MAY 07 Clayton Pioneer 2004

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IT’S YOUR PAPER www.claytonpioneer.com

May 7, 2004

925.672.0500

Sun shines on Art and Wine The sun shines not on us but in us.

-John Muir

From the Editor Happy birthday to us! The new Clayton Pioneer is one year old! Our first issue came out on May 9, 2003 and our front page story was the Art and Wine Festival. We ran 10 pages with 565 inches of advertising. One year later, we are more than twice as big.

Our little staff has worked hard.

We’ve learned an amazing amount in a short time. We’ve made mistakes, some big, some small, and we’ve had a few truly brilliant moments. And we’ve watched our paper grow and grow and grow. We are proud.

But, we measure our success in more ways than by simply adding pages. We began our venture with a strong and certain sense of our community. Local issues, local people, local politics . We had only one hard and fast editorial policy ... 94517!

It’s time now, for you, our readers, to let us know how we measure up. Included as an insert in this issue, is our report card. Please take a few minutes to check off what you like and what you don’t. We are listening!

You can mail the survey (it’s preaddressed) or drop it off at our office at 6200 F Center Street (between Lynne French and Clayton Saddlery).

You can also go to our Web site, www.claytonpioneer.com, and complete it there. If you want to sign your name, please do. If not, that’s OK, too.

We’re growing in more than page count. Beginning with the May 21 issue, we will be increasing our circulation by about 2500. Pioneer Territory will now include Crystyl Ranch and the five carrier routes bordering 94517, bringing our total circulation to just about 8,100.

It’s been an exciting and fast moving year. We always knew Clayton was a great place to live.

Now we know it as a great place to work, too!

Tamara Steiner, Editor

It was a great two days in the sun for festivalgoers in Clayton. This year made up for the cloudy two-day event last year with hot and sunny weather and a festival to write home about.

More than 150 vendors lined the streets in downtown Clayton for the ninth annual Art and Wine festival sponsored by the Clayton Business and Community Association (CBCA) selling everything from toe rings and flowered hats to hair braids and garden greenery. There was food to please everyone’s palate from Kettle corn and hot dogs for the kids to beer and vintage wine for the connoisseurs.

Music was in the air. One could hear nature’s sounds, live band music, rhythm and blues or the tranquil strains of the harp. The PHD’s belted out “don’t you worry bout’ a thing” as people sang along, danced and clapped to the Latin tunes. Worrying didn’t seem to be on anyone’s mind as they ate, shopped, drank and played.

Kiddieland was a hit, as always and several of the hands-on booths were popular. Andrea Nebeker, 12, of Clayton liked the sand art and her 10year-old brother Brett had fun at the waxed hand booth. Their grandma Joan McMillen of Moraga had heard so much about the festival that she had to come and see for herself what all the fuss was about. She loved the artwork.

The entire Munden family who just moved to Clayton truly represented what this festival is all about. Mom Connie worked at the beer booth in the morning. Son Justin was a Jr. Explorer helping out with the security, while his dad Chuck escorted daughters Allison and Heather through the tent-lined streets. “I know it sounds like a cliché,

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

DOWNTOWN WAS PACKED END TO END with art and wine lovers at last weekend’s Art and Wine Festival. At right, CBCA founding member, Gary Hules and Schnauzer, Clayton visit from their home in Nevada but there is something for everyone,” said Connie.

Volunteers came out in force for the festival including the Clayton Valley High School Football team, families, CBCA members, and the city council.

Volunteer chair Nonnette Bonte rallies hundreds of workers each year for setup and clean-up, manning booths and selling tickets.

The Art and Wine Festival is the major annual fundraiser for the CBCA. Chairperson Howard Geller said he anticipated 20 to 40 thousand people to attend. Proceeds from the event go to

CBCA’s local charities and for city improvements. CBCA funds have paid for the Gazebo for the proposed Central Park, downtown park benches, flags, trash receptacles and holiday decorations. CBCA also supports the Clayton Valley High School scholarship program.

The CBCA was formed in 1984 as the Clayton Business and Professional Association and later changed its name in an effort to include everyone in the community who wanted to serve. The CBCA meets the last Thursday of the month. For membership call 672-2272.

Bocce ball courts get green light

BY JILL BEDECARRE Clayton Pioneer

If the Clayton Bocce Federation has their way, residents of Clayton could be hearing the sound of colliding metal balls on cement courts just about this time next year.

In a 5-0 decision, The Clayton Redevelopment Agency awarded the Bocce Federation $26,000 to begin

plans for the proposed bocce ball courts on the vacant property behind city hall adjacent to Mt. Diablo Creek. The planning stage will take approximately 18-weeks using an outside consultant for environmental document preparation. The pre-construction phase will also include public hearings to hear the questions and concerns of the nearby neighbors.

“This partnership with the city

allows us to cross the threshold,” says Ed Hartley, co-founder of the Bocce Federation. According to Hartley, once the planning process is complete, the Federation has a number of investors who will then provide the financial clout for the construction phase. Hartley anticipates that construction costs will be about $200,000.

We have the time, effort and

money,” he said. Local realtor Howard Geller, federation cofounder, has been in touch with investors and they are ready to go.

“When the city takes final action, that’s the trigger,” says Geller.

According to Assistant to the City Manager, Laura Hoffmeister, final action by the city will be

See Bocce courts, page 11

Nick Gianni home safe from Iraq

BY JILL BEDECARRE Clayton Pioneer

Tamara Steiner / Clayton Pioneer

MAYOR JULIE PIERCE welcomes Nick Gianni home and proclaims April 21 Nick Gianni day as Vice Mayor Gregg Manning (far right) and Council Member Pete Laurence (far left) look on.

The Giannis of Clayton threw a huge party last week at their home and invited 80 friends and relatives to help them celebrate.

Their son, Corporal Nicholas Gianni, 24, was home from Iraq, safe and sound. His parents, Michael and Gladys, proudly displayed their son’s commendations and military promotion on the dining room table and were noticeably happy and excited that Nick was home. “I walked every mile he walked in Iraq,” says Gladys.

She admitted Nick’s stay in Iraq was difficult for her. She would constantly watch television news about the war, and she attended

several meetings of the Blue Star Moms to share her feelings and hear stories from the other moms of active duty military.

While the Giannis celebrated with a party, Clayton Mayor Julie Pierce declared April 21 as Nicholas M. Gianni Day in a formal proclamation recognizing the marine for his “past and future service to the people of Clayton, our great nation and the free world.”

A U.S. Marine with the Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 371, Nick served as an expeditionary airfield technician for seven and a half months in Iraq and he admitted “it was scary.”

His unit was support behind the combat teams. He slept in the dirt

and ate meals ready to eat (MREs). The operation was very mobile, says Gianni. “You had to be ready to pick up and move in a heartbeat,” he said.

When he joined the Marines in 2000, he wanted to become a firefighter, but somehow got involved with the technical support team and stayed with it. He was stationed in Yuma, Arizona for three years. In Iraq he built airfields, and set up Forward Arming and Refueling Points (FARP), providing combat aircraft with an opportunity to land and refuel deep in enemy territory. Gianni received a commendation certificate from his commanding officer for technical support involving 1.3 million square feet of airfield matting on a

strip between Iraq and Kuwait.

A graduate of Clayton Valley High School, Gianni had always wanted to join the military. He had family members who were marines and decided he would join after spending two years at Los Medanos College. His family had mixed reactions about his decision, but they all supported him.

They will also support him in his next venture which is to attend Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill and then transfer to a university to major in business.

“It feels very good to be home,” says Gianni. “I just wish there was more support of what our President did. We all need to have faith in our government.”

Page 2

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

May 7, 2004

Around Town Woman’s Club Tea and Fashion Show Food, fashions and fun were the perfect recipe for the Clayton Valley Woman's Club annual Afternoon Tea and Fashion Show. The sold out event netted over $5,000 and all proceeds go to club charities. Fashions for this year's event were by Coldwater Creek. At left , CVWC member Connie Weimar puts the finishing touches on the wonderful assortment of sandwiches, hors d’oeuvres and sweets Below left CVWC model Sasha Dawson looks stunning in her pale green top and flowered skirt. Below right, CVWC President Shirley Boyd gets ready to check out the raffle prizes

Clayton Cleans Up

It was as lovely a spring morning as Clayton has ever seen. April flowers pranced in the morning breeze, showing off their new spring colors and the last of the daffodils bowed their heads as their season came to an end. It was Earth Day 2004 and Clayton turned out in

force to "Clean Up." Scores of Boy and Girl Scouts, Webelos and Brownies, CVHS students in search of community service hours, city council members and staff and volunteers from every neighborhood corner turned out to trim, weed, pluck and scrape the city clean. And

there were plenty of weeds and trash for everyone.

The weed warriors began to arrive at City Hall by 9 a.m. to pick up their orange trash bags and gloves. By noon, the crew of nearly 120 "clean freaks" had filled several dumpsters with the fruits of their labors and returned to City Hall for a plate of well earned hot dogs and hamburgers.

Pictured are Clayton Webelos, Paul Sessions (left), Brett Nebeker (center) and their leader, Randy Van Vliet with an old carpet and scrap metal they pulled from the creek. The day’s efforts netted 2,000 lbs. of trash and trimmings.

The event was sponsored by PH Bayshore Disposal, Safeway and the Clayton Pioneer.

And the sun came out Every year, at the last meeting before the Art and Wine Festival, CBCA members draw a collective breath and pray, chant and dance to chase off the rain clouds for the weekend’s festivities in an original “Sunshine Extravaganza.”

Pictured from left, Jan Rubiales, Ron Williamson and Gregg Manning look on as City Manager Gary Napper ends this year’s extravaganza with an optimistic “The Sun’ll Come Out May First,” loosely borrowed from “Annie.”

And it worked! The sun came out for both days of the festival.

Clayton Resident THE LYNNE FRENCH TEAM From left Julie Clairmont, Heather Gray, Sharon Sundin, Angelique Stone, Lynne and Danny French, Ruth Reed, and Julie Dunn.

C oming S oon!

Clayton border Almost an acre with panoramic view! Zoned for horses. $629,980 Clayton border 3 bedrooms 2 bath with pool. $469,980

Dana Hills Charmer - Everyone wants a deal.

Property taken as is. Spacious 5 bedrooms, 3 full baths, formal dining room and living room, family room with fireplace, guest bed and bath on main floor and a gourmet kitchen with tile countertops.

Outside enjoy the beautiful yards. $615,000

6200 Center Street, Suite E Clayton, CA 94517

Lynne@LynneFrench.com

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Rentals Windmill Canyon Area 404 Hummingbird Place 3 bedroom 2 bath updated single story with views. $1,895 per month 5003 Raven Way 5 bedroom 3 bath view lot. $2,395 per month 3014 Windmill Canyon 3 bedroom 2 1/2 bath with private flat lot, RV parking. $1,995 per month

Walnut Creek - Private Tranquil setting. This beautiful updated home has 4 bedrooms, 2 baths with over 2,100 sq ft. Recently updated with hardwood flooring, remodeled kitchen, carpeting, Anderson French slider, recessed lighting, fresh paint and texturing throughout and downstairs bathroom remodeled. Outside you will find new front landscaping, patios and driveway. $769,980

Black Diamond at Oakhurst Country Club 3 Bedrooms, 2.5 baths on a quiet cul de sac. This home has an inviting master bedrooms suite with ample sized secondary bedrooms with a formal dining room overlooking the backyard.

Community pool and spa to enjoy. $489,980

Clayton, Peacock Creek - Beyond perfect!

This custom 4 bedroom plus office, 3.5 baths and approx. 3,700 sq. ft. will exceed your expectations. Outside, enjoy landscaping your neighbors will envy. Wonderful Mt. Diablo views. $1,040,000

Black Diamond at Oakhurst Country Club this gem won’t last! 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths with exquisite updating and custom treatments throughout, views of Mt Diablo from bedrooms, living room with marble fireplace, formal dining room with built in columns, custom paint and crown moldings. Landscaping includes private backyard, patio, mature trees and a custom free-flow waterfall and pond. $509,980

Clayton - 41+ acres, 3 possible building sites.

Coming from Clayton, this property is on the left, one mile before Deer Valley. Lot has wonderful views of the surrounding hillsides. $499,980

May 7, 2004

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page 3

Around Town BarbKats for a Cure

(Front row from left) Veeve Detmer (Clayton), Kelly Clough (CLayton), Emily Heisinger (Clayton). (middle row) Tracy Hillery (Clayton), Barb Beranis (Concord), Audrey Detmer (Clayton), Kathryn Carlson (Clayton), Rene Jayko (Clayton), Jill Lee (Clayton) (ont row) (back row) Karen Heisinger (Clayton), Lisa Winfield (Concord), Kathy Dennison (Clayton), Lisa Llamas (Concord), Linda Fjellbo (Clayton), Debbie Wenrich (Clayton), Monique Looney (Clayton).

Last year's Katalysts for a Cure are now the BarbKats.

The team was originally formed to support member Kathryn Carlson with her fight against breast cancer and walked in last year's Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.

Recently another member, Barb Beranis, was diagnosed with breast cancer and the walkers' resolve is even stronger now. The group honors both women by changing the team name to the BarbKats! Those wishing to support the BarbKats can contact Kathryn Carlson for details at 673-1066. Mail checks payable to Avon Foundation, P.O. Box 824, Clayton, CA 94517. The group will have a booth at this weekend's Art and Wine Festival. Stop by and meet the team.

Clayton teens in Del Valle production

Three Clayton teens will be appearing in Del Valle Theater's production of Dear Edwina, Junior., May

Cubs visit the Pioneer

DVMS Band appears at Disneyland

Nielsen retires Rich Nielsen (right) receives a Certificate of Recognition from Mayor Julie Pierce for his years of service on the Planning Commission.

Nielsen served from 1998 until this month.

Members of Tiger Cub Pack 62 from Concord recently visited the Pioneer offices to see first hand, how the paper is put together.

Jeana Culp and Scott Ross will marry

Photo credit Dennis Ashlock Photography, Walnut Creek

Jeanna Noel Culp and Scott Ross became engaged became engaged Aug 25 on board the Delta Queen in Old Sacramento.

When asked what she remembered in particular about the day, Jeanna recalls, "It was hot day and we had

been to the State Fair. We were all hot and sweaty when we walked onto the boat. Scott got down on one knee and proposed, I said yes, and we walked off the boat and that was that. He'd been planning it for a month."

