Don’t miss the Cookie Contest Deadline Dec. 3 See Page A3
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA PERMIT 190
IT’S YOUR PAPER www.claytonpioneer.com
November 17, 2006
925.672.0500
Voters say yes to funding downtown park TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Pete Cruz/Clayton Pioneer
LIFTING A GLASS TO TOAST THE VOTERS, a few Measure O supporters gathered in the park for a spur of the moment picnic lunch to celebrate the success of the park funding measure. Standing, Hair by Jim’s Jim Frasier, Police Chief Dan Lawrence, real estate broker Mike Williams. Seated: Clayton’s first mayor and first lady Bob and Eldora Hoyer, Councilwoman Julie Pierce, Windermere broker Lynne French, and the Clayton Pioneer’s Jill Bedecarré and Tamara Steiner.
Clayton v oters g ave a big “thumbs up” to the do wntown park last w eek, voting o verwhelmingly in fa vor of a tax to pay for its operation and maintenance. Measure O received a 70 percent yes v ote – w ell more than the tw o-thirds majority needed to pass . The measure creates a Community F acilities District with an ann ual budg et of $100,600. “Two-thirds is a hug e hurdle,” said City Manag er Gar y Napper. “Prop. 13 in 1978 didn’t even get a two-thirds vote.” City officials and do wntown merchants w ere ecstatic . Not willing to w ait until the picnic tables were installed, a g roup of enthusiastic park suppor ters, including tw o of us from the Pioneer, were lunc hing in the park as early as Friday. “I feel so pri vileged,” longtime resident Eldora Ho yer said as she lifted her glass in a toast. “This w as w orth incor porating for.” Her husband, Bob Ho yer, was Cla yton’s first ma yor after the city incorporated in 1964. Napper expects to put the
See Park, page A4
It’s Shuey and Stratford for Cla yton City Council JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
HANK STRATFORD MONITORS THE RESULTS on election night. He took an early lead over Medrano and Diaz to win the second council seat.
What’s Inside SECTION A
Around Town . . . . . . . . . . .A2 Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . .A2 Cookie Contest Entry . . . .A3 Classified Ads and Director y of Advertisers . . . . . . . .A5 Letters to the Editor . . . . . .A6 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 So, Anyway . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A8 Financial Sense . . . . . . . . . . .A9 Tech Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A10 Your Health . . . . . . . . . . . .A10 Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . .A11 Paws and Claws . . . . . . . . .A12 School News . . . . . . . . . . . .A13 Tax Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A14 At The Movies . . . . . . . . . .A15
SECTION B
Food For Thought . . . . . . . .B1 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2 Holiday Gift Guide . . . . .B6 Dining Around . . . . . . . . . . .B9 Community Calendar . . . . .B10 Church News . . . . . . . . . . .B11 Crossword Puzzle . . . . . . . .B11
After months of newspaper articles, political signag e and campaign rhetoric, the voters of Clayton spoke out in support of an incumbent and a new comer in the Clayton City Council race. Four-year council v eteran Dave Shuey , 40, had a significant lead throughout election night, capturing 2,637 v otes. Newcomer R oss “Hank” Stratford, 40, held a steady second place , garnering 1,670 votes. Two other candidates vied for the tw o a vailable seats . Joe Medrano, owner of Insurance
Management Cor p. on Marsh Creek R oad, took third place with 1,174 v otes. Jim Diaz, a management and security consultant, came in four th place with 1,042 votes. Shuey, known as “Shoe,” will finish his ter m as ma yor in December. He is a la wyer who lives in Cla yton with his wife and three children. “He’s been a real asset to the council,” says Councilw oman Julie Pierce. “He does his homework, asks questions and is a wonderful representative.” Pierce, who has been on the council since 1992, also approves of Stratford’s win. “I like Hank for many of the same
reasons I lik e Shuey , even though I don ’t kno w him, ” Pierce notes. She explains that Stratford was dilig ent in attending ev ery council meeting since he filed for candidacy and ev en “stayed to the very end,” she says, laughing. The meetings often end at 10 or 11 p.m., depending on the agenda. “He knew what w as g oing on and is doing it for , what I consider, all the right reasons ,” Pierce says. Shuey ag rees with Pierce , calling Stratford “y our tr ue servant leader who is in it to help
See City Council, page A4
City fountain gets first bath in 17 years TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
The Cla yton fountain g ot a thorough scr ubbing last w eek as city maintenance crews took on the bac kbreaking task of removing and cleaning the rocks that line the beds of the pools for the first time since it was built in 1989. For the past 13 years , the fountain has only r un on da ys of special ev ents and holida ys. The idle time allo ws alg ae and crud to build up on the roc ks and in the plumbing which then causes the w ater to r un bro wn on the few da ys eac h year that the fountain operates. The plan initially w as to job the w ork out, said City Maintenance Super visor J ohn Johnson. But after w atching
See Fountain, page A6
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR JOHN JOHNSON, on the tractor, and crew member Sondro Arias remove the rocks from the downtown fountain for cleaning. The fountain runs on holidays and for special events.
DAVE SHUEY
MAYOR’S CORNER It’s a happy day for park lovers Whew, the election is o ver, and I am thankful that I g et to write this par ticular column rather then the fallbac k one I had written in the ev ent I lost and/or the downtown park lost. I am telling y ou, that w as not a feel-g ood column! But, hey, this is m y upbeat v ersion, so let’s move on. Thanks to all of you who reelected me to be on your City Council. I will do m y best to continue to represent you to the best of my ability and to maintain your vote of confidence. Congratulations to new council member Hank Stratford. As someone who has known Hank since high sc hool, I can tell you unequivocally that you will not be disappointed. He has alw ays been a leader , and as far as I can recall, he has always tolerated or at least pretended to tolerate m y humor which is critical, as you know. Way to g o Hank and w elcome. (Pssst. Hank, as low person on the totem pole , be prepared for all the assignments we don’t w ant. I promise y ou will love them.) And a thank y ou to J oe Medrano and Jim Diaz for
See Mayor, page A8
Page A2
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
November 17, 2006
Obituary
Around Town
Bill Mulhair
Donna Taber raises $745 for br east cancer research
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
JEANNE EMRY was the lucky winner of Donna Taber’s breast cancer quilt.
Children’s World trick or treaters stop at the Pioneer It’s not Hallo ween without the sw eet sounds of youngsters asking “Anything for Halloween?” On Hallo ween mor ning, more then a dozen four and fi ve-year-olds from Children ’s Lear ning Center in do wntown Clayton stopped b y the Pioneer to collect their treats. Teachers R osie Burkin and Diana R eitz mapped out a special route for the pre-sc hoolers making their Halloween in Cla yton a special one.
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$619,980 Clayton Dana Ridge – Enjoy greenery? That’s what y ou’ll save buying this 4BD/2.5B A w/fresh décor paint, lovely “Hacienda”-style, tile f loors and bright open kitchen/family combo. Surrounded by nature!
Donna T abor and J eanne Emry are li ving proof that Clayton cares . Tabor, owner of Beautique Beauty Salon in Clayton Station, wanted to do something special to suppor t breast cancer in honor of her best friend, Dee Simons who passed away from cancer tw o years ag o. Simons w as also the for mer owner of Beautique. “I don’t walk, I don’t run, but I can quilt,” says Tabor. This is the second year that Tabor designed a beautiful pink quilt and decided to raffle it off during the month of October, donating all proceeds to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Tabor raised a total of $745 which w as $670 more than she raised last year . “I just w ant to thank ev eryone who took the time to purc hase a raff le tic ket and help us raise the needed funds for breast cancer ,” says Tabor. The quilt winner w as Clayton resident J eanne Emr y who is no stranger to the breast cancer cr usade. Emry has completed three 60-mile Susan G . Komen W alks For a Cure . The three-da y ev ent requires months of training and Emry is alw ays up for the c hallenge. She walked her first 60-mile event in honor of Dee Simons , Pat Svitenk o and Linda Gaber . She also walked for her mom who lost her battle with cancer when Emry was only 15 years old. “The training w as the most challenging,” says Emr y. She remembers calling her husband in tears after training for 14 miles , afraid that she w ouldn’t mak e it through the first da y of the walk. Emry contin ues to suppor t efforts for a cure and is looking forward to completing another Susan G. Komen walk next year.
1927 – 2006
William “Bill” Patrick Antioch Sc hool District. Mulhair, former resiBill will be dee ply dent of Clayton, missed b y his wife , entered into rest Mona, with whom on Oct. 27, 2006 he shared 28 in Los Gatos , wonderful years . CA at the age of He w as the 79. He was a 24 father of Kyle year resident of Mulhair, Kim Los Gatos and Vinch & Murad Clayton. He Mohsen; and took pride being grandfather of an administrator Corey and in the F remont Emma Mulhair , Union High and Cassie Vinc h. School District, The family will hold BILL MULHAIR Cairo American a private celebration of College/Egypt, and in the life service for Bill.
Upcoming Events CLAYTON TOWN TREE LIGHTING, DEC . 2 In the true spirit of Clayton’s small town Christmas celebration, Santa invites everyone to bundle up and head on do wn to the Clayton Historical Museum for the traditional tree-lighting ceremony. Festivities begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2. Sing along with the Mt. Diablo Elementary School Choir when they perform old favorites and some contemporar y renditions. Then Santa, himself, will lead everyone down Main Street to the Clayton Town Tree where he will f lip the switch and usher in the holiday season. Clayton Community Church will provide donut holes and hot apple cider to w ard off the night chill. Bring your flashlights and enjoy the evening. DESSERT WITH MRS. CLAUS, DEC . 9 Mark your calendars to visit Santa and ha ve desser t with Mrs. Claus on Sat. Dec. 9 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Clayton Community Library. The event is a family fa vorite with prizes, goodies and a photo with Santa. Donation is $1 and free for children 12 and under. The tree lighting and desser t with Mrs. Claus are sponsored b y the Cla yton Business and Community Association.
