JUL 13 Clayton Pioneer 2007 by Pioneer Publishers

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July 13, 2007

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Clayton’s July 4 alive with Pioneer spirit BEV BRITTON Clayton Pioneer

CARINA ROMANO, 11, SNAPPED THIS PHOTO of the Clayton Community Church’s covered wagon float in Clayton’s July 4 parade and took the $50 first place slot in the Pioneer’s July 4 Photo Contest, Under 12 Division. “The photo best captured the parade’s theme ‘Honoring our Pioneer Past,’” said Publisher Tamara Steiner. “There were over 100 entries in this year’s contest, many of them truly extraordinary,” she said. See Page B1 for the rest of the winning photos.

Women in calico dresses preferred to ride in a covered wagon, while youngsters in red, white and blue T-shirts opted for motorized scooters at Clayton’s Fourth of July parade. Leading the pack as grand marshals were Joel Clayton’s descendants, Charles Calhan and Ray Strong of Sunnyvale. They were invited to participate as part of Clayton’s sesquicentennial celebration. Members of other long-time Clayton families rode atop the Historical Society’s float. Calhan, Clayton’s great grandson, remembers celebrating the Fourth in Clayton many years ago with his mother, Edna Laurel Calhan. “Back then, there wasn’t even a parade,” he notes. For Strong, Clayton’s greatgreat grandson, it was his first visit on the Fourth but he’s attended many Historical Society events here in the past. “We even bought all four of our children memberships in the Clayton Historical Society, because that’s important. These are our roots,” says Strong. In addition to noting the 150th birthday of the city, parade emcee Dan Ashley of KGO TV paid tribute to those who served our country in the military – from Diamond Terrace residents viewing the

See July 4, page A8

Neighbors join together to make streets safer BEV BRITTON Clayton Pioneer

As they strolled down North Mitchell Canyon Road, neighbors greeted old friends and said hello to new ones. Chairs were set up at the end of the road, along with a table of treats. But this wasn’t the usual block party. These residents had a clear purpose: to talk about crime in their neighborhood. “The best thing that is accom-

What’s Inside SECTION A Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . .A2 Obituary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A3 Classified Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . .A5 Directory of Advertisers . . . .A5 From the Chief . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Letters to the Editor . . . . . . .A8 Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . .A8 Food for Thought . . . . . . . .A9 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A10 At The Movies . . . . . . . . . . .A10 Hiker’s Haven . . . . . . . . . . .A11 Church News . . . . . . . . . . . .A11 Weather Words . . . . . . . . . .A11 SECTION B Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2 Community Calendar . . . . . .B7 Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . .B8 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B8 Paws and Claws . . . . . . . . . .B9 ARF Stars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B9 So, Anyway . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B10 On the Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B10 Sharing History . . . . . . . . . . .B11 Music Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . .B11 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . .B12 Financial Sense . . . . . . . . . . .B12

plished at this meeting is to get to know your neighbors. That’s really the key to the Neighborhood Watch program,” says Clayton resident Herb Young, a volunteer in the Police Department. On June 26, Young spoke to 45 concerned citizens – ranging from a young father cradling an infant to retirees who have lived in the neighborhood for 40-plus years. Prompted by recent burglaries, Liz Gregerson sent out 91 fliers to area residents about the meeting to establish a Neighborhood Watch. In a two-week period in early June, there were four home burglaries in Clayton, including one on North Mitchell Canyon and another on nearby Southbrook Place. The other two were on Antelope Court and Ohlone Heights in the Oakhurst development. According to Sgt. Shelly Crain of the Clayton Police Department, none of the crimes are related. The Mitchell Canyon burglary

occurred while the homeowners were on vacation. On Southbrook, a resident came home to find burglars attempting to gain access. One suspect is in custody for the Mitchell Canyon crime, and the investigations are ongoing, Crain reports. The Pioneer is withholding details of the burglaries, pending the filing of charges. KEEPING A WATCHFUL EYE The evening after the Mitchell Canyon crime was discovered, the neighbors were on high alert. So, when an unknown vehicle was spotted parked on the street, at least three residents quickly called the police. As it turned out, the three juveniles were just passing time by the creek and were not linked to any of the crimes, says Crain. Young encourages residents to always be on the lookout for unusual activity. “Any person going door to door, as far as I’m concerned, is suspicious,” he says.

Keep on recycling and get ready to shop

BILL WALCUTT

MAYOR’S CORNER

Congratulations Clayton residents, our residential recycling percentage rate is going up. It is still not good enough for the state Waste Board, but we are going in the right direction. Keep up the good work. If you have questions on what you can recycle in the brown or green carts, visit Allied Waste

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

Residents gather at the end of North Mitchell Canyon Road on June 26 to discuss forming a Neighborhood Watch. “Don’t be afraid to challenge them, but don’t put yourself in harm’s way. And don’t be afraid to call the police and report it if you see something that is suspicious.” Because of the trail access

from the end of North Mitchell Canyon, Gregerson sees a variety of vehicles parked on her street. “We get suspicious vehicles five times a day,” she says. “Do you really think the police will come

down here every time? They are going to get sick of us.” Clayton Police Chief Dan Lawrence says it can be difficult

Service at http://awsccc.com for a complete list. Click on the Allied Waste News tab and go down to the 2005 Contra Costa Reuse and Recycling Guide. Now, on to some city updates. The new Grove Park is on target for a groundbreaking ceremony in late October. Work crews are busy installing drainage systems and pouring concrete. Like you, I cannot wait for the new park to open. After the ceremony, the park will be open except for

the newly planted grass areas. These areas need about 60 days to seed properly, so we should have full use of our new park around the first of the year. The new Longs Drugs is scheduled for a soft opening by Labor Day. I am not sure what a soft opening means, other than the fact that not everything will be complete. Nonetheless, it will be great to have the store open for business and be able to shop downtown. One of the nice fea-

tures of this project is the trail connection. You will be able to walk and shop and leave your car at home. It also appears that the Village Market will be opening around the same time as Longs. I know owner Sam Sandhu is hoping for an earlier opening date and he is pushing real hard to make it happen. We are all looking forward to having our little country grocery store open again.

See Watch, page A7

See Mayor, page A8

Page A2

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

July 13, 2007

Around Town Peggy Arundell is Gardener of the Year

New coat of paint makes the old new again

Halden Oxenbol graduates from UC San Diego Halden Oxenbol, 2003 graduate of Clayton Valley High School, graduated from University of California, San Diego on June 17 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He worked on several energy related projects in his junior and senior year and is currently employed by Energy and Power Solutions Inc. in Costa Mesa. He lives in Southern California.

HALDEN OXENBOL,

The Clayton Historical Society Museum on Main Street is sporting a new coat of paint. Clayton resident Charlie Rowe (C.M. Rowe Painting) changed the trim from red to green and missed no detail getting the job done.

Clayton Police Department celebrates 35th anniversary

First grandbaby for the Laurences PEGGY ARUNDELL

Clayton gardener Peggy Arundell received the Bert A. Bertolero 2007 Gardener of the Year Award. The award is given for being active in club projects, contributing to club activities and offices, participation in community gardening projects and home gardening. Her ongoing community projects include the two butterfly habitat raised beds behind the library, Daffodil Hill and the Main and Center Street planters. She and her husband Don also tend the city garden by the Clayton Historical Society Museum. The garden is a butterfly, hummingbird and lizard habitat, as is their own yard. Peggy is also into organic gardening. Three compost bins provide fertilizer for her yard. She is a charter member of the Clayton Valley Garden Club and is currently serving as co-president. She also has been involved with the annual Historical Society Garden Tour since its inception and her garden was on the first tour.

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Pete and Sherie Laurence have a new grandson Asher Laurence Inugai. “We are so excited we don’t know how to stop grinning,” says Grandma Sherie. Asher was born on June 9 at Kaiser Hospital in Walnut Creek. He weighed 6 lbs. 9 oz. and was 20” long. Parents are Alain and Alana Inugai of Danville.

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The Clayton Police Department celebrated their 35th anniversary July 27 at the Hot Summer Nights car show on Main Street. Not one to miss a photo op, Museum Curator Mary dressed the museum mannequin in the department’s first uniform and stood it beside the department’s restored police car from the same era and snapped away. Visiting with his 1972 counterpart is Officer Rich Enea, Jr.

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Clayton $519,980 Chaparral Springs Townhome – Manzanita model offers 3BD/2.5BA close to hiking trails, Golf Course, award-winning schools! Soaring ceilings, open living and dining area w/a 2-way marble fireplace, plus a convenient laundry room to ease multi-tasking.

Clayton $845,000 Morgan Territory – Beautiful 20.75 acre parcel of land w/two possible building sites. Gorgeous views of the Morgan Territory Valley, Mt. Diablo and much more! Backs up to Mt. Diablo State Park. Perfect for horses or other livestock. Build your dreamhome!

Concord $799,980 Clayton Border – Outstanding reduction on 5 acre property that boasts an updated 3BD/3BA incl. an Inlaw unit w/separate entrance & 4-car tandem garage. Private & gated & Zoned A-2, this property offers a myriad of business opportunities: kennel, horses. Call today.

July 13, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page A3

Obituary

Robert D. Mazza July 7, 1938 – June 10, 2007

ROBERT (BOB) MAZZA

Bob Mazza, 68, of Concord passed away June 10 at Kaiser Hospital in Vallejo. Mr. Mazza, a native of San Francisco, was a lifelong resident of Concord. Bob was a bricklayer for 50 years with BAC 3 of Oakland and a masonry contractor for the last 26 years. He is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of 50 years, Hope; his children, Kathy; Bob and his wife Sherry of Clayton, Laurie and her husband Johnny, Coreen and her husband Jim, and Steve and his wife Lorrie; and grandchildren, Andrew (Elizabeth), Jessica (Mike), Anthony (Amanda), Dexter, Chris, James, Samantha, Nick, Domenic, Joshua, Genevieve, Jacob, Gabrielle and Drew. He is also survived by brothers, Fred Hunziker, Raymond Mazza, and Roger Mazza; and sisters Pat Campbell and Pam Mazza. He was predeceased by his parents, William Mazza and Lois Hunziker as well as a brother, Bill Mazza. The Funeral Liturgy and interment were held on June 20. Memorials in Bob’s name may be made to a favorite charity.

Around Town Lexon anniversary Ed and Rosi Lexon celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on June 30 at a party hosted by their four daughters and their families. The Oakhurst affair was attended by many of the couple’s friends and family. Ed and Rosi met in 1953 while they were both working for the telephone company in Oakland. Rosi’s friend, Pat Chanquet, thought they would make a cute couple. To get Ed to ask Rosi out, Pat told him that Rosi was interested in him, even though it wasn’t true at the time. Ed mustered up the nerve to ask her on a date and they got married four years later after Ed returned from the army. The Lexon’s four daughters are Lenette and husband Don DeWitt of Clayton, Cathy and husband Joe McClelland of Danville, Karen and husband Bob Bucey of Concord and Lisa and husband Rob Karmann of Clayton.

ED AND ROSI LEXON

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What is “ground level ozone” and why is it a problem? Ozone (O3) is a colorless gas formed when three atoms of oxygen bond together. About 90 percent of the Earth’s ozone forms naturally in the stratosphere, dozens of miles above ground. It forms the protective layer that shields us from overexposure to the sun’s radiation and is therefore considered “good” ozone. The rest of the ozone found on Earth occurs at ground level, and forms when nitrous oxides and various “volatile organic compounds” (VOCs)—originating with car exhaust, industrial emissions, chemicals and gasoline vapors, as well as some natural sources—bond together in the presence of sunlight. Ground level ozone, or “bad” ozone, is a key component of smog, which wreaks havoc on human health and the environment, especially in urban areas. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that exposure to even relatively low concentrations of ground-level ozone for extended periods (several hours) can significantly reduce lung function and cause respiratory inflammation in normal, healthy people. Symptoms can include chest pain, coughing, nausea and congestion. For people with asthma and other respiratory illnesses, exercising in ozone-rich air can be deadly. Repeated exposure to high levels of ozone for several months or more can produce permanent structural damage in the lungs. Beyond its effects on our health, the EPA estimates that pollution from ground-level ozone is responsible for nearly $2 billion in agricultural crop yield losses in the U.S. alone each year. The pervasive gas has also been shown to damage forests in California and the eastern U.S. and to contribute to global warming. Under the mandate of the Clean Air Act, the EPA is charged with monitoring and limiting the amount of ground-level ozone in urban areas, and issuing warnings when smog levels are above its standard of 0.12 parts per million. But new studies indicate that ground-level ozone causes adverse health effects at even lower concentrations. And, according to the EPA, even rural areas suffer increased ozone levels, because wind carries ozone and the pollutants that form it hundreds of miles away from their original sources. As a result, the EPA is reviewing whether revisions to ozone standards and policies are warranted. To help minimize ground-level ozone, avoid car trips and the use of power lawn equipment during especially hot or windless days. Paints and solvents, most which off-gas VOCs that create ozone and form smog, are also best to steer clear of with hot summer temperatures coming on strong. Those concerned about their respiratory health should follow local weather sources, most which post smog alerts. For more information, go to U.S. EPA Ground-Level Ozone Information, www.epa.gov/air/ozonepollution.

***** Outdoor Water Conservation Tips

Three Clayton girls to appear in STAGE Troup show Three Mt. Diablo Elementary students will be appearing in Lewis Carroll’s “Through the Looking Glass” on July 13-15 and July 19-22. Kristina Schoell, 11 will take center stage as Alice; Ariana Moghbel, 11, will appear as the Red Pawn and Melissa Schoell, 9, is Tulip, the flower.. The show is produced by STAGE Troup Musical Productions at the School House Cultural Center Theatre in Pleasant Hill. STAGE Troupe gives children from fifth grade through college age experience on stage singing, acting and dancing and is directed by Dona Foreman. For more information on STAGE Troupe or for show times and ticket information, call 682-0896.

With this last winter being the fourth driest on record, water conservation is the word of the day. Contra Costa Water District offers these tips for conserving water while preserving your outdoor landscaping: LANDSCAPE WATERING SCHEDULE: Managing your landscape watering schedule can be the single biggest water saving action you can take. Automatic sprinkler timers can be a great tool to save time, but if not managed, they can automatically waste water every day. Adjust the watering schedule at least monthly to reflect changes in the weather. Inspect your landscape, including the soil moisture, to determine if and when you need to water. For a typical home, reducing the watering schedule by one-minute on each sprinkler station will save more than 50 gallons per day. MULCH: Apply a 2 to 3-inch layer of mulch to your landscape. This will reduce water evaporation by up to 70 percent. It will also reduce weeds and keep your plants’ roots cool in the summer. LAWN: Turf grass or lawn is the single biggest water using plant in most home landscapes. Consider raising your lawn's mowing height to 2-1/2” – 3”. This keeps lawns looking better all summer and saves water. For more water conservation tips, go www.ccwater.com/conservewater.asp

MELISSA SCHOELL, KRISTINA SCHOELL AND ARIANA MOGHBEL

New grandchild for the Suttons Linda and Steve Sutton of Clayton have a new grandbaby. Ava Lynn Bloomquist joined her sister Natalie and their parents, Lisa and Willie Bloomquist at their Issaquah, Washington home on May 13. She weighed in at 7 lbs. 6 oz. and was 20 inches tall.

BABY AVA WITH BIG SISTER NATALIE BLOOMQUIST

We want to know what’s happening in your neighborhoods. Send your news of births, engagements weddings, anniversaries, special recognitions, etc. to info@claytonpioneer.com.

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Vintage tractor display will honor the vineyards and orchards of days gone by

July 13, 2007

MOR

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NOW OPEN! TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer

Clayton’s agricultural heritage will soon be memorialized by two vintage tractor displays— one in front of the library and the other on the hill at Clayton Rd. and Marsh Creek near the “Clayton Town Center” sign. Former Mayor and Councilman Pete Laurence first proposed the tractor display to the City Council last year. The Council approved the idea in concept but left the funding to private sources. At their last meeting, the Clayton Business and Community Association (CBCA) voted to fund the $12,000 needed to purchase the two tractors and mount the display. CBCA has already bought one tractor, the 1937 McCormick Deering that appeared in the July 4 parade, and are actively looking for a 1945-1950 era John Deere or Ford. The tractor display has been a

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

THIS 1937 MCCORMICK DEERING TRACTOR made its local debut in the July 4 parade and is one of two vintage tractors that will go on display by the end of the year to commemorate Clayton’s agricultural heritage. long-held vision of Laurence who hopes to foster an appreciation of Clayton’s agricultural roots. “Houses have been built and the orchards plowed under,” says Laurence. “We want Clayton kids

to understand that Clayton had an agricultural past and that food doesn’t come wrapped in Saran wrap from grocery stores.” Clayton originally grew up around the mining industry. In the 1890s, mining gave way to

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vineyards and Clayton began producing award winning wines, explains Laurence. When Prohibition passed in 1920 and the bottom fell out of the grape market, Clayton farmers tilled under the vineyards and replaced them with almond and walnut orchards. Ancient walnut trees are scattered throughout Clayton neighborhoods. The 1937 McCormick Deering, with its steel wheels, was typical of the type of tractor used in 1940s. It was purchased from a farmer in Woodland for $1,500 and will be displayed next to the “Clayton Town Center” sign. The other tractor will be in front of the library. “Both tractors will be interactive,” said Laurence. “Kids can climb on them. They can sit in the seat and pretend they are driving.” The tractors will be on a concrete base covered with a soft padding and kids will climb at their own risk, he noted. Laurence expects to have both tractor displays installed by the end of the year.

