MAR 23 Clayton Pioneer 2007 by Pioneer Publishers

See new Home Improvement Guide Section B

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IT’S YOUR PAPER www.claytonpioneer.com

March 23, 2007

925.672.0500

These kids stay home for school Homeschool families learn and play together TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer

BILL WALCUTT

MAYOR’S CORNER Turf has some benefits, but not good fit for park I have received several emails regarding the prospect of installing synthetic g rass in the downtown park. There are people on both sides of this issue. However, many people are sa ying: “What were you thinking?” and “How could y ou even consider installing fak e grass in our downtown park?” Let me tr y to explain. All right, all right, you are probably conjuring up visions of a one-acre peew ee putting green. I understand where y ou are coming from, because m y initial reaction w as about the same. I thought of a bright green Astro-T urf doormat in front of the new g azebo with the word “Welcome” on it. Whenever I ha ve an issue that may be contro versial, I use my wife P am as a sounding board. She is always very generous with her opinion, especially if she thinks I am about to do something stupid. After gi ving this some thought, I decided to ask Pam her opinion of synthetic g rass in the do wntown park. When she stopped staring at me, she said: “Are you serious?” Being very astute, I was able to translate that into: “This is not a good idea.”

See Mayor, page A7

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

Homeschooling takes first priority for the Van Liew family. From left, Lynnsae, Becky with Joshua, Peter, Justin and Curtis spend mornings at the kitchen table classroom before heading out to tennis and music lessons.

City antes up for EBRSC radio plan Two-county radio system another step in Clayton’s disaster readiness plan TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer

What’s Inside See our big, new Home Improvement Resource Guide in Section B

Around Town . . . . . . . . . . .A2 Letters to the Editor . . . . . .A4 Readers Forum . . . . . . . . . . .A4 Classified Ads . . . . . . . . . . . .A5 Directory of Advertisers . . .A5 Financial Sense . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Upcoming Events . . . . . . . .A6 From the Chief . . . . . . . . . . .A7 So, Anyway . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A8 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A9 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . .A10 For the Books . . . . . . . . . . .A11 Paws and Claws . . . . . . . . .A13 School News . . . . . . . . . . . .A14 Church News . . . . . . . . . . .A14 Food For Thought . . . . . . .A15 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A16 Community Calendar . . . . .B18 At the Movies . . . . . . . . . . .A19 Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . .A20 Hiker’s Haven . . . . . . . . . . .A21

What if a major ear thquake, say an 8-pointer, hit the Bay Area today? W hat if a plane crashed tomorrow on Cla yton R oad, starting fires , causing major injuries and requiring ev acuations? Would w e be ready? Could the city handle the emerg ency medical, rescue and ev acuation requirements of the immediate aftermath?

These are not far-fetched scenarios, says Clayton Police Chief Dan Lawrence, “and we are g etting ready.” To be ready , the city needs reliable and fast comm unication equipment and plenty of people trained to respond. REGIONAL COMMUNICATION The fastest and most reliable way to comm unicate is b y radio. Cell phones w on’t do it, Lawrence says. “We may need to get infor mation to 15 different people at once; we can’t be sa ying the same thing 15 times . With radios , if everyone is on the same frequency, we only have to say something once.” Right now, agencies in Contra Costa and Alameda counties operate on sev eral different fre-

quencies. When there is a major event, like the recent pipeline explosion in W alnut Creek, response times can be impacted by slow communication. The tw o counties ha ve launched a project designed to get all ag encies in both counties on the same radio frequency — the East Ba y R egional Communications System (EBRSC) — and has ask ed the City Council for a letter of Clayton’s intent to participate. At its Marc h 6 meeting, the City Council voted to sign on to the project and put up a “g ood faith” deposit of $3,500. Costs are estimated betw een $40 million and $60 million for the project infrastructure, with at least $13 million funded b y federal Homeland Security g rants.

Clayton’s share of the total will depend on the number of participating ag encies, financing costs and how much of the project is ultimately funded by grants. Worst case , if no fur ther grant money is for thcoming, the city’s share of the project could run betw een $108,000 and $162,000, financed over 10 to 15 years, says City Manag er Gar y Napper. Additionally, there will be the cost of the radios and an ann ual service fee estimated betw een $13,000 and $25,000. CLAYTON COMMAND CENTER A local disaster presents its own set of communication See Emergency, page A12

It might be round or square , maple or cherry. It’s usually near or in the kitchen and commonly used for eating meals. Most people w ould call this a kitc hen table. On some kitc hen tables , however, napkins and forks give way to books and c harts, worksheets, calculators, maps and sometimes a laptop. And what’s dished up here has more to do with polynomials and R ussian history than with spaghetti and meatballs. For some Cla yton families , the kitc hen table is their classroom. The dog snoozes in the corner and the kids call their teacher “Mom. ” These families have, for a v ariety of reasons, opted out of the public sc hool system, choosing instead to guide and coac h their o wn children through the three Rs and beyond. Why do some parents , most with no formal training or experience as a teacher, go down this road less tra veled? T he reasons are as v aried as the people who choose. SEARCHING FOR SELF-ESTEEM Elizabeth Williams was frustrated with the lack of attention her son Matthew, 8, was getting from an o verburdened teac her. “Matthew w as ha ving a tough time in school with the big classes,” says his mother . “He w as convinced he couldn ’t dra w or read or do anything.” So, she took him out of public sc hool midw ay through last year. “By the end of the year, it was like night and da y. The difference in his self-esteem w as dramatic.” This year Matthew’s 10-yearold sister , Victoria, and 5-year old brother, Andrew, joined him at the kitchen table. Others choose homeschooling for religious reasons . For Becky and Kris Van Liew, members of the W ord of God Church, homeschooling their five c hildren has alw ays been See Homeschool, page A3

Historical Society tour takes a walk into Clayton’s past MARY SPRYER Special to the Pioneer

While researc hing Cla yton’s population for the sesquicentennial exhibit at the Cla yton Museum, the curators realized that 60 percent of Clayton’s residents has moved here since the 1980s. Although our citizens have seen incredible c hanges in the to wn since then, many still don’t know about Clayton’s rich history. In honor of Clayton’s sesquicentennial, the 150th anniversary of when J oel Clayton platted the town, museum volunteers will be conducting monthly downtown walking

tours. Residents will see where the stag ecoach stopped, where the jail stood and why the site of the new city park is often referred to as “The Grove.” The tours will begin in front of the m useum, at 6101 Main St., at 10 a.m. the four th Saturday of the month. They will r un from Marc h through September, rain or shine . Clayton Historical Society members, Tery McCade and Dick Ellis will alter nate leading the tours. The walk extends for about three-fourths of a mile and ends at about 11:30 a.m., at which time tour -goers can visit

the m useum. Participants should wear comfortable shoes. The Cla yton Historical Society has had a Self-Guided Walking T our for many years . People have been able to tak e a tour of the do wntown at their own pace, using a printed handout distributed b y the society . However, the only regular guided w alking tours offered w ere to the local third-g rade classes during their field trips to the museum. The first guided w alking tour is Saturda y, March 24. For more infor mation, call the museum at 672-0240.

Photo courtesy of Clayton Historical Society

Tery McCade talks to a tour group as they stand in front of what was once a baseball field on Main Street.

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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

March 23, 2007

Around Town Girl Scouts and their moms see Legally Blond premiere

Brownies weed Library garden

Friday’s child is new grandbaby for Jean Wondra

BABY SAMANTHA WITH SISTER, SYDNEY

Photo courtesy of Troop 181

BROWNIE TROOP 181: Front row: Melisa Hansen, Hannah Propersi and Taylor Santos. Back row: Kristin Wullenwebber, Cami Cohen, Lauren Sparks, Leader Charleen Cohen, Claire Smithey, Madison Downs, Co-Leader MaryMac Propersi and Justine Davis.

Photo courtesy of Troop 2566

GIRL SCOUT TROOP 2566: Front row: Caitlin McClain, Lindsey Vargas, Haley Fredenburg, back row: Kristy Kelly (from a different troop) star of legally blonde, Laura Bell Bundy, Kimberley Anderson and Ashlynn Adams.

Girl Scout T roop 2566 used their hard-earned cookie money for some w elldeserved fun when they and their mothers crossed the ba y to attend the premiere of Legally Blonde , the Musical, at the Golden Gate Theater in

San F rancisco earlier this month. The show did double duty by earning points for the Scouts’ dance/performance badge. After the perfor mance, the girls met the cast for autographs and pictures.

As a troop service project, Brownie T roop 181 of Clayton w eeded the nati ve garden at the Cla yton Community Librar y on

es and c harity ev ents throughout the year . For more infor mation about the troop, call J ennifer Smithey , 672-4511.

March 1. The girls filled six garbage bags with w eeds in about an hour. The Troop participates in various community servic-

Samantha J ames took her place in the F riday household on Feb. 8. She joins big sister , Sydney, 2, and parents Jaime and Carson F riday from Dublin. Samantha w eighed in at 7 lbs . 4 ozs. and w as 19 ½ inc hes long from tip to toe. Grandma is J ean Wondra of Clayton.

What’s happening Around Town We w ant to kno w what’s happening in y our families and in y our neighborhoods.

DVMS mask photo correction The photo of Mrs. Chang’s D VMS F rench class Mardi Gras celebration on Page A2 of the last issue ran with incor rect caption infor mation. The students pictured w ere holding winning masks from the “Most Outstanding” competition, not the “Most Humerous.” The students pictured are Eileen Munoz, Nathan Kuzbari and T aylor Swystun. We apologize to Mrs . Chang and the students for the er ror.

Send y our news of births, engagements weddings, anniversaries, special recognitions, etc. to info@claytonpioneer.com.

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rom the Bay Bridge to the foothills of Mt. Diablo, the East Bay Area is quite simply one of the most diverse places in the world to live. Whether you’re talking about the various landscapes, where opportunities lie around every corner, or the wide array of people, all looking to make the most of every moment, it’s a truly great place to call home. Just ask L ynne French. A longtime resident of the East Bay Area

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Clayton, CA 94517

March 23, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Homeschool, from page A1 five c hildren has alw ays been pretty much a given. “We wanted to teach our children that everything begins with the Creator and to look for the cause for ev erything,” mom Becky explains as she presides over the kitchen table classroom with 2-year -old J oshua on her hip. While none of the Van Liew children ha ve attended a traditional bric k and mor tar sc hool, that experience is open to them through cooperati ve classes at Ygnacio Christian Sc hool and the community colleges. For Mar yLynn Lorentzen and daughter Kristyn, then 8, homeschooling w as to be an adventure for just one year . MaryLynn had been helping Kristyn with homework and supplementing her public sc hool curriculum anyw ay, and just felt that she needed more . That was six years ag o. The experiment was so successful, that Eric, now 11, took his place at the kitc hen table after one year of kindergarten. Scott, 8, has nev er been to public sc hool. “We ask them every year if they want to go, and they all say no.” VARIED RESOURCES AVAILABLE It’s difficult to kno w exactly how many Cla yton kids are homeschooled. According to Jory Sy dlaske, head of the Mt. Diablo Unified Sc hool District’s Horizons Home Study Program, 155 students from Concord and Clayton are enrolled in the district’s prog ram. But that doesn ’t count the n umber of students who are affiliated with religious programs, Internet distance learning sc hools or other programs. Google “homesc hooling” and literally thousands W ebsites

come up. There are sites for programs, for cur riculum dev elopment and lesson plans , for field trip sug gestions and resource lists. Other sites offer c hat and support. Some homeschool programs are Christian-based, some are par t of private or public

Scott Lorentzen says it’s important that kids like their parents for the homeschool experience to be successful. school programs, some are highly str uctured prog rams and others are more freewheeling. Curriculum and teac hing methods can differ dramatically . The Lorentzens’ and Williams’ children are enrolled in the Horizons prog ram, but eac h family has c hosen a different curriculum. MaryLynn Lorentzen uses a curriculum especially designed for homesc hooling whic h gi ves her the textbooks , workbooks and tests for all subjects through high school. “It’s a little pricey at $3,000 a year, but the y ounger c hildren will be able to use the materials we’ve already bought,” she notes. Because it is fully funded b y the Mt. Diablo Sc hool District,

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students enrolled in the Horizons prog ram ha ve access to all the resources a vailable to public school students, including textbooks and videos . Elizabeth Williams relies mostly on the Horizons resources , supplemented by an occasional trip to Barnes and Noble for math workbooks. “I believe they’re g etting the

best,” she says. “A private school education of this quality w ould easily be $20,000.” The V an Liews follo w the curriculum of the American Christian Academ y Homeschooling, which also provides testing and ev aluation and monitors attendance. BEYOND THE TEXTBOOKS Curriculum is only a fraction of these families’ homeschooling experience. A typical day at the Van Liew home begins at 8:30 a.m. with everyone – J ustin, 12, Lynnsae, 11, Curtis, 10, and P eter, 5, – around the kitc hen table for group Bible study and histor y. After tw o hours , they tak e a break “and everyone scatters for about half an hour ,” Van Liew

says with a laugh. When they regroup, each student will w ork for an hour on their individual workbooks. The rest of the day is tak en up with music lessons , tennis lessons , computer classes, field trips, special projects and instr ument practice. Both Lynnsae and Peter play the violin; Justin and Cur tis play the trumpet. AVOIDING ISOLATION Critics ha ve long held that homeschooled c hildren are too isolated from the real w orld and don’t recei ve proper socialization. “Not so ,” say all the Clayton families , who place a high priority on g roup activities. Homeschooling families waste no time in finding eac h other. They meet and mak e friends through bowling leagues, drama and m usical productions, parties and dances , field trips and camping and ski trips . Most still maintain close friends from their public school days. “Most of my friends (from public sc hool da ys) think I’m lucky,” says Kristyn Lorentzen. “At first, I think they all thought she w as sitting around all da y in her PJs ,” adds her mother. “Once they found out all the things w e do, they think it’s pretty cool.” Others question if a parent is the best teac her for their c hildren and whether they are equipped to teach all the subjects required. Sydlaske, who homeschooled her children and was instrumental in establishing the Horizons Home Study prog ram, says the teacher-parent is “more lik e an education brok er” bringing together resources and exper ts. “They aren’t necessarily teaching every subject.” All of the parents w ere in agreement that the process is what’s impor tant. “You ha ve to be willing to sa y: ‘I don’t kno w, let’s find the answ er tog ether,’ ”

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Page A3 says Williams. That said, she c hecks on Victoria, who was searching the Internet for the ratio of men to women in China. After a few dead end W ebsites, Victoria finally hit pa y dir t and squealed: “Here it is.”

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE Like all public sc hool students, Horizons students are required to pass the Califor nia High School Exit Exam in order to receive a high school diploma. Homeschooled students generally ex cel academically (the Horizons prog ram has tur ned out three National Merit Scholarship finalists) and they generally score abo ve the a verage. A g ood n umber of the students take advantage of the concurrent enrollment opportunities at Diablo V alley Colleg e and earn their associate of arts degree before they g raduate from high school. For parents considering homeschooling for their c hildren, Sydlaske cautions: “You cannot cram this into an already

TRICKS OF THE TRADE There is one key, however, to making a success of homeschooling. “Patience,” was the universal battle cry. “Your c hildren’s education has to be the highest priority ,” says Kris Van Liew. “You ha ve to be willing to make the time commitment and you ha ve to lik e spending time with your kids,” says Lorentzen. “You have to listen to r ules and you can’t be lazy . And you have to lik e y our parents” add Eric and Scott Lorentzen. As enthusiastic as all the families are about their experiences , homeschooling isn ’t for ev eryone. Families must be financially able to foreg o a second income. And the relationship between parent and c hild has to be a g ood. “If there are issues betw een them, it w on’t work,” says Sydlaske. A successful effor t also Elizabeth Williams encourages Victoria to use takes the sup- Internet search engines to find answers. port of the busy life. You have to reset y our entire family , both immediate priorities and let something g o. and extended. The decision to homeschool is not always a pop- Both parent and student ha ve to be willing to g et up every mornular one, and other family meming and do this tog ether, and it bers may not come around until has to be fun. If it isn’t fun, you after a year or so. Steve Lorentzen w as need to reevaluate.” For more information on homeopposed to the notion in the schooling, call Sy dlaske at beginning, but ag ain, the results Horizons Home Study , 938convinced him. “And m y father thought it w as a ter rible idea, ” 2564.

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MaryLynn Lorentzen says with a laugh. “But he w as OK once he found out w e w eren’t k eeping them in the basement.”

