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March 12, 2004
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Birthday bash celebrates the arts
Hundreds came to the Clayton Community Library last Saturday to enjoy a spectacular birthday party. The community library is nine years old and the party theme was a “Community Arts Celebration.” It was the brainchild of Community Events Director, Arlene Kikkawa-Nielsen who coordinated the arts party and sale to help make up for the 27 per cent cut in the library materials budget for 2003-2004. “The support from the community was overwhelming,” Nielsen says. She cites contributions from the local art community, Diamond Terrace, Costco, the schools and the city of Clayton. The two-day event featured indoor and outdoor displays, demonstrations and entertainment. From jewelry and pottery displays to fabric bowls, photography, loom weaving and oil
painting, residents from Clayton and surrounding areas were treated to a variety of local artists and artisans, with special performances by Jim Bone, cowboy poet, Vintage singing group featuring Santi Martinez and his wife, Joyce Novicky; the Clayton Valley High School Women’s Ensemble, and improv group, along with the West African & Hip-Hop Dance. Young and old alike were drawn to the creekside wildlife habitat interpretive area to see a live owl and hawk on display from the Native Bird Connections. In every corner of the community room and courtyard, there was something to see and enjoy such as Sue Faina’s cake decorating technique, Linda Van Heerlum’s woven wool items, Janet White’s murals and paintings and Diamond Terrace’s Wilma Stone’s beaded jewelry.
Five-man crew, down and dirty BY JILL BEDECARRE Clayton Pioneer
John Johnston doesn’t live in Clayton but he talks about
the city as family. He has worked in Clayton’s maintenance department for the past 14 years and he’s gotten up close and personal with his own
Tamara Steiner / Clayton Pioneer
MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR, John Johnston
Tamara Steiner / Clayton Pioneer
CLAYTON RESIDENT, JANET WHITE was one of more than 20 artists and artisans who helped celebrate the Clayton Community Library’s ninth birthday. Russ Andoval’s pottery and kiln demonstration along with Ted Holmsen’s woodcarving lathe attracted amazed on-lookers. “I’m so impressed with the
variety of local talent,” says Clayton resident Carolyn Hartnell. Other partygoers were surprised to see such an eclectic event at a local library. The
staff, city employees, residents and of course the city landscape. Johnston along with Mark Janney supervise a staff of three—-that’s a total of five maintenance workers for what seems like an endless stream of duties and responsibilities including maintaining more than one million square feet of landscaping. It becomes even more of a challenge, as it happened last week, when one employee is called away for jury duty and another is out sick. That leaves Johnston with only three. We do what we can do,” he says. The department is under scrutiny lately for the city’s escalating landscape woes. In recent months residents have complained about overgrown weeds, dead trees and brush, and water run off from faulty irrigation equipment. When he talks about the landscape issues and all the complaints, his expression changes and he becomes quiet. “I take everything to heart. The city means everything to
Wood smoke regs proposed
See Crew, page 16
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BY TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Who hasn’t curled up in front the fireplace with a heavy rainstorm raging outside? A good book, a glass of wine and a crackling log – this is the stuff of cozy winter nights. But wait–there’s more. Add to this heartwarming picture nearly half a pound of PM10, belched into the night air by that cozy fire. PM10 is air quality shorthand for inhalable particulate matter, the ultra-microscopic particles that make up wood smoke, and which is responsible for a whopping 30 percent of all air pollution. Air quality regulators consider these particles a serious health threat, especially to young children, seniors and anyone with lung problems. At the Mar. 2 meeting of the Clayton City Council, representatives from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District
sunny, warm weather added to the inviting ambiance of the free event sponsored by the Clayton Community Library Foundation. During March and
(BAAQMD) asked the council to adopt an ordinance that would make the old open fireplace and wood burning stove history. The ordinance, if passed, will prohibit builders of new homes from installing any wood burning device unless it is a pellet stove, or an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved wood stove or fireplace insert. The ordinance would also apply to homeowners who are remodeling or renovating. According to Teresa Galvin Lee of the BAAQMD, the use of these approved stoves and inserts reduces the pollution from wood smoke by up to 99 percent. “The ordinance does not ban wood burning in fireplaces,” explains Galvin. “The intent is to encourage cleaner burning in new fireplaces.” Galvin estimates that the new regulation will add $100 to $200 to the price of a new home. Where an existing home
April, artwork for sale will be displayed inside the library along with related materials on various forms of art.
is under renovation, she estimates the average cost to replace an old fireplace or stove with an EPA approved stove or pellet stove to be about $2,000. However, she adds, the new regulation only requires that the old fireplace or stove be removed, it does not require that it be replaced. Contra Costa County already has wood smoke regulations in place for the unincorporated areas of the county. The BAAQMD has sent out requests to the cities in East County where pollution from wood smoke is the highest in the county, asking that they adopt similar regulations. Galvin is awaiting replies from these cities. The only other city in the county which has adopted the wood smoke regulations is Moraga. The Council directed staff to prepare the ordinance for review at the Mar. 16 council meeting.
PIONEER ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT The Clayton Pioneer spotlights a local youth athlete from our circulation area in the second issue each month. If you are a coach or administrator and would like to nominate a young person (under 20 years of age) for the Rocco’s Athlete Spotlight, please send information to sports@claytonpioneer.com or fax to 672-6580. Deadline for nominees for our March 26 issue is Monday, March 15.
Page 2
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
March 12, 2004
Around Town Cubs visit the Pioneer
Cub Pack 262 came to visit The Clayton Pioneer and learned all about newspaper publication. They were amazed how photos
CVHS makes music in March
March Music Madness is the theme of the seventh annual jazz dinner dance and
Knights support CVLL Challenger Division
“Jack Kavanagh, Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus Council 6038 in
Local schools celebrate Read Across America
on the computer eventually appeared in print. When asked if they knew who ran the city of Clayton, one pack member answered President Bush! Pack 262 is made up of scouts from 1st through 5th grade and is the only Cub Scout pack in Clayton, The Cubs took time to pose for a photo. Front Row (left to right): Mary Catherine Fletcher, Taelor Pizzagoni, Laura Moore, Bradley Filgas, Tommy Gerow, Alex Bish, Matthew Wright Second Row (left to right): Richard Filgas, Emily Wright, Derek Pizzagoni, Assistant Cubmaster Bryanna Pizzagoni, Brandon Moore, Payton Pizzagoni Back Row (left to right): Ed Forhan, Julia Forhan, Evan Forhan silent auction, sponsored by the Clayton Valley High School (CVHS) Music Boosters. The biggest fund raiser for the instrumental music department will take place on Friday, Mar.19 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the entire instrumental music program and will help offset the cost of an anticipated 2005 tour for the jazz band and the wind ensemble. Dinner this year will be Italian, and will be catered by Rocco’s Pizzeria and Ristorante. During the evening, there will be a silent auction as well as music and dancing. Music will be provided by the stage and jazz bands of CVHS. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for students and
Started in 1998 as a way to get kids excited about reading, Read Across America has become the nation’s largest reading event. The faculty and can only be purchased in advance. For more information, contact Mr. Viar, instrumental music teacher at 682-7474, ext. 3125, or Wendy Lowe, dinner dance coordinator at 672-0284. March is also “Music in our Schools Month” across the United States focusing on the importance of music as an integral part of human growth and the school curriculum. The CVHS Music Department has a busy month performing and fundraising. The band’s schedule includes performances throughout the month. For a schedule of appearances, contact Mr. Viar at the above number.
Concord, presents a check to Jim Brophy, Vice President of the New Clayton Valley Little League Challenger Division. The check represented distribution of proceeds from the K of C annual MR drive conducted in October, to collect funds for the mentally challenged in our community. Distributions were also made by the Knights to the “We Care Children’s Center” and to the “George Miller, Sr., Children’s Center” in Concord.” The Knights are the largest fraternal group of Catholic men numbering over 1.6 million. During the 2002 year the knights contributed more than $127.5 million to numerous charities across the United States, Canada, and the Philippines. They volunteered over 68.5 million hours of service to their respective communities.
In memory of comrade Jack Burked wife, Mary Burked, Clayton Valley Post 1525 V.F.W. donated $500 to Hospice and Palliative care of Contra Costa County. Donation is accepted by
Cyndie Harrison, foundation coordinator. From left. Jack Burked, Cyndie Harrison and Ming Hanson, commander. Post 1525 is actively involved in the Clayton community. In recent years, the Post under the leadership of Hanson has contributed the Veteran’s Memorial at the Flagpole, the kiosk which displays the trail signs, the 4th of July VFW booth and has developed an expanded Memorial Day Program.
Cubillas adoption final
Varine Horton, standing, with the help of daughter, Sherie Laurence, demonstrates some of her doll making skills at Diamond Terrace. Varine has been creating the elaborate and exquisite porcelain dolls since first taking a doll making class in 1991. The demonstration was in anticipation of Diamond Terrace’s Doll and Quilt Show, Mar. 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The public is invited.
Proud parents Kevin and Jennifer Cubillas of Clayton announce the adoption finalization of their daughter, Fiona Avril Cubillas on March 12, 2004. Fiona was born on March 26, 2003 in Fort Lewis, Washington and she’s been with her family since she was four days old.
Clayton Resident
“2003 R ealtor Of T he Y ear!”
6200 Center Street, Suite E Clayton, CA 94517 Lynne@LynneFrench.com
East B ay B usiness T imes
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VFW gives $500 to Contra Costa Hospice
Doll making by Varine
Lynne French
year-round program culminates each year on or near Dr. Seuss’ (Theodor Seuss Geisel) birthday on Mar. 2. Far left, Chief of Police, Pete Peterson, reads to first graders at Mt. Diablo Elementary in an evening of Round Robin Reading as part of the week long celebration. At right, Isabella Mejia holds on to her Seuss hat next to her schoolmate Madison Charbonneau at Clayton Children’s World as they celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday.
oon THE LYNNE FRENCH TEAM From left Julie Clairmont, Heather Gray, Sharon Sundin, Angelique Stone, Lynne and Danny French, Ruth Reed, Julie Dunn and Jeff Gillett.
ending
4107 Coyote Circle 114 Samuel Court 53 El Portal Drive 254 Carob Way 1557 Ashwood Drive 281 Mountaire Circle 2156 Bluerock Circle
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67 Regency Drive 126 El Portal Place 4120 Morgan Territory 301 Coal Mine 3616 Justin Place 5522 Indiana Drive
Clayton - Westwood Single story 3 bedrooms, 2 bath with large private yard $495,000 Clayton - Diablo Ridge condo 2 bedroom, 2 bath with designer touches $379,980 Clayton - Mitchell Canyon 3 bedroom, 2 bath single story updated with pool $ 599,980 Martinez - Great Starter home 2 bedroom updated, beautiful landscaped yards $329,980 Mira Vista Hills - 3 bedroom 2 bath No Mello Roos, backs to open space $399,980
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P ending
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P ending
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Dana Hills Rancher - This spacious single story has wonderful view of Mt. Diablo! 4 bedrooms with 2 full baths, fresh paint inside and out, custom flooring and more. This is a 10 plus! $ 614,980
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March 12, 2004
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 3
Classified SERVICES CARPET CLEANING, low price, same day appointments available, free estimates. Repair and sale, licensed and insured, 925-969-1798. PERENNIAL GARDEN DESIGNS and Consultations, by Nicole Hackett, aka Garden Girl. Plant the right perennials in all the right places. Add curb appeal and interest. Together, we can create a magazine beautiful garden. Call or e-mail for price or to schedule appointment. GardenGirl94517@aol.com, (925) 4087792, voicemail
FRENCH CLASSES IN CLAYTON for preschoolers and kindergarteners. Starting ASAP, as low as $8 per class. Call Kristy McClain for information or to enroll, 510635-2414. HELP WANTED HVAC INSTALLER-1 yr. experience.
We’re goin’ shopping at Concord Feed
P.O. Box 1246 6200 Center Street, Suite F Clayton, CA 94517 Office: 925.672.0500 Fax: 925.672.6580 Tamara and Robert Steiner, Co-Publishers Tamara Steiner, Editor Jill Bedecarre, Assistant Editor; Display Advertising Jay Bedecarre, Sports Karen Laible, Church News Rafi Hashemi, Graphic Design JoAnn Ricks, Copy Editor Beth Neudell, Administrative Assistant
Good DMV required. Immediate opening. Good benefits. (925) 673-3776.