ED DUC E R E PRIC
$899,980 Clayton Morgan Territory – Grab this at the reduced price! Two beautiful, upscale homes & the perfect horse set-up: 2 acres, barn, tack room & arena. Adjacent 1.60 useable acres also reduced to expand y our ranc h – now only $299,980.
Clayton $629,980 Westwood – $10K Seller Credit! 4BD/3B A w/open floorplan offers 1st f loor guest bed & bath and boasts 1,739 s.f. Deck to gazebo & spa w/a great yard that has a patio for private dining & g rass area for playing.
$799,980 Clayton Regency Woods – Sleek hardwoods in main living areas of this 4BD/2.5BA. Updated kitchen w/paneled appliances opens to living & family room w/fire place. Patios for entertaining, large pool & dressing room.
Brentwood $1,499,980 5 Acr e Custom Home @ Deer V alley – Own y our own motorcross trac k! Custom touc hes on this 3BD/3BA plus den w/over 3,600 s.f. Huge rooms, open floorplan w/granite kitchen, butler’s pantry & 2 laundry rooms.
Concord $899,980 Davis Ridge – Custom 6BD/3B A includes bon us room, formal dining, living & family room w/fire place. Super huge laundryroom w/chute. Enjoy Clayton Valley views & coffee on the larg e veranda. Plenty of storage!
Concord $669,980 Concord/Clayton Border – Great location on this 4BD/2.5BA w/updated baths & kitc hen/family combo w/corner windows out to backyard pool & spa. Soaring ceilings in formal dining room w/ built-in c hina hutch.
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$539,980 Concord Concord/Clayton Border – Clayton schools, Concord prices! T his single-stor y 3BD/2B A has o ver 1,400 s .f. and fresh paint & car pet. Large “for mal-style” courtyard in back with tons of room for entertaining.
ED DUC E R E PRIC
Clayton $599,980 Downtown Clayton – Reduced to sell! Bright, fresh, new! 3BD/2.5B A has high ceilings , loft area and o ver 1,600 s .f. Landscaped lot, family oriented cul-de-sac location that bac ks to bik e and hiking trails and within walking distance to Downtown.
November 17, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page A3
Clayton PD hires new cop
Tis the season to be n g i p a p t Melanie’s o h s Gifts & Interiors Open House on Saturday, Nov. 25 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
An Elegant Evening on Wednesday, Dec. 6 5 to 8 p.m. Melanie's Gifts & Interior s is all decked out for the holidays
20% off all gift items: Luxurious pillows and throws, decorative and aromatic candles, eclectic selection of Christmas ornaments, delightful holiday tablescape collections. Come and experience the magic.
TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
The Cla yton P olice Department is finally at full staff. The hiring of Jason Sha w, 32, brings the total n umber of sworn officers to 11. Shaw’s interest in la w enforcement began in his junior year in high sc hool when he joined the Escondido P olice Department’s P olice Explorer program. He g raduated high sc hool in 1992 and sta yed on with Escondido for ten years as a non-sworn comm unity ser vices officer. In 2003, he “w oke up one day and knew it w as time to make a c hoice.” He enrolled in the P olice Academ y at San Marcos, California, and this year became a sw orn officer . He spent nine months with the Salinas P olice De partment before joining the Cla yton force last month. Shaw researched several cities before applying for the Cla yton job. He was drawn to Clayton by the strong Community Oriented Policing (COP) program here. “Clayton really w orks at developing relationships between the police and the community and local businesses ,” Shaw says. “We have time here to really explain something to a citizen. Salinas was so busy that we didn’t ha ve the luxur y of that
Saturday, Nov. 25, all day
Win this
Hot cider and holiday cookies for the whole family
an Elegant Evening at Melanie's December 6, featuring:
champagne hors d'oeuvres music and free gift wrap.
N
othing says Christmas like mouth watering Christmas cookies. This year will be our third annual Christmas Cookie Contest--a chance to stir up, bake up and taste up a storm of those delectable sweets that bust the diet and send us over the moon. So, dust off the cookbooks and dig out Aunt Mae’s ginger snap recipes, cook up a few practice rounds and enter our Third Annual Christmas Cookie Contest. Judging will be December 7, 6:30 p.m. in the Clayton Library Community Room. While the judges are tasting and testing, Santa will be on hand with candy canes and Clayton’s own Vintage Trio will provide live music and lead everyone in singing Christmas carols. Judges will be
ENTRY FORM
Please fill out a separate form for each entry. You may enter up to three recipes, but only one can win
Name
(Please print)
Address (Must be a Clayton resident ) Phone Number Name of Recipe__________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________
Master Baker (20+) Teen Baker (Ages 13-19) Your age____
Junior Baker (Ages 6-12) Your age____
Family owned since 1983
Contestant agrees to being photographed at the competition. Recipes used from published books must identify source. Signature
Mail your entry to: the Clayton Pioneer, PO Box 1246, Clayton, CA 94517; or drop of f at our of fice at 6200 F Center S treet, Clayton . If the of fice is closed, slip it through the mail slot.
Deadline to enter is Sunday, Dec. 3
6780 Marsh Creek Road, Clayton
672-0207
announced in the next issue of the Pioneer. Recipes and photos of all the winners will appear in the Dec. 22 issue. Deadline for entry is December 3.
Clayton Pioneer’s 2006 CHRISTMAS COOKIE CONTEST
Pool, Patio & Gardens
‘I guess this one’ s y ours,” laughed Shaw. Shaw isn ’t the first police officer in his family . His father was an officer for ten years but quit when Sha w w as bor n. “He just thought it w as too dang erous after I came along, ” said Shaw. His parents are retired and live in Colorado. When off duty, Shaw, who is single, spends most of his time outdoors riding his motorcycle or mountain bik e. A selfdescribed amateur photog rapher, he enjoys digital photog raphy. He lives in Walnut Creek.
Christmas Cookie Contest
Wednesday Dec. 6, 5 - 8pm Mark your calendars for
extra fi ve min utes with someone.” In addition to his interest in community oriented policing, Shaw has had specialized training in traffic and collision in vestigation. His training came in very handy the second da y on the job when he was on an orientation dri ve through Cla yton with Officer Tim Marc hute. He had just gi ven Marchute the r un down on his collision training when, right in front of them, at Regency Drive and Marsh Creek Road, there was a five car pile up. “Marchute turned to me and said
Enter the Clayton Pioneer’s Annual
Santa Visit and Free Photo While you shop, have the kids visit with Santa and take home a free instant photo. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Drawings for Great Gifts Holiday Traditions Large Glass Poinsettia Server, 17” Diameter ($65 Retail Value) Miracles’ Angel figurine with glass wings and poinsettia, 15” tall ($65 Retail Value) Holiday Traditions Holly trimmed large serving tray and stand ($50 retail value) Holiday Opulence angel figurine ($45 retail value) Winterberry snowman cookie jar ($45 retail value)
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
New Clayton officer Jason Shaw brings training and expertise in collision investigation.
Parent's Signature (for Junior Bakers)
Page A4
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
City Council, from page A1 He talks about his desire to gi ve back to the community, using his skills as a CP A to help with financial matters on the council. Stratford has owned and operated Diablo View Cleaning for almost four years and attributes his business contacts over the years to helping him win the election. He thinks one of the big gest Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer challenges for the COUNCILMAN AND OUTGOING MAYOR, DAVE SHUEY, in his office at City Hall, works on his council is g etting Mayor’s Corner column the day after the election. Shuey garnered 40 percent of the the Landscape votes to lead the field of four candidates for the two seats. District appro ved and not for any self-interest.” Stratford admits that he in 2007. Shuey also sees the Shuey found out he had a entered the council race ner v- city’s landscape issues as top comfortable lead after the ous about the competition. “At priority. The council has begun council meeting on election first, I really didn’t know how it long discussions with the T rails night. “I was a little ner vous. If was g oing to g o. And then and Landscape Committee you’re not, you’re o verconfi- about a w eek before the elecabout what they can do to sa ve dent,” he sa ys. “I knew I had tion, I beg an to think that the district. done a g ood job and had a maybe I had a c hance,” “We’re ecstatic about strong base.” Stratford says. Measure O passing,” Shuey says
include a c hildren’s pla yground and w ater pla y feature , open, grassy areas, a gazebo grandstand donated by the Cla yton Business and Community Association, picnic areas with c hessboard table tops and public restrooms. “I’m acutely a ware of the confidence the v oters placed in us to pro vide and care for a premium do wntown park, ” said Napper. “We thank the voters for that confidence; it will be a park they will be proud of.”
Does the thought of sparkling reindeer prancing across y our rooftop put y ou in the mood for candy canes and Christmas carols? If you lo ve to celebrate the season with lights , nativity scenes, Christmas c haracters or other creati ve outdoor expressions, then please share y our joy with our readers and enter the Pioneer’s Holida y Home Decorating Contest. The winning home will be
Clayton Valley Pumpkin Farm & Christmas Trees We are the only certified Oregon’s Noble Vintage TM Tree Distributor in Northern California
We take pride in pampering our trees and offer services such as trimming shaking fresh cutting Flocking, fire-proofing and baling/netting are also available.
featured on our special “P arade of Lights” page in the December 22 issue. We will include photos of as many of the other entries as space will allow along with a listing of every entr y b y neighborhood. Deadline for entr y is December 12 and judging will be December 14. See the insert in this issue for entry form and details or call the office at 672-0500.