Spoonapple, as she directs the kids in the neighborhood in her "Advice-APalooza" extravaganza.

Written in the style of Schoolhouse Rock Live! and You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, Dear Edwina Junior is the perfect kid power musical for a new generation.

Pictured from left are Kelsey Purser of Clayton, Elizabeth Beals of Walnut Creek, Sydney Blatt and Jeffrey Holmes, both of Clayton.

Photo courtesy Dave Hanney Tickets will be available 7 and 8. This tuneful and at the door, or by calling the catchy musical follows the Dean Lesher Center for the adventures of advice-giver Arts, 943-7469. extraordinaire, Edwina

The Diablo View Middle School Band has returned to Clayton from their appearance in the Disney's Magic Music Days at Disneyland. The band, under the direction of Carl Kaiser, appeared on the Plaza Gardens Stage on April 25 with other performing groups from around the world. The band was chosen for the appearance from an audition tape.

Jeanna is the daughter of Richard and Patti Culp of Saranac, Michigan. She graduated from Michigan State University in 2000 and is an English teacher at Clayton Valley High School Scott attended California State University, graduating in 1998. He teaches in the Special Education Department at Diablo View Middle School. Scott's parents are Stanley and Shirley Ross of Clayton.

Stanley Ross, is also a teacher at Clayton Valley High and both he and Jeanna teach the same freshmen each day. "The kids keep coming in to me saying, ‘do you know what he said about you today?" laughs Jeanna.

The wedding will be at Temple Baptist Church in Ionia, Michigan, on June 26.

4th of July Volunteers Urgently Needed The Clayton Fourth of July celebration has been an annual event for more than 25 years. This year the event is organized by the Clayton Community Services Commission.

The Commission

urgently y need ds volunteers to

help with the traditional parade, the food and crafts vendors, and Kiddieland. About 100 volunteers in various capacities are needed to pull off the event. To date, there are fewer than 20 .

“It’s probably going to be a scaled-back event if we don’t get enough volunteers in a very short period of time. We may just do the parade. But even the parade requires over 50 volunteers,” said Laura Hoffmeister, assistant to the city manager.

Time is running out.

If you can volunteer please

call Rhonda Basore, City Clerk, 673-7304.

GEORGE VUJNOVICH, Broker 6160 Center Street, Suite E, Clayton 94517

Tel: (925) 672-4433 Fax: (925) 672-4424

Each Office Is Independently Owned & Operated.

georgevujnovich.com Clayton Market Update Provided by George Vujnovich of Better Homes Realty

ADDRESS

3507 Coyote Circle 1033 Pebble Beach Drive 401 Wawona Lane 1221 Buckeye Terrace 137 Mountaire Parkway 530 Mt. Dell Drive 301 Coal Mine Court 216 Falcon Place 1816 Yolanda Circle 606 Golden Eagle Place 1477 Indianhead Circle

PRICE

$

419,000 876,000 750,000 495,000 550,000 425,000 527,000 630,000 610,000 590,000 480,000

SALE DATE

04/23/04 04/22/04 04/22/04 04/21/04 04/20/04 04/19/04 04/16/04 04/16/04 04/15/04 04/15/04 04/14/04

SF

1,595 2,873 2,505 1,639 2,177 1,423 1,597 2,053 1,780 1,816 1,709

BED/BATH

3/2.5 2/2.5 4/2 3/2.5 4/2.5 3/2 2/2 3/2 3/2.5 3/2 3/3

ADDRESS

105 Forest Hill Drive 4705 Keller Ridge Dr. 8003 Kelok Way 106 El Portal Place 33 Westbrook Court 53 El Portal Drive 1267 Shell Circle 104 Forest Hill Drive 5208 Keller Ridge Drive 1023 Feather Circle 35 Capistrano

PRICE

$ 860,000 382,000 740,000 716,000 527,000 676,000 413,000 989,980 785,000 509,000 635,000

SALE DATE

04/12/04 04/12/04 04/11/04 04/09/04 04/07/04 04/06/04 04/05/04 03/26/04 03/26/04 03/26/04 03/25/04

SF

3,335 1,026 2,894 2,428 1,933 2,857 1,145 4,018 2,843 1,638 2,313

BED/BATH

4/2.5 2/2 5/3 4/2.5 4/2 5/2.5 2/2 5/4.5 4/3 3/2.5 4/3

ADDRESS

4 Mt. Wilson Way 281 Mountaire Circle 3015 Windmill Canyon 7 Nottingham Place 1003 Feather Circle 4107 Coyote Circle 1111 Peacock Creek Drive 97 Regency Drive 337 Mt. Washington Way 618 Julpun Loop 263 Mountaire Circle

All information contained herein is deemed reliable but not guaranteed

PRICE

345,000 550,000 610,000 640,000 515,000 425,000 915,000 610,000 533,300 558,000 625,000

SALE DATE

03/24/04 03/19/04 03/19/04 03/16/04 03/16/04 03/16/04 03/15/04 03/11/04 03/11/04 03/10/04 03/09/04

SF

966 1,919 2,053 2,210 1,651 1,595 3620 1900 1600 1939 1919

BED/BATH

2/2 4/2 3/2 4/2.5 3/2.5 3/2.5 4/2.5 4/2 3/2 3/2.5 4/2

Page 4

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

City issues RFP for one-acre parcel, no gas station, please The vote on the gas station was taken two years ago.

Since then, community groups have given their opinions and the community surveys have been compiled.

Residents of Clayton have now told us what they would like to see on the southwest corner of Clayton Road and Center Street (across from the fire station). They are also very clear on what they don’t want. No gas stations!

The city owns the property and needs to see it developed and contributing to the economy of the city.

On Tuesday, April 20, the city council members, in their capacity as the Redevelopment Agency Board, voted to issue a Request For Proposals (RFP) for the property. We are seeking proposals from firms or individuals interested and experienced in the development of commercial or mixed-use projects to design and construct a commercial project on the one-acre site.

The city is willing to explore various options to finance and construct the project.

This property is one of the last sizeable pieces of commercial land still vacant within the city limits.

Proposals are due by 5 p.m. on June 11. A copy of the RFP may be obtained by contacting City Clerk Rhonda Basore at City Hall at 925673-7300. We have advertised the RFP and also direct-

JULIE PIERCE

MAYOR’S CORNER mailed it to about 115 interested parties to date.

Following the election in November 2002, the city council appointed a subcommittee to conduct a community outreach program to determine communityacceptable uses for this land.

Council Members Bill Walcutt and David Shuey solicited input from eleven interest groups, homeowners associations and service groups and through the city’s newsletter and city Web page, and received 492 responses. Their complete report is available on the City’s Web page, www.ci.clayton.ca.us. as part of the Council Agenda packet for April 21 (Item 12b on pages 45-62).

In the survey, residents were asked to list their top five desired uses and to tell us what they thought were “deal breakers.” The residents who responded took

the time to carefully choose among the specifically-listed approved uses as well as to suggest other desirable uses.

Among the preferred ideas was some type of upscale eatery—a restaurant, gourmet deli, premium coffeehouse, or even a high-end specialty grocery store.

The survey also revealed considerable support for a mixed use or clustering of businesses, and many of the respondents mentioned tax revenue to the city as an important consideration for deciding how the property should be used. Among the “no-go” deal-breakers were a gas station and other “vicetype” establishments, noisy, flashy or “cookie-cutter” businesses, and non-tax generating businesses. There was also resistance to nonretail uses.

During the outreach process, our subcommittee talked to many interested developers with ideas including a small hotel, wine tasting and restaurant, and a variety of retail possibilities.

Any development would need to conform to the architectural standards identified in the Town Center Specific Plan, retaining the flavor of our historic downtown. The council is looking forward to reviewing the proposals for this prime commercial corner of our community.

May 7, 2004

Classified SERVICES

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 Co-Publishers TAMARA S TEINER Editor J ILL B EDECARRE Assistant Editor and Display Advertising J IM Z EWAN , Sports K AREN L AIBLE , Church News P ETE C RUZ , Graphic Design J O A NN R ICKS , Copy Editor B ETH N EUDELL , Administrative Assistant Member of the California Newspaper Publishers Assoc.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING CATEGORIES Jobs Child and Adult Care Items For Sale Vehicles For Sale Garage and Yard Sales Real Estate Office Space Homes For Rent Pets and Horses Services Lost and Found Personal Business Opportunities HOW TO PLACE AN AD Go to our Web site, claytonpioneer.com. Click on the Classified Advertising tab on the left side of the page.

Complete the form to submit your ad. Mail a check for the number of insertions to P.O. Box 1246, Clayton, CA 94517.

Or, call the Clayton Pioneer, 925-672-0500 to place your ad

over the phone.

Or, come by the office at 6200 Center Street, Suite F, Clayton between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Rates are $12 for 30 words and 20 cents for each additional word. Classified deadline dates are printed above. The Clayton Pioneer will not accept any ad that discriminates on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, nationality, family status or disability. We reserve the right to reject any advertising we believe is unsuitable. All classified ads must be paid for in advance.

LET US KNOW Weddings, engagements, anniversaries, births and deaths all weave together as part of the fabric of our community. Please let us know of these important events. We ask only that the announcement be for a Clayton resident. You will find the

PERENNIAL GARDEN DESIGNS and Consultations, by Nicole Hackett, aka Garden Girl. Plant the right perennials in all the right places. Add curb appeal and interest. Together, we can create a magazine beautiful garden.

Call or e-mail for price or to schedule appointment.

GardenGirl94517@aol.com, (925) 408-7792, voicemail HELP WANTED NO COMMUTE REQUIRED MOTIVATOR, RECRUITER, TEAM BUILDER

Unique opportunity window open now to build your own business and your own sales team brokering employee benefits. Commission, overrides and residuals.

Call (925) 831-9168 for initial interview.

ITEMS FOR SALE ANTIQUE SLOT MACHINES. 5 cent gooseneck machine with vendor on side - $1,500. 25 cent Castle front style- $600. Both functional. (925) 672-7289.

appropriate form for your announcement on our Web site.

Also on our Web site are forms for submitting Community Calendar items and press releases for your organization.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Clayton Pioneer welcomes letters from our readers.

As a general rule, letters should be less than two double spaced pages and submitted at least one week prior to publication date.

Letters concerning current issues will have priority. We may edit letters for length and clarity. All letters will be published at the editor’s discretion.

Please include your name, address and daytime telephone number. We will not print letters from “anonymous.”

You can also e-mail your letter to tamara@claytonpioneer.com

May 7, 2004

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Concord Feed celebrates 82 years in business

Pet rabbits require special care, handling Many children find themselves the proud owners of bunnies each spring, but these animals are unique and do require special care and handling. There are several different breeds of rabbits readily available. Whether you choose a Lop, Miniature, Angora, etc., you can expect your rabbit to live for five to ten years with some rabbits living as long as 15 years.

Many people are surprised to learn that rabbits can be litter box trained just like cats.

They are tidy by nature, generally non-aggressive and quiet, all qualities, which may make them desirable as house pets.

Rabbits are highly social creatures and will reproduce very successfully from a relatively young age. Five to tenmonths old, male and female bunnies are ready to breed. Pet rabbits, not intended for breeding, should be neutered. After five months of age. males of some rabbit breeds may become aggressive and spray urine to mark their territories if left un-neutered. Spaying female rabbits reduces territorial aggression and helps to prevent uterine cancer, a very common disease in rabbits.

Rabbits can be housed indoors or outside. Rabbits kept strictly indoors should be confined in a suitable enclosure if their activities cannot be monitored. You don't want to leave a rabbit alone in a room unsupervised; they can get into mischief, chewing electrical cords and furniture, nibbling potentially toxic plants, etc.

Instead, provide a large wire cage and cover half the floor with either towels or plexiglass to prevent sores on the feet.

You can use either a water bottle or ceramic bowl to provide the rabbit with fresh water, a separate ceramic bowl for food and a litter box.

If your rabbit has already shown a preference for one area of your house for its bathroom habits, it would be wise to place a litter box in this location as well. You can even place some of the rabbit's fecal pellets in the litter box to encourage them to use it.

If you are housing your rabbit outdoors, you will want to provide all of the above and include a shady area to escape the heat or rain and a den for sleeping or hiding in when frightened. It is particularly important for rabbits housed outdoors to have an area they can retreat to if scared; many unnecessary injuries result from rabbits trying to escape from their cages to avoid predators (dogs, cats, large birds, etc.).

It is extremely important to handle your rabbit daily and socialize it to all the members of your family. Rabbits raised with dogs and cats can learn to get along amicably. This does not mean you will want to leave your rabbit alone in a room with other pets. On the contrary, you need to supervise

their interactions. However, many cats and dogs find rabbits to be wonderful companions and will groom them and rest quietly with them.

It is particularly important to teach children the proper way to handle a rabbit. Rabbits should never be picked up by their ears or legs. Most injuries occur in rabbits when they are picked up the wrong way.

Fractures, dislocations of the back and spinal cord damage are injuries that may result from improper handling. The best method for picking up a rabbit involves sliding your hand underneath its body and grasping both front legs between your fingers. Place your other hand under the rear end so you can provide the rabbit with full support as you bring him closer to your body.

If the rabbit struggles or begins to kick out with its back legs (behaviors that can potentially cause severe back injuries), release it, give it a chance to relax and try again.

Contrary to popular belief, rabbits cannot live on carrots alone. Their diet should include commercially available rabbit pellets, hay and fresh vegetables. Rabbit pellets should be purchased in small quantities and stored in the refrigerator or a cool dry place to prevent them from going rancid. Most pellets can also be frozen to maintain their freshness. A limited amount of pellets should be fed daily (see the package for specific feeding directions based on the body weight and age of the rabbit).

You do not want to overfeed your rabbit with pellets as this can lead to obesity, heart disease and chronic diarrhea. It

is also important to provide loose oat or grass hay to your rabbit on a daily basis in unlimited amounts. Hay is fiber rich, promotes normal digestion and prevents hairballs. Hay must be stored in a cool, dry place and you should discard any wet hay or hay that doesn't smell fresh. You need to avoid alfalfa hay for your rabbit, especially if you are using rabbit pellets that already have a high quantity of alfalfa.

Too much alfalfa means too much calcium and too many carbohydrates, which can cause physical problems.

A mixture of fresh foods is also necessary for a healthy rabbit. Rabbits enjoy carrots (including the leafy tops), kale, collard greens, broccoli (include the leaves), bok choy, spinach, parsley and romaine lettuce. Do not give your rabbit iceberg lettuce, as it provides no nutrient value. Make sure your rabbit receives three types of leafy greens daily.

