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February 13, 2015
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Vets honored at Camellia Tea TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
DAVE SHUEY
MAYOR’S CORNER
Busy season with Grove upgrades, new planning commissioner You might think that with the weather we are getting the last couple of years that we don’t have seasons anymore, but that is far from the truth. Why, as we speak, Councilmember Howard Geller is working hard to line up yet another great spring and summer season of Music in the Park. That is right, before you know it, it will be May and we will be hearing music downtown. In that same vein, our city maintenance staff is doing its own gearing up. Signs are up to inform you of the closure of The Grove park playground for replacement of the resilient play surface. We get so much use for this playground that it is just darn worn out and needs replacement. Work is scheduled to start on Monday, Feb. 9 with removal of the floor panels on the play equipment and tear-out of the old surface. We are going to work as fast as possible, but the closure of the playground might last through Friday, Feb. 27 depending on the weather conditions, and frankly I think we
See Mayor, page 4
Photo Tamara Steiner
WWII VETERANS WERE THE HONORED GUESTS at the Clayton Historical Society’s Annual Camellia Tea last Sunday. From left: Martin Easton, U.S. Navy Flight Officer Trainee; Jauire Welsh, Navy Yoeman 2nd Class; Rob Plaisted U.S. Navy Photographers Mate, 2nd Class,; Bob Hoyer, U.S. Army Infantry Engineer; Warren Miller, U.S. Navy, Electrician Mate, 3rd Class.
History truly came alive last Sunday as The Clayton Historical Society honored 10 local World War II veterans at the 38th Annual Camellia Tea held at the Clayton Museum. Attendees shared stories, recollections and historic photographs at the annual event. Among the honored guests was Rod Plaisted who was a young Photographer’s Mate Second Class in the U.S. Navy when Joe Rosenthal took his famous photograph of “Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima.” Plaisted processed that photo and six others taken in sequence. “We knew right away it was an historic picture,” said Plaisted, who had one of the original prints with him at the tea. Although he was clearly part of that history making photo, he never met Rosenthal. In fact, he avoided him, fearing Rosenthal would question him about the war.
See Camellia Tea, page 3
Station 11 reopens with grand celebration PEGGY SPEAR Clayton Pioneer
The Clayton community threw a huge welcome home bash for Fire Station 11 at a celebration Jan. 31, complete with honored dignitaries, scout troops, a community safety fair and, of course, a barbecue.
Luckily, there were plenty of firefighters on hand to douse any errant flames from the barbecue. The station officially reopened Jan. 16, nearly two years after budget cuts shuttered Clayton’s only fire station. It was one of seven stations closed by the county
Mt. Diablo closes park area where peregrine falcons nest JOHN T. MILLER Correspondent
pixshark.com
EVEN AFTER GIVING BIRTH TO THEIR YOUNG, called eyasses, the peregrine falcon is easily frightened. The parents can be scared off from the nest and may never return.
For the first time ever, a corner of Mt. Diablo State Park will be closed to the public for six months so that peregrine falcons can nest in peace in the region. Pine Canyon, which includes the area known as “Castle Rock,” closed on Feb. 1 and will remain off-limits until July 31 so that the territorial and highly sensitive raptors, a “highly protected species,” will not be disturbed during their important nesting season. The main access to Castle Rock is through Foothill Regional Park, which prompted East Bay Regional Parks to work with the State Parks system to bring about the closure. The peregrine falcons are not
after a 2012 bond measure to help fund the Contra Costa Consolidated Fire Protection District failed. During the past two years, it was staffed parttime by firefighters from Station 22 in Crystyl Ranch. Station 11 is the first to reopen after many Clayton residents, aided by Supervisor Karen Mitchoff ’s office, lobbied that the area needed fire protection services in town and with such close proximity to Mount Diablo. An improving economy and a federal SAFER grant helped fund the reopening. The grand celebration featured a presentation and posting of colors by local Girl Scout Troops 33195 and 30905, Boy Scout Troop 484 and the Firefighters of Contra Costa Honor Guard. There were remarks by Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, Mitchoff, CCCFPD Chief Jeff Carmen, International Association of Firefighters 1230 President Vince Wells, as well as by Mayor David Shuey and Clayton City Councilman Jim Diaz, who both helped lead the efforts to reopen the station. The afternoon also featured a safety fair with CPR training, child fingerprinting, bicycle safety presentations, an open house, and a ladder art display put together by students in Mt. Diablo Elementary School teacher Alexandra Pike’s second grade class.
Jennifer Jay
THANKS TO A RECOVERING ECONOMY and an infusion of money from a federal SAFER grant, the flag once again flies over Clayton’s Station 11, closed for two years for lack of money. The community turned out in force to celebrate with a bang-up barbeque party on January 31. Fire Station 11 is staffed with three full-time firefighters — a captain, a fire engineer and a firefighter. It is a fulltime ALS (advanced life support) station with one member being a paramedic. It is also equipped with a wild land
response unit for fires up on Mount Diablo. Jennifer Jay contributed to this article.
For more photos from the celebration, turn to page 18
See Falcons, page 3
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
February 13, 2015
Around Town Clayton students honored by mayor for ‘Kindness’ Seven extraordinary kids were recognized by the Clayton City Council at the January 20 meeting for showing exceptional kindness as part of the community-wide Do The Right Thing initiative. The students received kudos from their teachers and were presented with a certificate by Mayor Dave Shuey. Mt. Diablo Elementary kindergartners Stella Thomas and Brett Simpkins were nominated for the honor by teacher Mrs. Coverdale. “These students show kindness everyday in their words and deeds,” she said.
“Brett shows compassion to those who are hurting and always says kind words about his siblings.” She described Stella as “sweetnatured” and noted that all of the teachers “know her by name.” From Diablo View Middle School, 8th-graders Skye Aven and Brendan O’Reilly were nominated by their teacher Mrs. Ploetz, who has both students in the same class. “Skye has never said an unkind word,” said Mrs. Ploetz, noting that middle school can be a difficult time and Skye “goes out of her way to make people
Oakhurst Princess party first of new events planned
feel comfortable,” This was Brenden’s second time on the podium. He was recognized as a 5th grader for showing great courage. Clayton Valley Charter High School Dean of Students Greg Fister nominated Elisse Martinez, Roxana Benavidez and Destiny Sudo for their exceptional qualities of kindness and compassion. Elisse is a regular volunteer at Windsor Manor Rehab Center and headed up a special sock drive for the homeless. Roxanna also volunteers at Windsor Manor and helps other students in the school’s
Photo Credit Spectrum Photography
Over 70 of the area’s littlest royals joined their favorite Disney Ice Princesses at the Oakhurst Country Club’s first Character Breakfast in January. The pint-sized princes and princesses attended with their parents for stories, singing and crafts. The next event will be a Jedi themed breakfast on March 15. For information, call the Oakhurst events director at (925) 6729737, ext 217.
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Clayton dancers Joan Lundahl and husband Craig Johnson two-stepped their way into another new year at the 2015 Worlds Country Dance World Championships in Florida last month. The couple won first place in Showcase Crown Solo Medley.
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in Clayton. Decoy says he has fond memories of serving three generations of families and helping Santa answer letters during the holidays. He plans to spend time with his wife, children and grandchildren and travel. Judy Corbett, Clayton postmaster, says, “The Clayton Post Office won’t be the same without Don’s dedication, dependability, hard work, attention to detail and sense of humor.” Edwin Macasero retired on the same day as Decoy. Macasero started in 2008 as a custodian at the Clayton Post Office. Macasero is well known for his feathered hat, decorated by feathers from customers who often took his picture wearing the treasures. Macasero looks forward to spending time with his daughter and two sons, one
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Shown with Mayor Dave Shuey are the seven students recognized for Kindness by the city council: Back: Skye Aven, Brendan O’Reilly from DVMS; Destiny Sudo, Roxana Benavidez and Elisse Martinez from CVCHS; Front: Stella Tomlinson and Brett Simpkins.
Town bids affectionate farewell to postal peeps Dancing Duo Don Decoy retired from the United States Postal Service in January after 30 years of dedication. He was a letter carrier in Antioch for a few months before spending the remainder of his career on the same route
George Vujnovich
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 3
Fall bocce season rolls to an end The second season of the newly formed Clayton Bocce Federation wrapped up on Jan. 25 with last season’s second place team from Ed’s Mudville rolling to a first place finish. The new league has been so suc-
cessful that the federation has made room for an additional 60 teams in 2015. Sign-ups for the 2015 seasons will be Sat. March 7 at 11 a.m. at Skipolini’s Pizza on Main Street. Tentative dates for the spring sea-
FIRST PLACE: ED’S MUDVILLE GRILL Front: Aldo Ricetti, Julie Ghelfi, Carol Ricetti-Nolen, Linda Mullen; Back: Sam Savage, Mike Ghelfi, Larry Mullen, Ricky Nolen
Falcons, from page 1 just important to our modern-day ecology. In antiquity, the falcon represented the rising sun in Egypt. Egyptian gods, including RA, were often depicted with the head or body of the falcon. The bird is known to symbolize visionary power, wisdom and guardianship. The peregrine falcons have been nesting in the Castle Rock area since the late 1800s, but by the 1950s they were nowhere to be found and were listed as an endangered species. According to investigations by scientists, the pesticide known as DDT nearly wiped out the falcon population by affecting
the calcium in their eggs. In 1990, however, Save Mount Diablo, the park district and the University of California were able to reintroduce the species by slipping some captive peregrine falcon eggs into a prairie falcon nest on Mt. Diablo. Their numbers have rebounded and they are now listed as a “highly protected species.” Michael Marchiano, a volunteer with the Mt. Diablo Interpretive Association and an enthusiastic naturalist and bird watching tour guide, is ecstatic over the closure. “It’s not just the falcons that will benefit,” says Marchiano.
son are March 29-July 12. For the summer season, projected dates are July 19 – Oct. 25. Days of play will be Sundays at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday at 6:30 p.m., and Friday at 7 p.m. There will be a total of 70 teams for each season; 140 teams total. The teams that played in the 2014 summer league will be given the opportunity to renew for the
2015 season. A bocce team is at least six persons and no more than 10. Those signing up as individuals and not part of a team will be placed on teams on a space available basis. The March 7 sign-up day will be the only day for public sign-ups for the 2015 season. Complete Information and forms are available at www.claytoncbca.org.
SECOND PLACE: TEAM DEBOCCERY Front: Shanan Tullis, Krista Runnings, Teena Hahn, Tim Tullis; Back: Cory Runnings, Jennifer Giantvalley, Eric Giantvalley, Don Abitz
THIRD PLACE: BOCC-SLAP! Front: Jill Grover, Kerry Baker, Vicky Gauthier; Back: Ben Grover, Aaron Baker, Jim Gauthier
“Many other birds use the area to nest, including golden eagles, red tail hawks and red shoulder hawks in the high trees, cooper’s hawks, kestrels, barn owls, prairie falcons, swifts, cliff swallows, barn swallows and many other songbirds nest in cavity spaces in the rocks.” In the last five years, vandalism, spray paint, beer cans, broken glass and garbage has increased exponentially in the Castle Rock area, Marchiano says. “Rock climbers often crawl into the cavities where the nests are, scaring off the parents who may never return. Places like Sentinel Rock and Rock City provide much better rock climbing opportunities on the mountain.” According to a National Geo-
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“I was just 18. I knew nothing,” Plaisted recalls. “We came ashore just 20 days after the Marines landed and I was afraid he would start asking me questions I couldn’t answer.” Every year, the Historical Society chooses a small group to honor. Pouring honors have frequently gone to members of Clayton’s pioneering families or leaders. This year, the Veterans were chosen as a prelude to the large WWII exhibit that will open in May to honor VE Day. “The veterans were all very excited to be remembered,” said CHS president JoAnn Caspar. “It just seemed right.” The Clayton Museum, the original home of Joel Clayton, was decked out with an ornate silver tea and coffee service presiding over a table of picturesque goodies baked by CHS members and bowls of the event’s signature camellias in shades of pink, white and red. Also honored at the tea was a small contingent from Diamond Terrace that included Lucille Brown, Marie Sutton and Lloyd Huddleston. Sutton was part of the first class of Navy WAVES stationed in New York. Others veterans honored at the tea included Clayton Johnson, Angelo Blasquez, Jauire Welsh, Wil Wilcox, Dewey Dobson, Bob Hoyer and Martin Easton. The Clayton Museum, 6101 Main St., Clayton, is open Wednesdays and Sundays, 2-4 p.m. and by appointment. For more info, go to www.claytonhistory.org.
graphic article, falcons can migrate up to 15,000 miles in a year — the name peregrine means wanderer — and some nesting sites have been used for hundreds of years by successive generations of falcons. They are known as the fastest bird, reaching up to 200 miles an hour while diving for prey. Often, part of the elaborate mating ritual is for the male to show the nesting site to the female, who may base her decision on its desirability. Falcons mate for life and can live up to 17 years in the wild. Signs and educational materials will be placed in the area to advise Map courtesy Mt. Diablo State Park and inform users about the closure, THE CASTLE ROCK AREA IN MOUNT DIABLO STATE PARK will be closed said district officials. Violators will to visitors from Feb. 1 to July 31 to help protect the peregrine be subject to fines. falcons during their nesting season.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
February 13, 2015
X Marks the Spot for Clayton historical sites PEGGY SPEAR Clayton Pioneer
The Clayton Historical Society is making sure that its residents not only know the lore and history of the pioneering city, but that they can experience it as they go about their everyday lives. The CHS is launching a fundraising campaign to add two new historical markers to those already dotting important locations in the city. The two new ones will be added at The Grove and over the pedestrian bridge near Keller Ranch, by the Clayton Library. The effort is being spearheaded by Dick Ellis and Bob
Hoyer, two self-proclaimed “old timers” and past presidents of the CHS. “We want people — residents and visitors alike — to not only learn about Clayton through our great museum, but to see what locations held appeal to earlier residents,” Ellis said. The Grove for instance, was a community meeting spot for local kids, who would “park their horses” before grabbing a bit of candy at a local store. It was also used for go-cart races, and the infamous “greased pole” and greased pig chasing contests that enlivened early Fourth of July celebrations.
The new monuments will join several others that have been installed, on stone with attractive brass plaques, throughout the city, including at Mt. Diablo Elementary School, location of the town’s first two-room school house. It was installed in 1995. A plaque was installed at Endeavor Hall in 2000. The one at the Post Office commemorates all the post office locations in town throughout the years, was installed in 2001. The Clayton Museum, former home of Joel Clayton, had a marker installed in 2002. Also in 2002, a marker was installed at the Clayton Club. There is also one at Moresi’s Chophouse, installed
in 2003, and at the old Di Martini Winery, now the city of Clayton offices, in 2004. The last one was installed nine years ago at the trailhead on Black Diamond Way. The location of the plaque at the Keller Ranch property is still being worked on with the city council, Ellis said. The CHS is asking for $25 donations for the new plaques, “which, if 100 people give, will give us enough to install the plaques,” Ellis said. He said he hopes to be able to dedicate the new plaque at the Grove before a summer concert by August of this year. “We need the money up front, as early as May, so that we can get the inscriptions and castings made,” Ellis said. They are starting their fundraising efforts not only by word-of-mouth and at the Clayton City Council meetings, but with a letter writing cam-
HISTORICAL MARKERS, like this one at the Clayton Post Office, will soon be appearing at more spots in town as the Clayton Historical Society ramps up a fundraising effort to add the plaques at The Grove and the Keller House by summer.
paign that should go out within two weeks to museum members, donors, visitors and other interested parties, Ellis said.