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NO FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR CLAYTON PUBLIC LANDSCAPE Watering, Pruning and Trail Maintenance will Cease AFTER June 30, 2007
WHAT SHOULD WE DO? PLEASE JOIN US AT The Trails and Landscape Committee Meeting MONDAY, November 27, 7 pm Clayton Library Meeting Room
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of the funding measure for a downtown park. “It will be an amazing 2007, with Longs , Moresi’s Chophouse , the new blue store , Oak Center and additional parking.” Shuey and Stratford both emphasize the impor tance of families in the community. Four years ago, Shuey ran a campaign suggesting that he become the voice for y oung families in the area and he sa ys that’s still the case. Even though Stratford is single, his political signs emphasized “putting families first. ” “I care a lot about families in Clayton,” he says. “They create a framew ork for a lot of decisions.” Pete Laurence, who decided not to r un for a fifth ter m on the council, thinks Stratford, although shy, will grow into the position and “do a fine job.” As for Shuey, Laurence says he has good instincts “in spite of his sense of humor.” “He’s already grown into the job ,” says Laurence. Shuey and Stratford w ere friends at Cla yton V alley High School, where they g ot a taste of leadership. Stratford was student body president, and Shuey was vice president.
Light up for Christmas
Park, from page A1 project out for bid in J anuary. With the money to build the park already in the bank, construction should star t in early spring, weather permitting. Napper is hoping the g azebo will be installed in time for the July 4th parade . Councilwoman Julie Pierce is looking to Labor Day W eekend for the park’ s grand opening. The citizen-designed park, at the cor ner of Main Street and Marsh Creek Road, covers slightly more than one acre . It will
November 17, 2006
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November 17, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page A5
Classified FOUND
vacant. The Community Services Commission is an advisory body to the City Council, responsible for recommending user fees and policies for use of City facilities and sponsored community activities. The Commission meets the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. and helps coordinate community evens such as Fourth of July celebration, Clayton Cleans Up, and the New Years Eve celebration. The stipend is $75 per month (when a meeting is held).
Nintendo DS found in the Dana Hills green belt the week of Oct. 9 Call the Judd’s at 673-9137 to identify.
HELP WANTED
Management and Sales Seasonal Reflections Holiday Decorations Store at 5434 Ygnacio Valley Road is hiring for positions in store management, sales, and phone customer support. Fax resumes to 925-672-2314 or email guest.service@seasonalreflections.com.
choices, placement, identification, fertilizing and maintenance. Spring is just around the corner. Call or email for information and pricing. 925-6731746 (leave message) gardengirl94517@yahoo.com.
VACATION RENTAL Cabin in Blue Lake Springs (Arnold, CA). Sleeps 6, fully remodeled, quiet, use of recreation facilities. $150/night, $950/week. Call Kevin Parker @ (925) 383-9430 or http://www.vrconnection.com/ parkerpaw.
PERSONAL
Help Wanted for Holidays Part time server over 18 years old, able to work weekdays and weekends. $8 hr. plus tips. Apply in person to Pam at Englund’s Tea Cottage in Clayton Station.
So long Clayton. We are going to miss you. The Symonds Family Stu, Patty, Shelby & Austin 200 Western Hills Drive Gerogetown, TX 78626 stustar@sbcglobal.net
Community Services Commissioner The City of Clayton is now accepting applications for Community Services Commissioner, term limit June 2006 through June 2008. Presently one Commissioner position and one Alternate Commissioner position are
VOLUNTEERS WANTED
Trails and Landscape Committee Members. City Council of Clayton seeks applicants to fill two appointed positions on the “Trails and Landscaping Committee.” The purpose of this citizens Committee is to advise the City Council and City Manager on maintenance, improvement and financial matters related to the 1997 Citywide Landscape Maintenance District. For applications
SERVICES
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HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD
Classified rates per insertion: Non-profit: $12 for first 30 words, $.20 eac h additional word Individual/non-commercial: $18 for first 30 w ords, $.30 each additional word Commercial: $48 for first 30 words, $.40 eac h additional word
LET US KNOW
2355 Concord Blvd.
Rd
The Clayton Community Library is seeking to fill the following volunteer positions: (All positions require a minimum age of 13 years and a 6month commitment. Training will be provided). Scrapbook Historian to document the many interesting activities the library provides to the community using newspaper clippings, event photos, flyers, etc., Will be put on display at the annual March library birthday celebration. Shelver - to shelve and sensitize books...must be detail oriented (Tues. between the hours of 10am-2pm, Wed. 3-5pm, Sat. 11 a.m.-1 pm & 24 pm). Shelf Reader - to ensure the correct placement of books on the library shelves...must be detail oriented and familiar with the Dewey decimal system. Lead Tutor - to coordinate and match the tutors/ homework helpers with student requests. Tutor/Homework Helper - to work one-on-one with local students in our community. You choose the age range, subjects, remedial or light help, and days/times. Office Assistant - handle filing, word processing, create flyers, volunteer database input on Microsoft Access, assistance with meetings/programs. Contact: Arlene @ 673-9777 or email: akikkawa@ccclib.org.
To place y our classified ad over the phone , call the office at (925) 672-0500 betw een 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. Or, you ma y fax y our typewritten ad and credit card information to (925) 672-6580 All classifieds m ust be paid for in adv ance b y credit card (Master Card or Visa) We will not accept any ad that discriminates on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, nationality, family status or disability. The Cla yton Pioneer reserves the right to reject any advertising w e believ e is unsuitable.
Grand Re-Opening
n yto
Greeter: Clayton Historical Society Museum needs a greeter the second Sun. of each month from 2 - 4 p.m. Training is provided. If interested, call 672-0240, email claytonmuseum@ sbcglobal.net or visit the museum between 2 and 4 p.m. on Wed. or Sun.
PIONEER INFO
Clayton/Concord Location:
PACKAGING SERVICE
and more information, Clayton City Hall, 6000 Heritage Trail, 673-7300, ljackson@ci.clayton.ca.us. Please return completed application to the City Clerk by 5 p.m. Fri., Oct. 27.
entire alteration order
Nov. 3 through Dec. 20, 2006 with this ad. New orders only. Gesinee’s Alteration Center 687-1347
Weddings, engagements, anniversaries, births and deaths all w eave tog ether as part of the fabric of our community. Please let us kno w of these important events. We ask only that the announcement be for a Cla yton resident. You will find the appropriate for m for your announcement on our Website. Attach your photo to the form. Also on our W eb site are forms for submitting Community Calendar items and press releases for your organization.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The Cla yton Pioneer w elcomes letters from our readers. As a general rule, letters should be less than two double spaced pages and submitted at least one w eek prior to publication date. Letters concer ning current issues will ha ve priority . We may edit letters for length and clarity . All letters will be published at the editor’s discretion. Please include y our name , address and daytime telephone number. We will not print letters from “anonymous.” E-mail y our letter in a Word Document to tamara@claytonpioneer.com. Letters MUST be submitted via E-mail.
