, which community residents might find objectionable. This scenario also
requires that land outside the ULL be rezoned to increase minimum lot sizes, reducing rural development potential from one home per five acres to one home per 40 or even 100 acres, something many property owners in the rural areas find objectionable. The final scenario would allow cities to correct and modify the county’s current ULL to conform to city General Plans and property boundaries and would incorporate criteria that would make movement of the line very difficult. This is a scenario that many feel would be preferable to the constant bickering over where the line should be. Peace over the ULL for 30 years seems like a good thing to most city officials. While the ULL issue is a very complicated one with many intricacies, we need to deal with it now. The County’s 1990 line was drawn with minimal input from local jurisdictions, which was marginally acceptable when that line bound only the County. Now we are attempting to agree on a line that will be mutually binding. All jurisdictions should consider their community’s needs for the future. We all have a responsibility to manage
MRS. SANTA CLAUS
12. The event is hosted by the CBCA.
New Year’s Eve Celebration
the City is joining a nationwide movement to provide family friendly, alcohol-free New Year’s Eve activities. This free family event was a great success last year so plan on ringing in 2005 with your family and fellow Claytonians. Come for hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and drinks for dinner and cookies and popcorn for dessert. Stay for music and dancing with Willie, the YMCA mascot and a G-rated, family oriented movie. Bring sleeping bags and pillows for the little ones. Childcare will be provided so parents can play with older children. Scheduled activities include
kickball, “pillow polo,” family soccer, adult and kids basketball, volleyball, kids soccer, Capture The Flag. Kids can bounce for hours on the jungle gym. The first 300 children will receive a flashlight and a T-shirt. No reservations required. Just show up! This event is sponsored by the City of Clayton, YMCA, Pleasant Hill Bayshore Disposal, Comcast, Costco and the Clayton Business and Community Association. Volunteers are still needed to help with the event. If you can volunteer even an hour, you will get a free t-shirt. Please call Rhonda Basore at the City of Clayton, 673-7304 or e-mail rbasore@ci.clayton.caa.us.
growth while providing for the housing needs of our children and grandchildren. It’s a delicate balance that should be determined with consideration for both the local and regional com-
munity that makes up our county. We feel strongly that if the new mutually binding line is to be mutually agreeable, then Clayton’s minor request should be honored.
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December 3, 2004
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 7
Spruce up your home for a good first impression Some sellers wonder if it’s worth the effort to fix their homes up for sale, particularly in a hot market where almost every listing that comes on the market sells. Most real estate agents will tell you that the listings that sell the fastest and for the most money are the ones that are in the best condition. Even in a hot market, buyers pay a premium for homes they can move right into. In most cases, however, it’s not recommended that you do a major renovation of a home simply for the purpose of making it more saleable. In most cases, you can’t immediately recoup a major renovation investment. Your money should
be spent on giving your home an economical cosmetic facelift. For example, let’s say you have an older kitchen. Rather than gut the kitchen and spend $40,000 to $50,000 on a completely new kitchen, it makes more sense economically to paint, replace the floor covering and change the countertops. This, and a general cleanup, is usually all it takes to give a tiredlooking kitchen a fresh new look. First impressions are very important in the home sale process, so you should pay attention to how your home looks from the street. If you are on a limited budget, concentrate your efforts on sprucing
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things in closets or the garage. This will defeat your purpose. Your aim is to present your
up the front and entry of your home first. Your home should look inviting and well maintained, so clean up the yard, plant new sod if the lawn is dead, fix leaning fence posts and paint the front door. Most homes are packed with too much furniture and too many personal possessions after years of ownership. Get rid of anything you no longer want or need before you put your home on the market. Your home will appear bigger and tidier, which will make it more appealing to buyers. And it doesn’t make sense to pay to move things you no longer want. Sellers who have outgrown their homes are wise to rent storage space for possessions they want to keep that don’t fit comfortably in the home. Avoid the temptation to simply stuff
LYNNE FRENCH
REAL ESTATE
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tidy interior, so remove clutter from the countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms. A home office is an attractive feature, but not if the desk is covered with papers. Clean up your home office so that buyers get the impression that it’s a comfortable place in which to work. Every room in your home should look like it serves its intended purpose well. Make the most of all the available living space in and around your home. Many people cannot visualize how a space will look, so you’re wise to leave nothing to the imagination. For example, if you have a deck, set up outdoor furniture to show buyers that you have an area
suitable for outdoor entertaining. A room in the basement might be made into an exercise or hobby room with minimal effort. Have your home, including the windows, professionally cleaned. Be sure to keep your home clean and tidy during the marketing period. Bright interiors are appealing, so leave the lights on during showings, even though it may seem like a waste of money. For any real estate needs or questions contact Lynne at: Phone (925) 672-8787 or E-mail: Lynne@LynneFrench.com
It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood ...Hair by Jim. Lisa’s Hair & Nail Techniques. Frontier Salon. Main St. Aesthetics. Hair’s the Place. Permanent Solutions. Great Clips. Nails by 2001. Lela’s Hair Salon. Hair Now Salon. Clayton Mind & Body Connection... Here’s an interesting nugget from the “for what it’s worth” file. The 11 establishments listed above, all devoted to hair, nails and the general upkeep of personal appearance, are all located in Clayton. I personally counted them while on a break from slacking off. This list does not include folks that might be running a side hair or nail business out of their home or pet grooming establishments. Of the 11, SEVEN are in the immediate downtown area. We’re talking about an area that is approximately a hundred yards in either direction. What does this tell us? It tells ME that we’re either a very vain community or that collectively we’re a bunch of trolls. Let’s face it. We have seven “beauty” establishments all within spitting distance of one another and all seem to be performing pretty well. I haven’t looked at their income statements, but then I also haven’t noticed any “Going Out of Business Exfoliation BLOW OUT” sales either. Now believe me when I say that I’m all for a good-looking citizenry, but I also think this shows a certain amount of proclivity on the part of us Claytonians. I’m sure there would be a bit of a dust up if say, seven bars were to open within lurching distance of one another. Yes, I know that the Clayton Club, La Veranda, Skipolinis, Mudville and The
Clayton Community Church all serve alcohol. Restaurants and soul saving establishments don’t count. OK, I’m obviously kidding about that last one, but Lord knows what with the state of souls today we could not begrudge them a nip now and again. That aside, the Clayton Club is really the only TRUE bar in Clayton, and God love ‘em. Now imagine if seven similar establishments were looking to open their doors in the downtown proper. Think John and
JOE ROMANO
SO ANYWAY Jane Public might be on the phone to their city councilmember, toot-sweet? You bet your dirt-clogged pores they would. My point is this…well I really have no point other than to point out that we sure seem to have a lot of personal care establishments in Clayton. And as one who appreciates beauty in all its forms, I thought it appropriate during the Thanksgiving season to extend my personal thanks for all that they do. That’s all. Go back to whatever you were doing. Clayton resident, Joe Romano, is a family man, a free-lance writer for hire and the Pioneer’s “all around funny guy.” E-mail him at jromano01@yahoo.com
Page 8
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
December 3, 2004
Book Review
Local author sets novel in the Nortonville Coal Mines CYNTHIA GREGORY Clayton Pioneer
It is always exciting to read a novel by a local writer about a local subject, and “The Green Age of Asher Witherow” by M. Allen Cunningham is no exception. Cunningham’s prose lends a beautifully authentic note to this novel about the Nortonville coal mines of the 1860s. In particular, the novel reveals the astonishing dream-like experiences of young Asher Witherow, the sole child of Welsh immigrants and heir to a miner’s life by virtue of birth. The book is beautifully researched and richly
detailed. Cunningham’s facility with the language of image and sound casts a linguistic spell not unlike Isabel Allende: The storyline may not rush forward like a locomotive and the plot twists may jolt and rattle, but as a reader you don’t care because the words sound so pretty that you willingly let them roll and tumble in your head for the pleasure of hearing them again and again. “Asher Witherow” is not an easy read, nor is it a fast read. But it is a worthy read nonetheless and will undoubtedly take its place in the scope of respected historical novels of early California.
Living on the slopes of Mount Diablo with its mysteries and superstitions, Asher Witherow is a boy yearning to grow into a man. He is a witness and a participant in the strange
machinations of the life and labors of those stoic and heroic coal miners now long gone. Asher is smart, clever and has secrets. As Asher descends into the mines to work like a man at the tender age of 10, he begins to accumulate secrets so vivid and raw even he recognizes that he must withhold them from the adults around him. His life is as harsh as it is beautiful, but he makes no judgment about it and does not compare it to anything other. There is no “other,” he and every soul in Nortonville are connected in a visceral way with nothing as complicated as regret or ambition to alter the experi-
ence. He befriends a boy and a girl sequentially, neither of whom survives the brutal life of the mining village, and he is mentored by an eccentric cleric with a past as strange as Asher’s present and whose motives for friendship with the boy are fuel for suspect by the town ladies. The book jacket describes this book as “a rich, gothic tale of a young soul coming of age during the explosive boom and bust years of an immigrant coal mining town in 19th century California. . .takes us into a time and place at once gritty and magical, when the future seems filled with promise, but where the
day’s labor is bone breaking, numbing and always dangerous.” I say it is that, and then some. A friend of mine once said, “The nice thing about living a long life is that you get to see how things turn out.” Likewise, it is fascinating to inhabit a town like Clayton, to walk the nature trails and breathe the country air, almost always with Mount Diablo in view — and to absorb a story like “The Green Age of Asher Witherow,” coming to a fuller appreciation of those who came before us and by whose enormous contributions we enjoy this place we call home.