Mayor, from page 1
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would all be ok with a delay caused by rain. Next up is the Water Play Feature upgrade project, which is still projected to start the week of Feb. 23, so watch out for construction and be happy that by summer we will be back in full force with upgraded features downtown. This last week the city council appointed citizen Peter Hellman to the vacated position on the Planning Commission that resulted from Keith Haydon being elected to the council. As far as I can tell, the only disappointing thing about Peter is that he went to UC
Berkeley instead of Stanford, but given his 37 years in real estate development, his love for and desire to give back to the community and his impeccable credentials, I am willing to cut him some slack and say Welcome, Peter! The only downside of our search for a new commissioner was the fact that we had to pick one out of six awesome candidates. If any of these candidates had applied and been the only one we would have happily appointed them, but Peter shown brightest and we are lucky to have him.
“There’s a lot of history here, and we want to make sure people can really enjoy it,” he said.
The Council would like to thank candidates Marc Ventura, Eric Rehn, Scott DeVenney, Bruce Albert and Peter Cloven for stepping up and putting their hats in the ring. Look for their names in the future as they have a lot to give to this community. In closing, a wise man or wiser woman once said, “If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.” On the lighter side, “Statistics show that the people who have the most birthdays live the longest.” Think about it…. Send email to the mayor at dshuey@ci.clayton.ca.us.
February 13, 2015
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
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calendar items, events & press releases. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Both Pioneer newspapers welcome letters from our readers. As a general rule, letters should be 250 words or less and submitted at least one week prior to publication date. Letters concerning current issues will have priority. We may edit letters for length and clarity. All letters will be published at the editor’s discretion. Please include name, address and daytime telephone number. We will not print anonymous letters. E-mail your letter to tamara@claytonpioneer.com. Letters must be submitted via Email. CIRCULATION as of Sept. 2014 Total circulation of the Clayton Pioneer is 5,500 to ZIP code 94517, all delivered by US Mail to homes, businesses and post office boxes. We cannot start or stop delivery to individual addresses. This must be done directly through the Post Office The Concord Pioneer is delivered monthly to 28,000 in Concord by carrier. Papers are delivered once a month on a Friday morning near the end of the month. To stop delivery for any reason, call the office at (925) 672-0500 or email circulation@claytonpioneer.com. If you are NOT receiving the Pioneer, please check the distribution map on the website. If you live in the shaded area and are not receiving the paper, please call us or send an email to circulation@claytonpioneer.com. If you are not in the shaded area, please be patient. We will come to your neighborhood soon.
Rev. Otto W. Henn 1913 – 2014 assembler. He and Herta became members of the United Presbyterian Church, USA. Henn returned to ministry at Nebraska Presbyterian churches. In 1945, the Henns became naturalized citizens. He then served churches in Wyoming, Montana, Daly City and San Francisco. He was pastor emeritus of the Clayton Valley church until his death. He preached his last sermon in 2010. In addition to preaching, teaching and theology, Henn was an ardent photographer, auto mechanic, carpenter, plumber and electrician. He was respected by his innumerable parishioners and fellow pastors, who also became his friends as he ministered to and counseled them. He’s survived by sons, Werner (Carol) of Issaquah, Wash., and Ralph of Minneapolis; four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Herta died in 2010 on their 72nd wedding anniversary. Interment will be at Bellevue, Wash. Presbyterian Church. A Celebration of his Life is planned later. Memorials may be made to the Rev. Otto W. Henn Memorial Fund, Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church, 1578 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton 94517, or to Providence Hospice, 425 Pontius Ave. No. #300, Seattle, WA, 98109.
Beauty and Pampering Bella Mia Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-7792 Construction and Trades Appliance Repairs by Bruce, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2700 Belfast Plumbing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .457-5423 Burkin Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1519 Diablo View Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .822-5144 Gary’s Home Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .787-2500 J.A. Ronco Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .872-3049 Schaefer’s Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-6065 Tipperary Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-2679
Joan 16. After knowing each other for two weeks Evan asked Joan if she would marry him. About five years later they did! They have a son George Reynolds MD (JoAnne) and daughter Lisa Keerd (Mati). He is also survived by grandchildren Matt, Kevin, Alex, Sarah, Shanley and Erin. He was laid to rest at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon. As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions can be sent in his name to the American Diabetes Association at diabetes.org.
Dining and Entertainment Clayton Club Saloon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-0440 Oakhurst Country Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9737 Scousers Fish’n Chips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .521-1962 The Brentwood Theater . . . . . . . .thebrentwoodtheater.org Financial, Insurance and Legal Services Archvest Wealth Advisors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215-5600 DuRee, Daniel – The Law Office of . . . . . . . . . . .210-1400 Littorno, Richard – The Law Office of . . . . . . . . .432-4211 Van Wyck, Doug – State Farm Insurance . . . . . .672-2300 Funerals Ouimet Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4242 Groceries Doorstep Farmers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .349-4568 Health
Marian K. Haserot April 30, 1943 – December 15, 2014
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Obituaries
The Rev. Otto W. Henn, Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church pastor in 1968-78, died Dec. 28 near Seattle. He was 101. Henn was born in Heidelberg, Germany, and attended the University of Heidelberg’s School of Theology. He became engaged to Herta Werner, whom he’d started dating in 1928. They married in 1938. Under then-existing law, their marriage was illegal, so they immigrated to the U.S. After settling with Herta’s sister in Denver, Henn worked as a busboy at the Brown Palace Hotel. He received a scholarship to Yankton Seminary in South Dakota from the Russo German Conference. He graduated in 1939 with Bachelor of Arts and Theology degrees. Henn served German Congregational Churches in Nebraska, and then spent a year as a Ford V8 motor
February 25, 1931 - January 23, 2015 Clayton resident Evan Reynolds passed last month after a long illness with family surrounding him. The Salem, Oregon native was the only child of George Wright Reynolds and Lois Lapham Reynolds. He attended the University of Utah and University of Southern California, where he got his Bachelor of Science degree. Evan served four years in the United States Air Force during the Korean War and had a 33-year career with Chevron. The family moved 14 times in his positions with Chevron before settling in Dana Hills during the summer of 1985. He enjoyed retired life in Clayton fishing, playing golf and traveling with wife Joan. His hobbies included woodworking and history and he was a car and motorcycle enthusiast. He is survived by his beloved wife of 61 years, Joan Hansen Reynolds. They met in high school when Evan was 18 and
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Friends and family gathered on Jan. 24 for a Celebration of Life for Marian Knopp Haserot, 71, of Clayton, who passed away Dec. 15 following a lengthy illness. Interment was private in Sacramento Valley National Cemetery. Haserot was born in Las Angeles on April 30, 1943, to Robert G. Knopp, Sr. and Marian (Youtes) Knopp, living in Glendale, Altadena, Arcadia and Glendora, Calif., prior to moving to Northern California in 1984 and settling in Clayton. She was married to her husband, Roger, for 47 years. A graduate of Arcadia High
School, Marian attended San Diego State University majoring in Art History, and transferred to the California College of the Arts in Oakland. Her work history included serving as a Head Start teacher in Pasadena, an elementary substitute teacher, school librarian, floral designer, and caregiver for Eldercare Services of Walnut Creek. Her most fulfilling work centered on raising her family. A member of Clayton Community Church, Marian participated in WOW (Women of the Word), and also provided floral table decorations. She was also a member of a small group Bible study that met weekly for more than 10 years. Marian is survived by her husband Roger Haserot; daughter Elizabeth Gnile (Wesley) and granddaughters Shannon and Katelyn; daughter Melissa and grandchildren Tristan Sears and Sidney Duran; and son Brian Haserot (Sara) and grandsons Jack and Noah; a sister and brother and 14 nieces and nephews.
Diablo Lawnscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .381-3757 Interiors Panache . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7920 Nichols Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9955 The Maids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-6243 The Royal Rooster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2025 Utopic Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0055 Waraner Bros. Tree Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .831-2323 Waraner Tree Experts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250-0334 Mailing Services The UPS Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6245 Pet Services Pittsburg Pet Resort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .432-7387 Real Estate and Mortgage Services French, Lynne – Windermere Real Estate . . . . . .672-8787 Hayes, Diane and Bill – Better Homes Realty . . .890-4701 Howard, Don – Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . . . .408-3184 Howard, Emily – Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . .408-1871 Klock, Leigh – Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212-5593 Krochka, Marian – Alain Pinel Realtors . . . . . . . .788-2950 Laurence, Pete – RE/MAX Realty . . . . . . . . . . . .890-6004 Lopez, Stephanie – Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . .932-7329 Mazzei, Matt – Mazzei Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-0757 Stojanovich, Jennifer – Better Homes Realty . . .567-6170 The Bennett Team – Keller Williams . . . . . . . . . .606-8400 Vujnovich, George - Better Homes Realty . . . . . .672-4433 Recreation and Fitness
Steve T. Hobbs, Sr. March 26, 1961-January 13, 2015
Earthquake Arabians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .360-7454 East Bay Regional Park District . . . . . . . . . .888-327-2757 Services, Other A Floral Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .705-3088
A Celebration of Life was held on Feb. 2 at Ouimet Funeral Chapel in Concord for Steve Hobbs, Sr., 53, who died unexpectedly on January 13 in Clayton. He was born on March 26, 1961, in Salem, New Jersey to Sue (Glover) Hobbs of Pennsville, NJ and David Hobbs of Felton, DE. Hobbs was a self-employed general contractor with Hobbs Home Improvement. His passions were taking his kids on road trips; they traveled to almost every state in the United States over the years. He also loved to take his family on cruises. His favorite was watching the sunsets from Carmel, Stinson Beach and Gualala. He also enjoyed his time spent on their houseboat “Bada Bing” on Lake Oroville. His latest passion was his new Harley Davidson that he bought to ride with his son.
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Steve could always be seen watching the 49ers and going to San Francisco Giants games and making improvements to their home. Steve is survived by his wife Eileen Payne-Hobbs; his children Brittany and Stevie Hobbs, Heather (Ryan), and Tommy Payne; father David Hobbs and mother Sue Hobbs; brothers Dave (Dana) and Richard Hobbs and many nieces and nephews.
Courtyards at Pine Creek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-3900 Diablo Yoga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .304-2127 Loftin Family Dental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7997 SNAP Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-0110 Tap Into Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .609-4426
Self-Discipline Do the Right Thing
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GARDENS TOUR The Clayton Historical Society’s 23rd Annual Clayton Gardens Tour is April 25 and 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This self guided tour features gardens and landscapes of five homes located in Clayton and Concord. Tickets are on sale now at R & M Pool, Patio and Gardens or through the historical society. $30; rain or shine. All proceeds benefit the Clayton Historical Society. For more information, email museum@claytonhistory.org or call (925) 672-0240. VOLUNTEER FOR LITERACY COUNCIL Volunteer to help adults read, write and speak English well enough to function in society.
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GRAND JURY SEEKS 2015-16 APPLICATIONS The Contra Costa Superiors Court is accepting applications for Civil Grand Jury service for the 2015-2016 term. The Civil Grand Jury is made up of 19 mmbers who serve for one year, July through June, to monitor, review and report on city and county governments, special districts and school districts. Every effort is made to ensure that the Grand Jury reflects the makeup of the residents of the county. Approximately 75 candidates will be selected to be interviewed by the selection committee, which is made up of Superior Court judges. After interviews, the judges will nominate approximately 30 candidates to form a Grand Jury pool from which the final panel of 19 will be chosen by random drawing. The drawing is scheduled to be held on Friday, June 12, 2015, with members of the new Gtand Jury officially being sworn in on the same day. For more information call 925-957-5638.
February 13, 2015
English need not be your first language. No teaching experience required. Learn to be a tutor at workshops Feb. 28 and March 7 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 4000 Clayton Road, Concord. Volunteers must attend both sessions and will be given a nominal fee to cover training and material costs. Volunteers give one or two hours per week. For more information, go to dvlc.tripod.com. To register, call (925) 685-3881 or email dvlc4esl@gmail.com.
sales and interactive entertainment are planned for all ages, including workshops in visual and performing arts, cultural performances, storytelling and poetry. Authors, illustrators, musicians and environmental education groups attend. Guided nature, culture and art tours are scheduled throughout Clayton. Art entries are juried by a noted panel from local art businesses, gallery museums, writer’s clubs, and the Arts and Culture Commission of Contra Costa County. Awards, including a People’s Choice Award, are given. The event is held throughout the inside of the library, Community Room, adjoining outdoor courtyard and interpretive area in the certified wildlife habitat. Entry forms available at the Clayton Library or go to claytonlibrary.org. Fee for entries; deadline is March 13. For more information, contact Arlene KikkawaNielsen, event director, at 6739777 or akiksen@aol.com. Admission is free.
SUMMER JOBS IN THE REGIONAL PARKS It is not too early to begin thinking about spring or summer employment in the East Bay Regional Park District. The district has about 370 seasonal fulltime and part-time paid jobs available, ideal for students. Positions include lifeguards, recreation leaders, park workers and interpretive student aides. Spring and summer employment offers valuable experience in skills such as communicating with the public, managing time and setting priorities while making money for a college education. For more information, go to www.ebparks.org/jobs or call the park district’s Human Resources Department at (888) 327-2757, ext. 2154.
MOUNT DIABLO ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION FOUNDATION FUNDRAISING EVENT ON MARCH 1 Take “A Stroll through New Orleans” without leaving the East Bay. The Mount Diablo Alternative Education Foundation invites the public to their annual fundraiser from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 1, at the Gardens at Heather Farm in Walnut Creek. This event raises funds for high school students in alternative programs in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District. Clarinet Fusion will perform a full range of harmony using seven types of instruments ranging from the smallest piccolo clarinet on up. The Mount Diablo Alternative Education Foundation began in 2006 by a small group of volunteers with experience in alternative education. The foundation’s vision is “to expand and strengthen the network of academic and social
Creekside Arts 2015 The Clayton Community Library Foundation is seeking artists, musicians, authors, poets, storytellers, environmental groups for its 12th annual Creekside Arts Celebration March 2729, as the library celebrates its 20th anniversary. Join the library at this fundraising benefit and creatively explore the arts, culture and nature while supporting environmental education programs in the library’s certified creekside wildlife habitat. Art
Heather Farm is at 1540 Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek. Tickets are $25 or $20 for seniors and $10 for students when purchased in advance at www.brownpapertickets.com. For more information about the organization, go to mdaef.org.