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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

I am writing this letter to inform the public that there are alternatives to the leash for effectively restraining or correcting a dog. I ha ve Multiple Sclerosis . I have a ser vice dog, Harley that

I often tak e to Ly dia T rail in stantly reminded. However, Clayton. I do not alw ays ha ve there are also ex emptions to the strength to control him on the law. My disability is one of a leash if needed. I do however, them. I ha ve been in constant have a shoc k collar that is more effecti ve for me to use . It is remote and all I ha ve to do is push a button to control him. He responds to t h a t signal/shock in a moment. If I tried to restrain him on a leash I Tami Anderson with Harley couldn’t. Harley is a rescue dog, a contact with Animal Control mixed breed of Shepherd and Services in Mar tinez to add an pitbull. He is very well behaved ordinance to the leash la w. and trained. Please don’t com- They ha ve had many requests pare or judg e his breed. It’s all for this and hopefully it will about the owner. He is loved by become effective soon. many people and w ell socialIf interested a copy of the ized with other dogs. California Animal La ws I w ould hope that people Handbook, 2007 edition is would be less reactive and more available online as w ell as the considerate towards this issue. I ordinances that apply. am v ery a ware there is a leash law without ha ving to be conTami Anderson

Center would be a g reat diversion. I don ’t kno w ho w many scooters ha ve been stolen b y teens who had nothing to do , but I think they w ould have no reason to do this if they weren’t bored. Parents ha ve acti vities planned for kids 3 to 6 years old. At this ag e, you can easily find something to do. Kids 7 to 10 also ha ve activities planned, like classes , camps and g ames. Kids 11 and 12 still ha ve fun things for their ag e rang e, but once you hit 13, you’re too old for the classes , the camps and most of your toys. Some teens spend time with sports, but those who don ’t

play sports need a place to have fun and hang out. A lot of people, especially adults, think of the teen years as a bad time. Many parents feel that teens are nothing but trouble--talking bac k, trying to g et into g angs and be cool around their friends. This is not tr ue. I am a teen, and I love being a y oung adult. I feel close to adults, and I have more choices as a teen. The one thing I don’t like about being a teen is the way some adults think of us as bad examples to the y ounger kids and disrespectful to ev eryone. In reality, most teens tr y to help out the y ounger kids and understand that being kind to

Letters to the Editor More on church land purchase Laura Seaholm, in advising on Cla yton do wntown planning, (Clayton Pioneer , Mar. 9 issue) sho ws ho w little she understands what she is talking about. The Cla yton Comm unity is served b y established c hurches that include Cla yton V alley Presbyterian, St. Bonaventure’s Catholic, St. John’s Episcopal, Jesus Christ of Latter Da y Saints, Holy Cross Lutheran, United Methodist and many others, but none dominates Clayton’s limited do wntown commercial area. The new Cla yton Community Ev angelical Presbyterian Churc h cur rently has strong c harismatic leadership. “Clayton Comm unity Center” and offices are on Main Street and ser vices are held at Diablo View Middle School.

We hope the E.P.C. congregation will focus on finding a suitable building site with adequate parking area and room for expanding instead of critically limited space in do wntown Clayton. That loss w ould be a long ter m disaster instead of a blessing. Eldora Hoyer

Speaks out against fur I want to help people realize … ho w many people in this world, or in our community, are not conscious of how badly animals are mistreated for fur…(M)illions of innocent animals are being painfully trapped in steel-ja w leg hold traps each year…(Many) freeze or star ve (or are) beaten to death or suffocated. Animals held capti ve in fur far ms are killed painfully, and if not fully dead are tor tured in ter rible ways, dead or alive, to get their fur.

Reader’s Forum

Clayton needs a teen center Kristyn Lorentzen Teen gangs, stolen scooters, fires and a lot of peer pressure. Many problems happen because teens are bored, having trouble at school or are just trying to get people to notice them once in a while. Clayton teens need a J ust For Teens (JFT) Center to go to after school. This will stop the many problems for teens , their parents and the people who have to deal with the problems.

Teens need to star t being noticed as helpful y oung adults who need to ha ve a place to have fun. What has happened because we don ’t ha ve a JFT Center? For example , the other da y I went o ver to a friend’ s house and we scootered down to Cup O’ Jo to g et some ice cream sandwiches. We stopped to talk to the owner of Cup O’ Jo and his son. He told us his son ’s scooter had been stolen recently. It reminded me that a JFT

March 23, 2007

I understand that many people believ e that they are killed (painlessly) or that it’s not a big deal, but could y ou imagine such a sad thing happening to a loving family pet of yours? I think not. From m y researc h I know that killing animals for unnecessary fur is done v ery badly. So I sa y that y ou should try to do everything you can to not suppor t animal fur…W hy not stand sacrifice the luxury of a fur coat for an innocent life of an animal that can ’t help itself ? Jessica Atkin

Service dogs exempt from leash law

Stunning views from ridgeline lot above Marsh Creek Road Keller Ridge $4.4 million 155 Acres 1/4 Sec.

Less than a mile from Clayton’s city limit, this magnificent property climbs 1,500 feet to one of the most spectacular ridgeline one-home building sites in Northern California.Truly a one-of-a-kind property. Will balance in value a 12,000 to 15,000 square foot luxury mansion. You select the final site details. Enjoy sweeping views from the ridge about 35 miles westward to Mt.Tamalpais, Marin and Sonoma.To the east are the gentle hills towards San Joaquin Valley and the lights of Tracy. Imagine your picture window and veranda dance floor with an unobstructed view of the Mt. Diablo Summit Museum Center just a little over three miles away.

others is the best w ay to sho w that y ou care . The teens who are bored need a place to ha ve fun. We have no special place to hang out. Building a JFT Center will be hard for teens alone . We need people like you to help us. The teens need a center just for them – a place to ha ve fun, to meet other people and to talk with adults about their problems. This will help ev eryone in the community. So, help star t a JFT Center so that teens can be noticed. As we mature , we will become intelligent, friendly adults. If you can help org anize a JFT Center, please email me at katdoglorenz@yahoo.com.

YMCA will watch the kids while parents take the night off During the YMCA ’s “Kid Watch” program, parents can bring their kids do wn to the Clayton Comm unity Gym for an ev ening of fun and then have a night out on the to wn. Children will enjo y crafts , games, movies and dinner in a safe and friendly en vironment. “Kid W atch” dates are Marc h 24, April 21 and the third Saturday of each month beginning in Ma y. Hours are 6-11 p.m. This program has been done at many YMCA ’s across the country. “Its purpose is to support the comm unity by providing an ev ening of fun for kids while parents enjo y an ev ening on their o wn,” says Liz Rookstool of the YMCA. “As the prog ram becomes more popular, we will consider expanding to additional evenings each month.” For the first “Kid W atch,” the menu will feature pizza and healthy snacks. “As we establish a more regular sc hedule, we’ll explore the different options available for dinner,” Rookstool adds. The Y staff hopes for about 20 kids the first night, with the ability to expand to ser ving 50 plus families during eac h event. “We will alw ays ha ve at least two staff,” Rookstool notes. “As the prog ram g rows, we will have a 10-1 staff to kid ratio.” Cost is $20 for Cla yton residents and $25 for those outside the 94517 zip code . For more information, call 887-4642.

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Smog Check

$10 off (plus certificate) coupon valid for most cars.

exp. 4/13/07

925 672-3900

Oil Change Includes under hood inspection

$24.95 (regularly $29.95) coupon valid for most cars

exp. 4/13/07

March 23, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page A5

Classified FOR LEASE:

New office space available in beautiful downtown Clayton adjacent to City Park and Post Office. Full service. Call (925) 577-1752, or 6724800.

FOR SALE

Electric Bed Adjusta-Magic Electric Bed. Excellent condition. Like new. $200/obo. (925) 672-9412. Z28 Convertible 1995 Z28Convertible. Like new, only 2,790 miles. White, tan leather and top. Loaded! 6-speed, K&N filter, Flowmaster. Always garaged/covered. $13,900/offer. (925) 672-9412.

HELP WANTED

Part Time Notary Notary wanted for shipping/mailbox store. 20 hours per week. $9.00/hour plus notary bonus. Call 497-1003.

Community Services Commissioner The City of Clayton is now accepting applications for Community Services Commissioner, term limit June 2006 through June 2008. Presently one Commissioner position and one Alternate Commissioner position are vacant. The Community Services Commission is an advisory body to the City Council, responsible for recommending user fees and policies for use of City facilities and sponsored community activities. The Commission meets the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. and helps coordinate community evens such as Fourth of July celebration, Clayton Cleans Up, and the New Years Eve celebration. The stipend is $75 per month (when a meeting is held).

PETS

Pet Sitting Peace of Mind Pet Services. Spring break is coming up. Need help with

your pets? Call local resident Linda Pastor at 672-9781 or 202-8781. Licensed, insured, and bonded. Reasonable rates, Clayton area. Romanian Puppies for Adoption Puppies for adoption, available Feb. 26. Rescued from the country of Romania. Please call Nancy at 925672-5908 or www.romaniananimalrescue.com. $100 tax deductible donation supports Romanian Animal Rescue. Great homes only, please!

SERVICES

Perennial Garden Design by Nicole Hackett AKA The Garden Girl Personal consultations regarding plant choices, placement, identification, fertilizing and maintenance. Spring is just around the corner. Call or email for information and pricing. 925-673-1746 (leave message) gardengirl94517@yahoo.com.

VACATION RENTAL

Cabin in Blue Lake Springs (Arnold, CA). Sleeps 6, fully remodeled, quiet, use of recreation facilities. $150/night, $950/week. Call Kevin Parker @ (925) 383-9430 or http://www.vrconnection.com/parkerpaw.

VOLUNTEERS WANTED

Bring this ad in for a special discount

City of Clayton The City of Clayton is looking for volunteers to work indoors on designated projects, general office help, and records management, including scanning of City documents. If you are interested in offering a few hours a week to help improve your community please contact the Volunteer Coordinator or apply online at www.ci.clayton.ca.us . Greeter Clayton Historical Society Museum needs a greeter the second Sun. of each month from 2 - 4 p.m. Training is provided. If interested, call 672-0240, email claytonmuseum@sbcglobal.net or visit the museum between 2 and 4 p.m. on Wed. or Sun.

d's Tea Cottage n u l g n E presents A Spring Tea for all ages! Sun. April 1 at 12 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. $20 ticket includes favors, lunch and a picture with the EASTER BUNNY! Wear your best Spring hat and join us for a delicious lunch of flower & bunny shaped tea sandwiches, teacup of soup, spring treats, scones, tea & lemonade!

Sun. April 8 starting at noon “All you can eat” honey glazed ham, salmon in dill sauce, potatoes au gratin, Victorian corn, Fruit Ambrosia, green beans Almondine, delectable desserts & more. Includes champagne, gourmet teas & coffee! $29.95 pp ($19.95 for children under 10) O Frida pen ys till 8 for d inner pm live m with usic!

For reservations, call

672-TEAS (8327)

www.EnglundsTeaCottage.com 5433 L Clayton Road (in Clayton Station)

The Clayton Community Library is seeking to fill the following volunteer positions: (All positions require a minimum age of 13 years and a 6month commitment. Training will be provided). Scrapbook Historian - to document the many interesting activities the library provides to the community using newspaper clippings, event photos, flyers, etc., Will be put on display at the annual March library birthday celebration. Shelver - to shelve and sensitize books. Must be detail oriented, various days and hours. Tutor/Homework Helper - to work one-on-one with local students in our community. You choose the age range, subjects, remedial or light help, and days/times. Office Assistant - handle filing, word processing, create flyers, volunteer database input on Microsoft Access, assistance with meetings/programs. Contact: Arlene @ 673-9777 or email: akikkawa@ccclib.org.

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

CONTACT US Tamara Steiner tamara@claytonpioneer.com Jill Bedecarre jill@claytonpioneer.com Beth Neudell beth@claytonpioneer.com Deanna Merrigan sports@claytonpioneer.com Send ads to ads@claytonpioneer.com Send Sports News to sports@claytonpioneer.com Send Club News to clubnews@claytonpioneer.com Send Religion News to

churchnews@claytonpioneer.com

HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD

Classified rates per insertion: Non-profit: $12 for first 30 words, $.20 eac h additional word Individual/non-commercial: $18 for first 30 w ords, $.30 each additional word Commercial: $48 for first 30 words, $.40 eac h additional word To place your classified ad over the phone , call the office at (925) 672-0500 betw een 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. Or, you may fax your typewritten ad and credit card infor mation to (925) 672-6580 All classifieds must be paid for in adv ance b y credit card (Master Card or Visa) We will not acce pt any ad that discriminates on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, nationality, family status or disability . The Cla yton Pioneer reser ves the right to reject any advertising we believe is unsuitable.

LET US KNOW

Weddings, engagements, anniversaries, births and deaths all weave together as part of the fabric of our community. Please let us kno w of these impor tant events. We ask only that the announcement be for a Cla yton resident. You will find the appropriate for m for y our announcement on our W ebsite. Attach your photo to the for m. Also on our W eb site are forms for submitting Community Calendar items and press releases for your organization.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Cla yton Pioneer w elcomes letters from our readers . As a g eneral r ule, letters should be less than tw o double spaced pages and submitted at least one week prior to publication date . Letters concer ning cur rent issues will have priority. We may edit letters for length and clarity. All letters will be published at the editor’s discretion. Please include y our name , address and da ytime tele phone number. We will not print letters from “anonymous.” E-mail your letter in a W ord Document to tamara@cla ytonpioneer.com. Letters MUST be submitted via E-mail.

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

AND

R OBERT S TEINER , Publishers

TAMARA S TEINER , Editor J ILL B EDECARRÉ , Assistant Editor and Display Advertising P ETE C RUZ , Graphic Design D EANNA M ERRIGAN , Sports B EV B RITTON , Copy Editor and Feature Writer B ETH N EUDELL , Administrative Assistant

Directory of Advertisers

Abbey Carpets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-9901 Acupressure for Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .674-0767 Accent Countertops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .671-2886 Aircloud Wireless Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-4119 Applause Staging and Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7701 Barta Chiropractic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4941 Bell, Glen - Keller Williams Real Est ate . . . . . .510-333-4460 Bella Mia Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-7792 Benton, Mureleen - Ameriprise Financial . . . . . . . . .685-4523 Beautique Beauty Supply and Salon . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0405 Burkin Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1519 Butterfly Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4238 Calkins, Bill - Charlotte Clifford Realtors . . . . . . . . . .673-9164 Carol Keane and Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .937-5200 CD Federal Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .825-0900 Chic'z on the Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-877-933-6644 Clark, Robert C., D.O. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .969-7530 Clayton Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-3325 Clayton Fitness and Tanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2010 Clayton Home Inspection Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9405 Clayton Mind and Body Connections . . . . . . . . . . . .673-0686 Clayton Valley Bowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-4631 Clayton Valley Frameworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6066 Clayton Valley Medical Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6744 Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4848 Clayton Valley Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3900 Clayton Valley Villa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8401 Computers USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9989 ComUnity Lending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-5363 Cruise Adventures Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .935-7447 Dan and Dave's Cat Boarding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0652 Denim & Lace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0345 Diamond Terrace Senior Retirement Living . . . . . . .524-5100 Dromlewicz, Kim - Century 21 Hosking Assoc. . . . .682-4663 Easton, Martin - Liberty Homes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8552 Easy Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3476 Eternal Life Lutheran Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0295 Flannery, Patty - Diablo Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0541 French, Lynne - Windemere Real Estate . . . . . . . . .672-8787 Galaxy Nail Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .676-8668 Gesinee's Bridal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-6444 Ginochio, Gina - Rath Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .827-9820 H&R Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1020 Hatley Handyman Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-8554 Help - U - Sell Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-4950 HomeEquity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-9737 Hudak, Jim - Pianist and Composer . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-7293 Insite Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6460 Jazzercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7025 Joanna's Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-8911 Kelly Marshall Garden Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .914-0327 Laurence, Pete - Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . . . . .939-7920 Lampo, Allen - John Hancock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .681-4438 La Veranda Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0011 Lenox Homes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .284-0415 Littorno, Richard - Attorney at Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6463 Madden, Donna - Alain Pinel Realtors . . . . . . . . . . .791-2558 Main St. Nail Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4975 Marchione, Terry - Eagles Peak Realty . . . . . . . . . .465-0435 Michael Dwyer & Sons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3980 Mike's Auto Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-1739 Miller, Tom - CPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .354-1385 Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1100 Moon, Steven Dr., Chiropractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-8400 Morucci, Kim - Intero Real Estate Services . . . . . . .280-8563 Music Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .946-2990 National Energy Rebate Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-957-4544 Nationwide Real Estate Investments . . . . . . . . . . . .777-1920 Nature's Creations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-624-2188 Neptune Society of Northern California . . . . . . . . . .944-5100 Nichols Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9955 Nickerson, Glenna - Diablo Funding Group . . . . . . .227-0100 Nuchols, Alicia - Premier Home Loans . . . . .691-5070 X 323 Oakhurst Country Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9737 X 217 Ouimet Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4242 Postal Annex + . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8900 Quantum Stress and Pain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .459-8595 R&M Pool, Patio & Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0207 R.E. Carpet Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .595-8623 Reed, Ruth - Remax Accord Real Estate . . . . . . . . .260-6731 Roberta Claire Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .625-1123 Robin's Ranches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7323 Rocco's Ristorante & Pizzeria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .947-6105 Seasonal Reflections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4425 Smith Bernal Roofing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0138 Sonset Flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .685-8200 Sparkle Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-5025 Stone Tree Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-2094 Straight Line Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .335-9801 Swint, Brad - Team Funding Group . . . . . . . . .627-1400 X 12 The Maids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-6243 The Royal Rooster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2025 The UPS Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6245 The Window Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-1930 Tipperary Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-2679 Van Fleet, Josie - Intero Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4333 Van Wyck, Doug - State Farm Insurance . . . . . . . . .672-2300 Vujnovich, George - Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . .672-4433 Williams, Mike - Williams Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-5363 Wooden It Be Nice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-5595

Page A6

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

March 23, 2007

A smart savings plan will probably beat lotter y odds

MURELEEN BENTON FINANCIAL SENSE

Have you ever daydreamed about winning the lotter y? What w ould y ou do if you won? Quit y our job? T ravel the w orld? Put money away for retirement? W hile it’s fun to dream about what y ou’d do with lotter y winnings , it’s not the best strateg y to establish a viable plan for funding y our retirement years.