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Sat., Sept. 1, 2007 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This event is intended as an opportunity for family fun. Kids age 7-16 can register. There is NO fee to participate. Register by August 26th to get a free t-shirt and run in two races.

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Registration form available online at www.claytoncc.com

July 13, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page A5

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Hairdresser Moved Kelli from Clayton Station has moved to a new salon. For more information please contact me at 925-300-6800 if you need an appointment to have your hair done.

Greeter Clayton Historical Society Museum needs a greeter the second Sun. of each month from 2 4 p.m. Training is provided. If interested, call 672-0240, email claytonmuseum@sbcglobal.net or visit the museum between 2 and 4 p.m. on Wed. or Sun.

Pet Sitting Summer vacation plans? Pets taken care of? Call local resident Linda Pastor at Peace of Mind Pet Services. Reasonable rates, licensed, insured, bonded, PSI member.672-9781 or 2028781. Perennial Garden Design by Nicole Hackett AKA The Garden Girl. Personal consultations regarding plant choices, placement, identification, fertilizing and maintenance. Spring is just around the corner. Call or email for information and pricing. 925-6731746 (leave message) gardengirl94517@yahoo.com.

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The Clayton Community Library is seeking to fill the following volunteer positions: (All positions require a minimum age of 13 years and a 6month commitment. Training will be provided). Shelver - to shelve and sensitize books. Must be detail oriented, various days and hours. Lead Tutor (adult preferred) To act as liaison in matching the students needs with available tutors and other related administrative duties in our Tutoring Program. Must have excellent skills in dealing with the public, all age levels and group settings. Schedule is flexible as this position can mainly be handled at home over the telephone or email. Office Assistant - handle filing, word processing, create flyers, volunteer database input on Microsoft Access, assistance with meetings/programs. Contact: Arlene @ 673-9777 or email: akikkawa@ccclib.org.

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PIONEER INFO Tel: (925) 672-0500 Fax: (925) 672-6580

CONTACT US Tamara Steiner tamara@claytonpioneer.com Beth Neudell beth@claytonpioneer.com Send ads to ads@claytonpioneer.com Send Sports News to Randy Rowland or Meghan Pardi sports@claytonpioneer.com Send Club News to clubnews@ claytonpioneer.com Send Religion News to churchnews@ claytonpioneer.com

HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD Classified rates per insertion: Non-profit: $12 for first 30 words, $.20 each additional word Individual/non-commercial: $18 for first 30 words, $.30 each additional word Commercial: $48 for first 30 words, $.40 each additional word To place your classified ad over the phone, call the office at (925) 672-0500 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. Or, you may fax your typewritten ad and credit card information to (925) 672-6580 All classifieds must be paid for in advance by credit card (Master Card or Visa)

We will not accept any ad that discriminates on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, nationality, family status or disability. The Clayton Pioneer reserves the right to reject any advertising we believe is unsuitable.

LET US KNOW Weddings, engagements, anniversaries, births and deaths all weave together as part of the fabric of our community. Please let us know of these important events. We ask only that the announcement be for a Clayton resident. You will find the appropriate form for your announcement on our Website. Attach your photo to the form. Also on our Web site are forms for submitting Community Calendar items and

press releases for your organization.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Clayton Pioneer welcomes letters from our readers. As a general rule, letters should be less than two double spaced pages and submitted at least one week prior to publication date. Letters concerning current issues will have priority. We may edit letters for length and clarity. All letters will be published at the editor’s discretion. Please include your name, address and daytime telephone number. We will not print letters from “anonymous.” E-mail your letter in a Word Document to tamara@claytonpioneer.com. Letters MUST be submitted via E-mail.

P.O. Box 1246 6200 Center Street, Suite F Clayton, CA 94517 Office: 925.672.0500, Fax: 925.672.6580 TAMARA

AND

R OBERT S TEINER , Publishers

TAMARA S TEINER , Editor P ETE C RUZ , Graphic Design B EV B RITTON , Copy Editor and Feature Writer R ANDY R OWLAND , Sports Writer M EGHAN PARDI , Sports Writer B ETH N EUDELL , Administrative Assistant

Directory of Advertisers Abbey Carpets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-9901 A Clayton Window Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .914-0508 Acupressure for Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .674-0767 Aegis of Concord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .692-5838 Antioch Paintball Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .757-2468 Aircloud Wireless Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-4119 Allied Waste Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .685-4711 Andrus, Randi - Keller Williams Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .381-0659 Apronstrings Pet Sitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-7621 Benton, Mureleen - Ameriprise Financial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .685-4523 Beautique Beauty Supply and Salon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0405 Burkin Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1519 Butterfly Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4238 Calkins, Bill - Charlotte Clifford Realtors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-9164 Cartridge World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-3500 Carol Keane and Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .937-5200 CD Federal Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .825-0900 Chic'z on the Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-877-933-6644 Clark, Robert C., D.O. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .969-7530 Clayton Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-3325 Clayton Community Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-8957 Clayton Financial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-5470 Clayton Fitness and Tanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2010 Clayton Mind and Body Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-0686 Clayton Valley Bowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-4631 Clayton Valley Medical Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6744 Clayton Valley Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3900 Clayton Valley Villa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8401 Computers USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9989 Crossroads Covenant Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-5905 Cruise Adventures Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .935-7447 CTA Crossroads Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .944-0597 Dana Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .609-7789 Denim & Lace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0345 Diamond Terrace Senior Retirement Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-5100 Dromlewicz, Kim - Century 21 Hosking Assoc. . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4663 Englund's Tea Cottage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8327 Farrand, Greg - HomEquity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-9737 Flannery, Patty - Diablo Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0541 French, Lynne - Windemere Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8787 Golden Gate Satellite TV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-5959 Golf n Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .754-5053 Gotta Dance! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .825-7543 Help - U - Sell Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-4950 Hudak, Jim - Pianist and Composer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-7293 HomEquity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-9737 Insite Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6460 Kavanaugh, Mike - Re Max Accord Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . .383-6102 Kelly Marshall Garden Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .914-0327 Ken Mitolo Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2460 Laurence, Pete - Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .939-7920 La Veranda Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0011 Lillie's Realistic Body Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6013 Littorno, Richard - Attorney at Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6463 Lopez, Stephanie - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .932-7329 Marchione, Terry - Eagles Peak Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .465-0435 Michael Dwyer & Sons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3980 Mike's Auto Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-1739 Miller, Linda - HomEquity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .765-4765 Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1100 Moon, Steven Dr., Chiropractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-8400 Morucci, Kim - Intero Real Estate Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .280-8563 Music Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .946-2990 Nationwide Real Estate Investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .777-1920 Nature's Creations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-624-2188 Neptune Society of Northern California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .944-5100 Nichols Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9955 Nickerson, Glenna - Diablo Funding Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .227-0100 Nuchols, Alicia - Premier Home Loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . .691-5070 X 323 Nu Image Painting & Decorating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1777 Ouimet Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4242 Peregrine Lending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .627-2564 Postal Annex + . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8900 Rahimzadeh, Helen - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .932-7375 R&M Pool, Patio & Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0207 R.E. Carpet Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .595-8623 Reed, Ruth - Remax Accord Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-6731 Roberta Claire Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .625-1123 Rocco's Ristorante & Pizzeria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .947-6105 Saxbys Coffee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .687-9592 Seasonal Reflections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4425 Skuba, Arlene - REMAX Allied Brokers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6009 Skuba, Lana - REMAX Allied Brokers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-5501 Skylark Equestrian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .516-5942 Smith Bernal Roofing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0138 Sonset Flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .685-8200 Sparkle Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-5025 Stone Tree Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-2094 Straight Line Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .335-9801 The Maids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-6243 The Royal Rooster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2025 The UPS Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6245 Tipperary Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-2679 Van Wyck, Doug - State Farm Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2300 Volf Accountancy, L.L. P. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .889-4950 Vujnovich, George - Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4433 Williams, Mike - Williams Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-5363 Wooden It Be Nice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-5595

Page A6

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

July 13, 2007

Specializing in accounting, tax and consulting services for businesses and individuals.

On those hot days, keep your cool

DAN LAURENCE

FROM

THE

CHIEF

Hyperthermia is an acute condition that occurs when the body produces or absorbs more heat than it can dissipate. It is usually due to excessive exposure to heat. In its advanced state, hyperthermia is referred to as heat stroke or sunstroke. The heat-regulating mecha-

nisms of the body eventually become overwhelmed and are unable to effectively deal with the heat, leading body temperature to climb uncontrollably. This is a serious medical emergency that requires immediate medical attention. If not treated immediately or if you have continued exposure to heat, hyperthermia can lead to death. Although all of us are susceptible to this condition, elderly and young children are the two most likely groups to be affected if exposed to extreme heat for long periods of time. Pets are also affected by exposure to heat. The dangers of hyperthermia from inside parked motor vehicles are more likely to occur during this time than during

Club News Clayton Valley Garden Club decorates float for 4th of July parade Members of the Clayton Valley Garden Club met the evening of the July 3 to decorate JoAnn Caspar’s truck for the July 4 parade. With the help of Nicole Hackett at R and M Nursery, they were able to get the look they wanted. Carin Kaplan spent most of the time in the bed of the truck with Shannon Seven, Peggy Arundell and Marcia Hart bringing things to add.

CLAYTON VALLEY WOMAN’S CLUB The club invites the community to socialize at a Western Barbecue Luncheon on Tue., Aug. 7. The gathering time is 11 a.m., with lunch at noon at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1092 Alberta Way, Concord. Back Forty Restaurant will provide chicken, beans, green salad, rolls and dessert for $13. This will be a casual event, with participants encouraged to wear Western duds. All will have the opportunity to participate in a lively line dancing lesson with Enid Kissinger.

winter. On an 80-degree day, the temperature inside your vehicle can reach over 105 degrees in just 15 minutes. It is estimated that a vehicle with a light-colored interior can heat up to at least 135 degrees on an 80-degree day, even with the windows slightly down. The temperature inside a vehicle with a black interior can reach as high as 190 degrees. Leaving a pet or child in an unattended, parked vehicle in hot sun can lead to death in a short time. As a matter of fact, it is against the law under certain situations. California Vehicle Code section 15620 states: “A child who is 6 years of age or younger may not be left inside a motor vehicle without the supervision of a person who is 12 years of

age or older.” If an officer observes this condition, the fine can be at least $100. Criminal charges could be filed if serious injuries or death occur. My advice is to never leave young children, seniors or pets in a parked vehicle. Always lock your vehicle when parked at home to prevent small children from entering your car and becoming trapped. If you see a child or a senior sitting inside an unattended vehicle, call the police immediately. You may save a life.

guest and make new friends. Call Gloria Utley at 6720508 by the previous Monday for a reservation.

Claire Tryon, St. Bonaventure Church Rep., Youth Director and Chairman for Free Throw Competition, Poster and Essay Contests and Public Relation Chairman. The council will be busy this year with celebrations to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Knights.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS Concord Council 6038, serving Clayton and Concord, installed new officers on June 13. Officers not in the accompanying photo are Paul Devine; Chaplain and Vocations Chairman; Ed Burgess, three-year trustee; Jeff Aquino, two-year trustee; Art Shingleton, one-year trustee; Greg Watkins, Lecturer; and George Conlow and Claire Tryon, chapter delegates. Committee men for the new Columbian year are Bob Malucelli, Culture of Life; David Wood, St. Agnes Church Rep.; Mike McKay, Program Director and Community Chairman; Pat Kealey, Membership and MR Drive Chairman; Pat Deplazes, Necrology Chairman; and

Shar Volf Principal AICPA member #4347867 18 years of public accounting experience CALCPA member #210728

Volfaccountancy@yahoo.com P.O. Box 234, Clayton, CA 94517 (925) 889-4950

July 10 - 28 Tickets $29, $27 Seniors

Dan Lawrence is Clayton’s Police Chief. Please send your questions, comments or topics you’d like to see covered to DanL@cpd.ci.concord.ca.us

Music by Stephen

Sondheim Book by

James Lapine

1277 Boulevard Way, Walnut Creek

(925) 944-0597 www.ctacrossroads.org

FREE ft i Fitness G

*** Knight Claire Tryon has been selected by the California State Officers of the Knights of Columbus as the state World Youth Day Chairman. The international gathering of youth ages 18 to 30 will be in Sydney, Australia, in July 2008. Any Catholic/Christian youth who wishes to attend this event may contact Claire at 673-8564 or greyeototo@sbcglobal.net.

t to the firs s r e 25 call

The Ultimate Concept in Women’s 30-Minute Workout and Weight Loss Programs

Please submit your club news, events and announcements on our website at www.claytonpioneer.com.

Offer ends Tuesday, July 27, 2007

Reservations are required. Call Shirley Boyd at 672-1163 by Aug. 1. Clayton Valley Woman’s Club raises funds for local non-profit organizations. The 102 members also enjoy sharing pleasant times together, fostering friendships which contribute to successful projects. SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL OF DIABLO VISTA The club will hold Summer Lunches at noon on Wednesdays from now through August. Be the club’s

New Knights of Columbus officers, back row from left, Sumner Peery, Grand Knight; Mike McKay, Deputy Grand Knight; Patrick Kealy, Chancellor; Dennis Meyer, Warden; Elvis Castelino, Inside Guard; George Conlow, Oakland Chapter President; Rayce Anselmo, Recorder; David Wood, Treasurer. Front row, from left, Pat Deplazes, Financial Secretary; and James Grundman, Advocate.

Clayton, 5439 B/C Clayton Road Clayton Station/Safeway Shopping Center

925-672-4238 *Available on Stay Fit membership only. On first visit only. See club for details. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Offer may expire without notice.

Mike Kavanaugh

Just Listed

$100,000 Price Reduction

“Your Neighbor for over 20 years”

18 Jacobs Court, Concord

925-383-6102 mkavanaugh@ remaxaccord.com

Highly updated and set well back off Clayton Road this 2 bedroom 2 bath condo has all the amenities of units costing thousands more. This upgraded upper end unit boasts vaulted ceilings, wood burning fireplace, built in Plasma TV, 2 updated bathrooms, inside laundry, some stainless appliances, venetian plaster walls, one car detached garage and a security gate. Huge rear deck with enclosed storage overlooks the pool and spa. Best location in the complex. Last upstairs unit sold for thousands more. Offered at

$354,000

4807 Boxer, Concord

Pittsburg Highlands

This is a must see. Beautifully updated 3 bedroom 2.5 bath free standing condo directly across from Newhall Park and the lake. Enjoy the view of the lake and the ducks from the updated kitchen with tile floors and custom cabinets. Rich hardwood floors and crown molding in the living and dining room complete a fantastic downstairs living area. All of the bathrooms have been tastefully updated. A wood burning fire place, 6 panel doors and a 2 car garage are just some of the amenities of this exceptional property. This is a short sale and will not last.

Fantastic 4 bedroom 2.5 bath home in the Highlands. This home features an updated kitchen with granite counters and newer appliances, large family room with wood burning fireplace and formal living room with vaulted ceilings. There is also a separate office with built-in wet bar. All bathrooms have been updated and there are 6” baseboards and crown molding throughout. A custom front door with dual sidelights and newer dual pane windows complete the home. Don’t miss the fantastic back yard sportcourt area, built-in BBQ, RV/Boat parking and still room for a pool.

Offered at

$459,000

All Offers Considered

July 13, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com

Page A7

Watch, from page A1 Est.1972

Smith & Bernal

Roofing Repairs – All Types Tile repairs Wood shake Tar and gravel Gutters Inspections Bird abatement

Ken Mitolo

LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS Many Mitchell Canyon residents expressed concern that the open space offers easy access for criminals. While acknowledging that the residents “live in a vulnerable area,” Crain says she doesn’t see a correlation between trail access and home burglaries in Clayton. “That really has not been a factor in the egress of perpetrators. They are usually in vehicles,” she says. As part of the Neighborhood Watch process, residents can submit specific requests to the city. The Mitchell Canyon residents asked Young to inquire about having a fence installed at the end of the block. Residents recall a fence being there in the past, but not for at least the past seven years. However, the developers of the Oakhurst golf course own the land, so the city has no jurisdiction, says City Councilwoman Julie Pierce. Officials at Oakhurst were unavailable for comment regarding the property. “I don’t see why Oakhurst would care to put a fence there, since it’s so far from their course,” Pierce notes.