Letter to the Editor Coyotes on the prowl; secure all trash cans Last Saturday, my very precious kitty was killed on the Oakhurst Golf course at 1 p.m. in the afternoon by a coyote. There were people out walking dogs and golfers on the course. The police department advised me that there have been a number of daytime sightings. Of course I am devastated. I have always been so careful to get my animals in at dusk, and not to let them out until late morning. I am concerned because I see garbage cans from local business that are not secured and are no doubt an invitation for a hungry animal. I spoke with the staff at Lindsey Wildlife and they said that securing garbage cans is a must. Any food source left out is an invitation for trouble. I would so appreciate it if you could alert the community to this problem Tina Simons Clayton Resident
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Latin roots help explain cloudy words After experiencing a wet month of December, it would have been nice to report about a rainy January in the Clayton area. However, no measureable precipitation fell the entire month, and the only moisture we observed were the clouds overhead. So, let’s take a break from discussing rain, or lack of it, and talk about clouds. Clouds are generally classified according to their height above ground and appearance, or texture, as observed from the ground. An English scientist from the early 19th century, Robert Howard, is credited with creating the Latin-based cloud names we use today. Most cloud names are derived from the following Latin roots. “Cirro” means “curl of hair,” “strato” means layered, “cumulo” means heaping, “alto” means mid-level, and “nimbo” means rain.
Clouds in the middle level of the troposphere, between 6,500 and 20,000 feet, employ the prefix “alto.” Depending on altitude, and the vertical temperature structure of the troposphere, these clouds may be composed of liquid water droplets, ice crystals, or a combination of the two. The two main types of mid-level clouds are altostratus and altocumulus. Altostratus clouds possess a flat and uniform type texture. Altocumulus clouds exhibit vertical development (heap-like) characteristics. They may align in rows, where cloudiness results from localized areas of upward moving moist air, and clear zones in areas of descending dry air. Low clouds have bases below 6,500 feet. They normally consist of liquid water droplets, except during cold winter storms when the clouds are comprised of ice crystals and/or snow.
WOODY WHITLATCH WEATHER WORDS High-level cirrus clouds occur above about 20,000 feet. Made of ice crystals, cirrus clouds have a wispy or feathery appearance. When these clouds have a more widespread veil-like appearance they are designated as cirrostratus. A third type of high cloud is referred to as cirrocumulus. These clouds display some form of lumpiness due to vertical motions in the upper troposphere.
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support that empowers alternative students as they become productive, successful members of our community.” The organization has given out nearly $100,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors, in mini grants for teacher projects and in response to particular school needs.
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The two main types of low clouds include stratus, which develop horizontally, and cumulus, which develop vertically. Stratus clouds are uniform and flat. Appearing off-white to light gray, these layered of clouds occasionally produce periods of light precipitation or drizzle. A stratus layer located at the surface of the earth is more commonly know as fog. Nimbostratus clouds, thick and dense low-level stratus clouds, are dark grey in color. Often accompanying passing weather fronts, they can produce episodes of steady rain or snow. There are several types of low-level cumulus clouds. Stratocumulus clouds are cauliflower shaped with flat bases surrounded by pockets of clear dry air. These generally rain-free clouds appear frequently in the atmosphere, often before or after a cold front that moves through the area. A low-level based cumulus cloud that exhibits significant vertical development is called cumulus congestus, or towering cumulus. When fully developed, these clouds become cumulonimbus clouds, capable of producing heavy rainfall, lightning, thunder and hail. They are most often spotted during summer season storms that roll through central and eastern portions of the U.S. Identifying cloud types becomes easier with knowledge of a few Latin word roots and a rough estimate of the height of the cloud base. If we are lucky, during the remainder of this rain season we’ll observe the nimbostratus clouds that were absent from our skies in January. Woody Whitlatch is a retired meteorologist from PG&E. Email your questions or comments to clayton_909@yahoo.com
February 13, 2015
At the Market
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
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players & s t n e e Par at we ar h w E V O L All Out! t a g n i do
Bow down to Sir Prize avocados
A
rriving at your farmers’ market is the Sir Prize avocado, a new and distinct variety of avocado characterized by fruit similar to the Hass industry standard but earlier-maturing and more productive. Country Rhodes Farm and a few other farmers will have them available now through the next few months.
Walk This Many Miles
The new variety, due to its Mexican genes, is more suitable than Hass in colder growing areas such as Northern California. Its season of maturity averages six-to-eight weeks earlier than Hass in any one location and the overall fruit size is larger, making early-season maturity more important. It has a thinner skin than the familiar Haas, a smaller seed, and a larger overall size. The flavor is more “green” and fruity than the Haas, less buttery, but delicious. The Sir Prize avocado also has one important characteristic for cooks—it doesn’t turn brown after cutting it open. No more brown guacamole! The avocado in general is
one of the “good fats” that we should be eating. The monounsaturated fat is thought to be good for heart health. Though relatively high in calories, the avocado is one fruit that is worth it because of the nutritional value. They are high in fiber, vitamins K, C, B6, riboflavin, potassium and folate.
Avocado Citrus Salad with Farro (Recipe: Chef Mario Hernandez, PCFMA) 1/2 lb. of loose baby kale 1 whole Sir Prize avocado, peeled and diced to desired size 1/2 cup of cooked farro (type of wheat grain), tossed with olive oil and salt 1/2 cup mandarinquats,
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(a cross between mandarins and kumquats), thinly sliced, or other small citrus variety Good quality olive oil to taste Juice of a Meyer lemon to taste Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Mix the ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently with your hands. Taste, correct seasoning and serve. By Debra Morris, Pacific Coast Farmers Market
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t’s an everyday activity that mankind has been doing since the dawn of time, but you have to do enough of it to really stay in shape. Doctors say that the magic number is about 10,000 steps – which works out to walking about five miles. And in a recent study, walking that distance proved critical to both cardiovascular fitness and blood sugar levels. MAGIC NUMBER In the recent study, otherwise healthy people who dropped from walking 10,000 steps to 1,000 steps daily had higher insulin resistance and weaker cardiovascular fitness after just 2 weeks of cutting back. Pretty rapid decline! START COUNTING So 10,000 steps a day might seem like a lot, but don’t worry: Every step counts. Walking around the yard, heading to the post office, or dropping in on a neighbor – it all adds up. Make your goal doable – if it’s just a 10-minute walk, fine Get in your face. The best way to do something regularly is to have constant reminders to do it. Have walking shoes at home and at work. Put a chart on your fridge. Keep your goal in sight. Put it in writing. You can have the best intentions in the world, but a funny thing happens as time passes. You don’t want to walk one morning, and then at the end of that week, you’ve walked five times instead of six or seven, and you tell yourself that’s still pretty good. That’s why it’s vital to write down your goals. Avoid temptation. Whatever your guiltiest habit is, get everything related to it as far from yourself as possible. Removing temptation does make a difference. Recognize negative thinking patterns. There are a million varieties, but they all come down to the same issue: not existing in the here and now. Anything you do happens one step at a time, starting today. Aim for 4 slip-free weeks. For the first month, try extra hard to stick to your goals. If necessary, remind yourself that you will be allowed to deviate eventually. Sticking to something with no slips for 4 weeks is doable; doing it for life with no slips isn’t. Source: RealAge.com
ur bodies are constantly bombarded with environmental pollution from the inside, out. And the need to cleanse is more of a health necessity, than it has ever been before. The good news is alkaline ionized water can provide our bodies with the balanced levels of pH that is needed to maintain and restore our bodies to optimum health and energy. When we are born, over 80 percent of our body is made up of water. When we die, it drops to about 50 percent. At any given time our brain
and heart are composed of 75 to 80 percent water. There is no question about our body’s need for hydration. Ionized alkaline water has the unique ability to provide super hydration when it becomes micro-clustered through its ionization process. This makes water “wetter,” allowing our bodies to absorb 60-80 percent more which can flush toxins from body almost immediately. Ionized alkaline water has the power to begin hydrating the brain in 60 seconds — it actually crosses the blood brain barrier. And it can reach
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February 13, 2015
CVCHS leads in transitioning to Common Core standards
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DAVID LINZEY VOYAGE OF THE EAGLE Education reform in America is in full swing as schools everywhere are transitioning to a new standard – specifically the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Beginning in 2009, the development of the CCSS was led by state governors and state superintendents/commissioners of education and informed by the best state standards already in existence; the collaboration of teachers, content experts, and leading thinkers; and feedback from the public. The new standards were subsequently adopted by 46 out of 50 states (the others are embracing similar reform ini-
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tiatives of their own creation). While the CCSS movement is certainly still a work in progress with lots of potential bumps in the road, the objectives that drove the reform are important. The overarching intent was to create standards that were: Clear – so that teachers, students, and parents know the learning expectations and are able to effectively work towards them Consistent – so that we have a shared understanding of what is important for all students to learn and the ability to analyze and compare performance throughout the nation Rigorous – so that students can be adequately prepared for the expectations of college and career in a highly competitive and globalized marketplace Relevant – so that learning is engaging and meaningful for students in the 21st century
At Clayton Valley Charter High School, we have embraced this change and made great strides in the last two years. Our teachers are already ahead of the curve in implementing CCSS in the classroom and the professional development and collaboration around this effort is ongoing. You may remember that the API scores for schools in California have been frozen since 2013 (CVCHS finished the old system on a high note achieving a 62 point jump to an all-time high score of 836). The API will return at the end of the 2015-16 school year for our state, this time based on the Common Core State Standards and with a completely new assessment system in place. For California this new test will not only be based on new standards but will be administered in a new way – on a computer. The CAASPP (California Assessment of Stu-
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President’s Day is drawing near. Many people don’t give much thought about President’s Day. For some, it’s just another day to get off of work, or school. However, President’s Day is a little more than just a day off. It is a day to remember many of America’s greatest presidents. The presidents who led us through wars, depressions and protests. The United States of America is a place of freedom and without many of these presidents, and more, there would be no “America.” George Washington, the nation first president, said “Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pain to bring it to light.” Washington was telling us, truth is an important value for any of us to possess. Abraham Lincoln, the nation’s 16th president, led us through the Civil War. He kept the United States united when others threatened to break us apart. “I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yester-
day,” said Lincoln. To me, this quote means to learn from your mistakes. The southerners who fought for slavery could have learned from their mistakes and become wiser. Franklin D. Roosevelt led the country through the Great Depression in the 1930s. The Depression was a hard time for many people. The economy crashed and many people lost their houses and jobs. Many people gave up hope. “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today,” said Roosevelt. If you only focus on how bad today was, then you will not be able to make tomorrow any better. John F. Kennedy supported the Civil Rights movement. He did the right thing even when others were pushing him the wrong way. “Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction,” said Kennedy. I think this quote really shows his determination to end segregation. Barak Obama says, “The
David Linzey is executive director of CVCHS. Contact him David.linzey@claytonvalley.org
NATALIE PURSCHE
DVMS CORRESPONDENT future rewards those who press on.” As I believe “never give up” are words to live by. Many of these presidents led America through hard times. So this President’s Day, think about what John Quincy Adams said: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” President’s Day is not just another day you get off of work. It is a little bit more. Natalie Pursche is in the sixth grade at Diablo View Middle School. She is an avid reader, enjoys writing, and loves to spend time with her friends and family. Send comments to natalie@claytonpioneer.com.
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When Valentine’s Day comes around, you either have a valentine, don’t have a valentine, or spend that lonely day gazing at the one you wish you could call your valentine. And for AJ McCreary, that statement could not be more true. In “Thwonk” by Joan Bauer, AJ is secretly in love with Peter Terris, who has never acknowledged her existence. Also, she spends almost all of her time looking for the perfect photo opportunity for the cover of the school newspaper’s Valentines Day edition. Due to this distraction, her grades and social status are rapidly dropping. All of that changes the day cupid, Johnathon, shows up. He
EMILY YORK
TEEN READS deems that he can help her in only one of three ways: romantically, artistically or academically. Without giving it any thought, AJ chooses romance and makes Peter fall in love with her. At first, it’s like a fairytale;
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dent Performance and Progress) uses “smart” technology to adapt to the specific student taking the test. Those states that are farther along in their adoption process and have already seen scores come in from the new CCSS based test are seeing dramatic (almost alarming) drops in performance. What this tells us is that the new tests are much harder and we have a lot of work to do to fully transition. Again, the students at CVCHS have a great advantage in that our teachers and staff are dedicated to making this transition as seamless as possible and have worked very hard to that end. For more information on the Common Core State Standards visit the CVCHS website at claytonvalley.org. We have a page dedicated to the CCSS (under the “Academic Programs” tab). Click on the links, watch the videos, and ask your students to take the sample test so that they can get a feel for what is coming. It is good to have an understanding of the CCSS as we navigate this substantive change in the way we do public education. Most importantly, you can count on CVCHS to help lead the way.
everything she has ever dreamed of. But as she starts to get reeled into the popular crowd and deeper into Peter’s life, she realizes she’s made a huge mistake. Is there any way she can escape out of the hole she dug for herself and get her old, boy-less life back? I loved this book, not because AJ thought and spoke like a normal teenage girl, but also because it explains how peer pressure can sometimes make you do crazy things. Bauer did a great job at intertwining an amusing tale of teenage life and a romantic holiday. Emily York is a sophomore at CVCHS.
CVCHS Arts Expo set for April 23 The Annual Clayton Valley Charter High School Arts Expo is April 23 from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Multi-Use Room at Clayton Valley Charter High School. The Eagle Arts Expo is open to all students of Clayton Valley Charter High School, Pine Hollow Middle School and Diablo View Middle School. This year’s expo theme is “Forever Young.” Entries should reflect youth culture and what it is like to be a teen in 2015. It can be personal, community or globally based. Categories accepted are drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, video, digital/computer and mixed media. Categories are limited to three submissions and work submitted must be done by the student. All submitted pieces must be original ideas of the student. Videos should not be music videos, as they are considered plagiarized. Documentary work can have a song as ambient noise so long as it is not the full song. See one’s art teacher or Ms. Nolan with questions and to submit entries. The Eagle Arts Expo is sponsored by CVCHS and the Michelangelo D’Onofrio Arts Foundation. Entries are due March 11. Cash prizes will be awarded in each of the seven categories. For more information, contact Katie.Nolan@claytonvalley.org or Joanne McCluhan at jomccluhan@yahoo.com.
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LYNNE FRENCH
REAL ANSWERS Q. My wife and I are going to get prequalified for a mortgage to buy a home. Is there a benefit to putting a high amount as a down payment?