Treats such as strawberries, apples, pears, melons and whole grain bread can be given in small amounts daily.

Bananas and dried fruits can also be given as treats but in even smaller amounts. Avoid giving your rabbit sugary or salty snack foods or breakfast cereals. If you are feeding a well-rounded diet, vitamin supplements are unnecessary.

Some owners like to provide salt licks for their rabbits, which are also generally not needed but may provide a good chewing surface for rabbits prone to gnawing on their cages or items within them.

Finally, many owners are surprised (and disgusted) to discover that their pet rabbits

Page 5

JULIE BOND

PAWS

AND

CLAWS

eat some of their own feces everyday. If you look closely, these droppings are different from their usual stools and actually provide the rabbit with necessary protein, vitamins and minerals. You may not see your rabbit engaging in this behavior as it usually occurs in the early morning hours or late at night.

While some rabbit breeds require daily brushing, most breeds are very easy to maintain with little effort on the owner's part. Nail trims are necessary on a regular basis as long nails can catch on fabric and wire, or can cause painful scratches on their owners. You will want to take your rabbit to see your veterinarian for nail trims (and teeth trims if your rabbit has overgrown incisors) on a regular basis.

If that rabbit in the pet store window catches your eye, it is important for you to keep the above considerations in mind before bringing him home this spring. Rabbits do make wonderful pets, but they can pose quite a challenge to the unprepared owner.

Concord Feed is celebrating its 82nd anniversary with a oneday storewide sale on Saturday, May 15. Everything in the store is a minimum of 20 per cent off.

Times have changed since Concord Feed’s inception in the 20’s. Now Concord Feed has a myriad of services, products and accessories in three locations: Pleasant Hill, Concord and Novato.

“As the Contra Costa area has grown, the needs have changed. We are extremely pleased that we have been able to satisfy the traditions of the culture of the area while expanding our services to meet the expectations of the new communities that have arrived,” says Tina Atkins, owner of Concord Feed. Instead of just hay and grain, the demand now also includes sought after highgrade dog, cat, horse and various pet foods.

Concord Feed has always recognized that your pet is an

important and special member of your family. Pets are like your children and are often a part of your family for 15-20 years.

That is why Concord Feed hires and trains experts who will not only answer your question but who can also empathize with your concerns because they, too, are pet owners just like you.

Concord Feed only hires people who love animals which is why the majority of their employees rarely leave.

Customers keep coming back to the store for pet-friendly atmosphere and great customer service.

The anniversary sale happens just once a year. So, if you love your pet as much as Concord Feed does, take advantage of their 82nd Anniversary One Day Celebration Sale, Saturday May 15th. For more information or to wish them “Happy Anniversary” call 925825-9530.

Julie Bond is an animal behaviorist. She can be reached through Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital, 672-1100.

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Page 6

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

May 7, 2004

There’s no place like home Versatile yogurt is “food of the gods” LINDA WYNER

FOOD

FOR

THOUGHT

Once upon a time, so the story goes, a nomad traveling across a desert in Turkey had some milk in a goatskin bag. The hot sun, the agitation of the milk in the bag and the presence of some bacteria in the bag coagulated the milk into tangy custard.

People from Africa and Asia consumed the milk from cattle, camels, yaks, goats and sheep for thousands of years. Preserving milk without refrigeration spurred cultures to create cheeses, yogurt and butter.

Yogis in India call yogurt the food of the gods, and the ancient Assyrian word for yogurt, "lebeny" means "life." Even among natural food enthusiasts in America today, yogurt is considered probiotic, which means "for life."

In the culturing process, lactose or milk sugar is converted, making yogurt and its lactic acid easily digestible by people who otherwise cannot tolerate milk. Many people believe the bacteria in yogurt (Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus) promote intestinal health and boost the immune system. Yogurt consumption is widely touted as the secret to longevity of villagers in the Caucasus Mountains in Russia,

in and around Azerbaidzhan.

I have been making yogurt for years and use it in baking, salads and as a cheese. Using a yogurt maker, I take a quart of one percent milk, heat it to 180°F and cool it down to 110°. Then I stir one heaping tablespoon of prepared plain yogurt with active cultures (like Nancy's) into a half-cup of the milk and add the mixture back into the rest of the milk, combining well. Divided into 6 cups and warmed in the heater for 10 hours, I get enough yogurt to last a week or more in the refrigerator.

Note that I'm recommending one percent milk. It has lower fat content but the added milk solids give the yogurt a good creaminess.

Non-fat milk with one or two tablespoons of non-fat dry milk will give a similar result, but sometimes can be chalky.

There are plenty of ways to make yogurt without a specialty appliance. For instance, stir three tablespoons of plain yogurt with active cultures into one quart of one percent milk. Pour into a casserole dish and cover. Place casserole in warm oven (100°F) and leave it overnight. Divide yogurt into containers, cover tightly and refrigerate.

I use yogurt to replace all or part of mayonnaise in recipes.

Here's a lowfat creamy salad dressing you might enjoy: Creamy Lowfat Tarragon Dressing 8 oz plain unsweetened yogurt 2 Tbsp. tarragon vinegar ¼ tsp dried tarragon ½ tsp dried onion flakes salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste Place all ingredients in small mixing bowl and stir to combine.

Makes 1 cup and can be stored in

the refrigerator for a week.

Yogurt is a healthy replacement for sour cream in baking recipes, too. My favorite weekend waffle mix (when I don't make raised waffles) follows: Yogurt Belgian Waffles 2 eggs, separated ½ c milk ½ c yogurt 4 Tbsp butter, melted 1 c flour 2 Tbsp oat, flax or wheat bran 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda 1 Tbsp. sugar

Beat egg yolks until light yellow and beat in milk, yogurt and butter. Sift together dry ingredients and add to egg yolk mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold gently into batter. Bake in electric or stove-top waffle iron until nicely browned. These are yummy this time of year with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.

Yogurt cheese is a great substitute for ricotta or cream cheese.

Line a strainer with a double thickness of cheesecloth or a single coffee filter and place over a bowl to catch the whey. I tend to leave my

yogurt out on the counter on a cool day, but placing it in a refrigerator is probably safer. Overnight, the whey separates out and you'll have a fresh "cheese." It is very good for making frozen yogurt. Use the whey in lieu of water or milk in baking.

Instant Frozen Peach Yogurt 1 bag frozen unsweetened peach slices (20 oz) 8 oz yogurt cheese 1 c powdered sugar 1 Tbsp lemon juice ¼ tsp. vanilla or almond extract Defrost peach slices for 10

minutes at room temperature.

Process peaches in food processor using knife blade, scraping down sides until an icy mixture forms.

Add yogurt cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice and extract and process until smooth and creamy.

Serve immediately.

Linda Wyner is an attorney in Walnut Creek by day, and an accomplished chef and “foodie” by choice. Direct your suggestions or questions to lwyner@claytonpioneer.com

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May 7, 2004

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page 7

There’s no place like home Choose the correct $200 Nu Image off Painting & Decorating

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floor covering for your lifestyle “There are no guarantees in life.” Even though we have read this phrase many times we still want guarantees, especially with the products we buy.

When we go shopping for cars, televisions, computers etc. we always ask, “What kind of a guarantee does it have?” When you are shopping for floor coverings, your approach needs to be a little different.

As a consumer, you want to be protected from poorly manufactured products, unfair prices and certainly from products that turn be unsuitable for your needs. We look to a manufacturer’s and dealer’s warranty for some of this protection, but this can be somewhat misleading. Every floor covering product has been designed and manufactured to meet certain use criteria. It is up to you, the consumer to determine what you will be using the flooring for and what the manufacturer had in mind when they manufactured it. All this information is readily available to you. All you need to do is ask.

One of the most important aspects of being a “floor covering consumer” is to remember that the product(s) you buy is not FINISHED or COMPLETE until it is successfully installed.

Do not treat your floor covering purchase like buying a television, a car, or a computer. In most of these instances you can see exactly what the product will do after the purchase is com-

plete.Your floor covering is only as good as the installation. Even if floor coverings are correctly installed according to the manufacturer’s recommendation, you still need to know if you have chosen the correct product for the usage you have in mind.

Start your search by finding a professional, licensed floor covering dealer/contractor who keeps current with new flooring products and trends. These are usually dealers who belong to buying groups and/or professional organizations. Ask for as much information as you can, but especially ask if the product they are showing you is the right

“It is up to you, the consumer to determine what you will be using the flooring for and what the manufacturer had in mind when they manufactured it.”

Mike Grover product for your use. Then look carefully at the warranty.

Discuss it in detail with your dealer. Find out what his warranty covers and for how long.

Always remember that, regardless of the floor covering dealer’s diligence, some things that are important to your choice may be overlooked. Establish a good line of communication with your dealer and ask a lot of questions.

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HOME WORK The dealer does not know how you live and how you might take care of the products he will sell you Discuss with the dealer things like 1) the number of people living in your home, 2) what are their ages, 3) is anyone handicapped or in a wheelchair, 4) are there any pets and what kind, 5) what is your cleaning/vacuuming routine etc. These items and others will provide your dealer with a wealth of information so he can provide you with a list of products appropriate for your use.

As I mentioned in my last article there are five major elements in choosing floor coverings. These are color, texture, style, durability and budget.

The fifth and least important of the five is budget or price. Why do I say this?

Even though your budget is very important, you will be sending the wrong message to the company from which you buy your product if that is the first thing you discuss. Start the buying process by discussing with the dealer your life style, what you want to accomplish by replacing or buying new floor covering, what are your design requirements etc. There are plenty of products in your price range that will fill your requirements. First, you want to be fully informed as to what products will meet your needs. Then, discuss price.

Allow me to leave you with a final thought on this discussion If you are dealing with a reputable, honest dealer he will be willing to “pass on your business” if he can’t find a product that will fit your needs within your budget. He will not want to sell you a product that you will be unhappy with. A dealer’s first concern should always be to make every effort to supply you with the best quality and type of floor coverings that meet both your needs and budget criteria.

Mike and Connie Grover are the owners of Abbey Carpet/Contra Costa Floors. E-mail your questions to mike@abbeyccfloors.com.

Page 8

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

May 7, 2004

There’s no place like home Want a tropical garden in Clayton? Fake it!

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GARDEN GIRL

Many Clayton residents inquire about plants that lend themselves to a tropical theme. Poolside and waterfall gardens with a tropical feel are certainly a challenge here, where the winters are cold and the summers are dry.

Vacationers home from Hawaii and Southern California are often inspired by the rambling Bougainvillea thriving along the highways, or the perfumed fragrance of the Chilean Jasmine. Sadly, our Clayton winters are far too harsh for these beauties to survive. If Clayton wants “tropical,” it needs to fake it.

Palm trees are good for Clayton. Arecastrum romanzoffianum, or the Queen Palm is a favorite of mine. This handsome, sturdy specimen has an exceptionally straight trunk, topped by glossy, feathery fronds for a great vertical effect. Use it as a waterfall backdrop or poolside planting. This tree is an evergreen that reaches 25 feet tall and 10-15 feet wide.

Queen Palm is fast growing, and loves liquid organic fer-

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tilizer. Mix one gallon of water with one tablespoon of fish emulsion every month during our standard growing season of April through October.

Sago Palms are great under-eave palms and excellent container palms. Stagger the Cycas revoluta with Queen Palms to mirror the fronds. This adds texture.

Sago Palms are very desirable. They have a stout trunk and long leaves with many narrow stiff leaflets. It’s extremely slow growing, reaching up to eight feet tall with a three to six foot spread.

Container grown Sago’s are awesome. Plant several containers all the same size and color, maybe a glazed, bold aqua blue, and spread throughout the yard. Sago Palms take full sun, and are tough enough to withstand the

SAGO PALM

wind. Sagos are hardy in Zone nine. Those of you out Marsh Creek and Morgan Territory should protect them from frost as needed. Use pea gravel or large bark at the bottom of Sago’s container. They need drainage.

Cordyline australis ‘Sunsation’ is another wonderful vertical selection to add for tropical effect. Often called Dracaena, this evergreen is a colorful, dramatic addition, reaching 15 feet tall and eight feet wide. Deep

ABUTILON “SUNSET”

bronze, blade shaped leaves grows three feet long. Upper leaves are erect; lower ones droop. This tree creates a deep bronze vertical waterfall. This tree would make a great fence cover, planted with Canna Tropicanna or Tropicanna Gold Canna.

Both would complement and add to the overall Claytontough topical garden.

Canna Tropicanna has been available for several years now. Exotic foliage of emerging bright burgundy leaves matures with splendid stripes of red, pink, yellow and green in varying patterns.

Tall stems topped with large, bright orange flower heads, summer through fall, are simply the icing on the cake of an already beautiful perennial.

This plant will happily reach five to six feet tall and will eventually need fall division.

Protect from snails as fresh growth appears in spring.

Tropicanna Gold is a new introduction by Monrovia Plant Growers. This variety has large exotic leaves striped with green and gold and striking orange flowers with a yellow speckled throat on four to five foot tall plants.

Beautiful! Cannas also love a liquid organic based fertilizer.

It’s easier for fleshy plants to digest and more natural.

Hot colored Abutilons make nice fake tropical plant choices. Abutilon h. ‘Sunset’

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is an upright with arching growth, moderatly sun tolerant, and appreciative of some afternoon shade. Dark burgundy, almost black, calyxes hold electric red orange petals with dark veining. This plant is long blooming, and worthy of any container or bed location. Incorporate with ferns such as the Myers, five finger, or mother fern to add color and dimension. Abutilons are available in yellows, peaches, pinks and blood reds. Save room for the hard to find, variegated varieties. They are fabulous.

Carissa mac. ‘Tuttle’, is dense and compact, making it a wonderfully showy middle sized evergreen plant.

Mounding to three feet tall and five feet wide, this fast grower is lovely-planted among trees to soften and add the layer touch to the tropical garden. Bright red fruit follows abundant fragrant white, star shaped flowers. Full sun, and thorny!

Variegated Alpinia, and Compact Jatropha make great shady container plants with a tropical feel.

Variegated Alpinia has stripped yellow and green leaves that reach up to eight inches. This Alpinia rarely blooms. Plant in a cylinder shaped container to really play on its distinct arching growth habit. Plant near the home, fence or wall to protect from drying winds and cold winters. But, just in case the winter is too cold, this evergreen is quick to recover.

