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March 11, 2005
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Mystry murdered at Clayton Library JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
There was a murder at the Clayton Community Library last Friday night. And over 100 wannabe detectives witnessed the heinous crime. Agatha Mystry, aka Naomi Gary of Diamond Terrace, was poisoned and the audience of local residents and friends of the library were asked to solve the murder mystery. It was all part of the library’s tenth birthday celebration. “Murder at the Library” by Danville author Penny Warner, was directed by Sandy Patel and featured community leaders leaders including Mayor Gregg Manning, Vice Mayor Dave Shuey, Laura Hoffmeister, assistant to the city manager, County Librarian Anne Cain, Shawn Robinson, pastor of Clayton Community Church and Jill Bedecarré, Assistant Editor of the Pioneer. Attendees enjoyed champagne and desserts as they listened to testimony from the
GREGG MANNING
MAYOR’S CORNER
Trail map dream is finally realized If you live in Clayton or even near Clayton, you know the city has an extensive network of hiking and walking trails. Clayton’s trails have been recognized nationally for their excellence. I think it was in late March of 1998 when I was in Barnes and Noble thumbing through the April issue of Walking magazine when I read that Clayton had been selected as one of the five most walkable cities in America. Well, if we are one of the most walkable cities in America, we needed a map of the trails. The trail system has been added to and improved since 1998. We needed a trail map, so even those who walk a great deal on the system can benefit from the many additions to the trail system. And now we have that map. The map was the work of many people. I know I will never know all the information compiled for the map or be able to identify all the dedicated individuals who contributed to the final product. If you mentioned a trail or told one of the people directly involved in this project about what you would like to see on this map, you have contributed to the project. I am aware that the following people were involved in various capacities. The initial Trail Advisory Committee was established in 1992. It consisted of Dale Brooks, George Cardinet, Keith Haydon, Barbara Kendall, Dick Miller, Joyce Pisani, John Roskelly and Jerry Zimmerman, with Pete Laurence representing the City Council, Randy Hatch representing the City Planning staff and Shea Halligan from the City Engineers Office. In 1999 this group became the Ad Hoc Trails Committee and was joined by Lee McCormick as a consultant to create the trail map in computer software.
See Mayor, page 15
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
CAST MEMBERS JILL BEDECARRÉ, SHAWN ROBINSON AND LAURA HOFFMEISTER check out the murder scene in "Murder at the Library" following Agatha Mystry's untimely demise
See Murder, page 2
Challenging days ahead for CVHS
Stolen property recovered in bust
JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Say hi to someone you don’t know. Hug an old friend who’s not in your clique anymore. Smile at someone who can’t make eye contact with you. Listen to a friend who is hurting. For some of us, these things don’t seem that difficult. But for teens who are struggling to survive each day in their high school, these tasks are indeed challenging. At Clayton Valley High School, there is a movement on campus to help teens not only to cope with and survive day to day peer pressures on campus, but to rise above them and make a change…to be the change. Challenge Day, headquartered in Martinez, is spearheading the movement to change the emotional environment on the CVHS campus. The core of the program is a one-day experiential workshop for approximately 200 students, parents and com-
munity leaders. The day is both inspiring, educational and emotionally draining with games, exercises and assignments that break down the barriers created by negative judgements, teasing, violence, loneliness and separation. Challenge Day also includes mentorship, leadership, service and youth programs, community workshops and faculty training. Clayton Valley has had its share of disturbing events. Late last year there were two tragic suicides, talk of a Columbinestyle act of violence on campus, fearful parents and rampant rumors. CVHS principal John Neary hosted an educational forum on adolescent destructive behavior. About 600 parents and students attended. Students who attended the Nov. 8 forum openly asked for a change and offered to get involved. Parent Jill Collaro left the forum that night with her daughter who casually mentioned to her mom that she
TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
nique from family members,” she explained. Folk artists kept the secrets of Kraslice alive by enthusiastically passing it on to the next family member. And she in turn has taught the art form to her own children. “One of my favorite eggs is one that my son designed,” she beams. Many of the decorated eggs have specific designs that signify a certain country, region or even village. In ancient times, natural dyes were used such as saffron and a mix of parsley, nettle and birch. After the eggs are painted,
Police with a search warrant closed in on a residence at 5760 Amaranth Way last week, arresting two men and a woman and recovering nearly 200 items of stolen property. “We had word that all the stolen property in Concord was coming to this house,” said Sergeant Tim O’Hara of the Clayton Police Department. Items recovered included construction tools, utility trailers, portable generators and laptop computers. Police also found large quantities of drugs along with drug paraphernalia and arrested a 34-year-old man who was staying in the house for possession of nine ounces of methamphetamine with intent to sell. Also arrested were the 47-year-old male homeowner and a woman, 23, who was found hiding in an upstairs bedroom. Police watching the house had originally planned the raid for 4 p.m., but moved it up to 1:30 when it became apparent that the suspects were moving things out of the house. “They definitely knew that we knew what they were doing,” said O’Hara. The house has been a wellknown site of criminal activity for years. In the past few months, because of an increase in vehicular traffic to and from the house, it has been under
See Glassner, page 5
See Arrest, page 6
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
CVHS JUNIOR KUSHAL NAIK (in red shirt) listens to a group member during one of the Challenge Day programs at the high school. couldn’t imagine what could lead someone her age to commit suicide. After all, she told her mom, you only have to make it through four years of high school and then you have the rest of your life ahead of you. The words “just make it for four years” kept Jill awake most of
the night. High school, she thought, shouldn’t be about survival. The next day was life changing for her and for Clayton Valley. Collaro remembered hearing about an organization headquartered in Martinez
See Challenge, page 4
Glassner brings Kraslice eggs to arts celebration JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer CLAYTON RESIDENT LENKA GLASSNER learned the art of Kraslice from her mother in the Czech Republic.
With Easter just around the corner, many local residents will soon gather together in the kitchen to dye and decorate eggs for the holiday festivities. At Lenka Glassner’s home in Clayton decorating eggs is not just a seasonal event, but a lifelong and yearlong tradition. Lenka’s passion is called Kraslice; traditional Easter European folk art made from hollowed chicken, duck or goose eggs. Lenka learned the art form in the Czech Republic
where she was born and has been painting, decorating and etching Kraslice ever since. Glassner is one of some 20 talented artists and entertainers who will be part of the Community Arts Celebration on March 19 and 20 in honor of the Clayton Community library’s 10th anniversary. A petite woman with a sparkling smile, Lenka enthusiastically talks about learning the art of Kraslice from her mother and how important the art form was in family traditions throughout Eastern Europe. “You could only learn the tech-
Page 2
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
March 11, 2005
Around Town Scores of Claytonians on hand for a “Murder at the Library” Murder, from page 1 suspects and sorted out a barrage of clues. And the murderer was . . . “Lotta Books” played by librarian Cain. It seems that Ms. Mystry was blackmailing Lotta who secretly harbored a long overdue Nancy Drew Book. The winning detective in the audience was Debbie LaDue who fingered “Lotta” as the guilty blackmailer. The library’s celebration continues on March 19 and 20 with a Community Arts Celebration.
The audience was always part of the action as the murder mystery unfolded. Pictured clockwise from center: 1) A poisoned Agatha Mystry (Naomi Gary) collapses as Clayton Pioneer Publisher Bob Steiner breaks her fall; 2) Winning detective Debbie
LaDue with Sam Slayed (Pete Peterson) 3) Dave Shuey (Mayor Bonzo); 4) Champagne servers Jeff Gary and Dave Atkinson; 5) Gregg Manning (Dell Doubleday), 6) Barbara Fogerson; 7) JoAnn Caspar and Kay Lane; 8) Arlene Kikkawa-
Nielsen and Rosemary Harwood; 9) Bernie and Lil Fictenkort; 10) Carol Peterson 11) Joan Manning and Dee Munk; 12) Lotta Books (Anne Cain) and 13) Sam Slayed (Peterson) and Dalton B. Walden (Shawn Robinson.)
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March 11, 2005
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 3
Around Town
Letter to the Editor BUSINESS LICENSE TAX SHOULD APPLY TO ALL
Mt. Diablo cookie dough sales reap sweet rewards Mt. Diablo Elementary’s Student Council recently held a cookie dough sale fundraiser. Through the efforts of Mary Del Monte, her crew of volunteers, and the student cookie dough sales force, the event raised $17,000 for various programs. Because of the huge number of tubs of cookie dough sold, Cookie Dough Joe invited all the students and teachers at Mt. Diablo Elementary to an ice cream party on last Tuesday. The party was a sweet reward for a fabulous effort.
Martin family welcomes baby Nolan
Randy and Coleen Martin added one more branch to their family tree when Nolan Dale was born on Jan. 26. Nolan weighed in at 7 pounds, eleven ounces and was 20 inches long. He joined his parents and baby sister, Maisie at home in Clayton.
left to right: Barbara Wright, Cookie Joe Dough Junior and Senior, Bill Hardy, Mary Del Monte, Candace Fletcher, Rick Gerow and Ann Kinney.
Scott DeVenney honored for service Clayton Resident Scott DeVenney was recently honored by the Clayton City Council for his “Silver Beaver” award from the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). In a proclamation presented at a recent council meeting, the council declared Mar. 2 as Scott DeVenney Day in Clayton in recognition of Scott’s distinguished service to youth in the BSA local council. A fourth grade teacher at Sheldon Elementary School in Richmond, Scott has served scouting and Clayton area youth since 1989, including 15 years as Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 444. He served 15 years as Merit Badge Counselor, three years as Muir District Advancement Chair and three years as Muir District Eagle Project Chair.
Scott received the District Award of Merit in 1996, earned his Wood Badge Beads in the Owl Patrol and is a BSA certified life guard. In addition to all his scout-
ing achievements, Scott served over 10 years on the Catholic Diocese’s Twelve Tribes Program. He and his wife Linda are the proud parents of Eagle Scout Lance DeVenney.
Dear Editor: I write concerning the City of Clayton’s efforts to make sure all businesses dealing in Clayton have a Business License here. I am responding specifically to the topic of Realtors having to also comply. Why should Realtors be exempt from paying for a business license, when all other firms must do so? Being a Realtor myself, I am almost ashamed of my fellow Realtors who are complaining and whining about having to pay a business license fee. They have even gone so far as to launch a petition and website that claims that Clayton property values will go down if they have to pay a fee, since they will probably not want to sell homes here in Clayton. Again, I can’t believe their logic. Clayton is a prime Real Estate Market. Everyone loves Clayton for its beauty, friendliness and safety. Realtors also love Clayton, since any home listing here is
sure to bring a fast and profitable sale. There are a lot of out-of-town Realtors who love to work the market here and make a good living doing so, and they even claim to be “area specialists.” They certainly should not balk at a fee that would only average $250 a year, and that would help support the community that they make such a good living from. While I do not think any retroactive license fees should be charged, I do fully expect my fellow Realtors to pay their fair share by licensing themselves in Clayton and supporting the community. I find it hard to believe that out of all businesses that must pay license fees, that Realtors are the ones complaining; especially considering that they probably make a lot more money than most of the businesses that are willingly paying the license fee. Greg Thibodeaux Broker Advantage Realty
Clayton Pioneer Now on our Web site Every page of the Clayton Pioneer is now posted on our Web site at www.claytonpioneer.com. So, if you are travelling or away at school when the Pioneer is delivered, you won’t have to miss an issue. University of Puget Sound student Ted Meriam writes: “I recently noticed that you are now providing full-page spreads of the Pioneer in PDF format. Thank you for doing this! As a college student at the I appreciate being able to keep up with my hometown news. I am very pleased with how the paper has taken shape over the years and the depth in which the writers represent Clayton events. Good work all around!” If you have out of town friends or relatives that want to know what’s happening in Clayton, just direct them to the Web site for all the local news. Michaela Olson of Clayton says “My Pioneer goes to England every two weeks. My grandfather doesn’t miss a thing. He knows more about what’s happening in Clayton that I do sometimes.”
The Clayton Pioneer — It’s your paper.
Scott DeVenney and Council member and Acting Mayor Julie Pierce
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PRICE
SALE DATE
SF
1371 Shell Lane 43 La Canada Court 1539 N. Atchison Stge Rd 4141 Leon Drive 51 Karkin Place 335 Mt. Washington Way 5225 Keller Ridge Drive 312 Ahwanee Lane 6022 Golden Eagle Way 973 Oak Street 202 Prospector Place
$520,000 $825,000 $810,000 $1,500,000 $605,000 $750,000 $969,000 $1,061,700 $649,000 $675,000 $720,000
03/01/05 02/24/05 02/16/05 02/14/05 02/11/05 02/10/05 02/08/05 02/03/05 01/28/05 01/21/05 01/19/05
1,355 2,857 2,300 3,365 1,904 1,919 2,894 3,000 1,816 2,175 2,171
BED/BATH
3/2.5 5/3 4/2.5 3/3.5 3/2.5 4/2 3/3 4/2.5 3/2 3/2.5 4/2.5
ADDRESS
PRICE
SALE DATE
SF
3032 Windmill Canyon 5478 Tara Drive 242 Stranahan Circle 35 Jalalon Place 1409 Indianhead Way 110 Crow Place 227 Bigelow Street 5711 Verna Way 315 Diablo Street 7028 Molluk Way 3017 Windmill Canyon Dr
$699,000 $583,000 $575,000 $589,000 $505,000 $720,000 $600,000 $594,000 $720,000 $650,000 $790,000
01/07/05 01/07/05 01/05/05 01/04/05 12/23/04 12/22/04 12/21/04 12/17/04 12/15/04 12/15/04 12/14/04
1,877 1,739 1,663 1,355 1,355 2,053 1,794 1,338 2,300 1,835 2,313
BED/BATH
3/2.5 4/3 2/2.5 3/2.5 3/2.5 3/2 3/2.5 3/1 4/3 3/2 4/2.5
Each Office Is Independently Owned & Operated.
ADDRESS
PRICE
SALE DATE
SF
3401 Coyote Circle 4007 Hummingbird Way 1871 Eagle Peak Ave 5116 Keller Ridge Drive 1433 El Camino Drive 5474 Tara Drive 1778 Indian Wells Way 249 El Pueblo Place 3081 Windmill Canyon 1183 Shell Lane 5126 Keller Ridge Drive
$500,000 $775,000 $740,000 $735,000 $598,000 $590,000 $635,000 $760,000 $790,000 $452,500 $659,950
12/09/04 12/08/04 11/30/04 11/30/04 11/30/04 11/29/04 11/23/04 11/19/04 11/18/04 11/18/04 11/18/04
1,554 2,935 2,467 2,467 -1739 1904 2831 2315 1145 1493
All information contained herein is deemed reliable but not guaranteed
BED/BATH
3/2.5 5/3 4/3 4/3 3/2 4/3 3/2.5 4/2.5 3/2.5 2/2 3/2
Page 4
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Challenge, from page 1 called Challenge Day. She called, they came to Clayton Valley, and a plan was formulated. Challenge Day was looking for a high school that could become a model for the nation. A school that would experience the Challenge Day program and serve as an example of what such a program could accomplish. Clayton Valley was looking for a way to help students move forward after the suicides and campus unrest. Singer, Alanis Morissette, donated funds for Challenge Day at Clayton Valley High School. The Challenge Day organization kicked in a portion to pull out all the stops and see what could be done. Other fundraising efforts are in the works to keep the program active on campus. “Most of the schools today are overcrowded, yet kids are
of thousands of youth since its inception. . The Dutras’ vision is to create a world where every child feels safe, loved and celebrated. The theory is that drugs, alcohol, tobacco, violence, depression and suicide are the biggest issues affecting today’s young people. “The biggest problem is dealing with peers,” says Yvonne. Just ask Kushal Naik, a junior at Clayton Valley High School and one of the Challenge Day student leaders on campus. He became involved, because he experienced firsthand, bullying in middle school. “I hope I never have to feel that anger and stress again,” he says. He’s committed to the Challenge Day program at the high school, but thinks the program should start earlier, even in elementary school. “I sat
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer CLAYTON RESIDENT AND CVHS SOPHOMORE LEXI WRAY and her mom Susan demonstrate one of the Challenge Day exercises.