Unfortunately, not all Americans ag ree. In fact, 21 percent of respondents to a Consumer F ederation of America sur vey believ e their best bet for building retirement wealth is playing the lottery. In reality , you’re twice more lik ely to be str uck b y lighting while reading this column than y ou are to win a

Powerball jackpot. The chance of winning the top prize in a Powerball lotter y is 1 in 146 million. HOW SMALL SUMS GROW What some lotter y pla yers don’t realize is that if they would save a small amount of money each week in an interest-earning sa vings or in vest-

Upcoming Events

CLAYTON CLEANS UP-APRIL 28 Make it a family day to help clean up Clayton on Saturday, April 28 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. BBQ lunch sponsored by the Clayton Pioneer. Everyone is asked to meet at City Hall to pick up bags and gloves. Call the city at 673-7300 for more infor mation.

GUIDED DOWNTOWN WALKING TOUR- MAR. 24 Would you like to see where the stag ecoach stopped and where the first jail stood in Cla yton? Then don’t miss the first w alking tour of downtown Clayton on Saturday, Mar. 24. The tour is in honor of Clayton’s sesquicentennial and is hosted b y the Cla yton Historical Society. Volunteers ask that everyone meet at the museum at 10 a.m. rain or shine . The tour will end at 11:30 a.m. in front of the museum, 6101 Main Street. According to Museum Curator Mar y Spryer, the tour is sc heduled for the four th Saturda y of the month from March through Se ptember. Spryer encourag es all to w ear comfor table shoes for the three-quarter mile hike. For more information call the museum at 672-0240. CLAYTON ANNUAL EASTER EGG HUNT-APRIL 1 Rain or shine , bring the little ones to the Cla yton YMCA field at the community gym on Sunday, April 1 from 12-2 p.m. for the Annual Clayton Easter Egg Hunt and BBQ sponsored by the YMCA, Clayton Community Church, City of Clayton and Alain Pinel R ealtors. This free event is open to the community for kids age Pre K through third grade. There will be an egg hunt, BBQ, raffle, inflatable bounce house and other fun g ames. The Easter Bunny ma y be present for pictures too - come out and see! For more information call the YMCA at 8891600.

CLAYTON SPRING GARDEN TOUR-APRIL 28-29

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

The Mangini Ranch on Pine Hollow Rd. promises to be a highlight of this year’s Historical Society Garden Tour.

CLAYTON LIBRARY USED BOOK SALE-APRIL 27-29 Book lovers pay heed. The annual used book sale sponsored by the Cla yton Comm unity Librar y F oundation is set for April 27 from 4-7 p .m. for Librar y Foundation members (y ou can join at the door for $10), April 28, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and April 29 from noon to 4 p.m. books are half price. From 2-4, $2 a bag. Most books sell for $1. The librar y is located at 6125 Cla yton R oad. For more information call 673-0659.

This is the 15th ann ual spring g arden tour sponsored b y the Clayton Historical Society . This year’ s tour will be held rain or shine on Saturda y and Sunda y, Apr. 28-29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring five gardens from the Clayton and Concord area. Tickets are $20 in adv ance or $25 at door . As in the past, the tour is self guided and begins at the Cla yton Museum. No children under 12 are allowed. All proceeds from the tour benefit the m useum. For more information call the m useum 672-0240 or Sally T urner at 6722117.

ment v ehicle, there odds are far better for ha ving a retirement nest egg. Thanks to the potential of compounding, even small sums can add up if given enough time. Compounding is a process b y whic h the v alue of an investment can increase exponentially due to any recurring interest and di vidends received. Keep in mind that an in vestment, unless a fixed product, does not guarantee a profit and will f luctuate in value. With compounding, you can ear n interest on y our beginning principal and on the interest you ear n each following year. Hypothetically, if you earned 5 percent interest on $1,000 in y our retirement account, you’d ha ve $1,050 at the end of the year. The next year, you may again earn 5 percent – but this time on $1,050 instead of $1,000, so y ou’d end up with $1,102.50. The following year y ou could potentially ear n interest on $1,102.50, and so on. (These hypothetical rates of return are for illustrati ve pur poses only and are not meant to represent the past or future returns of any specific in vestments or in vestment strateg y, or to imply any guaranteed rate of return.) LESS IS MORE The beauty of retirement planning means y ou can w ork towards and in vest to reac h your in vestment g oals; you should begin in vesting early , however it’ s nev er to late to start saving for retirement.

CHOOSE THE OPTION THAT’S BEST FOR YOU

The types of investments you c hoose to fund y our retirement portfolio can affect your ability to benefit from compounding. You ma y choose to put y our money in various financial v ehicles with varying strategies , such as an investment por tfolio, certificate of deposit or ev en a sa vings account. Your c hoice depends on a n umber of different factors , including y our risk tolerance , your cur rent financial situation and y our time span until retirement. GET STARTED TODAY If you haven’t started contributing money to ward a retirement fund, it’s never too late. By starting now, you may not need to depend on the lottery for y our retirement. A qualified financial advisor can help y ou work out the details of your financial life , including sho wing y ou y our retirement income projections and possible effects of inflation on your investments. An advisor also can explain v arious investment risks , help y ou select specific investments and map out a long-ter m strateg y to best meet y our retirement goals. Mureleen Benton is a Cer tified Financial Planner . Call her with questions at 685-4523

This information is pr ovided for infor mational purposes only . The infor mation is intended to be generic in nature and should not be applied or relied upon in any particular situation without the ad vice of your tax, le gal and/or y our financial ad visor. The views expr essed may not be suitable for every situation. Ameriprise Financial Ser vices, Inc., Member NASD, par t of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. © 2006 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights r eserved.

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3 bedroom, 2 bath single story in a quiet Oakhurst neIghborhood Up graded kitchen w/ granite counters. Newer appliances, large pantry. Elegant living and dining rooms Cozy family room w/ gas heater insert. Picturesque backyard w/ beautiful pool, waterfall, covered patio and private vineyard

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Lovely 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home, 1,457 s.f. with dual-pane windows. Amazing kitchen updates - Pergo flooring, Corian counters, and new appliances. New paint, wainscoting, crown molding and baseboards. Powder rooms completely updated with decorator lighting, fixtures & fans. Updated central HVAC with energy efficient furnace.

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Charming 2 bedroom, 1 bath home. Large, flat yards with patio and space for a hot tub One car attached garage with opener Carpet over hardwood floors. Cozy woodburning fireplace in the living room

Ruth Reed (925) 283-9200 (office) Realtor ruthreed@remaxaccord.com

(925) 260-6731 (cellular) (925) 297-0300 (fax)

5161 Clayton Rd, Suite E, Concord (across the street from K-Mart)

March 23, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com

Page A7

Young drivers need to follow the code, or face penalties In Califor nia, a person between the ag es of 15 ½ to 18 is issued a pro visional driver’s license. During the first 12 months, the pro visional licensee cannot drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. and cannot transpor t passengers under the ag e of 20 unless they are accompanied by a parent or guardian, a licensed dri ver o ver 25 years of age or older , or a licensed/certified dri ving instructor. There are fi ve exceptions: medical necessity , school acti vity, employment, immediate family need and emancipated minor. During the first 12 months, the De partment of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will monitor the provisional licensee’s driving record. The DMV accom-

Airbrush Tanning the healthier way to get a tan Buy 3 sessions @ $40 each and receive the 4th session

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Receive a traffic citation and fail to appear in cour t or pa y the fine . DMV will suspend the driver’s license until there is an appearance in court or the fine is paid. Have one “at-fault” accident or con viction within 12 months. DMV will send a warning letter. Have a second “at-fault” accident or con viction (or combination of both) within 12 months . The provisional licensee cannot drive for 30 da ys unless accompanied b y a parent

Mayor, from page A1

Bella Mia Spa

5294 Clayton Rd., Concord

680-7792

Which leads me to the question y ou’re probably asking yourself: “Why w ould the Council ev en consider doing something so stupid?” Remember, what Winston Churchill once said: “It is always wise to look ahead, but difficult to look fur ther than y ou can see.” I think it is important that we all k eep an open mind and explore all options to mak e our park the best it can be within our budget. I also believe we have an obligation to the Cla yton voters to look at w ays of reducing the annual operating cost. This includes ev aluating new , environmentally friendly tec hnolo-

San Francisco Bay Area General Agency Concord Airport Plaza 1200 Concord Ave., Suite 100 Concord, CA 94529

Allen Lampo Agent

CA.Lic.#0F11332

plishes this by tracking all violations of the V ehicle Code . They will tak e action ag ainst the pro visional licensee who has any violations or accidents, based on the following:

Tel: 925-681-4438 Cell: 925-914-7828 Fax: 925-680-1084 alampo@jhnetwork.com

gies and other operating efficiencies. The more money w e can save on annual maintenance, the more money we will have to put bac k into the park and the more money we will have to offset the cost of inflation. So, on F eb. 20, the Council held a study session to lear n more about all-weather turf and discuss possible applications in the do wntown park or the sports fields at the Comm unity Park. This was just a fact-finding mission. We w anted to lear n as much as w e could about allweather turf and to mak e sure we were not o verlooking something that could sa ve taxpa yer dollars.

or other licensed adult over 25. Have a third “at-fault” accident or con viction (or any combination) within 12 months. DMV will suspend the license for six months, with one year of probation. Involvement in additional “at-fault” accidents or traffic citations while on probation. The pro visional license will be suspended again. If the pro visional licensee is in volved in a DUI incident, the cour t tells the DMV to suspend the license for one year . If appropriate, the cour t could levee additional fines or penalties.

Many y oung dri vers ha ve experienced these problems and have been suspended. By following the r ules, young drivers can avoid DMV’s consequences and dev elop their driving skills in a safe w ay.

We also visited a park in Oakland to see what a field application w ould look lik e. Even though on the surface , artificial g rass sounds lik e a bad idea, it has improved a great deal over the years . As a matter of fact, in some cases it is hard to tell the difference from real grass. As w e expected, there are both cost and benefits . We can save on annual maintenance and it can be used year -round, but it has a different feel and it is a little warmer in the summer. This is probably a conce pt that is too early for its time at the new do wntown park. However, there may be some applications that are appropriate – in particular, under the kids pla y area or the spor ts fields at the

Community Park. I believ e this w as time w ellspent. At least, we can no w make a more informed decision. You can also be comfor ted b y the fact that w e are exploring new tec hniques to mak e the most efficient use of tax dollars the community has so generously gi ven us to manag e the new park. I can assure you that we all want the same thing, a quality park that is efficiently manag ed and a park the comm unity can be proud of for a long, long time. I hope this helps answ er the “What w ere y ou thinking?” question. As alw ays, if you ha ve any questions, concerns, comments or advice , please send me an email at wrwalcutt@aol.com.

DAN LAURENCE

FROM

THE

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

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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

March 23, 2007

Gentlemen – start your engines

JOE ROMANO

SO ANYWAY A friend of mine mentioned that he was helping his Godson build a Pine W ood Derb y car . This brought back memories of my son ’s shor t-lived scouting experience, and m y o wn, personal experience with the infamous Pine Wood Derby For those of you unfamiliar with this ritual, participants “build” their o wn little cars

(yes, out of pine wood smar ty pants) and then hold a race where the cars are sent hur tling down a specialized Pine W ood Derby trac k to ward the finish line. Believe me when I sa y that there are folks out there who take this stuff very seriously . Also believe me when I say that I was not one of them. There are literally dozens of Website devoted to Pine W ood Derbies; plans on how to build them, or tips on ho w to mak e them go faster such as: - Reduce friction by sanding the wheels and polishing the axles - Add w eight b y using lead tape or drilling holes in the bottom and inser ting BB’ s or washers - Use g raphite on the wheels/axles

Like I said, people are really serious about this stuff. In m y contin uing effor t to be a g ood father, I w as all for helping the bo y build his car . We were given a box containing the car and the materials. Never having done this , I naturally assumed that it w as already “built” and that w e would just be required to paint it, add the wheels, etc. Imagine m y surprise when I opened the bo x only to find a solid bloc k of wood. “Joe, are you kidding me? A solid block of wood?” “No Sir , I am not kidding you, a solid block of wood.” We went to the boy’s friend’s house to “build” our cars. The friend’s dad, a regular Bob Vila, was using all sor ts of wood working tools to shape his son’s car. It was smooth and aerody-

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namic looking, kind of like a James Bond car. Me? I w as using a buc k knife. No lie. I actually WHITTLED a pine w ood derb y car and it look ed as crappy as y ou are probably imagining . It looked exactly lik e a Flintstone car, not FRED’S car, necessarily, but do y ou remember those episodes where Carey Granite or Stoney Cur tis is dri ving a stone sports car? Yeah, just like that. The bo y ev en said, and I quote, “this kind of stinks, huh dad?” Cast y our v ote no w for Father of the Year. Be sure to spell my name correctly.

live. Unhealthy eating and physical inacti vity are associated with an increased risk of a number of chronic health conditions, including obesity . In fact, the percentag e of young people who are o verweight has tripled in the last 25 years. Studies ha ve sho wn that children who dev elop health y exercise and eating habits are more likely to contin ue to lead healthy lifestyles through adulthood. “Families are under increased stress and str uggle to balance work, family and health to find suppor tive comm unities,” says Adrienne Carew of the Mt. Diablo Region YMCA. “More physical activity through

play helps c hildren better manage stress , succeed in sc hool, reduce fr ustration, build energ y and, most of all, learn skills that encourage a lifetime of activity.” The ev ent includes a free giveway for parents with tips on raising health y, active kids , as well as prizes for all c hildren who par ticipate. Parents are encouraged to participate in the healthy and eng aging acti vities with their kids. In addition, registration for summer prog rams and camps will take place at the event. Healthy Kids Da y is supported b y the American Diabetes Association, American Hear t Association, American Public Health

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Y sponsors healthy day for kids and parents The Mt. Diablo YMCA will join more than 1,500 YMCAs nationwide in the 16th ann ual YMCA Health y Kids Da y on Saturday, April 14, at the Clayton Community Gym. The ev ent, sponsored b y Kaiser P ermanente, is an opportunity for kids and families to “Put Pla y in T heir Day.” From 10 a.m. to 2 p .m., the YMCA will offer free , fun and creative acti vities to encourag e children and families to adopt behaviors that support a healthy lifestyle. Healthy Kids Da y is par t of YMCA Acti vate America, a national initiati ve designed to help children and adults discover and sustain healthier w ays to

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Association, American Cancer Society, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors. In addition to hosting YMCA Health y Kids Da y, the Mt. Diablo YMCA is suppor ting health y li ving throughout the comm unity. The g roup recently established a cor porate partnership with K aiser Permanente. The tw o-year agreement in volves integ rated co-marketing and promotional opportunities, special ev ents, health seminars , and member and patient referrals.

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estled by a wooded creek, this charming two-story home backs to open space and has a rockedged free form pool with SPA and waterfall. The home has been exquisitely updated with top quality materials, including hardwood and tumbled marble flooring, Andersen doors and windows and crown molding. The home is about 2500 SF and has four bedrooms, an office, 2.5 baths and a laundry. A special feature is the master bedroom sun room which offers a spectacular view by day or night. Outdoor living focuses on the water features augmented by the lovely landscaping, lawn, patios, and gazebo.

Beautiful Andersen wood windows and doors make the entire home exceptionally light. Vaulted ceilings in the entry and living room add to the open feeling. The elegant dining room has custom wall treatments, oak flooring and an arch. The gourmet kitchen features cherry cabinets, granite slab counter tops with tumbled marble back splashes, GE Monogram stainless appliances and tumbled marble flooring. One step down is the large family room with its traditional brick fireplace, tumbled marble flooring and a triple paneled French door to the patio.

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There’s tax help for savers

Depending on your income, you might qualify for a tax credit for the first $2,000 you contribute to an IRA or other retirement plan. Don’ t overlook this “saver’s credit” as an opportunity to both cut your current tax bill and increase your nest egg. You have until April 17, 2007, to make a 2006 IRA contribution that could qualify for the credit. For details or tax filing assistance, contact us.

Page A9

Plan early to get best moving company Although it’s possible to line up a mover as late as two weeks before y ou mo ve, it’s wise to start the selection process a month or tw o in adv ance. During spring and summer months, the peak season in the moving industr y, it can tak e a couple of weeks just to g et an appointment with a mo ving company representative. Movers are listed in the yellow pages. But rather than shop blind, ask friends or colleagues who mo ved recently if they’d recommend their mover to you. Your real estate ag ent also ma y be able to sug gest a g ood mover. If your move is a w orkrelated transfer , your emplo yer may have a working relationship with a reputable mover. Always use a licensed mo ver. Interstate movers are licensed by the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC). Intrastate movers are usually licensed b y a state public utilities commission. It’s a g ood idea to g et estimates from three licensed movers before making a c hoice. An estimator from each company y ou’re considering should visit your house to examine the items you’re moving before issu-

ing an estimate. Verbal estimates aren’t binding, so mak e sure each mover gives you a written estimate.