The Jatropha features vivid red clusters of half-inch flowers over the entire plant nearly year round. It tolerates some medium morning or late afternoon sun and reaches four to six feet tall. Layer this evergreen with golden abelia, and Hosta Wide Brim for a magazine beautiful container.

Phormium ‘Dusky Chief’, ‘Pink Stripe’, and ‘Jester’ all are great in full sun and look tropical. Octopus Agave, Kangaroo Paw and Lotus are all great in Clayton. Yucca Garland Gold, and Duranta also known as the Brazilian Sky Flower are also “Clayton tropical.”

As you shop for tropical, know your zone, ask questions and together we’ll make the right choice.

Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio and Garden Contact her at with questions, comments or suggestions at GardenGirl94517@aol.com

May 7, 2004

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page 9

There’s no place like home Is it profitable to rehab the fixer-upper?

Renovating houses for profit may seem like an easy

LYNNE FRENCH

REAL ESTATE

way to make money. It’s not.

It’s hard work, and it requires a lot of time, expertise, talent, and luck.You need to know what to buy and where, and how much to pay for it.

Market research is critical if a fixer-upper project is to be successful and profitable.

You should buy in the best location you can afford, and for the best possible price.

Research comparable sales in the area to learn market value so you can avoid over-paying.

Find out which properties are in the highest demand.

Ideally, you want your rehab to resell as quickly as possible after the renovations are complete. To accomplish this, the results of your make-over efforts must appeal to an active segment of the home buying market. Creating a visual masterpiece for which

there are no buyers could result in a financial loss.

In addition to buying right, you need to know how much to spend on renovations. You need to know which renovations to do and which ones to leave undone. Cosmetic enhancements, like paint and floor coverings, can be relatively inexpensive, and they usually pay a good return for the investment. But they must be selected with the ultimate buyer in mind. If you redo a house in shades of green and buyers prefer beige and gray, you may find there is a limited market for your product.

Many professional renovators hire interior designers and architects to consult with on a redo in order to avoid making costly mistakes. If you hire good advisers, your profits should increase.

The best rehab projects are houses which have limited appeal in their present condition, but which don’t have major structural problems or incurable defects, like a bad floor plan that can’t be fixed without rebuilding the entire house.

It’s imperative to fully inspect a fixer, even if you have a lot of experience.

Correcting an unanticipated structural defect could eat into your profits. Also, watch out for environmentally hazardous materials. If you miss

something that a future buyer insists you remedy when you sell (such as asbestos on furnace pipes or a buried heating oil tank), you could see your profit margin shrink significantly.

If you’re anticipating a major renovation that will entail moving walls, consult with an architect to be sure what you have in mind is feasible, at a reasonable cost.

Check zoning requirements before you buy. And, don’t bypass the building permit process in order to cut costs.

The future buyer could require that all improvements be done to code and with permits.

Working within the parameters of a budget is essential if you hope to earn a profit. If you miscalculate and have to cut corners in areas that are important to today’s homebuyers, you may have difficulty selling at a profit, or selling at all.

Today’s buyers expect quality

and they will pay for it. But they won’t overpay for someone else’s sloppy improvements.

Timing can be critical to your success. Ideally, you should embark on a fixer project when prices are on the rise. This way you not only make profit by turning an unsalable house into one that is in demand, but you also earn appreciation during the time you own the house.

Be cautious if prices have been climbing steadily for some time. The market may be poised for a correction downward. Depreciation in home prices and a soft market could diminish, or wipe out, your profit.

Lynne French is a realtor with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage and also a Clayton resident. For any real estate needs or questions contact her at (925) 672-8787 or e-mail Lynne@LynneFrench.com

PATTY FLANNERY Clayton Resident Since 1979

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Page 10

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

May 7, 2004

Students need to focus as year winds down

BY CYNTHIA WEST CVHS Reported

Clayton Valley High School is now entering the last quarter of the year (yea!!). As the school year winds down, many students have to focus on keeping their grades up and seniors

begin to anticipate graduation, which happens on June 10!

Even though the school year is nearly over, there are still a flurry of activities for students.

Some groups will be participating, or recently returned from, competitions and performances. The Clayton Valley

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Women’s Ensemble returned from a trip to Honolulu, Hawaii on April 4, where they participated in the International Festival of Music. Awards were given based on a rating, not competition and Clayton Valley received two silver medals, one in the class of Women’s Chamber Choir and another in the Women’s Madrigal Group category.

The Clayton Valley Choir will also be leaving for San Jose on May 21 to compete in the Heritage Festival. Clayton

Valley Winter Guard returned from their trip to San Diego for WGI (Western Guard International) competition on April 18. They competed in preliminary competition, went on to finals, and placed 19th out of 124 guard groups. All band groups (jazz, stage, symphonic, wind, and strings) will be holding a spring festival at CVHS on May 11. In addition, Symphonic band will be going to Pittsburg for CMEA and the strings group will be performing in Music in the Parks at

Most teens are not getting enough sleep

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“RIIIIIING,” your alarm clock screams as it rouses you from your wonderful dreams. You want to reach over and hit the snooze button a few more times, or maybe throw that clock out the window, but then where would you be? School and work call, but what time did you go to bed last night? Did you get enough sleep for your body?According to a study put out by the National Sleep Foundation, 63 percent of adults get enough sleep a night and a measly 15 per-

cent of teens get their share of sleep. With these numbers, 70 percent of teenagers are sleep deprived.

Sleep deprivation is more than just a lack of sleep, it is also the leading cause of an “I-could-care-less” attitude and distraction during the day. So, how much sleep does the teenage body need to function properly?

Studies vary on the exact hours of sleep a teenager should get, but most studies point to at least eight or nine hours of sleep a night. I

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Great America on May 22.

Drama is also competing in the Ohlone Shakespeare Festival.

Clayton Valley High School also has some fun events going on for juniors and seniors. The junior class had prom on April 10 at the Glas Kat, a nightclub in San Francisco. The club provided a buffet-style dinner, which included sushi, egg rolls, pot stickers, etc., and afterwards we danced the night away until midnight. Senior class will be having their senior ball on May 7 at San Francisco couldn’t go to the streets, but I went to the hallways at Clayton Valley High School (CVHS) to talk to students about their reaction to these studies and how much sleep they truly get.

When asked how much sleep teenagers at CVHS got I was given a range of answers, however almost everyone gets too little sleep and they know it. “ I get six hours [of sleep] a night, [it is] definitely not enough,” responded senior Mickey Carmo. There were a few people that were content with their five hours of sleep and on the opposite side of the spectrum, only two people, were happy to announce that they got eight to nine hours of sleep each night I then asked students what they thought about eight to nine hours of sleep a night, and almost everyone gave me a common response. “It’d be great, but it just wouldn’t work for me. I have a lot of commitments,” said junior Dan Gentry and others echoed his response. Only a few students were happy to continue life with less sleep, “Everyone is different, I do fine on six hours,” remarked sophomore D.J. Waaland.

What is it that keeps Clayton Valley students from getting their full amount of sleep? Just about everything.

As a teenager, we have to battle with homework, stress, more homework, chores, younger siblings, jobs, and yet more homework before we can close our eyes for a little beauty sleep.

Is this truly the problem, though, or do teens just get to sleep too late? It is true that many teens have obligations to sports, clubs, bands, etc. that take up their after school hours which cut into homework time; but could most teenagers still get to bed earlier than they do now? A few students at Clayton Valley admitted that they are able to manage their time to avoid

City Hall. They will be served a dinner before boogying down at the last dance of their high school career.

To finish the year, there will be an awards dessert dinner held for seniors on May 26 and following graduation on June 10, seniors will have Grad Night, an all night end of the year party.

Cynthia West is a junior at CVHS. E-mail her at cvhsnews@claytonpioneer.com

CYNTHIA WEST

CVHS REPORTER unnecessary late bedtimes and get their sleep. “I get eight to ten hours [of sleep].

I feel that it is enough because I learned to manage my time, so I can get enough sleep,” said sophomore, tennis and soccer player, Ammon Doman.

There are nights when a student has prior commitments that may go late, yet most nights a teen should be able to get a least eight hours of sleep if they plan out their afternoon correctly.

In order to go to sleep at a reasonable hour, consider these ideas; avoid caffeine in the evening; choose juice, milk, or water instead.

Manage your time so as to allow plenty of homework time.Try to stick to the same ‘bedtime’ on the weekends.

Instead of watching television shows that will keep you up past your ‘bedtime’, tape them to watch in your free time.

The main point is that if all teens who aren’t getting enough sleep could adjust their schedule to allow them to get to bed just a little earlier, everyone would be much happier. Teachers wouldn’t have students falling asleep in class, parents and siblings wouldn’t have to deal with crabby teens, and your body would be thrilled! (If you are having other problems sleeping, you may to want see your doctor to make sure that you don’t have a sleeping disorder.)

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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Music, keeping the passion alive They say inspiration is where you find it. We each have those special, personal things that we do or go back to that make us tick.

What works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another.

But it’s part of the human condition to seek wisdom and enlightenment, and recently I was in need of some.

A concerted effort to rekindle my musical flame and passion actually came together a couple Saturdays ago, when some painstakingly laid plans actually worked out beyond my hopes and expectations. It became a cause for celebration.

I’d heard about a new film, shown one time only at the San Francisco Film Festival, titled “Festival Express.” It features extensive, never before seen footage of a musical tour through Canada in 1970, on a train, no less.

Some of my favorite artists were aboard. What’s captured in this film is nothing less than historic and compelling and it certainly recharged my musical batteries.

This isn’t a review of the movie. Rather it’s a reminder of how in a different era, passion for music for it’s own sake was commonplace.

Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead, The Band and The Flying Burrito Brothers headlined a tour that lasted five days on that train, together with Ian and Sylvia, Buddy Guy, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Tom Rush and Traffic. This tour has become known as the largest ever “portable festival” of musicians.

The train-ride originated in Toronto and stopped for concerts in Winnipeg and Calgary, chugging its way through the Canadian Heartland. Talk about bonding

opportunities for the musicians, bonding on all sorts of levels, if you catch my drift. It was one big party.

But the most significant thing to come out of this documentary film, and you really need to be at least 45 years old to fully grasp it, was the way it was all about the music. There wasn’t the commercial pressure for a financially successful tour back then. The musicians knew this was a once in a lifetime chance to play music together. They jammed on the privately chartered train, filled with musicians and music equipment, and they jammed onstage with different combinations of players from various bands. Harmony, rhythm, exchanges of musical cultures and backgrounds, it was all there.

The spirit of that era, in a time far less inclined toward music

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MUSIC NOTES packaging, was wonderful to rediscover. We were so innocent then and so in tune with music being a big part of our lives. We wanted to change the world, for the better. And depending on whom you talk to, we did.

Seeing these musical heroes of my youth come alive again at this special showing was magical.

Janis Joplin died just three months after the tour ended. Jerry Garcia perished back in 1995. While music fans by necessity adapt to the often too early passing of their favorite artists, it was pleasantly stunning to see Janis, Jerry and company back on the big screen, in their 20’s, alive, energetic and inspired.

All I know is that since seeing that film, I’ve felt a rekindled sense of purpose and meaning in my own music. My guess is that many of the 1,200 or so who nearly filled The Castro Theatre that night carry around the same sort of rekindled passion, even if they’re not musicians.

This movie was about the reaffirmation of life itself. Innocent, fun and being as positive and creative as possible. And in the end, that’s what being inspired means.

Jim Hudak’s Music Notes column appears monthly. His CD’s of piano music are available at Amazon.com and on his website at www.jhudak.com. Contact him at jimmydak@pacbell.net.

Page 11

Bocce courts, From Page 1 approval of actual plans and a signed agreement between the city and the federation regarding the construction and maintenance of the courts.

Plans call for the construction of six courts on three quarters of the current one and a half-acre parcel behind city hall.

There will be picnic tables and shade trellises between the courts, end court seats for players and bleachers for spectators.

The proposed layout also incorporates an optional gazebo, additional picnic tables, storage building, staircase and handicap ramp from the city hall parking lot and lighting. Restroom facilities already exist in the city hall courtyard.

Both Hartley and Geller are optimistic that bocce ball play in Clayton will take off. They currently play in a league at Newhall Park in Concord and courts there are heavily booked.

Over the past several years, the Clayton Bocce League averaged 16 teams with about 10 players to a team. The Concord League currently has about 900 players.

Once the courts open in Clayton, Hartley and Geller anticipate league and tournament play, formation of school leagues, fundraisers and senior leagues. “There are so many options,” Geller said. “Just think about a supervised tourney for teens on a Friday night.”

The impetus for bocce ball in Clayton came about three years ago when Geller clipped an article from the newspaper about the sport in Danville and thought maybe the idea could work in Clayton. They first looked at the proposed “Grove” park for the courts but discovered they could only build two there. From the “Grove”, the site moved to private land behind Skipolini’s Pizza.

Around that time, the city council earmarked $100,000 in redevelopment money for the pro-

posed bocce ball courts. The thought of 120 or so people in downtown Clayton every night was a tempting thought for Hartley and Geller who were, and still are, involved in the Clayton Business and Professional Association (CBCA), which has a strong interest in the city’s economic development. However, legal issues with the Skipolini location developed and Geller and Hartley turned their sights to the property behind city hall.

The city has played a vital role in the bocce ball plans, explains Hartley. “It’s always been a 5-0 decision” in favor of the bocce courts in Clayton,” he adds. “This town is a team, everyone helps each other,” says Geller. As president of CBCA, Hartley believes that spearheading the bocce ball courts in Clayton is “consistent with what we (CBCA) do.”

The Federation is hopeful that even though the courts are not in the heart of downtown, players and spectators will walk the short distance to patronize local restaurants, bars and businesses.

And who plays this ancient sport that involves rolling a big ball (boccia) near a small ball (pallino )? “You don’t have to be an athlete to play,” says Geller. “All you have to do is roll a ball and be willing to argue.”

“It’s also very social, explains Hartley. “ It’s a party.”

If that sounds interesting, Hartley is looking for players.

“No experience is necessary’, says Geller. He and Hartley will personally train any newcomers.

League play begins in June and games are held every Sunday at 5 p.m. at Newhall Park. Registration fee is $200 per team. Team size ranges anywhere from six to 10 players. If you can roll a ball and like to argue, call Hartley at 925-6984191.