P.O. Box 1246 6200 Center Street, Suite F Clayton, CA 94517 Office: 925.672.0500 Fax: 925.672.6580 TAMARA
AND
R OBERT S TEINER , Publishers
TAMARA S TEINER , Editor J ILL B EDECARRÉ , Assistant Editor and Display Advertising P ETE C RUZ , Graphic Design B OB P IMM , Sports Editor B EV B RITTON , Copy Editor and Feature Writer B ETH N EUDELL , Administrative Assistant
Directory of Advertisers
Abbey Carpets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-9901 Acupressure for Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .674-0767 Aircloud Wireless Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-4119 All Loving Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0752 Applause Staging and Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7701 Barta Chiropractic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4941 Bella Mia Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-7792 Benton, Mureleen - Ameriprise Financial . . . . . . . . . . .685-4523 Beautique Beauty Supply and Salon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0405 Burkin Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1519 Calkins, Bill - Charlotte Clifford Realtors . . . . . . . . . . . .673-9164 Carol Keane and Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .937-5200 Clayton Business and Community Association (CBCA) .672-2272 CD Federal Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .825-0900 Cegielski Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-2855 Clark, Robert C., D.O. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .969-7530 Clayton Family Dentistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0110 Clayton Fitness and Tanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2010 Clayton Home Inspection Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9405 Clayton Mind and Body Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-0686 Clayton Sports Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8445 Clayton Valley Bowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-4631 Clayton Valley Frameworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6066 Clayton Valley Medical Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6744 Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4848 Clayton Valley Pumpkin Farm and Christmas Trees . . .672-5198 Clayton Valley Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3900 Clayton Valley Villa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8401 Clean Cleaner Carpets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .383-1253 Cleary, Joe - Home Loan Experts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .497-5270 Computers USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9989 ComUnity Lending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-5363 Concord United Methodist Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .685-5260 Contra Costa County Holiday Craft Fair . . . . . . . . . . . . .757-4400 Cookies by Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .256-1137 Country Crafts Faire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .937-8283 Cruise Adventures Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .935-7447 Dan and Dave's Cat Boarding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0652 Denim & Lace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0345 Diamond Terrace Senior Retirement Living . . . . . . . . . .524-5100 Donna's Gifts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2440 Dromlewicz, Kim - Century 21 Diablo Valley Realty . . .682-4663 Eagles Peak Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .465-0435 Englund's Tea Cottage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8327 Fantastic Sams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-8580 Flannery, Patty - Diablo Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0541 French, Lynne - Windemere Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8787 Galaxy Nail Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .676-8668 Garaventa, Les - American Financial & Tax Services . .676-3400 Gesinee's Alterations Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .687-1347 Gourmet Subs and More . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-5550 Help You Sell Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-4950 Highfill, Lynne - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .932-7335 HomeEquity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-9737 Hudak, Jim - Pianist and Composer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-7293 Insite Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6460 JJ Hawaiin BBQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-8686 Joanna's Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-8911 Kelly Marshall Garden Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .914-0327 Laurence, Pete - Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . .939-7920 Lampo, Allen - John Hancock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-0822 La Veranda Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0011 Lenox Homes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .284-0415 Lisa's Hot Dogs & Burritos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .687-7527 Littorno, Richard - Attorney at Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6463 Lopez, Stephanie - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .932-7329 Main St. Nail Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4975 Mary's Pizza Shack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .938-4800 Mazzei Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .757-5600 Melanie's Gifts & Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0207 Mike's Auto Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-1739 Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1100 Moon, Steven Dr., Chiropractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-8400 Morucci, Kim - Intero Real Estate Services . . . . . . . . . .280-8563 National Energy Rebate Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-957-4544 Neptune Society of Northern California . . . . . . . . . . . . .944-5100 Nichols Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9955 Nuchols, Alicia - Premier Home Loans . . . . . . . .691-5070 X 323 Ouimet Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4242 Paulson, Steve - KTVU Fox 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-5761 Postal Annex + . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8900 Rahimzadeh, Helen - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . . . .932-7375 R&M Pool, Patio & Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0207 R.E. Carpet Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .595-8623 Roberta Claire Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .625-1123 Robin's Nest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4600 Robin's Ranches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7323 Rocco's Ristorante & Pizzeria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .947-6105 Schaefer's Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-6065 Seasonal Reflections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4425 Smith Bernal Roofing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-6461 Sposito, Stephanie - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . . . . .932-7334 Steffen, Tim - Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .890-4407 St. John's Episcopal Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8855 Stone Tree Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-2094 Straight Line Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .335-9801 Swint, Brad - Team Funding Group . . . . . . . . . . . .627-1400 X 12 Tessie's Cleaning Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .525-0799 The Maids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-6243 The Royal Rooster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-8744 The UPS Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6245 Tipperary Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-2679 Travel Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .304-5000 Van Fleet, Josie - Intero Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4333 Van Wyck, Doug - State Farm Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2300 Vintage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .352-6303 Vujnovich, George - Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . . . .672-4433 Wakefield, Jeanine - America First Real Estate Services788-6132 We the People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246-0370 Williams, Mike - Williams Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-5363 Wooden It Be Nice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-5595 Zekco Watch Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-2470
Page A6
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Letter to the Editor NEWLY
ELECTED COUNCILMAN SAYS ‘THANK YOU’
Thank you for this opportunity to ser ve on the Cla yton City Council. It is humbling to me and I feel the responsibility to service diligently. I look forward to w orking with the g reat citizens of Clayton in caring for this place that we call home. I will do my best to ser ve in a w ay that will most benefit Clayton and its residents . I truly appreciate the help , support, and encouragement that I received during the campaign. Thank you, again. I w ant to thank J oe Medrano for buying the “V ote Yes” on Measure O signs that we saw around the comm unity. Joe’s g enerosity helped encourage us to pass this measure that will enable the building of the downtown park. This park will be a benefit to the city for g enerations. Thanks again, Joe. Hank Stratford Clayton City Council
It’s a buyer’s housing market, but will it last? TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
As the cooling real estate market that beg an earlier this year heads to ward the end of 2006, real estate agents are finding that it’ s taking long er and longer to sell a home and they’re getting less and less for it. Two years ago, there were as few as nine or ten homes for sale in Cla yton at any one time . Multiple offers w ere the order of the day, and it wasn’t unusual for a listing to sell for tens of thousands over the asking price. Then, things c hanged … fast! Buyers stopped buying . Deals began to sour, and sellers turned cranky. In Se ptember 2005, there were 31 homes on the mark et. By the middle of last summer , the n umber of Clayton homes for sale was edging toward 100. As more and more homes came on the mark et and buyers got c hoosier and more patient, prices began to fall. Gone were
the 25 and 30 percent ann ual increases homeowners had been seeing for the past several years. The median price for a Cla yton home fell 2 percent betw een September 2005 and 2006, from $829,047 to $811,985, and prices continue to fall. “You’ll see homes in Oakhurst that sold in the mid$800,000s last year on the market this year for $775,000, ” said Lynne F rench, owner of the Windermere office in Clayton. By Se ptember, the n umber of homes on the mark et dropped to 74, from a high of 96 last summer – but not necessarily because more homes sold. Many sellers are simply g etting discouraged and taking their homes off the market. “They’re dra wing a line in the sand, ” says F rench. “They just w on’t g o belo w a cer tain price. They’d rather not sell.” Despite the glum statistics , many in the business remain stubbornly optimistic . French sees few parallels betw een no w
and the early 1990s , when real estate v alues w ent do wn ev ery year for six years . Unemployment w as higher in the ’90s and so w ere interest rates, she explained. “And then there was the savings and loan scandals , which stopped ev erything,” she said. “The econom y is better no w. Even Silicon Valley didn’t really affect the mark et that m uch. This correction was necessary.” Clayton real estate brok er Mike Williams ag rees. “Prices had to come do wn. If they had continued to g o up, you would have seen the 1990 situation, where the bottom fell out.” These da ys, it’s definitely a buyer’s mark et, says Windermere ag ent Ing e Yarborough. But she adds: “If
The T rails and Landscape Committee (T&LC) rose out of the ashes of Measure M and the dedicated hear ts and minds of community volunteers. The g roup’s most immediate goal is to infor m the public that the Landscape Maintenance District expires in J une. When it expires, funding for w atering, pruning, mowing and trail maintenance will cease – as will those services. Vegetation will die and some areas will become o vergrown. Measure M, which failed at the polls in 2005, asked for an increase in the ann ual maintenance tax, along with renew al of the landscape district. The City Council created the T&LC in the wake of that failure to come up with the next step.
Based on sev eral months of intensive subcommittee ev aluations of the landscape district, the committee’s secondary task is to mak e a recommendation to the City Council b y J anuary. Public discussion and input is encouraged, since funding, service levels and v oter approval are all intimately linked. The T&LC is expected to educate the public about the current and future status of the district, while relying on strained district resources to deli ver the message. Committee members donated the majority of the items used at the T&LC Oktoberfest booth. Members and residents within the Cla yton comm unity also donated the printing cost of most of the T&LC meeting fliers that ha ve been distributed throughout the city. These 13 committee members re present a wide ar ray of
Fountain, from page A1 two outside contractors w ork at the cleaning job for tw o days with the roc ks in place , Johnson decided it w as time for him and his crew to “g et dirty and get it done.” So, the crew pic ked up their sho vels, rolled up their pants and waded in. “Phew, this stuff stinks,” said maintenance w orker, Sondro Arias as he tur ned over a sho velful of the slim y,
black roc k. “Like the bottom of a dir ty fish tank, only ten times worse.” After sho veling the dir ty rocks into piles , they used the tractor to load them into trucks to tak e to the maintenance yard where they ran them through the w asher. “You should see the ones we’ve already done ,” said Johnson, “they look brand new.”
neighborhoods. The members are Dan Ric hardson (c hair), Victor Geisler (vice c hair), Candace Bass , JoAnn Caspar , David J ohnson, Jerry K osel, Kelly Marshall, Debbie Mullins , Linda Pinder, Bill Vineyard, Jerry Zimmerman, Janise T rezise and Memory Woodard. Residents are urged to join in the discussion by participating in the Landscape Sur vey and b y attending the public meetings . The survey can be found on the city W ebsite at www.ci.clayton.ca.us. Go to the Home P age, then to “Community Surveys.” The T rails and Landscape Committee meets at 7 p .m. the second and fourth Mondays each month at the librar y. The next meeting is No v. 27. Additional information about the landscape district can be found in a brochure available at the library.
The job tur ned out to be much big ger than originally thought and will take a full two weeks to complete, leaving the fountain dry on Veteran’s Day, November 10. Johnson estimates that the cost of having outside contractors remo ve the roc k and thoroughly clean ev erything would ha ve r un betw een $15,000 and $20,000. Using the city crews to complete the work will cost around $5,000.
all is finally upon us which brings us perfect weather to climb into our hot F tubs. While this is great for your body, I would like to notify my customers that this can be dangerous for your fine jewelry. The chlorine in hot tubs and
pools eats away at gold and silver and may discolor some gemstones. Chlorine and chlorine-like chemicals-bromine, for example-attack the alloys used in Karat gold, leaving metal brittle and grainy, and thus susceptible to breaking. The chlorine reaction occurs in areas that have been stressed, such as the bend in a prong or a stretched segment of the shank ( Jeweler’s Newsletter, 2006). Chlorine has an oxidizing effect on silver, causing it to turn black. According to the Platinum Guild International, these chemicals won’t damage platinum, but may discolor diamonds or gemstones. The warning also extends to the use of many cleaning products around your home. Please remember to remove your jewelry before getting into your pool or hot tub and also while cleaning and washing dishes. Please come visit Cegielski Jewelers for a free jewelry inspection and cleaning. We look forward to seeing you. Anna Cegielski
CEGIELSKI JEWELERS
(925) 682-2855 5354 Clayton Rd. Ste. B3, Concord
you compare y our selling price to 2004, you will still g et more for your house now than two or three years ago.” Agents and sellers ha ve to work harder to sell a house right now, says French. “Buyers have no sense of urgency, and sellers are feeling extor ted. It’s g etting really hard to k eep the buyer and seller together.” However, most real estate professionals expect things to start getting better after the first of the year . A combination of low interest rates , lower prices and pent-up demand should prompt a noticeable increase in activity by early spring. “We had all these buyers fighting for homes a year ag o, where are they no w?” Yarborough quipped. “Did they
all move out of the state, or are they just w aiting for the bottom?”