CONSTRUCTION

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Clayton resident

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Divorce . . . . . . . . . . . . .$399 Living Trust . . . . . . . . . .$499 Incorporation . . . . . . . .$399 Probate . . . . . . . .(call for pricing) We offer more than 100 services to meet your needs! LDA#68 We are not attorneys and cannot offer legal advice Olivia Moore-Wraa, owner, Clayton resident New n tio Loca

to determine if a vehicle is suspicious. “If she sees five different incidents in one day, then yes, she should call us,” he says. “But there has to be a balance for legitimately calling. What’s suspicious about a car just parked on a public road?”

4474 Treat Blvd., Concord (925) 246-0370 8395 A Brentwood Blvd., Brentwood (925) 513-2106 www.wethepeopleconcord.com

BATHROOMS KITCHENS DOORS WINDOWS

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CA Lic. #531028, Est. 1987

(925) 672-2460 serving the Clayton Community for 20 years. Clayton resident All work guaranteed.

NEIGHBORS

The Mitchell Canyon neighborhood was the third to hold a meeting since the Neighborhood Watch program was launched in Clayton this spring. Young also met with 15 Easley Drive neighbors who had traffic concerns, from speeding teens to moms using their neighborhood as a shortcut to the middle school. On June 25, Young spoke with 30 people from Tiffin Drive, Tiffin Court and Rolen Court.

According to Tiffin Drive resident Doug Hartelt, the neighbors had been talking about gathering for some time and news of the recent burglaries spurred them into action. “We were extremely impressed with Herb,” Hartelt says. “We really appreciated the meeting, and the literature he handed out backed up his statements.” Based on Young’s suggestions, Hartelt has some safety changes in the works. “There are some things we’re going to address, starting with more lighting outside the house,” he says. “And his call for locks on side gates struck a chord with me. I’m going to change my system.” The residents are compiling a phone/address list and soliciting for neighborhood “captains,” who will each be responsible for about 10 homes in the area. “They will become particularly close friends with their neighbors,” Hartelt says. “When you go out of town, you would call your captain.” The Tiffin area residents agreed to purchase several Neighborhood Watch signs. Once the residents pay $29.50 for each sign, the city takes over – ordering the signs and installing them. “We’re also planning a potluck picnic so that we can become better acquainted,” says Hartelt. Over on Mitchell Canyon, Gregerson says they are establishing a phone/email tree and considering splitting the group into several smaller ones. She believes the meeting was successful at getting the word out about the recent burglaries and ways to prevent crime. “I thought the information was good, and it was a good way to meet some neighbors,” says Gregerson. “We all need to stay informed and become more aware of our surroundings.”

With home security, better safe than sorry With or without an established Neighborhood Watch program, there are some basic safety tips every resident should heed. Here are some tips from Herb Young, who led Neighborhood Watch meetings in Concord for five years before volunteering in Clayton this year. Keep track of your keys. Don’t hide a house key under the mat, on the windowsill or under a rock. Herb Young suggests new homeowners have the house rekeyed. “You don’t know whom the former owner has given the key to,” he notes. Young also tells residents to remove their house key when having a car parked with a valet. “They can give the key to their friend, and they’ll take care of your house while you’re away,” he says wryly. Look for lots of light, but less landscaping. “The more lights you have on outside, the more likely the burglar won’t go there,” Young says. Meanwhile, avoid heavy bushes or large trees in the front yard. “I can see a burglar hiding right behind those trees,” he says, pointing to a Mitchell Canyon front yard. “You don’t want someone lying in wait for you.” Avoid an open invitation. Drive down any street in Clayton, and you’re likely to see at least one open garage. “That’s a perfect opportunity for a burglar,” notes Lynn Christ, office coordinator for the Clayton Police Department. “A lot of problems are caused by people stealing from open garages.” Young also reminds residents to lock the gate to the back yard and the side door to the garage. If the side door is part glass, consider replacing it with a solid core door. As for the door leading from the garage to the house, “check to see if your door hinges are on the inside,” he notes. “And for sliding glass doors, if the slider is on the outside, that’s not a good idea because that thing can be lifted up and taken out.” Keep up appearances. If you’re going on vacation, make it look like you’re still at home, Young advises. “Get those automatic timers for lights, even for the TV. Stop the mail and paper, or make sure neighbors pick it up religiously.” Residents may also request vacation checks through the police department. “Or you can ask your neighbor to do that,” says Young. “But make sure they have your emergency contact for when the water is running out the garage door.” Maintain your identity. According to Young, identity theft is one of the biggest crimes in Clayton these days. Keeping track of your mail is a good first step, from not placing outgoing mail in your curbside mailbox to shredding all incoming mail with identifying information on it.

For more information about Neighborhood Watch, call 673-7350.

Ryan Spangler Meat department manager Super Amazing and Incredibly Easy Grilled Tri-Tip MARINADE: For each tri-tip ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce ¼ cup soy sauce ¼ cup fresh or bottled lime juice 1 tablespoon minced garlic Combine marinade ingredients and tri-tip in a sealable plastic bag. Marinate 12-24 hours, turning 3 or 4 times. Pre-heat gas grill to 400° F. Place meat on grill top-side down for 3-4 minutes for nice grill marks. Flip over and reduce heat slightly. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in center reads 135°-140° F. for medium rare. Let rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain.

Where the meat is Choice and the parking is easy

USDA choice meats & poultry cut to order by our top notch friendly, neighborhood butcher

Harris Ranch Beef

freshest fish in town produce to please a deli to dazzle

Tri-Tip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7.49 lb. Baby Back Ribs . . . . . . . . . . . . .$4.49 lb. NY Steak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$11.99 lb. prices good through 7/18/07

Dana Foods-If you care what you eat. It’s worth the 10-minute drive down Concord Blvd.

4115 Concord Blvd. 925-609-7789 Store hours: Mon.-Sat. 8 am to 9 pm, Sun. 9 am to 7 pm

Page A8

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Letters to the Editor Fed up with speeding on Oak St. When we moved to our home on Oak Street, we noticed that there was a speeding problem. Oak Street is narrow and has no sidewalks. It’s the main drop-off and pick-up for school children. The long stretch of road makes speeding easy. I soon found out that I wasn’t the only resident concerned so I drew up a petition that the residents on Oak Street signed. There were a few meetings where we were told there was nothing the police or city could do. They claimed the speeding

wasn’t bad enough. Now there’s a parking problem during the Clayton events. The city prohibits parking on other streets during the festivals but not on ours. Without sidewalks, the parked cars force people to walk in the middle of the road. We have also had people parking on our property. What is particularly frustrating is that when we call the police they say there’s nothing they can do to remove a car from private property. The tow truck companies tell us they cannot remove the car, either. This Fourth of July, a car parked in our drive-

Upcoming Events FIFTH ANNUAL LABOR DAY DERBY SEPTEMBER 1 A fleet of soapbox derby cars will once again fly down Main Street as kids from 7 to 16 participate in the family-friendly Clayton Community Great Labor Day Derby on September 1.

way again. As I was on the phone, the owner came and found out I was trying to have him towed. He proceeded to threaten and curse at me, speeding away. The Clayton police told us of a code that would allow us to tow cars at OUR expense and our liability. We are in support of city events but not when parking issues are dangerous and put residents in bad positions. I wonder how the police chief or the mayor would feel if we used their driveways as parking lots for the events? I guess when you live in Clayton, the old saying rings true: You can’t fight city hall. -Marissa Doppe

July 13, 2007

Diamond Terrace Seniors say “thank you” We would like to thank the City of Clayton, Laura Hoffmeister and Mike Williams for the wonderful arrangements they made for us at the Fourth of July Parade. Most of us are seniors who have served in and lived through World War II. The accommodations set up for us made us feel special and appreciated. We were very happy to be included in this wonderful event. We feel proud to be residents of the City of Clayton. - The Seniors from Diamond Terrace Retirement Community.

Please submit your letters at www.claytonpioneer.com

doling out a lot of dough. Children can race from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. “Community Cars,” provided by various Clayton businesses are available for those who do not have their own car. If you want to build your own car, contact Mike Fossan at 672-1646 for information. Bottled water and sno-cones will keep everyone cool and there will be activities for the younger kids to keep them occupied. Adding even more excitement to the day is a Classic Car Show with close to one hundred classic cars on display. To register for the race, contact Peggy Bidondo at 672-9708. For information about the Classic Car Show, contact Don Holmes at 689-8759.

MOONLIGHT MOVIES JULY 13, 20 AND 27

And adding some excitement, and maybe a chuckle or two, will be an opportunity following the kid’s races, for any adult who can fit in one of the little cars, to hear the roar of the crowd and the rush of the wind as they head down the ramp and speed to the finish line. The event, presented by Clayton Community Church in association with IMC (Insurance Management Corporation), was created by Rev. Shawn Robinson as a way for families staying in town for the Labor Day weekend to have a great time without

July 4, from page A1 parade to members of VFW Post 1525 who marched in the honor guard. As the Blue Star Moms passed by later, the focus turned to those currently serving in Iraq. “The Blue Star Moms do a lot of work to help our men and women in the armed forces,” Ashley said as the crowd applauded solemnly. Boisterous cheers accompa-

nied the Kiddie Parade as it led off the parade up Main Street. The family of Colby Newton, 5, and his brother Chase, 3, whistled and waved as the boys passed by. Colby managed a quick thumbs up to mom Tamara Simbirdi while tooling along on his bike, which was decorated with pinwheels on the handlebars and patriotic balloons streaming off the back.

Mayor, from page A1 And finally, the Oak Center mixed use retail project across from Endeavor Hall is scheduled to start construction Oct. 1. It will take about nine months to build, so the center should be open for business next summer. Now for a safety tip: Barbecue season is finally here,

so enjoy yourself and stay safe. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that more than 500 fires and 20 injuries occur every year from propane gas grill fires and explosions of grills that have not been used for several months. Be sure to check your system out completely for

Take the whole family to the movies—for free. Clayton Community Church is again sponsoring outdoor movies and snacks in the parking lot next to the church on Main Street. July 13 is “Night at the Museum,” and pizza, July 20 is “Invincible” accompanied by hot dogs and sodas. The free movies wrap up on July 27 with “Happy Feet” and pizza. Bring a lawn chair and blanket for these great family movies on the big screen with surround sound. The movies are free. Donations, however will be gratefully accepted. “Happy Feet” will be showing July 27 “They’ve been in the parade every year since they’ve been born, and we love it,” says their mom. Yvonne and Josie Fimbres have been volunteering at the parade for four years, helping to line up the hordes for the Kiddie Parade. “We enjoy giving back to the community – that’s the most important thing – and also building up the esteem of the children,” says Yvonne. “It’s all about celebrating the spirit of the city of Clayton.”

leaks every time you use it. And remember, Anything important is never left to the vote of the people. We only get to vote on some man; we never get to vote on what he is to do (Will Rogers). As always, if you have any questions, concerns, comments or advice, please send me an email at wrwalcutt@aol.com.

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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com

Page A9

Molasses: the other sweetener

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Molasses is a thick syrupy byproduct of processing sugar cane or sugar beets into sugar. It was a major component of the American economy from colonial times up until the early 20th century. As a reward, the Georgia colony founders promised 16 gallons of molasses to every resident who survived a year. It remains an important ingredient in various foods, from

in many classic American recipes, such as shoofly pie and Boston baked beans. Blackstrap molasses comes from the third boiling and is dark, very thick and somewhat bitter. It’s often touted as a health food, although it is more frequently used as cattle fodder. The term “sulfured molasses” has to do with its use during the extraction

baked beans to gingerbread cookies. In a bizarre tragedy, more than 2 million gallons of molasses ripped through Boston in January 1919. A huge holding tank exploded and sent a 15-foot tidal wave of the gooey stuff through the streets of the city’s famous North End. Traveling at an estimated 30 mph, the molasses killed some 21 people, injured hundreds of others, demolished buildings and ripped out part of the elevated railway system. The cleanup and recovery took months and it’s said that one can still smell molasses in the neighborhood on hot, humid summer days. Less expensive than sugar, molasses was used principally as a sweetener by Americans but it was also used in great quantities to make alcohol. Industrial-grade molasses was used to manufacture gunpowder and other munitions. Distilled molasses is rum and was a major target of Prohibitionists. After World War I and Prohibition, molasses never regained its prominence. The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or beet, as well as the amount of sugar extracted during refining and the method of extraction. Light molasses (also known as treacle in Great Britain) remains after the sugar syrup is boiled and sugar crystals extracted. It is not only lighter in color but in flavor and is often found in pancake syrup. Dark molasses comes from a second boiling and is popular

process. Generally, non-sulfured molasses is lighter and mild tasting. Molasses can also be extracted from sorghum, carob, grape, date and pomegranate. A newly popular commodity is pomegranate

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“In a bizarre tragedy, more than 2 million gallons of molasses ripped through Boston in January 1919. A huge holding tank exploded and sent a 15-foot tidal wave of the gooey stuff through the streets of the city’s famous North End.” Linda Wyner molasses, which is being used in both savory and sweet dishes and in cocktails. It’s a steal at Middle Eastern markets (just a dollar or two), or you can make your own. POMEGRANATE MOLASSES 4 c. pomegranate juice ½ c. sugar ¼ c. lemon juice Bring ingredients to a boil over medium high heat and reduce to a simmer for 1 to 1½ hours. The juice should have a syrupy consistency and be reduced down to about 1 cup. Shoofly Pie is a staple Pennsylvania Dutch recipe. The name seems to derive

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from the physical effort expended to brush away flies attracted to the sweet filling. Here is a simplified version of this sugary treat. SHOOFLY PIE One 9-inch piecrust, unbaked 1 c. flour 2/3 c. brown sugar, packed 1 tsp. cinnamon ¼ tsp. salt 1 T. butter ¾ c. boiling water 1 tsp. baking soda 1 c. molasses 1 egg, beaten Preheat oven to 375°. Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and butter until they resemble coarse crumbs. Add soda to the boiling water, then the molasses and egg. Add crumb mixture (reserving ½ c. for topping the pie) and stir well. The filling will be lumpy. Pour into the unbaked pie shell, top with crumbs, and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and bake an additional 35-40 minutes, until nicely browned and firm. Cool completely before cutting. EASY BOSTON BAKED BEANS 1 onion, diced 1 T. rice bran oil or vegetable oil 2 16-oz. cans small white beans 1 15-oz. can pinto beans 1/3 c. ketchup ¼ c. brown sugar, packed 2 T. molasses 1 T. spicy brown mustard Salt and pepper to taste Preheat oven to 400°. Sauté onion in oil until translucent (not browned). Rinse beans and place in a 2-quart baking dish. Stir in onions, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses and mustard. Cover and bake 30 minutes or until the mixture is bubbly. If you wish to use a slow cooker, do not use dark or blackstrap molasses as it will become bitter during the long simmering.