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Page 12

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

May 7, 2004

Clayton Community Calendar PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M., MAY 10 FOR THE MAY 21 ISSUE. FAX TO 672-6580 OR E-MAIL calendar@claytonpioneer.com

EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT ONGOING - SEPTEMBER 26 Unfinished Quilts of the 30’s & 40’s @ Clayton Historical Society Museum 2-4 p.m. and by appointment. Everyday items from the 1930s and 1940s will also be on display including pictures, depression glass, clothing, toys and books. A finished “Lone Star” quilt from 1942 will be displayed. Clayton Historical Society Museum, 6101 Main Street, Clayton, 672-0240.

ONGOING - JUNE Concord/Clayton Mt. Diablo Region YMCA Programs at the Clayton gym for adults and children including hockey, basketball, soccer and volleyball. Call 889-2600 for information.

MAY 3-7 Cold Stone Creamery Fundraiser for Mt. Diablo Elementary Check your child’s backback for the coupon and bring it to Coldstone. 20% of proceeds to Mt. Diablo Elementary.

May 3- Kindergarten and 1st grade, May 4- 2nd grade, May 5th- 3rd grade, May 6th- 4th grade, May 7th- 5th grade. Cold Stone Creamery, 1536 B Kirker Pass Road.

MAY 7 Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Desert Auction Fundraiser @ Shadelands Business Park 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. This event is one of several planned to raise money for the Susan B. Komen Foundation, culminating in a 3-day, 60 mile walk October 15-17, 2004. www.breastcancer3day.org or call Nancy Van Buskirk Synchrony Walnut Creek, 746-3901.185 Lennon Lane, Walnut Creek.

MAY 7, 14, 21, 28 Digital Thunder Bowling @ Clayton Bowl 4-6 p.m. Digital Thunder Bowling on Friday afternoons for kids includes music, lights and bumper lanes. Clayton Valley Bowl, 689-4631.

MAY 7, 8 Clayton Historical Society Annual Garden Tour Friday and Saturday, rain or shine. Call 672-0240 for more information, www.claytonhs.com. Tickets will go on sale early this spring. Tickets $16 in advance, $20 at the door. New this year, garden party, appetizers and beverages served; tickets are $10 additional. Tour begins at the Clayton Historical Museum, 6101 Main Street, Clayton.

May 7, 8 Dear Edwina @ Del Valle Theatre, Walnut Creek May 7, 9:30 a.m., 12 p.m. & 7 p.m., May 8, 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.

Jeffrey Holmes, Sydney Blatt, and Kelsey Purser, Clayton middle school students, star in a play about a teenage girl who who gives advice Dear Abbey style. Tickets are on sale now.

For information call 943-7469, Del Valle Theatre, 1963 Tice Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek.

MAY 8 Diablo Valley Masterworks Chorale & Orchestra @ Diablo Valley College Performing Arts Center 8 p.m. A concerted contest will be held between colossal contestants J.S. Bach and G.F. Handel. Richard Kamprath, director, Aimee Puentes, guest soloist. Tickets $15 advance, $18 at the door. Call 687-4445 for information. Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill.

MAY 11 Clayton Valley High School Spring Concert 7 p.m. ClaytonValley High School instrumental groups will perform their spring concert in the large gym.

MAY 12 Senior Bowling at Clayton Valley Bowl 10:30 a.m. Bowling for seniors every Wednesday starting May 12. Great way for seniors to socialize and get a little exercise.

Bowl 3 games for $6.00. Free coffee and stats every week.

Professional instructor Steve Valente will be on hand May 12 to give bowling tips. Call Paul Thompson, 689-4631 for information. Clayton Valley Bowl (under new management).

MAY 12 Garden Club Meeting Meeting and installation of officers. Call Jan Rubiales, 6725694 for location and directions. Anyone interested in gardening is welcome to attend the Garden Club Meetings. The

Club meets the second Wednesday of every month. There are frequently speakers and several field trips. The Garden Club plants and cares for "Daffodil Hill" at the downtown city marker.

MAY 14 Pizza Party/Art Sale @ Mt. Diablo Elementary, Multi Use Room 4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Mark your calendars for this fun family fundraiser that features raffles, prizes, art sale, individual pizza’s from Pizza Hut, and the ever popular wheel of prizes.

Volunteers still needed- call Susan at 383-9265 if you can help.

MAY 13 Puppets and Judy Puppet Show @ Clayton Community Library 11-11:30 a.m. and 4-4:30 p.m., Library Meeting Room, 6125 Clayton Road, 673-0659, www.claytonlibrary.org.

MAY 15 Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Dance Fundraiser @ Alamo Women's Club 7:30 p.m. - 12 Midnight. Join us for an evening out. There will be a band, a DJ, food and drink. Alamo Women’s Club1401 Danville Road, Alamo. Nancy Van Buskirk Synchrony Walnut Creek, 746-3901.

MAY 16 Easter Seals Walk With Me East Bay Join friends and neighbors for 3k or 5k run/walk to raise money for disabled children and adults. 8:30 a.m. registration, 9:30 a.m. run start, 10 a.m. walk start. CSU Hayward, Contra Costa campus. Call Lynne Anderson 835-2131 X 130, landerson@esba.org for information.

MAY 17 46th Annual Pro/Am Golf Tournament Mt. Diablo Region YMCA is hosting a golf tournament, partnering with Diablo Country Club and Lexus of Pleasanton/Lexus Champions for Charity. Foursomes will be assigned a golf professional. Bid on a package for participation in the National Lexus Champions for Charity golf tournament. All proceeds will benefit the YMCA scholarship fund.

For registration information, contact fmcafee@mdrymca.org or call the YMCA at (925) 609-9622.

MAY 22 19th Annual Dana Hills Community Garage Sale 9 a.m.-1p.m. Pick up maps and info at the entrance of Dana Hills. Sponsored by Lori Hagge, Allice Ponti & Larry Schafer, Century 21 Realty. Call 682-4663 for information.

MAY 22 Special Olympics Tip-A-Cop @ Ed’s Mulville Grill 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Come for an evening of dining fun and be waited on by Clayton’s finest. All proceeds benefit the Special OIympics of Contra Costa County. For information call Susan Burdett at 673-7350. Ed’s Mudville Grill, 6200 Center Street, Clayton.

MAY 31 Memorial Day Program @ Downtown Clayton Flagpole 9:30 a.m. seating, program 10 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Annual program run by VFW Post 1525. All are welcome to join in this year’s observance to honor our veterans.

JUNE 3-6 Contra Costa County Fair Carnival open Thurs. 1-11 p.m., Fri.-Sun. 11a.m.-11p.m., exhibit buildings open until 10 p.m. Ages 6 and under free, 712 $4, 13-61 $7, 62 and up $4. 1201 W 10th Street, Antioch, info@cccfair.

JUNE 12 - AUGUST 28 Bound for Books, Summer Reading Program @ Clayton Community Library Keep up your reading during the summer and win exciting prizes. See librarian for details. Clayton Community Library, Clayton.

JUNE 13 Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Assoc. Gymhkana @ Russelmann and Marsh Creek Roads 7:30 a.m. sign ups, 8:30 a.m. start. Classes- pole bending, birangle, hurry scurry, speed barrels, skill barrels and cloverleaf barrels. All age groups welcome. For information and entry forms call Jennifer or Linda Hull, 673-1838 or

CMDTRAplayday04@aol.com. Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association, Russelmann & Marsh Creek Roads.

JUNE 15, 22, 29 Story Book Club @ Clayton Community Library 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. Be your own author! Write and illustrate a picture book for display in the library. Registration required, program is free. For children entering grades 2 and up.

Sponsored by Philanthropic Ventures Foundation. Clayton Community Library, Clayton.

JUNE 22 - JULY 29 Patty Cakes @ Clayton Community Library 11 a.m. Story time for birth to 3 years. Clayton Community Library, Clayton.

JULY 2-30 Friday Night Family Movies, Clayton Community Church 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. Outdoor movies and social in the parking lot next to the Clayton Community Church offices, 6055 Main Strteet, Clayton. For information call Brad Carter, 673-2159.

CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS MAY 13, 20, 27 Weights Watchers Weekly Meeting 10 a.m., 5 & 6:30 p.m. Weekly Weight Watchers weigh-in & meeting on Thursday. Prospective members welcome. Contra Costa Farm Bureau, 5554 Clayton Rd., Concord. 800/3268450 x2023.

MAY 13, 20, 27 Rotary Club of Clayton Valley Concord Sunrise @ Oakhurst 7 a.m. Meets every Thursday for breakfast meeting that usually features a speaker. Oakhurst Country Club. www.claytonvalleyrotary.org Chuck Graham 689-7640.

BUSINESS & GOVERNMENT MAY 11, 18, 25 Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Meeting @ Clayton Library 9 a.m. County Board of Supervisors holds regular weekly meetings Tuesday mornings. Open to the public. County Administration Building, 651 Pine Street, Room 107, Martinez. www.co.contra-costa.ca.us 335-1900.

MAY 11, 25 Planning Commission Meeting @ Clayton Library 7p.m. City of Clayton Planning Commission meets 2nd & 4th Tuesday of month. Open to the public. Clayton Library Community Room. www.ci.clayton.ca.us 673-7304.

MAY 18, JUNE 1, 15 Clayton City Council @ Clayton Community Library Meeting Room 6 p.m. The City Council meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton.

MAY 27 Clayton Business & Community Association Meeting @ Oakhurst 6:30 p.m. Monthly dinner meeting on last non-holiday Thursday of month. Reservations due by Tuesday noon.

Oakhurst Country Club. Ed Hartley 672-2272.

MAY 13 Clayton Community Services Commission Meeting @ City Hall 7 p.m. City of Clayton Community Services Commission meets 2nd Thursday of month. Open to the public. Clayton City Hall Conference Room, 6000 HeritageTrail. www.ci.clayton.ca.us 673-7304.

SCHOOLS & EDUCATION MAY 18 Parent Faculty Club (PFC) Meeting, Multi Use Room @ Mt. Diablo Elementary 7:00. Please join us and help make a difference! Child care is provided for this event. If you would like to have a specific item included on the agenda, please contact Rosy Straka at rosystraka@yahoo.com or 672-3200. 7304.

The Community Calendar is sponsored by

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May 7, 2004

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page 13

Color matching, is it possible?

What concerns the customer most after being involved in a car accident? Is the car structurally sound? Will the alignment be right? Is the car safe?

No, none of the above.

Surprisingly, "Will the new color match the existing paint?" is the number one question.

Twenty-five years ago, with relatively few options, matching the color on a repaired vehicle wasn't a problem. Original finishes contained solvent-based acrylic lacquer or acrylic enamel, and the vehicles were made entirely of sheet metal. (I can actually take you further back in time when you actually had a choice of "black" or "black.")

Then, things got complicated.

Auto manufacturers introduced "clear coats" (not to be

confused with the custom "metal flake, 30-coats of a clear-coated, hand-rubbed paint job that was popular in the 60's and 70's) followed by "pearls" and "tricoats." They're now using some powder coatings, super highsolid finishes and scratch-andmar resistant clear coats.

Waterborne finishes are now also in the refinish mix. What's more, several types of plastics, now integral to many vehicles, further complicate the refinishing process.

When you have a few minutes, look at your factory "colorcoded" urethane bumpers, side moldings, deck lid spoilers or ground effects, do they really match? "Dialing in a color" to create a perfect match becomes a challenge. Everyday I hear, "I

want the paint ordered from the dealer." Believe me, you don't.

The car manufactures cannot match their own factory paint.

(Ever use the "touch up" tubes supplied by the dealers?) Paint manufacturers only guarantee a "blendable" color match.

Fortunately, as color matching became more demanding, the tools available to painters improved.

Paint manufacturers leveled the playing field by supplying better, more up-to-date color information, including alternates or variants to factory matches, including training classes. Additionally, in a development that earned the gratitude of many shop owners, they introduced colorimeters or spec-

SAL CONTRERAS

UNDER THE HOOD trophotometers.

These hand-held computers have become indispensable in many shops. They read a color and select a color match from the paint manufacturer's list of formulas. If the scan doesn't match anything in the database, the system adjusts an existing formula or creates a new formula to match the scanned color.

Example: You bring in a sample of your painted wood trim molding to your local building supply dealer. The "orange aproned" salesperson puts the painted wood trim molding under the spectrophotometer system and comes up with a formula. Mixed and blown dry, the match will be amazing. The "orange aproned" salesperson explained that 16 different tint colors were available.

I told him our industry has over 126 tint colors and hundreds of variances. While spectrophotometers offer tremendous advantages to body shops, the price of these systems remains expensive, so the painter still faces many challenges. Most shops use the scale measuring system. After selecting the formula, the painter must weigh the material accurately.

The painter mixes the color tints specification on the scales and pours the color tints carefully.

With newer, higher solids and higher-pigmented refinish bases, what seems to be a minor, overpour can have disastrous results!

Calibration of the scale must be monitored daily.

Generally speaking, color matching is a five-step process.

1) Retrieve accurate OEM color information, including colorcode and date of manufacture and enter it into the paint manufacturer's color retrieval software. 2) Pick the proper formula/alternate/variances. 3) Mix the formula carefully. 4) Agitate the tints on the mixing banks thoroughly. 5) Do a spray- out and compare it to the existing finish in the best, possible light, preferably natural daylight.

Be sure to set up the spray gun correctly and use good gun technique along with proper air adjustment. Expert painters combine experience, "eye for color" and knowledge of the color wheel. All painters should stay abreast of the latest finishes by taking the appropriate training courses. The major paint suppliers offer continuous training either in-house or at locations convenient to the shops.

Oxidation is the major contributing factor to paint mismatch. To keep your paint from fading, set up maintenance schedules and have your car washed and waxed regularly, especially during the winter months. The fine particles of dirt and grime that settle on your car act like sandpaper on the paint finish, slowly removing the protective clear coat and allowing the sun to oxidize your paint.

So "invisible" repairs are realistic on those paint jobs that are applicable!

Sala J. Contreras is head of Marketing and Outside Sales at Mike Rose’s Auto Body, Inc. He can be reached for questions at scontreras@mautobody.com

Page 14

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

May 7, 2004

Hair! It’s never where you want it to be Hair is a funny thing – at times, it seems as if it has an agenda all its own. It’s sparse where you do want it (on the head as a crowning glory for example), and shows up where you don’t – giving rise to embarrassing comments

and peculiar profiles. I have observed dark, wiry hairs creep onto cheeks, lips and chins, breasts, the throat, belly, toes, and eyelids – and that’s just the ladies. To be fair, though we expect men to sport more body hair than “the

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CYNTHIA GREGORY

LOOKIN’ GOOD matters of body hair, it is true that preferences are entirely personal. And when it comes to hair removal, there are alternatives galore.