Theater Review
CTA delights audiences with “Christmas My Way” TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
The CTA creative team that delighted us with “My Way, a Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra” last fall has done it again. The current production of “Christmas My Way, a Sinatra Holiday,” is a swinging, eclectic collection of traditional Christmas hits, show tunes, jazz, blues, ballads and love songs, all recorded by Sinatra at one time
FALL
or another during his long career. The talented cast of four singers, pianist, bass and drummer has achieved a wonderfully easy comfort level with each other, melding their individual styles and voices to create a true ensemble sound. Set against a backdrop of the New York skyline, the simple nightclub set makes maximum use of the small stage, providing ample space for a little dancing, a few jokes and stories (it’s worth the price of the ticket alone just to find out how the angel ended up on top of the Christmas tree) and a lot of music. There are a few delightfully unexpected twists and
turns through some of the old standards, but by and large, the music stays pure and true to its original form. If you’re a Frank Sinatra fan (and who isn’t?), you’re sure to hear at least a few of your favorites. Some notable moments in this consistently good show include the rhythmic and rousing “New York, New York;” the much loved and much sung “Christmas Song” (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire); a heart stopping “I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day” sung a capella with gloriously rich, close harmonies; and a foot tapping “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow,” complete
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Put the BEST to work for you PETE LAURENCE’S roots go deep into the Clayton soil. He’s lived here since 1954 and was a member of the Clayton Valley High School Class of ‘63. His long relationship with Clayton has given him a thorough knowledge of its history and a good perspective on its future. A CIVIC MINDED MAN, Pete began his public service in Viet Nam, serving with the Green Berets. Continuing at the local level, he has been president of the Clayton Business and Community Association, and has served three times as the mayor of Clayton. PETE
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Page 9
Behind the scenes at DVMS Toddler Students often think of school as little more than reading, writing, science, math, etc. But there are many other interesting and fun events, activities and classes happening at Diablo View Middle School (DVMS) everyday. Here’s the scoop on some of them. Consumer science, taught by Mr. Madden, is always a sweet treat. Students in consumer science create an ice cream product, prepare an advertisement, make the product and then sell it after school. The class is split into small groups referred to as businesses. Each business chooses a name and then creates a product. One of the businesses recently made a concoction called Afternoon Delight. The concoction, which included vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, whipped cream and Twix, was sold on campus after school for $1. The profits earned are donated to a project or charity chosen by the students. Newscope, one of many afterschool programs at DVMS, is run by Mrs. Campbell. Students meet in the library to ask and answer questions about major events taking place in the world. Representatives from the DVMS Newscope group compete against other schools in the district. Diablo View’s Newscope group has done extraordinarily well in these competitions. As always, dances are big part of the social scene at DVMS. The first seventh- and eighthgrade dance was held Oct. 27 and was Halloween-themed. Once the DJ was in place and the music started blaring, students had a great time dancing the afternoon away. Many students showed off their creative sides by wearing varied costumes. There was a costume contest, as well.
MICHELLE TROSCLAIR
STUDENT REPORTER Prizes were given out for prettiest, scariest and most unusual costume. The Leadership Class, taught by Mrs. Ruff, planned the dance and did an excellent job with the decorations. The Leadership Class is responsible for many other fun activities at DVMS, as well. New sixth-graders are eagerly waiting for their first dance, and you can already sense their excitement! The big event will take place on Dec. 3. Later that night, the seventh- and eighthgraders will be treated to their first evening dance of the school year. We can’t wait!! This is a very busy time for the seventh- and eighth-grade students in Yearbook. The class, taught by Mr. Nichols, has coverto-cover responsibility for the yearbook. They just met the first deadline of the year and can be seen all over campus with cameras. Everyone is wondering what the 2004-05 yearbook theme will be. Eighth-grade students who are members of California Junior Scholarship Federation toured the University of California, Berkeley, on Nov. 17. CJSF students were excited to get an idea of what college is like. CJSF is an academic organization for seventh- and eighth-graders who have a grade point average consisting of A’s and B’s, as well as good conduct marks on their report cards. The CJSF students plan the eighth-grade awards night and the Valentine Dance. CJSF meets after school and is under the direction of Mrs. Borowski. Students in Mrs. Curtin’s Journalism Class have been working at full speed since the beginning of the school year.
Budding journalists write, edit, lay out and copy the DVMS newspaper, Paw Prints. The newspaper is published roughly once a month and is produced entirely by the journalism students. Paw Prints is packed with interesting articles, an advice column, sports reports, editorials, reviews, surveys, interviews and more. Each student at DVMS receives a copy of Paw Prints, thanks to the generosity of the Parent Faculty Club. In addition to the newspaper, journalism students also explore other aspects of writing. Mrs. Curtin assigns four projects a year. During the first quarter, we explored different sections of the Contra Costa Times to gain experience and learn new writing techniques. We are now working on our second project and are creating a magazine of our own. I hope you learned a little bit more about the extras here at DVMS. There’s a lot more happening later in the year, but I’ll leave that to Mike Stelzner. Michelle Trosclair is an eighthgrader at Diablo View and is the Editor of Paw Prints.
escapes injury in bike crash A toddler on a two-wheeler hit a moving car at the corner of Marsh Creek and Center Street on Nov. 22, narrowly escaping serious injury. Around 2:40 p.m., the twoand-a-half-year-old boy was riding his bike up Center Street toward the intersection while his mother walked along behind carrying his baby brother in one arm while keeping the other hand on the back of the bike. According to Officer Sean McNamara, the boy suddenly took off toward the cross walk just as a vehicle driven by an elderly Clayton resident was passing. The boy and bike hit the side of the car, tossing the child off the bike. Emergency crews responded and the boy was taken to Mt. Diablo Hospital where he checked out fine, according to McNamara.
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Page 10
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
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Add some cool gadgets to your holiday gift list Welcome to the holiday shopping season — a great time to shop for deals on computer bells, whistles and accessories. Items are now available, the ones you know you want but were waiting for someone else to buy for you, but didn’t. Here’s a handy list of must-have items under $60. CD-RW, better known as a “CD burner” is the latest must have item. If your computer is a Pentium III, Pentium 4 or equivalent, it will support the burner equipment and software. Burners provide a quick and easy way to back up your data, make copies of photos for friends and family and copy your music CDs for your car, boat or home use. You’ll find them priced from $40 to $60. Spend a little more and get a known name brand with a 24x burn speed or faster. Find one bundled with either Roxio or Ahead Nero burning software for the best performance. Anything else isn’t worth a Ho-Ho-Ho. Already have a burner? That’s good; now get a deal on a spindle of CD media. A 50 or 100 pack of CDs will run anywhere from $20 to $40. CDs are not all the same, so get a pack that has a rating of 80 minutes, needed for music but good for everything, and a burn speed of
(925) 672-8460 #A43589
WILL CLANEY TECH TALK 32x or faster. If the label doesn’t specify the burn speed, it’s probably lower than 8x and isn’t worth buying. You’ll be the one getting burned instead of the CD. The CD’s burn speed regulates the maximum burn the software can achieve. Anything else is like getting Dasher to pull the entire sleigh. Wireless is ready for primetime and your desktop. May I suggest a wireless mouse priced from $20 to $40. They are so convenient, no wires to pull on and always go where you need it to go. I recommend the Logitech Cordless Click Optical Mouse. It’s red and silver, works on nearly any surface and will never get clogged by hair or debris because it’s optical. Older mice work on the principle of a rolling ball over a mouse pad.
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Play Scrabble? You’ll love these
Optical uses a tiny light sensor with no moving parts, hence nothing to collect dust or gunk. While on the subject of wireless, why not go all the way with a wireless keyboard and a wireless mouse. Now you’re as cool as the North Pole. When was the last time your power went out? Were you using the computer at the same time? Power failures during a disk read or write mess up your hard drive beyond repair. For $50 to $60 get a battery backup, also known as an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS). The UPS will keep your computer running for a few minutes after a power failure, giving you time to properly shut down your computer and save work. If you wrap one up for a holiday gift, it’s really big and heavy. The recipient will be totally caught off guard because you can’t shake it. Want more gift ideas? Just shop around, and you’ll see all manner of things to enhance your computing skills or improve your experience.
DORMITORY: When you rearrange the letters: DIRTY ROOM.
Will Claney is the owner and operator of Computers USA! in the Clayton Station. Contact him at 925672-9989.
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PRESBYTERIAN: When you rearrange the letters: BEST IN PRAYER. THE MORSE CODE: When you rearrange the letters: HERE COME DOTS. SLOT MACHINES: When you rearrange the letters: CASH LOST IN ME. ANIMOSITY: When you rearrange the letters: IS NO AMITY. SNOOZE ALARMS: When you rearrange the letters: ALAS! NO MORE Z’S. A DECIMAL POINT: When you rearrange the letters: I’M A DOT IN PLACE. ELEVEN PLUS TWO: When you rearrange the letters: TWELVE PLUS ONE.
School News CLAYTON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL Parent Faculty Club. As you contemplate your holiday shopping won’t you please take a few minutes to go on line and link your Safeway, Visa, MasterCard, ATM, American Express, Discover and Macy’s cards to the Clayton Valley High School Parent Faculty Club? When you use these cards, a percentage of your purchases will be donated to CVHS-PFC to assist teachers and students with classroom educational materials school wide – AT NO COST TO YOU! Log on www.wscrip.com to link your cards. Group ID #141249334. DIABLO VIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL The Diablo View Winter Ball is coming up on Dec. 3. Sixth graders have their party from 3 p.m. - 4:15 p.m., the
seventh graders start at 7 p.m. Box Tops for Education has come to Diablo View! Save Box Top coupons from General Mills products and the school cashes in! Give the cut out coupons to your students. It couldn’t be easier to raise money for the school. Also www.boxtops4education.com has coupons for General Mills products. MT. DIABLO ELEMENTARY Attention Safeway Shoppers: sign up for the eScrip program. Safeway donates a percentage of your purchase to our school. It costs you nothing! Please call 1-800-801-4973 or visit www.escrip.com. Group Name: Mt. Diablo Elementary Parent Faculty Club. Group ID: 0137104689 For more information, call Katie Kreske at 672-3760 or katiekreske@sbcglobal.net.