“Prices had to come down. If they had continued to go up, you would have seen the 1990 situation, where the bottom fell out.” Mike Williams, Williams Properties Anyone who has tried to time the stoc k mark et kno ws that w aiting for the bottom is chancy business . “You only know where the bottom is when you’ve missed it, ” said Yarborough.
Holiday Tea Events Friday Evenings by Candlelight $29.95 pp with Live Music!
Committee seeks community input on new measure to renew landscape district CANDACE BASS Special to the Pioneer
November 17, 2006
December 1st . . . . . 8th . . . . . 15th . . . . 22nd . . .
Now op 7 day en a wee s k!
A Harp for the Holidays dinner The 12 Teas of Christmas Victorian High Tea Dinner & Concert An Elegant Evening with cellist Cole Tutino and a splendid 4 course dinner
Sunday Events at 11 a.m., 1 or 3 p.m.! Now g evenin taking ions t reserva ay id o for h l nd a s dinner ! parties
December 3rd . . . . . 10th . . . . 17th . . . . 24nd . . .
Tea with Santa Teddy Bear Tea A Dickens of a Christmas Tea! Christmas Eve Tea
$15 child $25 adult
Holiday events sold out last year, so call for your tickets today!
Englund's Tea Cottage
www.EnglundsTeaCottage.com
672-TEAS (8327)
5433 L Clayton Road
November 17, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
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Happy Thanksgiving
You can correct tax mistakes
Page A7
Things to look for in a listing ag ent Selling a home can be a challenging experience . Lots of money is at stak e, and the process is bound to be disr upting. For this reason, four out of five sellers use a real estate agent to help them sell their home . A good real estate ag ent can minimize the hassle in volved in selling a home and make the selling process a more positi ve experience. Your g oal as a seller should be to sell your home for as much money as possible in the least amount of time. To accomplish this, you need to properly prepare your home for sale. The homes that are in the highest demand and that command the highest prices are the ones that are in the best condition. Your listing ag ent should consult with y ou on ho w to fix up your home for sale. He or she can recommend what needs to be done to improve marketability as well as who to hire to complete the tasks. Your listing ag ent can advise you about which presale inspections to order and from whom. The agent will provide you with the necessar y disclosure for ms
LYNNE FRENCH
REAL ESTATE and assist y ou in completing them. A good listing agent will educate y ou about cur rent mark et conditions. This should include information about other listings in the neighborhood and those that have sold recently. This data will pro vide the basis on whic h to mak e a pr udent decision about your asking price. Pricing right can mak e the difference betw een a successful sale and a listing that stagnates on the market. A professional agent will give you a comprehensi ve marketing proposal that will detail how the agent will g et y our home sold. Find out ho w often y our home
will be adv ertised and where . Is Internet advertising a part of the marketing effor t? Will a brochure or f lier be pre pared to describe your home’s features to prospective buyers? Should your home be held open, and, if so, how often? Your listing ag ent will be your personal re presentative during the marketing and sale of your home. He or she will enter into dialogues with other agents, prospective buyers , lenders, appraisers, inspectors, title officers and closing ag ents on y our behalf. Be sure that the ag ent you select is personable and not antagonistic. It helps if a listing agent is a g ood communicator. A listing ag ent should k eep the seller infor med about marketing acti vities. This includes such things as gi ving sellers feedback from buyers who look at the proper ty. It’s helpful to know the positi ve and neg ative comments. The most common criticism sellers make about their agents is that they don ’t comm unicate often enough. Make sure that your agent understands that you expect periodic prog ress
Randy Glasbergen
reports. A good listing agent will work dilig ently and conscientiously on y our behalf throughout the mark eting and sale of your home. Your listing ag ent is a resource of information to draw on during the home sale process. Make sure that y our ag ent will be available to answer your questions and will retur n calls promptly. A g ood ag ent fields calls promptly and professionally from all par ties who ha ve an interest in y our home – other agents, buyers or any professional in volved in the sale process. If your ag ent is g oing out of town during the sale of your home, make sure that a colleague is put in charge of covering your listing. Meet this ag ent before your agent leaves town. Work with an ag ent y ou respect and who is also someone with whom y ou can establish a good rapport. Lynne F rench is a r ealtor with Windermere Real Estate and a Clayton resident. F or any r eal estate needs or questions contact her at: Phone (925) 672-8787 or E-mail: Lynne@LynneFrench.com
Dan Rosendich
What happens if you omit taxable income or a tax deduction on your tax return? Or you receive a corrected W-2 or 1099 after you’ve already filed your return? Oversights and errors are not uncommon, so the IRS provides a way for you to correct them. You can file an amended return for up to three years after filing your original return. If you discover income or deductions that you should have reported on a tax return you’ve already filed, give us a call. We can help you.
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$795,000 Construction is underway on Lenox Homes new residential community of sought after “Single Story” homes on spacious 13,000 + sq. ft. lots. Now is the time to move up to a dream home with no stairs and a yard that is designed for great outdoor living. These four and five bedroom Lenox Homes offer all the amenities and features you ever dreamed of having. The array of custom features include: Spacious floor plans 10 ft. ceilings Gourmet kitchen with granite countertops Maple cabinetry Elegant master bedroom and bathroom Many more extras Early home buyers have the opportunity to personalize their new home from a wide selection of options and upgrades. Thinking about remodeling your current home? Call our sales office first and discover what the possibilities are in a new Lenox Home. W e will be happy to send you more information.
2447 Kaiser Way – palatial 5 bedroom 4 ½ bath with professional landscape & interiors
2331 Minaret – 4 bedroom 2 bath in excellent College Park location.
$524,500
$849,000 972 Oak St. – best location in Clayton. Seller will work with buyer’s reasonable offer! 4 bedroom, 2 bath plus den!
2327 Camelback – Best value in Mira Vista Hills!
Congratulations Clayton, we’re looking forward to our beautiful new park.
Call (925) 284-0415 or go to www.lenoxhomes.net
Clayton’s Preferred Real Estate Team
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925.932.7329 Stephanie
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Page A8
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Hey, I’m a funny guy all on my own JOE ROMANO
SO ANYWAY My parents are avoiding me. Regular readers kno w that my parents are a frequent source of inspiration and fodder for this column. What’s that old sa ying – public humiliation is the sincerest form of flattery? Anyway, over the last several months, I’ve noticed that they’ve become increasingly aloof and reticent in m y presence, shushing each other while pointing in m y direction. They whisper things like: “ ‘You know who’ is listening .” They refuse to discuss anything of a personal or possibly embar rassing nature in front of me. This strang e beha vior is b y no means ex clusive to m y parents. This mor ning as m y stunningly beautiful wife stumbled out of bed on her way to engage in daily battle with her hair , she saw me reac hing for m y notebook and pen. “You’re not g oing to write about how I look in the mor ning, are you?” Not, “Good mor ning handsome, can I mak e y ou breakfast?” Just a sternly posed question about whether she w as going to “end up” in m y column. Other members of my family and m y friends also ha ve
begun to act strang ely in front of me, jokingly ex cluding me from the g oings on lest they “end up” in my column. At least they pretend that they’re joking, but tr uth be told, I believe that everyone has become somewhat
“Even my children admonish me not to write about them, my son in particular. He has yet to forgive me for writing what he deemed an embarrassing article about him when he was 5.” Joe Romano of an automaton around me . They keep conversations to safe topics and absolutely nothing of a confessional nature . I’ve become a pariah among m y social circle. Even my children admonish me not to write about them, my son in par ticular. He has yet to forgive me for writing what he deemed an embar rassing ar ticle about him when he was 5. So be it. I don’t need them to write this column. I’m fascinating all b y m yself and cer tainly interesting enough to write about. So … I had lunc h at the Sugar Plum Coffee Shop ag ain today. Had the BL T on toasted
Clayton resident, Joe Romano, is a family man, a fr ee-lance writer for hire and the Pioneer’s “all around funny guy.” E-mail him at jromano01@yahoo.com
Hall (and not just because m y term as mayor is almost up). We should be going to bid in January or F ebruary and beginning constr uction in Marc h or April. Our g oal is that b y the time the real heat comes roaring through, we should ha ve our park online with its w ater feature to cool the kids (and some adults) down. Fantastic stuff. Thank you to all who v oted for this cr ucial piece of our future. A special thanks to J oe Medrano for buying all the signs supporting this measure. As an aside , I am curious as to the 30 percent who v oted against the park. Given our upcoming landscape issues , I would lo ve to kno w what y our thoughts are so w e can address them in the landscaping . I promise that I will k eep y our identities secret (through the seldom used but highly effective Clayton Witness Protection Plan), but I w ould really lik e to have some of you email me and
tell me why you didn’t want the park and also any concer ns you have on the city landscaping. We can ’t address y our concerns if we don’t know them, so please send your thoughts to me at the address below. So looking ahead to 2007, our next mayor and the city can look to the opening of our new downtown park, Longs Dr ugs, the Oak Street project across from Endea vor Hall, the blue store, Moresi’s Chophouse and a new parking lot behind Endeavor Hall (Ooh, stop m y beating heart!). Next up in 2008, the Clayton Municipal Airport (OK, kidding on that also). Finally, I heard that a upscale antique/boutique store called the R oyal R ooster is coming soon inside Cup of Joe’s on Main Street. I encourage everyone to g o by and patronize our newest business in to wn while you get some coffee. Thanks again for getting out there and v oting. Email me at shuey@rankinlaw.com.