LYNNE FRENCH

REAL ESTATE In most cases , you’ll w ant a “not to ex ceed” or “best price” estimate. This will limit y our moving expense to the amount of the estimate . If the mo ve ends up costing less than the estimated amount, you’ll pay the lower price. A non-binding estimate will require that y ou pa y the actual amount of the mo ve, even if this amount ex ceeds the estimated price. However, ICC regulations prohibit licensed movers from c harging more than 10 percent abo ve the

Windermere has been consistently rank ed as the larg est regional real estate brand in the w estern United States b y REAL Trends. The Cla yton office will

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

financing options, making me the best choice for you, your friends, your family or your client s. Give me a call today and let me show you how good service can be! I look forward to hearing from you soon.

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The Lynne French team: Danny French, Angelique Booth, Inge Yarborough, Lynne French, MaryBeth Cook, Julie Dunn, Jeffrey French. Not pictured: Heather Gray, David Downing, Jim Bartneck,Julie Clairmont

Windermere R eal Estate , the larg est inde pendent real estate brand in the w estern United States , is expanding into Clayton. Windermere Lynne F rench and Associates , owned b y Lynne and Danny French, is at 6200 Center St., Suite E, in downtown Cla yton. Lynne French has 14 years of experience in the real estate industr y and has been ranked as the top agent in sales v olume in Contra Costa County for the last tw o years b y REAL Trends, a primar y source of Internet real estate data. Under a different license last year , the F renches conducted 120 transactions with an a verage price of $750,000.

They look forward to improving their business through Windermere’s services, including its W ebsite, customized marketing tools and netw ork of professionals across the West. “The Cla yton mark et is more balanced than it has been in the past, ” said Lynne French. “Home prices and interest rates are do wn, and as the mark et adjusts , it offers plenty of opportunities for both buyers and sellers.” Windermere R eal Estate has more than 300 offices and 8,000 associates in Califor nia, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming, Washington and British Columbia.

Clayton resident Lynne French is the broker/owner of Windermere L ynne French & Associates. For any real estate needs, contact her at 672-8787, email Lynne@LynneFrench.com or stop in at 6200 Center St. in Clayton.

focus on residential and ranc h properties. The F renches are recruiting select ag ents to join the Windermere office. For more information, call 6728787.

Mt. Diablo State Park announces Junior Ranger Program Mount Diablo State P ark will offer its J unior Rang er Program again this year. During the five Saturday sessions, all at various locations around the park and all hosted b y a State Park Ranger and a park docent, kids will learn about wildlife and geology through classroom presentations, hands-on acti vities and a hike. The program is open to children ages 7-12 plus one accompanying adult. Sessions will begin April 28 and conclude June 9. Each session will r un from 1 to 4 p.m. Registration is limited to 15 c hildren plus one parent per c hild. While there is no charge for the program, payment of the park’s entrance fee

is required. For more infor mation or to register, contact Rang er J ack Duggan at 925-837-6129 or b y email at jdug gan@parks.ca.gov. Advance registration is required. This prog ram is sponsored b y Mount Diablo State P ark in cooperation with the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association, a non-profit organization devoted to providing interpretive, scientific and educational experiences for visitors to Mount Diablo State Park. California State P arks does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities . Prior to arrival, participants with disabilities who need assistance should contact Duggan.

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mover probably w on’t be responsible for damag e to the contents of the box. You can cut the cost of your move by throwing out, selling or donating possessions y ou no longer w ant. Eliminate these items before y ou ha ve the movers give you estimates. A g ood mover will gi ve you tips on ho w y ou can sa ve on your mo ve. Ask for advice on how to pac k and ho w to stac k boxes so they’ll be easily accessible for loading. You may want to move valuables and houseplants by yourself. Knowing where y ou’ll put your belongings in the new house will help to make unloading easier and quicker. Be sure to confir m in advance what kind of payment the mo vers will acce pt at y our destination. Some mo vers will only tak e cash or a cer tified check (not a personal c heck). Others will take credit cards.

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amount of the original estimate. Thanks to recent deregulation in the mo ving industr y, movers are able to offer discounts. Ask eac h mo ver y ou interview if discounts are a vailable. Price is an impor tant factor in pic king a mo ver, but ser vice can be equally impor tant. Moving is stressful, even if it goes smoothly . Be w ary of someone whose bid is way below all other bids. A low bid can indicate that someone is tr ying to buy your business, or it can be a sign of inexperience. You’re tr usting a strang er with y our personal belongings , so make sure y ou feel confident that you’ll get the level of service you require to feel comfortable. The ICC requires licensed movers to pro vide carg o insurance at no additional c harge to the customer . This insurance will pay only 60 cents per pound per ar ticle. It ma y be wise to purchase more insurance through your mover. Find out eac h company’ s policy reg arding damag e to goods if you pac k them y ourselves. Unless the bo x itself is damaged in the mo ve, the

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Page A10

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

March 23, 2007

Spring has sprung and it’s time to prune frost damaged plants

NICOLE HACKETT

GARDEN GIRL Now is the time to pr une those plants that w ere nipped by the freeze, along with feeding and mulching. March arrived with a bang, bringing spring with it. The warmer than usual w eather has ignited the re pair and growth of frostbitten questionables. Life is sprouting up along wood that we were sure was dead. It is really thrilling. As y ou sur vey y our yard and g arden, look for signs of life at the w ood of the plants – such as sw elling buds along the stems . Established bougainvillea, cestrum, Cape honeysuckle and lilac hibiscus are all highly likely to have survived our frozen w eek in January. Examine eac h shr ub or vine and gradually prune back to the health y meat of the plants. You might wonder why we would cut back a plant that was beginning to leaf out over the existing wood. The answer is that it tak es a plant more energy to work new leaves out of old wood than just growing a new, healthy stem system. Pruning plants one-quarter to one-third at a time will lesson our c hances of putting the plant into shoc k. Space out y our pr uning trips b y a week or so. As y ou remo ve the oldest wood, you’ll see the new growth. Eventually, the new and the old will meet and your plant will ha ve an o verall healthy rebirth. Fertilizing during the removal of old wood is critical. Use g ranular fer tilizers during the spring, so the nutrients are available longer to the plants. At this time of the year, feed with a m ulti-purpose food, such as a 16-16-16.

Use a food for tropical plants if feeding the boug ainvillea, because a basic m ulti-purpose will be too much. Citrus is another family of plants that ma y ha ve experienced difficulty during that frozen w eek in J anuary. Your plants may have defoliated or yellowed significantly . Follow the same ste ps as w e did for the other w oody plants that suffered from the freeze. Lemon, grapefruit, limes and cer tain orang e plants are tender to icy w eather. Unless the installation w as new and your g arden conditions w ere dry, you should expect y our citrus to survive. Cut y our shr ubs and trees one-quarter to one-third at a time, cutting at a slight angle just above a swollen leaf bud. Gradually remove the wood a little this week and some more next to ensure that our citr us does not shock. After cutting, citrus should be fed with a food g eared to their needs . Whether y ou choose an org anic or synthetic feed, a g ranular application is recommended. Citrus are demanding shr ubs and will need to be fed no w through September. At the time of feeding, add iron plus to the soil to help avoid yello wing. Also m ulch the ground around your citrus at this time and use a topdressing with organic and natural components. I would sell you Paydirt, or ask y our nursery professional what they recommend. Recently installed palm

trees definitely took a hit this January. Segos, Queens and Pigmy dates will need some extra care as w ell. Help the trees b y remo ving the bro wn fronds. The new g rowth comes up through the center. Feed with a low-numbered organic fer tilizer designed for palms and tropical plants . Adding an iron product will help the plant g reen back up. Resist the urg e to use Miracle Grow on y our palms. The solids are not dig estible and the plant will yello w out. Save the Miracle Gro w for your annual color. Since our spring is heating up and the rain has been less than abundant, consider mulching your whole yard and garden – not just the items that suffered from the freeze . Insulating our soil with amendment, followed b y a chunky layer of bark, will help cool plants do wn in the summer, as w ell as k eeping them warmer in the winter. Help your self out this season and request that your gardeners not use any blo wers in your yard and g arden areas . They remo ve precious la yers of our soil, leaving it stripped and sterile. Plants are hardier than w e think. Patience in the g arden will save us time and money. Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio and Garden Contact her with questions, comments or sug gestions at

For more than 36 years, Pete Laurence has delivered personalized service to hundreds of happy clients. Call Pete Laurence for all your real estate needs

Office (925) 939-7920 Fax (925) 939-1939 VM 24 hr (925) 940-2777

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Complimentary Blood Sugar Test offered Monday through Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. If you are not a patient of Clayton Valley Medical Group and would like to become one, please contact Sue at (925) 672-6744 x14

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March 23, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

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Clayton resident Donna Richey still shak es her head when she thinks about ho w quickly her new f loral business came to be. Sonset Flo wers on Cla yton Road in Concord, formerly Jory’s, is a matc h made in hea ven for Donna. An active member of Clayton Comm unity Church (CCC), she believ es things happen for a reason. Donna always had a passion for f lowers, designing beautiful bouquets for friends , families and colleagues , but she w as about to star t a job as a paralegal. Her sons, Michael and Ryan, kept urging her to focus on her talent for f lowers. As she w as designing a center piece for the Clayton V alley kitc hen tour , Ryan ask ed his mom: “If you can do this , why are y ou work-

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Page A11

Advertise with the Pioneer 672-0500

Photos by Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

THE SONSET FLOWERS STAFF, Jahan Nabkel, Paul White, owner and Clayton resident Donna Richey and Tiffany Gilbertson. ing as a paralegal?” It just so happens that the paralegal job fell through and one night as she and her bo ys were w atching the sunset from their Oakhurst home, they came up with the name Sonset for her flower business . They used the “Son” to put a Christian twist on the name, Donna explains. She was planning to r un the business from her home , but things changed quickly. “It happened so fast, ” Donna sa ys. Friends informed her that Jory’s Flowers w as up for sale and

within five days, Donna opened her new flower shop on Clayton Road. “My staff has been the mainstay of the new store ,” Donna says. “Iris Seppala, Jahan Nabkel, Tiffany Gilber tson and driver P aul W hite are the reasons Sonset is up and r unning each day.” Sonset has f lower ar rangements for every holiday and special occasion, and they are also wire specialists. Donna hopes to make her shop special,with gifts, candies and boutique items.

For families who lose a child and come to Donna for a flower arrangement for the casket, she plans to donate the flowers to the family . “It’s a ministry for me,” Donna says. When Donna isn’t designing beautiful bouquets , she’s immersed in her c hurch as a youth group leader and co-mission director . She’s tra veled four times to Belize in Central America, where CCC suppor ts an orphanage, and she’s been to Mexico as par t of a c hurch mission.

Old West backdrop for murder in Ann Parker’s ‘Silver Lies’ With “Silv er Lies ,” Ann Parker has written a rip-roaring tale of greed, deception, betrayal and murder that takes place in the late 1870s in Leadville, Colo. At the time , Leadville w as the Den ver w annabe that attracted silver miners, wayward women, crooked bank ers, reformed and not-so-refor med counterfeiters, women of shadowy pasts , a rev erend of questionable bac kground and our heroine, Inez, abandoned wife and o wner/operator of the Silver Queen saloon, serving booze, games of chance and Irish stew. The West w as a beacon for folks escaping their pasts to forge new identities , and Parker’s c haracters are nev er quite who they seem to be . Leadville is a city where the la w can be purc hased as easily as loose w omen and where li ving

an upright life is an uphill endeavor. When Joe Rose, a well-liked local assa yer, turns up br utally murdered in the alley behind the Silver Queen, Inez makes it her business to find out who killed her friend and left his wife and young son penniless.

SUNNY SOLOMON FOR THE BOOKS Inez is no slouch as a sleuth, but her effor ts almost cost her her life. The body count climbs right up to the last twist and turn of the plot. Parker has written a w ellpaced m ystery with c haracters we care about. We are rewarded with a fun read and a better understanding of what it w as like when Colorado w as booming and men and w omen w ere mining for more than silver. Sunny Solomon holds an MA in English and Cr eative W riting fr om San Francisco State Uni versity. She is the manager of Clayton Books in the Clayton Station. Sunny is a poet and loves to “talk books.” Reach her with questions or comments at 6733325.

www.robinsranches.com Are you looking for that perfect horse set-up? Specialist in Ranch and Country Properties.

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(Clayton)

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robin@robinsranches.com

Whether it be “Happy Easter,” “Happy Mother’s Day” or just simply “Thank you,” let our talented staff help you say it best with a bouquet.

wire service specialists

5354 Clayton Road, Concord NOW OPEN on Clayton Rd. next to Mt. Mike’s, formerly Jory’s toll free 800-603-ROSE (7673) www.sonsetflowers.com

major credit cards honored

phone (925) 685-8200 fax (925) 685-0633

Page A12

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

March 23, 2007

Butterfly program offers fitness for life JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer

Debbie Anthony has a smile of her face when she glances at the names of 100 w omen proudly displa yed on the w all behind her desk in her new Clayton Station storefront. The names ref lect the first 100 women who joined her business before it ev en opened. “I signed them up in about 15 days,” she says. Butterfly Life is a new concept in w omen’s fitness and includes a 30-min ute w orkout program that is designed to help women succeed at w eight management and healthy living. “We just don ’t focus on fitness,” explains Debbie . The Butterfly Life program includes a lecture series b y Life Vision, the Butterfly Life diet, televised group ex ercises that r un ev ery half hour suc h as Pilates , Simple Ste p, Yoga and Dance . The store also car ries athletic fashion accessories . Butterfly Life thri ves on the suppor t from w omen members , explains Debbie. The facility , formerly T oys Games and More across from Blockbuster, is spacious, color-

Northern Italian Cuisine in downtown Clayton Fresh soups, salads, antipasti, pizza and pasta Dinner and lunch daily Brunch on Sunday Children’s menu and take out service available

For reservations call (925) 524-0011 6201 CENTER ST. CLAYTON

CD Federal Credit Union Joining is easy

Call Jenn Irwin at 925-825-0900, ext. 314 Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

Butterfly Life’s weight machines allow members to work out at their individual skill level. Pictured from left: Owner Debbie Anthony, Caroline Sladnick, Terry MohrJohnson and Kathy Wihlon. ful and in viting. It includes 10 weight mac hines, five cardio rebounder stations and exper t supervision by Debbie and her assistant Tina Wynn. Unlike other 30-min ute circuit training facilities in the area, Butterfly Life pro vides weight mac hines that adjust to

MEMBER CAROLINE SLADNICK works her biceps with encouragement from Debbie Anthony at the new Butterfly Life fitness center in the Clayton Station

Emergency, from page A1 challenges. What if a plane crashed on Cla yton R oad, or a wildfire threatened homes , or a major landslide closed Marsh Creek Road? In any of these situations, law enforcement m ust have the ability to comm unicate and coordinate relief efforts at the site , creating the need for some type of mobile command center. The city recently bought a command trailer, which will be equipped with a tele phone, computer, printer, fax, television, city maps and w ork stations. “The trailer gi ves us a f lexible and mobile command center

La Veranda Café

that we can use at all city events, long-term tactical ev ents and emergency operations ,” Lawrence said in a No v. 7 report to the City Council. “In addition, the command trailer will ser ve as a bac kup in case City Hall ever goes down.” The cost of the completed command center is estimated at $30,000 and will be covered by a COPS (Citizens Option for Public Safety) state grant. CITIZEN EMERGENCY TRAINING

If a major disaster hits the Bay Area, the “first responders” — those who pro vide

a client’ s indi vidual fitness . “You can make your training as hard or as easy y ou w ant it to be,” says Debbie . “I call this women’s fitness on big bo y machines.” The mac hines w ork the whole body and eac h m uscle group. Weights can be increased as women progress in their w orkout prog ram, she explains. All types of women are members, from those that have never w orked out to w omen who mak e ex ercise a par t of everyday life. Debbie opens her facility at 7 a.m. on Monda y, Wednesday and F riday and 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Most nights, her g ym is open until 8 p.m. A realtor b y trade for 15 years, Debbie always wanted to do something for w omen. She was ev entually hired to sell franchises for Butterf ly Life and found that the more she talked about the business , the more she realized that she

should own a franchise. “I can’t sell anything unless I tr uly believe in it,” Debbie says. When she disco vered the available facility in Cla yton Station, she w as ex cited. Debbie was bor n and raised in the Clayton/Concord area. “It’s like coming home ,” she sa ys. Her business par tners are her parents, Lola and K eith Sovereign. Debbie w ants to become involved in the community. She has recently opened her doors for one hour on T uesdays to the Clayton Valley High School special education class, and she offers a discount to Mt. Diablo Unified Sc hool District employees and spouses. In an all-women gym, estrogen lev els f ly and for Debbie that’s just the w ay it should be . Her energ y and outg oing personality add to the mix. “She’s very up and vibrant,” says c harter member ,Terry Mohr-Johnson “and v ery encouraging.”

the first fire and medical ser vices — will likely not be able to meet the demand for these services for the first sev eral days. That will leave Clayton to fend for itself for possibly as long as a week. This is a harsh reality that the city needs to plan for , says Lawrence. People will ha ve to rely on eac h other to meet their immediate life-saving and life-sustaining needs. At last count, 16 Cla yton residents ha ve signed up for the city’ s Comm unity Emergency R esponse T eam (CERT) training . Volunteers will receive 20 hours of training in suc h areas as all-hazard disaster pre paredness, terrorism, fire suppression, disaster

medicine and triag e, disaster psychology, and light searc h and rescue. “Having citizens who are better prepared to take care of themselves and others during times of local crises will allo w paid first responders to focus their effor ts on the most critical, life-threatening situations,” says Lawrence. The cost of training the volunteers will come from a Homeland Security g rant of $60,000. Residents interested in ser ving on the Citizens Corps Council or in recei ving the CERT training are asked to contact Lynn Christ of the Clayton P olice De partment at 673-7350.