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ITEMS FOR SALE FURNITURE: off-white 7’ sofa - $100; beveled glass/gold 42” x 28” rectangle end table-$50’ matching 42” x 42” hexagonal coffee table-$75. All items in excellent condition. 925-672-2876 CANOE, TEAKWOOD, 15’, 5 paddles, curved teakwood seat, gorgeous-never used, must see, sacrifice at $1,000.00, 925-672-2223 FOR RENT OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB TOWN
HOUSE, end unit. On the 7th hole with lake and mt. Views. 3bd/2.5 bath, vaulted ceilings, double sided F.P., washer, dryer, ref. and micro included. 2 car garage, comm. Pool/spa and more! $2,100.00/mo. Credit check, 1st and last, 925-408-5898. No smoking/pets. Available on 4/1/04.
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925.825.9530 also in:
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Street
JUNE 11THROUGH JULY 10. Home, apartment or condo in Clayton. Going on vacation? Would you like to rent your home to my parents who are visiting from Australia? Your home would be very well taken care of, perhaps left cleaner than left. Please contact Collette @ 925-5240305.
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES HAIR STYLIST-STATION AVAILABLE FOR RENT. Good location in the Clayton Station shopping center. Full time or part time. 925-672-2000, Eve. 693-0032
* 925.906.0130
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Novato: 7546 Redwood Blvd.
State/ZIP
* 415.892.1030
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CBCA increases scholarship budget for this year’s grads The Clayton Business & Community Association (CBCA) increased its support for college scholarships for high school seniors living in Clayton by committing up to $7,000 for its 2004 scholarship program, now in its fourth year. High school seniors who have a 94517 zip code are eligible for either an academic or music scholarship. Students must have a 3.0 GPA, write two short essays, and be interviewed by the CBCA’s Scholarship Committee. The CBCA has awarded nearly $10,000 in scholarships in the last three years. Applications have been sent to all local high schools and can be picked up from the CBCA’s office. Interviews will be conducted in May and awarded shortly thereafter. In other CBCA news, organ-
izing plans are well underway for the 9th Annual Clayton Art & Wine Festival, to be held on May 1-2 and the 18th Annual Clayton Classic Golf Tournament at Oakhurst Country Club, to be held on June 7. Entry fee for the Clayton Classic is $140 and there are numerous sponsorship options available. CBCA’s, and Clayton’s, first Oktoberfest will be held on October 2-3 along Main Street. CBCA members also approved a $2,000 donation to the girls and boys golf teams at Clayton Valley High School. Also, the Clayton Valley High School Jazz Band performed to rave reviews by the members. Finally, plans are coming together for an evening affair celebrating CBCA’s 20th Anniversary. The event is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, November 6, 2004 at Oakhurst Country Club.
There will be heavy hors d’oeuvre’s, music, and attendees will play casino games and have the opportunity to bid on donated items at a live auction. The CBCA is a non-profit corporation whose mission is to perform community service for the Clayton community. All Clayton residents are eligible for membership and dues are $4 per month. Monthly dinner meetings are held on the last business Thursday of the month at Oakhurst Country Club. Sign-in begins at 6:30 p.m. and the meetings run until about 9 p.m. Scholarship applications and sign-up sheets for the Clayton Classic Golf Tournament are available at the CBCA. Please call the CBCA at 672-2272 for more information.
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING CATEGORIES Jobs Child and Adult Care Items For Sale Vehicles For Sale Garage and Yard Sales Real Estate Office Space Homes For Rent Pets and Horses Services Lost and Found Personal Business Opportunities
over the phone. Or, come by the office at 6200 Center Street, Suite F, Clayton between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Rates are $12 for 30 words and 20 cents for each additional word. Classified deadline dates are printed above. The Clayton Pioneer will not accept any ad that discriminates on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, nationality, family status or disability. We reserve the right to reject any advertising we believe is unsuitable. All classified ads must be paid for in advance.
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
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@clayton pioneer.com
GEORGE VUJNOVICH, Broker 6160 Center Street, Suite E, Clayton 94517
Tel: (925) 672-4433; Fax: (925) 672-4424
Each Office Is Independently Owned & Operated.
georgevujnovich.com Clayton Market Update Provided by George Vujnovich of Better Homes Realty
ADDRESS
1074 Feather Circle 7024 Molluck Way 801 Gray Fox Place 59 El Portal Drive 635 Mt. Duncan Drive 3203 Coyote Circle 126 El Portal Place 206 Condor Way 800 Gray Fox Way 67 Regency Drive 3102 Coyote Circle
PRICE
$
510,000 579,500 669,000 672,500 715,000 376,000 657,500 555,000 599,000 570,000 395,875
SALE DATE
03/01/04 03/01/04 02/27/04 02/27/04 02/26/04 02/25/04 02/24/04 02/23/04 02/20/04 02/18/04 02/12/04
SF
1651 1816 2237 2857 2960 1252 2427 1911 2542 1801 1554
BED/BATH
3/2.5 3/2 3/2 5/3 5/3 2/2.5 4/2.5 3/2.5 4/2.5 3/2.5 3/2.5
ADDRESS
109 Forest Hill Drive 1279 Shell Circle 1340 Shell Lane 3049 Windmill Canyon 20 El Toro 904 Arrowhead 1022 Tiffin Drive 926 Arrowhead 928 Kenston 1224 Bridlewood 1294 Shell Circle
PRICE
SALE DATE
SF
$ 812,500 408,000 449,900 530,000 606,000 462,000 600,000 459,000 525,000 799,000 485,000
02/11/04 02/11/04 02/06/04 02/03/04 01/30/04 01/30/04 01/30/04 01/30/04 01/27/04 01/26/04 01/21/04
2680 1430 1745 1493 2099 1904 1764 1749 2852 3540 1745
BED/BATH
3/2.5 2/2 3/3 3/2 4/2 3/2.5 4/2 3/2.5 4/4 4/4 3/3
ADDRESS
24 Eastbrook Court 226 Jeffry Ranch 11 Mt. McKinley Court 5195 Keller Ridge Drive 1027 Pebble Beach Drive 34 Long Creek Circle 9 Herriman Court 5015 Keller Ridge 1202 Bridlewood Court 46 Long Creek Circle 805 Condor Place
All information contained herein is deemed reliable but not guaranteed
PRICE
$ 584,000 506,000 639,980 680,000 919,000 326,000 580,000 485,000 844,000 375,000 359,950
SALE DATE
01/14/04 01/14/04 01/08/04 01/08/04 01/06/04 01/06/04 01/05/04 01/02/04 12/31/03 12/30/03 12/22/03
SF
2056 1850 1981 2542 3335 966 1905 1710 3300 1378 1252
BED/BATH
4/3.5 3/2 4/2 4/2.5 4/2.5 2/2 4/2.5 3/2.5 4/3.5 3/2 2/2.5
Page 4
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
March 12, 2004
Religion Local church happenings The Pioneer wants to know what is happening in your parish, congregation, temple, synagogue, mosque or other place of worship. Tell us about your ministries, upcoming activities or notable members. Send your news items to Clayton Pioneer, PO Box 1246, Clayton 94517 or e-mail religion@claytonpioneer.com. CLAYTON VALLEY PRESBYTERIAN PRESENTS JOHN RUTTER’S REQUIEM The community is invited to a special musical event on Sunday, March 28 from 10:30
Rutter. John Rutter is one of the outstanding composers and arrangers of our time. His music degrees are from Clare College
Tamara Steiner / Clayton Pioneer
DALE SCOVILL, Clayton resident and organist for John Rutter’s, Requiem a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The music department of Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church is proud to present Requiem by John
of Cambridge University, where he was also Director of Music from 1975 through 1979. Rutter’s works have been recorded and performed around
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the world. Requiem was written in 1985 and is based on Psalms 130 and 23; it is performed in both Latin and English. The seven movements of this beautiful and inspirational work form a meditation on the themes of life and death. As in all of Rutter’s music, Requiem is a masterpiece of choral and instrumental arrangement. It is considered to be among Rutter’s most outstanding compositions. For this special presentation, the church choir will be under the direction of Lou Pulis and Dale Scovill will be the organist. The choir will be joined by a chamber orchestra for the performance of this piece. This special service of sacred music will take place at Clayton Valley Presbyterian at 1578 Kirker Pass Road on Sunday, March 28, at the 10:30 a.m. worship service. Childcare will be provided. For more information: 672-4848.
BAHA’I OF CONCORD All are invited to a program of prayer and religious music on
Sunday, March 28, at 10 a.m. at the Cal State Hayward. Concord Campus. This faith gathering takes place on the fourth Sunday of each month; the topic for March is “Spirituality and Health.” For more information: 3814826. On Sunday, March 28, the “Outreach” ministry of the parish will meet at noon at Baldwin Park in Concord. This ministry serves the homeless once a month at the park by providing food, fellowship and prayer for all. Lenten suppers, followed by mid-week worship services continue on Wednesdays through March. For more information: 686-2000.
ST. BONAVENTURE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY The Alcohol and Drug Recovery Resource Ministry of the parish will sponsor a special Healing Mass on Monday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m. in the chapel. The guest presider and speaker will be Fr. Gavin Griffith, a Franciscan priest who has been in recovery from alcoholism for 35 years. Fr. Griffith conducts recovery retreats around the country for the addicted and their families. He has been featured in Time magazine for his innovative educational methods. He believes in
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Karen Laible in Pleasant Hill, will give a presentation and lead a discussion on “The Passion of the Christ.” Fr. Joyce will specifically relate the movie to the passion narratives of Luke and John, which will be read during Holy Week this year. The public is invited. Special offerings for Lent continue with a presentation on Thursday, March 25 at 7:30 p.m. Five panelists from the non-profit sector will join seminarian Aidan McAleenan in reflecting on a “new” Beatitude: “Blessed are they who house the homeless.” Panel members will discuss ways to live this Gospel value in our communities. Evenings of Lenten prayer experience will be led by Fr. Richard Mangini, the pastor of St. Bonaventure, on March 22 and April 5. The evenings will focus on types of reflective prayer inspired by Mary, the Mother of Jesus, St. Dominic and St. Ignatius Loyola. The Grief Ministry of the parish will hold an information night on Thursday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m. in the chapel. This is a peer ministry that began last fall in response to the need for people to learn how to grieve more effectively and to do so with God’s intervention. The infor-
The Lenten “House Church” series continues on Sunday evenings through the end of March. Three separate options are offered: House Church I, “Journey, Pilgrimage and Labyrinth,” focuses on the concept of spiritual journey, as presented by several wonderful speakers, and includes the experience of walking the labyrinth in the final session. House Church II, “Growing in Faith,” will be presented by Dr. Josh Gressel. Dr. Gressel, a local psychologist and a long-time member of Congregation Netivot Shalom in Berkeley, will discuss James Fowler’s “Stages of Faith.” House Church III, “A Journey in Faith” is led by Fr. John Bennison, the pastor of St. John’s. These sessions are designed to provide the newcomer with a primer in the Christian faith and the Episcopal tradition and they also serves as a refresher course for long-time members who are interested in wrestling with basic questions of faith and meaning. For more information: 672-8855.
ST. MARTIN OF TOURS ANGLICAN The parish is a traditional Anglican Church, using the 1928 Book of Common Prayer as the standard of worship. Holy Communion is celebrated each Sunday at 10 a.m. Sunday school and the nursery are both available at that time. Stations of the Cross will be celebrated each Friday evening of Lent at 7 p.m. For more information: 680-1613. Karen Laible is a pastoral associate at St. Bonaventure’s and holds Masters Degrees in Social Work and Pastoral Ministry. Contact
her at religion@claytonpioneer.com
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
Easy to order by phone
682-4664 Toll Free
mation night will be followed by an 8-week series this spring. All are welcome; please call the parish office to reserve a place. For more information: 6725800.
ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL
HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN
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the healing power of humor and story. All are invited to attend this special liturgy. On Tuesday, March 23, at 7:30 p.m. Fr. Brian Joyce, the pastor of Christ the King Parish
800-554-1391
4666 Clayton Road, Concord
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
C o m m u n i ty C o n n e c t i o n s
March 12, 2004
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
BBQ honors “Grandpa” By Karen Smith Owner, Station 59 My grandfather was one of the most significant men in my life and it is through my recreating his BBQ that I honor him in life. My Grandfather died at 93 and never regretted one choice he ever made. He was my “sweet pea,” the name I gave to him as a child and I will always honor his “secret sauce” and BBQ traditions. Because my love for my Grandfather runs so deep, I take pride in everything that I do for Station 59. In loving honor of such a respected man, I take the time to “smell the roses.” This means
that I do not run to just any meat supplier with a low price. I find the best quality meat so that I can
carry on his tradition. He always said “have patience in all the things you do
in life.” I am reminded every evening as I prepare the food for the following day to be patient. Grandpa never made things quick and easy. His recipe requires that a dry rub of secret spices be applied to the meat and marinated over night. The next day, the ribs are slowly cooked over real wood and real mesquite charcoal. The ribs are cooked for 3 long hours over wood, maintained at a heat no higher then 250 degrees and are then basted with Grandma’s special BBQ sauce for another hour. The chicken is also marinated the night before but is cooked at a higher temperature and for less time to avoid drying it out. After
Feeding the chocolate habit-Part 2 There are serious chocoholics among us. We will be among the first to tell you that our favorite food doubles as an anti-depressant and even an aphrodisiac. There are some 300 known chemicals in chocolate, among them caffeine and other stimulants that excite our brain cells and contribute to a sense of well being. Antioxidants have been found, as well. Some scientists are studying whether phenolic compounds identified in chocolate have a heart-healthy role in our lives. Although there are so many “good” things about chocolate, one must remember to eat it in moderation—just like any food. The main downside to chocolate is cocoa butter, a saturated fat, but sugar comes in a close second in some varieties. The “modern” chocolate we know today evolved in the 1800’s in Europe. Conrad Van Houten of the Netherlands invented a process that extracted the fat from the roasted cacao beans (more than half of the chocolate bean or nib is cocoa butter). He then pulverized the solid cake into cocoa powder, added potassium or sodium carbonate (alkaline salts) and made a powder that’s easy to mix with water. Hence, “Dutch” chocolate was born. Adding back in some of the cocoa butter and lacing the mixture with sugar allows chocolate to become a solid. The Chocolate Hall of Fame Award goes to the Swiss who figured out how to add powdered milk (an invention of Henri Nestle) to get milk chocolate. Once Rudolphe Lindt invented “conching,” a heated mixing process, chocolate suddenly could be easily blended and chocolate candy came into its own. The chocolate we see in America is “unsweetened” (nearly 100 percent cacao with vanilla and lecithin—an emulsifier made from soybeans), “bittersweet” (a minimum of 35 percent cacao but up to 60 percent in quality brands), “semi-sweet” (15 percent cacao plus sugar, vanilla and vegetable fat) and “milk chocolate” (15 percent cacao and milk solids). White chocolate is basically cocoa butter with the cacao extracted—although it may contain milk solids and vanilla for flavor. Coming soon to a store near you—varietal chocolates. Not unlike coffee and wine, cacao flavors vary by where the beans are grown. During a recent visit to Copia (the American Center for Food and Wine in Napa), I tasted bittersweet chocolate made from Ecuadorian, Colombian and Venezuelan beans. One piece tasted very nutty and coffee-like, another had distinct citrus overtones and the third had a banana “finish.” Another organic chocolate available for tasting came in blends of lavender mint, curry and rosemary-cherry. Not all of those flavors were successful in my book. Upscale chocolatiers abound in the Bay Area. They import high quality beans (generally from the Criollo and Trinitario species of cacao trees, although more than 90 percent of chocolate comes from the more common, and therefore less expensive,
Forastero tree). Blends and single bean varietals from E.Guittard can be found at Sur la Table stores and on the web at www.eguittard.com. A visit to Recchiutti Confections in the spectacularly remodeled and recently reopened Ferry Building at the foot of Market Street in San Francisco is a must, as are visits to Joseph Schmidt Confections at 3489 16th Street and XOX Truffles Chocolates at 754 Columbus Avenue, also in San Francisco. Scharffen Berger offers onehour tours daily at their Berkeley facility at 914 Heinz Avenue (reservations recommended). As an added bonus, they just opened Café Cacao on Valentine’s Day. The cafe serves breakfast, lunch and dinner (some brave soul needs to tell me if the children’s pasta dish with chocolate pasta, butter and cheese is a hit). Fresh homemade truffles are a delightful gift for just about any holiday or special occasion. It requires melted chocolate—
LINDA WYNER
FOOD
FOR
THOUGHT
direct heat is inadvisable because excess heat or a drop of moisture will cause the chocolate to seize (get grainy), burn or become bitter. Using a double boiler solves the problem, although some cooks favor using a microwave, I do not. The following easy-to-make recipe makes a wonderfully light confection. Chocolate Truffles 1½ c heavy cream 1 lb bittersweet chocolate, grated (60 percent cacao content
recommended) 1½ c unsweetened cocoa powder Miniature paper cups Boil the cream in a double boiler; remove from heat and cool to lukewarm. Add grated chocolate and beat with an electric mixer for 5 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool, then beat for another 5 minutes. Refrigerate until firm enough to shape into small balls with your hands, usually about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, sift cocoa powder into a deep bowl. Dust hands with cocoa powder. Roll a generous tablespoon of the mixture into a ball. Toss the ball in the cocoa and store in paper cups in an airtight container (refrigeration may rob the truffle of its flavor).
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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Page 5 an hour over the wood smoked grill, Grandma’s Chicken has been cooked thoroughly to create some of the finest BBQ chicken you will ever taste. My hopes are that my grandfather’s BBQ reminds you of a family member, a best friend or a beautiful memory spent with a loved one. I hope you will enjoy the eating as I enjoy recreating my Grandpa’s food Visit our Web site at www.station59bbq.com. I hope to hear from you about your memory of a favorite BBQ.
We are currently under construction but in the near future, we want to honor your family or friend’s BBQ on our site by posting your picture in “Our Album.” I would love to have the members of our community represented so we can all know a little bit more about each other in one of the finest small towns in America. See Station 59 ad below for menu and ordering information, or visit the Web site at www.station59bbq.com
Page 6
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
March 12, 2004
Clayton Sports CVLL begins 40th season BY JAY BEDECARRE Clayton Pioneer
Clayton Valley Little League will commemorate the start of its 40th season with a traditional Opening Ceremony this Saturday at Clayton Valley High School football stadium. A parade of players and coaches, carnival games, tests of skills and team pictures will fill the day for the local youth baseball and softball organization. The ceremonies begin at 10 a.m. and the festivities run until 2 p.m. The 2004 CVLL season will feature nearly 1000 players on 73 teams in 12 divisions for boys and girls ranging in age from five to 18 years in softball and baseball. CVLL games begin on Saturday, March 20, and conclude no later than June 12. The District 4 Tournament of Champions begins June 14. CVLL hosted an all-day Little League District 4 Umpires clinic last Saturday at Mt. Diablo Elementary School. District 4 is comprised of most of Contra
Costa County and about 100 volunteer umpires attended the clinic, where they learned basic umpiring mechanics and rules. The champions in Minor A and B, Majors, Softball and Junior leagues advance to the District 4 Tournament of Champions. The CVLL season is divided into two halves for these divisions. If a team wins both halves they automatically go to the TOC. If there are different first-place teams in the first and second halves of the season a one-game playoff determines the TOC representative. In addition, the league has now added a four-team league playoff at the end of the regular season to allow the four highest placed teams the opportunity for one or two extra games. Last season, Clayton Valley enjoyed the distinction of having the District 4 11-12 All-Star championship team for the first time in the league’s history. The All-Stars advanced to the Sectional Tournament in Woodland before being stopped
on how to volunteer or provide much needed sponsorship donations please contact Ron R a u l s t o n CVLLFMD@aol.com, Mike Sullivan mpsullivan4@comcast.net or call the CVLL voice mail system at 672-WINS. Information about field maintenance volunteer projects is generally posted on the Clayton Valley Little League Web sitewww.cvll.org.
Jill Bedecarre / Clayton Pioneer
THE DISTRICT 4 UMPIRES clinic last Saturday at Mt. Diablo Elementary School focused on basic umpiring mechanics and rules.
along the way to the legendary Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. The CVLL Minor A championship White Sox were TOC semi-finalists while the winningest team in CVLL last year was the Junior Diamondbacks who lost only one of 19 games. There are a few changes in the format of the league for this season. Farm A and B leagues for players in the six to nine age group will be purely instructional with no game scores or standings kept and pitching machines used to enable more batters to be
able to hit. This has been the format used in CVLL Peanut division and will be spread to more players so that they can gain a love of the game without the inherent pressure of winning and losing games, league officials explained. Clayton Valley volunteers have been working for the past few months readying the fields for the annual rite of spring. Local elementary and middle schools have been collaborating with CVLL to make sure the fields are put in the best possible condition. For information
Sports shorts Local soccer, swimming, basketball, volleyball, hockey, cheerleading, wrestling, softball, football and baseball tryouts, clinics and special events are aplenty, giving local residents a variety of sports activities to choose from between now and the summer. CVAA FALCONS FOOTBALL & CHEERLEADING SIGNUPS Clayton Valley Falcons will be taking signups for football and cheerleader squads in March and April for the 2004 season. Boys and girls seven to 14 years-old are eligible to register for the season that runs from August 1 through Thanksgiving weekend. Signups will be this Saturday, Mar. 13 and Apr. 4 at the Safeway in Concord
on Clayton Rd./Denkinger Rd. from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and Mar. 27 and Apr. 10 at Country Waffles in Clayton from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The last signup will be Apr. 15 at Aladino’s in Clayton from 6-8 p.m. For more information visit www.cvaafalcons.com or call 9277377. DANA HILLS SWIM TEAM SIGNUPS The Dana Hills Swim Team Otters have registration for the 2004 recreation swim season scheduled at the Dana Hills Cabana on Mountaire Parkway this Sunday, Mar. 14, from 1-4 p.m. Dana Hills won the 2003 Concord City Swim meet, their 11th title in the past 12 years. Boys and girls four to 18 years of age with lots or no swimming experience at invited to signup. Youngsters can join the Otterpups instructional program. For further information call Karen Goodshaw 672-2053 or visit www.danahillsotters.com. DVSC SOCCER TRYOUTS Diablo Valley Soccer Club will be holding tryouts April 5-8 for boys and girls of all soccer skill levels ages Under 15 through Under 19 (born Aug. 1, 1985-July 31, 1990). DVSC will be having teams with professional trainers in all age groups from under 9 through under 19. DVSC has Class 1 and Class 3 teams in every age group. For more information call 229-DVSC or go to
See Shorts, page 7
CVHS joins lacrosse boom BY JAY BEDECARRE Clayton Pioneer
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There’s a brand new sport on the spring calendar at Clayton Valley High School. You’ll hear of clearing, the crease, slashing, off sides, breakaway, body check, power play, penalty box, screen shot, shorthanded, outlet pass and crosschecking. Those are familiar phrases. Did the CVHS athletic facilities just add an ice rink? Do the Eagles now play ice hockey? No and no. Clayton Valley, like many schools in California and around the country, has joined the lacrosse boom. The oldest sport in North America is the newest at Clayton Valley High School, where boys and girls teams have been formed this year. Boys varsity coach Jim Burkin, who coached previously at Carondelet, and JV coach Don Draper are both experienced players. Girls coaches Walter Ramos and Brett Boysen are also very experienced. It’s just that Ramos and Boysen are known for their exploits as former CVHS soccer players and are new to the game of lacrosse while Burkin and Draper played the sport in high school and college. For the uninitiated, lacrosse is a combination of football,
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hockey and basketball. It has been called the fastest game on two feet and is a grueling test of stamina. It is also the fastest growing team sport in America. There are now North Coast Section high school championships which will beheld May 18-22 this spring. There are 10 positions on a team (one goalie, three attackmen, three midfielders and three defensemen). The object is to put a 5 oz. hard-rubber ball into your opponent’s net with a long-handled stick (crosse) with a triangular pocket at the end, while keeping your opponent from doing the same to you. Like soccer, lacrosse is played on an open field with goals at both end; like hockey, the player carry sticks and can roam behind the net; like basketball, the offensive players set picks and run patterned offenses and fast breaks, while the defenses are man-to-man or zone; in fact, basketball inventor James Naismith was a lacrosse player in the late 1800s. The game, like the identifiable “crosse” stick itself, was developed by North American Indians as early as the 15th century. Indians played the game not only for recreation, but also to settle tribal disputes and to toughen warriors for fighting. Games were played by as few as 100 and as many as 1,000 men and lasted two or three days, with play beginning at sunup and ending at sundown each day. Goals, consisting of rocks or trees, were generally 500 yards to a half-mile apart, but could be several miles apart. There were no sidelines and players raced far and wide over the countryside. Jesuit missionaries from France first encountered the
game in the 17th century. They wrote home about a game played by the Huron Indians with sticks reminiscent of the crosier (la Crosse) carried by bishops as a symbol of their office. In the early 1800s white settlers in Montreal took up the game. When the Dominion of Canada was created a decade later, lacrosse was designated - and still remains - the national sport. Canadians introduced the game
describing his team. “We are getting outstanding play from goalie Andy Hoedt and strong defense by Brandon Davis, Chris Morrissey, Hayden Piper, Addison Rosenblatt and Matthew Jue. Strong showings by offensive players David Morehouse, Jeremy Kawamura, brothers Eric and Cody Clausen and Ben Hoedt. Our team includes just three seniors so it’s a young team with budding play-
Photo courtesy of CVHS COACH JIM BURKIN talks to his players during lacrosse practice session
to the United States, England, Ireland and Scotland, according to laxhistory.com. The Eagles play in the Diablo Valley Lacrosse League. Of the top 15 boys teams in the state, six are in the DVLL, making it tough for a neophyte program like Clayton Valley’s. Of the nine teams in DVLL, both CV and Las Lomas, are new this year. “We have a lot to learn. Expectations and attitude are great. We’ve already had a game against De La Salle and it was a great challenge,” Burkin says in
ers and we are expecting great things in the future.” Burkin likes to describe how the CVHS lacrosse program came to be this year. “Cody Clausen was one of the students who confronted the athletic directors to see if they would let Clayton Valley start up lacrosse for boys and girls. At that time I talked to John Neary and the rest is history. I’ve been with the kids since last June with car washes and other fundraising events because lacrosse is a self funding sport,” the proud coach explains.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 7
Clayton Sports
Shorts from page 6 www.dvsc.com, where you can register (no charge) for tryouts in advance.