We have the ability to do that but we would like available cash to fix up our new home. A. Determining what size mortgage is right for you is a personal decision that you should make based on your current and anticipated income, your overall investment strategy, and the property in question. One benefit of buying real estate is that you can use someone else’s money to finance your purchase. Relative to the purchase price of a property, you tie up a small amount of your own money. This is called leverage. The less money you put down the more you can leverage your money. If the price of the property goes up you earn apprecia-
tion on the entire asset — a percentage of the total price of the property, not just a percentage of the money that you actually put down. A larger mortgage can also be more risky. As real estate prices go up and down (though historically they go up), if you put only 5 percent down and the market goes down 5 percent, you will lose your cash investment until prices go up again. For many homeowners, having a large mortgage is well worth the risk when tax relief is taken into account. With some restrictions, the federal government allows homeowners to write off interest (and property taxes) paid on their home mortgages. The
Get money on track this year The tunes of Auld Lang Syne have faded into the distance and 2015 is here. Now is a great time to start the year on the right track. For most, the desire for a better financial life is often unrealized as individuals may feel overwhelmed or just get distracted with life’s unpredictable happenings. As with any obstacle, the best bet is to start one step at a time. In this month’s column, I’ll focus on some general guidance for establishing a monthly spending plan and speak in terms of percentage of one’s income. In addition, I’ll provide some resources that I have found to be very helpful tools to establish a spending plan. CREDIT, GOOD OR BAD There is nothing more important to establishing a spending plan than understanding where one’s coming from. Most Americans have some form of debt. Whether it’s student loans, a home mortgage, equity line or credit card balances, a spending plan needs to identify the amount of debt being serviced each month. If you are unsure about the different lines of credit you may have, a free resource to view your credit report is available t h r o u g h AnnualCreditReport.com.
JOHN WENZEL, CFP FINANCIAL SENSE Through this website, you can pull, for free, a credit report from each of the 3 leading credit reporting bureaus. Credit scores are also available there for a nominal fee, or you can view your score for free from another website such as credit.com or creditkarma.com. Both credit score resources will offer additional information for a nominal fee. THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE Now that any debt outstanding has been identified, the next step is to set the framework for the spending plan. When building the plan, it’s best to categorize the areas where money is spent. Below is an example of a list of categories as well as an estimated percentage to be spent per category relative to monthly gross income: Savings
(10 percent), food (10 percent), housing/utilities (30 percent), spending money/debt payments (15 percent), health care (7 percent), transportation (10 percent), personal insurance (13 percent), education (5 percent). Ultimately, the goal of the spending plan is to save money. Whether to save money for a short-term goal, like a vacation, or a much longer-term goal, like retirement, the hope is that through the spending plan, one’s entire income is not spent come month-end. HELPFUL TOOLS To those a bit more tech savvy, I’ve noted a few spending plan apps I have found helpful over the years: YNAB.com, mhrilley.com/spendingtracker, Mint.com, and Moneycenter.todlee.com. In addition, a helpful resource to create a plan to pay down debt can be found on Powerpay.org. As always, please be sure to confirm the best spending strategy for you by speaking with a fee-only financial advisor or meet with a Certified Financial Planner professional to learn more.
larger the mortgage the larger the write off. Let’s say you are in a 28 percent tax bracket, you can write off 28 cents for each dollar of interest paid. Another thing to consider is if you are putting less than 20 percent down you may have to pay mortgage insurance. For instance on an FHA (government insured) loan you can put as little as 3.5 percent down but all FHA loans have mortgage insurance. FHA loans usually have lower interest rates. You would have to do the calculations with your mortgage broker. When deciding the amount of your down payment, make sure you have enough cash reserves to cover unexpected expenses, repairs and maintenance.
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TECH TALK In a world filled with high technology gadgets, with application programs running on superfast computers sporting advanced software applications that are designed to keep your computer healthy, safe and operational, why do these gizmos keep getting infected so badly they break down? Why do these bad things keep happening? Have you ever wondered why your computer gets infected? Is it a mystery to you? Do you believe something must be wrong with the defensive software you purchased, or some hardware went bad? Do you believe that attachment you received and opened was the source of your problem
William Claney is an independent tech writer and former owner of Computers USA in the Clayton Station. Email questions or comments to will@claytonpioneer.com.
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Think back, have you ever experienced a pop-up admonishing you to “scan” your computer because you have a virus, that in fact the quick scan report from the pop-up window says you are a suspect? The truth is your virus scanner will only report it has found an issue and has fixed it. The moral of the story: your protection software will protect. It won’t display something like “you may be infected.” Antivirus protects, that’s its job, it doesn’t guess or speculate. If and when it finds something mischievous it will fix it and tell you so. Perhaps you visited a website and a pop-up said something like, “To view this file you need to upgrade your Adobe Flash player, just click here.” This is such a simplistic come-on, isn’t it? So simple, just click here. Well, did you figure it out yet? The problem isn’t your computer, antivirus software, or a botched attachment. The problem, my friend, is you.
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Your antivirus software is working—but are you? because bad things started happening shortly after? Perhaps it was something you forgot to do? Most likely your virus software is doing its job and your computer is just fine. But you still have problems keeping bad things out of your computer. Was it that attachment, a missed anti-virus update, perhaps you didn’t renew your antivirus subscription? You wouldn’t intentionally invite a virus or malware software program into your computer, would you? Surely not malware or a virus that could harm you, hold your data ransom by encrypting the data and requiring you to make a payment to decode it? Or, worse, deleting your data altogether. What I am about to say may rattle you to the bone. In my experience your antivirus and anti-malware software is working to protect you. Attachments are usually screened by a decent antivirus program, the hardware rarely dies and allowing your subscription to lapse aren’t big issues. I am not saying a lapsed antivirus subscription can’t do harm, I am saying for the most part it isn’t an issue.
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February 13, 2015
Sports League titles, North Coast Section playoff berths on the line JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Winter sports teams end their league seasons in the next couple of weeks with local high schools hoping to qualify teams in soccer and basketball and individuals in wrestling for North Coast Section competition. GIRLS SOCCER Clayton Valley Charter has been a regular NCS competitor and new coach Cristina Ballard’s squad is hoping to get into the 16-team Division I field again with a late-season surge. The Eagles are currently in second place with three games during this final week, needing a strong showing to get a NCS nod. College Park has been leading the Diablo Valley Athletic League standings this year with Northgate right behind the Eagles. The Falcons host CVCHS in the league finale Thursday evening in Pleasant Hill. After two uncharacteristic down years when they failed to make NCS, Carondelet of the East Bay Athletic League is back in the mix as the Cougars hope to claim a fifth section title, their
most recent coming in 2010. Consistently ranked among the top girls soccer leagues in the country, EBAL schools have won 31 of the 32 NCS championships dating back to the first in 1982. Defending NCS champion Monte Vista is top-ranked in California and undefeated heading towards the end of the EBAL season. Second-year Carondelet head coach Amy Apodaca, a Cougar alum, has her team in a strong secondplace position. Last week the Mustangs rallied from a 1-0 halftime deficit with two goals and edged the Cougars 2-1 to solidify their hold on first place with their 17th consecutive victory of the campaign. Carondelet features a quartet of Clayton players in senior Allie Macaulay and juniors Kaylie Collins, Jade Rafallo and Kendall Christiansen. Collins (USC) and Rafallo (Portland State) have already verbally committed to college soccer programs for 2016. NCS play begins next Wednesday, Feb. 18, and runs through the end of the month after all league play concludes by this Saturday.
Photo courtesy Scott Anderson
SENIOR JON ALLEN (15) is backing up his outstanding junior season with another strong effort this year as he hopes to get Clayton Valley Charter basketball back into the North Coast Section playoffs. The league MVP of 2013-14 is top scorer again for the Eagles.
Photo courtesy Carondelet High School soccer
PLAYERS FROM CLAYTON AND CONCORD have been instrumental in a rebound year for Carondelet soccer as the Cougars eye a return to the North Coast Section playoffs where they would be seeking the school’s fifth title. Among the local athletes are, front row from left, Jade Rafallo, Kylie Dodge and Chelsea Bailey; back row, Kendall Christiansen, Kaylie Collins, Katie Garaventa and Allie Macaulay. Christiansen, Collins, Macaulay and Rafallo hail from Clayton.
BOYS SOCCER If coach Guillermo Jara’s Clayton Valley Charter team could play all its games at Gonsalves Stadium they would be headed for post-season play with a glossy record. The Eagles have yet to win an away game this season while posting a fine 7-2 home mark. Clayton Valley Charter has fallen off the pace a bit the last three years after reaching deep into NCS playoffs from 201012. Jara is in his second season at the helm of the local school. The former high school and collegiate all-America played four years in Major League Soccer. De La Salle has been on quite a roll in boys soccer winning six NCS titles in a row, nine since 2001 and 12 overall. Since 2001 only two nonEBAL schools have taken section crowns. Coach Derricke Brown’s Spartans have lost to powerhouses Livermore, Cathedral and Torrey Pines. “We have been playing better as of late, but as always our goal is to be peaking in mid to late February so we are close to where we want to be [entering playoffs], Brown explained.
As usual DLS features a slew (14) of players from the local Diablo Futbol Club. The Spartans were tied with San Ramon Valley before the teams met Tuesday in a game apt to decide the EBAL title. GIRLS BASKETBALL Clayton Valley Charter had its 36-game DVAL winning streak snapped last week by Northgate 56-50 in Walnut Creek. The Eagles had defeated the rival Broncos 81-42 less than a month earlier but coach Dan Middleton’s team, in the midst of a down year by Northgate standards, put up a stout defensive effort to derail the chances for a third consecutive unbeaten league record for CVCHS girls hoops. The Eagles will face oncebeaten College Park in Pleasant Hill next Tuesday in a game likely to determine the league champ. Clayton Valley won the first meeting between the two 62-58. Clayton Valley Charter has lost the DII section title game three of the past four years while advancing to the Northern California Championship playoffs each time.
There was a major changing of the guard this season for Carondelet basketball. Elgin Leslie is the new head coach, replacing Margaret Gartner, who retired after last season with a 530-133 record in 22 seasons. The Cougars won 10 of the past 12 NCS Division II titles including the past three. Unbeaten Carondelet has a three-game lead in EBAL standings. All league play ends by Feb. 21 with NCS playoffs running Feb. 24/25-Mar. 6/7. NorCal playoffs are Mar. 11-21 with the CIF State finals at Cal Berkeley Mar. 27-28. BOYS BASKETBALL Clayton Valley is trailing league leader College Park heading into the final few games. The league finale between the two in Concord next Tuesday has the Falcons visiting Dan Della Gym. De La Salle was a semi-final NCS loser last year to Monte Vista. The Mustangs went on to win section, NorCal and state championships. Earlier this year Monte Vista won a double overtime game at DLS to grab the initiative in a three-
way EBAL battle that also includes San Ramon Valley. The Concord school meets both Danville squads in its final three league games. DLS and MV each won 20 of their first 22 games this year and figure to be major players in NCS. De La Salle has captured nine NCS titles since 1999, the most recent in 2012. WRESTLING Girls NCS tournament is this weekend in Ukiah while the boys section tourney is Feb. 27-28 at James Logan in Union City. The State Meet is Mar. 6-7 in Bakersfield. Ygnacio Valley is hosting the boys dual meet tournament is Feb. 13-14. DLS had won five straight dual titles before losing to James Logan last winter in the finals. The Spartans also had a streak five team championships broken while dropping to third in 2014. They have been in top three at NCS annually since 2006. Coach Mark Halvorson’s team is ranked 14th in the latest state ratings, the only NCS school in the top 30.
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Sports led the team in assists last season. In her junior year she also took up cross country and won the CVCHS team’s most inspirational award. During her senior year she’s been a team captain for both cross country and soccer. This spring Mondloch will conclude her high school sports career with a third season on the Eagles varsity track team, running the 800 meters and 4x400 relay. When the busy student athlete isn’t playing sports, she spends her time involved with extra-curricular activities such as ASB Leadership and Senior Women. She is going to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the fall. CVCHS student journalist Celine Herrera contributed to this Spotlight.
Athlete Spotlight Lindsay Mondloch Grade: Senior Sports: Cross Country, Soccer, Track School: Clayton Valley Charter High School Lindsay Mondloch has been on and off the soccer field since she began playing the sport in the seventh grade. She’s accom-
plished many things in this time from her favorite position as a left midfielder. During her freshman year at Clayton Valley she was on junior varsity soccer and has spent the last three years on varsity. This winter the Eagles are making a late push to get into the North Coast Section playoffs. Mondloch says her passion and love for soccer is because “it’s fun to play team sports and work as a team together. I also like being in shape, so it’s a fun sport.” She
The Clayton Pioneer congratulates Lindsay and thanks Athlete Spotlight sponsors Dr. Laura Lacey & Dr. Christopher Ruzicka who have been serving the Clayton and Concord area for 25 years at Family Vision Care Optometry. www.laceyandruzicka.com Do you know a young athlete who should be recognized? Perhaps he or she has shown exceptional sportsmanship, remarkable improvement or great heart for the sport. Send your nomination for the Pioneer Athlete Spotlight today to sports@claytonpioneer.com.
McKenzie, Pascoe take different routes in making final commitments at CVCHS JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
A large crowd of students, including many teammates of the two special guests, were in the gymnasium bleachers last Wednesday at Clayton Valley Charter High School for the ceremonial signings of college national letters of intent by basketball player Hailey Pascoe and footballer Kahlil McKenzie. In so many ways the two athletes’ path to this point in their young lives couldn’t have been much more contrasting. McKenzie formalized his commitment earlier that morning to follow in the footsteps of his father and uncle to play for the Tennessee Volunteers football team in the powerful Southeastern Conference. Pascoe reportedly became the first CVCHS girl basketball player to sign a NLI for a Division I school with Lehigh of Pennsylvania, a member of the Patriot League. Five-star defensive tackle McKenzie was the subject of recruiters from coast to coast with seemingly every major program seeking his services for fall Saturdays. Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas, Ole Miss and virtually every Pac-12 school were wooing the 6-foot-3, 354pound athlete, who did not play a single down of high school football last fall. His dad, Oakland Raiders
general manager Reggie McKenzie, had relocated the family from Wisconsin to the East Bay prior to the 2013 fall season. Kahlil McKenzie enrolled at De La Salle and played for the legendary Spartans his junior year when the team lost the State Bowl Open championship game but McKenzie became a prime college prospect. Prior to his senior season Kahlil McKenzie and younger brother Jalen transferred from DLS to CVCHS. A protracted appeal process through the North Coast Section and California Interscholastic Federation eventually ruled Kahlil McKenzie ineligible for the entire 2014 season since the transfer was deemed for “athletic reasons.” His new team made it to the State Division II title game last December before losing. The younger McKenzie, who is listed at 6-5, 288 pounds, was able to play as sophomore for the Eagles. McKenzie took part in the Army All-American Bowl in late December and was a standout on defense, justifying his ranking as one of the top 10 recruits in the country. Clayton Valley coach Tim Murphy lauded McKenzie at the signing ceremony for his “passion and unselfishness” during the season when he practiced every day without getting in a game. “He turned a negative and made it into a positive.