Tim Whitehouse Office: 925-429-2123 Cell: 925-787-9583
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December 3, 2004
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Celebrate the holidays British style
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TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer As the holidays approach and our thoughts take an ever more festive turn, the age old question of “what’s for dinner?” takes on a multi dimensional meaning. Whether you’re in the mood for a fine dining experience complete with candles, wine and a gorgeous view, a holiday lunch with a few friends, or a quick, tasty “take out” for the family on a cold and rainy night, you need go no further than Pioneer Territory for the best choices in “Dining Around.” Right in downtown Clayton, are two excellent fine dining choices. Watch for a name change soon for THE FOX AND THE FIDDLE, now under new ownership but still in their historic building on Main Street. Owner and chef Greg Severn has a brand new menu featuring an eclectic choice of American Contemporary dishes, perfectly prepared and beautifully presented. Menu choices include a Pork Loin served with roasted pear and cabbage slaw, polenta cake and a brown sugar demiglace for $20. For the meat and potatoes fan, there’s a Block Cut Ribeye with roasted Yukon Gold potatoes served with cream of endive and bacon for $27. My husband and I recently celebrated his birhday with brunch in this cozy, quaint restaurant. Both of us had the sweet ricotta filled French toast with honey creme and pure maple syrup. I think Ican speak for both of us...had it not been rude, we would have licked our plates. At a neighboring table, four friends were also “brunching.” They all had the Egg and Steak Quesadilla served with black beans and salsa fresca. We passed their table on the way out, and there wasn’t a single morsel left on any of their plates. The Fox and The Fiddle is open for dinner, Wednesday through Saturday, and all day on Sunday for both brunch and dinner. Remember, watch this page and their sign for the new name. At the corner of Center and
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Marsh Creek Road is LA VERANDA, serving a Northern Italian menu of pasta, pizza, chicken, veal and fish, starting at $8.50 for Bruchetta with olive oil, fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil. Pasta dishes range in price from $9 for Penne All’arrabiata to $11.75 for Spaghettini Frutti di Mare. If you’re a salad lover, be sure to try the Insalata Della Reigna with baby greens, walnuts, Gorgonzola and a honey Dijon mustard dressing for $6.50 … my personal favorite. La Veranda is open daily for lunch and dinner and on Sunday for brunch. For view and atmosphere, you can’t do better than OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB in Clayton or ZANDONELLA’S on the Delta View Golf Course in Pittsburg. The dining room at OAKHURST is open Wed.-Sun. for lunch and dinner. The lunch menu is extensive, offering appetizers, a daily soup selection, salads, sandwiches and wraps and pasta. Kids have several choices as well, from PB&J to pasta. Lunches range from the traditional Ceasar salad for $6.49 to $9.39 for their Fisherman’s Wharf Crab and Avocado Melt sandwich. Dinner on Friday and Saturday features a heavenly roasted prime rib for $20.99$24.99 in a size that’s perfect for every appetite and a selection of chef’s specials that might include a Fall Apple Chutney Pork Chop with a baked potato and a tomato stuffed with zucchini and asiago cheese for $21.99. Wednesday dinner is an “All You Can Eat” pasta buffet for $14.99 ($6.99 for kids). Just over the hill and out of the traffic is ZANDONELLA’S. Open Tue.-Sun for lunch and dinner and situated on the lovely Delta View Golf Course, this family friendly restaurant offers an extensive menu that covers every craving. From that perfect bowl of Spaghetti and Meatballs or a chicken, veal, beef or fish entree, all the way to a succulent and perfectly roasted rack of lamb, you are sure to find your favorite. Lunches range from $6.25 for a cheeseburger to $10.95 for Meat Ravioli and dinners range from $11.15 for Spaghetti Pomodore to $13.60 for Chicken Parmigiana, $19.35 for Prime Rib and $22.45 for the Rack of Lamb. All entrees include soup or salad, pasta and bread. The view is free. Just down Clayton Road a little is PASTA PRIMAVERA. This
Page 11 We’re busy baking your holiday pies, rolls and danishes!
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for that special family celebration lovely little trattoria is in the shopping center on the north corner of Treat and Clayton Road. (If you want to venture a little further afield, there is also a location in Walnut Creek at 2997 North Main.) My personal Pasta Primavera favorite is Linguini with garlic and mushrooms in a virgin olive oil ($8.95), but I have a friend that won’t order anything but the Chicken Pesto Gorgonzola, a rigatoni dish with chicken breast and tomatoes in a creamy pesto Gorgonzola sauce ($13.95.) Both locations offer a small, intimate atmosphere, a good wine list and are open daily for lunch and dinner. A little more on the casual side and a great place to take the kids is ROCCO’S RISTORANTE at 2909 Ygnacio Valley Road in Walnut Creek. Voted the best pizza in the Bay Area by a Contra Costa Times Reader Poll, Rocco’s serves up a killer house specialty. The Dominator, piled high with pepperoni, salami, mushrooms, ham, linguica, sausage and onions, is not for the faint of heart. At $19.97 for a large, this pizza will feed a small army. For the vegetarian pizza lover, Rocco’s offers the Julius Caesar—a perfect pizza crust with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, red onion, feta cheese and anchovies, all topped with a Caesar dressing, for $19.14. Not up for pizza? Not to worry. Rocco’s also has several choices of classic Italian pasta, homemade minestrone and several salads. All pasta dishes are served with fresh bread. Top your pasta dinner off with a glass of wine and you’re well fed and satisfied for well under $20 (tax and tip included.) Rocco’s opens every day at 11 a.m. For delectable and freshly baked pastries, cakes, cookies and bread, stop by the SWEET
BAKERY in the Clayton Station. Grab an incredibly delicious Pecan Roll or Apple Cheese Danish ($1.75) and a latte for a quick break in the morning. Then come back for lunch when all gourmet sandwiches are only $5.75. While you’re there for lunch, order your holiday pies (pumpkin pie as good as Grandma ever made) and fresh baked croutons for stuffing. And almost next door to the bakery is THE DOG, where you can satisfy your hankerin’ for a sausage and an indescribably wonderful smoothy --Chocolate Dream and Mango Mingle are only two of the temptations starting at only $3.50. And if it’s sausages you crave, you’re in the right place. Choose from 20 different grilled sausages including Bockwurst, Lemon Chicken and Bavarian Bratwurst all $4 or less. For the Brits and the Brits at heart, MR. PICKWICK’S BRITISH PUB AND RESTAURANT has opened in the old C C Ole’s place on Clayton Road. The menu is extensive with such British favorites as Steak and Kidney Pie served with potatoes and a vegetable for $11.25 on the lunch menu and $12.25 on the dinner. You can even get “mushy peas,” a regional specialty from Northern England. If you’re looking for fish and chips, you’ll find a thick cut of White Icelandic Cod for $9.95-$12.75. Mr. Pickwick’s is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. The full bar stays open until 2 a.m. New Year’s Eve will see a gala party with band and live dancing. Call now for a reservation. 925-459-0574. So, with these offerings, there’s absolutely no reason to sit in traffic or fight the crowds. Everything to make your holiday dining memorable is right here —- in Pioneer Territory.
New Chef New Owner New Menu
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5:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. Wed. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sunday brunch/dinner 5 - 6 Wed. - Sunday $1.00 oyster happy hour
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6115 Main Street Clayton, CA
your Book y now y part holida p to 20) (for u
Page 12
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
December 3, 2004
Clayton Sports Deems wins two Oakhurst golf championships JIM ZEWAN Clayton Pioneer
In this year’s Oakhurst Golf Club Championships, held recently at Clayton’s Oakhurst Country Club, Jeremy Deems overcame Chris Williams in their semifinal match by a score of 3-2 (Deems won three more holes than his opponent with only two holes left to play), while Mike Donnelly qualified for the championship by winning his semi-final match 2-1 in a very tight match with Steve Sabatini. In the final, Deems won the Club Championship 3-2 against Donnelly in another close contest.
This is the second consecutive year that the Club Stroke Play Championship and the Club Match Play Championship were won by the same person. Earlier this year Deems had also won the stroke play championship, and last year Sabatini won both championships. Instead of the more typical stroke play format where each player counts up his overall strokes, the match play format for the Club Championships is determined by adding up the number of holes won. The lowest stroke score on each hole determines only the winner for that hole. The overall winner is the golfer who wins more holes than his
opponent regardless of the number of strokes. This makes the match game a little different than the normal golf game. Strategies can change depending upon the current score, the next hole’s layout and the players’ strengths and weaknesses. In the A Flight semi-finals, Jeff Huston bested Todd Dorman 6-5, and Larry Sheppard was 1 up (after 18 holes) in an extremely tight match with Joe Sadowski. Then in the A finals, Huston played Sheppard in another competitive match. Both golfers displayed professional sports etiquette despite the high stakes on the line. Both golfers acted as true
YMCA Volleyball champs
THE PRIMELIFE REALTY TEAM, Back row: Karen Sorenson, Sandra Marquez, Veronica Marquez; Front row: Eric Sorenson, Keith Mariboho, Paul Nagata, Michael Elder. Not pictured, Judy Davis.
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CLAYTON VALLEY PONY/ BRONCO BASEBALL SIGN UP AND ORIENTATION MEETING Signups for the 2005 Season
Thursdays 9:30 a.m.
Ladies League
925.689.4631
FITNESS & TANNING
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DAVE GRAY GRAY ON GOLF possible, leaving me well short, or maybe not getting out of the rough at all. If I make six, I’m sure I would lose the tournament. So, I hit a five iron just
for PONY Players age 13-14 and Bronco Players age 11-12 will be held Sunday, December 5th at 1:30 PM at Skipolini’s Pizza in Walnut Creek 1535 Giamona Dr., Walnut Creek, (1/4 Block North of Civic/Locust) . For more information contact: Tom King 685-7452, Tim Bruno 672-2992, or Don Hillery 672-2068. Also see www.cvpony.org. YMCA HOLIDAY BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT The Concord/Clayton YMCA invites area youth basketball teams to play in the YMCA Holiday Classic. This tournament has an A and B bracket with three age groups (grades 2-3. grades 4-5 and grade 6 )
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Jimmy Jackson, and Frank Friedman overcame Peter Goodman 5-4 in the two semi-finals in the C Flight. When Nambisan and Friedman met in their final, Nambisan won the match 4-3 to become C Flight Champion. When I asked Oakhurst’s Head Professional Dennis Simon what advice he had given the golfers for the championships this year, he jokingly responded, “I just told them to keep it in the short grass!” And, for the most part, they did!
ahead of Art’s ball. He played a wedge to within 20 feet of the pin. My wedge shot stopped ten feet away. Now, unless I three jack from 10 feet, I have won the match. Art two putts…so do I, and now “it’s all over but the shoutin’” The point is, play smart. Good course management can save you a lot of strokes, and ultimately, put your name on the trophy. Later ‘gaters…and keep it in the short grass. Dave Gray is a teaching professional at Diablo Creek Golf Course in Concord. E-mail your questions or comments to him at sports@claytonpioneer.com
Sports Shorts
LET'S GO BOWLING
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Huston to finish 1 up and win the match. Both golfers had a really good chance to win the hole at 17. A win there for Huston would have sealed the match, but had Sheppard won, he would have had a chance to tie and put the match into a sudden death playoff; but neither player could close out the hole. In the B Division semifinal, Al Aragon won 5-4 against Paul Ho-Sing-Loy, and Chris Villa beat Bud Hedglen 4-2. In the finals, Villa won 2 up over Aragon to take the title. Raman Nambisan finished 6 up with 4 to play over
Tournaments…won and lost Here is a case where I played my opponent instead of the hole! I was leading Art Gowiran, a good friend and golf professional, by one stroke on the 72nd hole, a par four. I hit my tee shot into the left rough, not quite cutting the dogleg. But, Art was in the rough too, on the right side. I felt that a par would win, since Art had to birdie (from a bad lie) to tie. He hit out short of the bunkers about 100 yards from the green. It wouldn’t have made sense for me to hit a three metal, from a lie no better than his, to try and get home in two. Also, the chunky monkey shot was
JIM ZEWAN Clayton Pioneer
The PrimeLife Realty Team took the Mt. Diablo YMCA Volleyball League Championship in their first season in the district tournament at the Clayton Gym on November 11. Their season got off to a rough start when the team lost two players to injuries. “But we were able to pull it together during the playoffs and came out victorious, beating some of the best teams in the league,” said Team Captain, Sandra Marquez. Team members each received a “Volleyball Champs” t-shirt from the Y and, says Marquez, “we will be proudly sporting them every chance we get.”