1855 Second St., Concord, CA 94519

www.cdfcu.org

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Kimberly Morucci (925) 280-8563 kmorucci@interorealestate.com www.kimmorucci.com Recipient of Intero Executive Circle Award Member of Intero’s Top 10% Producers Clayton resident & ranch property owner.

Retirement Community

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3 Bedroom 3 Bath, plus Office, Could be 4th Bedroom. 3 Car Garage, Rarely Available Single Level Home, on Spacious Lot. Fully Landscaped, and W alking Distance to Miwok Park. Built in 2002, this Gorgeous Home Features Distressed Hardwood Floors, Slate Tile Floors, OverSized Eat-in Kitchen with Island & Breakfast Bar.

Walnut Creek office, 1700 North Main St.

Join us for our Thursday Socials at 4pm.

6401 Center Street Clayton CA 94517

www.diamondterrace.net

“Diamond Terrace has a family atmosphere with friendly residents and a congenial and efficient staff to ensure that things run smoothly.” – Bob Davidson

March 23, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com Dan

Page A13

Rain or shine, it’s a day in the park

Brand New Cat Boarding Place

LINDA PINDER Special to the Pioneer

(925) 524-0652

Dave

Custom built outdoor cathouses Keep your cat protected from wind and rain. see our website for details

www.DanAndDavesCountryInn.com We offer a pick-up and delivery service for our boarders

Quantum Stress and Pain Clinic where science meets ancient medicine

Biofeedback therapy for pain relief, stress relief, weight loss and anti-aging Call for an appointment

925-459-8595 Ladan Bahramnia

5161 Clayton Rd., Ste. D2,

licensed biofeedback therapist

lbahramnia@yahoo.com

Concord

www.stressfreeclinic.com

Namely, what do y ou w ant t o do in the y ears ahead? Ma ybe join the P eace Corps? Mak e y our own mo vie? Star t a ne w business, perhaps? Or maybe you’re not even sure. As an Ameriprise financial advisor, I am proud to exclusively offer the Dream Book.SM It’s a guide to help y ou figure out what e xactly you want to do in the y ears ahead, and it’s the per fect starting point for us to develop a financial plan that can help get you there.

So call me at (925) 685-4523 today or stop by our office for a complimentary copy of the Dream Book . Mureleen Benton CFP® 5356 Clayton Rd., Suite 211 Concord, CA 94521 925-685-4523

Activity at the Cla yton Dog Park has been heavier than normal this winter par tly the Concord Dog P ark w as closed for sev eral months to allo w its grass turf to recover from heavy use. The Clayton Dog P ark has an eco-friendly w ood c hip surface that dries so quic kly that the park remains substantially mud-free in all w eather conditions, even right after rain storms. We ha ve enjo yed meeting new dogs and their owners over the winter . Many of us ha ve made new friends of both the two legged and four legged variety. Actually, even one three legged friend – a w onderfully athletic dog who pla ys just as hard as any dog there and nev er seems to lose her balance. Although the Concord Dog Park has no w re-opened, we understand that it is typically

Photo courtesy of Linda Pinder

Agility equipment is available in Clayton’s all weather, all year-around Dog Park. closed Wednesdays for maintenance and on da ys of heavy rain. We hope that many will continue to use the Clayton Dog Park, if not on a full time basis ,

then at least when Concord’ s dog park is closed. Trees planted last year are just starting to leaf out and will soon pro vide shade during the

hot summer days. Many happy dogs are using the Agility equipment that is always out and a vailable. The photo sho ws Annie , a Golden Doddle who thoroughly enjo ys jumping o ver the hurdle – and has been kno wn to do so ev en when her “dad” wasn’t standing there encouraging her. If you ha ve a dog and haven’t been by the Clayton dog park yet, please stop b y and check it out. The dog park is located along the w alking trail next to Marsh Creek R oad, directly across the street from the Cla yton Comm unity Gym athletic fields . Parking is a vailable at the lo wer spor ts field parking lot. Please cross Clayton Road at the R egency Dri ve intersection. Access the trail via Regency Dri ve. For infor mation, please contact the Cla yton K-9 Coalition b y calling 6729710 or 672-7815, or writing to us at P.O. Box 21, Clayton, CA 94517.

Think about your lifestyle before selecting your new dog Opening y our home to a new four-legged family member is bound to bring you happiness, joyous memories and unconditional love. With so many w onderful dogs available for adoption, the search for the perfect fit ma y seem overwhelming. Taking the time to think about the type of dog that will best matc h y our family’s lifestyle is the first ste p in finding your new companion. Sara Cunningham, dog training coordinator at the Animal Rescue F oundation (ARF), offers some advice. First, identify y our family’ s lifestyle. Are you always on the go or do y ou prefer to relax b y the fire? W hile all dogs need exercise, certain breeds and mixes are more acti ve. If you enjoy jog ging and thro wing a

ball for hours on end, choose a working dog, such as a herding dog or retriev er mix. On the other “pa w,” a laid-bac k, older dog may be content with shor ter walks followed by a long nap on their favorite bed. Before visiting the shelter , research the different g roups of dogs, such as spor ting, hound, terrier and to y. Understanding the characteristics of each group will help y ou c hoose a g ood match for y our family . Mixedbreed dogs mak e fabulous pets and share a combination of traits from two or more breeds. Small dogs can be a bundle of energy and don ’t necessarily make the perfect apartment dog. Some medium and larg e dogs believe their job is to warm your lap and ma y be a better fit in a smaller house . Shy dogs are

often more comfor table with less-active households. An exuberant Labrador mix w ould much more prefer to be the life of all your parties. A dog’ s g rooming needs should also be tak en into consideration. A long-haired dachshund or collie will need daily brushings and regular trips to a groomer. Dogs with shor ter hair, such as beagles and pointers, generally can be groomed at home. Puppies are adorable and hard to resist. One look into their big eyes will melt any one’s heart. But k eep in mind that puppies require a consistent schedule, constant super vision and lots of patience during the potty-training and house-training stag es. If someone isn ’t home a majority of the day or if

ELENA BICKER

PAWS

AND

CLAWS

you kno w y our family is not ready to w ake up sev eral times in the night for potty breaks , an adolescent or adult dog ma y be a better c hoice. And don ’t believe the old saying “You can’t teach an old dog new tric ks.” Shelters are filled with loving dogs, and adoption counselors are ready to help find the special dog who has been w aiting to join y our family . Selecting the right dog will bring years of enjoyment for everyone. Elena Bicker is the Executi ve Director of Tony La R ussa’s Animal Rescue Foundation. She can be r eached at (925) 256-1ARF (1273)

Casey and Tinsel ar e ARF’s adoption stars ness and will be happy in a home with c hildren fourteen years and older . The adoption fee for Tinsel is $100. Bring everyone who is going to live Casey or Tinsel to meet them, including other canine family members to ARF , 2890 Mitc hell Dri ve, Walnut Creek (cor ner of Oak Grove Road and Mitchell Drive). Thursday and Friday: 3– 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon–4:30 p.m. Would you like to be part of the heroic team that sa ves the li ves of rescued dogs and cats? Can y ou share y our talents to connect people and animals? ARF v olunteers are making a difference! For more information see our Web site, www.arf.net, or call (925) 256-1ARF.

CASEY

925 227-0100 ext 101 510 409-2570 cell 925 227-1065 fax ladylender@msn.com Clayton resident “Glenna Cares”

Casey is a g reat big, lovable Collie and Australian She pherd mix. She absolutely adores all people. She would love a home with plenty of time to sn uggle and a few shor t w alks around the neighborhood where she will be the en vy of all who meet her . Casey is rated for c hildren of any ag e. She cur rently weighs 71 pounds . After Casey completes a transition period and is settled into y our home, she may accommodate an owner’s full time w ork sc hedule. The adoption fee for Casey is $200 and includes six training classes. Tinsel is a 3-year -old g rey tabb y. She’s a sweet soul, who lik es to ha ve fun pla ying with her feline friends . Tinsel is also trained on har-

TINSEL

Page A14

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

School News

Clayton Valley student Sarah Schmidt received a $500 scholarship in a teen art competition at SunValley Mall. CLAYTON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL CV student Sarah Sc hmidt was awarded a $500 sc holarship

for her w ork in pen entitled “Eat Y our Hear t Out” during the 2007 T een Ar t Sc holarship Competition.

Many Cla yton V alley ar tists participated in the competition at SunV alley Mall, which w as sponsored b y W ells F argo. A panel of three professional artists judg ed more than 550 entries from 14 local high schools. All works of art will be on displa y at the mall through March. Clayton V alley’s P arentFaculty Club presents its second ann ual Fiesta De Ma yo, a benefit for tec hnology, on Friday, May 4, at Centre Concord. Last year’ s ev ent raised money to place 20 new computers in the Cla yton V alley High library, but the 2,000 students and 90 staff members are faced with many more tec hnological needs. Residents ma y become an event sponsor, donate items for the silent auction and raff les, or volunteer to work the event. For more infor mation, contact event c hair P amela New acheck at 671-2201 or oldacash@astound.net, or PFC president Melinda Moore at

672-0930 or melindammoore@yahoo.com. On the heels of an exciting and successful run of “Seussical the Musical” comes the ClaytonArts Academ y Troupe spring pla y, “Switcheroo.” It will be the world premiere of a tw o-act play written and directed b y drama students Emily Hills and Max Marcil. The audience will experience a lab yrinth-like encounter between the human world and a not-so-human w orld. Laughter is guaranteed. The production will be at 7:30 p.m. April 4, 5 and 6 in the Multi-Use R oom. Cost is $5 at the door. The Society f or International T ravel is taking applications for a trip to Athens and R ome in A ugust. Parents and students are w elcome to register. E-mail rossj@mdusd.k12.ca.us for more information.

March 23, 2007

Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church 925-672-4848 1578 Kirker Pass Road Join us for Holy Week starting Sun., Apr. 1

Palm Sunday service @ 10:30 a.m. Wed. 6 p.m. Seder meal Maundy Thursday service and communion

@ 6:30 p.m.

Good Friday service @ noon Easter Sunday sunrise service @ 6 a.m. Easter service w/brass quartet @ 10:30 a.m.

Sundays 10:30 a.m.

www.cvpresby.org

See School, page A15

Church News ETERNAL LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH Eternal Life in vites all to its Good Friday and Easter ser vices. The Good F riday Service of Darkness will be held at 7 p .m. April 6. The messag e will be “The Hidden Glor y of the Cross in Our Sa vior’s Promises.” The Easter Sunda y F estival Service will be at 11:15 a.m. April 16. The messag e will be “The Hidden Glor y of the Cross in Our Savior’s Triumph.” An Easter breakfast will be held at 9:30 a.m., and a Christian egg hunt will follow the service. The c hurch is at 5554 Clayton Rd., Suite 1B, Concord. For more infor mation, call 5240295 or visit

meal and comm union will be held at 6 p .m. April 5. Good Friday ser vice will be at noon April 6. On Easter Sunday, there will be at 6 a.m. Sunrise Ser vice at Diablo V alley Ranc h. Dress warmly and comfor tably. Refreshments will be available. The regular Easter mor ning worship will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m., with full choir and a brass quartet. Clayton V alley Presb yterian Church is at 1578 Kirk er P ass Road, Clayton. For more infor-

mation, call 672-4848. CLAYTON COMMUNITY CHURCH The c hurch in vites all to a Maundy T hursday ser vice at 7 p.m. April 5. Twenty c hurches from across the v alley will celebrate at the Comm union Service in the g ym at Diablo View Middle School. The c hurch will celebrate Easter at 9 and 10:45 a.m. April 8 at the school. For more information, call 673-9060.

What’s happening in y our place of worship? New pastor or c hoir director? Special projects? Active ministries? Send y our news of community interest to churchnews@claytonpioneer.com

10 am Sunday School & Bible Class, 11:15 am Worship

5554 Clayton Rd., Concord (in the Farm Bureau building)

www.EternalLifeLutheranChurch.org

(925) 524-0295 William Kant, Pastor

Member of WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod)

Sunday, April 8, 2007

www.EternalLifeLutheranChurch.org.

Bible-based & Christ-centered worship, education & fellowship

Seatings at 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM.

CLAYTON VALLEY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH The church will ha ve a special musical service with dramatic readings and scripture leading from “P alms to P assion” at 10:30 a.m. on P alm Sunda y, April 1. Pastor P atricia Stout, children and comm unity members will be readers as scripture and music tells the journey from the triumphant entrance into Jerusalem to the cross . The sacrament of Holy Communion will also be obser ved. A Maundy T hursday Seder

$35.99 Adults $19.95 Children Reservations required

4820 Burgundy Drive Oakley, CA

(925) 625-1123 e-mail: contact@robertaclaire.com www.robertaclaire.com

Ask about our Wedding Special

March 23, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page A15

Mushrooms add flavor, texture to recipes The lo wly m ushroom is held in high esteem in more than just culinary circles. More than 4,000 years ag o, Egyptian pharaohs adored mushrooms and con vinced themselves they ensured

Spring registration IS NOW OPEN

Classes in Clayton! The award winning music and movement program for children 0-5 and the adults who love them.

Visit MusicTogetherofConcord.com or call Julia McLeod at

925 946 2990 to arrange a free preview.

Give the Gift of Music!

Spring is here ! Want a fresh new look, new spring colors? How about a bright, new home. Re-do the dining room drapes & the table runners. Re-upholster the old sofa with fabulous new fabric for a fresh look for spring.

Spring into a new home.

Call Joanna at (925) 673-8911 Clayton Resident

LINDA WYNER

FOOD

FOR

THOUGHT

immortality. Thus, the fungi were g athered only for ro yalty and no commoner w as permitted to consume them. People in R ussia, China, Greece and Latin America believed that m ushrooms had properties that could promote super-human strength, heightened intuition and transpor t the soul to the realm of their gods. Of an estimated 1,000 edible m ushroom species , only a few dozen can be culti vated successfully. Mushrooms that live on decaying plants are easy to g row. The Chinese ha ve been raising shiitak e m ushrooms on oak logs since the 13th centur y. Straw m ushrooms are g rown on composted rice straw. The F rench beg an g rowing white mushrooms in the 1600s

and carefully guarded the secret. The quarry tunnels near Paris satisfied the burg eoning demand for mushrooms during the rule of Napoleon. Some species of mushroom, like c hanterelles and porcini, must be collected wild. Each year , I see ar ticles about mushroom hunting in the East Bay. Those stories often talk of unfortunate results of misidentification, because some m ushrooms protect themselv es b y producing defensi ve poisons . Incorrectly identifying them can lead to sw eating, cramps, diarrhea, confusion and convulsions and potentially result in liver damage or even death. It’s believed that the Roman emperors Tiberius and Claudius w ere dispatc hed with mushrooms, and other victims of mushroom poisoning include Buddha, Alexander I of Russia, Pope Clement II and King Charles V of France. Needless to sa y, it’s probably best to buy y our m ushrooms from a reputable grower or g rocer instead of hunting them yourself. Americans beg an eating mushrooms in the 1800s . Today, the button (white), crimini (brown – actually immature portobellos), portobellos, morel, oyster, shiitake and straw m ushrooms are commonly culti vated m ushrooms found on our tables . Artisan growers in Marin and Sonoma counties are just beginning to introduce new v arieties, so our mushroom palate will no doubt be expanding. Neither animal nor v eg-

School, from page A14 MT. DIABLO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Two fifth-g raders made their first ar t sales as a result of the Creekside Arts Celebration on March 2-4. Alaina Campbell, Sara Johnson and their classmates created papier-mache masks as par t of a Mardi Gras ar t project in Diahnn Goldsmith’s class. Clayton resident Ron Smits saw the masks on display at the librar y during the ar ts celebration and decided to purchase two for his collection of children’s artwork. Mt. Diablo Elementar y School will host its 7th ann ual Benefit Auction, “Hollywood Nights,” from 5 to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 21, at Centre Concord. Donations are w elcome. Thank you to “Best Picture” sponsor, IMC Integrated Insurance Services. For more infor mation about the ev ent, call Kim Lally at 6720270 or Denise Stephens at 672-8510.