Linda Wyner is an accomplished chef and “foodie.” She recently opened her kitchen store in Pleasanton and the cooking school will open soon. Watch the Pioneer for details. Direct your suggestions or questions to lwyner@ claytonpioneer.com

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Page A10

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

July 13, 2007

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Consider options when buying in a softening market LYNNE FRENCH

REAL ESTATE A couple of years ago, homebuyers were confident about making an investment in the housing market. With prices racing higher at a break-neck pace, how could they go wrong? Now, the housing market is softening. Home values may not increase much, if at all, for a while. In some areas, prices will drop. In high-end markets around the country, home prices have already declined from a year ago. Many buyers are wondering what will happen to housing values. Concerned about future home price appreciation, they’re questioning whether this is a good time to buy. No one knows for sure what will happen to home values in the short run. But, over the past 50 years, residential real estate values have increased at a rate that exceeded the inflation rate. A critical variable to consid-

er is your intended period of ownership. The real estate market is cyclical. If you buy at a peak and sell in a trough, you’ll lose money. But if you can wait out a downturn and sell when the market hits an up-cycle, you should come out ahead. Buying for a time period of less than five years is risky. Buyers who are thinking about relocating within a couple of years shouldn’t buy now, because the downside risk is too great. If your job situation is uncertain, postpone your home purchase until your finances are stable. Today’s market does offer opportunities for buyers with financial security who plan to buy and hold. Interest rates are almost as low as they’ve been since 1962. Lower interest rates make home buying more affordable, as do softening home prices. The inventory of homes for sale has increased in many areas. This means there is a better selection. And, the possibility of having to compete with other buyers for a home

has decreased. If you decide to buy now, make sure you buy from a seller who understands that the market has changed. Motivated sellers, who are realistic about the market, are pricing their homes accordingly. Take your time before making an offer. Review the inventory in your price range to make sure that you don’t pass up a good buy. In 2005, buyers who were in competition with other buyers made offers without contingencies to protect themselves. Sanity, and a reasonable standard of care, has returned to the home sale market. So be sure to include contingencies in your purchase contract. In addition to the standard financing and inspection contingencies, it’s a good idea to include an appraisal contingency for the property to appraise for the purchase price. Due to the softening market, some appraisals are coming in low. If you make an offer without an appraisal contingency and the home appraises for less than the purchase price, you could have

At the Movies

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while raiding a nearby house for better things to eat. Armed only with a stolen cookbook, he winds up in the kitchen of its author’s Paris restaurant – and is unable to resist lending a paw when talentless wanna-be Linguini (Lou Romano) spoils the soup. Rat and man team up to follow the dream they share. Fortunately, the wacky slapstick possibilities of hiding a rat in a restaurant are treated as a subplot. The real story is Remy’s drive to create beautiful things in the kitchen. Not only does this separate him from his family, but his need to work through Linguini frustrates him. Food seems to be in Linguini’s blood as well – but in an entirely different way. The life of the restaurant kitchen A rat named Remy (right) dreams of becoming and its denizens are a great French chef despite his family's wishes brought to vivid life. Notables include as a superhero romp. In the tyrannical head chef Skinner same way, “Ratatouille” is an (Ian Holm), who snarls adult film – a film about becom- “Welcome to Hell” on ing an adult. Linguini’s first day, and sub-chef Remy (voice of Patton Colette (Janeane Garofalo), who Oswalt) is a fastidious diner is driven to prove herself in this amid a swarming nest of man’s world. garbage-scarfing rats. But he Alas, Disney’s usual gynediscovers a love for cooking phobia is in place. It’s highly

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Pixar offers up a tasty, tantalizing ‘Ratatouille’ “Ratatouille” celebrates the joys of artistic expression and hard work and the need to define yourself away from family roles. It’s passion for cooking makes this a perfect cinematic accompaniment to “Babette’s Feast” or “The Big Night.” And, oh yeah, it’s a Pixar cartoon about a talking rat. “Ratatouille” is writer/director Brad Bird’s second film for Pixar. His first, “The Incredibles,” was a story about mid-life crisis, cleverly disguised

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to make up the difference in cash. Some buyers will try to time the market so that they buy at the lowest point in a cycle. This is difficult to do since it’s only through hindsight that we know that a cycle has bottomed. Many buyers prefer to buy when everyone else is buying, even if it means paying outrageously high prices. However, the best buys will be made between now and the next upcycle, while there are fewer buyers in the market and more listings. Finding a home to buy is rarely easy, so plan to buy when you find the right house. Interest rates won’t stay this low indefinitely.

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ironic for Colette to rail about the “stupid old men” who made the rules about cooking, when she is the sole female of note in the entire film. Not even a female rat makes an appearance. Pixar’s visuals are as stunning as ever. Paris by night and the fog-shrouded banks of the Seine are as beautifully rendered as the orderly chaos of Gusteau’s kitchen. Unlike far too many summer films (cough, “Pirates,” cough), the beautiful images are always in service to the story they help to tell – not a substitute for plot or character. Will Remy and Linguini produce a dish to conquer the palate of restaurant-destroying food critic Anton Ego (Peter O’Toole)? What of Linguini’s mysterious past? Will Skinner finally see the rats? Why do the principals have American accents? Not all these questions are answered, but the film is well worth seeing – whether you’re a Pixar fan or a foodie. Jane Mailander is a secretary and a freelance writer. She’s written movie review and short stories and appears for 10 seconds in the film “Trekkies 2.” Email her at movies@claytonpioneer.com.

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July 13, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page A11

Editor wasn’t deterred by rain on memorable Falls Loop hike My column this issue is dedicated to Jill Bedecarré, Assistant Editor and Advertising Manager of the Clayton Pioneer, who lost her life to breast cancer on June 16. For the many who knew Jill, I’m sure each of us has our own special story about her that makes us smile. On a rainy March morning in 2005, I spent three hours hiking the Falls Loop Trail with Jill and saw just how full of life she was! I guess you could call this re-print a Hiker’s Dedication, of sorts. We’ll miss you, Jill.

KEVIN PARKER

HIKER’S HAVEN JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer

At 9 a.m. on March 19, the skies opened up and torrential rains soaked Clayton’s streets and trails. But the wind and rain didn’t dampen the spirits of 10 dedicated hikers who made a commitment to Clayton Pioneer’s Avid Outdoorsman,

Kevin Parker, to hike to the falls under his expert guidance…rain or shine. The 10 of us met at Regency Gate at the end of Mountaire Parkway and prepared for a rough road ahead. We hiked for about 30 minutes before the skies started to clear, and we were happy to strip off the wet stuff and dry out. Kevin led us off the fire road and into the hills, which took us across rocky creeks, past raging falls, up steep ravines, and down narrow trails. We admired spectacular vistas, unusual flowers and picture-perfect green hills. We dodged poison oak, which threatened us at every turn, and we climbed and climbed to about 1,500 feet elevation. Whenever Kevin suggested we stop for a water break, we knew some steep climbing was coming our way. We groaned when a

Church News ETERNAL LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH Children and their parents are invited to uncover the truth about Jesus at “Quest for Truth” Vacation Bible School,

6:30-8 p.m. Wednesdays in July. Kids 3-12 will meet friends, explore Bible stories, do fun activities, sing great songs, make crafts, play games and eat snacks.

Trailhead: End of Regency Drive or Mountaire Parkway Distance: 5.0 miles +/Time: 3.0 hours Elevation Gain: 1500 feet +/Difficulty: Strenuous Poison Oak Factor: Green Alert: On every step of the trail

Kevin Parker/Clayton Pioneer

After a wet and punishing climb to 1500 feet, Kevin parker snapped this photo as Jill took a welldeserved, albeit soggy, rest break before heading back down the mountain.

sharp turn revealed another incline and we cheered when it was downhill for a spell. We marched single file on most trails, but still managed to chat along the way and learn just a little bit about each other’s lives. All in all, we hiked a fivemile loop in three hours and

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returned safe and sound, albeit a little muddy and tired. If the rain kept you from joining us for this incredible docent-led hike to the falls, you might want to give it a try with some friends. As Kevin advises, don’t forget water, a snack and some good outdoor gear (no cotton please,

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Pretty and puffy, cumulus clouds mean weather is good

WOODY WHITLATCH WEATHER WORDS

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some of us found that out a little too late). We might even get Kevin back to lead yet another stellar hike. Perhaps Mother Nature will be a tad kinder for that one.

Here are the trails we hiked: Donner Canyon Road (from the trailhead) Left on Hetherington Loop (bypass trail), which hooks back up with Donner Canyon Road Right on Meridian Ridge Road, immediate left onto Middle Trail. Left on Falls Trail which connects to Olympia Trail. Right on Olympia Trail, left on Wasserman Trail Wasserman Trail connects to Bruce Lee, which drops you back to Donner Canyon Road and back to the trailhead. Confused? Tell everyone to consult a map.

Clouds are often seen as signs of bad weather. During winter storms, skies become overcast and often deliver rain and rain showers. Thunderstorm clouds seem to reach the upper limits of the atmosphere and can deliver torrential rains, lightning and even spawn tornadoes. However, there is a class of clouds associated with good weather. These clouds are known as fair weather cumulus clouds. Fair weather cumulus clouds can develop at any time of the year. They are known for their flat bases and distinct outlines. Often described as puffy cotton balls floating in the sky, fair weather cumulus do not extend very high into the atmosphere. Like most clouds, fair weather cumulus clouds are formed as air rises. In this case the impetus for the upward motions is the sun. After a rain-producing weather front moves through, high pressure builds behind the front. Typically skies are clear when this happens, but the air near the ground retains some moisture. When the afternoon sun heats the earth, the air nearest the ground becomes much warmer than the air above it. Since warm air is less dense than cooler air, it begins to rise. Rising air cools as it is lifted, and a parcel of air warmed by the sun will rise until it

cools to the same temperature as the surrounding air. You can visualize this process by observing what happens when you put a pan of water on a stove and heat it. Once the bottom of the pan gets warm enough, air bubbles form and rise to the top. Similarly, when the sun heats the ground, bubbles of air rise above the surface of the earth. The rising air takes the moisture it holds with it. When air cools and the mois-

nearly the same, and when heated by the sun, reach the lifting condensation level at the same time. Fair weather cumulus clouds are usually only a few hundred feet thick and typically dissipate in less than an hour. In the Clayton area, fair weather cumulus clouds are not observed too often in the summer season because the air is so dry that surface heating doesn’t lift the air to the lifting condensation level. They are

A series of fair weather cumulus clouds dot the afternoon sky.

ture content doesn’t change, the relative humidity in the parcel of air will rise. If the relative humidity in a parcel of air reaches 100 percent and the parcel continues to rise and cool, then the excess water vapor will condense into liquid drops. Clouds are a collection of water droplets in the sky. Meteorologists define the point that liquid drops form in a rising parcel of air as the lifting condensation level. When we look at cumulus clouds and see a flat base at the bottom, that is the lifting condensation level of a cloud. The cloud bases are flat because the temperature and moisture conditions of all the lifted air parcels in an area are

common in winter and spring afternoons, especially after a rainstorm passes. When you observe fair weather cumulus clouds, it is not necessary to get out the umbrella. But the cumulus cloud family does have some bad-tempered members, like the cumulo-nimbus clouds that produce thunderstorms. In future articles, I’ll discuss atmospheric conditions that cause cumulus clouds to develop and produce thunderstorms and tornadoes. Woody Whitlatch is a meteorologist with PG&E. Email your questions or comments to clayton_909@yahoo.com

Page A12

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

July 13, 2007

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view lot overlooking hills & canyons! 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, approx. 2,748sf, inside laundry & 3 car garage. Formal living with neutral carpet & plantation shutters. Formal dining room features upgraded 13” tile floors & plantation shutters. Large family room offers a contoured ceiling with built-in speakers featuring surround sound, a ceramic log fireplace, media recess & cabinet. Gourmet kitchen with tile counters, island & upgraded 13” tile floors. Huge master suite! Fantastic private lot offers lush lawn areas, custom patio & a secluded deck with relaxing spa. $949,000

a serene court setting adjacent to greenbelt & miles of walking trails! 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, approx. 1,740sf, inside laundry & 2 car garage! Parquet entry extends into cozy family room with slider to courtyard. Neutral décor, 2” blinds & new carpet throughout! Updated gourmet kitchen features gorgeous granite tile counters, parquet floors, bay window eating nook with hillside & wooded views. Living room offers a stone fireplace with raised hearth. Dining area with elaborate chandelier & slider to deck! Spacious master suite with dual closets. Awesome totally private lot boasts plenty of room for a pool & features a great trellis covered redwood deck with built-in bench seating & relaxing spa with wooded & Mt. Diablo views. Sprawling lawn, lots of trees, ornamentals, roses & large side yard! $739,000

JEFFREY RANCH!

GARAVENTA OAKS

Single Story with fantastic court location! 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, approx 1926sq ft & 2 car garage. Open floor plan with neutral decor. Recent Updating & Upgrading throughout featuring dual pane windows, tile floors, 2” blinds, new paint, light fixtures and more! Living room features vaulted ceiling, hardwood floors, recessed accent lights, and large walk in guest closet. Formal dining room off kitchen with upgraded crown moulding. Updated/Upgraded kitchen features granite slab counters, 18” tile floors, oak cabinets with built-in wine rack, pantry style cupboard with pull out drawers, free standing stainless oven/range and microwave. Spacious master suite with sliding glass door to patio and upgraded light fixture. Private pool size lot with custom brick accented stone insert patio’s, enclosed refreshing spa, paved side yard with shed and RV/Boat parking. $699,000

Beautifully updated and upgraded! 4 bedroom 3 bath approx 2,134sf with inside laundry and 2 car attached garage! New dual pane windows, roof, and heating/AC. Step-down living room with vaulted ceiling, plantation shutters & views of neighborhood park. Updated gourmet kitchen features gorgeous granite tile counters with diagonal laid backsplash, under counter lighting, Euro style cabinets, “Dacor” oven and gas range, “Franke” dual sink with oversized wash basin and vegetable sink and sunny garden window. Breakfast nook offers a bay window, upgraded light fixture, glass front display cabinet and pantry style cupboard. Family room features upgraded dual French doors with opening side panels and granite tile wet bar with sink. Spacious master suite with double door entry and ceiling fan. Updated master bath features marble floor, dual sinks, and expanded/oversized shower with floor to ceiling tile surround and Hans-Grohe shower unit. Walk in closet. Lot is a secluded oasis with private refreshing spa, vine covered trellis over deck, relaxing fountain, brick patio with raised planter, and colorful flowers. $659,000

BLACK DIAMOND AT OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB!

Stunning “Horseshoe” model!

on a premium golf course lot situated on the 11th fairway with spectacular Mt. Diablo, course & Heritage oak views! 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, approx. 1,749sf, inside laundry & 2 car garage! Many upgrades include: laminate floors in kitchen, nook, living & dining rooms, designer paint colors/scheme, plantation shutters & 2” blinds. Living room with vaulted ceiling, upgraded marble fireplace & views. Separate dining room with upgraded chandelier. Gourmet kitchen offers a spacious eating nook & pantry. Spacious master with sitting area & sweeping views! Great lot backs to tranquil golf course setting with stunning $625,000 views, deck, built-in benches, aggregate patio, lush lawn, lots of flowers & ornamentals.

NG I D PEN

EAGLE PEAK AT OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB!

Fantastic “McKinley” model! on a prime view lot overlooking hills, city, valley & beyond! 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, approx. 3,005sf, 2 fireplaces & 3 car garage. Beautifully updated & decorated. New carpet & designer paint colors. Desirable downstairs bedroom & full bath. Formal dining room features Tuscan columns & sweeping views. Step down living room looks out to hills. Gourmet slab granite kitchen with breakfast nook overlooking valley views opens to spacious family room with brick fireplace & granite dry bar. Gracious master suite offers a romantic two-way fireplace & sitting area with sweeping views. Private lot features a deck great for entertaining & enjoying the picture perfect views of hills, city & valley below. $875,000

D SOL

Mortgage Market Update Conforming $417,000 or less

Jumbo $417,001 and up

30 year, fixed for 3 . . . . . . . .6.25% 30 year, fixed for 5 . . . . . . . .6.25% 30 year, fixed for 7 . . . . . . .6.375% 30 year, fixed for 10 . . . . . . . .6.5% 15 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.375% 30 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.625%

30 year, fixed for 3 . . . . . . .6.125% 30 year, fixed for 5 . . . . . . .6.125% 30 year, fixed for 7 . . . . . . .6.375% 30 year, fixed for 10 . . . . . .6.375% 15 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.5% 30 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.875%

Clayton Market Update Provided by George Vujnovich of Better Homes Realty ADDRESS 410 Wawona Lane 3401 Coyote Circle 62 Weatherly Drive 372 Blue Oak Lane 514 Raven Place 20 Ohlone Lane 17 Long Creek Circle 50 La Honda Court 160 Mt Etna Dr 812 Chert Pl 1055 Feather Circle 923 Arrowhead Terrace 1403 Indianhead Way 6022 Golden Eagle Way 17 Capistrano Court 5866 Caulfield Drive 1 Mount Wilson Way 277 Mountaire Pkwy 84 Bear Place 216 Round House Pl 7 Donner Creek Ct 5923 Cardinet Drive 1419 Indianhead Way 6031 Golden Eagle Way 1884 Ohlone Heights 5127 Keller Ridge Drive 3066 Windmill Canyon Drive 967 Tiffin Drive 25 Mt Wilson Way 1774 Indian Wells Way 1019 Feather Circle 102 La Encinal Court 11 Donner Creek Court 3165 Bragdon Way 1487 El Camino Drive 302 Mt. Sierra Place 5226 Keller Ridge Drive

PRICE $875,000 $503,500 $695,000 $975,000 $714,000 $689,900 $409,000 $775,000 $518,000 $625,000 $650,000 $615,000 $482,000 $665,000 $900,000 $752,500 $445,000 $875,000 $795,000 $585,000 $438,900 $817,500 $567,000 $840,000 $660,000 $771,000 $775,000 $685,000 $443,000 $620,000 $579,000 $775,000 $475,000 $2,550,000 $629,000 $874,950 $875,000

SALE DATE

6/29/07 6/29/07 6/29/07 6/26/07 6/26/07 6/22/07 6/21/07 6/20/07 6/20/07 6/20/07 6/19/07 6/15/07 6/12/07 6/12/07 6/11/07 6/10/07 6/8/07 6/7/07 6/7/07 6/5/07 6/5/07 6/1/07 5/31/07 5/31/07 5/30/07 5/29/07 5/25/07 5/24/07 5/22/07 5/16/07 5/15/07 5/11/07 5/10/07 5/7/07 5/04/07 5/04/07 5/02/07

3005 1554 1781 3454 2053 1877 966 2390 1442 1939 1638 1904 1145 1816 2500 2017 1075 2960 2894 1749 1113 1870 1745 2854 1561 2313 2315 1456 1075 1797 1338 2,390 1,457 5,310 2,070 3,275 2,894

BED/BATH 4/3 3.2.5 3/2.5 5/3.5 3/2 3/2.5 2/2 4/2.5 3/2 3/2.5 3/2.5 3/2.5 2/2 3/2 4/2.5 4/2.5 3/2 5/3 5/3 3/2.5 3/2 4/2 3/3 4/3 3/2 4/2.5 4/2.5 3/2 3/2 3/2.5 3/2 4/2.5 3/2.5 4/4 3/2.5 5/3 4/3

CLAYTON PIONEER July 13, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Section B Page B1

Congratulations to the winners of this year’s July 4 photo contest Third Place, Under 12 wins $20 Calvin Jones, 11

Second Place, Adult wins $75 Emerson Gordon-Marvin

Second Place, Under 12 wins $30 Rose Peterson, 11

First Place, Adult wins $100 Linda Johnson, Diamond Terrace

Third Place, Adult wins $50 Jessica Law (age 13)

(925) 672-8787 www.LynneFrench.com Lynne@LynneFrench.com

omeone who’s always on the go and always in the know, Lynne French’s natural energy and positive personality drive her to make the most of every moment, whether it’s in her hobbies, in her home life with husband, Danny, or in her role as one of the area’s leading real estate professionals.