still feeling lonely. We are not connecting,” says Challenge Day co-founder Yvonne St. JohnDutra. She and her husband Rich founded Challenge Day in 1987, a nationally recognized award-winning daylong program that has reached hundreds
down and talked to my brother who’s in fourth grade and told him about the high school program and how he can make a change at his level,” says Kushal. He remembers his first Challenge day. “At first, I was uneasy, and thought this is never
going to work. Are we going back to the 70’s?” As the Challenge Day program progressed, he changed his mind. He talks about one activity called “Crossing the Line.” A
“I really hope this is something that catches on. It was the most powerful experience. The program made me feel that even though I've been through a lot of things, I'm okay. You don't feel alone.” Susan Wray, CVHS parent leader calls out stereotypes and/or situations, and participants are asked to cross a manmade line if they were in anyway affected. Kushal recalls the leader asking if anyone experienced a death from tobacco. Kushal immediately thought about a friend who died from smoking. “He treated me like a grandson. It brought back memories. I wish I had spent more time with him.” He said the program’s effects are making their way to the student body. “Some (students) are resistant, but there are more students that are open to it,” he says. Clayton resident Lexi Wray is a sophomore at Clayton Valley and was a student facilitator for the first Challenge Day in December. She got involved because she was having trouble at school. “I wanted to help.” It gave me a feeling that I’m not alone.” Lexi says she learned a lot about people she knew and met a lot of people she didn’t know during the one-day Challenge program. She really enjoyed getting to know Principal John Neary. She even bought him a small teddybear
March 11, 2005
for Christmas. “He keeps it on his computer.” She says. Following the Challenge Day program, she had an emotional episode at school and went home. “Mr. Long (Vice Principal) called to see if I was okay. That made me feel really good,” she says. “Part of me has seen a change at the school,” she says. Susan Wray, Lexi’s mom, also attended that first Challenge Day. “I really hope this is something that catches on,” she says. “It was the most powerful experience,” she said of the Challenge Day program. “The program made me feel that even though I’ve been through a lot of things, I’m okay. You don’t feel alone,” she says. She talks about connecting with a male student in one of her groups. “I remember he wrote a letter of apology to someone he made fun of in middle school. “ He was a really cool kid.” About six weeks later she ran into him at a sandwich shop. “He came up and gave me the biggest hug.” She feels the program is helping people connect more. The Dutra’s vision and program is grounded in expertise and experience. Yvonne has worked for over 24 years with teens and adults and focused some of her work with at risk youth, addiction and social oppression issues. Rich is a former high school teacher and founding clinical director of Thunder Road Adolescent Recovery Center in Oakland. Last year, they presented 500 Challenge Day programs in schools throughout the United States and Canada. This year, they have scheduled 900 programs including one in Berlin, Germany in April. They won an Emmy in children’s programming for “Teen Files: Surviving High School” which aired on UPN in 1999, and their Challenge Day program is fea-
RICH
AND
YVONNE ST. JOHN-DUTRA
tured in the New York Times best seller, Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. After Columbine they were asked to bring the Challenge Day program to Colorado. Last week, Clayton Valley completed its third Challenge Day Program. There are three more day-long programs scheduled through the end of the school year. There’s also lots of activities on and off campus including weekly steering committee meetings to monitor the
Photo courtesy of Challenge Day
“Be the Change” movement at the school. Fundraising efforts include Be the Change bracelet sales at the school and in front of Safeway on Mar. 25-26, to car washes and “Eat at Carl’s Junior” on Tuesday nights. Yvonne is optimistic that change will happen at Clayton Valley. “Kids are feeling hopeless, they’ve lost their hearts,” she says. “All change takes time. You have to stay hopeful.”
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March 11, 2005
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Glassner, from page 1
Directory of Advertisers
intricate patterns are etched in Clayton home where she paints the shell. to her hearts content. Some of As Lenka explains, the eggs her paintings will be on sale durrepresent more than just beauti- ing the arts celebration. Lenka ful decorated items. Kraslice is hopes to donate all of the prooften given to loved ones to ceeds from one of her paintings send a message of love. In of a boy and his father to the ancient times, colors and tsunami relief. designs carried important mesA pastry chef by profession, sages of strong health, long life, Lenka would like to connect love, charity and good will. with other local artists to form a In addition to her talent for network or association. “I’m Kraslice, Lenka is an accom- looking for other artists, like plished artist delving into the me, who are not so much interrealm of oil painting. “” I enjoy ested in selling but in sharing painting their talent,” people in she says. the modern “Clayton world,” she needs more says. Some a r t . ” of her S a t u r d ay ’s paintings event at the are currentlibrary on ly on disMarch 19 is play in the from 10 library a.m. to 6 through p.m. and end of this features month. local artists, Lenka was demonstrainspired to tions and paint about live perfive years for mances ago when and workher husshops from band-to-be Glassner will donate the proceeds from C l a y t o n asked if he the sale of this painting to tsunami relief. Valley High could see S c h o o l ’s her art work. Since her mother Arts Academy, including the was an experienced painter, she Improv group and performing was often asked if she too troupe. Sunday’s art sale is from painted. Lenka soon realized 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Both events that this was something she are free to the public and will be wanted to do. held in the library’s community Three years ago she married room and courtyard. For more the man who inspired her to information on the Community explore her talents. He has since Arts Celebration call the library built a studio for Lenka in their at 673-0659.
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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
BEAUTIFUL FRENCH-COUNTRY DINING ROOM SET. Solid maple w/carved legs. 61" L x 43" W + 2 leaves, 16" each. Includes 6 chairs; 4 side and 2 arm - upholstered w/rattan backs, and custom made table pads. Less than 2 years old - great deal for $900. Call (925) 672-2901.
THE CITIZEN MONITORING PROGRAM is soliciting volunteers to conduct Bioassessment Surveys this spring 2005. Volunteers will be collecting bugs / benthic macroinvertebrates (BMIs) to use as water quality indicators to help determine watershed health. The surveys will occur in Alhambra, Pinole, Kirker, Marsh, Mt. Diablo, Wildcat and San Pablo Creek Watersheds. These bioassessment sites have been previously monitored by professionals and were chosen as part of a San Francisco Bay Regional strategy to develop biological metrics, which will eventually enable watersheds to be compared. Volunteers will continue the Bioassessment Surveys at the same locations for the next two years. Bioassessment training for Kirker, Marsh and Mt. Diablo Creek Watersheds is scheduled for Mar. 19 and the Alhambra, Pinole, Wildcat and San Pablo Creek Watersheds on Apr. 2. Space is limited, so please register early and understand that volunteers from the above watersheds get first priority. To register, call Aspen Madrone, Citizen Watershed Monitoring Coordinator, (925) 3351315, Fax (925) 335-1299, email amadr@cd.cccounty,us.
Please recycle this paper
"DUANE, I would love to hear from you. Barbara Bond (now Gilpin) at 623-584-2195 in Sun City West, AZ."
P.O. Box 1246 6200 Center Street, Suite F Clayton, CA 94517 Office: 925.672.0500 Fax: 925.672.6580 TAMARA
R OBERT S TEINER , Co-Publishers
AND
TAMARA S TEINER , Editor J ILL B EDECARRÉ , Assistant Editor and Display Advertising J IM Z EWAN , Sports P ETE C RUZ , Graphic Design B ETH N EUDELL , Administrative Assistant Member of the California Newspaper Publishers Assoc.
Classified
HELP WANTED AVAILABLE - HAIR STATION FOR LEASE. Part time/full time. Busy Clayton location. Call 925-672-2000 or 925-864-0724. HVAC INSTALLER: 3 yrs. minimum experience. Good DMV and EPA certified. Call 925-673-3776
SERVICES 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. 925 673-1746 (leave message) or GardenGirl94517@ aol.com.
PERSONAL
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Englund's Tea Cottage “Where good friends gather...” A beautiful full service tea room featuring… High tea. Delectable lunches. Large tea collection. Fresh baked scones and desserts. Special events.
O
ur new “Party Princess” room seats 10 and is the perfect place for a tea party for girls 5-10 years old. We also offer “Manners & Etiquette” teas for school and church groups, Girl Scouts, etc. for up to 25 guests.
Planning an event?
ati
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s
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED AT THE PACK RAT THRIFT STORE in the Clayton Valley Shopping Center. Proceeds from the Pack Rat support the Lindsay Wildlife Museum's educational programs and wildlife rehabilitation efforts. The Pack Rat depends on volunteers and more are needed to keep the store open. The Pack Rat welcomes seniors, teens (16 and up) and anyone in between! For more information call Diane at 672-1123.
HOW TO PLACE AN AD Go to our Web site, claytonpioneer.com. Click on the Classified Advertising tab on the left side of the page. Complete the form to submit your ad. Mail a check for the number of insertions to P.O. Box 1246, Clayton, CA 94517. Or, call the Clayton Pioneer, 925-672-0500 to place your ad over the phone. Or, come by the office at 6200 Center Street, Suite F, Clayton between 9 a.m. and 5
Abbey Carpets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-9901 ACME Auto Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .685-8495 Aircloud Wireless Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-4119 Alise Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7701 Apronstrings Pet Sitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-7621 Asemi, Hamid - State Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6622 BJ's Groom & Zoom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .550-5626 Benton, Mureleen - American Express . . . . . . . . . . . .685-4523 Burkin Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1519 Clarissa Bridal Salon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .930-0214 Clayton Community Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-9060 Clayton Family Dentistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0110 Clayton Fitness and Tanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2010 Clayton Flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4664 Clayton Home Inspection Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9405 Clayton Mind & Body Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-0686 Clayton Valley Bowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-4631 Computers USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9989 ComUnity Lending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-5363 Concord Feed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .825-9530 Consignment Treasures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-7123 Contra Costa Termite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-7665 Cosby, Brett - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .899-1865 Crocker Insurance Agency - Sam Totah . . . . . . . . . . .941-1536 Cruise Adventures Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .935-7447 Diamond Terrace Senior Retirement Living . . . . . . . .524-5100 Elysium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1333 Englund's Tea Cottage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8327 ESI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .969-1477 Ewing, Ken - Painting Contractor and Decorator . . . .586-1882 French, Lynne - Coldwell Banker Real Estate . . . . . .672-8787 Gregory, Cynthia - Permanent Solution . . . . . . . . . . .286-5162 Help You Sell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-4950 HomEquity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1119 Hudak, Jim - Pianist and Composer . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-7293 Instant Imprints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .825-9815 Jazzercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7025 Keck, Michele - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .586-4833 LaMar Information Technology Services . . . . . . . . . . .459-5606 Landman Consulting Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-8817 Laurence, Pete - Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . . . . . .939-7920 La Veranda Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0011 Law Office of Richard Littorno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6463 Mavericks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .602-5600 Mazzei Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .757-5600 Mike's Auto Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-1739 Miller, Thomas C.P.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .354-1385 Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1100 Morucci, Kim - Intero Real Estate Services . . . . . . . .280-8563 Mountain Mike's Pizza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-4965 Oakhurst County Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9737 Ouimet Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4242 Pasta Primavera Café & Bakery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .687-5300 Pro Tech Heating and Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . .673-3776 R&M Pool, Patio & Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0207 Residential Pacific Mortgage - Alden Foster . . . . . . . .963-3582 Robin's Ranches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7323 Rocco's Ristorante & Pizzeria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .947-6105 Sellers, Nicole - Diablo Funding . . . . . . . . . . . .227-0100 x 128 Skip's Happy Hammer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-9433 Smith Bernal Roofing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-6461 St. John's Episcopal Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8855 Stone Tree Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-2094 Straight Line Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .335-9801 Team Power Tractors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .443-7600 The Maids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-6243 The UPS Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6245 Tipperary Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-2679 Truesdell, Lisa - State Farm Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . .686-4747 Van-Fleet-Bronson, Intero Real Estate Services . . . .672-4333 Van Wyck, Doug - State Farm Insurance . . . . . . . . . .672-2300 Velocity Sports Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .363-0066 Vujnovich, George - Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . . .672-4433 Walcutt, Bill - Prudential Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .437-5535 We The People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246-0370 Zandonella's Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .432-1700
p.m. Rates are $12 for 30 words and 20 cents for each additional word. Classified deadline dates are printed above. The Clayton Pioneer will not accept any ad that discriminates on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, nationality, family status or disability. We reserve the right to reject any advertising we believe is unsuitable. All classi-
C o m m u n i ty Connections
We are now taking reservations for z z z z
and Come our browse and op gift sh ibles collect
baby & bridal showers staff meetings club get togethers birthdays, etc.
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672-TEAS (8327) www.EnglundsTeaCottage.com
Your Business Name Here! Place your business card in the Community Connections section of the Clayton Pioneer and get connected with your customers!
Call the Pioneer at 925-672-0500
fied ads must be paid for in advance.
LET US KNOW Weddings, engagements, anniversaries, births and deaths all weave together as part of the fabric of our community. Please let us know of these important events. We ask only that the announcement be for a Clayton resident. You will find the appropriate form for your announcement on our Web site. Also on our Web site are forms for submitting Community Calendar items and press releases for your organization. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Clayton Pioneer welcomes letters from our readers. As a general rule, letters should be less than two double spaced pages and submitted at least one week prior to publication date. Letters concerning current issues will have priority. We may edit letters for length and clarity. All letters will be published at the editor’s discretion. Please include your name, address and daytime telephone number. We will not print letters from “anonymous.” You can also e-mail your letter to tamara@claytonpioneer.com
Page 6
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
March 11, 2005
CBCA plows $27.5k back into the community TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Clayton Valley High School and Cal State East Bay received a total of $27,500 from the Clayton Business and Community Association at their Feb. 24 meeting. The largest donation went to CVHS for a video camera security system. The school’s original request of $20,000 for
dals in the past couple of years precipitated the need for the system. New classrooms, computer labs, new landscaping and the new multi million dollar athletic field motivated the school to go ahead with the cams. Installation is expected to be complete by June, said Moore. Other donations to CVHS included $4000 to the Arts Academy for upgrades to their computer system and $5500 to
the system was turned down by the CBCA last August. Since that time, the school located a vendor and fine-tuned their requirements, said Parent Club President, Melinda Moore. Final cost for the system was reduced from a projected $45,000 to $37,000. The Parent Club raised $22,000 and the CBCA voted to donate the remaining $15,000. Escalating damage by van-
the athletic department for track and field equipment. The original request from the track coach was for $11,000. The CBCA membership voted to match donations up to $5500 and CBCA member Matt Mazzei met the match. And finally, $2000 went to the Cal State East Bay campus on Ygnacio Valley Road for their free summer concert series. CBCA President John
Rubiales noted that the campus uses their highly visible electric sign to help promote the Art and Wine Festival and
Oktoberfest. “Besides,” he added, “it’s a community event that hopefully some of our kids will attend.
“Happy Hammer” Free estimates Appliance replacements General maintenance Pressure washing
(925) 673-9433
Manage your business for success SID LANDMAN Special to the Pioneer
Why do so many businesses fail and what can I do to increase my chances of longterm success? There are many reasons why businesses fail. Foremost are two key factors that are often not understood or given enough attention. DETERMINE CAPITALIZATION First, too many businesses are undercapitalized at start up. This puts the business in a highrisk situation. The initial capitalization (the amount of cash invested to start the company) must be enough to support the planned day to day level of operations until the business is profitable. And, there must be a safety cushion built in to cover all the things that can go wrong. In any business operation, the ability to survive depends on doing all the activities of a company reasonably well. When things don’t go as planned, then survival depends on having the money to continue operating long enough to correct whatever may have gone wrong. In the early stages of a business the amount of money initially invested becomes the primary or only source of net cash needed to weather the inevitable storms. Problems may not always arise internally. They can come from outside the company. Problems can and do arise regularly from suppliers, delayed product deliveries, slow customer payments, large levels of returns, etc. For all the problems we could list, here, anyone of us could add more that we have experienced in our business life. If the initial money invested
is insufficient, your time may run out before the problem is solved. So planning and budgeting enough initial cash before you start operations is critical. PREPARE CASH FLOW MODEL To do this, you need to prepare a cash flow model for your young company before you begin operations so you can calculate how much cash is needed. How much money do you need to acquire the basic infrastructure; i.e. equipment, staff payroll before you startup, lease and other deposits, initial inventory, advertising, professional fees, etc.? The business owner usually understands these costs well and budgets for them. But unfortunately many businesses stop there and do not go the next step. Next, you need to decide on how much inventory you will carry regularly. How long will it take to get that new inventory? What payment terms do you have with your vendors? What payment terms do you allow your customer? How much will your weekly or monthly operating costs be for rent, payroll, utilities, phone, travel, etc.? With these answers in hand you can now check to be sure you are not planning to pay your vendors faster than you collect from your customers. If you buy on 30-day terms and you sell on 60-day terms, then you need at least 30 days of payments in cash to fund the time difference, assuming you
more intense surveillance. Since the first of the year, police have made at least a dozen arrests at the property for drugs and possession of stolen property. “Lots of bad guys going and coming,” said O’Hara. The search continued to another house in Concord and on to a storage unit at Alberta and Ygnacio Valley Road where more stolen property was recovered. According to O’Hara, police will hold a public viewing of the stolen items within a couple of weeks. He advises anyone who suspects their stolen property (reported or unreported) might be among the items recovered to call Clayton police, 673-7350.
ly you are to predict your real needs. Then for added protection you should add a safety factor equal to several months of cushion, where cash continues to flow out but may not be flowing in adequately. Again, the more conservative and careful you are with the predictions, the more likely you are to understand your real needs and allow for the inevitable problems that will occur. Finally, with the cash flow forecast in hand, the next crucial step is to make sure you do not undercapitalize the new company. More than any other reason, not having enough money when you start up is the primary reason for new company failures. If you avoid this trap your chances of business success rise dramatically. In my next article I will talk about the second most prevalent cause of business failure inadequate operating cash flow management.
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Sid Landman is a consultant to small business and president of Landman Consulting Group. He can be reached at 673-8817.