Bleaching is one method of dealing with unwanted facial hair. Bleaching can give the initial appearance of vanished hair, but the chemicals used in bleaching creams are quite harsh to tender facial skin, and bleaching doesn’t really produce an esthetic outcome if all you get is thick, blonde facial hair. Excess facial hair, regardless of color, still creates shadow and contour on the lip and chin, and, please never uses bleach near the eyes.

Sugaring is an ancient method using a warm, sugary paste, which is applied and removed much like wax.

Sugaring is advertised as “natural” – which theoretically is no more or less true than other methods like waxing.

Conditions that would pre-

clude an individual from sugaring would include allergies or diabetes.

Threading is all the rage in San Diego these days. With a history in the Far and Near East, threading involves an intricate dance of teeth, a long cotton or silk thread, and the removal of facial and body hair by wrapping the hair with thread and twisting it out by the roots, the end result appearing much like tweezing and waxing.

Waxing is by far the most popular method for removing unwanted hair. This method involves applying wax to the skin with a wooden spatula and then removing the wax with a cotton strip and with it those pesky unwanted hairs.

Waxing is a fabulous alternative to shaving, with some caveats. The hair must be at least an eighth of an inch long to give the wax something to adhere to. This may be fine for bikini or brows, but for the legs, especially if you’re “blessed with hair,” you may prefer your Lady Gillette. The other concern for waxing is for Acutane users. Because this product can make the skin more fragile, a 30-day rest between its use and waxing is recommended.

Okay, sure, waxing may be a little uncomfortable, but what price beauty? The gorgeous result of waxing is a smooth, polished hair-free surface. It’s a myth that wax-

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service. I, myself, entered many of these contests in hopes of winning one for my wife. I always gave the typical reasons, that my wife works very hard, she’s a great wife and mom, she really deserves it, that I’m no help and am terribly lazy, blah, blah, blah. I never won.

Well THIS year I tell the truth. Yes my wife would like to have our house cleaned by a maid. Why? Because WE don’t want to clean the damned place.

Come on, let’s say it together, house cleaning sucks.

And if you’ve got kids, really gross. We’ve got a sixyear-old son. He’s short. He

Earn.

misses. Quite often. That’s gross. Do YOU want to get down there and clean the floor and the bowl and occasionally the walls? Me neither. That’s why I’ve gotta win me a contest, baby.

And let’s talk about the shower. It gets that blackish moldy crud underneath the door and after enough of it’s built up it starts to kind of …fall out. That’s gross. I’M not going to get a toothbrush and scrub that crud. Then someone would have to clean up vomit in addition to the black crud. My wife has a problem cleaning hair out of the drain. It’s kind of like a big dead rat when you pull

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ing makes you hairier. In fact, a guy or gal is born with just so many hair follicles, and it is a physiological impossibility for mere wax to create more.

Laser treatments are a technological improvement over electrolysis, which fries the hair follicle by zapping it with electricity. Though marketed as painless, laser removal is sufficiently not trouble-free and warrants the use of topical anesthetics.

However, though it is not a permanent solution to hair removal, lasering can cut down on the amount of hair, and can refine the texture and lighten the color. Laser removal generally requires three treatments for greatest effect and can be expensive, but if the amount or texture of hair is sufficient to warrant it, consult your dermatologist for removal options.

The beautiful thing about hair removal is that there are so many choices. And as swimmers, cyclists, and bodybuilders will tell you, it ain’t just for girls anymore.

Cynthia Gregory holds a master's degree in fine arts and is a California licensed esthetician. She combines the surprising aspects of teaching English at Solano College and practicing esthetics at Permanent Solution, in downtown Clayton. She can be reached for comment at ceegregory@aol.com.

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fair sex,” there are limits to the conventional laws of grooming and attraction, and certainly hairs sprouting from the ears and in a solid line across the brow violate those laws.

It should come as no surprise that hair removal has been around since the dawn of mankind. Many cultures even prize a hair-free existence.

Archeological evidence shows that our primordial relatives groomed each other in the comfort of their own caves pulling facial hairs with the aid of tweezers made of seashells. The Egyptians savored a polished head and shaved with the first razors made of filed metal.

Cleopatra is arguably the first high-maintenance princess in history. She not only bathed in milk, which due to its chemical composition, is an excellent exfoliant; she was also known to use a method called sugaring to remove unsightly body hair.

She savored the hairless look so much that she shaved her head and wore extravagant wigs. In some cultures a bride arrives on her wedding day hairless but for the tresses on her head, and the hairs of her brows and lashes; it is considered an honor to her husband to remain that way for the rest of her married days.

Personally, I think a little hair has flair and even artistic value, — but when it comes to

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JOE ROMANO

SO ANYWAY... it out. That’s gross too. Are you starting to get the picture here? I mean the big picture, not the little one that tells you we’re slobs.

Now, the kitchen, let’s not forget that. Scouring sinks, cleaning the grease off the stove hood, scrubbing the oven because we’ve got a cheap non-self-cleaning model. Cleaning out the refrigerator—a veritable gross-fest! Congealed food substances that somehow managed to spill way in the back of the fridge that need to be removed with a putty knife. The hairballs that gather under that vent thingy below the door. It’s more than I can bear, but all in a day’s work for a professional.

Do you have pets? We do—two Guinea pigs, a rabbit and two hermit crabs.

They ought to call them Guano pigs because that’s all they do. Hell, that’s all ANY of them do. So that means cleaning out cages full of sopping wet newspaper.

What a treat! Please, shoot me now!

I could go on, but you get the picture. Housework should best be left to the professionals and I’m more than willing to bow to their greater skill. This is why I think my wife deserves to have a maid clean our house.

Thank you for considering my entry.

Joe Romano is a Clayton resident and freelance writer.

He may be reached at jromano01@yahoo.com

May 7, 2004

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page 15

Religion The Pioneer wants to know what is happening in your parish, congregation, temple, synagogue, mosque or other place of worship. Tell us about your ministries, upcoming activities or notable members. Send your news items to Clayton Pioneer, PO Box 1246, Clayton 94517 or e-mail religion@claytonpioneer.com.

BAHA’IS OF CLAYTON

Karen Laible RELIGION EDITOR

The local Baha’i community in Clayton wishes to raise the awareness of the general population about the plight of members of the Baha’i faith in Iran. Two members of the Baha’i faith have recently

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been released from serving prison terms in Iran of nearly fifteen years, arising solely from their religious beliefs.

One of these former prisoners is the cousin of Clayton resident Akbar Misaghi. Akbar says that his cousin, Behnam, was an entrepreneur who owned a small auto parts shop, which was confiscated when he was arrested.

Behnam’s daughter, a small child when he was arrested, is now 20 years old and a university student attending an underground school in Iran.

Although killings and imprisonments have abated among Baha’is in Iran in recent years, members of the faith remain victims of systematic oppression. Baha’is continue to be subject to short-term detention. They are also denied access to higher education and deprived of employment and the right to freedom of assembly and worship.

For more information: 673-6686.

ETERNAL LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH The community is invited to attend “Family Day” on Sunday, May 23. The 11 a.m. morning worship service will present a Christ-centered message about parenting and family life. A barbecue, picnic, games and activities for

Clayton’s

Memorial Day Observance Veterans Veterans of of Foreign Foreign Wars Wars Memorial Flagpole on Main Street Memorial Flagpole on Main Street Memorial Memorial Day, Day, May May 31, 31, 2004 2004 at at 10:00 10:00 AM AM

Program 9:30 10:00 10:10 11:15

AM AM AM AM

Gather and be seated Presentation of colors Memorial day program “Taps” and colors retire

Clayton Valley VFW Post 1525 invites you and your family to join your Clayton and Concord neighbors at this year’s observance

Program Participants Julie Pierce, Mayor of Clayton Mark DeSaulnier, Contra Costa County Supervisor Ron Van Buskirk, Quartermaster, VFW Post 1525 Robert Riser, Bugler (Concord) Pine Hollow & Diablo View Middle School Bands Veterans of Foreign Wars Color Guard Olympic High School ROTC Color Guard (Concord) United States Marine Corps Color Guard Boy Scouts of America Troop 242 (Clayton) Public - Open mike to take a moment to remember someone

all ages will follow the service. Eternal Life Lutheran holds worship services in the Farm Bureau Building on Clayton Road. For more information: 524-0295.

ST. BONAVENTURE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY Each Tuesday morning, a number of dedicated volunteers meet in the hall at St. Bonaventure to sort and distribute food to the less fortunate. Eighty to one hundred families from the local area come to the St. Bonaventure Food Pantry each week. The food to be distributed is purchased from the Contra Costa Food Bank with funds provided by the parish and by individual donations.

Parishioners have been very generous about giving money as well as food that can be distributed directly. In addition to their weekly ministry, the Food Pantry volunteers organize special collections and distributions which include turkeys and hams for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

On April 15, Sister Roberta Carson, Director of Children’s Faith Formation at St. Bonaventure, was honored by the National Association of Parish Catechetical Directors at their yearly meeting in Boston. Sr. Roberta is a Holy Names Sister who has been at

St. Bonaventure since 1995.

Throughout the last nine years, Sr. Roberta has had a great influence not only on the lives of the children and families at St. Bonaventure, but also in the greater communities of Clayton and Concord.

Sr. Roberta directs the children’s faith formation program at St. Bonaventure, which serves about 450 children each year. Her ministry

Sister Roberta Carson

encompasses the entire family as she encourages communication among generations by involving parents and grandparents in the religious education of their children. Sr. Roberta is known in the community for organizing furniture and clothing drives. She has also coordinated crews for Habitat for Humanity. Several years ago, Sr. Roberta was officially honored by the City of Concord for her continuing humanitarian efforts. Sr. Roberta was one of six directors of religious education who were honored at the

recent NPCD (National Association of Parish Catechetical Directors) Convocation in Boston with The Religious Educational Excellence Award for significant contributions to parish religious education. The NPCD is a professional association within the National Catholic Education Association and represents approximately 1,600 parish catechetical leaders nationwide.

On April 17, Clayton resident and St. Bonaventure parishioner, Elaine Shingleton, was presented with a lifetime achievement award by the City of Concord at their annual recognition dinner. Elaine is a registered nurse who works in the oncology department of Mt. Diablo Hospital and she is a cancer survivor herself. She is involved in prison ministry at the parish and she is president of the board of the Wingz to Fly program.

For more information: 672-5800.

ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL A new series of the popular Adult Forum has begun.

This program is held at 9 a.m. on Sundays and is entitled “Who Wrote the Old Testament?” The series explores questions about the Old Testament including, “Who wrote the original texts?” and “Who decided which books should be included?”

For more information call 672-8855.

VFW Memorial Day Service remembers those who fell The Clayton Valley Post #1525 will host this year’s Memorial Day program on Monday, May 31. VFW Post #1525 Commander Mahlon Hanson and Commander Elect Richard Lund report that the one hour and fifteen program will begin promptly at 10 a.m. on Main Street in downtown Clayton at the Veterans of Foreign Wars memorial flagpole.

This year’s program includes participation of our Pine Hollow and Mount Diablo Middle School bands, Boy Scouts of America Troop #242, VFW Color Guard, ROTC color guard, United States Marine Corps Color Guard, bugler Robert Riser and remarks from a number of our community leaders All Clayton Valley residents are invited to gather together this day to remember our lost family members, comrades, friends and neighbors to pray

for our country’s sons and daughters who are today, once again, called upon to defeat our enemies abroad, and to celebrate America’s strength and freedom.

Clayton Valley’s Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States of America Post 1525 is one of the nationally-chartered fraternal VFW organization’s 9,000 posts. The National Veterans of Foreign Wars has 2.6 million members-all veterans of our country’s armed conflicts.

VFW Post 1525 exists to provide financial and volunteer support each year to many local community organizations whose activities benefit America’s veterans, their orphans and families. It rinses funds for these purposes from three sources: public donations during Veteran Poppy Days over Memorial Day and Veterans Day weekends and from private contributions of its

members and community friends.

Post #1525 has two homes, Clayton and Concord. Its Federal Charter indicates Clayton as it’s hometown with the Concord Veterans Hall as its base of operations. Clayton’s VFW Post’s membership includes 142 Veterans of America’s armed conflicts from World War II through the current war in Iraq. The Post has contributed over 10,000 dollars to worthy organizations throughout Contra Costa over the past year-everything from the Veterans Clinic in Martinez to the American Red Cross in Concord. Additionally, the Post’s members have donated thousands of hours of community service to support its purpose: visits with Blue Star Moms, volunteer service to veterans, police fire and medical organizations, boy scout troops, schools, Contra Costa community activities and others.

Garden tour sneak preview Want to know where this gorgeous waterfall is? Just buy a ticket for the Clayton Garden Tour, May 7 and 8, and you can not only see this waterfall, you can see the whole magnificent hillside yard, and four other gardens, besides.

Purchase tickets at the Clayton Historical Museum for $20 the day of the event. And for an additional $10, you can enjoy appetizers and beverages at the traditional Victorian Garden Party from 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on tour days.

Page 16

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

May 7, 2004

If only I’d saved all those Barbie dolls!

There are thousands of guys who, at one time or another, thought, “Why didn’t I save all those baseball cards I collected? I’d be rich!” And, I’m sure that more than a few women wonder what happened to all those Barbies they had as little girls. What happened to those

toys we had as kids?

Take a quick look at Ebay and toy collector guides. You’ll find that these toys are greatly sought after and very valuable.

A 1961 Swimsuit Barbie lists for $300, or $500 MIB (Mint In Box). A Nolan Ryan baseball card from 1968 is valued at

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$500. GI Joe’s, Hot Wheels, Kiddle Dolls and original board games from the era are worth far more than their original price.

Fortunately, today collectors know how to safeguard the value of these items. Baseball collectors handle their cards quite differently today. After opening a new pack, we find valuable cards and put them in a plastic sleeve to ensure no smudges or tattering occurs.

We sort, catalogue and store away the cards for safekeeping.

The value is checked and rechecked in the latest price guide. Flipping cards with friends or using baseball cards in bike spokes is unthinkable!

Like day traders analyzing a prospective company, card buyers have a lot to think about before deciding to invest in a player’s card. A stock purchaser must consider the long-term profitability of a company, analyze the market share and ask, “are they cooking the books?”