With such a determined approach, it’s easy to see how Lynne has made such a

lasting impact through her long-running real estate career. By working her hardest and providing the most possible options, she has helped many Discover the Possibilities in the East Bay Area real estate market. Whether you’re buying or selling, Lynne French and her team are the ones to know for a higher level of service. Give them a call today and experience the difference for yourself.

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Page B2

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Clayton Sports Devil Mountain Pentathlon dedicated to swim mom

July 13, 2007

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SHOWN HERE AT THE 1997 CONCORD CUP SWIM CHAMPIONSHIPS, Jill Bedecarré was famous for getting the Dana Hills Swim Team coaches advance notice of the event seedings. The trick? Her ad agency printed the program every year. Special to the Pioneer

This weekend’s Devil Mountain Pentathlon is dedicated to Jill Bedecarré, who was a key member of the Dana Hills swim team family over the past two decades. Bedecarré, who died June 16 from cancer, served in a variety of volunteer capacities over the 17 years her family was part of the Otters. “I primarily knew Jill around the pool, and it was easy to see how much she loved being involved with the team and with the families on the team,” says team president Rob Schussman. “I’m sure there will be many times in the future where I’ll remember her and her energy and fun spirit.” Schussman says a number of families approached him after Jill’s passing to be sure that the team recognized her life and her contributions to the team. The swim team board requested that her family allow them to honor her myriad contributions to the team at the Pentathlon. “In recognition of all that she meant to the team over the years, and especially to her dedication that helped drive the success of the first years of the Devil Mountain Pentathlon, we

dedicate the 2007 Pentathlon to her memory,” he says. The 13th annual Devil Mountain Pentathlon will feature 750 recreational swimmers from 11 teams in central Contra Costa County descending on the Dana Hills swim complex in Clayton. The two-day event includes the hosts and Bishop Estates, Springwood, defending champion Pleasant Hill Dolfins, Pleasant Hill Aquatics, Forest Hills, Martinez, Oakhurst, Vista Diablo, Walnut Country and Ygnacio Woods, which was not in last year’s field. The unique format has each swimmer competing in five races: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and individual medley (a race that includes one lap each of the four strokes). The combined time in all five races determines placings. The meet rewards swimmers with the best all-around capabilities rather than most meets, where specialists in each stroke get the prizes. A and B division awards are given to swimmers in each age group. The Bedecarré family joined the DHST in 1989, a year after they moved into the community. At that time, the team was in a 17-yard neighborhood pool.

This non-regulation pool meant the team could not host home meets and also could not properly train its swimmers since all swim meets are held in 25-yard pools. In 1990, a group of swim team leaders, including Matt Mazzei, Steve Sutton, Nancy Scott. Keith Stothers and Ray Vignola, spearheaded a drive to redo the Dana Hills pool into an eight-lane, 25-yard pool and complex in the shadow of Mt. Diablo that is the envy of most clubs in Contra Costa County. The new pool sparked an increase in the size of the team and began an unprecedented period of success that has seen the Otters win all but one Concord City Meet championship since 1992. During that time, Jason, Julie, Justin and Jared Bedecarré were members of the team, with all four earning individual and numerous relay championships at the Concord City Championships for the Otters. Eventually, Jason and Julie were inducted into the DHST Hall of Fame. Julie was the last of the four Bedecarré kids to compete for Dana Hills, aging out in the 2005 season. She helped the Otters as a pre-season coach this year.

Their mother and father, Jill and Jay, were active members of the team but it was their mom who provided a spark to the club. She participated in virtually every job on the team. She was a board member (serving as vice president for several years), meet director, head shepherd, meet announcer, timer, carpool driver, publicist, ad salesperson for the Pentathlon program and a presence at nearly every Otter meet for those 17 years. Her cheers for her children and every other Otter swimmer were legendary. “Jill Bedecarré was an extremely valuable member of the Dana Hills community,” says former head coach Paul Adler. “As a board member, Jill provided incredible leadership for our team. I will always appreciate her support for the coaching staff, and we could always rely on her encouragement throughout the season.” Along with Tom Brassil, Jill was the “voice of the Otters” as an announcer during home swim meets. “She kept parents and fans enthused about the races,” Adler says. “The team’s success was a result of many leaders within the Clayton

See Pentathlon, page B3

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July 13, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page B3

Clayton Sports

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Alicia “Ali” Roberts enjoys playing soccer “for the fun of it and for the great teammates.” She was nominated as this month’s Athlete Spotlight by Rich Taylor, her Mt. Diablo Soccer League (MDSL) U15 coach. The 14-year-old is an incoming freshman at Clayton Valley High School. Ali is a good student, completing her final year at Diablo View Middle School with a 3.66 GPA. Ali has been playing soccer for nine years. She started out playing U6 with the Mt. Diablo Soccer Association (MDSA) and played two years of select at U10 before joining MDSL competitive soccer. With MDSL, Ali played for the class I Tsunami before joining Xtreme. This season will be her third with the team. Ali is a valuable natural left footer. She

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ALICIA “ALI” ROBERTS can play anywhere on the left side but mostly plays left forward or left fullback. Xtreme has been a successful team, winning five tournaments and placing in three others last season. This year, the team is set to play in the gold flight in league and has a full tournament schedule, including stops in Santa Cruz, Fort Bragg and Pacifica. “I think we have a really good team this year, and we expect to place in a lot of tournaments and do well in league,” Ali says. At the urging of friends, Ali also ran

track and field for St. Bonaventure CYO this year. In the season-ending meet, she placed first in the high jump at 4 feet, 3 inches. Ali tried high jump for the first time in sixth grade P.E., deciding “to stick with it because I thought it would help my soccer game.” In addition to playing club soccer with MDSL, she plans to try out for the soccer team at Clayton Valley. She may also try out for volleyball. The Clayton Pioneer spotlights a local youth athlete from our circulation area in the second issue each month. If you are a coach or an administrator and would like to nominate a young person (under 20 years of age) for the Rocco’s Athlete Spotlight, please send information to sports@claytonpioneer.com or fax to 672-6580. Nomination deadline for our Aug. 10 issue is Sunday, July 29.

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Pentathlon, from page B2 community, and Jill’s positive energy and attitude helped make the team what it is.” Jim Zewan recalls working with Jill when he was president in 1999. “The Dana Hills

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due to legal and risk concerns they had. So, we really had our hands full that year,” he says. “Jill contributed extensively to the by-laws while she continued to work on the team’s swimmer/parent handbook,” Zewan notes. Another active club parent, Kathy Terborg, says working with Jill was wonderful. “She had patience, energy and organizational skills to make any job go easier. She taught me how to do the head shepherd’s job and how to organize clerk of the course for Pentathlon and league to keep the meets moving,” Terborg says. “She always had a smile and could keep her cool when things didn’t go as they should. Jill was always there when I needed an announcer, desk help or timer for the meets. If she was at the meet, she was there to help fill in any gaps as needed,” Terborg adds. “She will be missed by all who knew her.” When Mike and Toni Biel came up with the concept for the Pentathlon as the main fund-raiser and invitational

event for the club to host each year, Jill was a major supporter of their efforts. “The beautiful setting of the Dana Hills community, along with the festive atmosphere of families getting together, huddled under their tents and popups, socializing, reading, relaxing, kids playing and the competition makes it a special event,” says Schussman. “Jill helped create this wonderful event that brings families and athletes together.” On Saturday, the 6 & under and 7-8 age groups for boys and girls will be held along with the 9-10 girls. The 9-10 boys, 11-12, 13-14 and 15-18 age groups are all held Sunday. The Pentathlon starts each day at 9 a.m. and runs until about 4 p.m. Admission is free and the snack shack will be open both days. The pool is at the corner of Mountaire Parkway and Mountaire Circle. All 115 DHST families volunteer their time in some manner for the Pentathlon. Dana Hills coach Andrew Savine will perform the national anthem. Laura Rogers is meet director.

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Page B4

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

July 13, 2007

Clayton Sports On the road or off, the bike’s the thing RANDY ROWLAND Clayton Pioneer

Take Jim Stickney and Eric Dennis off their bike seats and out of their cycling shorts, and they are lost. For the two Clayton men, cycling is more than a recreational activity, it is a way of life. Jim’s preferred mode of transportation is a 27-speed Sequoia road bike, while Eric struts his stuff atop a custommade model. Jim first completed a distance ride when he was 17, going from Disneyland to Menlo Park on Highway 17. He has been an avid rider ever since, logging an average of 50 miles per week. He has ridden the Lake Tahoe loop many times and completed the Wine County Century 100-mile ride twice. He now often rides in the Berkeley hills. Jim tore his meniscus (knee cartilage) and had it surgically repaired in 2001. After a year of inactivity, he resumed biking. “The surgery was the best thing to have happened to me, cycling-wise,” Jim says. “If anything, I have become much more aware of taking care of myself.” In addition to thinking about diet and hydration, Jim is a proponent of bicycle safety. “I had a fall in which I hit my head on the pavement. Had it not been for wearing a helmet, the injury could have been much more severe,” he says. Jim, who is the pastor of St. John’s Episcopal Church in

Randy Rowland/Clayton Pioneer

JIM STICKNEY LOGS AN AVERAGE 50 MILES per week on his Sequoia road bike, frequently riding to raise money for charity.

Clayton, now does several rides a year for Episcopal Charities in Contra Costa County. Sponsors pledge money, which is given to organizations such as homeless

shelters and 12-step programs. His last ride raised more than $3,000 to benefit those in need. In contrast to road cyclists are the mountain bike

enthusiasts, and that’s where Eric comes in. He began riding mountain bikes around 1990. “Growing up, mountain biking was not an option,” he says. “But after first riding one, I never wanted to go back to a road bike.” He is also a safety-first advocate and insists on wearing a helmet and other gear. He owns five different models, but Eric’s current bicycle of choice is a single speed, custom-made, fully rigid mountain bike. He likes its simplicity. “It requires less maintenance, and it forces you to ride the mountain, so it is a better workout,” says Eric, who averages 60 to 80 miles and three or four rides a week. Eric rides in Tahoe, Downieville and Santa Cruz. He has participated in several charity rides from Folsom to Monterey to raise money for multiple sclerosis. He is currently training for the Oregon Mountain Biking Festival in August. This will be his second year participating in the three-day event, which takes in 30 to 40 miles of “incredible scenery” a day alongside the Willamette River. When Eric is not riding his bike, he can usually be found doing something with daughters Rachel and Kim and wife Lisa. He somehow also manages to get in more than 70 games per season as a referee with the Mt. Diablo Soccer Association and most recently was involved as a ref administrator for the Concord Cup in May.

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Clayton Valley High School football season is a month away, and preparation is in full summer mode, including two successful summer camps. Expectations and excitement are at a high in the Eagle camp. “We’re undefeated,” joked veteran defensive coordinator Jerry Coakley, a resident of Clayton. The ’06 Eagles advanced to the North Coast Section 3A play-offs, losing the opener to Irvington (Fremont) 21-14 in the closing moments of a winnable thriller. It marked the eighth time in 10 years the team qualified for post-season action. Herc Pardi is entering his 12th season as the Eagles mentor and head coach. The 2007 CV varsity and junior varsity participated in the full contact Dick Tomey/San Jose

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State University Team Camp June 17-20. Both squads finished in the top three in the final day “King of the Hill” scrimmage in Spartan Stadium. Four hundred campers attended the four-day event. The varsity lost on a last play semi-final match to Corona High School, an outstanding So-Cal prep team with 32 seniors and a number of Division I recruits who went on to win San Jose State camp honors over Roseville. Varsity players recognized by the coaching staff as having an outstanding camp include Clayton residents Kevin Tellian, Dan Roper, Luis Casuga, Nick Cole, Brady Raye and Steve Stallone. Other varsity hopefuls with a good camp are Keith Franklin, Dan Gentry, Pablo Santa Cruz, Dozie Iwuagwu,

See Football, page B10

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July 13, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

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Clayton Sports Dana Hills Otters score historic victory at Battle of the Ages JUSTIN BEDECARRÉ Special to the Pioneer

When 6-year-old Niklas Weigelt hit the water for the 50yard freestyle in the last event of the Battle of the Ages swim meet, he was not only competing against the eight swimmers in his heat, but he also raced against a formidable history for the Dana Hills Otters Swim Team to earn enough points to thrust his team to victory. His second-place finish worth seven points, gave the Otters a two-point advantage over Valley Vista and their first team title at the 16th annual Battle of the Ages at Pleasant Hill Middle School in late June. Niklas’ performance capped an impressive team effort by the Otters. Dana Hills scored 529.5 points, edging Valley Vista with 527.5 and the East County Stingrays with 451.5. Alina Weigelt, age 8, won the

50 free with a time of 37.46 as well as the 25 fly (17.54) and 25 free (15.89). She placed fifth in the 25 breast, earning 31 points as high-point swimmer in her age group for the Otters. Anthony Vizenthal, age 5, was the other individual high point winner for Dana Hills. He won the 25 free (22.85), 25 fly (33.80) and 25 back (25.74) and placed second in the 25 breast (41.08), accumulating 34 points. Several Otters won individual events, giving the team a crucial nine points each. Jenna Stelzner inched out a win by 1/10th of a second in the 100yard IM. Dana Hill won the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke. Derek Anderson won the 50 free, 50 back by more than two seconds and defeated the field in the double distance 100 free. Michael Chiok outlasted his opponents in the 200 free to finish first. Lily Stagner won the 50 free and Patrick Keane won the

Battle of the Ages: Dana Hills’ results

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18 YEAR OLDS Girls – Kelsey Brassil: 100 Free 5th (1:02.67), 100 Fly 5th (1:08.87), 100 Back 3rd (1:10.90), 200 Free 4th (2:20.66) 17 YEAR OLDS Girls – Dana Hill: 100 Free 1st (1:00.38), 100 Fly 2nd (1:09.15), 100 Back 1st (1:08.86), 200 Free 3rd (2:14.09) 16 YEAR OLDS Boys – Patrick Keane: 100 Free 5th (54.91), 100 Breast 1st (1:03. 78); Chris Mills: 100 Back 6th (1:07.06), 200 Free 3rd (2:07.24) 15 YEAR OLDS Boys – Michael Chiok: 100 Free 4th (55.93), 100 Fly 2nd (59.96), 200 Free 1st (2:08.88)

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14 YEAR OLDS Boys – Ian Livingston: 50 Breast 4th (39.42), 50 Fly 6th (36.82) Girls – Jessica Pearson: 50 Free 7th (27.85), 100 Free 6th (1:02.37), 50 Back 4th (32.48) 13 YEAR OLDS Boys – Derek Anderson: 50 Free 1st (25.68), 50 Back 1st (31.12), 50 Breast 6th (38.91), 100 Free 1st (57.54), 50 Free 1st (57.54); TJ Brassil: 50 Fly 4th (30.47), 100 Free 6th (1:05.28), 100 IM 6th (1:14.14); John Keane: 100 IM 7th (1:18.43)

Photo courtesy of the Dana Hills Swim Team

COACHES CHRIS YANG, MATT ZACHAN, Kelsey Brassil and Andrew Savine with Battle of the Ages high point winners Anthony Vizenthal, 5, and Alina Weigelt, 8.