HAILEY PASCOE (seated middle) became the first Clayton Valley Charter High School girls basketball player to sign a national letter of intent for a Division I college last week when she firmed up her commitment to Lehigh University of Pennsylvania. The Eagles senior was flanked by her head coach Paul Kommer and assistant Gina Pedroni in front of a large contingent of teammates and other students. Family members on hand were, standing from left, her parents Kris and Dave Pascoe and brother Garrett Pascoe.
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Clayton Valley, DLS players on all-NCS football honor teams JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Clayton Valley Charter and De La Salle high schools took home North Coast Section Division I and II football championships in December and players from the local schools also received recognition on the all-North Coast Section teams announced by Prep2Prep. Miles Harrison of CVCHS was named NCS Senior of the Year after leading the Eagles to the State Bowl game for the first time. A year ago Prep2Prep tabbed Harrison as the NCS Junior of the Year. He ran for 2,709 yards and 32 touchdowns as the wing-gun offense of coach Tim Murphy set numerous records. Harrison nearly carried the team to its first-ever state title by racking up 324 yards and scoring four TDs in the narrow loss 34-33 to Redlands East Valley. State champion De La Salle showed its success this season should be a precursor for more of the same in 2015 with several juniors taking laurels. Junior running back Antione Custer bounced back from the disappointment of missing most of the 2013 State Bowl game loss with an injury to lead a two-
headed running attack with classmate Andrew Hernandez this season. Custer amassed over 2,100 yards and 26 TDs despite getting less than 10 touches in six of the team’s 14 wins. He capped the year in the final victory 63-42 against Centennial of Corona with 273 yards and four touchdowns. The all-NCS team featured three more Spartan juniors in defensive standouts Devin Asiasi and Boss Tagaloa and Custer’s backfield mate Hernandez. Senior offensive linemen Drew Sullivan and Matt Medeiros completed the DLS first-team honorees. Clayton Valley’s Diablo Valley Athletic League defensive player of the year Jax Carter was all-NCS despite missing nearly five games due to injury. On the second all-NCS team were CVCHS lineman Joey Levine and DLS back Jevari Anderson. Honorable mention all-NCS honors went to local players: Clayton Valley Charter: Rich Peralta, Sean Vaisima, Chandler Wakefield, Shimon Rosenblatt De La Salle: Cameron Lissarrague, Blake Ogburn, Adam Mayer.
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THE MCKENZIE FAMILY has deep roots in Tennessee and CVCHS senior Kahlil McKenzie (seated right) followed that tradition when the highly-recruited senior signed a national letter of intent last Wednesday to follow his dad and uncle onto the Volunteers football team. Oakland Raiders general manager and dad Reggie McKenzie (top left) and his twin brother Raleigh both played for the Vols before embarking on NFL careers. The youngest of four McKenzie children, Jalen (left front) is a sophomore at Clayton Valley.
“It was pretty cool watching Kahlil work with his teammates. Always encouraging and teaching despite the frustration I imagine he had to have,” Murphy said. The veteran coach credited McKenzie’s parents, Reggie and June, for raising their son the right way. MCKENZIE 2013 PREVIEW The head coach added that he did get to see McKenzie play when De La Salle beat Clayton Valley Charter in the opening game of the 2013 season when each Concord school was a defending NCS championship team, as they will be again this fall. “Early in the game he [Kahlil] picked up our runningback with one arm and took him down.” Tennessee won the recruiting battle and that should come as no surprise since Kahlil McKenzie’s dad and twin brother Raleigh both played for the Vols and went on to NFL careers. His grandfather Samuel lives in Tennessee and his cousin Raleigh Jr. (a soccer player!) goes there now. The Volunteers, led by their No. 1 recruit from Clayton Valley, are ranked as having the fourth best incoming freshman class in the nation by some sources. Unlike McKenzie, Pascoe has played a-plenty for Clayton
Valley. This is her fourth year on the Eagles varsity basketball team. Her head coach of the past two seasons, Paul Kommer, recalled seeing Pascoe as a freshman “who thought she could still play like a fourth grade CYO player.” Then the junior varsity coach, Kommer pointed out a mistake the naïve freshman made in a game. A week later the exact same situation arose and Pascoe had already taken the advice and adjusted her game, much to the satisfaction of Kommer. ALL-DVAL EACH YEAR She was co-most valuable player of the Diablo Valley Athletic League as a junior after taking first-team all-DVAL honors as a sophomore and second team all-league her freshman year, playing on a team that included Kommer’s daughter Molly. Ironically, Clayton Valley was upset the night before signing day by rival Northgate, ending a 36-game league winning streak for the Lady Eagles. CVCHS still is in first place and a cinch to advance to the NCS playoffs once again. “Hailey still has a lot of ball left in high school before I’ll get to watch her at Lehigh on ESPN,” Kommer added. He explained that all of his seniors want to “go out on a high note.”
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
February 13, 2015
Sports Bay Area football’s coaching carousel
TYLER LEHMAN SPORTS TALK The Super Bowl is over and already NFL football is missed by many. In order to fill the void that is the pro football offseason, here are some takes on the 49ers and Raiders coaching changes: 49ers – My oh my, what to say about the 49ers coaching situation? The team went from having Jim Harbaugh as head coach, Vic Fangio defensive coordinator and Greg Roman offensive coordinator to head coach Jim Tomsula, defensive coordinator Eric Mangini and offensive coordinator Geep Chryst. The move by owner Jed York and general manager Trent Baalke to fire Jim Harbaugh was not a surprising one. Harbaugh never got along with upper management so York fired him.
In York’s own words he wants to “win Super Bowls with class.” Well Mr. York, Harbaugh led the 49ers to three NFC championship games and one Super Bowl appearance, but apparently that isn’t good enough to remain your head coach. No, for Mr. York it appears Tomsula, not Harbaugh, is the man who will lead the 49ers to that elusive sixth Lombardi Super Bowl Trophy. The entire fiasco with the 49ers coaching situation is both laughable and depressing. The Niners were on the upswing, considered one of the best teams in the league over the past few years and now they are led by Tomsula, Mangini and Chryst. The only way York and Baalke can justify firing Harbaugh is by winning the Super Bowl next year. It’s Super Bowl or bust, that is the precedent that has been set by York. And they will have to do it in perhaps the toughest division in the NFL, the Seahawks last second slip up in the Super Bowl notwithstanding. Raiders- The Raiders have been struggling for over a decade and salvation finally appears to be on the horizon with the hiring of head coach Jack Del Rio by team owner
Mark Davis and GM Reggie McKenzie who was in Concord last week as his oldest son Kahlil committed to play football next year at Tennessee. Del Rio is a Hayward native and brings a wealth of coaching experience with him, having been the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars for nine years through 2011. Del Rio’s 68-71 record as head coach of the Jaguars is not all that impressive, but he seems confident that the past three years he has spent as the Broncos defensive coordinator has improved him as a coach. Del Rio is setting up an experienced staff, one that can help mold the young talent on the Raiders into winners. His first big hire was Mike Tice, an offensive line coach who is held in very high regard around the league. Shortly after the hiring of Tice, Del Rio brought in Bill Musgrave as the offensive coordinator. Musgrave is not the big name hire most Raider fans were looking for but he does have the potential to succeed as the OC. He was the quarterbacks coach for the Philadelphia Eagles before being hired by the Raiders to help the growth and development of Derek Carr. Musgrave is also known for his
success in the running game, which should be helpful in getting Latavius Murray going next season. Overview- The 49ers will ultimately regret getting rid of Harbaugh. Despite his brash personality, York and Baalke had to find some way to work with him. Maybe Tomsula will pan out and become a great head coach, but as it stand now, the 49ers new coaching staff seems like a severe downgrade from what they had just a couple months ago. The Raiders, on the other hand, appear to have upgraded their staff rather nicely. There is a lot of experience on that staff now, which is something that the young players on the Raiders desperately need. Only time will tell if the 49ers and Raiders made the right coaching hires. As it stands now, it appears the Raiders have improved their staff whereas the 49ers have taken a major step backwards. Tyler Lehman is a junior at San Francisco State University and a 2012 CVHS graduate. He is majoring in print/online journalism and wants to be a sports writer. Email your comments or questions to tyler@claytonpioneer.com.
Clayton’s Patrick Marr CSUEB athlete of the week
Photo by Kelley Cox
Freshman men’s basketball player Patrick Marr of Clayton was named Cal State East Bay’s male athlete of the week during mid-January. The De La Salle grad was the best offensive player for the Pioneers in a dramatic 55-53 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills when he scored a gamehigh 12 points, going 4-for-6 from three-point range, adding five rebounds and two assists. After another good effort that week against Cal State L.A., Marr finished the weekend shooting 55 percent from the field (6-for-11) and 71 percent from long distance (5-for-7), both of which were tops on the team. In his freshman season, the 6-7 Marr is second on the Pioneers in rebounds.
Section football champs setting tough 2015 schedules JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
North Coast Section football champions Clayton Valley Charter and De La Salle high schools are putting the finishing touches on their 2015 schedules and they’ve added some “beef ” to their respective non-league lineups. Clayton Valley Charter went all the way to the State Division II Bowl championship game before dropping a tough 34-33 verdict to Redlands East Valley in December. Coach Tim Murphy and his staff have to replace star runningback Miles Harrison, defensive MVP Jax Carter
and 13 other all-Diablo Valley Athletic League players who will be graduating this spring. Despite that, the Eagles are jumping right into the fire opening their fall schedule at reigning State Division I champion Folsom. The Bulldogs will be doing some retooling of their own after quarterback Jake Browning took his national record 91 touchdown passes last season (229 in three years) to the University of Washington this semester. Sacramento Bee prep sports guru Joe Davidson says incoming senior Jake Jeffrey is “a very promising young talent who can run and pass. Folsom will open
Sports Shorts MDSA SPRING SOCCER SIGNUP DEADLINE MONDAY Mt. Diablo Soccer Association will have its spring season on Saturdays from Mar. 21-May 9. U5-U14 boys and girls teams will be assembled soon. The U16/U19 co-ed division is on a Sunday afternoon schedule starting at the end of February. Visit mdsoccer.org for more information and to register by Feb. 16.
SARAH NELSON NAMED PACWEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK FOR 4TH TIME THIS SEASON Dominican University of California senior Sarah Nelson has been recently named PacWest women’s basketball defensive player of the week for the third and fourth times this season. Nelson continues to dominate the paint for her fourth weekly defensive honor, averaging 14.0 points, 14.5 rebounds and 9.0 blocks per game. She blocked eight shots against Dixie State and then logged her second triple-double of the year with 20 points, 19 rebounds and 10 blocks against Fresno Pacific, albeit in a losing effort. The 10 blocks matched a program record in the Division II era set by Nelson in her previous triple-double in December at Holy Names. Nelson leads the nation in blocks (5.12 bpg) as the only player with more than five per game. The Clayton Valley High grad is also the only player with multiple triple-doubles this season.
CVCHS BASEBALL HOSTS 3RD HOT STOVE DINNER FEB. 27 Clayton Valley Charter High School baseball coach Casey Coakley is hosting the program’s third annual Hot Stove Dinner on Friday, Feb. 27. The evening’s festivities will whet the appetite of baseball fans, Clayton Valley alumni and current CVCHS families in the cold winter months before spring training starts again. There will be lots of baseball talk with guest speakers Eric Valenzuela, St. Mary’s College head coach, and Sam Carter, an Eagle alum who played in the San Diego Padres organization. Door prizes, raffles and dinner all benefit CVCHS Baseball and its scholarship fund. The event is from 6-9:30 p.m. at Shadelands Civic Arts Center, 111 N. Wiget Ln.
as our Bee preseason No. 1 team.” The Bulldogs are cocoached by former College Park High star Kris Richardson and Cal quarterback Troy Taylor. Clayton Valley is currently projected to be realigned to the Bay Valley Athletic League in 2016, a league of East County schools all playing Division I. Murphy has added DI games at Tracy and home to perennial NCS power James Logan of Union City this fall. North Bay standouts Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa are also coming to Gonsalves Stadium in 2015. The fifth non-league game has yet to be scheduled. Justin Alumbaugh will have
the usual target on the back of his De La Salle team as well. The State champs will be opening the season in Texas against as an-yet-unnamed opponent. The Spartans, who likely will be ranked No. 1 in the nation in most preseason polls with a wealth of returning talent, have an aggressive schedule of games against Southern California, NCS and Sacramento-area foes. DLS will play at annual Central Coast Section rival Serra of San Mateo, Granite Bay (“won D-1 State Bowl in 2012 and is always strong”) and James Logan. The home schedule includes games against SoCal teams
at Ygnacio Valley Rd. in Walnut Creek. For more information and to buy tickets at $40 each email coach Coakley at uglyeaglebaseball@gmail.com.
21ST CVCHS ATHLETIC BOOSTERS CRAB FEED & AUCTION MAR. 14 Clayton Valley Charter High School Athletic Boosters will hold their 21st annual Crab Feed and Auction on Saturday, Mar. 14, at Centre Concord. Tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis and attendees must be 21 or older. For more info email cvabcrabfeed@gmail.com or go to cvhsboosters.org to order tickets online for a night of food, drink, dancing, auctions and raffle prizes. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with dinner served at 7.
YGNACIO VALLEY HIGH HOSTING ALL-COMERS TRACK & FIELD MEET MAR. 7 Ygnacio Valley High is hosting an all-comers track and field meet on Saturday, Mar. 7, from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on the all-weather track at the school. There will be eight individual events and two relays for boys and girls from preschool through high school and senior classifications. YVHS is using the meet as a team fund raiser for a finish line timing system. Contact coach George Francis at coachfrancisyvhs@hotmail.com for details.
DIABLO FC RUNNING USSDA OPEN TRAINING FOR 2001-2002 BOYS FEB. 21 Diablo FC is hosting an open training for boys born in 2001 and 2002 who would like to be evaluated for a position on the Diablo FC US Soccer Developmental Academy team. USSDA is the highest youth soccer playing level in the country and the local competitive club is looking for players born in 2001 and 2002 to add to the roster for the 2015-16 season. Serious soccer players interested in competing at the next level are invited to attend the free open training next Saturday, Feb. 21, at 10 a.m. on the Ygnacio Valley High field in Concord. Visit diablofc.org for more info.
DANA HILLS SWIM TEAM REGISTRATION NIGHT FEB. 27 Dana Hills Swim Team kicks off the 2015 summer swim season with a Registration Night on Friday, Feb. 27, from 6-9 p.m. at Dana
Orange Lutheran, Servite and Long Beach Poly. The Poly game will renew the legendary 2001-2002 rivalry that gained national headlines. San Ramon Valley and California are the only East Bay Athlectic League teams facing DLS this season. Del Oro will also come down from the Sacramento Valley and “will be very strong again with a host of returning players back. Del Oro has been to two state bowls since 2012,” Davidson says. A long-time observer of prep sports around the State Capitol, Davidson says, “It’s great that this region, by any measure a great one for high
school football, continues to have a shot against De La Salle. The Spartans have an army of schools from all over that want to play them and De La Salle is consistent in wanting to play elite-level programs that also field freshmen and JV teams - a complete program experience. “Can anyone in NorCal beat the Spartans? Maybe in our lifetime but it hasn’t happened in the lifetime of any current players. DLS hasn’t lost to a NorCal team since 1992 and is unbeaten lifetime against this region. But you never know, and Del Oro and Granite Bay relish the great challenge.”