“If you want to buy or sell a home in 10 years call us!” “But...if you want to buy or sell a home today, then call our Dad!”

925-673-9164 Bill Calkins

Clayton Resident & Neighbor Helping People Find Their Way Home!

Ask about our Special Programs for Buyers & Sellers

DIABLO VIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL Principal Mic helle Cooper and the staff and faculty at Diablo View applied for the Califor nia Distinguished Sc hool A ward in December. This prestigious a ward is a tr ue collaborati ve effor t between the school and community, as an active and involved parent and community group is an important part of the selection process. Cooper recently received word that the sc hool will receive a site visit from the A ward Selection Committee . This is the next ste p in

etable, mushrooms are not tr ue plants but belong to the fungi biological kingdom. The par t w e eat is the fr uiting body of a larg e underground colony of fibers. In fact, the larg est living org anism ev er found is a honey m ushroom, Armillaria osto yae. It covers 3.4 square miles of land in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon, and it’s still g rowing. In the kitc hen, mushrooms are used more lik e meats than vegetables. Because of their earthy, meaty flavor, many vegetarians use them as a meat substitute in recipes. Mushrooms pic k up other flavors in food and reinforce the taste of a dish. Dried mushrooms have a more intense f lavor than fresh, even when rehydrated for cooking. Though commonly thought to contain little nutritional value, many v arieties of mushrooms are high in fiber and protein and provide B vitamins as w ell as potassium and minerals. Although m ushrooms can be pre pared in many different ways, their f lavor is best when cooked slowly in a sauté. Since they are about 80 to 90 percent water, mushrooms will gi ve off their moisture and concentrate their f lavors when cook ed in this fashion. I lo ve the ear thiness of porcini m ushrooms, and this pasta sauce is quite simple to make.

PORCINI CREAM SAUCE 2 Tbsp. butter ½ medium onion, minced 1 shallot, minced 2 oz. dried porcini m ushrooms 1/3 c. heavy cream 3 Tbsp. Italian flat leaf parsley, minced 1 lb . fettuccini (cook ed and reserved) ¾ c. Parmesan cheese Rehydrate porcini m ushrooms. (Soak 15 min utes in 2 cups hot w ater. Strain, saving liquid.) Chop coarsely. Melt butter in larg e sauté pan. Add onion and shallot and sauté until lightly bro wned. Add porcini and sauté another 2 min utes. Add salt and pepper. Run soaking liquid through a coffee filter or c heesecloth to remove debris and add to the sauté pan. Increase heat and simmer briskly until liquid is reduced b y half . Stir in cream and simmer o ver medium heat about 2 minutes. Add cook ed fettuccini and ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese and toss to coat evenly. Pass the additional cheese tableside.

See Food, page A20

the process, and only a handful of applicants are chosen to proceed to this level. The D VMS P arent F aculty Club extends hear tfelt cong ratulations to Cooper and the D VMS staff and faculty for this hug e achievement. MT. DIABLO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT The district is offering several parent workshops. “Parenting the Gifted Child” will be presented from 9 a.m. to noon Saturda y, March 31, at Loma Vista Adult Center , 1266 San Carlos Ave., Concord. Cost is $15. A Colleg e Admissions Workshop for parents of middle school GATE students will be held 7-9 p .m. Tuesday, April 3, 2007, at Willow Creek Center , 1026 Mohr Lane , Concord. Cost is $10 or $15/couple. A Differentiation W orkshop b y Betty Holla will be 7-9 p .m. Monday, May 21, at the Willow Creek Center. For details , call 685-7340, ext. 2771. or visit www.mdusd.k12.ca.us. PIXIE PLAY SCHOOL All Pixie Pla y Sc hool alumni and friends are in vited to a dinner/auction and Cinco de Mayo celebration on May 5. The event will be 6-10 p .m. at St. Michael’s & All Ang els Churc h, 2925 Bonifacio St., Concord. Pixie Play School is a non-profit cooperati ve preschool at 1797 Ayers Road, Concord. The cost of the adult-only event is $15. For more information or reservations, call Sarah Wilcox at 689-4030.

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Page A16

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

March 23, 2007

Clayton Sports

Volleyball heats up at YMCA and CVHS DEANNA MERRIGAN Clayton Pioneer

With a new prog ram beginning at the Y in April and some new coaching at Cla yton Valley High, volleyball is a spor t that more kids and adults are finding to be a fun yet c hallenging way to keep in shape. The goal of the new YMCA Youth V olleyball League is to teach beginning and inter mediate par ticipants the fundamentals of the spor t while promoting par ticipation, fair pla y and teamwork. With the y outh prog ram starting on April 7, the v olleyball matc hes and practices are scheduled to be one hour on Saturdays at the Cla yton Community Gym. Matches are coached b y parent v olunteers and refereed by YMCA staff. In addition to the youth program, a co-ed adult prog ram starts April 19. Meanwhile, the Cla yton Valley High School men’s varsity v olleyball team is beginning their season. With a new coaching staff and only two returning senior starters, they are rebuilding but optimistic. Christian R ojas and Mark Poss are the senior captains . Kyle W eller and T aylor Willardson are tw o other seniors on the team. Lisa Hobson is the head varsity volleyball coach, in her first year of coaching at Cla yton Valley. “Christian is the setter , so he is sort of like the quarterback. He tak es passes and sets up the other guys for hits,” says Hobson. “He w as v oted allleague last year . … He is v ery fast, smart and a real team leader on the cour t.” She mentioned Mark Poss as

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

The CVHS men’s varsity volleyball team is rebuilding; the two senior captains, Mark Poss and Christian Rojas, join new coach Lisa Hobson to take the team to it’s fullest potential. another stand-out. “Mark is a middle hitter/bloc ker and will be our big gest offensi ve threat…He is also another team leader on the cour t in g ames and practice,” the coach adds. Although Mark was recovering from a sprained ankle at the very beginning of the season, Hobson said he was still a dominant force in passing and defense during the game against De La Salle on Marc h 8. Although Cla yton V alley lost that game, it was a g reat defensive battle. After the Marc h 15 g ame against Pittsburg, Mark said his injury is “almost all better”. He is expected to fully reco ver from his injur y and be a strong player for the rest of the season. The team beat Pittsburg, a nice win after 4 losses , so the team is v ery ex cited to ha ve everyone bac k and pla ying at full strength. Hobson noted that the tw o freshman players who tried out this season pla yed club v olleyball last year at the Diablo Valley Volleyball Club. In addition, some retur ning pla yers participate in the open sessions at the YMCA in Clayton. For players like Kyle Weller, the YMCA and club v olleyball are g reat ways to g et star ted in

KYLE WELLER

the spor t. He pla yed two years of club ball before joining the high school team. “All my friends were playing. I went out to one of the games, saw my friends on the team … thought I’d try it,” he says. Kyle enjo ys the teamw ork involved in v olleyball. “Everyone has to be on their game. It’s an ‘in the moment’ thing, you g otta g o for it. You must think on y our feet and it’s very fast-paced,” he explains. The CVHS v olleyball team is pre pared to do w ell this season. Hobson also coac hed the freshman girls in the fall and has a lot of volleyball pla ying experience. “I pla yed middle hitter/blocker at Clayton Valley and g raduated in 1989. I w ent to the Uni versity of the Pacific on a full v olleyball sc holarship and g raduated in 1994, ” she reports. “I still pla y competitively, both indoor and outdoor, and enjo y teac hing the g ame that I lo ve to the next g eneration of kids.” Her other coac hes are also Clayton Valley g rads. Assistant coach Ste phen Coddington graduated in 1998 and w as a setter/defensive specialist. He played on the club team at Humboldt State and no w plays

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Bocce group seeking new teams ED HARTLEY Special to the Pioneer

The Cla yton Bocce Federation (pla ying as par t of the Concord Bocce League) is accepting applications for new teams for the 2007 season. New teams will pla y at 3 p .m. Sundays at Newhall P ark in Concord. Last year, the group had 16 teams pla ying at 6 p .m. on Sundays. They are adding a second di vision in the 3 p .m. slot. The season opens on Sunday, May 20, and will end on Sept. 30. No games will be played Memorial Day or Labor Day weekends. Teams m ust ha ve a minimum of six players and a maximum of 10. Fees are $250 per

team. For more information, contact Ed Hartley at 698-4191 or claytonbocce@yahoo.com. Meanwhile, the Cla yton Bocce Federation is working to build bocce courts in Clayton. In 2005, the city approved a bocce ball complex on v acant land behind the Cla yton City Hall. The plans call for sev en courts, lighting, tables, benches, arbors, two horseshoe pits , a restroom and storag e facilities. The group is obtaining bids for construction of the courts. The process is taking long er than anticipated because an initial bid w as unacce ptably high. A second bid has been received, and the g roup is awaiting another. Once the bids are reviewed,

the Cla yton Bocce F ederation must raise the money to construct the courts. Prior to commencing constr uction, the group also m ust w ork out an operations and maintenance agreement with the city. “The Clayton Bocce Centre will be a valuable civic addition that will pro vide hundreds of people with the opportunity to play a spor t that any one can play, is non-athletic , socially engaging and, most importantly, will bring dozens of people to do wntown Cla yton ev ery Monday through T hursday during the w eek,” says Ed Hartley of the Bocce Federation.

For mor e infor mation on the status of the bocce cour ts, contact Howard Geller at 323-4913 or email claytonbocce@yahoo.com.

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Page A17

Clayton Sports Winning season for CYO 6th grade girls Roybal had some pla yers who had nev er pla yed bask etball before this season, and the

DEANNA MERRIGAN Clayton Pioneer

Coach Cath y R oybal described it as a “Cinderella story.” The sixth-g rade girls National St. Bonaventure CYO bask etball team had an exciting season as they climbed to a second-place standing in the league. After a league record of 73, the girls pla yed some tough teams in the pla yoffs. Roybal says it w as “impressi ve and intense” as the sixth-g raders gave it their all. First they took on St. Anne’s, the third-place team in the league . After a victor y on March 3, they were set to tak e on Immaculate Hear t for the championship on Marc h 4. In the end, the girls were defeated and took the second-place title. The coach noted that it was an exciting game with a “heartbreaking” loss b y only one basket in the last minute of the game.

team star ted off a little roc ky. As the season prog ressed, things w ent better and the

Front row: Madison Cogo, Katie Goodshaw, Julia Arteaga, Tomi Mostek, Assistant coach Enrique Arteaga Back row: Assistant coach Doug Kovacich, Christine Nelson, Felicia Roybal, Savannah McKillip, Kate Herling, Ashlynn Kovacich, Lauren McCarthy, Head coach Cathy Roybal.

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winning their first g ame against Immaculate Hear t and then winning the c hampionship game against Good Shepherd. Next came the Diocese playoffs, where the girls played a hard-fought g ame against St. Catherine’s. The score was tied at the end of three quar ters, and the girls held their heads high after losing in the last few minutes, 20-24. The team w orked hard together and had a g reat time on and off the cour t. The coaches taught the nine girls g reat bask etball tec hniques, from shooting to passing. They also participated in tour naments, hoop shoot competitions , sleepovers and catching St. Mary’s and Cla yton V alley bask etball games. The team g rew tog ether and had a strong suppor t system, from the coac hes to families and friends who encouraged and c heered the team on at each game.

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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

March 23, 2007

Clayton Community Calendar PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M., APRIL 4 FOR THE APRIL 13 ISSUE. FAX TO 672-6580 OR E-MAIL calendar@claytonpioneer.com EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT THROUGH APRIL 1 A Bright Room Called Day by Tony Kushner @ Diablo Valley College Set in the last days of the Germany's Weimar Republic, the play follows a group of artists and activists as they watch their country gradually descend into the Third Reich. Bright Room charts the ascension of the Nazi party through the seemingly insulated life in middle-class living rooms, illustrating what happens when intelligent people sit by idly during times of crisis. Tickets $10 - $13. Call box office at 687-4445, Diablo Valley College, Performing Arts Center, 321 Golf Club Road, Pleasant Hill. MAR. 23, 24 Diablo Ballet's 13th Anniversary Celebration @ Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek 8 p.m. World premiere of Remembering Hamlet by Viktor Kabaniaev; the Pas De Deux from George Balanchine's Stars and Stripes, Grand Pas D'Action by Nikolai Kabaniaev and Kelly Teo's Dancing Miles. Tickets are $35 and $40. Purchase online at www.DLRCA.org or call 925.943.SHOW (7469). Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94596. MAR. 24 Scrabble Club @ Carl's Jr. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Come down and play a game of Scrabble. All ages and skill levels. Prizes and contests.$2.00 to play. Club meets the second and fourth Sat. of the month. This Sat. professional players will put on exhibition, playing several players at once. Carl's Jr., 1530 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton. MAR. 24 5th Annual Brady Bunch Dinner ALS Assoc. Benefit @ Elks Lodge, Walnut Creek 6:00 p.m. Annual spaghetti dinner to benefit ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) patients and their families. DJ, win a cruise to Mexico, silent auction and raffle. Moving one step closer to curing this devastating disease - together we do make a difference. Cost is $25.00. For tickets or info call or email 925-672-7249, info@bradybunch4als.com www.bradybunch4als.com and/or www.alsabayarea.org. Elks Lodge 1475 Creekside Dr. Walnut Creek. Mar. 24 Clayton 150 Year Anniversary Guided Downtown Walking Tour 10 - 11:30 a.m. In honor of Clayton's sesquicentennial the Clayton Historical Society is hosting a monthly walking tour of downtown Clayton. See where the stagecoach stopped and where the jail stood. Meet in front of the museum at 6101 Main St. the 4th Sat. of the month from Mar. - Sept. rain or shine. Wear comfortable shoes; the tour is approximately 3/4 mile. For more information, call the Clayton Museum at 925-672-0240. MAR. 27 - MAY 8 Patty Cakes Story Time @ Clayton Community Library 11 a.m. Tuesdays. Story time for babies - 3 yr olds. No registration necessary. Child attends with caregiver. 673-0659. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton. MAR. 27 The Art of Retirement Classes @ Loma Vista Adult Center 7 - 9 p.m. The course is five weeks in length and costs just $18 for people 55-plus. Topics include what is Retirement, who retires and when, how Social Security works, finances, and how to keep the money you've got. Call (925) 937-1530 for registration information. For more information on the class, please call instructor George Fulmore at (925) 686-6916. Loma Vista Adult Center, located at 1266 San Carlos Ave., Concord. MAR. 28 Traveling through Musical History class @ Diamond Terrace 11:45a.m. Stephanie Luedtke from the Mt. Diablo Adult Education will be here to present a program on the history and origin of music through the centuries. There will be a lecture, music and discussion. All are welcome to attend. Diamond Terrace Retirement Community, 6401 Center Street, Clayton.

work has won numerous awards in both California and Oregon. Gallery Concord, 1765 Galindo St, Concord. Fri. - Sun. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. 925-6916140. This exhibits runs through June 24. Free parking is available off Clayton Road behind the gallery. Please join us for what is going to be a very special event. APR. 1 Annual Clayton Easter Egg Hunt and BBQ @ Clayton YMCA field 12 - 2 p.m. This is a free event open to the community for kids Pre K thru 3rd grade. There will be an Easter egg hunt, BBQ, raffle, inflatable bounce house and other fun games. The Easter Bunny may be present for pictures too - come out and see (rain or shine). Call the YMCA for information at 889-1660. APRIL 7TH Plant Sale @ Markham Garden Center 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Available now, a large selection of California natives and named varieties of daylilies 1 gallon pots $4.00, 4" pots $2.00. Markham has gift certificates available for purchase. Markham arboretum and nature center 1202 La Vista Ave., Concord (925) 681-2968 markham.arboretum@gmail.com

CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS MAR. 22 League of Women Voters Meeting @ Ygnacio Valley Library 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. The speaker is Steve Weir, County Clerk, who will discuss the effects of changing the date of the primary and the future of mail-only elections. Weir will be available to answer your questions. Call (925) 9381481 for directions. For further information or for carpooling please call the League office at (925) 283-2235. Ygnacio Valley Library, 2661 Oak Grove Rd, Walnut Creek. MAR. 22, 29 Rotary Club of Clayton Valley Concord Sunrise @ Oakhurst 7 a.m. Meets every Thurs. for breakfast and usually features a speaker. www. claytonvalleyrotary.org Chuck Graham 689-7640. Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Drive, Clayton. MAR. 22, 29 Weights Watchers Weekly Meeting @ Contra Costa Farm Bureau 10 a.m.and 5:30 p.m. Weekly Weight Watchers weigh-in and meetings on Thurs. 800-326-8450 x 2023. Contra Costa Farm Bureau, 5554 Clayton Rd., Concord. MAR. 25, APR. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting @ Clayton Community Church 7 - 8 p.m. AA Big Book Study, every Sunday night in the meeting room at Clayton Community Church, 6055 Main Street, Clayton, 673-9060. MAR. 26 Clayton Branch American Association of University Women (AAUW) 7:30 p.m. Meeting topic is how to ask for what you want. More information, call Sheila Driscoll at 672-7947. Diamond Terrace 6401 Center St. Clayton MAR. 27 Kiwanis Club of Walnut Creek 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Meetings every Tues. All are invited to check us out and be our guest for lunch. Massimo’s Ristorante, 1604 Locust St., Walnut Creek. For more information call Sam Totah, 941-1536. MAR. 27 Clayton Valley Woman's Club @ Holy Cross Lutheran Church 9:30 a.m. Regular monthly business meeting starts with coffee; the meeting begins at 10 a.m. CVWC is a non-profit, non-denominational service organization that is open to all women interested in charitable work in the Clayton Valley community. Meetings are held on the second and fourth Tues. of the month. For more information, please call Joyce at 672-3850 or Sheila at 672-7947. Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1092 Alberta Way, Concord.