gentlemen, observing not only the precise rules of the game but also competing with the intended spirit of the game. The match swayed back and forth, with Sheppard ahead by one hole early in the match, only to drop behind by a hole at the end of the front nine. Sheppard again tied the match to be even up after the 10th hole. Then Huston won two holes in a row. Sheppard won the 13th, lost the 14th but won the 15th hole to stay just one back of Huston, with three to play. On each of the last three holes, Huston and Sheppard tied to allow
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Boy’s tournament dates are Dec. 20-22. Girl’s tournament dates are Dec. 27-29. Winner of the tournament gets a championship t-shirt. For more information call the Program Director, Delise Young at 925-889-1625 or email dyoung@mdrymca.org. CONCORD/CLAYTON BRANCH OF YMCA Have fun, improve fitness and compete in a safe and positive environment at the Concord/Clayton Branch of the Mt. Diablo Region YMCA. Several exciting adult and youth sport programs will be held at the Clayton Community Gym at the Diablo View Middle School off Marsh Creek and Clayton Roads. The “Y” will also be hosting sport camps during winter break. The following programs are available: Basketball League; Pre-K – grade 8; ; Jan. 15-Mar 19. Indoor Soccer League, K-8; Mar.7-9 . Floor Hockey League;PreK-grade 1; Mar 7-May 9. Soccer League; Pre-K – grade 8; Apr. 16-Jun.11; Coed Volleyball; Adults (18 +) Dec. 2-Feb.3 Winter Basketball Camp; Grades 1-6; ; Dec. 20-23. Super Sports Camp;Grades 1-6; Dec. 27-31. For more information on all of the YMCA programs call 889-1600.
Got Sports Shorts? Let us know what is happening in local sports. Drop off the details about upcoming events and sporting activities at the Pioneer office or send e-mail to sports@claytonpioneer.com
December 3, 2004
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 13
Keep your aging pet healthy with some extra TLC
JULIE BOND
PAWS
AND
CLAWS
The geriatric pet is a topic near and dear to my heart as not too long ago, I had the pleasure of sharing my home with two geriatric dogs. Thanks to increasingly devoted owners and advances in veterinary care and nutrition, this is not uncommon, and all of our pets can now enjoy longer, happier lives. So what is considered old age for a dog or cat? Old age in dogs is generally related to breed and body size. For small dogs such as Yorkshire terriers
Walnut Creek during adoption hours: 2 to 7 p.m. Thur. and Fri., noon to 5 p.m. Sat. and Sun. Check out the new fall schedule of classes at ARF University for dogs. Starting with basic manners to advanced agility, you will find a fun class! Class size limited. Visit ARF’s Web site to learn more and sign up today. (925) 256-1ARF www.arf.net.
years old. For years, pet owners just accepted the fact that their pets would slow down, suffer from poor eye sight, lose their hearing, etc. Now we know that many of these age-related problems can be treated to improve
the quality of our pets’ lives. Most veterinarians recommend twice yearly visits for geriatric pets. During these visits you can expect your pet to receive a thorough physical exam, a geriatric blood profile (to look for signs of liver disease, kidney dis-
ease and diabetes), any vaccines that are due and perhaps a chest X-ray (to look for lung or heart disease). Many pet owners will often
See Geriatric, page 14
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Beck is ARF’s star “Beck”, a twoyear-old beagle/terrier mix, is friendly and playful. Beck would make a nice dog for a first-time dog adopter. He is recommended for families with children eight years old and above. Bring everyone who will live with Beck to meet her at Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive,
and pugs, the geriatric stage begins between 9 and 13 years old. For large dogs such as golden retrievers and Labradors, old age begins between 6 and 9 years of age. For cats, regardless of breed, senior status is usually attained by about 10
Bonnie Jawad was a successful transitional paralegal. She was in high demand for her expertise and often agreed to long commutes to accommodate her clients. Things began to change when one day she glanced out the window of her San Francisco office and saw a young man walking five dogs. She found an opportunity to talk to him and discovered that he had a dog-walking business. He loved his job and mentioned that his “clients” were always so “happy to see him.” “That
stuck with me,” said Bonnie. So she made a decision to change careers and focus on her passion for animals, specifically dogs and cats. “I enjoy hands on activities with animals and once thought about becoming a veterinarian,” she said. Combining her business skills and love of animals, BJ’s Groom & Zoom was born. Bonnie wanted every comfort and convenience for the pets that are entrusted in her care and chose a state-of-the-art mobile van. “The van is totally self-contained,” Bonnie boasts. There’s a clipper vac, washers, dryers and top-of-the-line biodegradable products. She
even invested in special equipment to help make the older dog comfortable while she grooms. Bonnie is a certified groomer and wants to make life easy for you. She’ll come to your home to give your dogs and cats a bath and a new “do.” “My mobile service is convenient and BONNIE JAWAD and cherished companions easy on pets. Once Ben and Shadow they’re groomed, they are placed back in the comfort especially her Clayton neighof their own home,” she bors. Watch for her van zoomexplains. Bonnie hopes to serve ing through town. all of Contra Costa County,
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Page 14
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Foals, from page 1 recent testing has divulged significant health risks from the
use of the drug, demand for Premarin has declined and, according to Clayton resident and FoalQuest volunteer Jane Buyny, many of the PMU farmers lost their contracts with the Premarin manufacturers. The foals that were dropped at the Groene ranch came from a farm that had recently lost its Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer contract. TIRED AND CRANKY FOALS are happy to hit When the horses’ terra firma after three days in trailer plight was posted on the
Geriatric, from page 13 say they feel these tests are overkill as their pets seem perfectly fine. Keep in mind that dogs and cats are descended from wild animals, and all animals to one extent or another have the ability to mask their illnesses. In the wild, an animal that shows its weakness or illness will quickly fall prey to another animal or be left out of the group to fend for itself. Domestic dogs and cats will often hide their illnesses until the problems are so advanced that they are suffering and cannot hide them any longer. Treatment at this point may be less effective and even more costly. So how do we as pet owners evaluate the health and well being of our animals between veterinary visits? There are 10 warning signs of age-related diseases to watch out for in your pets. 1. Deteriorating vision: You can examine your pets for cloudiness in their eyes, but beyond that, most eye diseases are not readily visible and therefore require a veterinary check-up. If your pet seems to be bumping into walls or furniture, missing the chair or bed when jumping up or having trouble recognizing familiar people (especially at night), he may be losing his eyesight. 2. Hearing loss: If your pet fails to come when called, seems surprised or startled when you enter a room or is difficult to rouse from sleep, he may be suffering from hearing loss. However, keep in mind that some older pets become “selective listeners.” These pets come running when they hear the can opener or the jingle of the leash or car keys but ignore being called when they don’t want to get up. 3. Changes in appetite: Many diseases can be associated with increased or decreased appetites. For example, a diabetic pet may have a huge appetite yet still be losing weight. In addition, dental problems may keep an older pet from eating because their mouths are painful. As with people, older pets experience a loss in taste receptors on their tongues, so foods may not taste as good as it once did. 4. Increased water consumption and/or increased frequency of urination: Most of
us don’t really monitor how much water our pets consume. However, if it seems like you are filling the water dish more often, or your pet always seems thirsty, this is something to alert your veterinarian to as it could signal several diseases, such as diabetes. An increased need to urinate may accompany the increased water consumption or be a separate problem indicating urinary tract problems or neurological disease. If your dog starts having accidents in the house or your cat stops using the litter box, call your veterinarian. Sometimes it may just be a matter of adding more litter boxes or removing the covers from covered boxes for cats and increasing how often you let your dog out to relieve itself as it gets older. 5. Weight gain or loss. Most weight gain can usually be linked to overfeeding and lack of exercise, but some diseases are characterized by sudden weight gain. Weight loss is also important to watch out for (see No. 3). 6. Fatigue while exercising or lack of interest in exercise or play. While exercise and play are necessary to maintaining your older pet’s fitness and well being, keep in mind that exercise and play should be in moderation. You don’t want your pet to become physically exhausted or risk muscle aches and sore bones and joints. 7. Changes in mobility. If
Internet, many people came to the rescue, explains Buyny. Costs for a foal adoption include the cost of transport and a nominal purchase price, which ranges anywhere from $400 to $900 for a purebred, registered animal. Several people bought more than one foal, Buyny explained, while others sponsored the foals and the transport fees just to save them, planning to find a home for them when they arrived here. “One anonymous donor from Woodside put up $25,000 to sponsor a number of the foals,” she added.
The foals arrived in three separate truckloads. They were unloaded and sorted by “butt number,” a small piece of paper with an identifying number that’s stuck on the rump. With over 48 tired, hungry, thirsty and cranky foals to sort, the process took all afternoon. As the action unfolded on the ranch, it attracted the attention of passing motorists, several of whom pulled off the road to watch. The foals were checked thoroughly by a veterinarian at the border crossing into the United States to assure that they are healthy. However, the foals
you notice your pet slowing down, avoiding stairs, waiting to be lifted onto the bed or couch, playing less and sleeping more, your companion may be suffering from arthritis. There are several forms of treatment currently available through your veterinarian for arthritis. Regardless of the reason for your pet’s decrease in mobility, there are things you can do to make life easier. First, you can set up your pet’s food and water bowls so they are more conveniently located to where the pet spends most of its time. Help your pet up and down the stairs if there is no way to avoid them. Give your pet a boost into the car and onto furniture. 8. Coughing, excessive panting or shortness of breath. All of these symptoms could signal that your pet has become overweight, but they also are signs of heart disease. 9. Changes in coat or skin condition. Rough, dry skin, coarse hair, hair loss or changes in hair color are all signs of aging or failing health. 10. Behavior changes. If your pet begins to distance itself from your family, acts disoriented or lethargic, seems agitated, paces aimlessly around your house, vocalizes inappropriately, withdraws from affection or begins having frequent accidents, he may be suffering from cognitive problems similar to Alzheimer’s disease. There are many drugs currently being investigated to treat cognitive disorders in aging pets.