Hills Cabana Club on Mountaire Parkway. Registration and swim season volunteer job preferences will be taken. The DHST coaching staff will meet attendees and discuss the Otter program. New members will also be given the option to sign up for the team on a free, one-week “trial” basis. Online registration opens Saturday, Feb. 28. For additional info please visit danahillsotters.com.
DIABLO FC U13-U14 COMPETITIVE SOCCER TRYOUTS FOR U13-U14 TEAMS FEB. 15-21 Diablo FC tryouts for under 13 and U14 boys and girls 2015 competitive teams begin this Sunday at Ygnacio Valley High School in Concord and also on Feb. 18 and 21. There is no charge to try out and players can pre-register today at diablofc.org. For more information on the club and tryout times and locations contact director of coaching Brian Voltattorni at bvoltattorni@diablofc.org.
OAKHURST ORCAS TAKING SIGNUPS FOR SUMMER SEASON Oakhurst head coach Jasmine Millan has announced that the Orcas are accepting mail or drop off registrations to Oakhurst Country Club for the summer recreation swim season. Meet and greet registration dates are coming in March and April. Early registration discounts are available until mid-March. Visit oakhurstorcas.com for more information or e-mail Millan at swimcoach@oakhurstcc.com.
SEVERAL SPRING PROGRAMS REGISTRATION OPEN AT ALL OUT SPORTS LEAGUES Spring programs for youth basketball, youth volleyball and tee ball plus adult volleyball and softball are now open for programs in Clayton offered by All Out Sports Leagues. For complete information on All Out Sports programs, visit alloutsportsleague.com.
THE PIONEER WANTS TO PUBLISH YOUR SPORTS NEWS Please let us know about your sports news, special events, fund raisers, tryouts, signups and accomplishments. Youth leagues, clubs, schools and adult programs are all welcome to send us a rundown on what you’re doing. Include all the necessary details (too much information is better than too little!) and your contact information. It’s as simple as sending an email to sports@concordpioneer.com.
February 13, 2015
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 13
Bone up on some facts before bringing home that new dog DEBBIE DEMELLO
PET PAUSE Are you thinking about getting a dog? Bringing a new dog into your life is a major decision. First, make sure you are ready for a dog before you start the process. It is also essential that you understand the cost of dog ownership. If you’ve decided the time is right, now it’s time to figure out what type of dog is right for you. There are several factors to consider in choosing a dog. First you should look at your current lifestyle and think about what kind of adjustments you will need to make to bring a new dog into your home. It’s important to look at the
needs of your family, especially if you have children or other pets. Think about the qualities you would like in a dog. There are dogs that require little grooming if you don’t have time for that. There are dogs that make great running partners if that’s what you’re looking for. And there are dogs that will happily sit on your lap while you read or watch TV. Always take a dog’s temperament into consideration. Behavior problems can be frustrating, and some families do not expect that their new dog will be difficult. The main reason a dog ends up in a shelter is that its owners felt like it were more than they could handle. Families who choose a dog on impulse or who don’t realize that there are many different traits within each breed are not choosing the right dog carefully, and bringing home their new friend
can sadly backfire. Should you get a purebred or a magical mix? Most shelters have plenty of both. The only significant difference between the two is that purebreds, because their parents and other ancestors are all members of the same breed are similar to specific “breed standards.” A breed standard doesn’t always tell you much about a dog’s health or how he will behave. It will likely give you an idea of how big he will get and other physical traits. Of course the size, appearance and temperament of a mixed breed dog can be predicted as well. After all, mixed breed dogs are simply combinations of different breeds. It’s good to visit with a variety of dogs before making a final decision. You may be thinking about getting a puppy, but bear in mind
that young dogs require much more training and supervision than adult dogs. If you lack the time or patience to deal with problems like jumping or chewing, an adult dog might be a better fit for you. Other things to take into consideration are: does the dog appear to be assertive or shy? Is he good with kids? In general a friendly dog that likes to be touched and is not sensitive to handling will thrive in a home with children. Keep in mind when choosing your new dog that they deserve a home for life. And that can likely be for 10-15 years. There’s a dog out there waiting who would love to be a part of your family. Debbie DeMello is a dog trainer and owner of Who’s Training Who in Walnut Creek. Contact her at debdemello@aol.com
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Book Review
Apocalyptic drama inspires the human spirit
SUNNY SOLOMON
FOR
THE
BOOKS
Read a newspaper lately, in hand or online? War, famine, global warming and now Ebola — it’s no wonder publishers are publishing and readers are reading a near-glut of novels about the end of the world, or in more concise and even Biblical terms, all things apocalyptic. If the story is about what happens after the above mentioned catastrophes, it’s called post-apocalyptic or dystopian. Are you with me? Sort of like “new math,” you’ll get the hang of it. “Station Eleven” by Emily St. John Mandel (Alfred A. Knopf; September, 2014), marketed as a post-apocalyptic novel, is a powerful reminder that although the earth we live on may change, and change drastically, humans do not. In fact, they are exactly (good and bad) the same as before whatever happened happened. There are false prophets, murder and mayhem coexisting with love, art and bravery. That’s what Mandel’s novel is all about. No matter how tough and bare bones things become, we still need to be bound to one another. What we value — objects, people, and relationships — is at the heart of “Station Eleven.”
The story begins on a stage in a Toronto theater. The play is “King Lear,” in Act 4, and the actor playing Lear is about to stumble and fall against a pillar, clutching his chest and reciting his lines in a barely audible voice. A medic in the first row orchestra section, recognizing the actor is no longer acting, leaps to the stage to render whatever assistance he might. Things take off rapidly and by the time the actor, Arthur Leander, is declared dead, the curtain drops and the theater empties, the reader has some understanding that if, as Shakespeare wrote, “All the world’s a stage,” Arthur, dead or alive, is a major player. By the time Arthur dies of a heart attack, a Russian jetliner has landed at the Toronto airport, its passengers, carrying the Georgian
Flu, are already clogging local hospitals and infecting everyone. The author wastes no time in introducing some key characters before the world is decimated beyond recognition. We know of Arthur’s wives, his son, his lover, his friend, the medic and a child actress playing one of Lear’s daughters as a child. Now we fastforward to 20 years after the pandemic to follow the Traveling Symphony, a company of actors and musicians living in a horsedrawn caravan of old trucks, bringing music and Shakespeare to scattered, art-starved communities. The author skillfully goes back and forth in time, linking present and past relationships, events and possessions as we follow the Traveling Symphony, finding its place in a world with an unsure
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future, both scary and hopeful. No spoilers, but hands-down, “Station Eleven” is one of my alltime favorites. You cannot read it and not look around yourself to see what and who would fill the story of your life. It is the telling which unites our future and our past and Emily St. John Mandel tells one very good story. Sunny Solomon is a freelance writer and head of the Clayton Book Club. Visit her website at bookinwithsunny.com to ‘talk books.’
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
February 13, 2015
Clayton Community Calendar PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M. MARCH 4 FOR THE MARCH 13 ISSUE. ITEMS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY EMAIL TO calendar@claytonpioneer.com
IN CLAYTON Mar. 1 15th Annual Chili Contest at the Clayton Club Saloon. Field is limited to the first 20 contestants who register. Top three chilis win cash prizes. But the big winner is the hungry gallery that gets to sample all the chilis after the judging. Judging starts at 11 a.m. Prizes awarded at 1 p.m. Bring your Beano. Clayton Club Saloon, 6096 Main St., Clayton. claytonclubsaloon.com. 673-0440.
IN CONCORD Tuesdays Farmers’ Market Tuesdays year round. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. cityofconcord.org.
Feb. 20, 22 “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” Timeless story told by El Campanil Children’s Theatre. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $8-$12. elcampaniltheatre.com. Feb. 21 Company Show Showcase 2015 Presented by Dance Connection. 3 and 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $16-$25. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Feb. 21 Hooray for Hollywood Performed by the Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra. 2 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $7-$15. elcampaniltheatre.com. Feb. 22 Hooray for Hollywood Performed by the Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra. 2 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $10$30. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
3rd Sundays Antique Faire Antiques, collectibles, handmade arts and crafts. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. Free admission. concordantiquefaire.com.
Feb. 27 – Mar. 8 “Into the Woods” The Brothers Grimm fairytales collide in this epic tale. California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. $10-$25. pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com. 427-1611.
On Sale Now Concerts The Concord Pavilion is located at 2000 Kirker Pass Road, Concord. theconcordpavilion.com. Concert schedule for 2015: May 28, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, 7 p.m. July 21, 5 Seconds of Summer, 7 p.m. Aug. 7, Idina Menzel, 7 p.m. Aug. 26, Slipknot, 7 p.m.
Feb. 28 The Acoustic Reunion Concert Presented by Randyn Seymon and Bill Younger. 6:15 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $13-$17. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Feb. 27 Health Expo Age Strong, Live Long Health Expo. Senior citizens and family members invited. Presentations, vendors, health screenings. 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Concord Senior Center, 2727 Parkside Circle, Concord. Free. cityofconcord.org/healthfair.
ON THE MOUNTAIN Mount Diablo Interpretive Association programs listed are free with the exception of park entrance fee. Go to mdia.org and click on Events Calendar for more information. Feb. 15 Amphibians of Contra Costa County Learn about amphibians of the county with an emphasis on local salamanders and newts. Meet a salamander up close. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Summit Audio Visual Room. Feb. 22 Sycamore Canyon Hike Hike from Curry Canyon to Sycamore Canyon then over to Knobcone Point and back. Expansive views of Mount Diablo and Morgan Fire area. 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Meet at Curry Point Trailhead. Mar. 8 Eagle Peak Hike Climb past Mitchell Rock via Twin Peaks to Eagle Peak with its magnificent view. 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Meet at Mitchell Canyon Trailhead. Mar. 15 Diablo Falls Hike Hike up Back Canyon to Murchio Gap, then descend to Falls Trail. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Meet at Mitchell Canyon Trailhead. Mar. 15 Wildflowers of Mount Diablo Visual presentation of an array of flowers that bloom from February through June. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Summit Audio Visual Room.
EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT Thru Feb. 14 “Mama Won’t Fly” A Jones Hope Wooten comedy. Onstage Theatre at Martinez Campbell Theater, 636 Ward St., Martinez. 518-3277. Thru Feb. 15 “Candide” Eccentric characters journey around the world in search of the meaning of life performed by Lamplighters Music Theater. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $25-$54. lamplighters.org.
Feb. 28 The Sun Kings Spot-on recreation of The Beatles. 8 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $25-$27. elcampaniltheatre.com. Feb. 28 – Mar. 15 “Mr. Burns” A.C.T. presents an outrageous and enthusiastically acclaimed dark comedy by Bay Area-born playwright Anne Washburn. The Geary Theater, 415 Geary St., San Francisco. $20-$120. actsf.org. (415) 749-2228. Mar. 3 Concert Presented by Diablo Wind Symphony. 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $6-$10. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Mar. 13 – 29 “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” Absurdist comedy placing Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein in a Parisian café in 1904. Diablo Valley College, 321 Golf Club Road, Pleasant Hill. $16-$21. dvcdrama.net.
CHURCHES AND RELIGION Feb. 14 Concert Michele Sharik performs a solo handbell concert. 7:30 p.m. Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church, 1578 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton. $15. cvpresby.org. Feb. 28 Annual Daddy Daughter Dance Open to the public: girls and dads, uncles, granddads and friends of all ages. Professional portrait, dessert and dancing. Disney’s “Frozen” theme. Sponsored by Clayton Community Church. 6:30 – 9 p.m. Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Drive, Clayton. $25 per couple; $5 each additional guest. Register at claytoncc.com/#/event-registration. For more information, contact Carol Gaiser at cgaiser@pacbell.net or 890-5301.
FUNDRAISERS 2nd and 4th Sundays Pancake Breakfast Veterans of Foreign Wars serve breakfast to the public: Eggs, pancakes, sausage, beverage. 8 – 11 a.m. VFW Post 1525, 2290 Willow Pass Road, Concord. $5, $3 children under 12. vfwpost1525.org. Feb. 14 Valentine’s Dinner Dance Dinner and dancing to live music. Benefits donations made by the Concord Moose Lodge. 6:30 p.m. 1805 Broadway St., Concord. $15. 798-0887. Feb. 21 Pancakes and Ponies Enjoy breakfast, horses and Mount Diablo and get to know the Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association. Benefits club’s horsemanship education programs. 9 a.m. Association clubhouse, 1600 Trail Ride Road, Clayton. $8 adults; $5 children. cmdtra.org.
Mar. 6 - 8 Forbidden Broadway Off-Broadway hit musical revue by Brentwood Theater Company. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $25$40. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Mar. 1 A Stroll Through New Orleans Music and silent auction to benefit high school students in alternative programs in Mt. Diablo Unified School District. Hosted by Mount Diablo Alternative Education Foundation. 2 – 4 p.m. Heather Farm, 1540 Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek. $10-$25. brownpapertickets.com.
Mar. 8 French Impressions Presented by Contra Costa Wind Symphony. 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $18-$25. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Mar. 7 Delta Blues Festival Benefit Concert All profits benefit funding the next Delta Blues Festival. 7 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $15-$40. elcampaniltheatre.com.
Mar. 10 Walnut Creek Concert Band Performs band classics from Bach to Bernstein. 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $14-$17. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Mar. 14 Crab Feed Crab feed, dancing, raffles and auction by Clayton Valley Charter High School Athletic Boosters Club. 5:30 p.m. Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Road, Concord. $50; $60 after Feb. 28. cvhsboosters.org.
Mar. 11 In the Mood Fully staged tribute to big band greats. 2 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $34-$37. elcampaniltheatre.com. Mar. 12 – 29 “My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish, I’m in Therapy!” Presented by Playhouse Productions. Del Valle Theater, 1963 Tice Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek. $65. 943-7469. Mar. 13 Scott Capurro Comedy. 8 p.m. California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. $17-$20. pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com. 427-1611. Mar. 13 – 14 Untamed: The Winter Dance Series Presented by Smuin Ballet. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $73. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Thru Feb. 22 “Godspell” Masterful retelling of the Gospel According to St. Matthew presented by OMG I Love that Show Productions. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $35. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Mar. 13 – 15 “Pinocchio” Presented by Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $14. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Thru Feb. 28 “The Book Club Play” A comedy about books and people who love them. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $33-$58. centerrep.org.