100 breast for 16-year-old boys. The entire Dana Hills Swim Team, spanning ages 5 to 18, contributed to the win. The Otters are gearing up

Girls – Jenna Stelzner: 50 Free 2nd (27.43), 100 Free 2nd (1:00.07), 100 IM 1st (1:08.81); Paige Reilly: 50 Fly 4th (33.47), 100 IM 8th (1:21.59), 100 Free 5th (1:11.61); Cherllyn Brock: 100 Free 7th (1:11.96), 50 Back 8th (39.26) 12 YEAR OLDS Boys – Jared Deely: 50 Free 4th (28.28), 50 Fly 2nd (30.40), 100 Free 2nd (1:04.44), 100 IM 5th (1:14.84); Michael Bare: 100 Free 8th (1:16.25) Girls – Nikki Palmer: 50 Free 2nd (26.92), 50 Fly 3rd (30.87), 100 IM 4th (1:12.16); Samantha Boeger: 50 Free 6th (28.75), 100 Free 4th (1:07.37); Sonny Schmidt: 50 Free 7th (29.50), 50 Fly 4th (32.64), 100 Free 7th (1:08.23) 11 YEAR OLDS Boys – Carter Newton: 50 Free 6th (30.71), 100 Free 4th (1:12.49); Michael Fryer: 50 Breast 7th (40.47), 100 Free 6th (1:15.32); Nick Bazan: 50 Fly 7th (37.30), 100 Free 5th (1:14.12), 100 IM 8th (1:25.09), 50 Back 4th (36.56); Ryan Calkins: 100 Free 8th (1:21.50) Girls – Megan Schussman: 50 Breast 6th (39.90), 50 Fly 6th (34.08), 100 IM 8th (1:18.43); Kimberly Anderson: 50 Breast 8th (40.68); Taylor Ryle: 100 Free 6th (1:10.96); Gabby Brown: 100 Free 7th (1:11.67) 10 YEAR OLDS Boys – Tanner White: 50 Free 6th (32.28), 50 Breast 6th (48.96), 50 Fly 6th (38.90); Robbie Parker: 100 Free 6th (1:23.67) Girls – Justine Trimble: 50 Free 3rd (32.11), 50 Breast 4th (42.31)

for their three big August meets: Contra Costa Swim League, Concord Cup City Championships and County Meet.

9 YEAR OLDS Boys – Liam Calkins: 50 Free 2nd (35.18), 50 Fly 3rd (42.49), 50 Back 2nd (44.19), 100 IM 3rd (1:35.15) Girls – Melissa Schoell: 100 Free 3rd (1:23.17), 50 Fly 7th (42.22), 50 Back 2nd (40.96), 50 Free 7th (35.10); Aubrie Russo: 100 Free 6th (1:38.88) 8 YEAR OLDS Girls – Jenna Livingston: 25 Breast 3rd (22.89), 25 Free 7th (16.64); Alina Weigelt: 25 Breast 5th (23.57), 25 Free 1st (15.89), 25 Fly 1st (17.54), 50 Free 1st (37.46); Tori Klock: 25 Free 4th (16.62), 25 Back 8th (22.40), 50 Free 8th (39.44); Bailey DeSchane: 50 Free 4th (38.58), 25 Back 4th (20.35) 7 YEAR OLDS Boys – Jonathan Williams: 25 Free 6th (20.11), 25 Back 6th (23.16) Girls – Lily Stagner: 25 Free 4th (18.13), 50 Free 1st (41.11), 25 Back 7th (24.47) 6 YEAR OLDS Boys – Niklas Weigelt: 25 Free 8th (20.94), 25 Breast 2nd (29.04), 25 Fly 3rd (23.20), 50 Free 2nd (43.81) Girls – Alex Brown: 25 Breast 4th (29.81), 50 Free 7th (1:03.14); Brooke Johnson: 50 Free 5th (57.72) 5 YEAR OLDS Boys – Anthony Vizenthal: 25 Free 1st (22.85), 25 Breast 2nd (41.08), 25 Fly 1st (33.80), 25 Back 1st (25.74) Girls – Spencer DeSchane: 25 Free 4th (34.08), 25 Back 4th (40 70); Julia Deely 25 Fly 3rd (43.20), 25 Breast 7th (53.25), 25 Back 3rd (37.61)

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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

July 13, 2007

Clayton Sports MDSL teams excel at California Cup

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Photo courtesy of Russ Marines

VELOCITY TEAM MEMBERS: Back row, Leah Aguirre, Alison Marines, Brigitte Leblow, Melissa Del Bene, Jennifer Crider, Kate Miller, Lindsey Parscal, Sophia Jorgensen and Morgan Jong. Front Row: Robreauna Ruiz, Elyza Montano, Sarah Alitaha, Kaila Wakida, Stephanie Burg, Belinda Ruvalcaba, Kendall Sullivan and Shayana Gois.

RANDY ROWLAND Clayton Pioneer

MDSL Velocity, a U14 girls class I team from Mt. Diablo Soccer League, reached the semifinals of the prestigious California Cup US Club tournament in Sacramento June 29July 1. The team, made up of 17 girls from Clayton and Concord, has reached the semifinal game of this tournament three out of the past four years. They were a U11 team in 2004 and a U13 team in 2006. The tournament attracts the best and most successful class I teams from Northern California, Washington, Arizona and Oregon. This year, Velocity made another excellent run before falling 1-0 in a penalty kick shootout to Santa

Rosa United Gold. For the 2007 tournament, 16 teams were drawn into four groups of four teams. MDSL Velocity was in a bracket with Mustang Fury, San Juan Premier and last year’s finalist, Sacramento United. They kicked off the tournament with a 1-1 tie against local rival Mustang Fury from Danville. Later that afternoon, Velocity beat San Juan 3-0. Going into the third game Saturday morning, Velocity required a win or a tie to advance. After trailing 1-0 most of the game, Velocity equalized and moved on to play Davis Legacy in the quarterfinals. After another incredible back and forth game against a physical Davis team, the game was tied 1-1 and went to overtime. Following a scoreless overtime,

Sports Shorts PRO SOCCER COMES TO CVHS On July 14, the USL-San Francisco Seals will play one of their scheduled games at Clayton Valley High School. The SF Seals will take on the Los Angeles Storm, for a 5:30 pm. match-up. The Seals have generously offered to help support the Mt. Diablo Soccer Leagues Financial Aid Program. Tickets are available online at

the game was decided 7-6 on a penalty kick shootout. Velocity came out on top after Jennifer Crider made two tremendous saves. Leah Aguirre nailed the final PK to make sure Velocity advanced. In the semifinal the following morning, Velocity played another fantastic game against Santa Rosa United Gold. Neither team could outlast the other during regular time and overtime, finishing 0-0. So again the teams went to penalty kicks. Unfortunately, Velocity fell short this time. Alison Marines scored three goals over the weekend, and Clayton residents and Diablo View students Brigitte Leblow and Kendall Sullivan were outstanding all tournament. “This was my first big tournament for Velocity, and I

BEARS SOFTBALL ASSOC. TRYOUTS

www.mdslsoccer.org and at the following retail locations: Soccer Magic in Walnut Creek and Antioch and Parma Deli at the El Monte Shopping Center in Concord. Tickets prices are Youth $7, Adult $9. Groups of five or more are $7 each. The Seals along with the MDSL will also be offering a mini camp for U-9 through U-12 Boys and Girls from 2 – 3:30 p.m. at CVHS cost is included in admission.

The Bears Softball Association is holding tryouts for the Fall 2007 season on Aug. 18-19 at Clayton Valley High School, 1101 Alberta Way in Concord. Tryouts will be held at 9 a.m.-12 p.m. for U14 and U16 and from 1-4 p.m. for U10, U12, and U18 Gold. This is a Fast Pitch Travel “A” softball league. The Bears softball Association is for girls from 10-18 years of age. For more information, go to www.bears-softball.com or email bears@bearssoftball.net, or call 510-748-0611.

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really wanted to do well,” Kendall says. “I felt a huge sense of accomplishment making it as far as we did.” She thinks the team will have a “very good season and is a really strong team.” Returning to the team after a one-year absence, Brigitte said the Cal Cup is one of her favorite tournaments. “There is a lot of great competition, and I like the challenge,” she says. Brigitte also believes the team will have another good season. “We have a lot of new players this year and we are working hard to become a team,” she adds. MDSL Velocity is a fifthyear club team that has placed first or second in D4 Competitive league and GSSL in each of its four seasons. The team won five tournaments in the past two years and was a finalist in four others. The players are coming off a second straight CYSA State Cup semifinal appearance. Several other MDSL teams also advanced in the tournament. The U11 Boys Blue Lightning made it to the quarterfinals. The U12 Boys Azzurri lost the quarterfinals in a penalty kick shootout. The U15 Boys United lost the semis in a penalty kick shootout. The U11 Girls Shockwave and the U13 Girls Arsenal both made it to the quarterfinals.

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Clayton Community Calendar PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M., JULY 18 FOR THE JULY 27 ISSUE. FAX TO 672-6580 OR E-MAIL calendar@claytonpioneer.com EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT THROUGH JULY 27 YMCA Summer Camps @ Clayton Community Gym Experience the Bay, Ultimate Sports Camp, Wizard Camp, Drama Camp, Lego Camp - Pre-Engineering, and Young Performers Camp for various ages. Clayton Community Gym, 700 Gym Court, Clayton, Call 609-9622 for more information. THROUGH AUGUST 7 Solve the Pup’s Name Mystery @ Clayton Community Library A new clue will be posted in the library each week. Enter as often as you wish. A drawing from all correct answers will determine the winner - $50 gift certificate to local bookstore. 673-0659. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton. THROUGH - AUG. 15 Teen Game Days on Wednesdays @ Clayton Community Library 3 - 7 p.m. Drop by and stay cool at the Clayton Community Library and play Clue and other board games in the Young Adult area. 6730659, Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton.

THROUGH - AUG. 20 “Get a Clue” Summer Reading Program @ Clayton Community Library Super sleuths can discover the key to summer reading fun with programs for babies - adults. Sign up and get a “reading record” on which to track your reading. Read books and get prizes. The program is free. For all ages. 673-0659, Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road. JULY 10 - JULY 28 Into the Woods @ CTA Crossroads Theatre If you think you know your fairy tales, think again. This brilliant Tony Award-winning musical tells the story of a childless Baker and his Wife; a maybe-not-so-Wicked Witch, and an indecisive Cinderella, among others, as they make their hopeful ways while seeking their heart's desire. Music by Stephen Sondheim, Book by James Lapine. Tues: July, 24, Wed: July 25, Thurs: July 19, 26, Fri: July 13, 20, 27, Sat: July 14, 21, 28 at 2 p.m., Sat July 14, 21, 28 at 8 p.m. Tickets $29, $27 Seniors. 944-0597, www.ctacrossroads.org. CTA Crossroads Theatre, 1277 Boulevard Way, Walnut Creek. JULY 13, 20, 27 MOONLIGHT MOVIES IN CLAYTON @CLAYTON COMMUNITY CHURCH 7:30 p.m. 7/13-Night at the Museum, 7/20-Invincible, and 7/27Happy Feet. Enjoy hot dogs or pizza, popcorn, otter pops, ice cream and more. We have a great selection of movies this year for your family's entertainment. Showtime will be at sunset. Join us for fabulous flicks on a giant screen with awesome surround sound in our parking lot on Main St. 673-9060. Clayton Community Church, 6055 Main Street, Clayton. JULY 13 Contra Costa Mineral & Gem Society @ First Presbyterian Church 7:30 p.m. Discussion, led by Rick Kennedy, is about the Benitoite Gem Mine- Past, Present and Future. Rick is one of the foremost collectors and experts on the Benitoite. Guests always welcome. For information call 429-2748. Contra Costa Mineral & Gem Society meets the second Friday of each month. First Presbyterian Church, 1965 Colfax Street, Downtown Concord (corner of Salvio and Colfax Streets). Free parking at City of Concord Garage. JULY 13-15, JULY 15-22 "Wonderland" @ School House Cult. Center Theatre in Pleasant Hill 7 p.m. matinees 2 p.m. on July 14, 15, 21, and 22. Youth theater group musical production of Wonderland. All shows will be at the School House Cultural Center Theatre, 2050 Oak Park Road, P.H. JULY 16 Profiling Competition and Customers @ Pleasant Hill Library 7 - 9 p.m. Developing a competitor and customer profile is crucial to the success of a business. Developing and growing your business is an exercise in asking and answering questions. Do I have competition, and who is the competition? Randall Shores, Consultant with the Contra Costa Small Business Development Center is the speaker. No charge. To register, call the Contra Costa Small Business Development Center at 646-5377 or e-mail cjensen@contracostasbdc.com Subject line: workshop title. Pleasant Hill Library, 1750 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill. JULY 16, 23, 30 Children's Book Club @Clayton Community Library 2 p.m. For children 8 - 10 years old. This year's club will be reading and talking about mystery and adventure stories. Sign up today! 6730659, Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton. JULY 16, AUG. 13 Introduction to Museum Docents @ Lindsay Wildlife Museum 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Are you seeking a truly rewarding volunteer experience? Lindsay Wildlife Museum needs docents. Sign up for a class to watch docents in action. No experience necessary. Fee $8.00 non members, $6.00 members. Please call Polly Gusa at 627-2944 to enroll. JULY 18, JULY 25 YMCA Sponsored Modern Day Treasure Hunters @ Clayton Community Library July 18 Clayton Community Library, July 25 Corner of Clayton road and Peacock Creek Drive. 4 - 7 p.m. Participants are invited to start their adventure anytime during the 3-hour block. Bring the whole family for an outdoor scavenger hunt using a handheld GPS (Global Positioning System) system unit. Track clues while exploring the Clayton trail system to unlock a treasure chest with prizes. Personal, onsite

instruction is available for use of the GPS. For ages 5 and up. $2 per person. Bring your own GPS or rent one for only $5. Contact Deborah Osteen, 482-5705, www. Moderndaytreasurehunters.com JULY 23, 25 Classic Mystery movie festival featuring Peter Sellers and his panther companion @ Clayton Community Library 6:30 p.m. Peter Sellers in his best roles as Inspector Clouseau chasing the famous diamond. 673-0659. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton. JULY 28 Classic Mystery movie festival featuring Peter Sellers and his panther companion @ Clayton Community Library 1:30 p.m. Double feature! The famous pink diamond goes missing once more. Clouseau's old boss escapes from an insane asylum and tries to do him in. 673-0659. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton. JULY 30 - AUG. 3 Peewee Sports Camp @ Clayton Community Gym Pre - K. Call 609-9622 for more information. Clayton Community Gym, 700 Gym Court, Clayton. AUG. 6 - AUG. 10 Art Mania Camp @ Clayton Community Gym 1st - 4th grade. Call 609-9622 for more information. Clayton Community Gym, 700 Gym Court, Clayton. AUG. 11, 12 Japanese Summer Festival @ Concord Japanese Cultural Center Sat. 1 - 9 p.m., Sun. 12 - 8 p.m. The festival features Japanese food, exhibits, and demonstrations. Admission is free, and there is free parking at Ygnacio Valley High School, with a free shuttle to the Festival. More information is available at www.diablojaclub.com or by emailing jasummerfestival@ yahoo.com. Concord Japanese Cultural Center, 3165 Treat Blvd., Concord. AUG. 12 Concord Mystery Book Club @ Concord Library 2:30 - 4 p.m. All mystery readers are invited to participate and explore a different genre each month. Group meets the second Sun. of the month. Concord Library, 2900 Salvio Street, Concord, 646-5455. AUG. 13 - AUG. 17 Basketball Camp@ Clayton Community Gym 1st - 6th grade. Call 609-9622 for more information. Clayton Community Gym, 700 Gym Court, Clayton. AUG. 20 16th Annual Clayton Valley High School Athletic Boosters Club Golf Tournament @ Oakhurst Country Club 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Lunch and registration, 1 p.m. tee off. Sponsored by Clayton Valley High School the tournament benefits the football and golf programs as well as the Athletic Boosters Club. Contests on the course include hole in one, longest drive and closest to the pin. Golf is followed by a dinner/banquet, raffle prize drawing and silent auction. Your "significant other" can join you at the banquet. Entry forms and additional information can be found at www.cvhsboosters.org or by contacting the Tournament Chairman, Fred Roper, at 925-548-4451 or fred.roper@att.com .

CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS JULY 14, 28 Scrabble Club @ Carl's Jr. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Come down and play a game of Scrabble. All ages and skill levels. Prizes and contests. $2.00 to play. Club meets the second and fourth Sat.of the month. Carl's Jr., 1530 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton. JULY 15, 22, 29 Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting @ Clayton Community Church 7 - 8 p.m. AA Big Book Study, every Sunday night in the meeting room at Clayton Community Church, 6055 Main Street, Clayton, 673-9060. JULY 17 Concord Chamber of Commerce Women in Business Group @ Aegis Senior Living 11:45 a.m. Live your passion, make it happen, hosted by Aegis Senior Living. Bring your daughter or other young woman for half price. $20 for Chamber members, $30 for non-members. Aegis Senior Living, 4756 Clayton Rd, Concord. JULY 17, 24, 31 Kiwanis Club of Walnut Creek 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Meetings every Tues. All are invited to check us out and be our guest for lunch. Massimo’s Ristorante, 1604 Locust St., Walnut Creek. For more information call Sam Totah, 941-1536. JULY 19 Concord Chamber of Commerce Business after Hours Mixer @ Best Western Heritage Inn 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. After hours mixer featuring a food drive for Food Bank of CC & Solano counties. Best Western Heritage Inn 4600 Clayton Rd. Concord JULY 19, 26 Rotary Club of Clayton Valley Concord Sunrise @ Oakhurst 7 a.m. Meets every Thurs. for breakfast and usually features a speaker. www. claytonvalleyrotary.org. Chuck Graham 689-7640. Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Drive, Clayton. JULY 19, 26 Weights Watchers Weekly Meeting @ CC Farm Bureau Building 10 a.m.and 5:30 p.m. Weekly Weight Watchers weigh-in and meetings on Thurs. 800-326-8450 x 2023. Contra Costa Farm Bureau, 5554 Clayton Rd., Concord. JULY 19 Veterans of Foreign Wars Meeting @ Veterans Memorial Hall, Concord 6 p.m. Meeting begins. at 7 p.m. VFW meets the third Thurs. of the month. All Veterans of foreign wars are invited to attend. The VFW is

here to support eligible Veterans and their families. Wives and daughters of eligible Veterans are invited to join the Ladies Auxiliary. Meetings are held at Veterans Memorial Hall, corner of Colfax and Willow Pass Road, Concord. JULY 24 Clayton Valley Woman's Club @ Holy Cross Lutheran Church 9:30 a.m. .Coffee, 10 a.m. Meeting. Meetings are held on the second & fourth Tues. of the month. For more info, please call Joyce at 6723850 or Sheila at 672-7947. Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1092 Alberta Way, Concord. JULY 25 Blue Star Moms Meeting in Concord 6:30 p.m. Small group Blue Star Mom meetings held the fourth Wed. of each month. Blue Star Moms is a support and service group for those serving in all branches of the Armed Forces. 1792 Elmhurst Lane, Concord. Call 676-3654 for information. AUG. 2 Sons in Retirement Meeting (SIRS) @ Oakhurst Country Club 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Meetings are the first Thurs. of the month. SIRs is dedicated to promoting the independence and dignity of retired men and has no initiation fees or dues. The only requirement, other than being a man who is retired from his primary employment or career, is attendance at the monthly luncheons. For more information about joining SIRs, Branch 19, call Al Brunner at 687-0594. Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Dr., Clayton. AUG. 5 Knitting Club @ Concord Library 2 - 4 p.m. Have you noticed that knitting is all the rage? Join the group and get creative. Club meets the first Sun. of the month. 6465455, Concord Library, 2900 Salvio Street, Concord. AUG. 7 Clayton Valley Woman's Club Barbecue Luncheon @ Holy Cross Lutheran Church 11 a.m. The barbecue luncheon will be catered by Back Forty Restaurant. The price is $13.00, and required reservations should be phoned to Shirley 672-1163 by Aug. 1. The entertainment will be a line dancing lesson. Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1092 Alberta Way, Concord. AUG. 7 Knights of Columbus @ St. Agnes Church Hall 7:30 p.m. General membership meeting of the Knights of Columbus Concord Council 6038 of Concord and Clayton is the first Tuesday of the month. We look forward to seeing our brother Knights there. St. Agnes Church, 3478 Chestnut Street, Concord. AUG. 8 Creekside Artists Guild Meeting @ Clayton Community Library 7 p.m. All levels and all art forms are welcome! Join this unique group of eclectic artists that meet the 2nd Wednesday of each month. S-T-RE-T-C-H your artistic boundaries and bring artwork to the meeting that creatively expresses this months theme, "WATER" if you wish. Hear the details on the upcoming fall event, workshops and local gallery. "We provide an environment for all artists to inspire, create, educate and prosper". Questions? Arlene Kikkawa-Nielsen (925) 673-9777 or nielsenjanc@aol.com. Visit our website: www.creeksideartists.org. AUG. 8 Clayton Valley Garden Club @ Diamond Terrace 7 p.m. The Clayton Valley Garden Club meets the second Wed. of the month. The Club maintains the flowers on Daffodil Hill, the planters on Main and Center St., the raised garden beds behind the Library, and other civic projects. Anyone interested in gardening is welcome at our meetings. Call Jeff at 672-7579 for info. Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center St., Clayton.

BUSINESS & GOVERNMENT JULY 12 Clayton Community Services Commission @ Clayton City Hall 7 p.m. The committee meets the second Thursday of the month. Clayton City Hall, 6000 Heritage Trail, Clayton. JULY 17, 24, 31 Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Meeting @ County Administration Building 9 a.m. County Board of Supervisors holds regular weekly meetings Tues. mornings. Open to the public. www.co.contra-costa.ca.us 3351900. County Administration Building, 651 Pine Street, Room 107, Martinez. JULY 17, AUG. 7 Clayton City Council Meeting @ Clayton Community Library 6 p.m. City Council meets on the first and third Tues. of the month. Open to the public. Agendas posted at City Hall, 6000 Heritage Trail. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Rd., Clayton. JULY 24, AUG. 14 Planning Commission Meeting @ Clayton Community Library 7p.m. City of Clayton Planning Commission meets 2nd and 4th Tues. of month. Open to the public. www.ci.clayton.ca.us 673-7304, Clayton Library Community Room, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton. JULY 26 CBCA (Clayton Business & Community Assoc.) Meeting @ Oakhurst 6:30 p.m. Monthly dinner meeting, last non-holiday Thurs. of the month. Reservations due by Tuesday noon prior, 672-2272. Mike Fossan, President. Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Drive, Clayton. AUG. 13 Clayton Trails & Landscape Committee Meeting @ Library Meeting Rm 7 p.m. The committee meets the second Monday of the month. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton.

Page B8

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

July 13, 2007

‘Coal Black Horse’ is a powerful story of war and adolescence Robert Olmstead has given us a little literary gem in “Coal Black Horse,” the tale of 14year-old Robey Childs, who has been sent by his mother to the battlefield to bring his father home. The tone and content of Olmstead’s story is almost mystical. Robey’s mother, left to run the farm while his father is gone to soldiering during the Civil War, has a premonition and tells her son, “Thomas Jackson has died. It is now over.” Thomas Jackson is better known to us as Stonewall Jackson, a pivotal leader of the Confederacy. She further tells Robey, “There’s no sense continuing.” She paused and sought words to fashion her thoughts. “This was a mistake a long time before we knew it, but a mistake nonetheless. Go and find your father and bring him back to his home.” The battlefield Robey must reach is Gettysburg.

SUNNY SOLOMON

FOR

THE

BOOKS

Rachel Childs sends her son out protected by her advice--he is not to trust anyone on his journey--and her gift--he is to wear, at the appropriate time, the jacket she has sewn with one side gray and the other blue. Robey is both submissive and rebellious. He doesn’t question his mother’s command to bring his father home, but when, early on his journey, he realizes his own farm horse is not up to the task, he breaks with his mother by trusting the

word of another and accepting the loan of two .44 Army Colts and a coal black horse. How important is the horse? Important enough to bear the title of the book. “It was coal black, stood sixteen hands, and it was clear to see the animal suffered no lack of self-possession.” Robey’s response upon seeing the animal is immediate, “that is an uncommon horse.” The horse is a Hanoverian with German roots and bred for the battlefield. Although Olmstead has not named the animal, what comes to mind with no effort is Bucephalus, the near mythic mount and companion of the young Alexander the Great. With the horse, Robey rides with purpose and growing confidence. When he loses the horse through trickery and a gunshot wound, his journey is filled with danger, death and deceit. When he and the horse are reunited, the search for his

father intensifies. “Then he urged the horse on and it hesitated before responding as if to acknowledge that its rider had learned some valuable lesson and should now be rewarded for such.” How do they know where to go? “In some places, the horse was at a loss how to p r o c e e d through the wild and dreary land but figured its path on the move and pursued it with abandon.” And pursue it they do. Before the father is found, what they and what we see are some of the most horrific and terrifying scenes ever

described. We see nothing heroic. This is the aftermath of Gettysburg. The horse carries Robey past the dead and bloated, the dying and suffering, the once human and the beasts of burden. This is the world that Robey must conquer and become a part of before he can reach his father. This is a thin volume, not 220 pages and rich with even more to tell than I’ve written about here. A young girl, abused and traveling into her treacherous own adulthood, is part of Robey’s journey and he hers. They cannot disconnect, and we know their lives are as good as yoked, no matter how long it takes.

Robey finds his father alive, but just barely. The coal black horse carries them all home – the girl, the son and the father who is now both buried and alive in his son’s heart. It seems to me that the strength of a good story is not only its ability to grab your interest, but also its ability to touch your mind, not only to vividly see the world within the book, but to make you think about how you see the world outside its pages. This book does both. Its relevance as our sons, daughter, fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters, do battle in the middle of a civil war far from Gettysburg, should give us pause for more than thought. Sunny Solomon is the BookLady and manager of Clayton Books in the Clayton Station. She holds an MA in English and Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. Sunny is a poet and loves to “talk books.” Reach her with questions or comments at 6733325.

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July 13, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page B9

Sugar substitutes may be fine for you, but not for Fido By sharing our food with our dogs, we unwittingly expose them to life-threatening toxins. The sugar substitute xylitol is harmless to humans but deadly to dogs. So far, studies indicate that cats are not affected. Xylitol is found in many sugarless gums as well as mints, toothpaste, puddings, candies and baked goods. Xylitol is not an artificial sweetener like sucralose, aspartame or saccharin, which are considered safe. It is a natural sugar alcohol. In dogs, xylitol promotes

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collapse and seizures. It can further damage the liver, leading to death. One or two pieces of gum can cause low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, in a 22-pound dog. Seven to fourteen pieces can cause liver disease and death. Sugarless pudding cups are another common source of this toxin. One cup containing 7 grams of xylitol will drop the blood sugar in a 100-pound dog. The same cup will put a 12-pound dog into liver failure. Liver injury can present in one of two ways. Dogs that develop low blood sugar initially, followed by elevated liver enzymes within 8 to 12 hours post-ingestion, generally recover. Other dogs go into acute liver failure, hemorrhage and suffer from disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), a bleeding disorder that occurs close to death, and

often die. These dogs do not show hypoglycemia but become extremely ill about 48 hours after ingestion. Signs of liver failure include lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, intestinal bleeding, lethargy and jaundice. Blood work revealing low glucose levels and/or elevated liver enzymes, prolonged clotting times and anemia may lead your veterinarian to suspect xylitol toxicity. But these changes are not specific. The definitive diagnosis is made when the client can attest to witnessing ingestion or if pieces of gum or candy are found in the vomit. Unfortunately, there is no antidote. If you know or suspect your dog has ingested a product with xylitol, call your veterinarian as soon as possible to induce vomiting. This is best done within four hours of ingestion.

Once the toxin is absorbed, monitor blood glucose levels for at least 24 hours and liver enzymes for 72 hours. Supportive care may be needed, often requiring intensive

“By sharing our food with our dogs, we unwittingly expose them to life-threatening toxins. The sugar substitute xylitol is harmless to humans but deadly to dogs.” Marybeth Rymer hospitalization. Intravenous fluid supplementing dextrose will maintain blood glucose in normal range. The blood glucose may remain low for several days.

Additional treatment for liver disease includes medications to control vomiting and diarrhea, gastrointestinal protectants and possibly antibiotics. Hospitalization may be lengthy. The best treatment is prevention. Keep any sugarless gum or food out of reach. Read labels carefully. Some products may mention other sugar substitutes as the main sugarless ingredient on the front, but look at the fine print for the addition of xylitol. It’s best to educate the family on which foods are potentially toxic and avoid sharing these items. For more information on xylitol and other poisons, visit www.apcc.aspca.org. Marybeth Rymer, DVM, can be reached at Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital, Concord. 672-1100.

Zephyr and Nicholas are ARF’s Adoption Stars Zephyr is a sweet girl who loves to give you head bumps on your chin. She enjoys being groomed and will curl up beside you for a nap. The adoption fee for Zephyr is $100. Nicholas is a sporting dog who is always looking for fun. He is an active guy who will thrive in a busy home. He’d make a great exercise partner. The adoption fee for Nicholas is $200 and includes the first six training courses. Bring your pet’s primary caretaker and kids 16 and younger who will live with Zephyr or Nicholas, as well as any canine family members – to meet them at Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek,

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Joey Levine and Ryan Nelson. The CV coaches conducted their 6th annual full contact youth football camp June 25-29 at Clayton Valley’s Gonsalves Stadium. Covering fourth through ninth grades, the program was attended by 50 campers and gave the new freshman coaches an early look at incoming hopefuls. Head coach Lance Warren, along with assistants Randy Henderson and Steve Stallone Sr., were excited about the development, hard work and enthusiasm of the rookie Eagles. Camp awards included Most Improved Players Vince Garaventa, Jeff Ferrell and Clayton resident Garrett Whisten; Outstanding Offensive Lineman Jake Ray, Gulien Rhodes and Clayton residents Joey Banducci and Nick Mazza; and Eagle Awards for Kelil Dominguez, Kory Lamberts and

Jeff Dominguez. Outstanding Youth Campers who improved during the fiveday event were Trent Dickinson, Zach Radatz, TJ Loftin, Xavier Ward, Timmy Tran, Daniel Smith and Brian Gentry, along with Clayton residents Tyler Connel, Blake Daniel, Dylan Johnson, Joey Marks and Scott King. Clayton freshman Austin Woods, Ryan Tarpley, Josh Smith, Jon McIntyre, Joel Ferguson, Brenden Eddy and Stuart Bredell caught the attention of the frosh staff. Clayton Valley wraps up summer competition with Diablo Valley College Thursday Night Passing League, the Delta College Lineman Competition July 6, the 6th annual Clayton Valley JV Shoot-out Passing Tournament July 7 and the DVC Annual Varsity Passing Tournaments July 13 and 14. All three programs at Clayton

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Page B10

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

July 13, 2007

Lessons learned enroute from Bay to Breakers JOE ROMANO

SO ANYWAY There was Elvis, ambling with Imperial Stormtroopers while gladiators jousted with Vikings. Pirates and their ship were floating down the city streets. Red and white clad Pamplomians were running from angry bulls, while still other people seeming to have misplaced their clothes. And in the midst of it all, there I was strolling along as if it were the most normal scene in the world. No, I’m not talking about a bad dream after a night of spicy food and heavy drinking. I’m talking about yours truly (and 30 of my co-workers) taking to the streets last month to participate in San Francisco’s 96th annual Bay to Breakers run. In my 41 years of living in the Bay Area, I have never attended, let alone participated

in, this world famous event. You’ll notice I didn’t say that I ran the Bay to Breakers. Yes, that would be a good one, I agree. I donned my pair of $14 running shoes (returned to Kmart after the race as they’d already begun to disintegrate) and joined the throngs and the thongs that walked the 7+ miles from the Embarcadero to the Great Highway. Like San Francisco itself, the Bay to Breakers very much encourages an “anything goes” attitude. Decked out in our company T-shirts, we walked through Golden Gate Park with cows, clowns and beer kegs, traversed the city streets with “upstream” swimming salmon, amateur drinkers and enthusiastic nudists, all of us making our way from the bay to the beach. Now that I’m an expert, allow me to bore you with my knowledge. See, it’s all about pacing. The whole point of the B to B is the freak show aspect of the event. One must allow

time to take it all in: the Elvis impersonators and the leather clad, the foursome from “The Wizard of Oz” and Austin Power’s “Fembots,” numerous bands playing along the route and yes, the occasional naked person. However, I am disappointed to report that aside from one topless woman playing the guitar with duct tape over her naughty parts, I saw no evidence of decent feminine liberation. There were, however, plenty of ugly naked guys, all of whom brought to mind the wise words of Drew Carey: “If you don’t have a good-looking body, cover it the hell up.” Amen, brother. But I digress. The whole experience is very much like marching in a parade (and I speak from experience, having been a proud member, first trombone, rank and section leader of the Pine Hollow Mustang Marching Band, circa 1977-’78). Spectators lined most of the route and numerous porch par-

ties took place through the residential stretches, in particular the Hayes Street Hill. Despite the “anything goes” attitude, most folks managed to keep it under control. Sure there are always a few casualties, for example the rookie drinker whose friends were literally holding him up at 8:45 a.m. or the various “Animal House” types who think if drunk is good then really drunk must be better. But I witnessed no violence, vomiting or unwelcome groping (the guy in the thong who kept getting his butt slapped by passersby may argue differently, but you could tell that he was secretly enjoying it). My one disappointment, other than the reminder that I am old and out of shape, is that I only finished in 23,160th place, a rather poor showing.