Clayton Fitness-fun and friendly workout
DVSC SOCCER ACADEMY FALL LEAGUE REGISTRATION Based on the success of its popular DVSC Soccer Academy, the Diablo Valley Soccer Club is introducing a new Soccer Academy Fall League program this year. Registration is now being accepted for boys and girls in the Under 6 through Under 8 age groups (born Aug. 1, 1996 through Dec. 31, 2000). Learn to Play the DVSC Way where every one will train, learn and play. The program combines trademark DVSC professional training with a developmental fall soccer league concentrating on skills development. Team rosters will be 6-8 players each with smallsided games to maximize ball touches and player development. For registration packet (there are no tryouts) call 229-DVSC or visit www.dvsc.com.
It’s a friendly place with a lot of action. People come for
CLAYTON VALLEY LITTLE LEAGUE CHALLENGER REGISTRATION Clayton Valley Little League is taking registration for Challenger baseball for disabled kids with the season beginning this month. There is no cost to participate. Full uniform and necessary equipment is provided. For information call Jim Brophy at 685-1801 or visit www.cvll.org.
ally-ranked Terrapins are also taking signups for swimmers ages six and above of all levels for their year-round swim team. For information call 680-8372, e-mail terrapinswim@msn.com or visit www.SwimTerrapin.com.
YMCA HOSTING VARIOUS SPORTS @ CLAYTON GYM Concord/Clayton Branch of Mt. Diablo Region YMCA will be holding a variety of leagues and programs in the coming months at Clayton Community Gym. Coed leagues for ages 18 and older runs Apr. 7-June 9 for soccer and Apr. 1June 3 for volleyball. Indoor soccer league for Pre-K through eighth grade is Feb. 8-Mar. 29 followed by outdoor soccer league for Pre-K through eighth grade Apr. 17-June 19 and floor hockey league Apr. 19June 28. Men’s 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 basketball leagues for 18 and older is Apr. 4-June 20 and for 40 and older is Apr. 5-June 21. For registration and other information call 889-1600 or www.mdrymca.org. CLAYTON VALLEY FOOTBALL CAMP Clayton Valley High School’s coaching staff will be holding the 3rd annual Clayton Valley Youth Football Camp June 21-25 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. for boys and girls entering grades 5-9. Campers will be split into 5th-6th, 7th-8th and freshman groups to learn fundamentals and techniques of football. Cost is $125 for the first 150 campers. Registration forms are currently available at Mavericks Sport Club, Ed’s Mudville Grill and Linguini’s Restaurant. For information call Eagles head varsity football coach Herc Pardi at 682-7474, ext. 3115. TERRAPIN SPRING SWIM CLINIC, SIGNUPS The Terrapins are offering spring clinics at their Concord facility for summer recreation swimmers who want to get a jump on the summer season. The nation-
DON FITZGERALD the comraderie and social interaction. They smile a lot when they’re here. No, it’s not your friendly coffee house. The only thing that people drink here is water. Clayton Fitness and Tanning is the gym of choice for many Clayton and Concord
ROMANIA ANIMAL RESCUE GOLF TOURNEY Romania Animal Rescue, Inc. will be holding a golf tournament Apr. 26 at Oakhurst Country Club with proceeds helping send UC Davis students to Romania this summer to spay/neuter stray street dogs. Cost is $160 per person and includes green fees, cart rental, box lunch, awards dinner, raffle prizes and auction items. Reservation deadline is Apr. 12. For information call Rory Janes at 672-5908, e-mail romaniadogs@joimail.com or visit www.romaniaanimalrescue.4ever.cc.
YOUTH WRESTLING PROGRAM IN CONCORD Community Youth Center in Concord is holding freestyle and Greco Roman wrestling practices for youth in kindergarten through 12th grade. Call 671-7070 or visit www.concordyouthcenter.com for schedule. MDSL GIRLS SOCCER TRYOUTS Tryouts for Mt. Diablo Soccer League U15 Girls and U18 Girls Class 1 teams are scheduled for 911 a.m. at Ygnacio Valley Park April 3. Please visit WWW.MDSLSOCCER.ORG or call 672-3532 for additional information. FALCON FOOTBALL/CHEER SIGNUPS Clayton Valley Athletic Assoc. will be holding signups for its Falcon youth football and cheerleading programs March 13 and April 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Safeway at Clayton and Denkinger Roads, March 27 and April 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Country Waffles at Clayton and Kirker Pass Roads, and April 15 from 6-8:30 p.m. at Aladino’s Pizzeria at 5400 Ygnacio Valley Rd. All area boys and girls
residents. It’s owner, Frank Lagau, resurrected the gym in Clayton Station nearly three years ago and has developed the fitness facility into a popular and well-respected enterprise that continuously attracts new members and keeps the veterans coming back for more. Clayton resident Don Fitzgerald has known Frank for a number of years and likes the atmosphere at his gym. He’s been working out here since Lagau opened and comes at least three times a week. When he’s not here, he’s missed. And Don has missed a great deal in the past two three years during his two bouts with cancer. He’s beaten the disease each time and comes back to the gym to
build himself up again. “It’s not corporate America. It’s more like family.” Sheila McCloud couldn’t
ages 7-14 (as of Aug. 1, 2004) are eligible. New and returning cheerleaders must attend cheer clinics April 19-23 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Clayton Valley High School. Cheer tryouts will be held April 24 from 26 p.m. at CVHS. For cheer call Betty Stone at 825-0277 and for football call Alan Hatcher at 9277377 or visit www.cvaafalcons.com.
BASKETBALL & VOLLEYBALL Concord/Clayton Branch of the Mt. Diablo YMCA is offering basketball open gym for all ages Monday, Thursday and Friday nights and volleyball open gym for all ages Tuesday nights at Clayton Community Gym. Call 889-1600 or visit www.mdrymca.org for more information.
CONCORD BOCCE REGISTRATION Concord Bocce Federation is taking team registrations for the summer bocce ball league at Newhall Park. Teams must have a minimum of six players and not more than 10. Registration is $150 per team. Call 675-5263 for details.
ADULT SOFTBALL REGISTRATION Concord Parks and Recreation Dept. is taking team registrations for their spring and summer adult softball leagues. Men’s, women’s and mixed leagues are being offered. Call Concord Parks and Rec at 671-3279.
JOBL BASEBALL & SOFTBALL SIGNUPS JOBL is accepting registrations for ages 5-18 for boys Babe Ruth baseball and girls ASA softball. For information call Sheryl Dron at 827-0763, Adrienne Warren at 6860673 or visit www.eteamz.com/jobl.
LAS LOMAS HIGH SEEKS FOOTBALL COACHES Las Lomas High School is looking for a head freshman football coach and staff. For information call LLHS head coach Doug Longero at 935-4110, ext. 2219 or e m a i l Dlongero@Acalanes.k12.ca.us.
SHEILA MCCLOUD
agree more. She always needs a a place to exercise and Clayton Fitness is her favorite. She likes the small, intimate atmosphere. “You don’t get lost in it ,” she says. Sheila works out four to five times a week and likes that the gym is close to home. She has been coming to the Clayton gym since it opened because “I confidence in the person who runs it”. Owner Lagau is the first person you see when enter the front door of Clayton Fitness Center. He is a certified personal fitness trainer and is currently being certified to train golfers. Just a few feet away is a myriad of machines, tanning salon and sports equipment. The gym offers, health screen-
ing, cardio vascular workouts, personalized strength training, free weights, a stretching area and personal training options. Special programs include circuit training on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, and stretching sessions Lagau’s day starts at 4:15 a.m. The gym opens at 5 a.m. and closes at 10 p.m. Membership numbers over 600.