APR. 5 Sons in Retirement Meeting (SIRS) @ Oakhurst Country Club 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Meetings are the first Thurs. of the month. SIRs is dedicated to promoting the independence and dignity of retired men and has no initiation fees or dues. The only requirement, other than being a man who is retired from his primary employment or career, is attendance at the monthly luncheons. Meetings are the first Thurs. of the month. For more information about joining SIRs, Branch 19, call Al Brunner at 687-0594. Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Drive, Clayton. Apr. 8 Concord Mystery Book Club @ Concord Library 2:30 - 4 p.m. All mystery readers are invited to participate and explore a different genre each month. Group meets the second Sun. of the month. Concord Library, 2900 Salvio Street, Concord, 646-5455. APR. 9 Stroke Support Group @ John Muir Concord Campus 7 - 9 p.m. For more information, contact Ann Dzuna at 925-376-6218. Meetings are free and open to the public. John Muir Medical Center, 1601 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek.. APR. 9 Clayton Valley 4-H Club @ Farm Bureau Hall 7:15 p.m. 4-H is open to youth ages 5 - 19 and adults. Projects in small and large animals, leadership, community service, 4-H camp, conferences and fairs. Learn new skills including cooking, photography, arts/crafts etc. Contact Candy Hogan at 925- 969-1325 for more information. Meetings held on the second Mon. of the month Sept. - June. Farm Bureau Hall, 5554 Clayton Rd. Concord. APR. 11 Meeting of the Creekside Artists @ Clayton Community Library 7p.m. Join this unique group of eclectic artists that meet the 2nd Wednesday of each month. If you like, bring your artwork for review...all levels and all artforms are welcome! "We provide an environment for all artists to inspire, create, educate and prosper." Questions? Arlene KikkawaNielsen (925) 673-9777or akikkawa@ccclib.org. APR. 11 Clayton Valley Garden Club @ Diamond Terrace 7 p.m. The Clayton Valley Garden Club meets the second Wed. of the month. The Club maintains the flowers on Daffodil Hill, the planters on Main and Center Streets, and the raised garden beds at the Library, and other civic projects. Anyone interested in gardening is welcome at our meetings. Call Jeff at 672-7579 or Barry at 827-9540 for information. Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center Street, Clayton.

BUSINESS & GOVERNMENT MAR. 27, APR. 3, 10, 17, 24 Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Meeting @ County Administration Building 9 a.m. County Board of Supervisors holds regular weekly meetings Tues. mornings. Open to the public. www.co.contra-costa.ca.us 335-1900. County Administration Building, 651 Pine Street, Room 107, Martinez. MAR. 27, APR. 10, 24 Planning Commission Meeting @ Clayton Community Library 7p.m. City of Clayton Planning Commission meets 2nd and 4th Tues. of month. Open to the public. www.ci.clayton.ca.us 673-7304, Clayton Library Community Room, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton. MAR. 29 CBCA (Clayton Business & Community Association) Meeting @ Oakhurst 6:30 p.m. Monthly dinner meeting, last non-holiday Thurs. of the month. Reservations due by Tuesday noon prior, 672-2272. Mike Fossan, President. Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Drive, Clayton. APR. 3, 17 Clayton City Council Meeting @ Clayton Community Library 6 p.m. City Council meets on the first and third Tues. of the month. Open to the public. Agendas posted at City Hall, 6000 Heritage Trail. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Rd., Clayton.

MAR. 29 7th Annual Bookies Award Dinner @ Lafayette Park Hotel 6 p.m. No host reception, 6:45 p.m. dinner. A celebration of books and the people who love them, the book awards dinner benefits Project Second Chance, the Contra Costa County Library's adult literacy program. This year's special guest author is Lolly Winston, author of NY Times bestsellers "Good Grief," and "Happiness Sold Separately." Tickets are $50 and include admission, dinner, dessert and Rosenblum Cellars wines. Tickets are on sale at Fremont Bank, 1735 N. Bdwy., Walnut Creek, or by calling 510-7235810. Silent auction. After party coffee at Lafayette Book Store with 20% of all book sale proceeds being donated to Project Second Chance. Lafayette Park Hotel, 3287 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette.

MAR. 28 Blue Star Mom Meeting in Concord 6:30 p.m. Small group Blue Star Mom meetings held the fourth Wed. of each month. Blue Star Moms is a support and service group for those serving in all branches of the Armed Forces. 1792 Elmhurst Lane, Concord. Call 676-3654 for information.

MAR. 29 - MAY 3 Picture Book Time @ Clayton Community Library 11 a.m. Thursdays. Story time for 3 - 5 yr olds. Child may attend without caregiver. No registration necessary. 673-0659. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton.

APR. 3 Knights of Columbus @ St. Agnes Church Hall 7:30 p.m. General membership meeting of the Knights of Columbus Concord Council 6038 of Concord and Clayton is the first Tues. of the month. We look forward to seeing our brother Knights there. St. Agnes Church, 3478 Chestnut Street, Concord.

APR. 5 Parent Faculty Club Meeting @Clayton Valley High School 7:00 p.m. If you show your child that you care about their school, your child will care too. Together we can make a difference! The meeting will be held in the school library. Clayton Valley High School, 1101 Alberta Way, Concord.

MARCH 31 Spring Renditions Art Show Reception @ Gallery Concord 1 - 3 p.m. Live music will be provided by keyboardist, Jim Hudak. Featured Member Artist this quarter will be CWA President, Sue Johnston and invited Guest Artist, Simone Archer. The Gallery will also have a retrospective of watercolors and pen and ink work by former Clayton Valley High School art teacher, Jim Enemark. Jim Enemark is a well-known bay area artist. His

APR. 4 Hearing Loss Assoc. of America @ Walnut Creek Methodist Church 7:30 p.m. We meet on the first Wed. of the month. Contact Bob at shhhbob@sbcglobal.net with questions. Walnut Creek Methodist Church, Education Building in the rear parking lot at 1543 Sunnyvale Avenue, Walnut Creek.

Apr. 17 Parent Faculty Club Meeting @ Diablo View Middle School 9 a.m. Meeting to be held in the Community Room of the gym. All parents welcome. Diablo View Middle School, 300 Diablo View Lane, Clayton.

APR. 1 Knitting Club @ Concord Library 2 - 4 p.m. Have you noticed that knitting is all the rage? Join the group and get creative. Club meets the first Sun. of the month. 646-5455, Concord Library, 2900 Salvio Street, Concord.

APR. 12 Clayton Community Services Commission Meeting @ City Hall 7 p.m. City of Clayton Community Services Commission meets 2nd Thurs. of month. Open to the public. www.ci.clayton.ca.us 673-7304, Clayton City Hall Conference Room, 6000 Heritage Trail, Clayton.

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION

“HomEquity was a great choice!” “Over the years, Greg Farrand of HomEquity has done several refi’s for us, sold our home and secured the financing for our new home. Greg has truly been a tremendous resource! His communication, follow up and negotiation skills place him at the top of his profession. HomEquity’ s commitment, integrity and genuine care make them a pleasure to work with. Best of all, they saved us $9,487 on the sale of our home!”

- Dave Shuey,

Buyer, Seller, Refi client, Clayton

We do it all to help you. . .

⌧ Sell your home ⌧ Find you a new home ⌧ Find you the best new mortgage Greg Farrand, resident/Broker

5354 Clayton Rd, Suites B1 & B2, Concord phone: (925) 673-9737 fax: (925) 798-2100

email: email: gfarrand@homequity.us gfarrand@homequity.us www.homequity.us www.homequity.us

March 23, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com contact

Ted Sudderth

Page A19

At the Movies

for a free loan evaluation

(925) 672-5363

Strong acting tells important story with ‘Grace’

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JEANNA ROSS

AT THE MOVIES Starring a slew of British talents and confronting a controversial time in British histor y, “Amazing Grace” presents a story that applies to us all. The protag onist is unfamiliar to most, but his efforts saved the lives of millions and eventually caused war on our own soil. “Amazing Grace” is the (almost) true stor y of the emancipation of Great Britain ’s millions of African sla ves through the efforts of William Wilberforce. As Wilberforce , Ioan Gruffudd is bac k in his rightful 18th centur y costume after a four-year hiatus from BBC’ s “Horatio Hor nblower.” Spanning decades b y means of weight g ain, costumes and makeup, he alter nates betw een the vig orous MP who , in the paraphrased words of his friend Pitt the Younger, is too young to know that some things are

impossible and the ailing w arrior whose battles ha ve tak en their toll on both body and soul. Gruffudd is aided in his endeavors by a crack cast of Blist British actors , including another fa vorite R ufus Sew ell, Michael Gambon of “Harry Potter,” Albert Finney of “Annie,” Stephen Campbell Moore of “The Histor y Boys,” Toby Jones of “Infamous,” and the list g oes on. There isn ’t a weak link in the c hain, regardless of the size of the role. With “Coal Miner’ s Daughter” and “Nell,” director Michael Apted has made a name by telling slow, careful stories of people persev ering despite the odds, yet this may be his tour de force. There are clunk y moments , but they are easily overlooked in the scope of the stor y. Expository infor mation could be better integrated – some conversations w ere ob viously included so we could hear backstory without m uch per tinence to the present moment. The title song, written by a for mer slave trader who found God and gave up his profession to become a monk, is deli vered twice at full volume just to remind us wh y the film w as titled, when a simple allusion would have sufficed. Wilberforce’s religious fervor – which almost replaced his

Ioan Gruffudd and Romola Garai in Amazing Grace political career in early da ys – disappears except for the occasional contemplation of spider webs (probably to avoid alienating the non-Christian audience). The inherent violence of such a story is handled artistically rather than literally . People speak of things they witnessed and read accounts aloud. We see the inside of an empty sla ve ship and dra w our o wn mental pictures. I used Stev en Spielberg’s “ Amistad” for m y visuals, but for any one without such references, it might be too cryptic. Despite its hea vy content, this serious tale also offers jo y. Wilber’s verbal sparring with his fellow, older members of the

House of Commons contin ues at home as his friends and lo ve interest (winningly played by the gorgeous R omola Garai) provide ample witty commentar y on Wilber’s eccentric actions. Simply put, “Amazing Grace” is a stor y of a peaceful man who stood his g round, fought for what he believ ed in and ev entually o vercame opposition in the name of the greater good. Perhaps it’s something we need to consider in these times of war, destruction and fear. Jeanna Ross is an Eng lish teacher at Clayton V alley High School and a fr ee lance writer . She regularly contributes to the Pioneer . Send comments to her at movies@claytonpioneer.com.

‘Ghost Rider’ a visual ride “Ghost Rider” has the excitement of the extraordinary, but when J ohnny Blaze transitions to his flaming alter-ego, he loses m uch of the hear t that helps us root for memorable heroes. I guess y ou can’t expect much more from a skeletal rider of the night. The transfer from comic book to screen has w orked well for various defenders of justice and superheroes , such as Batman, Spiderman and Superman. In this adaptation from Mar vel Comics, Blaze has a serene life , with a sw eet girlfriend and a motorcycle act with his father . However, his father has cancer and Johnny unknowingly makes a deal with the devil to heal him. The deal proves to be a trick (What can y ou expect from the devil?) and J ohnny is bound to the man of evil. The devil obviously finds it useful to ha ve human souls , because when he needs to kill his seditious son, the devil transfor ms J ohnny into the Ghost Rider to do his dirty work. The beginning set up high

hopes with the introduction of the devil, a being w orthy of hate, intrigue and big-budg et battles. But o verall, the villains are superficially wic ked, with evil banter that might as w ell have been sur rounded b y speech bubbles. Ghost Rider , played b y

Nicholas Cage as the Ghost Rider.

NATALIE BUDESA

THE

MOVIES

munching mo viegoers, could relate to the hero. I didn’t know whether Ghost Rider was out to help the devil, save the innocent or strik e action poses off the tops of skyscrapers. Then ag ain, we’re talking about Ghost Rider here . He may be lac king in the “man” side of a hero, but there is more a f laming skeleton on a motorcycle can offer . “Ghost Rider” has plenty of action, effects and black leather to sufficiently entertain. Just don ’t expect much more to linger. Natalie Budesa is 15 y ears old and a sophomor e at CVHS . She aspires to a car eer as a cinemato grapher. Send y our comments to movies@claytonpioneer.com

OUT-OF-STATE REAL ESTATE INVESTING

Richard A. Littorno Rives & Littorno, Attorneys At Law “The planning solutions are here.”

Nicolas Cag e, certainly has a score to settle , since the devil happened to screw up J ohnny’s life. Instead, the devil’s son and a gang of ghastly bad guys occupy the Ghost Rider’ s time . These enemies w ere a do wngrade, especially when Ghost Rider does face the devil after the climax, almost as an afterthought. As R oxanne, the lo ve interest, Eva Mendes does what she can to be bubbly and remind us that a par t of Ghost Rider’ s coolness in volves c hicks. It’s questionable wh y she w ould hang onto a transforming-skeleton, but they w ere teenag e sweethearts – a relationship quite suitable for a comic book. The scenario ma y seem too ideal, but it w orks onscreen to help por tray the g ood life Johnny Blaze had before he became Ghost Rider. In the end, the audience is left unsure of what to mak e of the Ghost Rider. Sure, his powers ha ve the capacity for g reatness, but that g reatness w ould be more memorable if humans, even thrill-seeking, popcorn-

Since 1979

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“Exit Strategies – How do I take advantage of my equity” By: When: Where:

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2211 Railroad Ave. Pittsburg, CA 94565 Phone: (925) 432-4211 Fax: (925) 432-3516

Registration: Cost:

Nationwide Real Estate Investments (NWREI) Wed., March 28th, 2007 – 6:30 to 8:30 pm Heald College Conference Center 5130 Commercial Circle, Concord, Ca 94520 Directions can be found at NWREI.net RSVP online at www.NWREI.net or call 925-777-1920 – Seating is limited Free – Sandwiches and refreshments will be served.

Description: “Investment Exit S trategies” — David

Waal of Presidio Exchange Advisors will explain “Tenant-In-Common Investments” (TIC) and how this investment vehicle can be a profitable and wise “Exit Strategy” for any real estate investor. TIC Investments are a powerful investment tool to retain an investor ’s appreciation position, take advantage of deferred capital gains while receiving a healthy monthly income. Nancy Douglas, Esq. with Old Republic Title, a 1031 exchange expert will review the 1031 process and the benefits. We will have a custom home builder presenting the “T ri-County” area of Mississippi and explain the advantages of buying in this market. We will also be rolling out our “Builder Direct Program.” This workshop is packed full of secrets of the wealthy — you won’ t want to miss this one!

Page A20

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Club News joined the P eace Cor ps in El Salvador. The interactions Holder had with the people there and later in Guatemala inspired her to fur ther her education in teac hing English as a second languag e to adults . Her speech about the trials and tribulations of a P eace Cor p worker w as enter taining and informative.

Photo by Barry Hart

Rosemary Harwood, Diana Bauer and Jeff Glassauer staffed the kitchen for the AAUW Spaghetti Feed.

AAUW The Cla yton Branc h of the AAUW held its first Spaghetti Feed at Endea vor Hall on March 7. More than 130 people came to enjo y the delicious meal, which included spaghetti, salad, garlic bread and a selection of homemade desserts. The money raised at the event will be used to send a young w oman to T ech T rek, a math and science summer camp for junior high girls, and to fund a sc holarship for a Cla yton Valley High School senior. The club thanks the local merchants for their g enerous donations and looks forw ard to seeing everyone again next year. The Clayton and Concord AAUW branches held their annual Education F oundation

luncheon on F eb. 24 at the Brookview Clubhouse . The AAUW Education F oundation provides educational opportunities and equity for w omen and girls through researc h and support of fellowship and g rants programs, including International F ellowships, American F ellowships, Selected Professions F ellowships, and Research and Projects Grants. This year , the speak er w as Diana Holder . She is studying for a master’ s in English and is the recipient of the R oseann Krane Cla yton Branc h Endowment. This is a Career Development Grant which supports recipients in their graduate studies. Holder ear ned a bac helor’s degree in political science , then

Food, from page A15

Antioch

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Listed for: $649,000

Call me

voicemail: 925.975.5255 residence: 925.672.0541 email: granyflany@hotmail.com

acryllic, fiberglass, gels, pink & whites more than 20 years experience

The Clayton Pioneer’s “Music Notes” columnist

Clayton’s own

Jim Hudak Pianist and Composer Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

Lenka Glassner will demonstrate Czech egg decorating at CV Woman’s Club meeting, Mar. 27.

will open our minds to what w e want for ourselves in our lives. The meeting is at Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center St., Clayton. Refreshments will be served. For more infor mation, call Sheila Driscoll at 672-7947.