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actually collect all your receivables in 60 days. The same thing can happen with inventory if you carry several months worth. Again you will need cash to pay for the products you maintain in inventory that may then remain on the shelves for many months before you sell and get paid. Often these kinds of terms are dictated by the industry you are in. Knowing how much cash your business will require to meet industry standards is often not understood clearly enough and therefore not adequately considered Second, calculate how much you will need to cover your monthly cash operating costs until sales and, more importantly, collections start coming in. Beyond that you then need a safety cushion to cover problems, extra staff costs, uncertain revenues, etc. so you can survive the inevitable rough times. Now you need to combine these into at least a one-year cash flow forecast by month. The cash flow forecast will include the initial cash outflows/costs to start-up, the cash costs to pay for merchandise, other operating expenses, monthly running costs, etc. The cash flow forecast will also consider the cash coming in from sales, credit cards, and customer payments, all based on the terms you provide. In each case, the more conservative and careful you are in your predictions, the more like-
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*cruise only, gov’t fees add’l
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March 11, 2005
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Keep a sharp eye on caulked joints
Est.1972
Smith & Bernal
Roofing Reroofs z Repairs z All Types Tile repairs z Wood shake z Tar and gravel Gutters z Inspections z Ventilation
Tile Roof Specialists Same day response
(925) 216-6461 Free estimates
Clayton resident
Lic. Number 727021
Purchase or Refinance contact
Ted Sudderth ComUnity Lending
Established 1980
Your local loan experts offering you quality service and low competitive rates
Contact Ted, Howard or Doris
Page 7
(925) 672-5363
6200 Center St., #230, Clayton DOC# 415-0005
Licensed by the Department of Corporations under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act.
wing o m l l A ent m p i u q e LE on SA TEAM POWER TRACTORS 2034 Research Dr. Livermore
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So you and your family finally moved into that greatly anticipated, newly built home five or six years ago. You’re still enjoying the newness of it all and are confidant that the maintenance issues your in-laws have on their 20- to 30-year-old home are not yet yours. Well, think again. New homes, even those built with “low maintenance” materials, need regular inspection, some of which you can do yourself. One of the main things you should keep track of is the condition of all areas, both inside and out, that are sealed with some type of caulking material. Caulk or any other type of sealing material is meant to keep moisture out of whatever area it is protecting. If this material is dry and cracked, water will penetrate. Chronic moisture will lead to problems such as dry rot or termite infestations. Homes today are not built like houses were years ago, when carpenters were skilled at making pieces of wood fit together as tightly as a jigsaw puzzle. They had pride in their work and were able to take the time to make sure all windows, doors, thresholds, siding and trim were fitted and mitered together tightly. Today, with our get-it-doneyesterday schedules, few are able to take the time to build in this manner. Even in million dollar houses, I see half-inch gaps at windows, trim work, stucco work and other areas. Caulking is used to seal the gaps to keep moisture out. But it is not a permanent solution. If the caulking is on the western or southern exposure of the house, it will often dry out within five to six
years. It becomes cracked and brittle or simply shrinks, resulting in leaks. This creates defects, which can greatly affect the interior components, such as the framing of the structure.
LARRY DOMINA HOME WORK In my experience, in about 75 percent of replacements on damaged wood trim on a home 15 years of age or younger, the dry rot has already extended into the framing. Seams in the wood that ideally should have been mitered and tight were butted together, and the gaps were filled with caulk. Proper checkups by the homeowner and re-sealing when needed are essential for the maintenance of your home. Obvious checkpoints to begin your inspection are window and door caulking. Look for small gaps where the siding or stucco and trim work meet. Check all of the stucco for cracks. If you have brick or rock veneers on your home, check to see that the caulk at the top is still sealing and has not dried out. Look for any obvious signs that wood has shrunk, leaving a gap that was never there when the home was built. Yesterday’s kiln dried wood is no longer the
norm. Moisture content in today’s lumber is higher, and after several years of exposure, it will sometimes shrink enough to create a gap. All gaps should be sealed with what is best for that area, usually a flexible, silicone-type sealer. At the first sign of drying caulk, dig it out and refill with new material. Even smaller horizontal or vertical gaps in stucco can be sealed with caulk. Push in the caulk with your finger, and wipe up the excess with a water-soaked sponge for latexbased sealer or a paint-thinner saturated sponge for an oilbased sealer. If any wood trim actually needs replacing, use clear heart redwood or cedar for the longest lasting wood. The trim on the exterior of your newer home is most likely spruce or fir. Even though this wood is considered code for this application, the extra few dollars you would spend for redwood or cedar is an investment well worth the cost. Inside, the obvious checkpoints are bathrooms and kitchens. Every time you use your tile shower, give it a quick once-over. Check for small gaps or cracks in the grout. If there is a gap around the shower head, it can be sealed with silicone sealer in the same manner as discussed earlier. Cracked grout between the tiles should be chipped out, the area regrouted and resealed with grout sealer. The grout on tile floors or caulk on vinyl floors should be checked at the seam where they meet the bathtub or shower pan. Be especially mindful of looking for gaps there as water on the bathroom floor is
inevitable. It gets into the gaps and can lead to extensive damage to the underlayment and subfloor. Check countertops for small cracks or broken or missing grout, especially around the sink areas. With all the water use counters get everyday, even grout in good condition should be sealed with a liquid silicone sealant yearly. Allow the counter to dry thoroughly and apply one coat of the sealer over every grout seam. Let this dry again for eight to 16 hours and apply a second coat. Let this dry before using, and the grout will be water tight for another year. Look under the sink for water stains to the wood framing, particularly around the faucet and the perimeter of the sink. If you have a tile backsplash on your counter, check the grout where the backsplash meets the counter. This is one of the most common areas for grout failure. Remember, your home is a major investment, and it doesn’t matter if it is old or new, a maintenance program is always the first step in protecting that investment. A small problem left untreated can become a costly repair in the future. If you suspect problems that you can’t identify or are worried that the scope is already more than you can remedy on your own, consult a licensed professional to help keep your home in top condition. Larry Domina is the owner of the Contra Costa Termite Control Company in Concord. He can be reached at 925-680-7665.
Protect against identity theft They could be snacking their way through your biggest investment. Protect your home. Call us.
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a t s o C l o a r r t t Con ite Con Term
est ral P uctu ifornia r t S Cal the r of s of mbe perator e m ear ntrol O 27 y Co
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rritory Road. 5 SOLD: Morgan Te 2 baths plus s, om dro acres, 3 be h office/tack wit op 1,250 sq. ft. sh house, city water. en gre ge lar m, roo $880,000
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Over the years we have helped thousands of individuals obtain mortgage loans at great rates and terms. One of the reasons so many of you have been able to obtain the very best loan is that your credit has been excellent. We are finding now that many of our valuable customers have fallen victim to identity theft, which is a growing problem. This theft has ruined credit and created major headaches for the victims since it is very time consuming and extremely frustrating to restore credit. The Federal Trade Commission recently reported that ID theft now accounts for more than 40 percent of the 635,000 complaints filed in 2004. Please take a minute to read the following tips to help you avoid having your credit used by another individual. When ordering checks, omit
Clayton.
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TED SUDDERTH YOUR MORTGAGE tion, it does not have to happen to you. If it does happen, you need to contact all three credit bureaus immediately to put a “fraud alert” on your file. You can also contact the Web site for the nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center in San Diego at www.idtheftcenter.org, which helps victims. The FTC also has a hot line with counselors available to help at (877) 438-4338. Ted Sudderth owns ComUnity Lending in Clayton. He can be reached at 672-5363
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agency you can contact is www.annualcreditreport.com. Make photocopies of the contents of your wallet. Make copies of your license and all credit cards, front AND back so in the event you do lose your wallet you can contact each creditor and cancel your card in a timely manner. Most people are not aware of what cards they actually have in their wallet. Keep this photocopy in a safe place with the appropriate phone number to call and cancel. Take your Social Security card and any cards that carry that information out of your wallet and put them in a safe place. Never give out personal information over the Internet unless you initiated the contact. We sincerely hope that you have never experienced the theft of your credit. By using common sense and a little preven-
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your first name and have only your initials and last name put on them. (If someone takes your checkbook, they will not know how you sign your checks. Only your bank will know.) Put your work phone number on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a P.O. Box, use that instead of your home address. When writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT write the complete account number on the checks as a reference number. Just put the last four numbers as the credit card company has the rest. Check your credit report often through the Internet as all the credit bureaus now are required to let you see your credit at least once a year for free. They typically will not give you a score for free, but you can at least check for accuracy. One
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Should I use a broker or lender? With a myriad of mortgage alternatives available, it simplifies matters to think in terms of two options. You can either use the services of a mortgage broker. Or, you can bypass the broker and go directly to a lender. Banks, mortgage bankers and lenders make loans to consumers. They have the money to
“Why would you want to pay two loan origination fees when you can pay one if you go directly to the lender? One reason is that mortgage brokers can arrange financing that wouldn't otherwise be available to you.” Lynne French lend. If you go to one of these institutions to get a mortgage, you will be dealing directly with the money source. In this case, a loan agent, who is employed by the lender, takes your mortgage application and helps process your loan. The lender’s underwriters evaluate your financial documents to determine your credit-worthiness. Lenders either have their own appraisers, or they hire outside appraisers. But, your mortgage is processed in-house. The lender usually collects fees at closing to cover the cost of originating and processing your mortgage.
A mortgage broker, on the other hand, usually does not have money to lend. A broker acts as an intermediary between the borrower and the lender. You submit a loan application and all of your supporting financial documentation to your broker, rather than directly to a lender. The broker hires a lender-approved appraiser to appraise the property for you. Brokers shop the mortgage market for their customers to find the best interest rate and terms possible. When the borrower decides on a mortgage product, the broker assembles the loan package, which consists of the borrower’s application, financial documents and the appraisal, and submits it to the lender for approval. The lender’s underwriters grant final approval. Mortgage brokers work on commission. They charge borrowers a fee (called points) for their loan brokering services. (One point is equal to one percent of the loan amount.) The broker’s fees may be in addition to fees charged by the lender. Why would you want to pay two loan origination fees when you can pay one if you go directly to the lender? One reason is that mortgage brokers can arrange financing that wouldn’t otherwise be available to you. Some lenders work only with mortgage brokers. They do not accept loan applications directly from individual borrowers. These lenders are called wholesale lenders. Some of
LYNNE FRENCH
REAL ESTATE
these loans have the best rates and terms available. A lender that deals directly with borrowers is called a retail lender. Some lenders have both retail and wholesale divisions, which often charge different fees. For example, if you go directly to Bank X for a mortgage, you’ll be charged one point. If you use a mortgage broker who brokers your loan through the wholesale division of Bank X, the mortgage broker will charge you one-half point, and Bank X will charge one-half point for a total of one point. Make sure that you don’t use
a mortgage broker who charges excessive fees for his or her services. You shouldn’t pay more for a mortgage through a broker than you would if you went directly to the same lender. As in any profession, there are people who do an outstanding job. They value your repeat business and referrals. Unfortunately, there are a few less-than-scrupulous people who take unfair advantage of any situation. So you should ask for referrals from acquaintances you trust. And check rates and fees with competitors before choosing a broker. A big benefit in using a broker is that he or she can quickly move you from one lender to another if for some reason you have difficulty qualifying. Also, a broker may have access to a larger array of mortgage products than might be available from an individual lender. For any real estate needs or questions contact Lynne at: Phone (925) 6728787 or E-mail: Lynne@LynneFrench.com
SHERI DICKSON
HOME WORK
The last two months have been extremely cold and I am sure that your heating bills have skyrocketed as you most likely have been running your furnace more frequently when the temperatures are dipping below outside. Plus, there was a rate increase in January, and in all probability your bill was more than what you expected. Is your furnace getting old and costing you more each season when you run it? Maybe it is time to consider a more energy efficient system. There are plenty of reasons to consider changing out your furnace and possibly even your air conditioner, as there are many incentives throughout the industry. PG & E started another 2005 rebate program whereby you can receive several types of rebates. For example, if you change out your furnace to a 90% efficient model, you could qualify for a $200 rebate. If you change out your furnace to one with a variable speed motor, you could qualify for $100 rebate. They are also offering a rebate for qualified Energy Star programmable thermostats. Air conditioners have rebates at three different tier levels. PG& E states that
funds are limited and applications are accepted on a firstcome, first served basis. You can go to their website at: www.pge.com/res/rebates or call 1-800-933-9555 to receive more information. In addition, many manufacturers are offering rebates on their equipment as well. This coupled with the PG & E rebate might just be the answer you have been looking for to help save in the expenditure of changing out your system. If you have a question or have a topic you would like to see discussed, you may write to me at: sheridickson@protechheating.com
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 9
School board cuts music and foreign language programs
STUDENT REPORTER Throughout school, whether it is high school or even middle school, students have classes that require them to cut current events out of the newspaper. Then in class, the students may share what they found and later forget
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der why the board would want to cut such classes that improve academic performance and a student’s chances of getting into a four-year college. I have already been accepted to college, so these concerns don’t apply to me directly, but they do apply to my younger friends and to my sister. I have been a music student since sixth grade and a foreign language student since ninth grade. When I joined band in high school, I came to realize that with the music program, performances and great trips comes a fee. But this is not the case with sports. When the board members announced cuts to the
music programs (specifically fourth grade music), many parents and teachers wondered why they would cut a program that is mostly selffunded, instead of requiring sports team participants to pay. Now, the school board is pretending to compromise with parents and teachers by leaving music programs from fifth grade up alone but suggesting that a foundation be made to support them. This idea has led music teachers to question what makes music so different that it should be funded by a separate foundation when English, science, and even sports have no need for a “foundation.” However,
School News CLAYTON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL Fashion Show: The Clayton Valley High School Senior Women fashion show, “A Black & White Affair” is set for Friday, Mar. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in the Gym. Clayton Valley students will be modeling clothes from stores such as The Buckle, Georgiou, Pac Sun, Hot Topic and more. Tickets are $5 at the door, or $4 if you arrive dressed in black and white. Come preview all the spring looks and enjoy free refreshments! Open House: Mar. 17 is the date for the Clayton Valley High School Open House. All parents of new students are invited to the large gym from 6:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. for presentations and a question and answer session. From 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. visit programs throughout the campus and/or get scheduling information in the multi-use room. 8 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. refreshments will be served in the multi-use room. Grad Night Car Raffle: Clayton Valley High School’s graduating class of 2005 is having its Grad Nite celebration June 15. The Grad Nite party provides a safe, fun, alcohol and drug free environment at Centre Concord for all CVHS graduating seniors. Traditionally Grad Nite is attended by over 90 percent of the graduating seniors and features games, food, entertainment, memories and much more. Ticket sales to Grad Nite cover about half the cost of putting on the event. Private and business donations and fundraising provide the remaining
(925) 686-9901
the board is very carefully sidestepping and flat out avoiding these questions. The board is also choosing not to notice that music is a core academic subject in the No Child Left Behind Act, and the arts are identified by College Board as one of the six basic academic subjects needed to be successful in college. So what should be done? Well, athletes could chip in to support their interests, unneeded or duplicated jobs could be eliminated in the district (eliminating one switchboard operator at the Dent Center could save $49,190/year), and even schedule changes could be made to save money.
money. Grade Nite is organized and run almost exclusively by dedicated parents of graduating seniors. Each year the Grad Nite committee conducts a major fundraiser and this year is no exception. The committee will raffle off a brand spanking new Chrysler 300, providing the minimum number of tickets is sold. Please help with this great event and buy a ticket or two. For details please call Shari Case at 6873690. DIABLO VALLEY SCHOOL Diablo Valley School is holding an open house Wed., Mar. 16, 6:30 – 8 p.m. Clayton families are welcome. Check out Contra Costa County’s only Sudbury school where children ages 5-19 learn how to lead successful lives through pursuing their interests in a well-structured environment. Meet students, staff, and parents, enjoy refreshments, and discuss our philosophy. More information at www.dvschool.org or 925676-2982. Diablo Valley School is located at 2924 Clayton Road, Concord. DIABLO VIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL Oakland A’s fundraiser: Step up to the plate for education! Diablo View is participating in an exciting, new fundraiser with the Oakland A’s. For every field level seat purchased for $26 (regularly $28) the A’s will donate $10 to the school. For every plaza level seat purchased for $16 (regularly $18) the A’s will donate $6 to the school. There are eight games throughout the season earmarked for this fundraiser. The order forms will be sent home in the next week or two. In the meantime, if you wish to order tickets, contact Beth Neudell at bethneudell@peoplepc.com. Support the A’s and Diablo View and enjoy a fun day (or days)
BUYERS AND SELLERS!