Mar. 14 3.141592 etc. Presented by Ready or Not Improv. 8:15 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $15. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Feb. 14 Songs in the Key of L.O.V.E. Valentine’s Day musical tribute of love songs. 8 p.m. California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. $13-$17. pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com. 427-1611.
Mar. 14 Mariachi Divas South-of-the-border evening of cheerful music. 8 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $25-$27. elcampaniltheatre.com.
Feb. 15 “Bull in a China Shop” Madcap goings-on presented by Vagabond Players. 2 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $10-$15. elcampaniltheatre.com.
Mar. 17 – 21 Percussion Discussion Presented by Ken Bergmann. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $14. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Feb. 15 Musical Interludes Intimate recitals showcasing the talented players of the California Symphony. 3 p.m. Steinway Piano Gallery, 1605 Bonanza St., Walnut Creek. $60. 280-2490.
Feb. 18 – 21 “Little Shop of Horrors” Musical comedy presented by Clayton Valley Charter High School. 7 p.m. CVCHS Multi-Use Room, 1101 Alberta Way, Concord. $5 students; $10 general. Not recommended for small children. For more information: elizabeth.emigh@claytonvalleyorg or 682-7474, ext. 2678.
SCHOOLS Thru Feb. 15 “The Taming of the Shrew” Shakespeare’s outrageous comedy. Diablo Valley College, 321 Golf Club Road, Pleasant Hill. $16-$21. dvcdrama.net.
Mar. 21 Banquet Dinner, auction, raffle to benefit Ygnacio Valley High School Athletic Boosters. 6:30 – 10:30 p.m. St. John Vianney Church, 1650 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek. Adults only. $35 by Mar. 1; $40 after. For more information: heidihastings@att.net or 671-6861.
AT THE LIBRARY The Clayton Library is at 6125 Clayton Road. Programs are free unless otherwise noted. See full schedule of events at claytonlibrary.org or call 673-0659. Feb. 25 Winter Business Series Janet Long of Elaine’s Toffee Company talks about the start and growth of the local Clayton business. 6:30 p.m. Mar. 9 Clayton Library Book Club Sunny Solomon leads the discussion of “Whistling Past the Graveyard” by Susan Crandall. Open to anyone who wants to join. 7 p.m. The Concord Library is at 2900 Salvio St. Programs are free unless otherwise noted. See full schedule of events at ccclib.org or 6465455. Fridays and Saturdays thru Apr. 11 Free Tax Assistance The library and AARP partner to provide free tax assistance to low and middle income people. Call for appointment: 4055135. Mar. 12 Small Claims Advisor Workshop Presented by Contra Costa County Superior Court. 5:30 p.m. Registration required: smallclaims@contracosta.courts.ca.gov.
GOVERNMENT 1st and 3rd Tuesdays Clayton City Council 7 p.m. Hoyer Hall, Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road. 6737304 or ci.clayton.ca.us. 2nd and 4th Tuesdays Clayton Planning Commission 7 p.m., Hoyer Hall, Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road. 6737304 or ci.clayton.ca.us.
February 13, 2015
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 15
Performing Arts
Local stages light up this Spring
SALLY HOGARTY
STAGE STRUCK Pittsburg Community Theatre (PCT) will soon be singing in the woods and beyond as it presents the popular musical “Into the Woods,” Stephen Sondheim’s take on storybook characters gone amuck. Sondheim’s marvelous music combines characters from “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Jack and the Beanstalk” and many more into an exciting tale of what really happens after “happily ever after.” PCT promises to stay true to Sondheim’s dark humor and faithful to his original Broadway score, including several musical numbers that
Illusionist Timothy James is at the Campbell Theater one day only on Feb. 28
Cinderella with her step family and a cast of mixed up fairytale characters head ‘Into the Woods’ at Pittsburg Community Theatre.
were deleted from the recent movie version featuring Meryl Streep and Johnny Depp. “Into the Woods” runs Feb. 27-28, Mar. 1, and Mar. 6-8 at the beautiful California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., in Pittsburg. Call 925-427-1611 for tickets. PCT holds auditions for Neil Simon’s comedy classic “Barefoot in the Park” from 7 to 9 p.m. Mar. 2 and 3 with callbacks on Mar. 4 at Hillview Jr. High School, 333 Yosemite, in Pittsburg. Also made into a movie with Jane Fonda and Robert Redford in the lead roles, the show runs April 23 – 26. For more information, go to www.pittsburgcommunitytheatre.org and click on Auditions. Brentwood Theater Company presents “Forbidden Broadway” in two locations. The hit musical revue features a loving (and sometimes satirical) tribute to theater’s greatest stars. See all your favorite Broadway musicals at your choice of locations. At 8 p.m. on Feb. 28 and 2 p.m. Mar. 1, the show takes place at Trilogy at the Vineyards, Mt. Diablo Event Center, 1700
Trilogy Parkway, in Brentwood. It then moves to Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., for performances on at 8:15 p.m. Mar. 6-7 at 2:15 p.m. and Mar. 8 For more information, call 925-513-3863. Magic is in the air as the Onstage Theatre Company presents illusionist Timothy James at 2 p.m. on Feb. 28 at the Martinez Campbell Theater, 636 Ward Street. James has won numerous awards for his sleight of hand and variety entertainment around the country. For tickets to this family-friendly show, call 925-350-9770. The Millennium Approaches as Lafayette’s Town Hall Theatre presents the first part of Tony Kushner’s epic work “Angels in America” Feb. 7-28. Winner of the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the first part of Kushner’s masterpiece takes place in Reagan-era New York and various locales across the country as the AIDS epidemic awakens America. For tickets, call 925-283-1557 or go to www.townhalltheatre.com. There’s still time to catch
Photo Tom Deans-Flegel
OMG’, I Love That Show’s ‘Godspell,’ the sixties, quirky retell of the Gospel of Matthew, is at the Lesher Center through Feb. 22.
A.C.T. presents a bold, intimate journey of love American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) will present Tony Award–winning composer Jason Robert Brown’s powerful and intimate musical, “The Last Five Years,” for a special concert presentation on March
27 and 28. Starring Betsy Wolfe and Adam Kantor, who both performed in the critically acclaimed 2013 off-Broadway revival at New York’s Second Stage Theatre, “The Last Five
BETSY WOLFE
ADAM KANTOR
Years” tells the powerful story of two 20-something New Yorkers who dive headfirst into a marriage fueled by the optimism that comes from finding “the one.” But in a city where professional and personal passions collide and only the strongest relationships survive, navigating the waters of love and matrimony can sometimes prove to be too much. Sung from their individual points of view, Cathy’s journey is told from ending to beginning and Jamie’s from beginning to end. Funny, honest, and intimate, and with an exuberantly romantic score, “The Last Five Years” takes a bold look at one young couple’s hope that love endures the test of time. For performance times and ticket info, go to www.act-sf.org, call 415749-2228.
several shows at the Lesher Center including Center Rep’s “The Book Club Play,” running through Feb. 28. Karen Zacarias’ clever comedy follows the ups and downs of a local book club chosen as the subject of a film documentary. Center Rep has also started the “First Look” program, which thanks U.S. Military personnel and U.S. Veterans with $15 tickets to any preview performance. College students, faculty, and staff with a school ID can also purchase the $15 tickets. Limit of two tickets per person. Also at the Lesher is OMG I Love That Show’s production of “Godspell,” which runs through Feb. 22. This retelling of the Gospel according to St. Matthew includes new orchestrations by Grammy and Tony Award winner Alex Lacamoire. Then at 2 p.m. on Feb. 14 and 15, the Lamplighters bring a rousing production of Leonard Bernstein’s musical “Candide” to the Lesher. Join young Candide and a virtual clown car of eccentric characters on their journey around the world in search of the meaning of life. For tickets to all the shows performing at the Lesher, call 925943-SHOW or go to www.lesherartscenter.org. Sally Hogarty is well known around the Bay Area as a newspaper columnist, theatre critic and working actress. She is also the editor of the Orinda News. Send comments to sallyhogarty@gmail.com
Photo by David Allen
Jennifer Ashworth as Cunegonde, Baker Peeples as Voltaire, Rick Williams as Pangloss, and Sam Faustine as Candide in the Lamplighters production of the Leonard Bernstein musical is at the Lesher Center Feb. 14 and 15.
March 12 - 29 Hilarious One-Man Comedy Starring Showtime Comedy Club Network’s Ron Tobin Del Valle Theater 1963 Tice Valley Rd., Walnut Creek
Wednesdays, 7 pm Thursdays, 2 pm & 7 pm Fridays, 8 pm Saturdays, 2 pm & 8 pm Sundays, 2 pm & 6 pm
www.PlayhouseInfo.com Tickets ON Group discounts (10+), call 888-264-1788. SALE NOW! 925-943-SHOW (7469).
925-672-2025 1028 Diablo St., Clayton, CA Visit us on Facebook
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Plants are springing forward ahead of schedule
A Floral nce Experie
Flowers for all occasions
NICOLE HACKETT
GARDEN GIRL The landscapes throughout Clayton are quite confused this February. Many plants, shrubs and trees are presenting their spring displays more than a month early this year.
Mitzie Richardson Richardson Mitzie
925-705-3088 flowersbymitzie@gmail.com flowersbymitzie@gmail.com Facebook/afloralexperience.biz Facebook/afloralexperience.biz
Rea a ne dy for w lo ok?
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February 13, 2015
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Perhaps you noticed the large, salmon pink colored flowers lining naked, upright stems in front of the Easley Ranch property and along El Molino drive. This deciduous shrub is called Flowering Quince. Flowering Quince is what we refer to as a quiet shrub. You don’t realize it’s there until it blooms, and then it instantly grabs your attention. The family of Flowering Quince is found in nursery by the name Chaenomeles. It is an incredibly hardy, deciduous shrub that thrives in full sun, with very little water. Flowering Quince is available in many colors from red, pink, orange and white. Flowering Quince would make an excellent introduction to a Clayton hillside where ceanothus and rock rose are already flourishing. Another deciduous shrub blooming around town is the Western Redbud. The Western Redbud will eventually grow to become a small, multi trunk tree, reaching 10- to 12-feet tall and wide. Western Redbuds are easy to spot in landscapes and open spaces. Just look for the purple haze of small two-lipped shaped flowers on thin naked branches. The Western Redbud is a California Native and thrives with very little to no summer water. Once the flower has
THE FLOWERING QUINCE is blooming more than a month early because of the unseasonably mild temperatures.
faded, small, greenish heart shaped leaves appear. Although they may look delicate, the Western Redbud is tough as nails. If you are looking for a Western Redbud, its botanical
name is Cercis occidentalis. This year Hardenbergia and Carolina jessamine vines are blooming at the same time. In years past, garden lovers are able to enjoy the purple, lilac shaped
flower from their Hardenbergia vines for several weeks prior to the yellow, trumpet shaped flower of their Carolina jessamine. It is lovely to see them bloom together. Purple and yellow go so well. Hardenbergia is a woody vine with lance shaped leaves and a February flower display. The woodiness of the Hardenbergia makes it a waterwise vine consideration. The Carolina jessamine can be found in nurseries by the name Gelsemium sempervirens. Although the Carolina jessamine enjoys more water, it is still considered quite hardy and waterwise. We have to tend to our plants as they project their needs this year. You’ll fertilize earlier. It’s okay. You should do what they are asking for. Since plants are starting to grow, give them nitrogen. The ones that are blooming, give them phosphorous. Work gypsum around the base of all the plants you value, it will help move out the salt and minerals that have been building up in the soil from our insignificant rainfall. Don’t forget your trees. They will suffer from the salt and mineral build up too. Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts and Garden. Contact her with questions or comments at Gardengirl@claytonpioneer.com
Club News “Good nutrition brings good health, brings happiness. Thank you, Doorstep Farmers.” Clayton resident, Leo Schindler
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GARY CARR Special to the Pioneer
The Clayton Business and Professional Association hit 2015 running at its Jan. 29 meeting at Oakhurst Country Club. The club approved donation requests from the Clayton Garden Club, the Fire Services Ad Hoc Committee, and the Clayton Fourth of July Committee. For the fourth year, CBCA donated to the Garden Club’s “Blossoms for Barbara” event, in which live plants are distributed among shut-ins, battered women’s shelters, veterans’ centers and nursing home residents, just a small reminder that people really do care. The club donated to the reopening event for Fire Station No. 11 to help supply banners and decorations, as the community says, “Welcome Back!” For more than 20 years, CBCA has donated to, and
helped organize, the annual Fourth of July parade in downtown Clayton. This year will be no exception, and more than 10,000 people will benefit from banners, a sound technician, and police security. As usual, CBCA members will march in the parade. Clayton Art & Wine Festival co-chairs John Garrett and Debbie Bruno previewed some of the new attractions for the popular event scheduled for May 2 and 3. There will be an expanded Premium Wine Booth, thanks to a great reception at last year’s event. Kiddieland will add video games and laser tag, and the food court and music stage will move to the area where it has been located for Oktoberfest. Club president Gregg Manning presented an appreciation trophy to Ed and Cecelia Hartley for their part in making the downtown bocce courts a reality. Hartley also added that the
SHARON FITZGERALD OF MEALS ON WHEELS (left) received flowers last year from Sharon Osteen and Linda Manss Karp (at right) of the Clayton Valley Garden Club as part of the Blossoms for Barbara program.
security cameras are working well, catching youngsters throwing the balls around the court after hours. Another time, a bocce club member caught
CMDTRA hosts Pancakes and Ponies
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High up on Mt. Diablo is a hidden gem that few know about. The Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association on the north slope just outside Clayton is a playground for kids and families who love the mountain. On Feb. 21, locals will have a chance to discover this hidden gem for themselves at a Pancake and Ponies play day and walk/hike at the clubhouse to benefit its Horsemanship Education programs. The day begins with pancakes at 9 a.m. To register and for directions to the clubhouse, go to cmdtra.org, click on the calendar and choose the Feb. 21 event called Pancakes and Ponies. Deadline: Feb. 20. $8 for adults; $5 for children 12 years and under. For more information, contact Valerie WataseSterling, (925) 260-3173 or vwatase@aol.com.
some unsupervised kids throwing the palinos into the creek. The volunteer retrieved three of the four balls and returned the kids to their parents.
Clayton Community Library seeks volunteer art exhibit liason The Clayton Community Library is looking for an art exhibit liaison. The liaison works with the volunteer coordinator to solicit local artists’ work and display the artwork at the library. No experience and minimal hours are required. Contact Arlene Nielsen, library volunteer coordinator, at nielsenjanc@aol.com or (925) 673-9777.
VOLUNTEER JILL RAMSEY LEADS EMMA STERLING aboard Princess Fiona while Emma practices sitting tall in the saddle.
If you would like your general club information posted on the Pioneer website, send a request to info@claytonpioneer.com. To see the full list of Clayton-area clubs with contact information, go to ClaytonPioneer.com and click on “Links’
February 13, 2015
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 17
Mesmerizing Marsala is a must for 2015 bedroom, Marsala is a restful and soothing added color. Think of adding an extra long bolster pillow or a cashmere throw at the end of the bed. And if we think of a white and teal kitchen, Marsala would be this bold hit of wine-colored loveliness. It’s a perfect pairing.