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Mayor, from page A1 being willing to ste p up, take a chance and put themselv es out there for council. Both ha ve been and will contin ue to be active members of the Cla yton Business and Comm unity Association and this comm unity, and we are all better off for their presence. So buy them an adult bev erage or tell them thanks next time you see them. As for the do wntown park, now that w e ha ve the funds to maintain it, I just wish I knew where we were going to g et the money to build it. I am KIDDING! W e no w ha ve the money to build and maintain the park. Since this is g overnment, we should ha ve the park built in sev en or eight years tops. Kidding again, take it easy! As I write this column, our City Manag er Gar y Napper is dusting off the plans, talking to our maintenance staff and engineer and g etting the pac kage ready for the bid process. There is g enuine ex citement at City
wheat with F rench fries. It was pretty g ood and they remembered to hold the ma yo. I hate mayonnaise. Don’t ask me wh y, something to do with the fact that there are eggs in it, which is odd because I lik e eg gs. I guess I just don ’t like the idea of egg on my sandwich. Funny, huh? This w eekend, we’re in charge of snack at my son’s soccer g ame. His g ame’s at 11, so that puts snac k time at noon. We’re thinking of bringing hot dogs to mak e it an after -game lunch, with ma ybe a bag of chips on the side. I ma y need to bring m y car to Big O. The alignment appears to be slipping a little , and I may need new shoc ks. I don’t know. I hate to in vest too m uch in an old car, but it’s the regular maintenance that k eeps them r unning, right? Oh, did I mention we picked up some new f lannel sheets at Costco? No w that it’ s November, the nights are star ting to cool off so we figured it was time to swap the cotton for the f lannel. We really need to buy an extra set or tw o, so w e don’t ha ve to do laundr y so often. But is it really a necessity? Probably not, but w e’re still thinking about it. Yes sir, plenty to write about.
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November 17, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page A9
Keep holiday spending in line without being the Grinch that stole Christmas Many people think la vish spending comes with the holiday season – whether it be on travel, entertainment or gifts for family and co-workers. It’s easy to g et caught up in the glitz and glitter , allowing emotions and expectations drive purchases. But a simple pre-season g ame plan can help y ou manage the holiday hustle – and avoid huge bills. You don’t need to scrimp like Scrooge to celebrate in style . It’s just a matter of a little adv ance strategizing.
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SET A SPENDING TARGET Include all expenses , such as gifts, greeting cards , postage, decorations, entertainment and travel. The k ey is figuring out how to meet y our g oal without dipping into long-ter m sa vings or g oing into debt. Think creatively and mak e temporar y trade-offs. Can you forego a few restaurant dinners o ver the next couple months? Perhaps you can wait until next year for a major purchase, or y ou can postpone making an extra mor tgage pa yment for now. MAKE A LIST AND CHECK IT TWICE. Write do wn the names of people on your gift list and specify a dollar amount next to eac h. Putting this infor mation on paper will keep you focused and enable you to mak e trade-offs if needed. Avoid impulse buying by researching gift ideas and prices online. You ma y decide later to shop at the mall, but with the help of the Internet, you’ll have a good estimate of costs and a helpful list of suitable gifts.
children. You can add to these gifts each year. A financial advisor can help you set up accounts and choose the right products. MAKE IT PERSONAL. Look at y our gift list and think creatively. Who might lik e a hand-written note and a framed photog raph? P erhaps someone would be thrilled with an ev ening of babysitting or a tray of home-baked g oods. Or donate to y our friend’s fa vorite charity and send him a card that mentions y our contribution. (You don ’t need to specify the amount.)
MURELEEN BENTON FINANCIAL SENSE SHARE YOUR STRATEGY WITH OTHERS. You may want to tell friends and family about your gift-giving plan, without necessarily spoiling the surprise of each present. Santa ma y bring a few larg er gifts for the kids this year instead of several smaller ones . Or you can purchase a group gift – such as a g ame or mo vie – for y our brother’s family. Your plan ma y
SHOP EARLY. Most people w ait until after Thanksgiving to star t their holiday shopping, according to a 2005 National R etail Federation survey. Shopping early can help you avoid choosing a gift that is either marginally acce ptable or above your price target.
“Shopping early can help y ou a void choosing a gift that is either marginally acceptable or abo ve your price target.”
CONSIDER PURCHASING GIFT CARDS. This w ay, you decide in advance how much each person will g et. Check out the ter ms before y ou buy , because some cards lose v alue or expire o ver time.
Mureleen Benton
PLAN AHEAD FOR TRAVEL. Research fares of competing airlines, or use a tra vel ag ent to compare prices. Look into travel Websites and travel clubs. If you have a g reat deal of flexibility, consider fares that ma y become available closer to y our de parture date. If you are planning a major excursion, such as a holiday cruise, and you are financing the trip , research the different
come as a relief to others , and they might revise their shopping as well. CONSIDER GIFTS WITH GROWTH POTENTIAL. Think about purc hasing a starter IRA for y oung adults or an education sa vings plan for
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Mureleen Benton is a Cer tified Financial Planner . Call her with questions at 685-4523 This information is pr ovided for infor mational purposes only . The infor mation is intended to be generic in nature and should not be applied or r elied upon in any particular situation without the advice of your tax, le gal and/or y our financial ad visor. Neither Ameriprise Financial nor its ad visors or representatives provide tax or legal advice. The views expressed may not be suitable for every situation.
Just for fun Abe and Esther are flying to Australia for a tw o-week v acation to celebrate their 40th anniversary. Suddenly, over the public address system, the Captain announces , "Ladies and g entlemen, I am afraid I have some v ery bad news. Our engines ha ve ceased functioning and w e will attempt an emergency landing . Luckily, I see an unc harted island belo w us and w e should be able to land on the beac h. However, the odds are that we may never be rescued and will have to live on the island for the rest of our lives!" Thanks to the skill of the flight crew , the plane lands safely on the island. An hour later Abe tur ns to his wife and asks, "Esther, did w e pa y our $5,000 PBS pledge check yet?" "No, sweetheart," she responds. Abe, still shak en from the crash landing, then asks , "Esther, did w e pa y our American Express card yet?" "Oh, no! I'm sor ry. I forgot to send the check," she says. "One last thing, Esther. Did you remember to send c hecks for the Visa and MasterCard this month?" he asks. "Oy, forgive me , Abie," begged Esther . "I didn't send those, either." Abe grabs her and gives her the big gest kiss in 40 years . Esther pulls away and asks him, "What was that for?" Abe answ ers, "They'll find us!"
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$785,950
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Owners Valerie O’Connell (Clayton resident, 28 years) & daughter Colleen O’Connell
sources of credit. A home equity loan, for example , may provide a lo wer interest rate than a credit card. Keep in mind, however, that failing to re pay or make sc heduled pa yments on a home equity loan could mean losing your home. Seek the advice of a qualified financial advisor on ho w to manage y our finances to afford the holida ys. An advisor can work with y ou to help y ou stay on track, which in turn can help you and y our accounts ha ve a happy, healthy holiday.
301 Oregon Court, Concord
Listed - 4 bed 2 bath, 2,078 sq ft, .23 acres, nestled at the base of Mt Diablo in a premiere neighborhood Contingent - 3 bed 2 bath, 4 stall barn, arena, 2.57 acre country living at its finest SOLD - 4 bed 3 bath, 3008 sq ft .30 acre +, 150K up grades in back yard w/pool & spa SOLD - 4 bed 2 bath, 1437 sq ft, 7910 sq ft lot, open floor plan
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Clayton resident since 1972
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Visit my website for your free foreclosure list
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Page A10
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
November 17, 2006
High-tech gifts for under the tree This holida y season offers a sweet v ariety of computers and computer-related items, some of which are sure to be on y our must-have list. Among the highlights: thumb drives, the iPod Nano, dual-core computers, core-duo laptops , Windows Vista and f lat panel monitors. Of course, you’ll want a great product at a fair price . The difference between quality and junk is product awareness and about 1 to 5 percent in cost. Thumb dri ves are “thumb size” flash memor y devices that store computer data easily and conveniently and in a small space. They are also kno wn as f lash drives, fobs or memory drives. They come in sizes from 512 Mb (about 350 floppy disks) to 4 GB (that’s about 3,000 floppies). Prices start at $30. Look for USB 2.0 compliance and an on-off switch. Then simply plug it into your Windows XP USB computer por t and drag and drop y our data. The iP od Nano is Apple’ s cool m usic device , which stores between 500 and a zillion songs depending on the memor y configuration. The Nano is less than $200 and comes bundled with
ear buds (headphone-lik e speakers) and a USB port for attaching it to y our computer . I recommend a carry case to protect it.