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March 12, 2004
Clayton Community Calendar PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M., MAR. 15 FOR THE MAR. 26 ISSUE. FAX TO 672-6580 OR E-MAIL calendar@claytonpioneer.com
EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT MAR. 12, 19, 26 Digital Thunder Bowling @ Clayton Bowl 4-6 p.m. Digital Thunder Bowling on Friday afternoons for kids includes music, lights and bumper lanes. Clayton Valley Bowl. 689-4631 MAR. 12 AARP Mt. Diablo Chapter Meeting 1:30, Pleasant Hill Senior Center, 233 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill. The speaker Ann Steiner, Ph.D., M.F.T., will present “Beyond Limits: Creating Freedom with Chronic Illness.” Dr. Steiner, a licensed Marriage and family psychotherapist, does individual, couple and group therapy. She specializes in therapy with the medically ill and lectures nationally and internationally. NOW THRU MAR. 27 My Fair Lady @ CTA Crossroads Theatre, Walnut Creek Thurs.-Sun. 8pm, Sat. matinee 2pm. World’s Greatest Musical by Lerner & Loewe is the standard by which all musicals are measured at acclaimed CTA Crossroads Theatre. 1277 Boulevard Way, Walnut Creek. www.ctacrossroads.org 944-0597 MAR. 13-14 Workshop for Recently Divorced @ Family Life Center 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Weekend workshop to help the recently divorced deal with stages of grief and healing, using the book “Divorce and Beyond”. Topics include sell image, stress, anger, blame, guilt, loneliness, growth and more. Sponsored by Catholic Divorced, Widowed and Separated of Contra Costa. Family Life Center, 2350 Pacheco St., Concord. Joe Gerhards 682-3314 MAR. 13-14 Body Mind Spirit Expo @ Centre Concord 10 a.m.- 7 p.m. Sat. & 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Sun. Where Concord Explores the New Age with wide range of holistic exhibitors from psychics, massage therapists, crystals, supplements, healers and more. Featured lectures are provided for free. A few other expo favorites include Debbie Smith, “Charting your Life”, Annette Donaldson, “First Steps”, Verline Kelly, “Is your Body Asking for Help?” & more. Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Rd., Concord. www.bmse.net 541-482-3722 MAR.13 Choral Festival, Concord United Methodist Church 4 p.m. The music ministry invites you to a Youth Choral Festival with Guest Director Mark Patterson. The music will feature songs learned during a day-long workshop. Sponsored by the Choristers of the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. Joyce Atkinson, 672-3850 MAR. 15, 22, 29 Theology on Tap @ Black Diamond Brewing Co., Walnut Creek 7-9pm. Casual forum for adults in their 20’s & 30’s for stimulating discussion sponsored by St. Bonaventure Catholic Community. Free admission. Black Diamond Brewing Company, 2330 N. Main St., Walnut Creek. www.stbonaventure.net 672-5800 MAR. 16 Senior Safety Presentation, Diamond Terrace 3:30 p.m. 6401 Center Street. Sgt. Jason Russo of the Clayton Police Department will speak about identity theft. The public is invited. MAR. 19 CVHS Music Boosters 7th annual Jazz Dinner Dance & Auction 6:30-9:30 PM, in the large gym, 1101 Alberta Way. Music provided by the jazz and stage bands with accompanying soloists. Italian dinner catered by Rocco’s Pizzeria and Ristorante. Tickets are $20 general and $15 for students and faculty. Proceeds benefit the instrumental music dept. For more information or tickets, call Wendy Lowe at 6720284 MAR. 20 First Annual Doll and Quilt Show, Diamond Terrace 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., 6401 Center Street, Clayton, 524-5100. March 20 is National Quilt Day. The event includes a raffle, the proceeds to benefit the Clayton Historical Society. MAR. 23 Passion of the Christ Discussion, St. Bonaventure Church 7:30 P.M., 5562 Clayton Road, Concord. ST.Bonaventure’s will have a presentation and discussion on The Passion of Christ specifically related to the passion narratives of Luke and John used in the holy week liturgies. The discussion will be lead by Fr. Brian Joyce, Pastor of Christ the King Church in Pleasant Hill. MAR. 30 Patty Cakes @ Clayton Library 11 a.m. Story time for children up to 3 years on Tuesdays. Clayton Library. www.cclib.org 673-0659 MAR. 30 Picture Book Time @ Clayton Library 11 a.m. Story time on Thursdays for children 3-5 years who may attend without parents. Clayton Library www.cclib.org 673-0659 APR. 3 Mt. Diablo Elementary 4th Annual Benefit Auction @ Centre Concord 6:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.,5298 Clayton Road, Concord. Reserved seating limited to 250. Buy up to a full table for 10 or individual seats. Tickets are $40 each. Evening includes: food by Outback Steakhouse, live auction, silent auction, casino fun, DJ Entertainment donated by Case Productions (Kevin Case) All proceeds benefit Mt. Diablo Elementary School. For additional information or to make a donation
to the Benefit Auction, Caren Case 673-1266, or Staci Enriquez 6722464. APR. 3,4 Semi-Annual Used Book Sale @ Clayton Community Library The Clayton Community Library Foundation used book sale is Saturday, April 3 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday April 4 from 124 p.m. Most books on sale for $.50! Books are ½ price on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.Clayton Community Library Foundation Members only preview will be Friday, April 2 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Individual memberships may be purchased at the door for $10, or $15 for a family. Proceeds will support library programs and be used to purchase books and materials for the Clayton Community Library. 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton APR. 3 Fertilizer & Soil Presentation & R&M Pool, Patio and Gardens 10 a.m. Fertilizer and Soil Presentation by Industry Expert Tom Priest. Informative rundown on fertilizers & soils for the garden. All questions will be answered. Presentation repeated on May 1. R&M Pool, Patio and Gardens, 6780 Marsh Creek Rd., Clayton. 672-0207 APR. 19 National Library Week Activities @ the Clayton Community Library 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. Worm stories and “wiggle worms”- make and eat your own creation while the grown ups enjoy our backyard hiking presentation. All ages welcome. No registration Required. Clayton Community Library. 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton APR. 21 Art for Life @ Clayton Library 3:30 - 5 p.m. Celebrate National Library Week by creating your own masterpiece with Anthony Knutson, director of The Art for Life Foundation. Food, art and stories, too! Free admission but advance registration required. Clayton Library www.cclib.org 673-0659 APR. 23 Historical Society Annual Spring Pot Luck 6 p.m. Clayton Historical Society annual program & pot luck. Odd Fellows Hall, Cowell Rd., Concord. www.claytonhs.com 672-0240 APR. 24 Clayton Cleans Up 9 a.m.- 12 noon. Together we can keep Clayton Clean. Organize your neighborhood, scout, church or other civic group. Individuals welcome. Bring your trimmers and gloves. Help trim plants & pick up litter. Contact Dana Deely at 672-8645 for more info or to sign up. City of Clayton. www.ci.clayton.ca.us 673-7304 MAY 7, 8 Clayton Historical Society Annual Gardens Tour Friday and Saturday rain or shine. Call 672-0240 for more information, www.claytonhs.com. Tickets will go on sale early this spring. MAY 17 46th Annual Pro/Am Golf Tournament Mt. Diablo Region YMCA is hosting the longest-running pro/am golf tournament in Contra Costa County, partnering with Diablo Country Club and Lexus of Pleasanton/Lexus Champions for Charity to provide a premier golf experience. Foursomes will be assigned a golf professional,. Social hour and live auction offer players the opportunity to bid on a package for participation in the National Lexus Champions for Charity golf tournament held each year at the La Quinta resort in Palm Springs. All proceeds from this golf tournament will benefit the YMCA scholarship fund. For registration information, contact jfmcafee@mdrymca.org or call the YMCA at (925) 609-9622. MAY 22 19th Annual Dana Hills Community Garage Sale 9 a.m. -1 p.m. Sponsored by Lori Hagge,Alice Ponti & Larry Schafer, Century 21 Diablo Valley Realty
CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS MAR. 12 AARP Chapter 524 Meeting & Speaker 1:30 p.m. Guest speaker Dr. Anne Steiner will talk on Beyond Limits: Freedom with Chronic Illness. Pleasant Hill Senior Center, 233 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill. MAR. 17 Ygnacio Valley Republican Women Meeting @ Oakhurst 11 a.m. Ygnacio Valley Republican Women meet third Wednesday of month with feature speaker talking about hot topics in political & national affairs arena. Optional lunch at 12:15. Oakhurst Country Club. www.yvrwf.org Barbara Allen 672-5061 MAR. 17 St. Patrick’s Day Dinner @ St. Bonaventure. 6 p.m. Knights of Columbus, Concord Council 6038 will have their annual Corned Beef & Cabbage Dinner. Menu will include corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, salad, bread & beverages. Proceeds benefit St Bonaventure Charities. St. Bonaventure Pat Deplazes 6850573 MAR. 17 Ygnacio Valley Republican Women Meeting @ Oakhurst Bill Wattenberg of KGO radio is the featured speaker. 6 p.m. social; 6:30 p.m. business, 7:30 p.m. speaker. RSVP 838-2182 or www.yvrwf.org. $20. All welcome.
MAR. 18, 25 Rotary Club of Clayton Valley Concord Sunrise @ Oakhurst 7 a.m. Meets every Thursday for breakfast meeting that usually features a speaker. Oakhurst Country Club. www.claytonvalleyrotary.org Chuck Graham 689-7640 MAR. 18, 25, APR. 1,8 Weights Watchers Weekly Meeting 10 a.m., 5 & 6:30 p.m. Weekly Weight Watchers weigh-in & meeting on Thursday. Prospective members welcome. Contra Costa Farm Bureau, 5554 Clayton Rd., Concord. 800/326-8450 x2023 MAR. 22 AAUW Monthly Meeting @ Diamond Terrace 7:30 p.m. Clayton Branch of AAUW will be hosting monthly meeting. “Art and Meditation” will be presentation topic. Public is invited. Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center St. Dee Totman 672-6420 MAR. 23 Clayton Valley Woman’s Club OPEN HOUSE 10 a.m. Dana Hills Clubhouse, 296 Mountaire Parkway. Members of CVWC are community-minded women of all ages, from the Clayton/Concord area and beyond, who have joined together to provide community service through volunteering and fundraising. Come and learn about us. Call Lois @ 685-1876 or Jackie @ 672-8103 if you have any questions and to make your reservation. Refreshments will be served.
BUSINESS & GOVERNMENT MAR. 16, APR. 6 Clayton City Council Meeting @ Clayton Library 7pm. City of Clayton City Council meets 1st & 3rd Tuesday of month. Open to the public. Clayton Library Community Room. www.ci.clayton.ca.us 673-7304 MAR. 16, 23, 30 Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Meeting 9 a.m. County Board of Supervisors holds regular weekly meetings Tuesday mornings. Open to the public. County Administration Building, 651 Pine Street, Room 107, Martinez. www.co.contracosta.ca.us 335-1900 MAR. 23, APR. 13 Planning Commission Meeting @ Clayton Library 7p.m. City of Clayton Planning Commission meets 2nd & 4th Tuesday of month. Open to the public. Clayton Library Community Room. www.ci.clayton.ca.us 673-7304 MAR. 25, APR. 29 Clayton Business & Community Association Meeting @ Oakhurst 6:30 p.m. Monthly dinner meeting on last non-holiday Thursday of month. Reservations due by Tuesday noon. Oakhurst Country Club. Ed Hartley 672-2272
SCHOOLS & EDUCATION MAR. 16 Parent Faculty Club Meeting @ Multi Use Room, 7:00 p.m. This is the place where you can come and voice your concerns, comments and suggestions on ANY subject and help make decisions on how the money you raise gets spent. As a parent of a child attending Mt. Diablo Elementary, you are automatically a member of the PFC and your input is valuable! Please join us and help make a difference. Child care is provided for this event. Agendas and minutes are posted on the web site. If you would like to have a specific item included on the agenda, please contact Rosy Straka at rosystraka@yahoo.com or 672-3200. http://www.mdusd.k12.ca.us/mountdiabloelementary MAR. 18 You Make a Difference Awards @ Mountain View Elementary School 7:30 p.m. MDUSD Community Advisory Committee for Special Education hosts awards night for teachers, students & community members whose service to the special education student population stands out significantly at their school site. Nomination forms are currently available in the office at each MDUSD school site. Anyone may nominate a teacher, student or community member who works to support MDUSD special education students. Nominations deadline Feb. 12. Mountain View Elementary School, 1705 Thornwood Dr., Concord. www.mdusd.k12.ca.us 682-8000 MAR. 19 CVHS Music Boosters Jazz Dinner Dance and Silent Auction 6:30-9:30 PM in the large gym, 1101 Alberta Way. Music provided by the jazz and stage bands with accompanying soloists. Italian dinner catered by Rocco’s Pizzeria and Ristorante and silent auction. Tickets are $20 general and $15 for students and faculty. Proceeds benefit the instrumental music dept. For more information or tickets, call Wendy Lowe at 672-0284. MAR. 20 Spring Carnival @ Pixie Play School 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Preschoolers and their families are invited to Pixie Play School to enjoy a mixture of free activities and low-cost carnival games, including bean-bag toss, face painting and fishing for prizes. Every player wins! Pixie Play School, 1797 Ayers Road, Concord (corner of Ayers Rd. and Concord Blvd.).
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March 12, 2004
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
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There’s no place like home Is it time to replace your floor coverings? Have you ever noticed that when you walk into a room, whether it is in your own home, a restaurant, a bank or some other location, the floor covering is one of the items that sets the mood and creates an atmosphere? If the color is dated (remember the greens and golds of the 70’s!), the
style is old, or the carpet is worn, it doesn’t matter how updated the rest of the home or business is, everything will look less attractive. If this description fits your home or business, it is probably time to consider replacing those floor coverings with something, bright, clean and new. Take a few
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minutes to read this article, and several more to follow, for some helpful hints on choosing the proper floor coverings for your home. Generally, floor covering (carpet, vinyl, hardwood, laminate, stone or ceramic tile) will be one of the most costly investments in your home so you will want to make a wise purchase that you will not regret. Choosing the right type of floor coverings for your home is an individual decision based on your life-style, personal taste and budget. Don’t be talked into something you don’t “love” for something that will wear “like iron.” I don’t know how many times I have met with perspective buyers who hate their floor, but feel guilty replacing it until it wears out. As a consequence their home is not a personal sanctuary or a reflection of their tastes or personality. The environment in your home will have a great effect on how you feel about yourself and your home. Don’t purchase
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something that you don’t really like because it’s a “good buy,” and that will serve its purpose. Your home’s interior is one of the few places you can control. Don’t let some outsider talk you into something you don’t want. Once you have decided that you want to buy new floor covering, the next question is, “Where do I begin?” Don’t be overwhelmed. YOU CAN DO IT! Get out a piece of paper or go to your computer and begin to create a design plan. Make it full of details. Try to think of everything. You don’t need to be an interior decorator to know what you want! Go to the library or get on the Internet and look up interior design elements. There is a wealth of information available to you and within an hour or two you will have a lot of useful information to create the kind of interior environment you can call your own. When its time to choose your floor coverings, consider the fol-
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the flooring as it was intended. All flooring is manufactured for a particular purpose and application. In your design plan, consider the uses of each flooring type then go out to find your “dream floor.” In future articles we will write about each flooring type and its advantages and disadvantages; but for now let me briefly mention some. Carpet is the most popular floor covering today and for good reason. Today’s synthetic fibers have made carpet very affordable, easily dyed to create beautiful colors and extremely durable. It creates a warm comfortable environment and has great insulating qualities. Hard surface flooring (vinyl, stone & ceramic tile, hardwood and laminate floors) is definitely preferred over carpet in specific areas such as entries, kitchens, bathrooms etc. Each hard surface floor has advantages and disadvantages which need to be considered before making your final choice. Finally, each flooring type must be installed correctly and according to the manufacturers’ recommendations to protect your warranties and to assure you long term satisfaction. Unless you are an expert or a skilled “Do-ItYourselfer” leave the installation to the skilled professionals. Mike and Connie Grover are co-owners of Abbey Carpets in Concord.