It is not up to me or teachers to figure out what should be done to help the budget debt, this is the job of the elected board. Thank you to Mr. Eberhart and Mr. Leal, who recognize the importance of music and have supported the arts all along. I can’t help but wonder what the rest of the board members were thinking when they cut valuable classes that have proven to be the foundation of lifelong learning, and I hope that the voting public will keep these decisions in mind when it comes time for re-election. Cynthia West is a senior at CVHS. E-mail her at cvhs@claytonpioneer.com
at the ballpark at the same time. The total raised by the DVMS magazine drive is $19,000! The PFC, student body, and technology will use the funds for programs vital to the school. MT. DIABLO ELEMENTARY Measure C Informational Meeting: Mark your calendars for an important informational meeting on Tues., Mar. 15 at 7 p.m. in the multi-use Room. The meeting has been set aside to provide information to parents and school neighbors about the facility’s upgrades set to begin in April and continue through spring of 2006. During the next 12 months the school will be preparing and implementing the demolition of 13 classrooms, the building of 15 new state-of-the-art classrooms, bathroom renovations, electrical upgrades, and internet connections. Mt. Diablo will continue to be an educational setting, but the school will also be a construction site for most of the 2005-06 school year. According to Principal Linda Schuler, many people in the community have begun to hear about this project and are wondering about safety, timelines, final outcomes, disruptions to routines and general plans for interim classrooms for students and teachers. “I assure you that attention to every detail is being made by our district project managers, and our Measure C site team,” she says. “I look forward to a collective community understanding of the plans and an opportunity for all to gather in gaining accurate knowledge about this project,” she says. Fifth Annual Benefit Auction: Fiesta Diablo, Centre Concord, Sat., Apr. 9. Last year’s auction was a sell out. Mark your calendars and don’t miss this event. Additional details, contacts and Auction Catalog will be available on the school web site. 50 Year Anniversary Sock Hop, Fri. May 20, 2005, at the school. Don’t miss Mt. Diablo’s 50-Year Anniversary Celebration. Great food, car show, tile wall unveiling, time capsule and much, much more. Watch the school website for details.
Put the BEST to work for you PETE LAURENCE’S roots go deep into the Clayton soil. He’s lived here since 1954 and was a member of the Clayton Valley High School Class of ‘63. His long relationship with Clayton has given him a thorough knowledge of its history and a good perspective on its future.
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about these news stories. However, this has not been the case with the recent budget cuts to education. Many students, parents and teachers alike are upset with the school board over proposed cuts to foreign language and band programs, so they are fighting back. Although the board cannot control what little money Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is willing to give the public school system, the board can control how the money is spent. With the recent announcements made to cut fourth grade band and upper level foreign languages, students and teachers are left to won-
ear, a New Yo Y u! ew In office N eaching l b ” M O O “Z er e Makeov
Forty Fifth Anniversary Celebration: We Care Services for Children at the Barbara Milliff Children’s Center are celebrating their 45-year anniversary this spring. The Concordbased school, providing education and therapy for young children with developmental and emotional needs is calling on alumni and the community to participate in the celebration by providing stories and photos to be included in a memory album. If you or someone you know would like to contribute to the project, please contact Patty Kaplan at 360-1744 or e-mail EventfulPlanner@aol.com. For additional information about We Care Services for Children visit their web site at www.wecarebmcc.org or call 671-0777.
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Page 10
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
March 11, 2005
It’s time to get down and dirty...in your garden Hello, gardeners! March is here, and now is the time to get outside and get dirty. There is a lot of work to be done if we’re going to make the most of our yards and gardens this year. Prune, fertilize, amend, install and mulch. Pruning the yard and gar-
den is essential for the shape, bloom and overall healthy look of the plants. Pruning tasks vary, depending on the project at hand, from removing large limbs from trees and shrubs to pinching new growth on perennials, each plant will be treated differently, depending on their needs
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and your wants. As gardeners, we need to provide a growing environment that includes lots of air circulation and sunlight. All our fruiting trees, including citrus, ornamentals such as crape myrtle, lilac hibiscus, Japanese maples as well as common evergreens such as the photinia, and oleander, appreciate these. They depend on us not to let them become too dense, not to allow diseased or dead wood to remain on the plant draining its energy, and to remove any crossing branches. Small, twiggy growth should also be removed to let the plant show off some strong limbs and shape. It’s ok to remove any undesirable growth. These plants are visitors in your yard and garden, but you are the boss. Prune out any wayward branches, and remove all suckers (stems growing out from the root). Prune to redirect the growth of the plant. Pinching side shoots causes the plant to lengthen. Removing the terminal bud (growing at the tip of the shoot) will cause the shoots to grow from the side. In theory, you trim your hair to make it look thicker; and the same is true for a plant. Most of the cuts made while pruning are thinning cuts. This is when you remove the entire stem, allowing light and air to penetrate deeper into the plant. Heading is the cut made to thicken up a plant, such as a hedge. Remove up to one-third of the plant’s overall growth, most of the time without risk of shock. Perennials need extreme cutting this month. Do not be scared about hurting any peren-
nial when cutting them back. Mexican and Russian sages should have their dried stems cut to the ground. Penstemon should be cut within inches of the soil every year to promote a longer life and healthier plant. Yarrow should have all arms cut to the ground. Lavenders, with the exception of the Spanish early blooming varieties, should have one-third to one-half of last year’s growth removed. The Spanish varieties will need to be cut back one-third after bloom. Those gardeners growing Erysimum, or the Wallflower, will need to remove one-third of last year’s growth again after the bloom. Remove any dry stems on your perennial this month. It is finally time to fertilize. This month, pay some attention to your citrus. Remove fruit on any overproducing limbs, and feed with a 0-10-10 specialty fertilizer. This will aid with root development without encouraging any top growth. The calcium and sulfur in the fertilizer adds color to the bloom, and sugars to the fruit. As you feed your citrus this month, add the recommended amount of iron plus to keep plant green. Azaleas would love the same recipe, as would your camellias and Rhododendrons. A multipurpose liquid or granular fertilizer 18-18-18 is great to use in March for all your woody trees and shrubs. This includes all the loropetalum owners out there. If your Razzleberri Fringe Flower has grown yellow and is struggling to bloom, feed it. Feed your Spiraea, Weigela, Abelia and boxwood, as well. For the first feeding for your perennials, also
Failure to read this may be hazardous to your health Please listen carefully. Many of you, perhaps your loved ones, are in grave danger, and you’re not even aware of it, par-
ticularly if you’re not reading this column, which is the very reason your life is in such peril. You see, there’s a woman 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
use the multipurpose fertilizer. This first dose of food is the plant’s wakeup call. Feeding early in the season generates strength within the plant. A strong plant provides better blooms. Two to three weeks after the multipurpose feeding, a liquid follow-up should be applied of a bud and bloom-type food 10-52-8 promoting growth, larger, more beautiful blooms and a stronger root system. This product can be applied every two to three weeks for maximum results. Feed your vines and fruit trees. Give your Japanese maples some iron, as well as your lawn. Amend your beds and planting areas. Use a soil conditioner around woody trees and shrubs. Be careful not to pile soil on the trunk of the plant, just around the base. Look for a product that helps conserve water, inhibits weed growth and ultimately improves soil structure. Stick with a product with 15 percent chicken manure for the woody trees and shrubs. The production plants such as your roses, perennials and vegetables should have a different soil amendment added this spring. A premium organic soil builder containing 25 percent chicken manure, redwood compost, mushroom compost, earthworm castings, bat guano, feather meal, kelp meal, humic acid and beneficial mycorrhizal fungi sounds yummy, and your flowers think so, too. Install anything that you want. Now is the time to plant a spring bloomer, summer bloomers, trees and shrubs as the ground is softer in March than it is in June. Spread some mulch or top
out there, at most, just a short drive away from where you are at this very minute. For all intents and purposes, a saintly woman. A pleasant, kind, wouldn’t-hurt-a-fly type of woman. Except when the subject of whether or not you read this column arises, and then she can turn downright ugly. I mean a hissing, spitting, head-spinning-while-puking-pea-soup, kind of ugly. Who is this saint/Satan incarnate? Why my dear, sweet mother of course. I think I can say with 100 percent certainty that mom is my No. 1 fan. Many of you current readers can attest to this, as you probably became readers on account of my mother. Think back. You ran into her at church or the Clayton Police Department prior to her retirement. You chatted about inconsequentials — the weather, vacations, etc. and then — The Question: “Do you read my son’s column?” “Casual” readers take heed.
NICOLE HACKETT
GARDEN GIRL
dressing to finish your beds and gardens. Barks and mulches act as water savers, weed preventers and just add to the overall finished look of the area. Yes, you will need to top off the mulch next year. Weather breaks down, and sun fades color, but the pros outweigh the cons. Bark is so much more these days than the chunky red disks of yesterday’s garden. Aqua Saver Mulches are available, as are shredded red cedars, organic black micro bark and cocoa mulches, providing different looks for different gardeners to enjoy. Buy a few bags of mulch at a time not to overload yourself. It is easier to commit to spreading three bags rather than three yards. Garden early this year, and enjoy more of your yard. Don’t forget to bait for snails and slugs. Use spray oils on plants to control pests such as aphids and scale this year. They only kill the pest present, not the bee or butterfly that comes by for a visit. Garden responsibly. Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio and Garden Contact her with questions, comments or suggestions at GardenGirl94517@aol.com
JOE ROMANO
SO ANYWAY Should ever you find yourselves face-to-face with mom and this question arises (and it will), save yourselves and answer accordingly: “Oh, of course I do. I never miss it. He is so funny. You must be very proud.” Forget about your foolish pride or the fact that you wouldn’t be caught dead reading such sophomoric dribble, otherwise you may very well
See Mom, page 18
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March 11, 2005
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 11
Clayton Community Calendar PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M., MAR. 14 FOR THE MAR. 25 SSUE. FAX TO 672-6580 OR E-MAIL calendar@claytonpioneer.com
EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT JAN. 29 - ONGOING YMCA Youth and Adult Sports Programs @ Clayton Community Gym Youth and adult leagues for winter/spring include basketball, floor hockey, soccer, and volleyball. For information on all YMCA programs call 889-1600. Clayton Community Gym, 300 Diablo View Lane, Clayton. ONGOING After School Programs @ Clayton Community Gym 3-6 p.m., After school program for Diablo View Middle students. Homework help, sports and art activities. Fun, safe environment. Call Liz Travers for information at 889-1600. Clayton Community Gym, 300 Diablo View Lane, Clayton. Ongoing - May 25, 2005 "The Bee's Knees", The Best of the 1920s @ Clayton Historical Society Museum Special exhibit featurs the best of the 1920s including film, entertainment, fads, fashion, photos, art, literature, music, inventions, sports, and world events of the 1920s. The Clayton Museum also features special kitchen and quilt exhibits, a mining exhibit, outhouse and Clayton's early 1900s jail. Free. Sundays & Wednesdays 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM, and by Appointment.Phone-(925) 672-0240/www.claytonhs.com. Clayton Historical Society Museum, 6101 Main Street, Clayton. FEB. 18 - MAR . 26 Little Women - The Musical @ CTA Crossroads Theatre Time honored classic set to music. Based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott, directed by Clay David. Preview 2/18 at 8 p.m. Opening night 2/19 at 8 p.m. Thurs 3/3, 3/10 at 8 p.m. Fri. 2/25, 3/4, 3/11 at 8 p.m. Sat matinees 3/5, 3/12 at 2 p.m. Sat 2/26, 3/5, 3/12 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $22 - $25. Call 944-0597 for tickets and information. www.ctacrossroads.org, CTA Crossroads Theatre, 1277 Boulevard Way, Walnut Creek. FEB. 24-MAR .19 South Pacific @ Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts A Rodgers and Hammerstein classic tracking two parallel romances between a navy nurse and french plantation owner and an American officer and and a native girl. Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, Hoffman Theatre, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek, 943-7469. 8 p.m. 2/24, 2/25, 2/26, 3/3, 3/4, 3/5, 3/10, 3/11, 3/12, 3/17. 3/18, 3/19. Matinees, 2 p.m. 2/27, 3/6, 3/19. MAR . 1 - MAY 5 Patty Cakes Story Time @ Clayton Community Library 11 a.m. Tuesdays. Story time for children up to three years old. Child attends with parent or guardian. No Registration required. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton, 6730659. MAR . 1 - MAY 5 Picture Book Time @ Clayton Community Library 11 a.m. Thursdays. Picture book time for children three to five years old. Child may attend without parent. No Registration required. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton, 673-0659. Mar. 10-11 Oliver at Mt. Diablo Elementary School 7 p.m. The fourth and fifth grade students present a musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ tale of an orphan who runs away and hooks up with a group of boys trained to be pickpockets. Tickets are fee and donations are encouraged to support chorus activities. MAR . 11 - 20 The Foreigner @ Diablo Valley College Written by Larry Shue, directed by Beth McBrien, this wickedly funny comedy demonstrates what can happen when a group of devious characters must deal with a stranger who they think knows no English. Fri. and Sat. Mar. 11, 12, 18, 19 at 8 p.m., Sun. Mar. 13, 20 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 - $13. Box office 687-4445.
Diablo Valley College Performing Arts Center, 321 Golf Club Road, Pleasant Hill. MAR . 16 Ygnacio Valley Republican Women Meeting @ Oakhurst Country Club 6 p.m. social, dinner at 7 p.m., program begins at 7:30 p.m.Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Road, Clayton MAR . 16 Lecture Series @ Cal State University East Bay 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Europe and America: Toward Global Confrontation? Presented by Norman Bowen, Professor or Political Science. This lecture will explore US-European relations in the areas of diplomatic and military affairs, the war on terrorism, trade and resources and relations with the developing world. $3.00. Cal State University East Bay, Oak Room, 4700 Ygnacio Valley Road, Concord, For information call Barbara Cella (925) 602-6772. MAR . 18 Film Night @ Clay State University East Bay 7 p.m. Racism at the Movies: A 100 year story. The history of racism will be highlighted in film, showing how films not only mirrored the prejudice in contemporary society, but also fought it. No charge. Oak Room. MAR . 19 Angel’s Run Fundraiser @ Las Juntas Elementary School 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. The Angel’s Charity is an organization which strives to raise awareness of and improve the lives of children with multiple birth defects. There will be free food, music and a raffle with great prizes. Las Juntas Elementary School, 4105 Pacheco Blvd., Martinez. e-mail Peter Mulders at peterkris96@comcast.net. MAR . 19, 20 Community Arts Celebration @ Clayton Community Library Sat. Mar. 19 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sun. Mar. 20 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. The two-day event will feature local artists, demonstrations and sales, performances by groups such as the Clayton Valley High School Arts Academy and Women’s Choir, Diamond Terrace poetry reading, and Likha Coco, a Phillipine dance group. The Clayton Library Foundation is sponsoring the event. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton, 673-0659. MAR . 23, 24, 25 7:30 p.m. “Cinders” performed at Clayton Valley High School The Clayton Valley High School Arts Academy Troupe will perform the British pantomime Cinders, a hilarious look at the Cinderella story. British pantomime is NOT silent - the audience participates and the actors speak with riotous consequences. Tickets are under $10. Clayton Valley High School, MU Rm. 1101 Alberta Way, Concord. MAR . 24 Marketing Practices to Build your Business @ Concord Library 7 p.m. Eric Kahn, independent marketing consultant and former VP Marketing at e-Phones, will present a workshop on growing your business through the best marketing practices. Concord Library, 2900 Salvio Street, Concord, 646-5456. MAR . 28 Retirement Issues Forum @ Concord Senior Center 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Contra Costa Times columnist George Fulmore will speak on the topic of “Refining Retirement in America: Who writes the scrip?” Concord Senior Center, 2727 Parkside Circle. For directions and information call 671-3320. APR . 3, 10, 17 Book Discussion Group @ Clayton Community Library 2 p.m. Adults and students 14 and up invited to discuss readings by California authors including Maxine Hong Kingston, Khaled Hosseini, Gary Soto, Francisco Jiminez and Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. Call the library at 673-0659 to register for the reading group and reserve books. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton.
CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS MAR . 11 Mt. Diablo AARP Meeting @ Pleasant Hill Senior Center 1:30 p.m. The Mar. program will be a presentation by Leah McIntosh of HICAP. The subject is Medicare, Your Choices, focusing on how the changes in the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003
will impact retirees and other Medicare recipients. Medicare’s prescription drug coverage will be discussed. Pleasant Hill Senior Center, 233 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill. For information call Fred Nelson, 451-1292. MAR . 15, 22, 29 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. MAR . 16 Blue Star Mom Meeting 6:30 p.m. Small group Blue Star Mom meetings held the third Wednesday 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. MAR . 17, 24, 31 Rotary Club of Clayton Valley Concord Sunrise @ Oakhurst 7 a.m. Meets every Thursday for breakfast meeting that usually features a speaker.www. claytonvalleyrotary.org Chuck Graham 689-7640. Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Drive, Clayton. MAR . 17, 24, 31 Weights Watchers Weekly Meeting @ Contra Costa Farm Bureau 10 a.m., 5 & 6:30 p.m. Weekly Weight Watchers weigh-in & meeting on Thursday. 800/326-8450 x 2023.Contra Costa Farm Bureau, 5554 Clayton Rd., Concord. MAR . 31 CBCA (Clayton Business & Community Association) Meeting @ Oakhurst 6:30 p.m. Monthly dinner meeting, Oakhurst Country Club, last non-holiday Thursday of the month. Reservations due by Tuesday noon prior, 672-2272. John Rubiales, President.