Watching our pets age is difficult. However, there are many things we can do to make sure our pets are comfortable and live as long as possible. Animals are creatures of habit, so keeping to a regular routine is important, particularly for an aging pet. Try to avoid moving furniture around as this makes it hard on a pet who is losing its eyesight. Feed and exercise your pet at set times every day. This makes it easier to keep their bathroom breaks on a regular schedule. If you are anticipating a large disruption in your household such as houseguests, painters, etc., keep your older pet tucked safely away from the fray. Regular grooming will keep your pets comfortable as they become less able to groom themselves. This will also give you the chance to look for lumps and bumps. Remember, too, that touch is particularly important to older pets as this keeps them close to you when their other senses are failing. Most importantly, don’t forget to show your appreciation to your geriatric pet everyday; he has given you a lifetime of unconditional love and loyalty and deserves the same in return.
December 3, 2004
Marilyn Groene of Creekside Farms, kept 20 of the foals
could still be incubating a disease or infection, and so are quarantined for several weeks after arrival. The arriving foals are sorted into groups and checked against the paper work. They are then examined by a local vet and treated for any cuts or bruises sustained during the long trip. One little filly had gotten so tired during the trip that she laid down in the trailer and got stepped on by another foal causing a bruise to her back leg. Groene kept 20 of the foals on her ranch, and the others were
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adopted and transported to new homes all over Northern California from Grass Valley to San Jose. The foals were all born and raised on hundreds of acres of Canadian farmland with little or no human contact and none were halter broke. Most of the foals are six months old or younger and had only been weaned from their mothers for a week. They all were in desperate need of a nap. “They’re as wild as little March hares,” said Buyny. “Their new owners will have to figure out how to domesticate them.” “It was an incredible drop,” said Buyny. “I’ve been doing this for many, many years and I’ve never seen a drop like it. It was the biggest drop that any of us had ever heard of, and the prettiest bunch of foals I’ve ever seen.” For more on information on FoalQuest and their adoption efforts visit the Web site at www.pmufoalquest.com.
5433-G Clayton Road, Clayton
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December 3, 2004
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
A welcoming place and sacred space where thinking minds and caring hearts truly grow in faith
Church News
SAINT JOHN’S PARISH T HE E PISCOPAL C HURCH
IN
C LAYTON
Sunday Worship: 8 & 10 a.m. 5555 C LAYTON R OAD
Q
Page 15
C LAYTON
Call anytime: 672-8855 or check us out online: www.saintjohnsparish.org
CLAYTON COMMUNITY CHURCH We are putting on a production of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” on Dec. 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 19 at 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. in the multi-use room at Diablo View Middle School. Donations welcome. Join us for worship Sundays 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. at Diablo View Middle School. Children’s programs at both gatherings, Jr. & Sr. High meet at 10:45. Call 673-9060 for more information. We are having two Christmas Eve candlelight services on Dec. 24, at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Diablo View Middle School. CLAYTON VALLEY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church is located at 1578 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton, CA 94517; telephone: 925-672-4848/fax, 925-672-4849; cvpres@sbcglobal.net. Services are
at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays. CROSSROADS COVENANT CHURCH New worship time, effective Sun.Oct. 3 is 9 a.m. Worship will be followed by a fellowship time with classes for all ages beginning at 10:45 a.m. 5353 Concord Blvd., Concord, 798-5905. ETERNAL LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH Eternal Life Lutheran Church meets at the County Farm Bureau, 5554 Clayton Rd., Concord. The congregation is a member of the WELS. It is served by Pastor Will Kant. The regular weekly schedule of worship and study is: Sundays: Sun. school and Bible class, 9:45 a.m., Worship 11 a.m.; Wednesdays: home group study @ 7 p.m. HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH Mid-week advent service is Dec.
The Congregation of Holy Cross Lutheran Church
1092 Alberta Way Concord, CA 94521 (925) 686-2000
Invites You to Join Us in Worship this Christmas Season Schedule of Services:
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The Pioneer wants to know what is happening in your parish, congregation, temple, synagogue, mosque or other place of worship. Tell us about your ministries, upcoming activities or notable members. Send your news items to Clayton Pioneer, PO Box 1246, Clayton 94517 or e-mail religion@claytonpioneer.com. 1, 8, 15 at 7 p.m. For all mid-week services a soup supper will be provided at 5:45 p.m. Regular worship service 9 a.m. worship with Communion 1st, 3rd and 5th Sun., worship non-communion 2nd and 4th Sun. Sun.school and Bible studies 10:30 a.m., Confirmation classes 11:30 a.m. SAINT JOHN’S PARISH The Vestry will share our plans for next year; everyone will receive a copy of this year’s wonderful “2004 Family Album of photos and quotes,” and pledging households can pick up offering envelopes for your ongoing pledge. Remember that every one of us is an integral and indispensable part of the Saint John’s family, and your presence on Sunday is valued above all else! In keeping with the holiday spirit, St. John’s is once again par-
ticipating in the Holiday Adopt-aFamily project. For more information contact the church at 5555 Clayton Road, Clayton or call 6728855 or www.saintjohnsparish.org. St. Nicholas revisits Saint John’s Dec. 4-5. Children in the community can visit old St. Nick and get their picture taken Dec. 4. Contact the church for information. St. Nicholas also drops in at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. worship services Dec. 5 to re-tell his great story. Everyone is welcome. ST. BONAVENTURE CATHOLIC CHURCH CYO track signups will be held Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. in the large hall at St. Bonaventure. Team is open to boys and girls grades 2-8. Children compete by grade level and gender. There are no tryouts required. Season runs from the beginning of Feb. until May 7. Track. Call Joe Sullivan 969-0207 for information.
Christmas pageant coming to Clayton On December 18 and 19, Clayton Community Church has every hope that they will present “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” Under the able direction of Kian Ameli, there’s every indication that CCC’s first-ever dramatic play will be a success. The play features 35 actors and actresses, all members of the congregation and was the brainchild of Pastor Shawn Robinson whose family performed in a similar production at the Lafayette Town Theatre. He’d like to see a community theater started right here in Clayton. Ameli is assisted by Francisco Esco and Maryann Roberts, who head the CCC Drama Ministry. Neil Holmes, who was originally scheduled to direct the play had to turn over the reigns to Ameli, but
he remains active as a consultant. “The play gets back to the true meaning of Christmas in a fun way,” says Robinson. The play is a delightful tale about the Herdman kids who were dubbed as the worst kids in school. Somehow they landed the lead roles in a church pageant and, after a disastrous dress rehearsal, manage to create the best Christmas pageant ever. You’ll be surprised to discover that their interpretation of Christ’s birth is quite unique. Performances will be Saturday, Dec. 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 19 at 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. at Diablo View Middle School. Admission is free and donations are welcome. Call Clayton Community Church at 673-9060 for more information.
N O S A E CHRISTMAS S Join us th is
at Clay ton Commun ity Church
Downtown Tree Lighting And Refreshments
Saturday, Dec. 4th 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
the
Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Saturday, Dec. 18, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19, 9:00 & 10:45 a.m. Diablo View Middle School
a s w e cel ebr ate
Sunday Mornings 9:00 & 10:45 a.m. Diablo View Middle School
Christmas Eve Candlelight Services Friday, Dec. 24 5:00 & 7:00 p.m. Diablo View Middle School
For more information contact us @ 673-9060 or www.claytoncc.com 6055 Main Street, Clayton, CA 94517
Page 16
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
December 3, 2004
Clayton Community Calendar PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M., DEC. 6 FOR THE DEC. 17 ISSUE. FAX TO 672-6580 OR E-MAIL calendar@claytonpioneer.com EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT ONGOING Art at the YMCA @ Clayton Community Gym Art program starts at the YMCA - sculpture, painting, drawing for beginners, advanced drawing.and Children's books, writing illustrating and publishing. For information contact instructor Seth Ahonen at 889-1612 or 889-1600. ONGOING After School Programs @ Clayton Community Gym 3-6 p.m., After school program for Diablo View Middle students. Homework help, sports and art activities. Fun, safe environment. Call Liz Travers for information at 889-1600. Clayton Community Gym, 300 Diablo View Lane, Clayton. ONGOING - May 25, 2005 "The Bee's Knees", The Best of the 1920s @ Clayton Historical Society Museum Special exhibit featurs the best of the 1920s including film, entertainment, fads, fashion, photos, art, literature, music, inventions, sports, and world events of the 1920s. The Clayton Museum also features special kitchen and quilt exhibits, a mining exhibit, outhouse and Clayton's early 1900s jail. Free. Sundays & Wednesdays 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM, and by Appointment.Phone--(925) 6720240/www.claytonhs.com. Clayton Historical Society Museum, 6101 Main Street, Clayton. ONGOING - DEC. 4 Festival of Trees @ Diamond Terrace Retirement Community Silent auction fundraiser of tabletop holiday trees benefitting the Clayton Business and Community Association’s Adopt a Family Program. Come see the trees designed by your local businesses! Diamond Terrace Retirement Community, 524-5100, 6401 Center Street, Clayton. NOW - DEC. 31 "Annie" @ Willows Theatre The classic family musical based on the adventures of the popular comic-strip heroine. Annie follows the story of the young orphan as she finds new family wtih billionaire Daddy Warbucks and dog Sandy. Directed by Richard Elliott. $20-35. Willows Theatre, Willows Shopping Center, 1975 Diamond Blvd., Concord. 925798-1300, www.willowstheatre.org. DEC. 2-5 Civic Arts Education and Clay Arts Guild Holiday Sale Holiday art sale featuring the talented artists of Civic Arts Education and the Clay Arts Guild. Ceramic pottery and sculpture at Civic Park, Studios D&E, 1313 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. Paintings, jewelry, photographs, fiber arts at Shadelands Campus, 111 Wiget Lane, Walnut Creek. 