A card investor wonders if the featured player is injury prone or if he will have a long and successful career. Will he stay out of jail? An investment in Barry Bonds cards a few years ago is now paying very nice

dividends.

Adults have become better at taking care of their toys, as evidenced by their behavior during the Beanie Baby craze.

Beanie Babies started showing up in specialty gift and toy stores in 1995. By 1997, Beanie Mania swept the country. Fans camped out in front of stores for hours on the rumor that the store expected a new shipment. A secondary market emerged with collectors paying 50 and 100 times the original cost.

Collectors took great care of their prized animals. After purchase, they applied a tag protector before putting a Beanie in a protective case. Removal of a tag was a sacrilege.

Favorite Beanies were displayed on shelves in the house and at work. Holiday Beanies became an important part of Christmas and Easter decorating. Clothes and accessories became popular, and countless magazines, newsletters and collecting clubs popped up all over the world.

Gradually, the craze subsided and the value of all but the rarest of Beanies is purely intrinsic. Most Beanies found their way into big bins in the

Single women face wealth gap Households headed by women who are unmarried or not living with a partner have far fewer financial resources than the average U.S. household. According to a recent study by the Consumer

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Federation of America (CFA), they have a much lower net worth and lower incomes, which generally can be attributed to less education, less likelihood of being employed and having only one paycheck instead of two. (Source: CNN/Money, Jan 12, 2004) To make matters worse, according to a recent report from the Employee Benefit Research Institute, older, low-

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garage—too cute to throw away. Maybe it’s time to let the grandchildren play with them.

But, please remove the tag. It’s a choking hazard.

Hot Wheels have re-emerged as very collectable. A few years back, Mattel introduced “Treasure Hunt” cars into Hot Wheels series. Each month Hot Wheels packages at random, a different Treasure Hunt Car and they package the cartons that go to your local store making them a lot harder to find and thus, more valuable. A Treasure Hunt car purchased for one dollar resells for several times the cost, provided they remain in the original packaging.

If you see a Hot Wheels dis-

income, single women will have meager Social Security benefits and insufficient 401(k) plan balances for their retirement. (Source: CBS Marketwatch, Dec. 17, 2003) The following recommendations are geared toward women-headed households but also are applicable for others who are lagging in their savings and are struggling with financial challenges: Prepare a Budget. Know how much money comes in and goes out of your household each month to make educated financial decisions.

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play in a local store, don’t bother. It has already been picked over, usually by guys in their thirties and forties. These are the same guys who have no idea what happened to all the Hot Wheels they had as kids.

It’s common knowledge in ‘Hunting” circles that managers and stock boys at places like Target, Walgreens and KMart have the best and highest Treasure Hunt collections.

My son likes to collect Pokemon cards. Occasionally, he’ll open a pack and tell me a particular card is rare and worth $25 or so. I tell him we should sell it. But, in fact, not many actually pay that kind of money for them. He feels good knowing he has a valuable card. I know that, in about a year, he will lose all interest in the cards. Two years from now, growing tired of seeing the cards all over his bedroom floor, I’ll throw them away. In twenty years, he’ll wonder what happened to all of his Pokemon cards!

Mike Banducci is the owner of Toys, Games and More in the Clayton Station. Call him with questions or comments at 6738634.

MURELEEN BENTON

FINANCIAL SENSE should have at least one credit card in your own name and use it on a regular basis.

Create Systems to Boost Your Savings. Take advantage of savings opportunities, such as automated savings programs at work, particularly if they offer matching funds from an employer, such as a 401(k). Create a liquid emergency savings fund to cover three to six months of living expenses.

Make L IFESTYLE CHANGES. Do you overspend on credit cards? Has your debt been consistently increasing?

Are you driving a car that you really can’t afford? Consider small and large changes to help you reach your shortand long-term goals.

Determine Social Security Benefits. This is especially important for divorced women who were married for at least 10 years and who are entitled to certain benefit rights from their former spouse’s Social Security record.

Consider Delaying Retirement. Delaying retirement will allow your nest egg to continue to grow, and insurance benefits can pick up what Medicare won’t.

Secondly, if you can delay withdrawals from taxdeferred benefit plans, your money has more time to grow tax-free. Social Security benefits also increase for every month past your full retirement age that you keep working.

Get Help. Seek help from a qualified financial advisor who can help you create a comprehensive financial plan specific to your needs and goals.

Mureleen Benton is a certified financial planner. Call her with questions or comments at 685-4523.

May 7, 2004

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page 17

Teen depression--the challenge “Whoever preserves one life, it is as if he preserved an entire world.”

-The Talmud “Gary, my son has a terrible attitude! I just don’t understand why he seems so angry.” I can’t tell you how many times I have heard this from parents about their son or daughter. Many angry kids exhibiting an attitude may actually be depressed.

Depression may be one of the most under diagnosed issues among teens. Depression is not merely feeling sad or having the blues. Depression affects about seven out of one hundred men and one out of one hundred women. Adolescent depression is rising at an alarming rate. Recent

studies indicate that as many as one in five teens suffers from clinical depression. This is a serious problem which parents must confront by providing their teen with quick appropriate treatment.

Depression can take on several diagnoses. Clinical depression, dysthymia and bipolar disorder (manic-depression) are forms of depression in teens. Teen depression is difficult to diagnose because they typically get moody and adults have a difficult time understanding them. Many teens find it difficult to express themselves and may be unaware that they are depressed. These symptoms may suggest depression especially when they last for more than two weeks; poor school performance, withdrawal from friends and activities, anger

and rage, changes in eating and sleeping habits, hopelessness and helplessness, substance abuse and suicidal talk or actions.

Teens often exhibit depression by being aggressive, hostile or showing risk-taking behaviors.

Experimentation with drugs and alcohol is a way teens try to selfmedicate their symptoms of depression. Unfortunately, these behaviors increase contacts with law enforcement and damage relationships with friends, family and school administration.

Parents must insure that their depressed son or daughter receives professional treatment.

Left untreated, depression is a life-threatening situation.

Because of the stigma attached to depression, many parents hesitate to get help. A combination of

How soon is too soon to learn? feels like schooling— tal class with a number of flashcards and other lanother expectant mothers guages—while other parand we’ve all stayed in ents just let their kids play touch. Now that our chil- all day. I guess I’m somedren are two-years-old, where in the middle with I’m noticing that some my daughter. What is the parents are having their right time for children to kids do a lot of stuff that start learning?

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mediation and counseling can be of great help for a depressed teen.

Most teens do not seek out help for depression. They need the help and encouragement from parents, friends, teachers, clergy etc.

When assessing a young person for depression, I am always concerned about suicide. Some teens feel so depressed that they will contemplate suicide. Nearly 5,000 young people a year kill themselves. Since 1958, the suicide rate has nearly tripled for those 15 to 24 years of age.

Nationwide, nearly one in five high school students stated on self-report surveys that they have seriously considered attempting suicide during the preceding 12 months.

It is extremely important that

think. There’s a reason, in our culture, that classroom instruction begins at five—that’s when the typical child can begin to best make use of that kind of structure.

If your daughter enjoys learning, the best way for her to experience that is through play and everyday activities.

Leave the formal lessons until kindergarten. If she can’t learn it through play, she’s not ready to learn it. Play is important on a number of levels: it develops the child physically by increasing dexterity and muscle control, mentally through encouraging imagination, creativity and concentration and socially through learning to share, which increases his or her verbal skills.

Try to answer your daughter’s questions no matter how

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If you are interested in this subject, please come to a

MENTAL HEALTH we listen to our teens. If you have concerns about your teen being suicidal contact a mental health professional or the police. Parents often share with me that they think their child’s suicidal communications are just cries for attention. Suicidal people usually communicate their intentions the week leading up to the suicide attempt. There is always ambivalence with suicide. Many young

repetitive they feel. Avoid using the word “because” (if possible) and you will help her understand the world much better. Be sure to keep your answers short and direct. Let her ask other questions once she’s moved past the original one and that may take a while since there are things we believe in that don’t make a lot of sense to someone new to our world.

Reading is important to your daughter. You can encourage her to talk about the book while you’re going through the story. She may want to go over the same book many times until she feels like she “gets” it.

Expect things to get a little messy and try to give as much praise as possible. Depending on how much praise you got at

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JANET EASTON he old, two-room school on the top of the hill on the property where Mt. Diablo Elementary sits now produced some budding authors. During the 1930s and 1940s, The Oakland Tribune sponsored “The Aunt Elsie Club.” School children were encouraged to submit articles and pictures and the best were published in the newspaper.

Rosemary Chapman Joaquin’s scrapbook contains the following stories, preserved from another time: A BEE STING BY MELVIN GOMEZ, 12 One day two boys and I didn’t have anything to do, so we decided to tease the bees. When we got to the tree where they were, we got a stick to stir them

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I didn’t want the job of doing it, so one of my friends did it.

The bees started swarming around us.

Suddenly I felt something like a bolt of lightning right between the eyes. After that day we thought it was better to leave the bees alone.

HOW CLAYTON WON ITS NAME BY JOHNNY JOAQUIN, 15 The other day in school while we were singing, we heard someone knocking on the door.

One of the children opened the door. It was a lady from San Francisco. She told us that she used to go to our school years ago.

Her father and Mr. Clayton were the first settlers in Clayton.

The two men flipped a coin to see whom the town would be named after. But, Mr. Clayton won. So it is now called the town of Clayton.

A SURPRISE BY DICK FRANK, 10 One night when my father got home from work he had a surprise for us. We always run out to meet him. When he opened the car door a dog jumped out and scared me. That was a swell surprise because our old dog got killed and I wanted one very much.

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Come and see Peter live every Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Skipolini’s in downtown Clayton

Pete Caldwell, MS/MFT is the Mental Health Director at We Care Mental Health Services for Children. He can be reached for questions or comments at (925) 671-0777.

Watch this column for more from the The Aunt Elsie Club.

of

Make your child’s party the

this age, this may be hard, but try your best. A great stance to take in raising your toddler is to act as if you’re training them to be wonderful grandparents. You can’t love them too much, and definitely, there’s enormous learning in that. A child who enters kindergarten with skills that include getting along with their peers, taking instructions easily and sitting still is likely to be more successful than the child who doesn’t have those skills, but can tell you the capital of New Zealand!

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people who complete an act of suicide do so without the intention of dying. Because teens live for today, it is difficult for them to understand that they can overcome adversity in life. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in teens. It is the eighth leading cause of death in the United States. It is also the most preventable.

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Page 18

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

May 7, 2004

Clayton Sports

CVHS wins BVAL championship

BY JIM ZEWAN Clayton Pioneer

On Friday, April 23 Clayton Valley High School (CVHS) swimmers and divers had a chance to compete for the regular season Bay Valley Athletic League (BVAL) Swimming Championship. CVHS faced Liberty High School and Ygnacio Valley High School (YV) at the Brentwood Aquatic Center in a somewhat unusual three-way meet. Each team was swimming against two other teams at the same event but it was actually scored as two separate meets for each team. If the CVHS girls team and the CVHS boys team could win their meets against both Liberty and YV, they would each take first place in the regular BVAL season.

The modern 10-lane Brentwood Aquatic Center was the perfect venue for the competition. Two of the lanes provided a wave wash area allowing for better and often faster swims.

After some opening fun and organized cheers, primarily by the CVHS team with their fully outfitted Clayton Valley “Eagle” mascot, the Battle for the BVAL championship was on. There was a lot of excitement and anticipation in the air. You could almost feel it in the stands with lots of

fans cheering for their favorite team and for their respective swimmers, urging them on to swim their fastest. The CVHS team members cheered wildly throughout the event.

Early in the contest the CVHS girls and boys medley relay teams set the tone for the day when they both took first place in the meet’s initial two events.

From that time on, the CVHS boys team dominated against both Liberty and YV. Liberty and YV boys won a share of the events, but the depth of the CVHS boys squad gave them the edge. They captured a majority of the first five places in individual events as well as the first three places in the relay events.

That meant important points for CVHS. In a high school individual swim event, a first place finish garners six points for the team, second place is worth four points, third place, three points, fourth place, two points and fifth place, one point. In a relay event, the first three relay teams to finish earn points; first place, eight points; second place, four points and third place, two points.

Strong relay finishes are significant for swim teams looking for a win, especially if teams have more than one relay entered in a

Brentwood! And, what do swim teams do when they win a championship? They celebrate by throwing their coaches into the water! Head coach Matt Chamberlain and his assistant coaches enjoyed the water!

Jim Zewan / Clayton Pioneer

CLAYTON VALLEY, LIBERTY AND YGNACIO VALLEY boys' relay teams hit the water. single event. A team’s depth shines in the relays which requires four fast swimmers in the particular event in order to score.

The CVHS girls team and the Liberty girls became involved in a very close contest with the lead actually in Liberty’s hand after the next to last event. For the

girls team, the meet and the championship would come down to the last event of the day, the 400 yard Free (freestyle) Relay.

CVHS girls needed a first and a third place finish from their two relay teams to win!

CVHS Boys beat Liberty by a score of 117 points to 53 and YV by a score of 125 points to 56 to

take first place in the BVAL. And the CVHS girls? They had 134 points to YV’s 52, taking first and third place in the final 400 yard free relay to score a total of 95.5 points against Liberty’s 91.5 points to win the meet and first place in the BVAL! What a day for the CVHS swim team in the water at

Sport Shorts

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CVHS “BOCCE DAY” at the CVHS Track – Saturday May 22, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Community Fundraiser for new track and field. BBQ, games, etc. Call 672-8802 for information and team registration.

CVHS SWIM MEETS, Fri. and Sat. May 7, 8. BVALS Brentwood Aquatic Center at 9 a.m. both days.

925.689.4631

YMCA will be holding a variety of leagues and programs in the coming months at Clayton Community Gym. For registration and other information call 889-1600 or see Web site at www.mdrymca.org

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CVHS 4-23-04 First Place Finishes: Girls Medley Relay (Zeidler, Hansen, Yung, Farizell); Boys Medley Relay (Walker, Zewan, Peterson, Zachan); Boys 200 Freestyle (Zefeldt); Boys 200 Individual Medley (Zachan); Girls 50 yard Freestyle (Kiyama); Boys 50 yard Freestyle (Zewan); Boys 100 yard Butterfly (Zachan); Girls 100 yard Freestyle (Kiyama); Girls 500 yard Freestyle (Richards); Boys 500 yard Freestyle (Porcella); Girls 200 yard Freestyle Relay (Zeidler, Boessnecker, Farizell, Kiyama); Boys 200 yard Freestyle Relay (Zachan, Porcella, Zefeldt, K.Bowen); Girls 100 yard Backstroke (Zeidler); Boys 100 yard Backstroke (Walker); Girls 400 yard Free Relay (Yung, Richards, Zeidler, Kiyama); Boys 400 yard Free Relay (Porcella, Walker, Zewan, K.Bowen)

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CLAYTON VALLEY FOOTBALL CAMP Clayton Valley High School’s coaching staff will be holding the Third Annual Clayton Valley Youth Football Camp June 21-25 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. for boys and girls entering grades 5-9. Campers will be split into grade levels fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth and freshman to learn fundamentals and techniques of football.