WILL CLANEY TECH TALK There is a little w ork to be done after purc hase. Just download and install iT unes, Apple’s iPod comm unications softw are, and convert existing music to the iTunes format. The new generation of computers boasts dual-core CPUs , called core duo in laptops . Essentially, Intel has packed two newly designed computer cores into one pac kage for twice the workload. Even if you’re a casual user, just checking your e-mail, writing a few letters and surfing the Inter net, you’ll need this
power to run the latest operating systems and security software. Intel has deli vered on the promise of more and faster computing po wer, while lo wering the wattage (electrical power) required. Lower po wer consumption means less heat (energy) to run the CPU, which means fewer fans and less noise. The smaller fan requirements also allow for thinner and lighter laptops. And it means laptops can finally begin to ac hieve the computing power of desktops. Look for the dual core or core duo logo on your next computer to be sure you’re getting the right stuff. Because of the new er c hip designs, the memory you get can run faster , so y ou w ant Dual Channel DDR2 memor y r unning at 533MHz or faster . Your new dual-core computer , either desktop or laptop , will cost about $1,000. Microsoft is introducing Windows Vista this holida y season. It is the latest version of the operating system, designed to replace all previous v ersions for desktops and laptops . Vista replaces the home , media center and pro v ersions of all previous software releases. Not many computers will
meet the requirements for the Vista software upg rade, so shop wisely. By the w ay, all BTO Diablo Computers made since 2004 will pass the Vista upg rade tests. The cost is about $150, but also c heck into g etting the free Vista upgrade certificate. You’ll be amazed at the picture quality of a flat panel monitor – if you remember a few specifications. Consider a 19inch model, either as a standard display or in the wide screen format, because it is only a few dollars more than the 17-inc h model. You also m ust ha ve a good contrast ratio , 500:1 or more. The higher, the better. Next is view angle , which should be 120 deg rees or more so y ou can see the screen from an angle. Finally, the refresh rate should be 12ms or less . The fast refresh rate insures against image blurs when there is an imag e in motion (like a video). Good brands are BenQ, LG Electronics, Samsung and ViewSonic. A fair price is about $300. Will Claney is the owner and operator of Computers USA! in the Clayton Station. Contact him at 925-672-9989.
Hosking Associates, Inc. Kim Dromlewicz,
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Safety tips help make vacuuming pain-free
DR. ROBERT CLARK
YOUR HEALTH The vacuum cleaner is a g reat invention, but also a g reat bac k hazard to many people. During m y high sc hool and college days, I worked as a custodian and janitor in a sc hool, dental office and business office . From the pros, I learned valuable and, unfortunately, well-kept secrets. So here are some tips from the pros to stop the v ac from killing your back. Stand up straight. I ha ve watched many people r un v acuums and nearly all are bent o ver. Stop that right now. Don’t push the cleaner head against the floor. In other words, use a light g rip and don ’t push do wnward. Heads are designed with the w eight needed to get proper contact. More friction against the floor doesn’t do a better job, but it means y ou need to use more m uscle to mo ve the head. If more do wnward pressure improves cleaning, you need
to empty the thing or g et a new one that has better airf low. Clear the r oom. Before the machine is tur ned on, spend some time mo ving stuff out of your way. Move things to one side and then clean the cleared area. Then move it back and clean the rest. Some rooms ma y require several stages, but in the end y ou will spend less time and do a better job. Walk the head. This ma y sound strange, but it will mak e a lot of sense in a moment. Many people stand in the middle of an area to be cleaned and push the vacuum back and forth in a radial pattern. The cleaning patter n looks like a hub and spok es. The pros never do this . It is hard on the back, arms and neck. It is also inefficient and doesn ’t allo w for good cleaning coverage. The pros clean the room and then walk the vacuum head forw ard and bac kward to co ver eac h area twice . Walking the head allo ws the person to stand up straight. When you return to the star t point, the vacuum is angled to the next start point or pic ked up and set do wn at the next star t point. The pattern is a series of overlapping parallel ro ws. The cleaning is more complete and easier on the user. Switch sides of the head. When the cleaner head is next to the w all on the left, you should stand on the right side of the machine to a void br ushing the
wall with y our body and sho ving the head off the w all. When b y the right wall, go to the left of the head. When in an open area, stand behind the head. In this case, both hands should hold the head as you push or pull with the machine directly in front of you. Use the right tool f or the job. Some machines have universal heads, while others have heads specifically for carpet, hard floors or dusting . If you ha ve special purpose heads, use them for their special purpose. Don’t mo ve things with one hand. I have seen too many people try to move a chair or coffee table with one hand while holding the v acuum with the other. This is an easy w ay to hurt your back. Always use both hands to move stuff. Remember the nose and toes r ule. If you want to lift or move something, always mak e sure your nose and toes are pointed at the object. Never lift or pull from the side of your body or with your body twisted. Violating this rule is a surefire w ay to hur t yourself. These tips from the pros allow me to do the custodial work in my home and office with minimal risk of injury. Nothing is foolproof, however, and despite the best tec hnique, tools and ergonomics, the unexpected can occur. There are some people who should never r un a v acuum, and
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the best advice for them is to g et someone else to do the job . But, no, I am not g oing to write prescriptions for ev eryone to g et a housecleaner. Dr. Clark is an osteopath with offices in Concor d. He can be reached for questions at (925) 9697530 or email him at osteopathywithdrbob@yahoo.com
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The Wakefield Team
Professionalism and integrity with a personal touch.
Jeanine: (925) 788-6132 Brent: (925) 788-2480
5420 Ygnacio Valley Rd., Suite 20 Concord, CA
When it’s time to inspect, call the experts I have been a realtor for 21 years and I pride myself on complete client satisfaction. This is why I use Clayton Home Inspection Services. I want my clients to receive personal and professional service not only from me but also from the companies I do business with. Roger & Lori are the BEST!
We have the highest standards in the industry and would like the opportunity to serve you.
announces The service of the month for our patients for the month of November
Complimentary Blood Sugar Test offered Monday through Friday from 1 to 4 p.m.
-Patty Flannery, Diablo Realty Lori Hilts-Galvin & Roger Galvin
If you are not a patient of Clayton Valley Medical Group and would like to become one, please contact Sue at (925) 672-6744 x14
Family owned and operated for over 14 years with two locations to serve you
Clayton office 925-672-9405; Antioch office 925-755-HOME (4663) chisinspector@hotmail.com
Please visit our Website at www.ClaytonHomeInspection.net
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November 17, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page A11
Ode to Clayton, my town
Club News
Clayton resident, Willem Ridder sent us this before the November 7 election. Unfortunately, we just didn’t have room to run it in the last issue. So, even though the last paragraph comes a little late for the election, we thought the rest of it was so good, we didn’t want you to miss it.
Permanent makeup 10% off any treatment Traditional manicure and pedicure $40 facials waxing manicures pedicures airbrush tanning cellulite treatments bodywraps microdermabrasion Located inside Mavericks Sports Club Non-members welcome
Clayton, when I say your name A smile forms on my face It’s always been like that Ever since I came to this fantastic place
Bella Mia Spa
5294 Clayton Rd., Concord
680-7792
Where else is there a spot So blessed with miles of trails That wind all over and around Always I am impressed, it really never fails
1386 Lichen Court
President John Rubiales and Secretary Wendy Lowe of the Clayton Business and Community Association present a check for $850 to Rosa D'Alberti (far right), President of the Concord Childcare Center. The donation is to be used to assist in the Center's Meals Program. 6 Bedroom, 4 Bath
Ideal for large family or in-law set-up ear Clayton Valley High School, this 2,651 sq. ft. home is in a great neighborhood. It features a huge Great Room with sky-light, formal dining, dual pane windows, hardwood floors, a 2 car garage w/electric opener , and a brand new 40 year roof. Great schools, near shopping, parks and on a quiet cul-desac, all for only $699,000. Call Pete to see: 940-2777 or cell 890-6004.
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AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN The Cla yton Branc h of the American Association of University W omen in vites the community to a v ery topical presentation: "Making a Difference in the Li ves of Orphans and T eenage Girls in Ghana, West Africa." Helen Primus presents the hope of raising up a g eneration of leaders for Ghana. She will share her experiences with the Rafiki Foundation whic h is an org anization building comm unities in 10 countries in Africa. Helen is a Diablo Home Economist and used her kno wledge to teac h nutrition, cooking skills , and sewing. The prog ram will be Mon. Nov. 27 at 7:30 p .m. at Diamond T errace R etirement Community, 6401 Center St. Clayton. For further information please call Marcia Hart 827-9540 or Sheila Driscoll 672-7947. CLAYTON VALLEY WOMAN’S CLUB The “Book Lady ,” Sunny Solomon, Manager of Bonanza St. Book Store in Clayton Station Shopping Center , will be the speaker at the No v. 28 social meeting. Sunny will be re porting on her recent trip to India. She is a third g eneration Oakland, Californian and has an MA in English/Creative W riting from San F rancisco State Uni versity. She has published poetry, fiction and nonfiction. Her most recent writing effor ts include book reviews for the store , written as
Brain Teasers 1. A 30 year old man married a 25 year old w oman. She died at ag e 50 and her
“The Book Lady Review.” The meeting will be held at Holy Cross Lutheran Churc h, 1092 Alberta Way, Concord, and will begin with coffee at 9:30 a.m. and the program at 10 a.m. Get a head start on your holiday shopping b y visiting the Clayton V alley W oman’s Club Holiday Boutique No v. 17, 18 and 19 in the Community Room of the Cla yton Comm unity Library. The boutique will be open 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Fri., 10 a.m. – 4 p .m. on Sat. and 1 - 4 p.m. on Sun. The boutique will feature fall, Thanksgiving and Christmas crafts handmade b y club members. Baked goods will also be a vailable for purc hase and a raffle for a muffy bear will be held. All proceeds will benefit the Clayton Valley Woman’s Club, a nonprofit org anization whose donations of time and money aid Cla yton/Concord c harities. For more infor mation about the boutique, please contact Cochairman P eggy Ar undell at (925)672-2043. The Cla yton Community Librar y address is 6125 Clayton Road. KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS The Ann ual Substance Abuse Poster Contest sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, Concord Council 6038 ser ving Clayton & Concord is in full swing. The deadline for the contest is J anuary 25, 2007. Use ar t to show why it is not cool to use any for m of drugs or alcohol. For more infor mation contact
husband was so devastated that he cried for years. Ten years after he stopped crying, he died. If he had li ved to be 80, how many years w as he a wid-
Claire T ryon, Knights of Columbus, Youth Director & Poster Chair man 925-673-8564 or at greyeototo@sbcglobal.net The Knights will be shaking cans for their annual Tootsie Roll drive to help the intellectually disabled and ph ysically handicapped in the comm unity. The proceeds from the campaign help suppor t prog rams in the Clayton and Concord communities including W e Care , Special Olympics, and Challeng er League Baseball. The proceeds stay in the comm unity. The Knights will be at Cla yton Station Safew ay, K-Mart, and Safeway at Denking er/Clayton Rd. Help suppor t those who support the comm unity. Don’t forget y our T ootsie R oll, and please give generously. Knights of Columbus, Concord Council 6038 ha ve their Officers meeting the last Tues. of the month and the General Membership meeting on the first T ues. of the month at St. Agnes Churc h Hall, 3478 Chestnut Street, Concord. Meetings start at 7:30 p.m.