BUSINESS & GOVERNMENT MAR . 15, 22, 29 Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Meeting @ County Administration Building 9 a.m. County Board of Supervisors holds regular weekly meetings Tuesday mornings. Open to the public. www.co.contra-costa.ca.us 335-1900. County Administration Building, 651 Pine Street, Room 107, Martinez. MAR . 15 Clayton City Council Meeting @ Clayton Community Library 6 p.m. City Council meets on the first and third Tuesday of the month. Open to the public. Agendas posted at the following locations: City Hall, 6000 Heritage Trail, Clayton, Ohm's Bulletin Board, 1028 Diablo St., Clayton, Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Rd., Clayton. MAR . 22 Planning Commission Meeting @ Clayton Library 7p.m. City of Clayton Planning Commission meets 2nd & 4th Tuesday of month. Open to the public. www.ci.clayton.ca.us 6737304, Clayton Library Community Room, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton.
SCHOOLS & EDUCATION MAR . 15 Parent Faculty Club (PFC) Meeting, @ Mt. Diablo Elementary 7 p.m. Please join us and help make a difference! Child care is provided for this event. If you would like to have a specific item included on the agenda, please contact Rosy Straka at rosystraka@yahoo.com or 672-3200. 7304. Mt. Diablo Elementary. MAR . 16TH Parent Faculty Club Meeting @ Diablo View Middle School 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. in the School Library. All parents are invited to attend. Please contact PFC President Carolyn Hartnell at 672-4146 or crhartnell@earthlink.net if you want an item on the agenda.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
March 11, 2005
Clayton Sports
St. Bonaventure’s Tigers claim national championship St. Bonaventure’s Fourth Grade Boys CYO Tigers Basketball Team was a force to be reckoned with this past season. The Tigers were undefeated in the regular North East Division season with a perfect
10-0 win record. On Feb 26, the team played in the postseason playoffs and continued the winning streak with a victory against St Agnes. Capturing the win was crucial as the boys advanced into the
Sports Shorts CLAYTON VALLEY LITTLE LEAGUE CVLL is now accepting sponsorships for the 2005 season that kicks off April 2nd. Information can be received by calling Mary Del Monte at 925-672-5723 or em a i l : mar ydm64@yahoo.com. Thank you in advance to our wonderful community. DVSC BLACK PEARL SUPER Y-LEAGUE U14-U18 TRYOUTS Players interested in trying out for Diablo Valley Soccer Club’s Black Pearl under 14 through under 18 Super YLeague teams for 2005-06 season can call (925) 229DVSC or email dvsctryouts@aol.com to get evaluated. Boys and girls born
(Back Row) Coaches Dave Jeans, Dave Dunkley and John Moore, Middle Row) Eric Dunkley, Tanner Rose, Jake Adams, Jordan Bergero, John Moore and Ronald Dinoso, Kneeling: Nate Jeans and Jason Fernandes.
between Aug. 1, 1987 and Jul. 31, 1992 are invited to try out for DVSC Black Pearl Super Y-League teams and participate in the Bay Area’s most comprehensive elite player training program focused on individual player development and college preparation. DVSC professional coaching staff includes coaches with World Cup, MLS, WUSA, Olympic, international, pro and collegiate playing experience. Visit www.dvsc.com to pre-register (no charge) for tryouts and get more information on the coaching staff and teams. DANA HILLS SWIM TEAM 2005 PRE-SEASON SWIM CLINICS DHST Head Coach Matt Struempf will be conducting
Championship Game on the following day. On Feb 27, they battled for the National League Championship against Good Shepherd and claimed the title with a final season record of 12-0.
a series of five weekly swim clinics–each one on a particular stroke technique (free, breast, back, fly, starts and turns in that order), which begin 5 successive weeks from Mar.28 through Apr. 25. Sessions are Mon., Wed. and Thur. each week at the Dana Hills pool in Clayton. The clinics will be for all ages (4-18) including an “Otter Pup” clinic for small groups of just four to five young swimmers ages 4-6 to allow for individual attention. The clinics are open to all recreational swimmers, (Dana Hills and non-Dana Hills), and will focus on breaking down participants’ strokes and installing correct swimming form and techniques. Clinic times will be: Otter Pups from 2:30-3:30 p.m. (on the half hour); Age 8 and under from 4 – 4:30 p.m.;
See shorts, page 13
Berean Christian High School Basketball has its “Clayton Connections” JIM ZEWAN Clayton Pioneer
Berean Christian High School, a small private high school in Walnut Creek with about 400 students, has several connections to the Clayton area. Its basketball teams, with the help of several Clayton residents, have also achieved some interesting accomplishments on the court this season. Berean Christian Eagles boys basketball head Coach Michael Gleisner and assistant Aaron Zimmerman both played basketball together from sixth through 12th grades, including playing at Clayton Valley High School. Both are Clayton residents and 1996 CVHS grads, and their dream was to some day have a chance to coach together. Gleisner has coached at BC for four years. Zimmerman joined him as an assistant when Gleisner took over as varsity head coach last year.
Together this season, they have led the BC Eagles boys team to a league championship in the Bay Counties League – East I and to a second seed in the North Coast Section Division V playoffs. The team finished with an 11-1 league record. After their first round NCS win against Urban of San
Francisco on March 1, they had a 22-7 overall record. Gleisner said his team played very well defensively against Urban and also shot well, hitting 12 threepointers. “The boys were setting nice screens on offense, and our shooters were able to take advantage of the openings,” Gleisner
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See Berean, page 13
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Page 13
Clayton Sports Clayton Valley H.S. Golf Team’s 2005 season preview JIM ZEWAN Clayton Pioneer
CVHS Varsity Golf Team’s Head Coach Paul Meyer thinks his team has a good chance for success in Bay Valley Athletic League action going into the season. The team which began practicing on Feb. 8 was scheduled to have its first match of the season on Mar. 8 against Pittsburg at Pittsburg’s Delta
View Golf Course. Although the team did get in several practice rounds, unfortunately each of CVHS’ practice matches scheduled earlier this year were cancelled due to rain; so, the season will start off with official league play this year without the players having faced live competition. The Eagles will hold their first home match against Antioch on Mar. 15 at Oakhurst Country Club, the
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inch senior, plays guard on the BC varsity team. His family has lived in Dana Hills for more than 20 years. Andrew is “probably our smartest player,” Gleisner said. “He prides himself in setting up other people. He makes our offense flow.” Ben Magnone, a Clayton area resident, is also a senior on the team. Magnone finished the season ranked first on the team in both steals and assists, second in scoring, second in 3point field goals and third on rebounds. Gleisner described Magnone “as the real spark on the team. He is a great defensive player and a good leader on the floor.” At NCS against Urban, Magnone made four 3-pointers from behind the arc and had a total of 14 points. Berean Christian girls varsity
Today, preparing for the possibility you or a family member may need long-term care is one of the most important parts in financial planning for the future. Most of us know someone who is receiving some kind of longterm care, whether it is at home from a home care worker or in a facility. Few of us know someone who has had their house burned to the ground. Yet many of us have fire insurance. Doesn’t it make sense to insure yourself from a much more common threat to your financial health? We all want the best care for our loved ones and ourselves. Here are some tips on choosing a long-term care policy. BENEFITS CALCULATED ON A DAILY OR MONTHLY BASIS?
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ly solid players this season and I feel we should be very competitive. The BVAL always seems to be good competition for us and it should be a lot of fun” He also added, “I really appreciate Oakhurst Country Club allowing us to play there as our home course. Playing a challenging course like Oakhurst really helps prepare us for the tough competition we face in BVAL league play.”
Sport Shorts, from page 12
team finished their season with a 10-2 league record and 18 -10 overall, and they also went to the NCS. The girls team, which was the eighth seed at NCS Division V, lost their opening round NCS game against Marin Academy – San Rafael by a score of 51-43. The girls’ team also has its own connections to Clayton. Assistant Coach Amanda (James) Burtch is a Clayton resident. She also played basketball for four years at CVHS and graduated in 1997. Clayton’s Jenny Doss is a freshman on the girl’s team. “Jenny plays point guard and is a good ball-handler, and she plays well defensively,” said Head Coach Steve Mawhorter. Another local BC player is Miriam Adamiec.
Age 9 and up from 4:455:30 p.m. Swimmers can commit to either on a weekly or daily basis. Cost per swimmer is $15 per day or $40 for an entire 3 session week. Contact Coach Matt at 925-451-4687for more information. CONCORD/CLAYTON BRANCH YMCA SPRING PROGRAMS
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$250, you will have to pay the $50 out of pocket for Tuesday’s care. A better alternative is to only invest in policies that pay a monthly benefit. Using the same scenario, you would be completely covered for both days. Daily benefit plans are often much less expensive than monthly plans, but you might have to pay more when you need it. HOW MUCH COVERAGE DO NEED?
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First, you need to have an idea of what city you want to live in if you have to live in a skilled nursing facility. Next, ask yourself other qualifying questions such as, How close do I want to live to my children or other important relatives? Then, you must determine what the cost is to live in that facility. A good insurance agent will find this out for you by calling a few facilities in the town you choose. I am a big advocate for being cared for at home for as long as possible. The biggest problem we had with my mom when she was at a facility was the germs she caught from other patients that made her sick. Having a care worker live with you can cost upwards of $225/day. This is why I suggest that when choosing your benefits you choose
facility benefits and home care benefits at equal amounts. Typically, you would want at least a $5,400/month benefit if you plan on staying in the Bay Area through retirement. A private room in a facility can cost $200 or more a day in Concord and Walnut Creek. BENEFIT PERIOD This is the length of time you could collect benefits. Choices are usually between one and eight years. Many companies still have a lifetime benefit option. I often advise people to invest as much as they can afford because future needs for care are impossible to accurately predict. ELIMINATION PERIOD? An elimination period refers
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resident, said two players, Mark and Mike DeWitt, also reside in our city. They are both sophomores. Other players on the team include juniors Bob Warren and Ryan Reichold along with sophomore Zach Barton. As to the outlook for the team, Coach Meyer said it looks like “we should be able to compete favorably again this year; we picked up two or three real-
the Diablo View Middle School. These programs include many sports activities for children of all ages and adults. Upcoming youth sports include Floor Hockey, Indoor Soccer, Spring Brake Basketball Camp, Soccer, and Volleyball. Upcoming adult sports include Indoor Soccer, Flag Football, 3 on 3 Women’s Basketball, 5 on 5 Men’s basketball and 3 on 3 Men’s over 40 Basketball. Call 925-889-1600 for more information.
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so that will be a big hole to fill this year. Meyer confirmed that the perennial favorite to win the league championship again this year is De La Salle. One of the returning players that Meyer hopes will step up to take a leadership role this year is Senior Matt Mead. Sophomores Bobby Bucey and Sean Callahan are also some key returning players. Coach Meyer, who is himself a long-time Clayton
Berean, from page 12
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to the amount of time you will be responsible for paying for benefits out-of-pocket before the insurance kicks in. One of the biggest complaints is when family members of those with long-term care insurance are told they have to satisfy the elimination period requirement, usually 20, 30, 90 or even 100 days. The best way to get around this is to choose the shortest elimination period you can afford. I suggest 30 days at the most. Many people depend on Medicare to pay for treatment for 100 days. Remember, this is half true. Medicare will pay 100 percent of the first 20 days. For days 21 through 100, you will have to pay approximately $109/day out of your pocket. Also, keep in mind that Medicare will not pay for someone to take care of you in your home every day. In fact, homecare is very limited under Medicare guidelines. INFLATION PROTECTION This will automatically increase your benefits every year. Options include a simple increase or a compounded increase. The latter will provide a larger increase year after year. This option is important to consider. The cost of long-term care goes up just about every year. A $200/ day benefit today may not be sufficient in 10 years. My mother was cared for at home for 18 years and resided at a skilled nursing facility for almost 7 years. I know personally the effects of long-term care and why it is so important to insure yourself. Not all longterm care insurance policies are created equal, so be informed and choose wisely. This information is provided for informational purposes only. Please consult your tax, financial or other professional advisors before purchasing Insurance. The views expressed here may not be suitable for every person. Sam Totah is an insurance broker with Crocker insurance of Walnut Creek. He can be reached with questions or comments at 925-941-1536; stotah@crockersecurities.com
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Church News CLAYTON COMMUNITY CHURCH Worship is Sundays 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. at Diablo View Middle School. Children’s programs at both gatherings, Jr. and Sr. High meet at 10:45 a.m. Call 673-9060 for more information. W.O.W. (Women of the Word) Bible study meets on Weds. 9:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., at the church office, 6055 Main Street, Clayton. If interested in finding out about other Bible study opportunities please call our office at 673-9060. March 11-13 is a men’s ski retreat at Bear Valley Lodge. Contact 673-9060 for more information or to sign up for these events. CLAYTON VALLEY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church is located at 1578 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton, CA 94517; telephone: 925-6724848/fax, 925-672-4849; cvpres@sbcglobal.net. Services are at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays. CONCORD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Are you searching for a spiritual home? Concord United Methodist Church welcomes you in 2005! Join us and Pastor Rob Kirk at worship on Sun. mornings at 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. Concord UMC is located at 1645 West Street (between Clayton Rd. and Concord Blvd.) For more information please visit our website at www.concordumc.org. or call (925)685-5260. CROSSROADS COVENANT CHURCH 5353 Concord Blvd., Concord, 798-5905, service time is 9 a.m. Sunday school classes for children birth – fifth grade at 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Youth programs are available for older kids. God places a high value on children and so do we. Everyone is welcome. For more information call 798-5905 ext. 201. Join Pastors Eric Sorenson and Aaron Gonzenbach for “Meeting Jesus,” 10:30 a.m. through Mar. 20 and “Knowing Jesus,” 10:30 a.m., through Mar. 20. ETERNAL LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH Eternal Life Lutheran Church, Concord, has Midweek Lenten services on Wed. at 7 p.m. This year’s Lenten theme is “We See Jesus.” Upcoming sermon themes will include: “We See Jesus Paying for Our Sins,” and “We See Jesus Bringing Us into God’s Presence.” Soup suppers will precede the services, beginning each Wed. at 6 p.m. All are invited. The Holy Week and Easter service schedule will be as follows: Holy Wed. (Mar.23) service at 7 p.m.; Good Friday (Mar.25) Tenebrae (Darkness) Service at 7 p.m.; Easter Sunday (Mar. 27) Festival Service at 11 a.m. Eternal Life Lutheran Church meets at the County Farm Bureau, 5554 Clayton Rd., Suite 1B, Concord. The congregation is a member of the WELS (see www.wels.net) and is served by Pastor Will Kant. The regular Sun. schedule of worship and study is Sun. school and Bible Class at 9:45a.m., worship at 11 a.m. Lutheran Pioneers, a program for grade-school aged boys and girls meets on first and third Sat. at 10 a.m.. Please call or email for more info: 524-0295;
EternalLife@wels.net. FIRST CHURCH OF RELIGIOUS SCIENCE OF CONTRA COSTA CENTER FOR POSITIVE LIVING We are a spiritual community inspiring personal empowerment and celebrating life through a joyous realization of spirit. Join us in welcoming our new Pastor, Rev. Carole Anderson. The Center for Positive Living offers Religious Science classes in the Science of Mind, as formulated by Dr. Ernest Holmes. If you like Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer, Oprah, you’ll like us! Sun. service: 11 a.m. Call for more information (925) 363-9070. www.thereisapower.com. 1865 Clayton Way, Concord (between Willow Pass Rd & Concord Blvd) HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH On March 15th, the Nifty Fifty Seniors will journey to Old Sacramento from Martinez on Amtrak where we will visit the California Railroad Museum, home to over 20 restored locomotives and railroad cars plus artifacts and exhibits. The museum cost is $6 and the train fare is $22.10 round trip. The train leaves from Martinez at 10:04 a.m. and returns from Sacramento at 4:40 p.m. Lunch will be at a nearby restaurant - place to be announced later. Look for further details in Sundays’ bulletins. Sunday worship schedule - 9 a.m., worship with Communion first, third and fifth Sunday, worship non-communion second and fourth Sunday. 10:30 a.m. Sunday school and Bible Studies. Midweek Lenten services Wed. at 7 p.m., starting Feb.16 through Mar. 16.