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5004 Raven Way, Clayton Feels like home! This gorgeous home has many features including: 3 bedrooms, 2 ½ baths, 2,315 sq ft of living space, large kitchen with island and tile counters, recessed lighting, ceiling fans throughout, large loft, light and bright open floor plan, cozy fireplace, sunken tub, dual sinks and walk in closet in master bath, formal dining, custom wood blinds and window treatments, near schools and shops. $625,000
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
March 12, 2004
There’s no place like home Perennials create a splendid display Est.1972
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Garden magazines have amazing photographs of the most inspiring gardens. The end cap at the grocery store’s checkout is splashed with colorful covers that intrigue my passion for beautiful plants and perennials. I buy the magazines, stare at the pages and want to be surrounded by all the beauty that is there. Bountiful and vibrant perennial borders may look intimidating at first; but there are many choices to create a splendid display of color in your garden. This spring is so exciting. Fabulous perennials are out there waiting, our soil is prepped and conditioned, and it’s time to decide on a color scheme and see what is out there to plant in Clayton. Deep hot pinks can really have impact in a bed. For full sun, Salvia Lemmoni is an excellent choice. It is one of the evergreen sages that start blooming in very early spring and contin-
NICOLE HACKETT
GARDEN GIRL
ues straight through October. Cut this heat lover back as needed to maintain a nice 2x2’ shaped bush. Humming birds will really appreciate the early supply of nectar; planting around the legs of this salvia will add a nice layered touch to the bed. Plant some East Friesland Meadow Sage, two feet to the right and the left of the Salvia Lemmonii. The spik-
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ing dark purple flowers stand 12” tall and spread to 2’ wide. Mixing dark purple and hot pinks together in the sun are a pleasing combination. Other great pinks are Penstomen Hunnington’s Pink and Rosa Ballerina. Enjoy one or both of these plants in your perennial borders. They both have a long blooming season--from May through October. Fertilize these performers monthly during the growing season to maximize your results. The penstomen family has a wide selection of dark purple and lavender to enjoy. Plant Blackbird or Midnight and experience an awesome family of perennials. When color is repeated through out a perennial bed, it really looks good. You do not have to plant the same perennial three times, instead consider planting the same color in three different ways. Take chances in your design. Nepeta faassenii is also called catmint. This hardy perennial is Clayton proof and magazine worthy. Growing 12” tall and up to 2’ wide, catmint makes a lovely border perennial. Tiny leaves of gray accent the lavender blue flower late spring through mid fall. As the weather cools down, so do your blooms. You must cut back expired flowers to encourage a faster re-bloom. This plant looks great planted in a mass. The foliage looks hazy and the color of the bloom can soften a perennial border. Gallardia is another grand perennial for a border. The large yellow and deep red Bi-colored flower can really pop in any Clayton garden. Sun and heat tolerance makes this 12”tall and 30” wide perennial an excellent introduction to your flowerbed. If you’re garden bed craves smaller plants to fill in the blank spots, look for Nemesia fruticans. This family of plants consists of perennials and annuals, so know what you’re buying. Innocence, Compact Innocence and Bluebird are all superior in Clayton gardens.
Dashes of color provided by these reliable little babies, help fill in until your other perennials establish themselves. Statement perennials are those magnificent, tall eyecatchers that you can see from far. Delphinium elatum should be planted in a group. Like many plant families, delphinium contains both annuals and perennials. Huge, elegant spires of flowers ranging in colors of deep and ski blue, white, reds and pinks. This perennial looks intimidating but it has proven itself to produce huge flowers year after year in our Clayton full sun to partial shade. Protect from high wind gardens. Winter dormant, and summer awesome, every garden should have a group of delphinium to admire. Monarda didyma grows 4’ tall and loves our sun and heat. Also called bee balm, this long bloomer makes quite a statement. Upright stems are topped with tight clusters of long-tubed flowers that attract hummingbirds all season long. Deep reds, pinks, wine and lavenders are your color choices. This perennial is herbaceous, and needs to be planted behind an evergreen to avoid a blank spot. Place a bee balm two feet behind your penstomen, or against a fence for some great appeal. Plant perennials that interest you. Ask questions at your local nursery to determine if your choices are indeed the right perennial in the right place. Buy the colors that you like. It’s your garden. Bring a magazine clipping in and show an example of the garden that you would like to achieve. You’ll be surprised at how easy a dramatic perennial bed can be. Next time I’ll talk about great perennial selections for shade gardens. They can be beautiful too. Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio and Garden Contact her at with questions, comments or suggestions at GardenGirl94517@aol.com
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March 12, 2004
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 11
There’s no place like home When you are the backup buyer Is backup position worth the anxiety? One buyer suffered through sleepless nights after she accepted a backup position on a property that she wanted to buy. For days, every time the telephone rang, she held her breath in anticipation wondering if this was the call to inform her that she got the house. She didn’t get the house and a few months later she bought another one. Was the backup offer experience worth the anxiety? A backup offer is an offer that’s accepted subject to the collapse of another offer or offers. If the offers that are higher in seniority than the backup offer fall apart, the backup offer becomes primary without the property going back on the market. If you’re in backup position, you’re next in line to buy a property if the primary buyers fail to perform. Sellers like backup offers because they tend to solidify the primary buyers’ resolve to carry through with the purchase. If inspection issues come up, the primary buyers are less likely to renegotiate their contract with the sellers if there’s another buyer waiting in the
wings. You may wonder why a buyer would consider being in backup position if it increases the chances of the primary deal going through. To be sure, accepting a backup offer is a gamble, and in most cases, a long shot. But, in some frenzied real estate markets, with lots of multiple bidding contests for listings, backup position may be worth the risk. For example, if the price of the home was increased significantly because of competitive bidding, there might be an increased risk of a deal falling apart. Maybe the winning buyer will get cold feet. Sometimes buyers bid higher than they can afford to pay in the heat of the race and regret their decision the next day. If this were to happen and you were in first backup position, your contract would be elevated to primary position without you having to go through another multiple offer competition. Buyers who accept backup position should make sure that the purchase contract includes a provision that allows them to withdraw from backup position. Without such a clause, you
LYNNE FRENCH
REAL ESTATE
could wait in vain for the primary offer to collapse, while missing out on other homes that might suit your needs. Sellers should carefully consider the merits of a backup offer before committing to it. If there are conditions in the backup offer that you can’t live with, like a contingency for the sale of another property, you might be better off not to accept the offer as a backup at all. If you do accept it, you’ll be obliged to proceed with that contract if your primary contract fails. Or you could counteroffer the backup offer to remove the contingent sale provision. Buyers should be aware that sellers usually reserve the right
to renegotiate the terms and conditions of the contract with the primary buyers, regardless of the backup offer. In this case, let’s say the primary buyers discovered during their inspections of the property that the chimney was cracked, and they asked the sellers to repair it as a condition of closing. If the sellers agreed to the request, the primary contract remains primary. When there are multiple offers, the sellers might choose to offer backup position to more than one buyer. In this case, the backup offers are ranked: backup offer number one, two, three, and so on. If the primary offer falls apart, backup offer number one becomes primary. If this deal falls apart, backup number two becomes primary, and so on. Lynne French is a realtor with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage and a Clayton resident.
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Page 12
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Major crash, minor injuries
Tamara Steiner / Clayton Pioneer
A 75 year old Concord woman escaped with fairly minor injuries last Saturday when the Ford Explorer she was driving was hit broadside and flipped over. The crash occurred around 4 p.m. as Catherine Dedinsky was exiting the Clayton Station Shopping Center. According to Clayton Police, she was heading across the intersection toward Washington Blvd., when a Toyota Corolla travel-
ling east on Clayton Road, ran the red light, hitting the Explorer on the passenger side and flipping the SUV over on its top. According to Clayton Police Chief Pete Peterson who was on the scene, most accidents in the city occur at the intersection of Clayton Road and Ygnacio Valley Blvd., and along Clayton Road to Mitchell Canyon Road.
Have you ever caught yourself looking for a file or document you know you have, but wherever you look, it’s not to be found? Application programs make automatic file saving decisions for you that can result in a file disappearing act. Keeping track of your work doesn’t have to be smoke and mirrors. Organizing your computer files into subdirectories will help you locate important documents quickly and you’ll be able to find them like pulling a rabbit out of a hat. You’ll find a little planning will go a long way in keeping your files at the tips of your fingers. Find the My Documents subfolder in your computer. It is generally located on your desktop. If it’s not on the desktop, open My Computer and begin your search. For Windows 98 and ME users the subdirectory will be off the main drive (C:\). For Windows 2000 and XP users you will see a subdirectory called Documents and Settings and when you open that subdirectory, you will see others with user names assigned to them. Choose the appropriate user name and open it to find the My Documents subfolder. As a shortcut click the Start button
March 12, 2004
Where IS that file?
WILL CLANEY TECH TALK and choose My Documents. Once you have the My Documents folder open, the magic begins. This will be the location of all your data files, pictures, presentations, etc. Some subfolders such as My Pictures may already be assigned to the My Documents folder. The intention is to use the My Documents folder for all your work like word processing, spreadsheets, pictures,
presentations and taxes. Take a little time and create a few subfolders of your own. If you bring work home from the office, create a subfolder called “Office Work.” Perhaps, you have kids and they have “Homework,” create the subfolder. Maybe you write articles for the local “Newspaper,” make the folder. My Documents should now include folders which were there originally plus the ones you magically created. To use the My Documents folder and your newly created subfolders you need to direct the application program to save your files in the path. Today most application programs will allow the user to designate the directory where work can be saved. We call that a “where work is saved” path. From most programs use the File dropdown and click on Save As which allows the creation of useful file names and directs the file to be saved in the My Documents path. Use the Location bar, Address bar or Save In bar to direct the program to save your file in the
on the ground, not only are you endangering yourself, but others around you. If you’re like the rest of us, your vehicle will not break down in the most convenient place. Chances are, it will break down in the middle of nowhere on a rainy night with no cell phone signal (dueling banjos from Deliverance playing in the background). What is maintenance and how
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does it apply to my car? Well, unfortunately, it is totally different on every model car and truck. For regular maintenance, your owner’s manual or maintenance schedule is your best source of information. What are considered maintenance items? Fluids, tune up parts, belts, timing belts, hoses, brakes, shocks and struts, battery, tires and alignment make up the majority of the list. Some other items are inspection only items (an inspection item is a part or system we just need to check and make sure it is ok; it does not require parts replacement). Several fluids may need service at different intervals. Here comes the list: engine oil and filter, transmission (manual and automatic), transfer case, differential, coolant, power steering and brake fluid. When was the last time you had your brake fluid changed? Yes, it does go bad, and most manufacturers have a replacement interval for all fluids. Tune up parts are spark plugs, distributor cap and rotor, pcv valve and plug wires. These parts last anywhere from 30,000 to 100,000
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If my car were an airplane The question: If your car were an airplane, would you be flying in it? For most people the answer is no. Car maintenance is usually the last thing people want to think about. It’s expensive, inconvenient and thought of as not very important by the public. Well, if your car has bad tires, brakes, faulty hoses and belts and the transmission is about to fall out
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path. It will go something like this: My Documents à Newspaper à <filename>. The twin rewards of this labor are file retrieval and backup. Once you know where your files are supposed to be, locating them becomes much easier. If you ever loose a file it should be hanging around the My Documents folder somewhere. Using the Find File function will help you locate it. Or, rummage around a bit and you’ll locate it. Backup is a snap because all the important files are already in the My Documents folder. Drag-anddrop your files to your backup disk or other media. Be sure to back up the entire contents of your My Documents folder. Presto, just like Houdini you’ve escaped the shackles that have bound you and saved for posterity the entire dossier of your life’s work.