MARK FREEMAN

THE

NET

read reviews from people who’ve stayed there or to finish booking your trip. Since airline tickets factor into the trip’s price, it’s important to know which flight you’re taking. Orbitz compares several airlines at once, whereas you have to manually change the carrier on Expedia and Travelocity. A warning: The sites don’t offer flights from discount carriers like Southwest and Jet Blue, so you might not be getting the best deal if you choose a major carrier. In general, there is little difference in price between the sites. When I searched for the Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco, all three sites offered rooms starting at $490 a night. Expedia and Travelocity offered

more than a dozen room packages, each with a description about the view from the room and in Travelocity’s case, what floor you’d be staying on. Orbitz offered only three packages, and the room descriptions were difficult to understand. In contrast, the Four Seasons’ official Website had rooms starting at $515. But keep in mind that with the travel sites, you’ll pay a small booking fee or be charged if you change or cancel your plans. To plan other parts of your vacation through the travel sites, select the Activities tab at the top of each page and then enter dates and destination. I found dozens of fun activities in Honolulu, from helicopter tours to luaus. Expedia and Orbitz offer special passes to places like the Hawaii Maritime Museum and Sea Life Park. Orbitz even offers a free surfing lesson when you buy a multi-day pass. If you’re trying to book a last-minute trip, all three sites offer deals, in some cases as late as three hours before departure. Travelocity’s deals – the best of the bunch – can be found under Last Minute Packages at the top of the page. You can search for deals in any city, or look for

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Clayton resident, Joe Romano, is a family man, a free-lance writer for hire and the Pioneer’s “all around funny guy.” E-mail him at jromano01@yahoo.com

Dream trip may be just a click away If you’re going surfing in Hawaii this summer, consider surfing the Web first. Travel Websites make it easy to plan your dream trip. You can book flight, hotel and rental car reservations in advance and find fun activities to do while you’re on vacation. I tested Orbitz.com, Expedia.com and Travelocity.com, the three most popular travel sites. Each site lets you build a trip from their homepage. Simply enter your destination, date and how many people are going. On Expedia and Orbitz, you can book hotel rooms, flights and rental cars or arrange activities like snorkeling trips right from the front page. Travelocity has the same options, but they’re not as easy to locate. Suppose you wanted to fly from San Francisco to Honolulu and stay in a nice hotel. After providing that information, each site will give you a list of hotels and the overall price of your trip. All three sites sort the hotels by best value, though you can also arrange the list by lowest price and star rating. Select a hotel on the list to get more information about its location,

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deals under themed packages like Under $250 or Sun & Beach. The downside is that Travelocity’s last-minute packages don’t include trips outside the country. Expedia’s packages include trips to London and Abu Dhabi, as well as dozens of other cities not offered by Travelocity. The Expedia deals may not fit your schedule, but with Travelocity you can choose deals that fall within selected dates. While Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity are useful, they don’t offer much help for first-time travelers. If you’re visiting Paris for the first time, it might be better to consult a travel agent who knows the area and can recommend restaurants and lodging. But for simple family vacations, the sites offer convenience and a wide selection of locales. Too bad they can’t pack my luggage. Mark Freeman is a graduate of De La Salle High School and a freshman at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga. He plans to study economics and currently writes for the school paper. Questions/comments can be sent to mfreeman543@gmail.com.

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July 13, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

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The Clayton Pioneer’s “Music Notes” columnist

Clayton’s own

Jim Hudak Pianist and Composer For bookings and performances:

Visit our Website www.jhudak.com E-mail jimmydak@pacbell.net Piano CD’s available on his Brainstorm Records label

Call Or Write:

Brainstorm Records P.O. Box 488 Clayton, CA 94517 (925) 673-7293

Page B11

Top-secret messages were key to war’s success As children we are taught is that false messages would be the machines were loaded with never to keep secrets, but that’s sent with all kinds of words on devices in them for blowing exactly what Howard Boyd, 87, them, but they made no sense at them up if we were captured,” was in charge of during World all. And my coders would type says Howard. “But we never had War II. the English words so that they that happen, and 19 days after “I was a cryptographer, and looked like real messages with the initial invasion of D-Day, we I was assigned landed in France to secret mesto continue our sages in the work. There was Army,” Howard definitely a cershares. “There tain amount of was a group of stress with it all, men and but I survived.” women coding Fo l l ow i n g and decoding his Army servmessages from ice, Howard various Army returned to headquar ters, S o u t h e r n and everyday California to his the codes lovely wife would change.” Betty, who had After being been an elemendrafted and sent tary teacher. overseas, They had met in Howard needed church and were to learn typing. married while “The Army Howard was on sent me to a leave before his class in Howard and Betty Boyd on their 50th wedding anniver- overseas assignLondon, but I sary in 1993 with the ornate clock Howard made for ment. Howard could never Betty as an anniversary present. worked for an learn how to insurance comtype,” Howard says with a codes, but it was really to keep pany and they had three sons laughs. “They thought I was the same number of messages and one daughter and eventualreally useless as a typist, so they going out daily. That way no one ly retired in the Bay Area. put me in charge of everyone would be suspicious of an It is then that Howard got else doing that kind of work.” increase of messages when the interested in woodworking and The details of his Army real invasion was going to hap- making exquisite pieces, includcareer are fascinating, especially pen.” ing a beautiful clock for Betty considering that Howard’s Set up in a trailer with large for their 50th wedding anniversecret coding work was leading coding machines all around the sary. “When I retired, I wanted up to the invasion of France on room at that time, Howard had to do something and my dad the Normandy coast. to make sure no enemies ever had been a carpenter and he had “We didn’t want to allow the got to their information. “All woodworking tools,” Howard other side to realize that we might have an invasion because of the large number of messages going out to others,” he states. “So what would happen

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SHARING HISTORY says, smiling at the memory. “I decided to build my daughter a dollhouse, but my plans kept getting bigger and bigger. My daughter never got the dollhouse because she moved out, but I got my woodworking skills down well.” The exceptional woodwork is shown throughout their home, with a large Ferris wheel highlighting the pieces. Howard and Betty proudly display photos of their family, including two grandchildren and four great grandchildren riding on each of the Ferris wheel seats. The delightful couple has been married for 64 years, and they are new to Clayton and Diamond Terrace. When asked what changes have had the most impact on his life, Howard says: “All the technology drives me crazy in trying to figure out how to work it all. I don’t even like telephones and forget those cell phones.” It’s quite a contrast to what Howard had to work with when managing those decoders many years ago. If you are a senior living in Clayton, or know of a senior that would like to share their life story with the Clayton Pioneer readers, please contact Colleen Elwy at 672-9565 or at colleensbyline@aol.com.

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Working as a young man at a record and tapes store in the mid ’70s, I received a tremendous musical education. I was exposed to thousands of artists, bands and records, making my five years in the retail record business the equivalent of earning a degree in musicology. Something that the store owner told me has stuck with me all these years, lending perspective to the current state of music. It was a rainy Saturday and the store was full of record-buying customers. (Studies have shown that record stores are busier on rainy days, apparently because people want to cheer themselves up by buying some new music.) Near the end of the day, I commented to the store owner that it had been a good, moneymaking day for the store. “Yes, it’s been a busy day,” he said. “But the problem with the music business is that such a

small percentage of the population as a whole actually buys music. If we could increase the number of people who buy music by as little as one or two percentage points, this business would be much more profitable. It’s our job to get more people interested in music.” You could compare his philosophy to today’s San Jose Sharks hockey team. While 17,000 zealots fill the Shark Tank for almost every game, the rest of the Bay Area essentially tunes out hockey. In the grand scheme of things, those 17,000 fans make up a small minority. These days, it’s fair to say that one way or another, a lot more people are buying music. Sure, there’s lots of stealing of music, too, by way of illegal downloading of songs, but compared to 1975, music is much more available and sold in so many ways nowadays, it’s staggering. The portability of music is the biggest change. To be able to load your entire music library of thousands of songs into a single, hand-held device was incomprehensible back then. Throw in commercial-free, satellite music radio stations, the sale of digital music downloads and music available on the Internet, and it’s a whole new ballgame. Music is everywhere, with lots more people making it a part of their lives.

Listening to music is a different experience than it used to be. It’s listened to in little fragments now, a bit at a time. Whether it’s a piece of a song turned into a cell phone’s ring tone or a hot new single by Pearl Jam that gets loaded into someone’s iPod, music is comparatively disjointed. It’s rare to sit in a comfortable chair and listen critically to an album from start to finish. Instead, music is typically something you listen to while doing something else, like driving or walking. But the point is that lots more people are tuned in to and buying music. Online companies like My Space, iTunes, Rhapsody and hundreds more are perpetuating the listening of music into more and more music lovers’ lifestyles. While CDs are on their way out and sales are slow, statistics show that more music is being bought and sold now than ever before. It’s just happening in new ways. Looks like my old boss got his wish, and then some. The state of music is very good right now. Jim Hudak’s Music Notes column appears regularly in the Pioneer. Contact him at jimmydak@pacbell.net. His piano music CD’s are available from his Web site at www.jhudak.com or at amazon.com.

Why advertise in the Pioneer? Here’s one reason: “My business (Clayton Valley Bowl) has been advertising in the Pioneer for awhile and I am very pleased with the results of our ongoing ‘Freaky Fun Day on Sunday’ program that was mentioned in the paper. I want to personally thank the Clayton Pioneer and their great staff in helping my business continue to grow. I hope my new ‘Thirsty Thursday’ program has the same kind of success!”

Paul Thompson, General Manager, CLAYTON VALLEY BOWL

Page B12

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Bring on the heat – and the sedums Sedums are summer’s sweetVera Jameson is an oldie and Cream Penstomen or as a shallow, hair-like roots. Divide hearts. These succulent perenni- but goodie among the sedum base to a pile of Red Fox 4-inch pots into three pieces als are heat hardy, drought toler- family. This full sun-loving Veronica. and plant between stacks of ant, and bee and butterfly perennial attracts butterflies Imagine the cream, green moss rock for visual interest. friendly. Did I with its soft rose- and bright pink foliage contrastThis good ground cover mention that pink blossoms. ing the dark green leaves of the blooms a berry pink. Use they can endure The foliage is penstomen, and then the pink Voodoo among wispy shrubs of any amount of mostly green with color is repeated in the blossom. golden sunset breath of heaven winter frost? p u r p l i s h - p i n k Add a pile of a pink phlox pan- or firepower nandinas. The light Whether you hues. Vera iculata, and you will have a yellow foliage will have a wow have a dry creek Jameson sedum is rockin’ perennial collection. factor compared to the dark redgarden that drought, deer and October Daphne is a gray dish-purple flesh of the sedum. needs some pizfire tolerant. foliaged variety With the water zazz or a butterPlant it in a of sedum. This needs of all of fly habitat in the container, along a selection is these plants making, sedum raised rock bor- slower growing, being moderately NICOLE HACKETT is the versatile der or among a only reaching 4 dry, these combiplant for you. nations must be GARDEN GIRL bed of Spanish to 6 inches tall All sedum lavender. Vera and 12 inches considered. has a constant Jameson sedum is wide, making it Autumn characteristic: fleshy, moisture- wonderful in a planter holding a an excellent Joy, Brilliant filled thick foliage. Touch a leaf combination of perennials. Use addition to a and Rosy Glow and gently press down. You will it to fulfill the need for a foliage shallow conare simple to feel the reason why sedum does accent, or a plant to cascade tainer. Place find and very so well in our environment. over the side of the planter. O c t o b e r rewarding. Each leaf and stem is filled with Vera reaches anywhere from Daphne up These plants are stored moisture. 8 to 12 inches and more than 18 close, where the perfect for garMonshine Designs Nursery These perennials have the inches wide. The cascading foliage may be deners who VERA JAMESON SEDUM ability to sustain life with little habit of this heat lover works appreciated. claim to have a water. Considering our Clayton great incorporated with boulTake a moment to notice the brown thumb. Standing anyValley area’s hot, dry conditions, ders and stones. gray-green leaves that are so where from 16 to 24 inches tall sedum is a natural choice. Sedum Tricolor is an ever- perfectly lined with red. The and equally as wide, beckoning Sedum makes flowers are to butterflies and bees, they will a presence in any equally showy, find success in any garden. bed or border. It beginning as If you want to share your has enough bright pink, sedum, break off a stem and gusto that it can s t a r - s h a p e d pass it to a friend. With a simple stand alone or as clusters and install into the earth, roots begin an island plantmaturing to a to grow. It is that easy. ing surrounded deep wine. Purple Emperor is a new by bark. Before C o m b i n e interdiction of an upright, purbloom, the O c t o b e r ple-leafed sedum. It’s great for flesh-like foliage Daphne with a the collector as well as the firstadds texture and stack of black time gardener. Sedum Ogon is interest. mondo grass. a selection for the part-shade Then comes The foliage gardener, and Munstead Dark the flowers, color as well as Red is a dwarf upright for those beginning in early the textures desiring only a foot of height. summer and contrast each Choose one or choose them lasting through other, making a all. They are available and waitSeptember. simple garden ing for planting. Courtesy Missouri Botanical PlantFinder Clusters of pinks statement that’s PURPLE EMPEROR Nicole is the Garden Girl at and reds age and elegant enough R&M Pool, Patio and Garden mature to wine and brick, green perennial. Include this for any photo. Contact her with questions, combefore fading and then making selection where ground cover is Voodoo is a dark foliaged ments or suggestions at way for another round of needed. The tri-color foliage selection. Small leaf clusters gardengirl@claytonpioneer.com blossoms. lends itself nicely to Strawberry grab the soil and spread with

July 13, 2007

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Get your home ready for an earthquake

DOUG VAN WYCK FINANCIAL SENSE Living in California means living with earthquakes. They can happen at any time, so you and your family need to be prepared. The best protection during an earthquake is to get under heavy furniture such as a desk, table or bench. The greatest danger exists directly outside buildings, at exits and alongside exterior walls. Fatalities often happen when people run outside of buildings and get hit by falling debris from collapsing walls. Ground movement during an earthquake is seldom the direct cause of death or injury. Most earthquake-related casualties result from collapsing walls, flying glass and falling objects. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has information to help you prepare for all types of disasters, including earthquakes. Here are a few: Check your home for hazards. Make sure shelves are fastened securely to walls and that large, heavy objects and breakable items are stored on lower shelves. Pictures and mirrors should be hung away from areas where people sit and sleep. Check for defective electrical wiring and gas leaks as these

pose potential fire hazards. Identify safe places in each room, including under sturdy furniture, against an inside wall or somewhere away from where glass could shatter or heavy furniture might topple. Locate safe places outside, such as open spaces away from falling debris and electrical lines. Have disaster supplies on hand. The list includes flashlights, a portable, battery-oper-

ated radio, a first aid kit and essential medicines, emergency food and water, a hand-operated can opener, cash and credit cards and sturdy shoes. Develop an emergency communication plan. In case family members get separated, have a designated place to meet. Ask an out-of-state relative to be your family contact and make sure everyone has the phone number.

A little planning can help you and your family weather disasters of any kind more safely. And remember, earthquake damage is generally not covered by your homeowners insurance, so include your insurance agent in your planning. Doug Van Wyck is a Certified Financial Consultant and a State Farm agent. You can reach him at 672-2300.

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