Weekly Bible Study Topics Sun. 10:30 a.m., Bible study on Isaiah, in conference room, Sun., 10:30 a.m., Bible study on 1Corinthians, in Library. Mon. 12:30 p.m., Women of Freedom, in conference room, Wed., 6:30 p.m., life light Bible study Genesis, conference room, Thurs., 7:00 p.m., home Bible study at the Mortenson’s. Choir Rehearsal – Tues. 7:15 p.m. – 8:45 p.m., Youth Group – Second and fourth Sundays, 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. , Outreach Fourth Sunday at 11:30 a.m., Baldwin Park Prayer Group – Tues., 4:30 p.m., On March 15th, the Nifty Fifty Seniors will journey to Old Sacramento via Amtrak. Destination will be the California Railroad Museum. In April look forward to a tour of a Model of the Bay located in Sausalito. It is a replica of the San Francisco Bay and its interconnecting bodies of water. 1092 Alberta Way, Concord CA 94521, (925) 686-2000, Fax: (925) 686-6894 Email: info@holycrossconcord.org, Website: www.holycrossconcord.org ST. BONAVENTURE CATHOLIC CHURCH The Knights of Columbus of Clayton/Concord is sponsoring a benefit St. Patrick’s Day Dinner at St. Bonaventure Church Large Hall, 5562 Clayton Rd, on Mar. 17 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The menu will include corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, salad and bread. Tickets are $10 for adults, for children under 15 years, $6. Entertainment will include Irish dancers, music and raffle. Proceeds to benefit the Sisters of Nairobi, Kenya. For more information & tickets contact Pat Deplazes, at 685-0573 or Claire Tryon at 673-8564. Tickets are also available at the Parish office.
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ST. DEMETRIOS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH Worship Sunday begins at 10 a.m. with family worship. Sun. Feb. 27, 10 a.m. - Teaching Divine Liturgy, with running commentary. The Divine Liturgy is the most important form of worship for the Orthodox Christian. It is celebrated every Lord’s Day/Sunday/Kiriaki and special weekday feasts. We all know of its importance and we approach it with utmost reverence. There we meet Christ! At the same time, haven’t you, at least once, wondered why it is done the way it is done, and what is what in it? Visit us this Sun. as we will attempt to gain a deeper understanding of the Sunday worship service. Our special thanks to Professor John Klentos of GTU Berkeley for offering the commentary. For more details please call 925-676-6967 or E-mail to “Stdemetrios@astound.net” SAINT JOHN’S EPISCOPAL PARISH Saint John’s observes the rich and meaningful season of Lent with its regular Sun. worship services at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., including special music each week and other special features. A focus on adult spiritual formation includes a choice of Sun. evening mini-courses on a variety of topics including Bible study, an opportunity to learn about the Anglican tradition, and a remedial course for the“sacred-sight impaired” — how to see the holy in the ordinariness of life. Saint John’s programs are always open to the wider community. For more information: 5555 Clayton Road, Clayton, 925-672-8855 or 925-787-6965 jb@saintjohnsparish.org
Send your church news items to Clayton Pioneer, PO Box 1246, Clayton 94517 or e-mail religion@claytonpioneer.com.
Club News AAUW SCHOLARSHIP The Clayton Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) seeks to recognize a Clayton Valley High School senior woman who has exhibited academic achievement and leadership ability during her four years of high school. The award is a $500 scholarship for use at a community or fouryear college or university for the fall of 2005. Application forms are in the Career Center at Clayton Valley High School. The Application deadline is April 2, 2005. AAUW, founded in 1881, promotes education and equity for all women and girls, lifelong education, and positive societal change to enable them to reach their full potential.
CBCA SCHOLARSHIPS The CBCA (Clayton Business and Community Association) has scholarships available for up to $2,000 for this year’s high school graduates. There are academic scholarships for any high school senior living in the 94517 zip code with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and music scholarships available to members of any Clayton Valley High School music program. See you career counselor or call 672-2272 for an application. The application deadline is April 1, 2005.
Keep the community informed about your club’s activities. Send your club news to clubnews@claytonpioneer.com
THERE’S ONLY ONE MORE ISSUE OF THE PIONEER BEFORE EASTER. Call today to place your church’s Easter ad in the March 25 issue.
672-0500
A welcoming place and sacred space where thinking minds and caring hearts truly grow in faith
SAINT JOHN’S PARISH T HE E PISCOPAL C HURCH
IN
C LAYTON
Sunday Worship: 8 & 10 a.m. 5555 C LAYTON R OAD
Q
C LAYTON
Call anytime: 672-8855 or check us out online: www.saintjohnsparish.org
Take an Easter Break with your friends at
Clayton Community Church Sunday, March 20, at 12 noon
Giant Easter Egg Hunt for kids ages 2-11
Diablo View Middle School Soccer Field Co-sponsored with the YMCA (Church Gathering in the gym at 9 and 10:45 a.m.)
Clayton Flowers Daily deliveries to Clayton, Pittsburg, Concord, Walnut Creek
Valleywide Communion Service to remember the Passion of Christ
For those not content with the ordinary... WIRE SERVICE SPECIALISTS Major credit cards honored
Thursday, March 24, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Diablo View Middle School Gym Easy to order by phone
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Easter Gatherings Sunday, March 27, at 9 and 10:45 a.m. Discover how Jesus’ resurrection can give meaning and purpose to your life (Sign language translator @ 9am)
We meet at Diablo View Middle School in Clayton where Clayton Road and (upper) Marsh Creek Road meet For more information, call 673-9060 or visit our Website at www.claytoncc.com
March 11, 2005
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Charmer is ARF’s adoption star “Charmer,” a 3-yearold, black and tan terrier mix dog, loves to be on the go. Charmer will thrive in an active household where he can be the center of attention. He is a smart dog who will enjoy sports such as fly ball or agility. Charmer is recommended for families with children ages 10 or above. Bring everyone who will live with Charmer to meet him at Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue
CHARMER
Foundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek, during adoption hours: 2 to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Foster Volunteers are lifesaving heroes for the animals. Want a companion but can’t commit for a lifetime? Maybe fostering is for you! Visit ARF’s Web site, www.arf.net, to learn more and sign up for a volunteer orientation, or call (925) 256-1ARF. Add love to your life with companion animals.
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Protect your pets and family against parasites You may have wondered if there are parasites your pets can transmit to you or your family. The answer is yes. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) have issued guidelines for controlling internal and external parasites in dogs and cats. Veterinarians have been charged with the responsibility of informing their clients of these parasitic hazards to both their pets and family. It is important we follow these guidelines so our pets can safely become an integral part of our lives without fear of spreading disease. Roundworms and hookworms can present a serious threat to our health. These worms live in the small intestines of cats and dogs. The adults lay microscopic eggs, which are shed through stool into the environment and can inadvertently be ingested by humans. The eggs hatch within the intestines releasing larva that migrate through the body creating fever and flu like symptoms. These larvae can form cysts in muscles, the brain and in the eyes causing blindness. Three to six million people in United States are infected each year. Small children are most at risk when they play in dirt or sand-
boxes, handle feces, and do not wash their hands before eating. Preventing your pet from defecating in play areas and proper hand washing will help prevent infection. Hookworm eggs will hatch in moist soil. The larvae enter the body through the skin, primarily the feet, causing cutaneous larvae migrans. Wearing shoes and picking up stool daily can reduce exposure. If infected, your dog or cat may become lethargic, lose weight, vomit, cough or have diarrhea. Severe cases can result in death. To protect both humans and animals, the CDC and the CAPC advise veterinarians to recommend strategic deworming to all our clients for their pets. Medication is given to puppies and kittens every two weeks until 4 to 6 months old. After this, dogs are protected by monthly tablets, which also protect against heartworm. For outside cats we recommend a monthly spot on (Revolution). This spot on also controls fleas, mites and heartworm disease. Revolution does not, however, protect dogs against roundworm or hookworm infestation. Indoor cats are at low to no risk of exposure, so generally deworming is not needed.
Mayor, from page 1 Also that year, and through 2004, the Community Services Commission became involved with Assistant to the City Manager Laura Hoffmeister as liaison for the CSC. A number of CSC members who were associated with the map project have left the area, but Dana Deely, Amy Hopkins, Sebastian Jacobs, Liz Roberts and Dave Shuey, the city’s current vice-mayor, are still here, and all the work of the CSC is greatly appreciated. In 2003 and 2004, a number of people walked the trails to gather descriptions for inclusion in the map. I am unaware of many of their identities, but on behalf of the City of Clayton, I thank them and anyone else who had input to this project. I do know that Jacobs of the CSC walked the trails, as did police intern Kim Nelson. Once the trails were walked and the data entered into the computer, Rick Angrisani, the city engineer, printed out draft copies for staff review. City administrative volunteer Susan Wenslawski reviewed street names for clarification and
corrections. In addition to walking the trails to gather descriptions, City Clerk Rhonda Basore secured a company to print the map, worked with the consultant and Laurence on the final product, prepared the staff report for the City Council and received the final product. Our map’s initial consultant, Lee McCormick, has moved out of the area. Laurence, who was involved with the project from the beginning, located him in Colorado and got him to update the computer data and produce a final draft. Laurence reviewed this draft, made some final changes, and sent it back to McCormick, who is involved in computerized map-making as a profession, for final corrections. McCormick sent Laurence a final proof, which he reviewed one last time before sending it to the printer. The map itself is a great product. It is almost a work of art. One side contains a topographical map, which shows the area from the top of Mt. Diablo to the Concord Pavilion with a map key and a list of all the
Annual fecal intestinal parasite tests should be done on all pets. Most veterinarians are now performing a parasite test called fecal centrifugation. By cen-
MARYBETH RYMER,
PAWS
AND
DVM
CLAWS
trifuging the stool the eggs are concentrated. This increases the accuracy of parasite identification. So follow your veterinarian’s parasite control recommendation to protect both the health of your pets and family, preserving the bond your share with your animal companions. More on other zoonotic parasites in future articles. For more information visit www.cdc.gov or www.capcvet.org. Marybeth Rymer, DVM, can be reached at Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital, Concord. 672-1100.
streets in Clayton. The other side includes a great deal of information. At the top is a panoramic view of the Clayton Hills to the north, east and southeast. How many of us have seen these hills and wondered if they had names? Well they have names, and they are on the map. The view is from Mt. Zion. At the bottom is a panoramic view of Mt. Diablo and its associated peaks. This view is from Blue Oak Hill, and again all those ridges are named. Between these two panoramas are five columns of data covering city statistics, annual events, city parks, our historic downtown and detailed highlights of the Clayton Trail System covering the Black Diamond Trail, Peacock Loop Trail, Cardinet Trail, Blue Oak Hill Loop, Clayton Loop and the Mt. Diablo Loop. If you have an interest in walking or hiking Clayton’s trails or just an interest in Clayton, go to City Hall and buy a copy of this historic map. It’s only $2 and well worth the price. This map is something any business operating in Clayton should buy, put their name on and give away to promote themselves and our great city.
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Page 16
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Dining Around Whether you’re in the mood for a fine dining experience complete with candles, wine and a gorgeous view, lunch with a few friends or a quick, tasty “take out” for the family on a cold and rainy night, you need go no further than Pioneer Territory for the best choices in “Dining Around.”
off your meal with desserts such as fried banana or coconut ice cream. All lunches are under $10 and dinners are in the $9.95-$13.95 range. Hot Basil Café is open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. All menu items are available for take out. If you have a hearty appetite and a slim budget, you'll want to head on over to MOUNTAIN MIKE'S for the "All you can eat lunch buffet" Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. With two locations to serve you, the popular pizza restaurant has all the pizza, garlic sticks and salad bar you can eat for lunch. Price is only $4.99, kids 6 & under, $1.15 and kids 7-12, $2.99. There's also an "All you can eat" pizza and salad bar every Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. for $5.99 for adults; kids 6 and under is only $1.15 and kids 7-12, $3.45.
Do you have a hunger for Thai food but your dining partner is holding out for Indian? Not a problem. The new HOT BASIL CAFÉ in Concord can meet both your culinary desires for lunch or dinner. The menu has separate Thai and Indian pages but is a melding of the two cuisines. Bites of Indian curry chase Pad Thai. Three Spices Catfish, Seafood Curry, Asian Eggplant, Seekh Kabob and assorted vegetarian, noodle, curry, soups and specialty dishes fill the menu. Thai Chicken Satay and BBQ Chicken are popular for children. Finish
La Veranda Café
Northern Italian Cuisine in downtown Clayton Fresh soups, salads, antipasti, pizza and pasta Dinner and lunch daily Brunch on Sunday Children’s menu and take out service available
For reservations call (925) 524-0011 6201 CENTER ST. CLAYTON
joy An Italian En Fe
ast at Ou r
Mon. – Thurs. Co zy P fé 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. asta Pr avera Ca im Fri. 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. Sat. 12 noon – 10 p.m. / Sun. 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Fine Italian dining with an extensive menu • Weekend Special - grilled steaks • Gourmet desserts and fine wines Very reasonable prices
4425-F Treat Blvd. Concord, CA 94521
687-5 5300
www.pastaprimaveracafe.com
Thai cuisine
Indian cuisine curries, tandooris freshly baked breads
fresh soup and salads pad thai, pad kemo chicken sate
Hot Basil Café Open 7 days a week Lunch: Dinner:
Mon. - Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Sun. - Thu. 5-9 p.m., Fri. - Sat. 5-9:30 p.m.
790 D Oak Grove Road At the corner of Oak Grove Road and Treat Blvd.
925-288-0000 All menu items available for take-out
Let us cater your next special event
Mountain Mike's logo is "pizza the way it oughta be" and they have quite a selection including the Mt. Veggiemore stacked with mushrooms, black olives, bell peppers, artichokes and fresh tomatoes. There's the Chicken Club described on the menu as "better than a BLT," and how about dipping into a Snowy Alps garlic combo with creamy garlic white sauce piled high with pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, sausage, green onions and diced tomatoes. There's all kinds of specials and several sandwich offerings like "Half Dome," "Cliff Hanger" and Calzone. Mountain Mike's has appetizers and beverages including beer and wine. Don't forget Mountain Mike's next to Clayton Road has a party room in back for athletic team parties as well as family and corporate parties. For fine dining and lovely atmosphere, downtown Clayton has two very fine dining establishments. ELYSIUM, (formerly Fox and the Fiddle) With chef and owner Greg Severn at the helm, Elysium’s menu always features an eclectic choice of American Contemporary dishes, perfectly prepared and beautifully presented. Try the Ahi Tuna Tartare with sushi rice or a Five Spice Roasted Duck with coconut rice for a sophisticated departure from the ordinary. Brunch menu choices include a hugely popular Steak and Egg Quesadilla served with black beans and salsa fresca for $9. Other brunch entrees range in price from $8 to $12. At the corner of Center and Marsh Creek Road is LA VERANDA, serving a Northern Italian menu of pasta, pizza, chicken, veal and fish, starting at $8.50 for Bruchetta with olive oil, fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil. Pasta dishes range from $9 for Penne All’arrabiata to $11.75 for Spaghettini Frutti di Mare. If you’re a salad lover, be sure to try the Insalata Della Reigna with baby greens, walnuts, Gorgonzola and a honey Dijon mustard dressing for $6.50 … a popular choice. La Veranda is open daily for lunch and dinner and on Sunday for brunch. For view and atmosphere you can’t do better than ZANDONELLA’S situated on the lovely Delta View Golf Course in Pittsburg. Zandonella’s is open Tue.-Sun for lunch and dinner. This family friendly restaurant offers an extensive menu that covers every craving. From that perfect bowl of Spaghetti and Meatballs all the way to a succulent and perfectly roasted rack of lamb, you are sure to find your favorite. Lunches range from $6.25 to $10.95 for Meat Ravioli and dinners
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range from $11.15 to $22.45. All entrees include soup or salad, pasta and bread. The view is free. Just down Clayton Road is PASTA PRIMAVERA. This lovely little trattoria offers a delectable linguini with garlic and mushrooms in a virgin olive oil for $8.95...my personal favorite. Other pasta dishes include Chicken Pesto Gorgonzola, a rigatoni dish with chicken breast and tomatoes in a creamy pesto Gorgonzola sauce ($13.95.) For an intimate atmosphere and a good wine list, Pasta Primavera can’t be beat. A little more on the casual side and a great place to take the kids is ROCCO’S RISTORANTE at 2909 Ygnacio Valley Road in Walnut Creek. Voted the best pizza in the Bay Area by a Contra Costa Times Reader Poll, Rocco’s serves up a killer house specialty. The Dominator, piled high with pepperoni, salami, mushrooms, ham, linguica, sausage and onions, is not for the faint of heart. At $19.97, this large pizza will feed a small army. Rocco’s also has several choices of classic Italian pasta, homemade minestrone and several salads. All pasta dishes are served with fresh bread. Top your pasta dinner off with a glass of wine and you’re well fed and satisfied for well under $20 (tax and tip included.) Rocco’s opens every day at 11 a.m. CLAYTON’S FIRST TEA COTTAGE IS DUE TO OPEN SOON Are you ready for a relaxing afternoon with friends, enjoying a pot of tea and delectable treats in a beautiful full service tea room? ENGLUND'S TEA COTTAGE will offer these amenities and more when they open their doors in the Clayton Station very soon. Proprietors Sally Englund and Pamela Barnett want the tea cottage to be a place "where good friends gather." After you browse the gift shop and collectibles, enjoy lunch or high tea with tea sandwiches, freshly baked scones, fresh fruit and dip and dessert. Other offerings include the Bristol--a fresh green salad with walnuts, oranges and citrus vinaigrette, a china bowl of the day's special soup and a pot of tea. The Stratford features tea sandwiches filled with tuna supreme, chicken royal or egg salad and cucumber cream cheese. There's even the Picadilly or child's tea with PB&J sandwiches, fruit, tea cookies and tea or lemonade. And it’s not only tea that makes up the beverage
March 11, 2005 menu. Coffee lovers will be glad to hear they can get a cup of Peet’s at the Teahouse. Other beverages include iced tea, lemonade, chai latte and coke. There's a beautiful muraled room perfect for
$ $ $
5 4 3
bridal and baby showers, staff meetings and club gatherings. Watch for grand opening signs and plan to take tea in Clayton's first tea room. To book your party, call 672-8327.