12/2 - 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. (opening party), 12/3 - 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., 12/4 - 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., 12/5 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. For information Sally Hogarty, 376-6457 or Dave Hanney, 943-5846. DEC. 3 - 12 The Shadow Box @ Diablo Valley College Michael Cristofer’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play opens in DVC’s intimate Arena Theatre. The play draws three distinct family stories into a universal tale of humanity and morality. It is a beautifully realized drama of sensitive perceptions, reminding us of the gift we’ve been given with every dat we live. Fri. and Sat. performances at 8 p.m. Sun. at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 - $12, high school students $5. Call the DVC ticket office at 687-4445. DEC. 3 - 23 Christmas My Way- Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra @ CTA Crossroads Theatre From the team that created My Way, it’s beginning to look a lot like a Sinatra Christmas, complete with 40 swingin’ hits perfect for the holidays, starring Emily Saxe, John Haithcock, Todd Carver and Leah Tandberg-Warren. Selections include Come Fly with Me, Let it Snow, The Man that Got Away, Fly me to the Moon, Winter Wonderland and many others. Thurs. 12/9, 12/16 - 8 p.m., Fri. 12/3, 12/10, 12/17 - 8 p.m., Sat. 12/18 - 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., Sat. 12/4, 12/11, 12/18 - 8 p.m. Shows added 12/21, 12/22, 12/23 - 7 p.m. with a special matinee on 12/22 at 3:30 p.m. Tickets $22 - $25 per person. 944-0597, www.ctacrossroads.org, CTA Crossroads Theatre, 1277 Boulevard Way, Walnut Creek. DEC. 3, 10, 17, 24 Digital Thunder Bowling @ Clayton Valley Bowl 4-6 p.m. Bowling on Friday afternoons for kids includes music, lights and bumper lanes. 689-4631, Clayton Valley Bowl, 5300 Clayton Road, Concord. DEC. 3 Presentation on Bolivian Village of Puka Puka @ Toloui Residence 7:30 p.m. A case study in transformation of a very simple society
through application of learned progressive ideas and moral principles and virtues. Presented by Hugh and Flor Toloui. Everyone welcome. Call 672-6686 for more information. DEC. 4 Clayton Tree Lighting @ Downtown Clayton 6 p.m. Help Santa light our Clayton Town Tree. Meet at Clayton Historical Museum (bring flashlights or glo-lights). Emcee is Police Chief Pete Peterson. The Mt. Diablo Elementary School Chorus will perform and there will be apple cider and donut holes. DEC. 4, 5 We Care Holiday Boutique and Craft Fair @ The Barbara Milliff Children's Center 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Avoid the holiday mall madness. The boutique will feature local artists and crafters, entertainment, food and a raffle. Proceeds from the event will benefit We Care Services for Children. Open to the public, no admission charge. The Barbara Milliff Children's Center, 2191 Kirker Pass Rd. (across the street from the Chronicle Pavilion). Dec. 7 and Dec. 9 Free Important College Financial Planning Workshop For Parents of College Bound Students @ 7 p.m. Civic Park Community Center in Walnut Creek located at 1375 Civic Drive @ Broadway & Civic Drive. Seating is limited and reservations are required. Reserve your free seat today by calling College Funding Advisors at (925) 933-8100. DEC. 7, 14, 21, 28 Patty Cakes Story Time @ Clayton Community Library 11-11:20 a.m. Story time for birth to 3 years, through October. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton, 6730659. DEC. 8 Virtual Tour of Machu Picchu @ Concord Campus of Cal State Hayward 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. George Miller, Professor of Anthropology presents this virtual tour using digital photography to allow visitors to view panoramic, 360 degree pictures of the pre-Columbian city. $3.0-0/free for SCHOLAR-OLLI members. Cal State Hayward, 4700 Ygnacio Valley Rd., Concord. 602-6772, www.ccc.csuhayward.edu/events.htm. DEC. 9, 16, 23, 30 Picture Book Time @ Clayton Community Library 11-11:25 a.m. Picture book time for 3 to 5 year olds, through October. Child may attend without parent. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton, 673-0659. DEC. 11 Mrs. Claus' Holiday Dessert Party @ Clayton Community Library. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Bring your little elves to visit with Santa and enjoy a treat at Mrs. Clause's Dessert Party. Free pictures, candy canes, prizes, goodies and lots of fun. Admission $1 or donation/free for children under 12. Hosted by the CBCA, 672-2272. DEC 15 Book Reading @ Bonanza Books 7 p.m. M. Allen Cunningham, will read from his recently published first novel, The Green Age of Asher Witherow. Bonanza Books, Clayton Station. See Cynthia Gregory's Book Review in this issue. CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS ONGOING - JAN. Knights of Columbus Substance Abuse Awareness Poster Contest Say No to Drugs contest is underway. “Drug Awareness & Abuse”and “Alcohol Awareness & Abuse” categories. Ages 8-11 and 12-14. Entries will be judged by school, local council, district State and International competition. Posters must be original, 11 x 17, color or black or white. Contact Claire Tryon, Youth Director, at 673-8564 for entry sheet, rules and more details or e-mail grey_eototo@man.com. DEC. 8 Diablo Valley Lioness @ Back Forty Restaurant Meets the 2nd Tuesday of the month. Help plan community fundraising events. For more information call Lisa King, President at 330-1260. Back Forty Restaurant, 1918 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill. DEC. 9 Clayton Valley 4-H Club @ Mountain View Elementary 6:30 p.m. The club is open to youth ages 5-19 and adults. Various projects, conferences, 4-H camp, leadership, citizenship and community service opportunities. Meetings are the second Thursday of each month, September to June. Call Candy Hogan, Community Leader, at 969-1325. Mountain View Elementary, 1705 Thornwood Drive, Concord.
DEC. 9, 16, 23, 30 Weights Watchers Weekly Meeting @ Contra Costa Farm Bureau 10 a.m., 5 & 6:30 p.m. Weekly Weight Watchers weigh-in & meeting on Thursday. 800/326-8450 x2023.Contra Costa Farm Bureau, 5554 Clayton Rd., Concord. DEC. 9, 16 Rotary Club of Clayton Valley Concord Sunrise @ Oakhurst 7 a.m. Meets every Thursday for breakfast meeting that usually features a speaker.www. claytonvalleyrotary.org Chuck Graham 689-7640. Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Drive, Clayton. DEC. 15 Ygnacio Valley Republican Women @ Oakhurst Country Club 10 a.m. Bell ringers will perform, Christmas stockings filled for overseas troops, Blue Star moms honored, donation to Marine’s “Toys for Tots”program, white elephant sale and more. Lunch, $17.00. R.S.V.P. to Barbara Allen, 672-5061, by Dec. 13.Everyone welcome. Contact www.yvrwf.org for information. Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Road, Clayton. JAN 8 Boy Scout Christmas Tree Pickup In conjunction with Pleasant Hill Bayshore, Boy Scout Troop 484 of Clayton will pick up Christmas trees for free (donations accepted) in the City of Clayton on Jan. 8. Place trees curbside by 8 a.m. The trees must be free of tinsel and we cannot accept flocked trees. For more information, call Mike Furtado, 827-4556 BUSINESS & GOVERNMENT DEC. 9 Clayton Community Services Commission Meeting @ City Hall 7 p.m. City of Clayton Community Services Commission meets 2nd Thursday of month. Open to the public. www.ci.clayton.ca.us 673-7304, Clayton City Hall Conference Room, 6000 HeritageTrail. DEC. 14, 28 Planning Commission Meeting @ Clayton Library 7p.m. City of Clayton Planning Commission meets 2nd & 4th Tuesday of month. Open to the public. www.ci.clayton.ca.us 6737304, Clayton Library Community Room, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton. DEC. 7, 14, 21, 28 Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Meeting @ County Administration Building 9 a.m. County Board of Supervisors holds regular weekly meetings Tuesday mornings. Open to the public. www.co.contracosta.ca.us 335-1900. County Administration Building, 651 Pine Street, Room 107, Martinez. DEC. 7, 21 Clayton City Council Meeting@ Clayton Community Library 6 p.m. City Council meets on the first and third Tuesday of the month. Open to the public. Agendas posted at the following locations: City Hall, 6000 Heritage Trail, Clayton, Ohm's Bulletin Board, 1028 Diablo St., Clayton, Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Rd., Clayton. SCHOOLS & EDUCATION DEC. 7 Band Performance @ Mt. Diablo Elementary 7 p.m. The Mt. Diablo instrumental band will perform in the multiuse room. Mt. Diablo Elementary. DEC. 8 Jazz Band Concert @ DIablo View Middle School 7 p.m. The concert and jazz band will perform in the multi-use room. Diablo View Middle School. DEC. 13 Holiday Play @ Diablo View Middle School 6 p.m.The drama group will perform their holiday play for parents and friends in the multi-use room. Diablo View Middle School. DEC. 15 Parent Faculty Club @ Clayton Community Gym Community Room 9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Contact PFC President Carolyn Hartnell at 672-4146 or crhartnell@earthlink.net if you want an item on the agenda. DEC. 15 Cadet and Symphonic Band @ Diablo View Middle School 7 p.m. The Cadet and symphonic band will perform in the multiuse room. Diablo View Middle School.
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December 3, 2004
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Try these new and creative ways to celebrate the season
A
re you running out of ideas to keep your kids actively involved in holiday celebrations? Here are a few ways to inspire their creativity and celebrate the season together. CREATE A TIME CAPSULE Have each child write a short paragraph on what he will be doing in the next year, what his favorite toys and activities were this year, and what he thinks was the most important event of the year. You can write a letter to your children about the past or upcoming year. Roll these up and slip them inside a decorated paper towel roll. Place this "time capsule" in the box with the holiday decorations so that it will be there to open next year.
WRITE A HOLIDAY LETTER Write an ongoing holiday letter to your child. Write a letter in a journal to your child every year. In it, describe the past year and your hopes and dreams for the new year. Send it to your child during his first year of college. CREATE A NEW YEAR'S TREE. When you dismantle the Christmas tree, take off the ornaments and decorations but leave the tree standing with lights only. Have your kids re-decorate it with the favors, noisemakers, hats and confetti that will be used for your New Year's celebration. Each year thereafter, come up with a theme for your "New Year's" tree. Your children can search for or create their own decorations that complement
Page 17
Tic toc, tic toc, goes the Christmas clock!
s u a l Visit Santa and C . s r M h have Dessert witry a
the theme. For instance, a theme can be "patriotism." The lights on the tree can be red, white and blue, and the ornaments can be flag or eagle inspired. Each child can hang up decorations that represent what he feels is patriotic.
r at the Clayton Lib 11 c. e D y, . Prizes Saturda 2 p.m o t Goodies 11 a.m.
BUBBLE WRAP FIREWORKS Ring in the New Year with innovation. To create your own version of fireworks, buy a huge, boxed roll of bubble wrap. Spread it out on the lawn, the driveway or the kitchen floor. At midnight, let your children pop the bubbles by running up and down the bubble wrap. Add noisemakers, wands and blowing bubbles, confetti (preferably outdoors) and balloons, and you'll ring in the new year in style.