JENNIFER LEISCHER
TRENDY, HIP AND
DESIGN & DÉCOR
Trendy…yes. An interactive way to way to look at color…yes. Selected with much thought and consideration as it spans the various design industries…yes. So other than adding an accessory here and there to update your existing color palettes, what does this color selection really mean to you? Should you care? Lose sleep over this choice? Well, it’s more of something to be aware of visually. When you’re out and about shopping for clothing, regardless of which department you are in, you’ll probably see this color as a solid dress, a pair of pants or more of an accent color found woven with other colors in a scarf or purse. When you’re on the search for home accessories, this color may pop up in solid colored ceramic pieces, table linens, pillows or accent colors in a stripe, floral pattern or geometric print. You may also find this paint color on display in various paint manufacturer’s showrooms, shown with complementary colors for interior and exterior colors.
If you follow any sort of blogs about the design industry, or flip though design magazines while standing in line at the grocery store, you may have come across the news that the color Marsala has been declared the color of 2015 by Pantone. Pantone LLC is a worldrenowned authority of color and provider of color systems. So, what color is Marsala? As Pantone thoughtfully and deliciously describes: “A tasteful hue that embodies the satisfying richness of a fulfilling meal; its grounding red-brown roots emanate a sophisticated, natural earthiness.” Well, this is all fine and well, you say. Your living room consists of elegant yellow and blues. Your bedroom is a collection of ivory, tans and brown. And your kitchen has white cabinetry with accents of teal. Wanting to stay current with color trends, you’re a little perplexed as to where you would fit Marsala into your existing color schemes. You’re
INTERACTIVE
REDDISH
BROWN MARSALA is this year’s comtemporary color of the hour. The warm hue can be worked into almost any color scheme.
probably not going to reupholster your living room sofa, or retile your master bathroom using this new color, but there are other ways to bring this fresh new color into your design aesthetic. RESTFUL, SOOTHING AND LOVELY
If you want to be adventuresome with color, bring in the accessories; pillows, drink coast-
ers, a table runner, serving bowls, silk flowers, paper napkins, bud vases, serving utensils … the list goes on. You actually might be surprised at how well Marsala works with all sorts of cool and warm colors. If we use the example of the elegant yellow and blue living room, Marsala works as a very rich and grounding color, opposite these fresh tones. If we use the example of the ivory, tan and brown
Movie Review
‘American Sniper’ should score an Oscar
Jennifer Leischer is the owner of J. Designs Interior Design based in Clayton. Contact her with questions, comments and suggestions at jenna@j-designs.com.
JEFF MELLINGER
SCREEN SHOTS All of this year’s nominees for the Academy Award for Best Picture were well-deserving. The exquisite “Boyhood” is Richard Linklater’s labor of love, in which he filmed the same group of actors for 1 week each year for 12 years. The characters literally grow up in front of your eyes. There were also several fantastic biopics such as “Selma,” “The Imitation Game” and “The Theory of Everything.” However, I give a slight nod to “American Sniper” as my favorite of the eight nominees. Clint Eastwood’s directorial résumé includes some of the finest motion pictures of the last twenty-five years. While “Unforgiven,” “Mystic River,” “Million Dollar Baby” and “Letters from Iwo Jima” are all excellent films, “American Sniper” may be his most satisfying. The true story of Chris Kyle, “the greatest sharpshooter in American history,” is a sad one. What he experienced in his four tours of Iraq and in his subsequent years suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder is heartbreaking. As Kyle, Bradley Cooper steps into a careerdefining role. Cooper exudes the gruff, Navy SEAL exterior that Kyle embodied both on the front and at home. Using a succinct amount of flashbacks near the beginning, we learn that Kyle’s dad was very tough on Kyle and his younger brother, Jeff. Their father instilled in them the need to become the “sheepdogs” to protect the sheep from the wolves. When Kyle learns of 9/11, he instinctively knows his
COMING SOON
3984 Royal Arch Dr. Concord
3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1646 sq.ft. In ‘American Sniper,’ directed by Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper plays Chris Kyle, a U.S. Navy SEAL sniper who is said to have had the most confirmed kills in U.S. military history. ‘American Sniper’ is nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
next move is to join the Navy SEALS. Eastwood doesn’t hold back in his depiction of the SEAL boot camp. We see the men as they freeze in muddy water and nearly drown under pounding waves. Chris Kyle was born for this life. Eastwood weaves in and out of Kyle’s four tours, capturing Kyle’s declining home life inbetween. Most of his wife Taya’s (Sienna Miller) contact with her husband consists of phone calls during firefights abroad and arguments with him at home. She is never clear what exactly is going on in his head. Cooper does a marvelous job conveying the demons with which Kyle wrestles. The zenith of “American Sniper” is the scenes in Iraq. Kyle typically sets up on a roof top to provide the “over watch” protection to the marines below. Things are dirty, dusty and decrepit. Dogs bark, children run, people talk on cell phones. Kyle has to be constantly aware of everything and every possible threat. Suspense builds during the successive tours as Kyle becomes enamored with chasing Iraq’s most infamous sniper as well as a high-ranking enemy
known as “The Butcher.” As his own kill tally rises, Kyle becomes the stuff of legend amongst his brothers-in-arms. Eastwood has never been one to shy away from difficult subject matter. With “American Sniper,” he tackles it with grace and respect, exposing us to a true American hero. A
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PENDING
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$650,000 5 bedroom, 3 bathroom, 2491 sq. ft. Listing agent: Matt Mazzei
214 Falcon Place, Clayton
Rula Masannat Sales Agent DRE# 01923757
415-310-2905 rulawithmazzei@yahoo.com
$610,000 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1493 sq. ft. Listing agent: Matt Mazzei
Paula Johnstone Broker Associate DRE# 00797857
JEFF’S RANKING OF BEST PICTURE NOMINEES: American Sniper Boyhood (predicted Oscar Winner) Grand Budapest Hotel The Theory of Everything Selma The Imitation Game Birdman Whiplash
Jeff Mellinger is a screen writer and film buff. He holds a BA in Film Studies and an MFA in film production. He lives in Concord. Email comments to editor@claytonpioneer.com.
925-381-8810 heypaula10@gmail.com
1336 El Camino Dr. Clayton
$749,000 5 bedroom, 3 bathroom, 2435 sq. ft. Listing agent: Matt Mazzei
Matt Mazzei, Jr.
Call our office for a free home evaluation
Broker/Owner DRE# 01881269
925-766-6745 mazzeirealty@yahoo.com
mazzeirealty.net Clayton residents since 1959
925-693-0757 (Main)
6160 Center St. Suite #C, Clayton
925-693-0752 (Fax)
Page 18
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
February 13, 2015
Station 11 Reopens, from page 1
Photos by Jennifer Jay
Community barbeque hosted by ConFire and the city of Clayton marked the reopening of Station 11 after a two-year closure.
LINDA WYNER
FOOD
Top: Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, Mayor Dave Shuey and councilmembers Julie Pierce and Keith Haydon; Right, kids get first hand feel for firefighters protective gear.
Left: a pole of welcome back signs created by local scouts and students. Right, youngster gets a lesson in how to use the fire extinguisher at the firehouse celebration Jan. 31.
FOR
THOUGHT
So said Mark Twain about the cauliflower, which is enjoying a long season at your local grocers. Domesticated thousands of years ago in Europe and Western Asia, the cauliflower is a member of the cabbage (broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts, mustard) family. Unlike its immediate relatives, the cauliflower is a compact head of undeveloped white flower buds. Surrounded by heavy green leaves, the flower buds are blocked from sunlight and do not develop chlorophyll—the substance that turns plants green. Like most veggies, the cauliflower is a nutritional powerhouse with a high amount of Vitamin C, folate and fiber. But folks with thyroid problems should avoid eating large amounts of cauliflower since it interferes with the body’s absorption of iodine. The edible white part of a cauliflower goes by many names: curd, heart or head. When purchased, it should be creamy white with no speckling or discoloration. A mediumsized head weighs about 2
pounds and will serve 4 to 6 people. Cauliflower can be served raw, steamed, boiled and roasted. Steaming and microwaving better preserves its vitamin content, but roasting will turn cauliflower lusciously sweet, crisp and caramel brown. Add a tablespoon of lemon juice or milk to the water in a saucepan to keep cauliflower white. Whatever you do, avoid using an aluminum pot (cauliflower turns an unattractive yellow color) or a cast iron pan (which results in a brown or blue-green color). I wouldn’t eat cauliflower growing up. I thought it was some sort of mutant thing because it had no color or texture. Little did I know that it’s a canvas for culinary creativity. Here are two recipes you might enjoy, each of which takes a different approach with cauliflower: CAULIFLOWER PURÉE 1 Yukon Gold or small sweet potato (6 oz), peeled and cut into even chunks ¼ small head of cauliflower, cut in little florets 1 c shredded Cheddar cheese 2 to 4 Tbsp milk or halfand-half Steam potatoes and cauliflower until quite tender. While still hot, transfer the vegetables to a blender along with the cheese and 2 Tbsp of the milk. Blend to a smooth purée, adding more milk as needed for consistency.
Police Activity Report Police Activity for two weeks ending Feb. 5, 2015 ACCIDENTS: Jan. 27, Clayton Rd./El Camino Dr.
ARRESTS: Jan. 24, Clayton Rd./Mitchell Canyon Rd. DUI: Alcohol. 41-yearold Concord male.
Jan. 24, 5400 Clayton Rd. DUI: Alcohol; DUI Alcohol/Over .08%. 37year-old Modesto male. Jan. 24, 5400 Clayton Rd. Possess Controlled Substance; Possess Controlled Substance Paraphernalia; Probation Violation. 23-year-old Clayton male. Jan. 26, 5400 Clayton Rd. Warrant. 47-year-old Bay Point female.
CAULIFLOWER HUMMUS (from Better Homes and Gardens) 1 medium head cauliflower, cored and cut into florets 2 Tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste) 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 tsp lemon zest 1 Tbsp lemon juice 4 cloves garlic ½ tsp ground cumin ¼ tsp cayenne pepper ¼ tsp crushed red pepper ¼ c chopped cilantro Salt to taste Cook cauliflower florets in a small amount of boiling water until tender. Drain and transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking; then drain again. Use a food processor to combine the cooked cauliflower, tahini, olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest, the lemon juice, garlic, cumin, cayenne and salt. Cover and process until mixture is smooth. Add the cilantro and process for 5 seconds. Transfer hummus to a serving bowl. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours. Just before serving, stir together the remaining lemon zest and crushed red pepper and sprinkle over the hummus. Serve with flatbread, crackers and/or vegetables. Linda Wyner owns Pans on Fire, a gourmet cookware store and cooking school in Pleasanton. Send suggestions or questions to lwyner@pansonfire.com
Jan. 31, Clayton Rd./N. Lydia Ln. Driving While License Suspended for DUI; Probation Violation. 29-year-old Concord female.
BURGLARIES/THEFTS: Jan. 23, 5400 Clayton Rd. Burglary. Jan. 23, Coyote Cir. Petty Theft. Jan. 28, 6400 Clayton Rd. Petty Theft. Jan. 31, Keller Ridge Dr. Burglary – Vehicle. Feb. 5, Suisun Ct. Burglary – Vehicle.
VANDALISMS: Jan. 25, Caulfield Dr.
Where to go for LOCAL news For fast, on-the-spot coverage of the latest police action, traffic jams, emergency information and chat, social media and local blogs, like CLAYCORD.com are often good sources of breaking news. For more complete, in-depth coverage of local news, readers turn to their independently owned community newspapers. With news that people care about – local politics, schools, sports, events and stories about their friends and neighbors, the community newspaper is social media the old fashioned way. To find out what is happening in neighboring cities, check out these Contra Costa Community News Group newspapers Find your happy place at Club Med, where you can do as much – or as little – as you wish. With all-included luxuries ranging from sailing, snorkeling, trapeze and mealtimes to having both “me time” and “us time,” plus Children’s Clubs for kids 4 – 17†, everyone gets to indulge in their own version of pure happiness in the Caribbean, Florida, Mexico and beyond.
For more information or to book, please contact:
Travel To Go, Inc. - Ph: 925.672.9840 travel-2-go.com Clayton Station Shopping Center
5439 Clayton Road (Suite F) - Clayton, CA * * Sample price is per person, based on double occupancy in a Club category room on select weeks at Ixtapa Pacific, Mexico; Sandpiper Bay, Florida; and Turkoise, Turks & Caicos. Prices on other dates and/or at other resorts may vary. Blackout dates apply, including holidays and other dates. Offer requires a 3-night minimum stay (7-night minimum for Columbus Isle). Available at select resorts. Does not include airfare. Valid for new individual bookings only for select travel dates through August 21, 2015 and must be booked by March 3, 2015. Offer is subject to capacity control and may increase at any time. Children aged under 4 years stay for free at our family destinations. ** In the event that more than 50% of the ski lifts in the domain are closed during a guest’s stay, Club Med will offer the guest a Future Travel Certificate (FTC) for a value equal to 50% of the land portion for the days impacted. Bad weather, storms and heavy snow falls are excluded. Offer only applies to travel between March 15, 2015 and resort closing dates. The snow guarantee is subject to change or withdrawal without notice. Future Travel Certificates for 50% of the land value of the stay during which the village was impacted by ski lift closure (more than 50% closed), as reported on the official website of the ski resort. Airfare, membership fees and extras are not covered by this guarantee. Future Travel Certificates must be used for travel completed within one year of the original date of travel and may be subject to blackout dates and other restrictions. Certificates may be used at any Club Med village, except Buccaneer’s Creek, Martinique.† Children aged 4-11 years stay at up to 60% off adult price at select family resorts. Children aged 12-15 years stay at up to 40% off adult price at select family resorts. For flights that are booked through Club Med, tickets for children must be paid for by the client. Children who are eligible to stay for free must be lodged in the same room as the adults who are paying for their stay, or in a connecting room. Blackout dates may apply. Costs associated with Baby & Petit Club Med are at full day rate during entire stay booked. CST #2033054-40
Clayton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Clayton Pioneer . . . . . .cclaytonpioneer.com Concord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Concord Pioneer . . . . .cconcordpioneer.com ourcommunityfocus.com Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Walnut Creek . .Community Focus . . . . .o Lafayette, Orinda and Moraga . . . . . .Lamorinda Weekly . . . .llamorindaweekly.com San Ramon, Danville, and Alamo . . . .Valley Sentinel . . . . . . .vvalleysentinel.com The Contra Costa Community Newspaper Group is a consortium of independent, locally owned newspapers with a combined circulation of more than 150,000. To advertise in all five papers with just one phone call, go to cccommunitynewsgroup.com or call 844.457.7665