50% OFF
00 Off
X-Large
00 Off
Second Pizza Buy any large or
Large
00 Off
medium pizza at regular price and get 1/2 off second pizza of equal or lesser value
Medium
ALL
Mountain Mike’s Pizza Valid at participating stores only. Expires 12/31/05
YOU CAN EAT LUNCH BUFFET
Mountain Mike’s Pizza Valid at participating stores only. Expires 12/31/05
11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Only $4.99 6 & under $1.15 kids 7-12 $2.99 5358 Clayton Rd. Concord
3501 Clayton Rd. Concord
(Next to Clayton Bowl)
(El Monte Shopping Center)
689-4965
676-9000
Fundraisers z Team Specials z Group Discounts z Parties
New American contemporary restaurant in Clayton
“Elysium is a bit of heaven in the suburbs” -San Francisco Chronicle, 2/18/2005
Dinner daily closed Monday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Sunday brunch 5 - 6 Tues - Friday $1.00 oyster happy hour
672-11333 for reservations
Featuring: Organic Field Greens hazel nuts, radishes, champagne vinegar
Half-d dozen Oysters classic mignonette, rice vinegar mignonette
10 oz. New York -
Blue Nosed Bass whipped russets, organic red and gold beets, baby carrots
yukon gold potatoes, herb jús and mustard greens
Veal Osso Buco creamy polenta, red peppers, braising love, white aspargus
m now Red Roo for l b availa earties p e t a v i r p
6115 Main Street Clayton, CA
Fine dining on the beautiful Delta View Golf Course Italian-American cuisine prepared perfectly, every time. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, we feature Prime Rib cooked exactly the way you like it. Every dinner includes choice of fresh green salad or our homemade soup, pasta and vegetables.
Bring the family and join us for lunch or dinner
We’re just over the hill 2222 Golf Club Road Pittsburg (925) 132-1700 From Clayton, take Kirker Pass over the hill Turn left on Leland to Golf Club Road
March 11, 2005
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 17
WWII vet earns three clustered purple heart If you’re looking for a warm and friendly conversation, Fred Stromberg is the perfect person to sit down to chat with about life. Full of laughter and compassion, the 87year-old Stromberg has been through some quite amazing and difficult times in his life. But he shares all of his stories
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with heartfelt emotion, recalling each one that has brought him to where he is now. “As a young man, I was attending college at the University of Southern California and I had no idea how to dance,” smiles Stromberg. “But I decided to attend a dance where students from UCLA and USC were together. And luck have it, of all the people for me to meet to dance with, I was thrilled to have one of my first dances with Barbara Pepper…better known as Ginger Rogers!” Following college, Fred began a career promoting wines to the movie industry. When he was 27, he was called to serve in the Army during World War II. He was a young married father to three-year-old Carol at that time. Stromberg chokes up as he remembers, “The very day I headed out with the Fourth Infantry Division of the U.S. Army, my daughter died from pneumonia. The Army could never track me down to let me know and it wasn’t until eight months later that I found out that she had died. This has been the hardest thing in my life, even with all I went through during the war.” Stromberg speaks humbly about the incredible war experiences that earned him a three clustered Purple Heart for the four separate times he was
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injured during WW II. As a radio communicator between the American troops in his area, he literally became a walk-
PFC FRED STROMBERG
ing target with the Germans whenever he was in action. First he was wounded when a bullet went through his chest, collapsed his lung and exited his shoulder. Stromberg tells of his other injuries. “I was shot later on again in the shoulder and my third injury was when I was with a soldier friend and a land mine killed him and tore up my legs with shrapnel.” Stromberg’s fourth injury was when he was shot in the head below the helmet line during a battle and left for dead.
When the soldiers had returned to the area Stromberg had regained consciousness and asked where they had been. The soldiers were shocked to see him alive. But these experiences are only part of what he has to share. At one point, Stromberg was placed on a hospital plane for transport to a hospital. “It was a special plane that could lock gurneys in place for all of the injured. Well, I was the last to be put on the plane and they didn’t have any more room for me to be locked in, so they just put my gurney on the floor of the plane.” Incredibly, the plane crashed in what Stromberg remembers as a remote area. He was the sole survivor of the crash. “I was full of morphine for my injury and I woke up with my gurney standing straight up and me facing a burning plane.” Stromberg shakes his head as the memory still amazes even him, “Imagine! I had been ejected from the back of the plane simply because there was no room for my gurney to be locked in like the rest of the soldiers.” To add to this miraculous survival story, he was also found in this isolated area,
rescued and brought to a hospital. Stromberg served in the war from 1943 to 1945. But the sad times were not behind him. Besides having lost his threeyear-old daughter to pneumonia to day he was deployed, Ethyl, his wife of seven years died of cancer only months after he returned from the war. Stromberg did, however, remarry. He and Mary were married for 47 years before she passed away. Stromberg has a son he speaks of with much love and pride. With so many ups and downs in his life, Fred shares, “All of the things that have happened in my life have gotten me to where I am today. I truly am the luckiest man in the world.”
FRED STROMBERG at home at Diamond Terrace
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 6729565 or at colleensbyline@aol.com
Clayton hangs on to own identity Part Two of a Two-Part Series Neighboring Concord was gobbling up unincorporated areas in the early 1960s. It had its designs on Clayton, but many residents wished to maintain their identities as Claytonians. The Upper Clayton Valley Corporation was formed to stave off annexation by incorporating the town of Clayton. Part one of this series is the beginning of a letter written by Helen Lougher Sturdivant, granddaughter of NortonvilleSomersville pioneers, pleading to keep Clayton separate from Concord. She continues to quote historic sources to support the cause. “So wrote the author in History of Contra Costa County in 1882. ‘The original Clayton homestead consisted of 1,200 acres of land adjoining the town of Clayton. Here Mr. Clayton died, March 9, 1872. His son, Mr. Charles Clayton,
JANET EASTON
OLD TIMES
was married in Clayton on April 2, 1878, to Miss Elizabeth Alison, of Benicia, California. On the death of his father, Mr. Charles Clayton took charge of his homestead. “Again referring to its beauty, location and picturesqueness, a booklet published by the Richmond Record in 1902 states: ‘For 15 years Joel Clayton firmly stood sponsor of the town leaving nothing undone which would advance the welfare and interest of the pretty
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village that bore his name. At the time of Mr. Clayton’s death, the village was a thriving one, being the trading post of the miners of coal, copper and quicksilver. ‘The town at present (1902) contains a Congregational Church, Christian Endeavor Hall, Clayton Hall, Rhine’s Hall, two hotels, public school, blacksmith shop, livery stable, bakery, general merchandise store, insurance office, barber shop, shoemaker and harness shop, and three saloons. Four wine cellars are located within one and a half miles of the village.’” Sturdivant continues, “Why should a town so quaint, historical, and renowned for its beauty of location and scenery as Clayton be absorbed by the nearby city of Concord? The latter has already made a hodgepodge of its own planning by not maintaining its old buildings, its ‘plaza’ nor even its original name! The city of Concord
FOR
FIESt a
was founded in 1862 by Salvio Pacheco and named ‘Todos Santos’. Then a strong New England element changed the name to ‘Concord’ after the town in Massachusetts. Before the turn of the century Concord was so truly Spanish, the English language was rarely spoken or understood. What passerby today would ever suspect Concord had an early, historic background? That it was once surrounded by colorful Spanish Grants? “Pittsburg has never tried to absorb Antioch. Neither has Concord tried to take over Bay Point, now Port Chicago. Why should Concord’s present planners be dead set on confiscating Clayton? “’The Concord General Plan – a guide for community development which includes all of the Clayton area better be left
See Clayton, page 18
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Page 18
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Mom, from page 10 find yourself on the business end of a smiting the likes of which has not been witnessed since Noah built himself the first cabin cruiser. On the brighter side, after the smiting she’ll very likely fix you something to eat. Mom has been known to question, and in some cases admonish, complete strangers simply because they were unfortunate enough to reside in the 94517 Zip code. Occasionally, I’ll hear about how so and so doesn’t read my column or only
reads it occasionally. Mom’s world ceases to make sense when she hears this. “I don’t understand. Why would anyone NOT read it?” The natural order of the universe goes wonky, and her entire belief system begins to short circuit. When I mentioned that approximately 30 percent of respondents to the Clayton Pioneer’s reader survey indicated that they never read my column (though approximately 39 percent ALWAYS read it, so there) you’d have thought that
someone said that her grandchildren resemble trolls or that a nice hot meal isn’t the cure for what ails you. So please, I implore you. For your own safety and for mom’s continued sanity, (we pray it has a few more good years) read my column. Warn family and friends. I don’t know if I could handle the guilt if something were to happen to one of you at mom’s hands, much as you might deserve it. 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
Clayton, from page 17
CLAYTON’S
Upcoming Events CLAYTON LIBRARY COMMUNITY ARTS CELEBRATION In celebration of the library’s tenth birthday, the weekend of Mar .19-20 will celebrate the arts with art displays, demonstrations and live performances. Mar. 19, 10 a.m.-6 p.m: LIKHA CoCo dancers, Poetry readings, CVHS Women’s Choir, Drama
workshop and improvisation, DVMS origami; Mar. 20, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.: Art sales by various vendors, vocal performance by Yesterday’s Kids. BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP Join Californians across the state as we uncover personal and community stories that tell the history of today’s California. California Stories Uncovered aims to strengthen communities
by exploring the dreams that brought families to California and the realities they encountered. Programs take place all over California during the month of April. Adults and students ages 14 and up are invited to discuss readings from “California Stories Uncovered. The series of discussions will be held on Sundays, April 3, 10 & 17 at 2 p.m. Please call the library at 925-673-0659 to register for the reading group and to reserve a copy of the book.
March 11, 2005
FIRST CITY OFFICES
photo courtesy of Eldora Hoyer at the corner of Oak and Main street.
right where it is…in Concord! Do not now absorb and destroy Clayton’s identity, for she is one of the last few remaining California historical towns, a reminder of a historic coal mining era - gone forever! If let happen, years hence, we shall be spending a fortune to restore and rebuild, if possible, this coal mining landmark and symbol in the same manner Columbia, Tuolumne County has been restored and rebuilt as a symbol of the Mother
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Lode gold mining era – now gone! “Leave Clayton alone! She
is entitled to her identity! Do not make her a ragtag part of any city.” In 1964, Helen Lougher Sturdivant got her wish. She apparently was not alone in her desire when the election was held on March 3, 1964. Of the 364 registered voters, 251 voted in favor of incorporation and 61 against; Clayton held its first city council meeting on March 18, 1964. The Clayton Historical Society Museum is located at 6101 Main Street. It is open from 2 – 4 on Wednesdays and Sundays. Special tours are conducted by appointment, 6720240. Janet Easton is a member of the Clayton Historical Society. E-mail your questions or comments to jeaston51@aol.com
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Important Notice to All Clayton Residents s a resident of Clayton you, your neighbors and friends may be adversely affected by a new level of enforcement of the Business License Law that has been in the Clayton Municipal Code since 1978.
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The City of Clayton has hired an outside company to do the enforcement. This company appears to have taken the position that the law, as written in 1978, allows the City to collect business license tax not only from businesses located in Clayton, but from companies that are located outside of Clayton that provide services to Clayton residents. This could be someone who works from home for a company located outside of Clayton. This could also include plumbers, electricians, gardening service, babysitting, housecleaning, food delivery, etc. They are considering charging this Business
License tax not only for this year, but also for the previous three (3) years. They are even discussing charging penalties. The amount assessed could be very substantial! This could ultimately have an adverse effect on property values in Clayton. If non-resident business owners find the fees onerous or that it amounts to double taxation, they may choose not to do business in Clayton. They may ultimately choose to pass the tax through to the Clayton resident. Along with potential increased fees, your choice of service providers may be affected. You need to act now to avoid putting Clayton at a disadvantage. Let your neighbors, clients and friends know that your City Council is considering this issue on March 15, 2005. Let them know what you think is appropriate and fair.
For more information go to www.protectclaytonvalues.com
March 11, 2005
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 19
The male nuthatch is the Mister-Nice-Guy of birds Hello fellow bird lovers, and welcome to another installment of birds around town. If you have been out and about on the
trails, no doubt you have noticed the Mallard Ducks are back swimming in the creek, and the hawks are starting to hang out
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near their nesting sites - a sure sign that spring is around the corner. Winter has been wonderful for bird watching, with all the deciduous trees shedding or losing leaves, leaving our feathered friends exposed for our enjoyment. There are so many birds out there to take pleasure in that I find it hard to decide which ones to highlight. I spent some time recently watching one of my favorites, the White Breasted Nuthatch, which is a year-round resident of Clayton, as well as the United States and parts of Canada and Mexico. Adult male and female look similar, between 5 and 6 inches tall, bluish grey with a white face, throat, breast and belly. The male’s cap and nape is black, while the female’s is dark gray. The sides of the belly and the undertail feathers are rust. Like all nuthatches, this bird can climb headfirst down a tree, or upside down along a branch while looking for food, often stopping to look around with its head held out at a 90-degree angle. Nuthatches forage along the bark of trees, feasting on invertebrates such as treehoppers, ants, scale insects, woodborers and the eggs and larvae of insects, making them an asset to any garden. These birds also eat acorns, other seeds and are common visitors to sunflower as well as suet feeders in the winter. Feeding territories are defended throughout the year. During the fall and winter months, the birds exhibit a behavior called scatter hoarding, in which they hide food
CATHIE
GERNHARDT
FOR THE BIRDS items in bark crevices and under leaves, moss or lichen. During the winter, nuthatches sometimes feed in mixed flocks of chickadees, woodpeckers, kinglets and other nuthatches. White-breasted Nuthatches prefer a habitat of mature and mixed deciduous – coniferous (needle-leaved or scaleleaved, chiefly evergreen, cone-bearing trees or shrubs such as pines, spruces and firs) forests. They will nest near open areas and forest edges. The nest is often located near water. They nest in natural tree cavities, abandoned woodpecker holes or holes they excavate themselves. They will also use nest boxes. The female begins nest building in early April. During this time, the pair stays in close association, frequently giving contact calls to one another. The male occasionally feeds the female and continues to do so throughout egg-laying and incubation. He’s another one of the nice guys, taking care of his mate. White-breasted Nuthatches are
monogamous; pairs remain together for many years unless one of the pair disappears or dies. Pair bonds are maintained throughout the year. The pair defends its breeding territory and remains there during the winter months. During the breeding season, the pair may be seen sweeping their bills back and forth over the bark near their nest hole. This display, called “bill-sweeping,” can last for several minutes. Often the birds have crushed insects in their bills; it has been suggested that wiping insects against the bark may leave a scent that deters squirrels and other predators
WHITE BREASTED NUTHATCH
from entering the nest area. Indeed, the insects chosen by the nuthatches often exude toxic or strong-smelling substances. Eggs may be laid as early as mid-April. The smooth, slightly glossy eggs are white, pinkishwhite or cream-colored and are heavily marked with reddish brown, brown and purplish red spots, which may be concentrated at the larger end of the egg. The clutch size ranges from five to 10 eggs, with eight being the
most common number. It is thought that the female lays one egg per day until the clutch is complete. Incubation, which is thought to start with the laying of the last egg, is done by the female and lasts 12 days. The female cares for the young constantly for a few days after hatching. During this time, the male feeds both the female and the young. As the young become older, the female decreases her time spent brooding and assists the male with feeding the young and removing fecal sacs from the nest. The young remain in the nest for 14 to 17 days, although some sources indicate that they can remain in the nest for up to 26 days. The young are dependent on their parents for food and protection for several weeks after fledging. I plan to put up a nest box this month, just in case a couple of White Breasted Nuthatches happen to be out house hunting. I would love to have a pair of considerate, smart, fun to watch, upside-down, bug-eating feathered friends take up residence in my yard. Until next time, Happy Bird Day. Cathie Gernhardt has lived in Clayton for the past 38 years. Bird watching is one of her greatest joys. She has taken classes at Wild Birds Unlimited and has frequently participated in local bird walks. You can email her at Cathie@claytonpioneer.com.