Cost is $125 for the first 150 campers.

Registration forms are currently available at Mavericks Sport Club, Ed’s Mudville Grill and Linguini’s Restaurant. For information call Eagles head varsity football coach Herc Pardi at 682-7474, ext. 3115.

INTRODUCTION TO COMPETITIVE SWIMMING, May 10-June 10. This entry level program is open to all swimmers age five and over with previous lesson experience.

The program is highly instructional with an emphasis on competitive swimming concepts. For more information call 925-680-8372 ext. 206 or log on to the Terrapin web page at terrapinswim.com

CVLL NEEDS UMPIRES. The league is short on Umpires for the current baseball and softball season for all divisions. Must be at least of high school student age. Contact Chris Snyder at snyderpc@yahoo.com or 925-673-1439.

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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page 19

Clayton Sports Jeremy Deems wins Oakhurst tourney

BY JIM ZEWAN Clayton Pioneer

There is always a lot of extra excitement around the clubhouse for the Stroke Play Championships at Oakhurst each year. And this year was no exception, for good reason.

On Saturday, April 24, and Sunday, April 25, sixty-eight players competed for the stroke play club champion in four different flights (brackets). The four flights in this two day event were the “Championship”, “First”, “Second” and “Third” Flights based upon the players’ individual golf handicaps (i.e. their adjusted average scores compared to the course’s normal “par” score).

“What makes this particular tourney a lot of fun is that golfers at any level can compete for the championship at their own skill level,” said Dennis Simon, Head Golf Professional at Oakhurst.

What that means is that the players are grouped into four different flights for the Club Championship based upon their normal “handicaps” (their adjusted average scores) so that they compete against their peer skill-level golfers.

That makes for a fair and fun tournament.

The Stroke Play Club Championship is one of the two biggest tournaments each year at Oakhurst, the other being the Match Play Tournament. And, of course, there always is the MemberGuest.

This year Clayton resident Jeremy Deems won the overall Championship Flight “gross” score Club Championship.

Jeremy shot a very consistent score of four-over-par, 76 both on Saturday and again on Sunday, for an overall total of 152. He won by two strokes over Pete Ells who had a 71 score on Saturday, followed by an 83 on Sunday for a 154 total.

The Championship flight plays “straight up” gross scores, i.e. “scratch golf”, with no adjustments made for hand-

icap. The golfers in this flight also play from the professional Black (furthest back of four) tees at Oakhurst where the course yardage is 6,746 yards.

Those tees have a 73.4 course rating and a 142 SLOPE rating. While 6,746 yards is long, it is not overly long by course standards these days. But when it is combined with Oakhurst’s well-earned reputation as one of the most interesting and somewhat more challenging golf tracks in northern California, it certainly makes the Championship flight a very appropriate match up for golfer versus golfer versus course. And that is what golfers crave in a club championship match, a fun and challenging course as well as tough and challenging competitors.

The other three flights play from the gold tees at Oakhurst for their respective championships. The gold tees at Oakhurst play at 5,839 yards, which still makes play anything but easy, as anyone who has played the course can attest to. Distance alone does not always equate with difficulty as the 71.1 course rating and 135 SLOPE from the gold tees will indicate.

The winners in the other three flights were: First flight - P.K. Raja with net scores

(after handicap adjustment) of 67/74 for a 141 net total; Second flight – Jerry Erben with net scores of 67/73 for a 140 total; and, Third Flight Frank Friedman (71/73), who beat Jack Barnaba (66/78) on the first hole of a sudden death playoff on Sunday after they had both tied at a total net score of 144 in their first two regular rounds. It certainly was exciting!

And, it should be noted that P.K. Raja on his way to winning the First Flight had a hole- in-one on the 8th hole on Saturday where he aced the 144 yard par three #8 with a six iron to help him secure his victory. What a way to get one’s first hole-in-one…in a tournament! (Then, as a sidenote, Pete Ells, later in the week on Wednesday, had his own hole-in-one on the 163 yard par three #3 for his fourth overall ace ever!)

“You know, we had a lot of camaraderie in the clubhouse today with a bunch of us sitting around laughing and having a good time telling stories while we were waiting for all the players to come off of the course so we could get their scores. As the scores got bigger, the stories got bigger! It was just a great day,” said Head Pro Simon.

CVHS track stars shine at meet

courtesy of CVHS track team

CVHS TRACK TEAM MEMBERS (left to right) Lindsay Vanderstraeten, Nicole Stupka, Alana Laux and Elise Fox

The Castro Valley Invitational Track and Field Meet was held April 9 at Castro Valley High School. Athletes from approximately 30 different schools competed. Four girls from CVHS, Lindsay Vanderstraeten, Nicole Stupka, Alana Laux and Elise Fox participated.

Nicole, Alana and Elise are from Clayton.

Fox ran a 1600m race and finished first with Vanderstraeten coming in third.

Laux ran the open 100 and 200 meter individual races and she finished first in both events. Laux is a freshman and runs varsity at CVHS where she is undefeated this season in both the 100 and 200 meter events. Her best time is a quick 12.49 seconds in the 100 meter!

Laux said that “the 4x100 relay is my favorite event.

The 100 is my best race but the 4x100 relay allows me to run it as a team event, which is not as per-

sonal and more fun.”

The girls ran in the following relay events. In the 4x100 relay they were, unfortunately, disqualified for a lane violation. Not the best way to start a race but there’s no quitting with these ladies.

In the 4x200 relay event, the girls took second. In the 4x400 relay, they finished fourth.

As Track Head Coach Dan Sandoval put it, “These ladies are the best.

Each one possesses a ‘want to’ and ‘can do’ attitude.

Put these two together, and you have a coach’s dream come true.”

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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

May 7, 2004

Hikers’ Haven

Calaveras Big Trees State Park

KEVIN PARKER

AVID OUTDOORSMAN Try to imagine, if you can, a tree with a trunk diameter in excess of 31 feet. Don't believe me? Well then I suggest you grab the family, pile in the "family truckster" and don't stop until you reach Calaveras Big Trees State Park.

Located in the central Sierra Nevada, Big Trees State Park is home to two groves of giant sequoia, North and South Grove. For this hike, I chose North Grove, which you can see with a leisurely 1.5 mile stroll on a flat and well-maintained trail. South Grove is ten times as large and requires a two to four hour commitment due to its size.

Before you even have a chance to realize you are hiking, the "big stump" appears

before your very eyes, and let me tell you, it would be impossible to miss. The "Discovery Tree," originally discovered in 1852 by a backwoods hunter named Augustus T. Dowd, is only a stump today because ambitious speculators stripped the tree of its bark and eventually cut it down. It took five men more than 22 days to topple this massive giant, which is a tragedy itself.

Before its destruction, it was the largest tree in the North Grove. The base was 25 feet in diameter with a height near 300 feet. This giant sequoia is 1,244 years old, which is fairly young for such a large redwood.

Sierra redwoods (also known as giant sequoias) are the largest objects ever to have lived on planet earth. Some individual trees can live as long as 3,000 years and weigh as much as 2,600 tons (the equivalent to 18 blue whales).

These redwoods only grow in 75 groves spread across the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. I wish this article and pictures could truly capture the enormity of these redwoods. In fact, I am still ironing out the kink in my neck from staring at these beautiful giants as they stretch towards

Kevin Parker / Clayton Pioneer

NORTH FORK OF THE STANISLAUS RIVER

the sky.

The "Empire State" is another redwood giant worth mentioning. This majestic monster is most likely the largest standing tree in the North Grove. The base measures 30 feet in diameter. Even 48 feet from the ground, the diameter of the trunk is still in excess of 16 feet across.

Although this might not be the tallest tree in the grove, it definitely has the greatest mass.

Every sequoia is a true gift of nature and one can spend hours wandering aimlessly around the park. Some other notable redwoods include; Siamese Twins, Old Bachelor, Mother and Son and the Pioneer Cabin Tree, which has a cut in its base wide enough to drive a car through.

While visiting Big Trees State Park, I also suggest visiting the North Fork of the Stanislaus River. A summertime mecca for water lovers and anglers alike, this section of river has an abundance of waterfalls, rocks, pools, hiking trails and brown and rainbow trout. At this time of year with spring in full bloom, the park was tattooed with mountain dogwood and azalea blossoms.

While up in this area of California, it is the town of Arnold that adds so much to the mountain experience. It seems as though the urban sprawl passed over Arnold and left this quaint little town alone. The favorable location of Arnold allows you to ski in the morning, golf in the afternoon and experience a wide range of outdoor activities from hiking in Stanislaus National Forest to boating on New Melones Reservoir.

Some other activities worth your while: Ironstone Winery, located in Murphys, is a family winery with lush gardens, gold panning and a deli worth the 15 minute side trip.

Spicer Reservoir and Alpine Lake, both offer camping, boating and fishing.

Angels Campis an old fashioned town with a “Frog Jumping Jubilee” in May. Eats: In Arnold look for Tallahans, Snowshoe Brewing Company and Calamity Joan's.

Sleeps: The Dorrington Inn offers chalets that sleep four

Kevin Parker / Clayton Pioneer

THE DISCOVERY TREE STUMP HAS A MASSIVE 25 FOOT DIAMETER and are dog friendly at reasonable prices www.dorringtoninn.com.

Cabin Rentals. Don Fry Realty has the largest selection of year round rentals of all sizes and prices. www.donfryrealty.com And in the words of John Muir: "Calaveras…a flowery glade in the very heart of the woods, forming a fine center for the student, and a delicious resting place for the weary."

Enjoy!

For information on the preservation of Mt. Diablo visit www.savemountdiablo.org For comments on this article, or suggestions for future hikes, contact Kevin at kaypee@sbcglobal.net

Trailhead: Calaveras Big Trees State Park (Visitor's Center) Difficulty: Easy Distance: 1.5 miles Getting There: Approximately 120 miles from Clayton. Located 4 miles east of Arnold, CA on Highway 4

Hiking with your dog

BY JULIE C. BOND Special to the Clayton Pioneer

Spring is here! With the lovely weather and longer daylight hours, many dogs and their owners are clamoring for more time in the great outdoors. Opportunities to exercise your dogs can take you far beyond the scope of the local dog parks. Northern California provides many dog-friendly parks and hiking areas, not to mention eating establishments and places to stay overnight.

Here's a fun and healthy outing for you and your canine friend.

WHERE: Contra Loma Loop Hike DESCRIPTION: This onemile, beginners hike, will take you past a lake and looping around the local hillsides. If you want to see the lake, just go past the Cattail Cove Picnic Area.

There is a trail off to the right, which will take you to the water.

HOW TO GET THERE: From Clayton, take Hwy 4 east to Antioch. Take the Lone Tree Way exit heading south. Go right on Blue Rock Drive, to Fredrickson Lane, and bear

right to go through the gate.

Once past the gate you enter Black Diamond Mines Regional Park. Turn right, go past the kiosk and then bear left. This will take you to the nearest parking area.

For more information on this and other pet-friendly outings, pick up a copy of, "Doin' California With Your Pooch!"

by Eileen Barish.

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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page 21

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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

May 7, 2004

When you call Lynne French, be sure to request a free copy of her special report “29 Essential Tips That Get Homes Sold Fast (And For Top Dollar).”

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Spectacular "Belvedere" model on a prime view lot! 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, approx. 3,911sf, & a 4 car garage with workshop area, extensive built-in storage & workbench + rv/boat storage in huge paved side yard! Bedroom & full bath downstairs. Living room with fireplace. Formal dining room.

Enormous great room with stacked stone two-way fireplace, walk-around bar, wired for surround sound with built-in speakers. Sunning master suite features a retreat & balcony offering sweeping views. Gourmet kitchen with upgraded tile counters, island, floor, dual motorized skylights & spacious pantry!

Huge level view lot overlooks City, Carquinez Strait, surrounding hills & ridgeline. Professionally landscaped featuring custom patio, large lawn area, an assortment of colorful flowers & ornamentals, fountain room for an rv+boat & still plenty of room for a pool too! $1,125,000

FALCON RIDGE AT OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB

FALCON RIDGE AT OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB

IRONWOOD AT OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB

CHAPARRAL SPRINGS AT OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB

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Just listed. Exquisite "Serenade" model on a prime view lot overlooking golf course, hills, valley to Delta & beyond! 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, apx. 3,079sf & 3 car garage. Bedroom & bath on main level. Immaculate & upgraded throughout: Cherry wood cabinets, marble floors, upgraded lighting package, hardware, window trim & plantation shutters. Gourmet kitchen with granite tile counters & island. Great room features a brick fireplace with raised hearth & custom built-in media center.

Romantic master suite with jetted tub & balcony offering panoramic views. Professionally landscaped level lot with lush lawn, an assortment of flowers & ornamentals, patio & views! $850,000

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Fabulous "Moonlight" model! One story, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, approx. 2,237sf, & 3 car garage. Upgraded beveled travertine floors in entry, hall, kitchen, family room & baths. neutral décor, carpet & custom window coverings. Gourmet kitchen features granite tile counters (incl: full back-splash), island & maple cabinets. Family room with travertine fireplace, built-in speakers & wired for surround sound. Great views from cozy front porch.

Rear yard backs to oak studded open space & features a custom patio, lawn area & a variety of ornamentals. $689,000

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Desirable single story "Augusta" model! 3 bedroom 2 bath approx. 1816 sq ft. Neutral carpet and décor. Many upgrades including tile floor in the entry, and semi vaulted ceilings in the living room. $579,000

D SOL

Prime golf course lot! 3 bedroom 3 bath, appx. 1709 sq. ft. Gorgeous views of Mt. Diablo, surrounding hills and golf course.

Gourmet kitchen with tile flooring and counters. Full bedroom and bath downstairs. $ 480,000