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miles depending on the vehicle manufacturer. There are several filters on your vehicle; air, fuel, breather, cabin and seat. Yes, I said seat. Some vehicles have a filter for heated seats. There is also a filter for the cabin or passenger area in many vehicles. These filters need regular replacement depending on driving conditions, about every 15,000 to 30,000 miles on average. Some vehicles have a timing belt. If so, it must be changed at regular intervals, usually between 60,000 miles to 105,000 miles for most manufacturers. If it breaks, it can cause serious damage to your engine. It’s a rubber belt and will wear out over time, so if you don’t drive many miles, consider having it changed every five to seven years. Sometimes a shop may recommend a water pump and oil seals be replaced at this time. Rubber parts such as belts and hoses (brake hoses included) should be changed occasionally. These items wear out with time and use. If you have an older car with low miles, your belts and hoses could be in much worse shape than a newer car with high miles. Just have them checked regularly. Shocks or struts usually last anywhere from 80,000 miles to 150,000 miles, but they are not very important. They only keep the tires in contact with the road. (Obviously they are important). Batteries are guaranteed for five to seven years. They will usually fail in four to four and a half years. Go figure? Brakes and tires: Customers will come in with a slight brake squeak and it’s the end of the world. So we look at the brakes and tell the customer all is ok, but the tires are so worn out we can see the air on the inside. They know they need tires, but haven’t gotten around to getting new ones yet. Is there a real difference between losing your brakes and blowing a tire at 70 mph? Either way, you’re in big trouble. These are serious safety items and should not be overlooked. Your local repair shop and dealer have the maintenance requirements for your particular vehicle, so if you’re confused about anything, just give them a call. You are not required to go to the dealer for maintenance work, only warranty or recall repairs. In fact, most extended warranty work can be done at your local shop. Clint Davis owns Acme Auto Repair. Call him with questions or suggestions for future articles. (925) 6858495
March 12, 2004
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Frankly speaking, part 2 more shall we gaze upon his shining countenance; no more shall we hear his gentle and truthful voice. We shall grieve and mourn until time shall soften the pangs of sorrow. But time cannot efface from our memory the untimely taking of one who towered above us all in the high qualities of men. “Fred Frank, Jr. was born in the state of Michigan on the 12th day of March, 1869. When he was five years old, his parents came to California and settled in Contra Costa County. The Franks are well known and the
“straight up and bouncing” as if they were carrying no weight at all. After passing danger, they would cut new saplings for poles and proceed. Arriving back home to Contra Costa County, it is said that Lizzie and Lars used some of the money to help out other family members. For Fred Jr., it was a different story. The following is excerpted from the “Gazette” September 1900, written by Gus L. Goethals. “Last Saturday morning our community was stricken from grief at hearing that Fred Frank,
JANET EASTON
OLD TIMES
Part 1 ended with Fred and Elizabeth Frank having had 12 children in a 24-year span. Their two eldest children were appropriately named Fred Jr. and Elizabeth (known as “Lizzie”). Fred Jr. (engaged to be married to Lillien Russelmann) struck out for the Yukon gold rush in 1899 with several other men from the Clayton and Concord area, including his brother in law, Lars Olsen (married to Lizzie) and Percy Douglas. The men traveled there by boat. The men did make their fortune in the Klondike, but getting the gold out of the area was a challenge. Fifty thousand dollars in gold ($10 per ounce then) was mighty heavy. Fred and Lars were known to be big strong men. The three men devised a system by which they packed the gold on poles across their shoulders on the trail out of “Dawson, Northwest Territory, Claim 19 Gold Run.” The Indians and Eskimos knew the value of the gold and they had gotten wise to the fact that men were carrying gold from the area, so they would lay in ambush for anyone who appeared to be carrying a weighted load. Barking dogs would warn Fred, Lars and Percy that they were approaching a village, so they would turn off the trail, divide the gold amongst them and walk
Page 13
Talon wins award
Live Oak Cemetery where the service for the dead was concluded. To the bereaved families, the Franks and the Russelmanns, the entire community tenders their most heartfelt sympathy and condolence.” Fred’s letters to his parents from the gold rush and other Frank family information is available at the Clayton Historical Society Museum, 6101 Main St. Open from 2-4 on Wednesdays and Sundays.
of a maturer age. For 17 years Fred labored and became as one of the family, yet with that filial devotion for which he was known, he never failed to visit regularly his father, mother, sisters and brothers. So he had two homes, as it were, and he was indulgently kind and faithful to both. His sad death has thrown both homes into deepest grief. “A year ago he decided to go to Dawson, and he made his first journey from home, and it also proved his last. We all bore his absence as best we could and knew he would return. On the last day of this month, Fred came back to Clayton. On the second Sunday, he visited his parents. “Wednesday he took sick, and notwithstanding the efforts of the faithful and experienced family doctor, F. F. Neff, he breathed his last shortly before 2 o’clock Saturday morning, just a week after his arrival here from Dawson. “Sunday the remains were brought to the Congregational Church and that edifice was filled to overflowing. Hundreds had to remain outside. At the conclusion of the service pallbearers Thomas K. Duncan, John Chapman, Ed Williams, John Atchinson, Harry Douglas and J.H. Clayton carried the casket to the hearse. The funeral cortage, the longest seen in 20 years past, wended its way to
The Talon, Clayton Valley High School’s student newspaper, won first prize in the general excellence category at Chico State Journalism Day on Feb. 21. The award was announced at the end of the day-long event, which included sessions on newspaper design, newswriting, advertising sales and First Amendment issues. Three Clayton Valley students from Concord competed in a “write-off,” in which they had 90 minutes to complete a news feature or opinion article on the event’s keynote speech, given by the publisher of the Modesto Bee newspaper. Results from that competition will be announced later this month. “The best prize for students is to see classmates enthusiastically reading their work every month,” said Talon adviser Lisa Shafer. “Getting a nod from judges in a regional competition, however, is also nice.” This was the second consecutive time The Talon picked up the top award at Chico State.
Photo courtesy Janet Easton
FRED FRANK, JR., CIRCA 1897 The original is a chalk drawing. Those who couldn't afford professional photographers would commission an artist to draw their portrait.
Photo courtesy Janet Easton
Don’t wait
FRED FRANK, JR., LARS OLSEN and Percy Douglas are in this photo taken in Alaska in 1900. Fred, Jr. died at age 31 of a ruptured appendix
to make that important decision for yourself or your loved ones. family ranks high in all qualities that go to make good citizens, from the youngest to the eldest. At the age of 14, Fred began to work for one of our foremost citizens and a man whose word was and is as good as his bond. We refer to Capt. F. Russelmann. The good captain and his faithful wife from the first took a great liking to the boy whose every word and act could be relied upon far better than many
Jr. was dead. For the day, we were stunned at the sorrowful news. Clayton has lost one of its best citizens morally and socially. So long as we had living with us the incomparable Fred, we could point to one of the best young men in Contra Costa. But he is no more. For a year, we bore his absence in the El Dorado of the north, because we felt and knew he would return to us. Now he is gone forever. No
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Page 14
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Old fashioned kitchen pantry beauty secrets The other day my friend Teresa, who is a kindergarten teacher, wife, and mother of two young children, asked me if there were any beauty treatments that she could do at home and with materials at-hand. Teresa is like many busy women today, capable of juggling many activities at once, but getting spa time alone is really quite over the top. Teresa’s schedule does permit her to apply a facial masque and let it marinate while mixing cookie dough for the school bake sale, folding three loads of laundry and sorting newspapers for the weekly recycling. Our grandmothers knew a thing or two about homemade beauty treatments. In Grandma’s day, sensible products like bread and jam and hair conditioner were made in the kitchen with reasonable ingredients. In Grandma’s, day people didn’t just go around throwing away good money on fancy lotions and store-bought tonics. Women didn’t need to be sold on prod-
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splintered hair; and since a good old mayo (not the low-fat kind, but the rich and glossy madewith-real-ingredients kind) is based on egg yolks, it makes a protein-rich treatment for battered locks. An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but a honey hair treatment will leave you with locks of luster and bouncy shine. Apple cider vinegar still makes a good hair rinse. Not only does it help restore the natural pH balance of the scalp and hair, but it helps eliminate soapy residue that builds up on the follicles. A beer rinse is still a great suds remover, too. Honey makes a super deluxe facial, but as you can imagine, it can be unfashionably messy. Nevertheless, you can make this a total pampering process by drawing a bubble bath and lighting some aromatherapy candles. Next, grab a pot of organic honey, lock the door, sink into the tub, and slather your face, neck and chest with sticky, gooey, fragrant honey. You will find that as the honey warms to your body temperature, it will begin to run and drip everywhere – hence the sense of the bath bubbles! Never fear, honey, like sugar, rinses right off with warm water, a pH balanced soap and oh, how it makes you glow. And speaking of baths, if Cleopatra really did bathe in milk, it was because she understood that all the lactic acid in that heavenly beverage is an excellent repair-and-refresh skin treatment. Clay masques are great for drawing impurities out of oily skin, but tend to be drying. So,
if nature has served you mature or dry skin, try using products that nourish and hydrate. Mash up an avocado for a vitamin-rich moisturizing masque. Oatmeal may be a great heart-healthy breakfast, but it’s good for your skin, as well. Toss half a cup of uncooked rolled oats in the blender with some unsweetened yogurt for a soothing protein masque. Lighten up dark spots by applying lemon juice to the face, arms and chest, or for a tropical enzyme face masque, mash papaya and honey together to form a paste for a thick, soothing and refreshing skin treatment. Egg white facials really can tighten up the skin for a temporary lifting affect. Feeling and looking tired between busy social engagements? Brew a couple of cups of chamomile tea, toss the tea bags in the fridge to cool them down, then apply the cool bags to your weary eyes for a surprising boost. Cucumber slices work nicely on tired, puffy eyes, as well. Of course, this could be taking the care and feeding of your skin a bit too far. But if you really are what you eat, and if skin is in fact the body’s largest organ, then applying vitamins from the outside in deserves at least passing merit. If nothing else, Grandma’s home remedies are rather like making mud pies—it does no harm and getting all slopped up in a yummy goo is in itself an activity that will keep you feeling, and possibly looking younger. Cynthia Gregory holds a master's degree in fine arts and is a California licensed esthetician. She combines the surprising aspects of teaching English at Solano College and practicing esthetics at Permanent Solution, in downtown Clayton, and can be reached for comment at ceegregory@aol.com.
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Watch for the acrobatic Phoebe Walking along the Cardinet Trail is one of my favorite places for bird watching. Starting at the Keller Ranch House, you are likely to see several different birds. The Woodpeckers enjoy the Oak trees, while the Pacific
CATHIE
GERNHARDT
FOR THE BIRDS Slope Flycatcher, Lesser Goldfinch, and Oak Titmouse hangs out in the trees and brush along the creek. There are sure to be Scrub Jays, Robins, Morning Doves, Starlings and Mockingbirds, and I have seen Western Bluebirds and Western Tanagers in the area also. Recently I have been keeping my eye on a pair of Red Tail Hawks who have constructed their nest in a eucalyptus tree. If you take some extra time, you should be able to spot them surveying their territory or hanging out in their nest. It will be fun to watch them raise their young in the coming months. The Red Tail Hawk is between 18-22 inches long and can weigh between two and four pounds; they have a wing span around 48 inches wide. They enjoy dining on small rodents and snakes. The easiest identification marking is the distinct red tail. Heading east on the trail along the creek you may have the opportunity to meet our resident Great Egret sunning along the banks of the creek, or scooping up minnows in his long yellow beak. If startled you may see his graceful flight on wings measuring up to 55 inches wide. On the paths along the water, you may also spot one of two
pair of Mallard Ducks who have come to build their nests along the creek this spring. Keep an eye out for the Black Phoebe who loves to perform acrobatic tricks above the water in pursuing a meal of flying insects. The Black Phoebe is approximately six inches long, is black on its head, breast, back, wings and tail with a white belly and undertail. The Black Phoebe will often wag its tail when sitting on a branch. I recently had the opportunity to meet and identify a new bird, which unfortunately crashed into my window, and as a tribute, I would like to introduce you to the Hermit Thrush. The Hermit Thrush is approximately seven inches long, has a brown head and back, with its rump and tail being reddish brown. It has a white breast, heavily spotted, a thin eye-ring and a slender bill. Like the Black
BLACK PHOEBE Phoebe, the Hermit Thrush is also known to wag its tail. Please feel free to let me know what birds you are seeing in your neighborhood. If you have any bird questions, you can contact me through the Clayton Pioneer. Happy Birding. 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.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Grammys—more than meets the eye In the past, the Grammy Awards show held little personal interest. All the hype and crass commercialism were for other people to celebrate, not me. But these days I have new perspective on and respect for Grammy Awards. There’s more to them than you might realize. Getting at least a nomination could be more realistic than you think, and it becomes a lifelong career asset if you happen to receive one. The Grammys are The Recording Academy’s annual recognition awards, with their presentation televised worldwide from New York or Los Angeles (the two cities alternate) in February each year. Winners are determined by a vote from members of the Recording Academy, also known as the National
Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. The Grammys are to music what Oscars are to movies. Last year’s Grammy Awards program was the second most watched TV show of the year. Only the Super Bowl attracted more viewers. If you think that only pop stars like Brittany Spears or Justin Timberlake win Grammys, think again. There are over 100 categories for Grammy Awards. Some of the music categories include: Classical, Gospel, Country, R & B, Jazz, Rock, New Age, Dance, Latin, Rap, Folk, Blues, Reggae, World Music, and even Polka and Children’s Music. Within many of these categories are “sub-categories” for best composers, collaborations, solo performances, instrumental recordings, and so
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MUSIC NOTES on. There are also categories for “Record Producer of the Year” and “Best Engineered Album.” The industry recognizes the contributions of these important people behind the scenes. How might you win a Grammy? First, be as good in your field as possible. Second, remember that the music busi-
ness, like life itself, has its own politics. Networking and tasteful self-promotion are in order, which is uncomfortable for some people. But when you think of the potential rewards for your efforts, some socializing and fraternizing might be worth your while. The Recording Academy has 11 chapter offices, including one in San Francisco. The local chapters are constantly sponsoring events where you can meet and schmooze with voting academy members. That’s significant, since awards are based on academy voting, not record sales. Over the years, many Bay Area musicians and industry professionals have won Grammy Awards. It’s not an impossible dream. Sometimes helpful resources are as close as your own backyard. Frank Dorritie, a local record producer, chairs the Recording Arts program at Los Medanos College in Pittsburg. He has produced several Grammy Award winning albums in the Jazz and Latin Music categories. I hope to interview him for a column
So what’s with this “retrograde Mercury” stuff? Doesn’t retrograde mean to move or look backwards? That’s right, it refers to apparent backwards motion. But planets don’t move backwards! It’s physically impossible! That’s correct, but retrograde motion of planets is “apparent” motion. In other words, from our perspective on earth, it LOOKS like the other planet is moving backwards. And it has an effect. Retrograde planets slow things down. Take Mercury for example. Mercury is the planet of communication. When Mercury turns retrograde, things tend to get tangled up. Like when there’s a nice flow of traffic going on and then someone slows down right in front of you for no apparent reason. What happens? You hit your brakes; and then the guy in back of you hits his brakes, etc. etc. Until down the line somewhere behind you someone is now at a near standstill on the highway! That’s often what it feels like when a planet
JANET BOWMANJOHNSON
ASTRO TALK
goes retrograde! Things get tangled and come to a standstill! Everything represented by that planet seems to go haywire! Not only does the planet slow down, it seems to turn around and go back the way it came! That causes confusion, traffic jams and messes. Just like on the highway. So what’s it about? Every planet has a natural rhythm and cycle. Retrograde motion isn’t something bad; it’s just part of the cycle. When a planet begins
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in the near future. Winning a Grammy, or even getting a Grammy nomination, brings instant credibility. From that day forward, it becomes part of your resume and portfolio. All of your promotional materials can and should include a reference to your award or nomination. It carries a lot of weight and respect. With so many fields and categories available, you might just have a shot at winning a Grammy Award. Competition is fierce, but with a truly great song, album or performance, you never know. Add some good old-fashioned networking with some of those who vote on the awards, and you could give your music career a shot in the arm that will pay a lifetime worth of dividends. Jim Hudak’s Music Notes column appears monthly. His piano music CD’s are available at Amazon.com and from his website at www.jhudak.com. Contact him at jimmydak@pacbell.net.