Meet the new music technology head on Today’s column is for all of us “older” folks who struggle with technology. And maybe you younger readers will get a laugh out of it at our expense, though we’ve gotten used to that. In previous columns, we’ve addressed topics such as the Recording Arts program at nearby Los Medanos College and building your own recording studio in your home. Not long ago we wrote about Clayton resident “Stoneman” Tower making award-winning records in his home studio. It all sounds so easy, doesn’t it? Well, it’s not! The world of music technology is not all that simple to assimilate and comprehend. It takes many hours of concentrated effort, and you’ll never know it all, especially with the way technology changes so quickly. Specifically, I bought an 8track digital recorder about a year ago. It’s the modern day equivalent of the cassette “porta-studio” that was so prevalent back in the 80s. This machine runs on either AC power or batteries and is small
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enough to fit in a backpack. You could be hiking on Mt. Diablo, get an inspiration for a song, and record it there in the wild, perhaps with birds chirping in the background. Since there are eight tracks to play with, you could even add musical instruments later if you’d like. It took six months for me to start reading the manual and six more months of intense study, recording trial and error and general frustration to finally get it figured out. The complete procedure consists of recording a song with several tracks of music; say piano, guitar, and vocals, into the recorder. Then, you “bounce” those tracks down to two stereo tracks. Next, convert those two tracks to a stereo “wav” file, which will allow you to upload those files of the songs to a computer. Finally, take those files of the songs and with your CD burner burn a CD. An incomparable joy descends upon you when you successfully get to this point. Suddenly, the weeks and months of frustration are worth it.
The humorous part, besides the constantly sinking feeling throughout this learning curve process, is the manual itself. It’s written by someone from a for-
JIM HUDAK
MUSIC NOTES eign country whose English is less than perfect. This tech-support person, who not only wrote the manual but who is fortunately available via telephone or online product support, is brilliant. But the way he expresses himself via the spoken or written word requires some considerable give and take from his audience. You have to sort of feel your way through the manual or in conversation with him.
But then, that’s just a further indication of the globalization of all of this technology. A product is built in a foreign country and the manual is written in another, with a targeted buying market in America. It all gets rather overwhelming. Younger folks have it comparatively easy with all this. As a friend of mine recently put it, kids seem to “get it” as part of their gestation process, relative to computer technology. For the rest of us, all we can do is bite the bullet and acknowledge that technology is here to stay. It’s everywhere and in everything, from cell phones to DVD players and even in our cars and microwave ovens. We might as well meet it head on and get a handle on it to the best of our ability.
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.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
March 11, 2005
In guacamole or salad, the avocado is numero uno Silky, smoky, rich, buttery…. just a few of the adjectives that come to mind as you savor an avocado. The Aztecs considered it an aphrodisiac. Certainly its appealing shape and ever so soft yield when ripe might have something to do with that idea. Originally domesticated in central Mexico more than 2500 years ago, the avocado was introduced to Europe through the Spanish conquistadors. Explorers brought the fruit to Hawaii, Equitorial Africa, and various South Pacific Islands, where it thrives today. A Santa Barbara visionary introduced the fruit to California in the late 1800’s, and it is now grown predominately in coastal areas from around San Luis Obispo down to the Mexico border. California supplies nearly the entire domestic crop, with Florida topping off the portion California doesn’t fill. Mexico provides a reliable year-round supply of the fruit. If you ever make it to Berkeley Bowl—the Shangri-La
Farm 51
of produce markets—you’ll encounter several varieties of avocado. There are significant differences and they will affect the quality of the dish you are preparing. Hass is California’s avocado and perfect for guacamole,
but it tends to get mushy in salads. The Pinkerton comes in second for flavor and texture. It has a small seed and can exceed more than a pound in weight. The Fuerte (also called an “alligator pear”) from Florida has a good flavor but is not as buttery as the Hass. Great salad avocados include the Zutano, Reed and Gwen.
The popularity of avocados in American cuisine continues to grow. Recent statistics show that Super Bowl parties serve up more than 40 million pounds of avocados (probably in the form of guacamole)—more than Cinco de Mayo! Most avocados in American cuisine appear in savory dishes, but Brazilians and Filipinos enjoy the fruit pureed in ice cream and dessert drinks. Par ticularly here in California, guacamole reigns as the number one dish. Recipes abound, some complex and some comparatively simple, such as the following: RUSTIC GUACAMOLE 1 ripe Hass avocado, pitted, skinned, and roughly chopped 2 Tbsp onion chopped fine 1 small tomato, seeded and chopped fine ½ - 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro 1 Tbsp lime juice A dash of ancho chile powder Salt to taste Stir to combine all ingredi-
ents, mashing avocado with back of spoon. Serve immediately. NOTE: Refrigeration may turn the avocado brown. To minimize this, reserve the avocado pit and embed it in the refrigerated guacamole, removing it before serving. Once made, it can be used in the following: STEAK AND GUACAMOLE STACK (Serves 4) 12 small corn tortillas Peanut, canola or rice bran oil for frying 8-12 oz. flank, skirt or tri tip steak 1 cup jack (shredded) or cotija (crumbled) cheese 1 can of S&W black beans, drained and rinsed ½ cup sour cream ½ onion, chopped finely ½ cup tomato, seeded and diced 2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced 1 cup guacamole (see recipe above) 1 avocado, pitted, skinned and sliced Grill or BBQ steak until medium/medium-well done. Let rest for 15 minutes then slice as thinly as possible across
the grain. Fry tortillas until crisp. Drain well. Starting with the first tortilla, layer one-fourth of the steak slices with ¼ cup cheese, top with another tortilla. Cover second tortilla with quarter portion of black beans, 2 Tbsp sour cream, 2 Tbsp onion and generous tsp of cilantro. Top with another tortilla. Spread this top tortilla with ¼ cup guacamole and garnish with avocado slices, jalapeño and tomato. Repeat with remaining three stacks. Avocados pair nicely with citrus fruits. During the winter citrus season, you might try:
LINDA WYNER
FOOD
FOR
THOUGHT
between two plates. Arrange avocado and orange slices across the lettuce and add 1 oz of chopped jicama per salad. Dress with your choice of fruit flavored dressing, or try this one. Combine 2 Tbsp orange juice, 2 tsp. lemon juice and 2 tsp. lime juice with ¼ cup virgin olive oil, 1 finely minced garlic clove, 1 tsp minced onion, pinch of cayenne pepper and salt and pepper to taste.
WINTER FRUIT SALAD (Serves 2) 1 ripe avocado (Zutano, Reed or Gwen are best) 1 medium orange 1 small blood orange 2 oz jicama, julienned 1 head romaine lettuce (See suggested dressing below.) Peel the fruits. Remove the seed from the avocado and slice the flesh lengthwise. Skin and slice the oranges into rounds (across the sections). Chop and divide romaine
Linda Wyner is an attorney in Walnut Creek by day, and an accomplished chef and “foodie” by choice. Direct your suggestions or questions to lwyner@claytonpioneer.com
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March 11, 2005
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 21
Hike of the Week
Lime Ridge open space KEVIN PARKER
HIKER’S HAVEN The rains may continue to drench us, but as the yearly transformation into spring nears, the wildflowers and green grasses begin to reveal themselves, and the days grow longer. For all you
hikers and lovers of the great outdoors this means more time to spend enjoying Mother Nature! Another hidden hiker’s gem that seems to have slipped through the cracks of my outdoor library lies in Lime Ridge Open Space. In a previous column, I hiked the Greater Lime Ridge Area, located in the hills above Ygnacio Valley Road. However, the Lime Ridge that I am speaking of today is northwest of Treat Boulevard, neatly
GUIDED MT. DIABLO WATERFALL HIKE: By overwhelming demand, I am leading a guided hike of the Mt. Diablo Waterfall Loop on Saturday, March 19 at 9 a.m. Meet me at the Regency Gate Trailhead (located at the end of Regency Drive or Mountaire Parkway). Please bring plenty of water, rain gear, a snack and your spirit of adventure. Rain will not cancel this event. All are welcome on this great hike!
tucked within a handful of neighborhoods between San Miguel and Cowell roads. The 175-acre open space area is dog friendly, with a healthy network of trails, rolling hills, wide-open meadows and plenty of benches spread throughout the park to help you enjoy the surrounding views. The fire roads are perfect for hiking, biking and even pushing a stroller. Twilight Hill, Quarry Hill and Rearing Horse Hill are just a few destinations that can be found within Lime Ridge. Depending on the series of trails you decide to link together, most of them are relatively flat with easy ascents and descents, making navigation easy and enjoyable. This area is great for short hikes with kids of all ages.
Another asset of Lime Ridge is the scant amount of traffic on the trails at this time of year. The dogs were able to run free (on voice command of course), and we enjoyed a little slice of solitude that even surprised this avid outdoorsman. Maps were not available at the trailhead, but a posted map is located adjacent to the main parking area. However, this is one of those hikes that does not require a map because it would be impossible to get lost. If you would like to see the surrounding open spaces linked to this area, visit http://www.ci.concord.ca.us/recreation/limeridge-map.pdf. For comments on this article or suggestions for future hikes, contact Kevin at kaypee@sbcglobal.net
brick lane reveals heroine’s courage CYNTHIA GREGORY Clayton Pioneer
brick lane, Monica Ali’s first novel, is a study in contrasts. It is stunning in its simplicity, while it manages to convey the complexity of worlds colliding. It is the tale of a young Bangladeshi woman shipped off from her village at sixteen to London and an arranged marriage. Nanzeen is married to Chanu, a man who is at once a scholar and an imbecile. Her life is contrasted with the immigrant Islamic women who surround her in London’s multicultural slums; it is contrasted with her sister’s life of enduring humiliation back home; it is both the world presented by the evening news and the evening news itself. Fresh
from her primitive village a world away, Nanzeen never questions the impressions the world makes on her, never interrupts the flow of information coming at her from all directions. She is a recorder. But brick lane is not just a book of impressions; it is a novel that reveals Nanzeen’s courage to navigate day-to-day activities that are at once enormous and mind numbing. At times, brick lane is difficult reading. It is chewy reading, nothing at all of a beach novel. brick lane is difficult to read in the way that Virginia Wolf ’s Mrs. Dalloway is difficult to read: it is
the introduction to a life so radically different from the western conception of a modern woman’s coming of age story, that the reader is immediately and unalterably obliged to become a voyeur in Nanzeen’s world. Ali manages to capture the innate heroism of Nanzeen’s life, from the death of her infant son, to the tedious existence of wife; to surely the biggest gas bag in modern literature; the daily preparation of meals, the cleaning of a house – including hand-washing the laundry in the bath tub; the tidying of the endless debris of bro-
ken furniture her husband collects; the raising of two young girls in a contemporary world with their father’s mantra ‘back home, back home, back home’ ringing in their collective ears. “She tidied the flat and tried to make some space in the sitting room by piling furniture. Once she had finished piling, she prodded the stacks and watched them wobble.” The passage of time in Nanzeen’s world is marked by her husband’s failed plans, by the births of her daughters, by letters from her sister in Bangladesh, the piecemeal sewing jobs she obtains, by the taking of a lover. Nanzeen eats alone, standing in the kitchen at night, when her household is asleep. She never questions her place in the world; she never ques-
Open meadows in Lime Ridge.
Trailhead: Lime Ridge Open Space z Staging Area: 2945 Treat Blvd, Concord z Getting there: Take Ygnacio Valley Road, right on Cowell, left on Treat, parking area on right
tions the fate that delivered her the irony of her life. She simply complies. She is quiet, obedient, and dutiful. She is a good woman, an ‘unspoiled’ woman. Ali’s gift of prose is at once heartbreaking in its simplicity and unblinkingly honest. Through Nanzeen, we see the dour housing projects of London and the lives they contain without flinching, and without judgment. “After her husband was killed by the seventeen frozen cows, Razia had cleared out the flat. Nanzeen watched her shift the pyres of wood, the half-empty pain tins, the massacred dolls, even the stacks of cheap tinned food. Anything she could pick up, she removed. Nanzeen felt that Razia would like to pick p the children too, bag and bin them.” And while Nanzeen’s life seems ordinary, a feat of unimag-
“Look Who’s Selling Clayton!”
Kevin Parker/Clayton Pioneer
z Distance: With more than 175 acres of open space, it’s entirely up to you. z Poison Oak Factor: Be careful this time of year because the itchy plant comes in many shades of green and red.
inable endurance, it is nearly the life of a princess, in contrast to her sister, Hasina, who married for love. When she was beaten and then abandoned by her once-loving husband and left to fend for herself, she became an independent woman, disreputable. Her letters to Nanzeen chronicle the sharp tender love of sisters separated by worlds and years. “Sister, I waiting for your letter and praying. But maybe since long time you have move and these words stay words as they do not go into you and it my love only that reach somehow to you. Wherever you are still it come and it find you always.” brick lane is a novel of astonishing clarity, a tidy little UN between covers. We don’t come to love Nanzeen and her world so much as we see her world, and in seeing, are changed.
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Clayton
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Clayton
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Clayton
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
March 11, 2005
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5.68 ACRES ~ CLAYTON, MORGAN TERRITORY
FLAT .52 ACRE ~ CLAYTON
FALCON RIDGE AT OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB
JUST LISTED! The ULTIMATE setting atop a private knoll! with breath-taking views of Mt. Diablo, surrounding hills, pastures & canyons! Main residence (approx. 5,450sf) features single story living areas, 2 master suites, 5 additional spacious bedrooms, 5 full baths, 2 laundry rooms, (3) 2 car garages, 2 kitchens, enormous family room with sweeping views dual wood stoves & gleaming hardwood floors, upstairs features a loft, sewing/craft/hobby room, full bath, huge bonus/game room & large sun deck with spectacular views! 1-attached unit featuring 1 bedroom, 1bath, small family room & kitchen, 1 detached unit featuring 1 bedroom, 1 bath, spacious family room & kitchen approx. 700sf. Dramatic pool setting features a large aggregate patio, "Pebble-Tech" in-ground pool with automatic cover, fire pit, windscreen & spectacular backdrop of massive oak tree, canyon & hills. Private trellis covered patio boasts a custom built-in outdoor BBQ. Portion of property perfect for horses! Lots of room for RV, boats & more! $1,795,000
JUST LISTED! Absolutely adorable home on an enormous flat ½ acre lot at the end of a quiet lane. Very well maintained with hardwood floors, spacious rooms & updated bath. 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, approx. 1,386sf, inside laundry room & 2 car garage plus a huge paved gated side yard. Living room & dining room share corner brick fireplace. Cute country kitchen with separate eating area featuring old fashioned French doors leading to backyard. Separate unit could be a home office, art/pottery studio, play house or ???? Very private setting with lots of mature trees & plenty of RV/boat parking! $620,000
JUST LISTED! Rare single story "Moonlight" model on a quiet court. 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, approx. 2,237sf, inside laundry & 3 car g a r a g e . Beautifully maintained with neutral decor throughout! Gourmet kitchen features tile counters & center island opens to spacious family room with fireplace. Formal living & dining rooms. 4th bedroom or den. Spacious master bedroom with walk-in closet, oversized tub & separate stall shower. Private backyard features a large patio & beautifully landscaped front & back yards bursting with vibrant colorful flowers. $799,500
FALCON RIDGE AT OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB
EAGLE PEAK AT OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB
FALCON RIDGE AT OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB
JUST LISTED! D r a m a t i c "Serenade" model backs to oak studded open space. 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, approx. 2,843sf, inside laundry with utility sink & 3 car garage. Upgraded custom tile floors through-out 1st level, all baths & upstairs landing. Custom window coverings including plantation shutters, blinds & silhouettes. Downstairs den/bedroom with French doors. Gourmet kitchen with upgraded tile counters, island & backsplash featuring raised decorative tile strip & an abundance of white cabinets. Family room wired for surround sound with large recess for TV & romantic fireplace. Huge master suite with retreat/nursery/work-out room overlooks open space. Large private with a sparkling in-ground pool & waterfall feature, extensive hardscape/aggregate patio & lush professional landscape.
JUST LISTED! S t u n n i n g "Shasta" model on a prime view lot overlooking City to Delta & surrounding hills. 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, approx. 3,454sf, inside laundry with utility sink & 3 car garage. Downstairs bedroom with full private bath. Upgraded marble tile entry extends into hallway & ½ bath. Living room with upgraded marble tile fireplace & formal dining room featuring Tuscan columns & views. Large family room boasts an upgraded brick fireplace with raised hearth & mantle, tile wet bar & views. Gourmet kitchen with tile counters & center island, oak cabinets, sunny garden window, pantry & eating area. Huge master suite features a romantic two-way fireplace, cozy sitting area & sweeping views of City to Delta! Private lot features a trellis covered deck with built-in bench seat, cozy brick trimmed patio with meandering walkways to side yards. Professionally landscaped lot features an assortment of flowers, maturing trees & ornamentals.
JUST LISTED! Meticulous "Serenade" model on a spectacular prime view lot looking out over city to Delta & beyond! 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, approx. 2,843sf, inside laundry & 3 car garage. Upgrade include: tile floors, window fluting, crown moulding, wood blinds & silhouettes. Downstairs den/bedroom. Formal living & dining rooms. Gourmet kitchen features upgraded granite & tile counters & island, maple cabinets & spacious eating area. Large family room features sweeping views & fireplace. Spacious master suite offers a balcony with breath-taking views & jetted tub. Professionally landscaped private level lot at the end of a quiet court features a trellis covered patio, spectacular views of surrounding hills, golf course, city/valley to Delta! $959,000
$950,000
$1,175,000