*Smoked paprika fr om Spain or Portugal is a vailable at specialty food stores. Hungarian paprika can be substituted.

Linda Wyner is an accomplished chef and “foodie.” She r ecently opened her kitchen store in Pleasanton and the cooking school will open soon. W atch the Pioneer for details. Direct y our sug gestions or questions to lwyner@claytonpioneer.com

Gorgeous home & better than new! 3 Bedrooms, 2 baths. There are so many homes out there to look at right now. What makes this one special is that the sellers have maintained this home perfectly. Beautiful laminate floors & new wall to wall carpeting. Freshly painted inside & out & new window treatments. Peaceful surroundings & quiet neighborhood. Walk to all schools K-12.

Built in 2004 with upgrades galore. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. Plush Carpets. Gourmet kitchen with Granite & stainless steel appliances. Formal living and dining rooms & family room with gas fireplace. Great layout, sunny open floor plan. Simply Lovely & Shows Beautifully!

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Contra Costa Republican Women The Contra Costa Republican W omen Ann ual Conference is set for F riday, April 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Oakhurst Countr y Club. Speakers include Dr. History (of Hot Talk 560 KSFO Radio) and former Clayton Mayor Pete Laurence. Conference fee of $35 includes lunch. Make checks payable to CFR W-ND6 and

Realtor

New clients only. Expires 4/13/07

Independently owned and operated

t Intero, we begin and end each day with one goal: to provide our clients with the finest customer service available in real estate. Every Intero real estate professional is guided by principles of trust, respect and integrity.

her family originated. Guests are in vited to attend this special social ev ent, which begins with coffee at 9:30 a.m. at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, corner of Alberta W ay and Ygnacio Valley Road, Concord.

$10 off new set $5 off fills

serve warm or at room temperature.

Preheat o ven to 450. Toss mushrooms in olive oil and season with salt and pe pper. Arrange in a single la yer in a low-sided baking dish or cookie sheet. Roast until juices ha ve been released, about 12-15 minutes. Remove m ushrooms and place in a bo wl. Toss in spices and garlic. Return to the oven to roast another 5 minutes. Toss with lemon juice and

Patty Flannery

individualized nail care

CLAYTON VALLEY WOMEN’S CLUB “The Ar t of Egg Decorating,” featuring Lenka Glassner, will be the topic of the social meeting of the Clayton V alley W omen’s Club on Tuesday, March 27. Glassner is from the Czec h Republic and lear ned the Kraslice style from her mother , who lear ned from her mother . She uses the etc hing tec hnique of the Mora vian region, where

Diana Holder (left) received the Roseann Krane Clayton Branch Endowment from the AAUW. Also shown are Roseann Krane and Joan Chesterman, the Clayton Branch Education Foundation cochair.

Oven-roasted m ushrooms with spices mak e an ex cellent side dish. OVEN-ROASTED MUSHROOMS 1 lb. white mushrooms 2 Tbsp. olive oil Salt and pepper 1 clove garlic, minced ¼ tsp. ground cumin ½ tsp. smoked paprika* ¼ tsp. cinnamon ? tsp. nutmeg Juice of one-half lemon

The Clayton Branch of the AAUW invites the public to a fun and infor mative meeting, “How to Ask for W hat Y ou Want,” at 7:30 p.m. March 26. Karen Leff ler, a Toastmasters Inter national member and a speec h coach, is the featured speaker. She promises a stim ulating meeting that

March 23, 2007

Broker/Owner

Recipient of Intero’s Chairman Circle Award 22 year resident of Clayton

www.CallTheVanFleetTeam.com

mail to 735 Winterside Circle , San Ramon CA 94583. Come and lear n about cur rent issues from our non-profit political organization. For more infor mation, call 925-519-8753 or Email jngcabot@pacbell.net.

For bookings and performances:

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

Call Or Write:

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

March 23, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page A21

Take a hike or take the train at Tilden P ark

KEVIN PARKER

HIKER’S HAVEN When Mother Nature throws a cur ve ball and cold and rainy Marc h after noons suddenly transfor m into midsummer for m with temperatures in the 80s, I head into the great outdoors. Let me think for a second, should I sta y local or pac k up the car and v enture into unexplored ter ritory? OK, I’ve g ot it. With map in hand and the

Kids get up close and personal with the animals at Little Farm.

sun g ently spreading ra ys of warmth on a beautiful Sunda y afternoon, a shor t dri ve to Tilden R egional P ark w as the destination of choice. In case you ha ven’t noticed, long solo trail hik es ha ve slo wly gi ven way to family outings that require a bit more g ear and patience, but just as m uch if not more enjoyment. Our first stop w as at the Steam Trains. The only w ay to get there is via Grizzly P eak Boulevard, which ser ves up fantastic views of San Francisco, Berkeley, the Golden Gate Bridg e and a horizon that seemed to nev er end. Bicyclists frequent this stretch of road and, quite honestly, if you sa w nothing else the entire day, you would most likely be satisfied with the vista points from any n umbers of turnouts along the road. However, with enough Thomas the Tank Engine paraphernalia to fill the tr unk of any car, the Steam Trains were also a sure bet. At $2 per ticket (children under 2 are free), it was a barg ain, and the ride along the scenic ridg e was better than I expected. It took just under an hour to see the entire area – including a picnic area, plenty of parking and a small gathering of train aficionados working their magic on a multitude of trains. We contin ued on Grizzly Peak and ended up at the Environmental Education Center (EEC) and Little F arm, both in Lo wer Tilden Nature Area. If you came for education, this stop is sure to please the most curious of individuals, even 2-year-olds. Little F arm is just that, a

Photos by Kevin Parker

CHILDREN

RIDE FREE

for a one hour trip around the park on Steam Train Engine No 9

small w orking far m home to animals such as cows, roosters, sheep, ducks, geese and ev en a few goats. This is a g reat interactive experience for the kids , who are able to feed lettuce or celery to the animals from a close distance . (Tip: Bring lettuce or celery.) I also sug gest spending some time inside EEC , which provides infor mation on Tilden’s plants and animals , history and nature prog rams. Both facilities are open year round. The Tilden Nature Area is a great location for a modest amount of hiking on trails that can take you to places suc h as: Jewel Lak e (tr y the P ackrat

Trail) and the Wildcat Cany on Park Boundar y (via Wildcat Creek T rail). Whether I’m looking for secluded singletrack hiking trails or stroller friendly paved ones, I will definitely be making a retur n visit to this area. I have been driving past this park for years , and I had no idea that Tilden R egional Park and Tilden Nature Area ha ve so m uch to offer . Other highlights I will be retur ning to explore include: Lake Anza for fishing and g reat summer swimming, the Brazilian Room for w eddings and rece ptions, Horse Camp for equestrian camping, Tilden P ark Golf Course, Inspiration P oint for

great views , the Hersc hellSpillman antique mer ry-goround, the Botanical Garden and some of the area’ s most excellent hiking trails (Nimitz Way, Skyline National Trail and Bay Area Ridge Trail). Summer is not officially here yet, but this is Califor nia, so g rab a map , a picnic lunc h and a plan that includes no particular place to g o. I can assure you Tilden will ex ceed y our expectations and y ou’ll realize this park has something to offer for everyone. Enjoy yourself. For more information on this hike or other outdoor experiences , contact Ke vin at hiker@claytonpioneer.com.

TILDEN REGIONAL PARK AND NATURE AREA

Directions: Highway 24 to Fish Ranch Road, right on Grizzly Peak Boulevard Entrance Points: Lomas Cantadas, South Park Drive, Golf Course Road, Shasta Road Highlights: Lower Tilden Nature Area Trails, Little Farm, S team Trains, Lake Anza When to go: Year-round Factoid: One of East Bay Park’ s three oldest parks More Info: (510) 562PARK or www.ebparks.org

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3 Bedrooms, 1 Baths, 1,020 SF Nicely Remodeled Bath, Bonus Florida Room for Added Living Space, Wood Burning Fireplace, Extra Large Private Lot with New Fencing, Storage Shed and Garden, Eat In Kitchen, Central Heat and Air, Alarm System, 2 Car Garage with Laundry,

4 Bedroom,2.5 Bath with 2,000 sq.ft. New kitchen with stone floors, granite counter tops and stainless appliances. Tile roof, dog run, 2 car garage, and a lovely patio….Don’t Miss This One!

2 Bedroom, 1.5 Bath, 1,088 SF, Wood Burning Fireplace, New Paint Inside, New Kitchen w/Wood Floors, Appliances Stay, New Carpet, Covered Patio, Alarm System, Warranty, Two Story, View of Pool, Won’t last at This Price!

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Gorgeous updated home, 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 1,219 SF, All New Kitchen Including All Appliances, Dual Pane Windows, Family Room With Fireplace, Landscaped Front and Back Yards, 2 Gar Garage, Washier and Dryer Included.

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4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Bath, 2,243 SF. This home has it all. From Beautiful Marble Entry to the Tranquil Gardens, This Home is perfect for Entertaining, Includes Formal Dining and Living Areas, Gourmet Kitchen, New Lighting thou-out, Surround Sound, Located in Pleasant Hill School District.

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Page A22

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

March 23, 2007

georgevujnovich.com

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Exquisite “Belvedere” model on pr emium view lot! nestled in a quiet court. Decorator ’s showplace features 5

bedrooms plus a den, 3.5 baths, approx. 4,100sq ft & rare 4-car garage. Downstairs bedroom with full bath. Extensively upgraded throughout featuring 16” tile floors, custom window treatments, ornate lighting fixtures, designer paint, central vacuum & extensive closet or ganizer systems. Gracious living room with fireplace & dramatic formal dining room. Chef ’s dream gourmet kitchen offers commercial grade appliances, granite tile counters & island, maple cabinetry & spacious pantry. Enormous great room with impressive two-way granite tile fireplace & walk around bar . Lavish master suite boasts a large “Trex” deck balcony offing sensational views! Remarkable private oasis lot backs to open space with Mt. Diablo, canyon & ridgeline views & features a spectacular freeform pool with raised spa boasting a stacked stone backdrop featuring a cascading waterfall, custom outdoor kitchen & lush $1,495,000 professional landscape.

at the end of a quiet court with views of hills, open space & city lights! 4 bedrooms, plus upgraded loft, 2.5 baths, approx. 3,162sf, 2 fireplaces & 3 car garage! Upgrades include: laminate wood, tile & carpet floors, dramatic light fixtures, thick baseboards & designer paint colors & cabinet treatments. Gorgeous gourmet kitchen features slab granite counters, breakfast bar & center island. Separate formal dining room with upgraded columns. Huge master suite with fireplace & jetted tub! Professionally landscaped lot features an exposed aggregate patio, nice lush lawn area, many trees & colorful flowers. $899,000 IRONWOOD/WINDMILL CANYON AT OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB!

Great “Balustrol” model! 4 bedrooms plus a den/office, 2.5 baths, approx. 2,355sf, inside laundry & oversized 2 car garage. Tiled entry features soaring ceiling. Sunken living room & formal dining room with upgraded carpet. Gourmet kitchen featuring upgraded maple cabinets, pantry, tile counters, island, & floors. Family room of fers a cozy fireplace, media alcove, high ceiling with upgraded ceiling fan. Spacious master suite features a walk-in closet, separate tub, shower & tile floors. Professionally landscaped lot of fers a cement aggregate patio & large lawn area. $775,000

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Absolutely Fabulous “Doral” model! 4 bedrooms, plus a downstairs den &

upstairs loft, 3 baths, approx. 2,854sf, inside laundry & 2 car garage. Convenient first floor bedroom & full bath. Upgraded gleaming hardwood floor entry extends into living & dining room featuring a soaring ceiling, wall of windows & French doors to rear yard with views of hills. Awesome gourmet kitchen boasts 18” tile floors, corian counters & large center island with pendant lighting, all stainless steel appliances including sub-zero & wine fridge, raised panel maple cabinets & pantry with frosted door. Big family room with fireplace & custom maple built-ins & media storage. Spacious master suite with ‘T rex” deck balcony of fering views of hills-mountain range-valley & city lights! Lavish master bath boasts extensive use of gorgeous travertine: 12” tile floors, shower, jetted tub surround, counters with dual sinks, curved vanity & 2 walk-in closets! Great professionally landscaped lot features an aggregate trimmed patio, large lush lawn area, lots of trees, flowers, ornamentals & views. $899,000 EAGLE PEAK AT OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB!

Fantastic “McKinley” model!

on a prime view lot overlooking hills, city , valley & beyond! 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, approx. 3,005sf, 2 fireplaces & 3 car garage. Desirable downstairs bedroom & full bath. Gourmet slab granite kitchen, spacious family room with brick fireplace. Gracious master suite offers a twoway fireplace & sitting area with sweeping views. Private lot features a deck great for entertaining.

$939,000

BLACK DIAMOND AT OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB!

ING D N PE

Sharp “Summit” model! nestled at the end of a quiet court. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, approx. 1,991sf, inside laundry & 2 car garage. Extended tile entry . Living room features and upgraded double sided marble slab fireplace, soaring ceiling & neutral carpet. Formal dining area with upgraded chandelier & neutral carpet. Kitchen features tile counters & island, oak cabinets, laminate wood floors that extend into family room. Spacious master suite features a cozy bay window sitting area. Backyard features a trellis covered deck, side yard with brick $619,000 trimmed raised patio & lush mature landscape.

Mortgage Market Update Conforming $417,000 or less

Jumbo $417,001 and up

30 year, fixed for 3 . . . . . . .5.875% 30 year, fixed for 5 . . . . . . .5.875% 30 year, fixed for 7 . . . . . . .5.875% 30 year, fixed for 10 . . . . . . . .6.0% 15 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.875% 30 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.125%

30 year, fixed for 3 . . . . . . .5.875% 30 year, fixed for 5 . . . . . . .5.875% 30 year, fixed for 7 . . . . . . .6.125% 30 year, fixed for 10 . . . . . .6.125% 15 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.875% 30 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.25%

Clayton Market Update Provided by George Vujnovich of Better Homes Realty ADDRESS 317 Windmill Canyon Pl 602 Julpun Loop 254 Stranahan Cir 8 Goethals Court 208 Mountaire Parkway 5833 Pine Hollow Road 1124 Peacock Creek Dr 19 Clark Creek Circle 596 Mt. Dell Drive 100 Gold Rush Court 32 Nottingham Circle 407 Grenache Circle 1342 El Camino Drive 5472 Tara Drive 236 Stranahan Circle 1287 Shell Lane 7 Mt. Wilson Way 115 La Encinal Ct 11 Mt. McKinley Ct 501 Condor Place 1043 Kenston Drive 5475 Tara Drive 1056 Pebble Beach Drive 158 Regency Drive 1337 Shell Lane 15715 Marsh Creek Road 1445 Yosemite Circle 1114Oakwood Circle 1541 Haviland Pl 4405 Coyote Cir 7024 Molluk Way 3105 Windmill Canyon Dr 9001 Elk Drive 1880 Eagle Peak Ave 120 Mt. Etna Dr 5227 Keller Ridge Drive 1743 Indian Wells Way 608 Julpun Loop 1735 Indian Wells Way 3305 Coyote Circle 380 Blue Oak Lane 1848 Eagle Peak Ave

PRICE $695,000 $610,000 $590,000 $1,169,000 $750,000 $565,000 $1,069,000 $440,000 $575,000 $600,000 $696,360 $765,000 $685,000 $600,000 $599,000 $503,000 $475,000 $895,000 $760,000 $515,000 $805,000 $460,000 $1,125,000 $700,000 $519,000 $1,447,600 $690,000 $1,850,000 $472,000 $430,000 $650,000 $670,000 $745,000 $775,000 $495,000 $860,000 $611,000 $605,000 $599,000 $465,000 $950,000 $787,000

SALE DATE

3/14/07 3/09/07 3/09/07 3/08/07 3/05/07 2/28/07 2/27/07 2/27/07 2/27/07 2/23/07 2/22/07 2/21/07 2/16/07 2/16/07 2/15/07 2/09/07 2/08/07 1/31/07 1/24/07 1/24/07 1/19/07 1/11/07 1/10/07 1/04/07 1/02/07 12/29/06 12/29/06 12/28/06 12/22/06 12/20/06 12/15/06 12/14/06 12/06/06 12/05/06 11/28/06 11/28/06 11/28/06 11/28/06 11/17/06 11/09/06 11/08/06 11/08/06

2,053 1,939 1,650 3,069 2,325 1,450 3,307 1,113 1,926 1,597 2,088 2,052 2,325 1,739 1,650 1,367 1,378 2,428 1,981 1,595 1,800 1,313 3,620 2,032 1,355 4,125 2,493 3,840 1,256 1,026 1,816 1,816 2,237 2,467 1,627 2,843 1,749 1,749 1,749 1,252 3,008 2,313

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