Mercury retrograde is a good time for caution
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to turn, then back up, it is a good time to REVIEW the things that the planet stands for. So in the case of Mercury, the retrograde cycle is a good time to review paperwork, documents and all things related to travel and communications. Read the fine print, and make decisions slowly. Go back over the document before you send it out. Revisit your travel plans. Ask questions of yourself or in the case of travel plans, of the travel agent. Don’t assume anything! Clarify, clarify, clarify! Otherwise, you won’t discover the mistake until it’s too late and the trip is already under way. I don’t believe in using astrology to limit my activities. So if I have travel plans I go when I’m ready. I don’t wait until Mercury is direct. You just might miss half the adventure! After all, one must continue to function even if Mercury IS retrograde. But I like to take a bit more time with my communications. Write things down, ask more questions, be sure you understand what is being said, or implied. Don’t take things for granted. And use it as a natural time for review, to re-think things. And don’t be surprised if something you sign when Mercury is retrograde ends up coming undone later, or provides you with an opportunity to reverse your position or your decision. Sometimes it’s a good thing to leave a door open through which to make a quick exit! Janet Bowman Johnson, MA, PMAFA is an accredited astrologer with more than 30 years of experience. Questions and comments about this column are encouraged. Contact Janet@astro-insights.com or call Astrological Insights at 925-673-0658.
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Love thy neighbor. Please.
JOE ROMANO
SO, ANYWAY My neighbors hate me. They won’t admit it, but I know they do. Oh, they may play nice, but I know what they’re thinking and how they curse me under their collective breath. Danny and Susan from across the street hate me. As a result, they finally decided to move. They said they needed more room, but I know better. They had reason to hate me, I suppose. Among other things, when our sprinkler decided to do its Old Faithful impression while we were away on vacation, Danny fixed it. The fact that we were on vacation was simply a technicality. Even if we had been home, Danny would have had to fix it. I don’t know sprinklers. Danny does. Danny knows a lot of things. Danny can drive a backhoe. Danny often drives a backhoe in his front yard. I can’t drive a backhoe. I’d LIKE to drive a backhoe but I don’t. Danny does. For that I hate Danny. Alan from down the street hates me. Alan knows computers. I know how to type. Alan installed, uninstalled and reinstalled our printer software. Alan also installed our new CDROM drive. I could have done it, but that’s not the point. The point is simply that I did not want to risk breaking some other more costly part of my computer in the process. Besides, Alan enjoys working on computers. Our time on this topsy-turvy rock we call earth is brief. Who am I to deny him a little enjoyment during his stay? Besides, Alan is currently enjoying a two-month paid sabbatical. For this, I hate Alan. Pat and Krista hate me. Pat fixed my daughter’s bicycle when the pedal thingy kept coming lose from the thing that turns around. (Did I lose you laypeople out there?) Pat also cooks. We’ve eaten at Pat and Krista’s a lot. My boy likes their barbecued ribs. Whenever he smells ribs cooking he brazenly makes an appearance. Boy: “What are you cooking?” Pat: “Ribs.” Boy: “I like ribs.” Pat: “Want to stay for dinner, boy?” Boy: “OK.” Boy eats own weight in ribs. We tried to return the favor by having Pat and Krista over for dinner. I figured I owed them a few pounds of food. I barbecued chicken but complained the barbecue was not working very well. One fear’s salmonella so one had to make sure the chicken was properly cooked. If one were a caveman, said chicken could have been used as a weapon. Pat and Krista were polite and ate what was once quality poultry instead of striking me with it, but it didn’t do much to alleviate their hatred of me. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to surmise that I’m not very popular among my neighbors. Somehow a talent for all things useless does little to ingratiate a man to his brethren. However, in spite of their hatred they are all quite delightful. This makes me hate them even more. If they’re not careful, I might just up and move to a neighborhood that truly appreciates my incompetence. I understand the house next door to Danny and Susan is for sale. Clayton resident, Joe Romano is a free-lance writer for hire. He can be contacted at jromano01@yahoo.com
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
March 12, 2004
Maintenance, from page 1 AAUW to offer $500 scholarship to CVHS woman The Clayton Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) seeks to recognize a female, graduating Clayton Valley High School senior who has exhibited academic achievement and leadership ability during her four years of high school. AAUW will award a $500 scholarship for use at a community or four-year college or uni-
versity for the fall of 2004. To receive an application form, go to the Career Center at Clayton Valley High School. The application deadline is April 2, 2004. The AAUW, founded in 1881, promotes education and equity for all women and girls, lifelong education, and positive social change to enable them to reach their full potential.
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me.” So much so that he just dropped his continuing education classes to concentrate on his job and his staff. “It’s been a real morale issue,” Johnston explains referring to the landscape complaints and his staff’s response. “I told (them) do what you have to do and feel good about it at the end of the day.” On any given day of the week his crew gets an early 7 a.m. start to a busy schedule that includes digging ditches to repair leaks in the irrigation system, hauling dirt to get the ball fields ready for Little League, mowing, cleaning drains, trimming trees, fixing equipment, replacing street lights, setting up for events, repairing old buildings and a myriad of other requests from the city. There’s always a plan, explains John, but the best-laid plans are frequently interrupted when requests come from other city departments. A few days ago, the depleted maintenance department of three had a plan; the city’s irrigation system needed repair for the upcoming little league season and the approaching warm weather. While they were on the job knee high in dirt, job requests came in from the city and Johnston had to
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send one of his three staff members to handle the extra work. He attributes the ability to juggle many different jobs at once to his highly energized, self-motivated staff. “We’re all A team members,” he says. He and Mark often have a hard time hiring because they need independent workers who can do the work and multi task every day. “We just can’t babysit each other.” The diversity of the job is what keeps Johnston going. He likes the fact that he can be digging a ditch at Clayton Community Park in the morning and, after a quick clean-up, deliver a presentation at city hall later that day. He’d like more time in the office to contact contractors, finish plans and get a handle on the paper work, but he often finds himself out in the field most of the day. “Everyone in the city wears a lot of hats. We help each other. No one has their own little niche.” Johnston has seen the city grow from a one-lane town to a bustling suburb. In the beginning, his department operated from a one-car garage behind the engineering building on Oak Street. He was one of four maintenance workers. He recalls driving around town in a 1941 Dodge M1 Military Truck. Maintenance duties consisted of hand mowing open space and
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sweeping the streets. For a time, they supervised some 30 workers from the Sheriff’s Work Alternative Program and that was a challenge. It was a babysitting job and Johnston shakes his head when he remembers hand mowing 125 acres over a four-month
Tamara Steiner / Clayton Pioneer
FROM LEFT, MAINTENANCE WORKERS SANDRO ARIAS, DAN JOHNSTON period. As the city grew, maintenance duties increased and the maintenance staff also increased...by one. “It’s challenging now, trying to take care of everyone’s needs from the city council to the citizens. “If someone calls with a problem, chances are we already know about. We just can’t get to it.” Johnston would like to do it all.
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He’d like residents to know that his staff of five is “doing everything that we can possibly can do.” The maintenance department has rescued the city more than once with low bids on construction jobs. The one-year Marsh Creek Road project saved the city $500,000. It was a lot of
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extra work and Johnston feels that the construction jobs are too taxing on his department. Throughout the ongoing landscape debate, the council has supported the maintenance staff commending them for their hard work and effort. At the last council meeting Mayor Julie Pierce took time to thank the maintenance department for their work behind the scenes repairing storm drains and getting the city ready for the big storm. She personally drove around during last months big rain and was pleased to see no flooding in the streets. Johnston biggest challenge is landscaping. The irrigation system isn’t sufficient. Vandals continuously destroy the irrigation heads and overgrown weeds create more problems. He could use two full-time staff members who do nothing but irrigation. Johnston would like to see the landscape tax raised. The current tax or assessment through Measure E is $120 per resident. There’s some discussion by the city council and a Blue Ribbon Citizen Committee about bringing the landscape measure to the voters earlier than 2007, when the measure expires. It will be up to the voters to decide if they want an increase in taxes or a decrease in the maintenance work throughout the city. As the warm weather approaches, it’s likely that landscape issues will resurface. And while Johnston and his staff are making every effort to respond directly to the citizens and their needs, especially those that focus on the city’s landscape, their time in the office is limited. As Johnston’s voice mail states “You reached the office of John Johnston, maintenance supervisor. I am out maintaining the city.”
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 17
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
March 12, 2004
When you u call Lynne French, be su ure to requ uest a free cop py of her special rep port “Home Buyers: How to Avoid Paying Too Mu uch.” This valu uable information can save you u preciou us time and money as you u prep pare to make you ur move.
(925) 672-8787 www.LynneFrench.com Lynne@LynneFrench.com 6200-E Center St. Clayton, CA 94517 1801 N. California Blvd. Walnut Creek, CA 94596
rom the city to the country, the East Bay Area is a place full of surprises. Just ask longtime resident and local real estate professional, Lynne French. For her, it provides the ideal setting for some of her favorite hobbies, which include golf, hiking, jogging and horseback riding. “I discover something new here every day,” Lynne says. “That’s why I take such great pride and joy in helping others make the most of their real estate opportunities in the East Bay Area.” With her straightforward determination and in-depth knowledge
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of the local home market, Lynne has guided many East Bay residents to excellent results. She is backed by a team of skilled professionals, including her husband, Danny, a former general contractor, giving her unique insight into every aspect of your home. When it comes time to buy or sell a home in the East Bay area, Lynne French is the ultimate guide. Her experience, care and energy will make your move a complete success. Give her a call today and Discover the Possibilities in the local real estate market.
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