Candy Canes FREE Pictures Children must be accompanied by an adult Admission $1 or donation Free for children 12 and under CHRISTMAS in CLAYTON is hosted by the elves of the CBCA (Clayton Business & Community Association.) CBCA: 672-2272
Source: Metro Editorial
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Page 18
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
December 3, 2004
Everything’s better with butter
LINDA WYNER
FOOD
FOR
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It’s that time of year when we dust off our cookbooks, clean up the cookie sheets and pie pans, stock up on flour and sugar and start planning our holiday baking. One of the key ingredients common to almost all baking recipes is butter. This animal fat has a long and rich history and comes in some interesting variations that you may not know very much about. Ancient civilizations with animal herds developed dairy “industries” of sorts more than 5,000 years ago. The Hindus of India chronicled butter making and its use in bridal feasts where the couple was honored with milk, honey and butter. Historians and archaeologists have found artwork and writings referring to the production and use of butter among Asians, Hebrews, Arabs, Egyptians, Persians, Sumerians, Greeks and Romans. Butter was prized not
only for cooking, but in medicine, cosmetics and religious rituals. A trade commodity, Scandinavian countries were exporting butter as early as the 12th century. The Vatican exercised its own authority over butter. In the 14th century, European Catholics had to get special dispensation to buy butter on fast days. Butter is produced from a wide variety of animals in addition to cows — buffalo, camel, sheep, yak, goat and horse. The cream is separated from the milk. American dairies pasteurize the cream (Europeans also add cultures to ferment the milk sugar), then it is cooled or “aged,” which gives the fat a crystalline structure. The cream is then agitated until the fat globules coalesce into a semisolid mass of butter, which is drained from the leftover liquid (buttermilk). The butter is rinsed and worked with paddles to work out milk solids and any residual buttermilk. Most butter is salted (up to 2 tsp per pound) to improve its flavor and shelf-life. Coloring agents are added seasonally to maintain a consistent yellow color. We Americans typically see “sweet cream” butter in our markets. This means that butter is made directly from cream. Lower cost butters are made from whey, a byproduct of cheese production, and these cannot be referred to as “sweet cream.” Butter is produced in many ways — salted
Glasbergen Chuckles
and unsalted, cultured (European the plastic blade, blend the cream. butters have a slightly acidic fla- The cream will whip up and sudvor), ghee (clarified butter) and denly collapse and butter begins smen (preserved butter). to separate out of the buttermilk. Although butter is a fat, it is At this point, you can simply also a source of beta-carotene drain off the buttermilk (reserve (Vitamin A), Vitamin D and con- for cooking), or add ½ cup of ice jugated linoleic acids. Producers water and blend. Discard the try to tinker water and with the fat repeat until the content of butwash water is ter, resulting in clear. Knead reduced fat the butter in a versions (water bowl with your or air added), hands or two dairy blends forks until all (vegetable oil of the water added), and has been spreads (mixed worked out. with vegetable Refrigerate the proteins, gelabutter or add a tin and other little salt to additives). help preserve Reduced fat it. Yield: versions of approx. 1 c butter perform butter per 2 c unevenly in “WOMAN CHURNING BUTTER” by whipping cooking and Jean-Francois Millet cream. improperly in Ghee is the baking, so cooks beware. chief cooking oil in Indian cooking but gaining in popularity here HOMEMADE BUTTER in America, particularly for 2 c heavy whipping cream sautéing meats. It is clear butter (without preservatives or sta- fat without solids and can be stored unrefrigerated for several bilizers). Using food processor with months. Butter is cooked over
low heat for about 30 minutes until it separates. The top of the melted butter is poured off, leaving the precipitated protein (curd) at the bottom. The curd is sometimes mixed with peanut oil for other cooking uses. Preserved butter from sheep or goat milk is popular in North Africa. Smen is considered a delicacy in Moroccan dishes. It is made by kneading butter with a combination of herbs, cinnamon and other spices, then cooked, salted and strained. It is poured into jugs, which are buried in the ground for months. It is easy for American households to make. PRESERVED BUTTER (SMEN) 1 lb butter 2 tsp dried oregano 1 Tbsp sea salt
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Melt butter over low heat. Wrap oregano in a cheesecloth and set in the butter. Simmer until the butter separates into a clear liquid and milky sediment (about 30 mins.). Strain through fine cheesecloth or muslin, discarding sediment and oregano. Add salt and mix until dissolved. Transfer to a sterilized jar, cover and let stand in a cool place until the mixture becomes pungent, about 1-2 weeks. Refrigerate the butter and use to flavor cous cous, roasted chicken or lentil dishes.
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December 3, 2004
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Acid loving azaleas say “not too hot, please”
NICOLE HACKETT
GARDEN GIRL
The azalea is a simple garden staple. This evergreen is a wonderful plant with a stable reputation. Through the years, the azalea has been introduced to one’s garden by the way of a neighborhood grocery store. Floristforced for maximum bloom, the azalea is presented on Hallmark holidays by loved ones or planted by happenstance as a last ditch effort to revive life after spending too much time in the living room on the coffee table. Using azaleas in your Clayton
landscapes fulfills the part-sun blooming evergreen requirement for landscapes. Evergreen plants are the backbones of a garden from late fall through winter. An azalea can be a beautiful reintroduction to your landscape. These beauties bloom orchard-shaped flowers in single and double forms, some solid and others bicolored, all great performers in our area given the proper conditions. Azaleas belong in part shade. This means morning, filtered sun like that found under shade trees, and light shade, the kind where the area is always bright, seldom in direct sun. In Clayton, this means if you feel that your site is baking hot half the day, it’s too much sun no matter what the tag reads. Azaleas are found naturally under trees. Soil for these acid lovers should be light and never compact. Gardeners dealing with Clayton clay should be cautious when installing azaleas and amend properly. Your soil
amendment should read that you need no additional ingredients for acid loving plants. It needs to be rich, moisture retentive and fast draining. It pays off to amend properly. Double azaleas are the most sought after. The blooms are full and pretty. Fred Sanders is a flowering broad-leafed evergreen shrub. This flowering shrub has a spring bloom of ruby-red double flowers. This plant is bushy in shape, reaching 2 to 4 feet tall and wide. This is a common size of maturity for most garden azaleas. Planting this choice in combination with some August Beauty Gardenia will give the gardener blooms from early spring through late fall, while always keeping their foliage. Happy Days is a fabulous bright violet-purple doubleblooming azalea reaching anywhere from 2 to 4 feet tall and wide. This plant makes a lovely anchor to a garden when surrounded with assorted colorful
Happy Holidays from
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cyclamen and planted in front of some white Japanese Anemone for late summer and fall color. Bi-colored azaleas make wonderful garden introductions. George Taber is a very famous azalea. This selection is loved because of its vigorous nature and adaptability. This evergreen is an upright grower producing very large blooms up to 3 inches wide. Orchid-pink throats are streaked to light pink and edged in white. The blast of blooms in early- to mid-spring is awesome and worth the wait. Pinching back after the flower blooms is
PLUM CRAZY
essential for shape and encourages bushy new growth. George Taber is great when used with Heuchera Crimson Curl and Helleborus Laten Rose. Plum Crazy is a light lavender single-bloom that opens to 2 inches. Crinkled petals give more dimensions to the bloom. Again, this selection blooms in early
spring, so plant several of the same variety for consistency. The bloom is deep lilac-pink with white marbling on the petals. Against a gray-based blue home, this selection shines. Every garden needs a white bloom. The azalea called Alaska is often asked for by name. The wonderful white blooms are almost double. This semi-double has pure white flowers in profusion in mid-spring. You’ll find this plant easy to mix in with almost any landscape. Repeat plantings under European White Birch would be nice. The Alaska azalea is tough enough to tolerate the additional sun when planted under immature trees until shade can be established. Given regular water and fertilizer, this tough evergreen should withstand our elements. The bloom color of white is great during twilight and early morning. Wards Ruby Red is my favorite azalea. This evergreen is more compact than the other featured azaleas. Compact and twiggy describes this selection. The shrub is densely clothed in small, glossy leaves. Small, single flowers of deep red are born in profusion. Wards Ruby stands out on the rack and in the garden. Plant with punchy colors of lime green and oranges for some
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shade drama. Bacopa Golden Pearl makes a great ground cover with this showstopper. There are some micro-dwarfs azalea varieties for your enjoyment these days. Gumbo White is a tight plant with a small, single white orchid-shaped bloom. Reaching barely 12 inches tall and up to 2 feet wide, this selection makes a great groundcover in a nature setting. Buy azaleas that are field grown, plant with soil conditioner, and water and fertilize regularly. Cut plants back to reshape after bloom. And please, be careful in too much sun. Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio and Garden Contact her with questions, comments or suggestions at GardenGirl94517@aol.com
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HELP-U-SELL REAL ESTATE SERVICES helpusell.com 4918 Clayton Rd., Concord, CA 94521 (925) 680-4950 d $38,150 aved Sold! Selllerr S
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Clayton
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Clayton
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25 Atchinson Stage Rd.
Clayton
$699,000
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5830 Del Trigo Lane
Clayton
$565,000
4 bedrooms, plus den, 2.5 baths, approx 2368 sq.ft. hardwood flrs, marble entry, gorgeous kitchen w/granite tile counters & gas stove & large master suite w/walkin closet & marble bathroom. Spectacular tropical backyard with pool/spa & waterfall, extended BBQ island w/slate counter, sink, eating area and tile patio. This home is an absolute must see to believe! An entertainers Dream!
4 Large bedrooms, 2 updated baths, approx 2325 sq.ft. Spacious formal living & dining room w/vaulted ceilings, family room w/wet bar, hardwood floor entry, updated eat-in kitchen w/tile counters & central heat/air. Spacious master suite, tile roof, new exterior paint & meticulously maintained yards!
Awake to Views of Mt. Diablo! 4 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Approx 2,549 sq. ft., Custom additions w/permits, new roof, pergo flrs, spacious family room w/brick fireplace & formal living & dining room w/bay windows, 3 sets of French doors, private landscaped backyard w/deck & RV parking too! Light & bright throughout!
3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths, approx 1,659 sq.ft. Large .26 acre lot! Original hardwood flrs throughout, formal living rm w/fireplace, light & bright family rm & eat-in kitchen w/double oven. Central heat, vaulted ceilings, shutters/blinds throughout & large backyard with sparkling pool
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5418 Paso Del Rio Ct.
Concord
$612,000
182 Mt. Wilson Way
Clayton
$751,000
19 Long Creek Circle
Clayton
$350,000
5839 Verna Way East
Clayton
$555,000
4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths, approx 2135 sq.ft. Spacious formal living & dining room, large family room w/brick fireplace, wilsonart hardwood flrs, ceiling fan, wet bar & Anderson slider! Updated eat-in kitchen w/tile counters, oak cabinets, built in microwave/convection oven, dishwasher, garden window & built in desk. Tile entry, central heat/air, gorgeous landscaped backyard w/redwood deck.
5 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, approx 2,692 sq.ft. Lovely kitchen with new stainless steel appliances, gas stove, tile counters and garden window! Gas fireplace in family room, oak hardwoood flr in entry, kitchen & eating area, wet bar & large laundry room with storage. Master Bedroom features views & private deck, lovely backyard with spa & gorgeous views!
3 Bedrooms, 2 updated Baths, approx 1,075 sq.ft. Great Location in Clayton! Gorgeous Detached Town-Home with attached garage! Large front and back patio with trees! Hardwood floors, gourmet kitchen with white cabinets and granite tile counters & spacious family room for all your entertaining!
4 Bedrooms, 2 Updated Baths, approx 1,680 sq.ft. Huge .31 Lot with RV parking! Spacious family room w/brick wood burning fireplace & French doors off Dining room, new carpet, fresh paint in/out & tile entry. Some hardwood floors, spacious master suite, new heat/air & new roof/gutters.
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1221 Buckeye Terrace
Clayton
$495,000
3 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths, approx 1,639 sq.ft. Lovely home with decorator touches throughout! Spacious living/dining room combo with gleaming hardwood floors and double sided ceramic tile fireplace! Family room with custom tile and double sided ceramic tile fireplace, inside laundry room & lovely landscaped backyard with built-in BBQ, stamped cement & wired for a spa. Large Gourmet Kitchen with tile counters, gas stove, built-in microwave and dishwasher. Low Hoa Too!
263 Stranahan Circle
Clayton
$460,000
3 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths, approx 1,339 sq.ft. Built in 95', Desirable floor plan w/master downstairs accessing patio. Sparkling kitchen with tile counters & gas appliances, elegant living room w/marble gas fireplace & neutral like new carpet, paint & linoleum. Professionally landscaped front & backyards & desirable corner lot!
1816 Yolanda Circle
Clayton
$610,000
3 Large Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths, approx 1,780 sq.ft. Gorgeous home inside & out! Spacious family room w/woodburning fireplace, dining room w/wood floors, new heat/air & new roof. Master Bedroom with French doors to private Trex patio deck, fruit trees & generous side & backyard with RV parking. Great Clayton Neighborhood!
102 Forest Hill Drive
Clayton
5 Bedrooms, 3 Baths, Gorgeous kitchen with granite counters, maple cabinets & island. Formal living w. fireplace & dining room, spacious family room w/fireplace. Open & bright throughout, inside laundry, 3 car garage, landscaped yards & Large master suite w/jacuzzi tub!
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Page 20
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
December 3, 2004
Relationship with sister city grows stronger In an effort to recognize Clayton’s sister city relationship with Buxworth, England, the Clayton City Council recently declared November 17 as “Chinley, Buxworth and Brownside Day.” Trefor Jones, council chairperson of the three parishes, was on hand to accept the proclamation along with his wife Elaine. It was Joel Clayton, the founding father of Clayton,
who actually planted the seeds for the twinning of the two cities. He was born in what was known then as Bugsworth, Derbyshire, England in the early 1800’s. In 1994 Dick and Marylou Ellis and Andrea Blachman of the Clayton Historical Society attended an event in the village of Buxworth. In 1996 the twin city project was established including the formation of the twinning Association
in England. On the fourth of July each year, the Association flies the American and the California flags on the flagpole of Buxworth Church. This past year the Association entered a float in the Whaley Bridge Carnival and won first prize for their authentic pioneer wagon. “It’s basic friendship,” says Trefor, talking about the philoso-
phy behind the twin cities. He and his wife have spent their time here recently visiting with members of the Clayton Historical Society, city officials and other acquaintances including the Strongs of Sunnyvale, direct descendants of Joel Clayton.
“Those of us who have fostered this twinning relationship hope to see further communication and dialogue between the schools, cultural and civic groups, and most of all, between the villagers of Buxworth and the citizens of Clayton,” says Trefor.
Trefor and Elaine Jones
Farm 51
Seth Ahonen
Scouts say “Buxworth or Bust” Junior Girl Scout Troop 137, under the direction of Heather Peterson is bound and determined to visit Clayton’s sister city of Buxworth, England. The 11-member Clayton troop got the history bug some years back when, as
Back row: Amanda Peterson, Alicia Roberts, Sara Casey, Heather Peterson, Kristen Paetz, Alyssa Hill and Landis Grant; Front row: Rhea Traser, Kirsten Remoy and Stacy Morehouse. Not pictured, Kimberly Loyala and Kendall Sullivan.
Brownies, they visited the Clayton Museum to earn their “Listening to the Past-Try-It Badge. In the course of “adopting” museum, the troop learned all about the sister city connection with Buxworth. “That’s when we came up with the idea of getting in touch with some Girl Guides from the area and going to visit them,” Peterson said. The girls did some research and connected with two troops in England. They’ve been getting to know each other by mail ever since. Although the enthusiasm is there for the troop’s future trip to England, the money isn’t. Fundraising efforts have stepped up according to Peterson. The troop has enrolled in
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the “ Cartridges For Kids” program which recycles printer and copier cartridges and cell phones. Collection boxes are currently at the Clayton Pioneer, Clayton Museum and at Dr. Albert Martin’s dentistry office. For more information about donations call Heather Peterson at 672-5498.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
“W
hen you live in a place as exciting and beautiful as the Clayton Valley area, it’s hard not to be excited for each new day,” Lynne French says. “From the energy of the city to the natural setting of the country, there’s always something to keep me on the go.” Lynne brings this positive energy and love for the Clayton Valley to her long-running career as a real estate professional.
December 3, 2004
Always focused on your needs throughout your home purchase or sale, she does whatever it takes to help you make the most of your opportunities. With Lynne and her team as your guides, you can Discover the Possibilities in Clayton Valley real estate. Her intimate knowledge of the area and dedication to your goals ensure your success when buying or selling a home. Give her a call today!
(925) 672-8787 www.LynneFrench.com Lynne@LynneFrench.com
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Clayton, CA 94517 Walnut Creek, CA 94596
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6160 Center Street, Suite E, Clayton 94517 georgevujnovich.com KINGS RIDGE ESTATES Just Listed! Magnificent One of a kind Estate! located in a private gated enclave of custom estates. 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, approx. 5,500sf of living space plus an additional 1,216sf of finished wine cellar & professional 3-stall shooting range. Extensive stone hardscape & circular aggregate & brick trimmed steps lead to the formal grand entry & foyer. Den/secondary family room offers a full walk-around bar with granite counters, rock fireplace with raised hearth & custom built-in oak media center. Huge formal living room boasts a soaring coffered ceiling & marble fireplace with custom mantle. Formal dining room featuring elegant chandelier & bay windows. Unbelievable gourmet kitchen features an enormous octagonal tile island, tile counters, gleaming hardwood floors, abundance of solid oak cabinets, huge pantry & state-of-the-art appliances & separate breakfast room with hardwood floors, multiple French doors, walls of windows & 4-panel custom skylight. Enormous family/great room features a massive custom brick fireplace with raised hearth & mantle, open box beam ceiling, custom media cabinet with 60" big screen & components + surround sound. Master wing fit for royalty features a foyer entry that leads to private tiled balcony that offers un-obstructed Mt. Diablo, rolling hills & pasture views, separate octagonal sitting room with wet bar, marble fireplace with custom hand carved mantle, Enormous suite with sitting area, coffered ceiling, built-in media cabinetry, to die for master bath boasts marble floors, circular steps lead to jetted tub, huge two person stall shower with dual heads, dual sinks, large walk-in closet and private commode with bidet. Totally private (approx.) half acre lot offers various lawn areas, extensive hardscape, meandering walkways, reflecting areas, gazebo, enormous tiled patio, huge spa, towering redwoods & a large paved side yard! 3 car garage + extensive recreational vehicle parking. A must see to appreciate/believe. $1,695,000
EAGLE PEAK AT OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB
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Just Listed! Absolutely gorgeous 1-story "Keller" model on a quiet court. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, approx. 2,053sf & 2 car garage. Impeccably maintained & beautifully upgraded. Laminate wood floors in living, dining & family rooms. Designer paint with faux accents & plantation shutters thru-out! Living room with vaulted ceiling, separate formal dining room. Family with marble tile fireplace with custom mantle. Gourmet kitchen features tile counters & island, sunny garden window & a bay window eating nook with custom bench seat with built-in storage. Master suite features a retreat/nursery/workout/home office. Large level professionally landscaped lot offers a private spa setting, lush lawn, an assortment of vibrant & colorful flowers, custom deck & retractable sun shade awning $695,000
Just Listed! Builder's personal residence on one of the best lots in the subdivision! 2 master suites + loft with built-in cabinetry & dual skylights, 2.5 baths, approx. 1,663sf, inside laundry & 2 car garage. Extensive custom touches & upgrades thru-out! Gourmet kitchen features granite & ceramic tile counters, island & accents, abundance of cabinets & eating nook. Great room with granite tile fireplace & TV nook. Main master suite overlooks views of hills, open space & seasonal creek a features a mock fireplace, old fashioned claw foot tub & separate shower with overhead skylight. Located at the end of a quiet court with no side or rear neighbors this large lot backs & sides trail & open space. Rear yard features a large patio with rose trees, a trellis & outdoor speakers; huge side yard offers raised vegetable beds & fruit trees. $599,000
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Just Listed! Stunning Former Model Home! on a spectacular premium ridgeline lot overlooking/backing 3rd hole of golf course with magnificent course-rolling hill/ridgeline-city/valley to Delta views! 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bath, approx. 3,000sf., 3 car garage & inside laundry with utility sink. Grand formal dining room with soaring ceiling. Great family room with upgraded brick fireplace & wet bar. Gourmet kitchen features tile counters, island & breakfast bar, upgraded tile floors, large eating area, abundant cabinets + pantry. Enormous master suite offers a romantic two-way fireplace & boasts breath-taking panoramic views. Private level lot on a quiet court features, two patio's professional landscape, a variety of low maintenance ornamentals, lots of trees & a large lush lawn area. $1,125,000