Has your club done something interesting lately? Sponsored a sc holarship? Raised money for a special cause? Supported a community activity? Send y our club news of general interest to the Clayton community to
clubnews@claytonpioneer.com.
ower? 2. If 2 hours ag o it w as as long after one o’cloc k in the afternoon as it w as before one o’clock in the mor ning. What time would it be now?
Where else is there a to wn I very often ponder A town so small and yet so big Nestled in the hills with such scenic wonder. Where else is there a place? Where you can get your fill A place like none other Just visit Ed’s Mudville Grill There are other places y ou m ust visit La Veranda, Skipolini, Cup a Jo You wont regret it. The fare is g reat. Just tak e m y word, I know. If you are looking for a ser vice Possibly to enhance your face There is only one g reat barber Naturally, Hair’s The Place. If you are looking for Insurance State Farm, if you like Then there is just the place for you Go see , my friend, Doug V an Wyck If you are looking for publicity Call Tamara and tell her what you hear She is the one who will put it In the Clayton Pioneer Two other buildings of great importance One building low, the other tall Both are places you must visit Let’s not forg et the Librar y and City Hall There is that place called Endeavor Hall Often filled with happy people However, there is something missing This pretty building needs a steeple. On November 8 go to the poll And be sure to make your mark It’s essential that you do so Because it will mean a city park If I have forgotten to mention Other names and places in our town Just know that there are so many Please forgi ve me , I forg ot to write it down By Willem Ridder October 27, 2006
1. He was a widower for 25 years 2. Nine o’clock. Since ther e are 12 hours betw een the 2 times , and half of that time is six, then the halfw ay mark would have to be 7’clock. If it were 7 o’clock, two hours ago, the time would now be nine o’clock.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Supply appropriate toys to stop inappropriate chewing ELENA BICKER
PAWS
AND
CLAWS
Kris Swanson, intake technician at the Animal R escue Foundation, has many sug gestions to help cor rect inappropriate chewing. If your dog c hews anything other than bones or c hew toys, he probably doesn’t understand what’s an acce ptable item for chewing. King needs to c hew, but it’ s y our responsibility to provide him with the proper items. Hard rubber toys like Kongs are durable. Hollow toys can be stuffed with dog food, treats, cheese or peanut butter to keep King occupied. Nylabone chew toys are v ery hard, long-lasting
and don ’t not pose a c hoking hazard if properly sized. Raw, meaty bones also are health y and help keep teeth clean. If you see King c hewing something he shouldn ’t, grab one of his fa vorite to ys and make a quic k substitution. Limit access to areas that contain lots of valuables until there’s a clear understanding of acceptable chew toys. If King loves to c hew your Manolo Blahniks , close the closet door or put up a bab y gate to protect y our treasures . If there are cer tain items King simply cannot resist, try spra ying them with bitter apple. If King only wreaks ha voc while you’re away, he’s probably lonely and bored. Dogs need tasks to keep them busy. If you don’t provide them with an outlet, they will find it elsewhere
as in your shoe closet. Stuffing a K ong or other hollow to y can become an ar t form. Try plug ging the hole with soft meaty treats , dog kibble or biscuits , or fill it with chicken broth and freeze . Most pet stores sell soft meaty treats that can be cubed and squished into a K ong. Soft c heeses or peanut butter w ork g reat as an adhesive for kibble. Other to ys that k eep dogs occupied are training and treat balls, or Buster Cubes . Fill the Buster Cube with kibble or biscuits. King will have to push the toy around to spill out the food, and it can be adjusted so King has to w ork a little … or a lot. Some dogs sta y out of trouble for hours with a Buster Cube . However, be sure to buy a ball or cube that’s larger in diameter than your dog’s jaw span.
If King mak es quic k w ork of food-stuffed Kongs, try hiding them around the house . The stinkier and tastier, the better. Make King w ork for his prize. Or, rip blank ets into strips and wrap tightly , knotting the bedding around the K ongs before hiding. Put a highly v alued K ong, wrapped tightly in rags, inside a big plastic mayonnaise jar, then poke holes in the lid and hide the jar . The more King has to w ork, the more mentally stimulating it’ll be for him and the longer he’ll be kept occupied. After all, a busy dog is a happy dog.
November 17, 2006
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Fall is upon us The holidays and relatives will follow soon! Time to change the drapes and reupholster the sofa with great new fabrics
Elena Bicker is the Executi ve Director of Tony La R ussa’s Animal Rescue Foundation. She can be r eached at (925) 256-1ARF (1273)
Call Joanna at (925) 673-8911 Clayton Resident
Nesquik and Miss Lynch are ARF’s Stars NESQUICK Three-year-old Nesquik is a sw eet, quiet girl who lik es to ha ve her head and nec k rubbed. She’ll be a g reat lap cat, once she
NESQUIK
gets to know you. The adoption fee for Nesquik is $100. MISS LYNCH Miss Lync h is a spunk y g al who will thrive in a home with consistent leadership . Adopters should ha ve prior experience li ving with Chihuahuas or other confident to y breeds. The adoption fee for Miss Lynch is $200 and includes the first six training courses . Bring everyone who will li ve with these pets – including any canine family members for Miss Lync h – to meet them at T ony La Russa’s Animal R escue F oundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek, during adoption hours: 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Noon to 4:30 p .m. Saturday and Sunda y. Visit www.arf.net or call (925) 256-1ARF for more information. Would you like to be par t of the heroic team that sa ves the li ves of rescued dogs
MISS LYNCH
and cats? Can you share your talents to connect people and animals? ARF v olunteers are making a difference! F or more infor mation see our W eb site , www.arf.net, or call (925) 256-1ARF.
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November 17, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com
School News
Serving Contra Costa for 25 years
NICHOLS LANDSCAPE Boyce Nichols - Owner - Clayton resident
MT. DIABLO ELEMENTARY The Mt. Diablo Elementar y fourth and fifth g rade c horus presents Holiday Hoedown on Thurs. Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. and Fri. Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. Santa’s Toyshop is in dang er of going bust. No money for materials means no presents - whic h means no Christmas. What’s the g ang going to do? Join the fun as the entire toyshop crew goes on the road to Branson, Missouri to raise the needed funds with a down-home country music jamboree. It will be a knee slapping hee-haw experience , with reindeer masquerading as horses and elves that rock and roll. Christine Billingsley has been teac hing at Mt. Diablo Elementary for five years. “The c horus has been steadily g rowing since I came . We a veraged around 68 kids when I first came to Mt. Diablo in 2001, and no w this year w e have hit an all time high of 133 kids.” We plan to do the m usical The Retur n of the Glass Slipper in the spring.
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CLAYTON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL Sun. evening, Nov. 5, the band shed at the high sc hool was brok en into and the g olf cart the band uses to haul its equipment onto the field w as stolen. The car t has not been found and while w e are hoping for its retur n, we must consider ways to re place the car t in the event it does not mak e its w ay
672-7701
back to us. With the marc hing band performance season ending on Nov.18 at the finals in Stockton, the parent org anization, the Music Boosters , is considering fund-raising options in order to re place the cart for next year . One idea is the ann ual Spring Dinner Dance to be held at Oakhurst Country Club on Marc h 31, 2007. If anyone has any information about the g olf cart or the break in at the shed please contact band director - Mundy Viar at Cla yton V alley High School at 672-7474 ext. 3125 or Concord PD.
CVHS Color Guard
Fall Production is Inherit the W ind by Jerome Lawrence and R obert E. Lee. The pla y (based loosely on the 1925 Scopes Monk ey trial) w as intended as an indictment of McCarthyism and continues to apply in any society where attempts are made to suppress the right to individual thought. The last sho w is No v. 17 at 7:30 p .m. in the MUR at Clayton V alley High, 1101 Alberta Way, Concord.
photo by L. Beltran
Stephanie Jones, Mellisa Crismon, Jasney Sereal, Mayura Patankar, and Gabrielle Hesseman.
The Eagle Marc hing Band and Color Guard of Clayton Valley High Sc hool recently won the Lodi Grape Bowl field show contest. The band, which is realizing a healthier membership this year , earned its first win since 2002, taking not only top band but top honors in marching, music, drum major , and dr um line/percussion section, as well. The band completes its
The Society for International Travel is continuing to take applications for the trip to Athens and Rome in the summer of 2007. E-mail Mrs. Ross at Send your school news of general interest to the Clayton rossj@mdusd.k12.ca.us for community to schoolnews@claytonpioneer.com more information.
Shakespeare actors to visit local sc hools
Morning weather on KTVU-Fox2 Mon.-Fri., 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Steve Paulson
Clayton Valley High Sc hool and ClaytonArts Academy will host a pair of actors from the Oregon Shak espeare F estival on No v. 30. In addition to
Clayton resident srpwx@sbcglobal.net (510) 874-0150
interactive w orkshops the actors, Gina Daniels and T ed Deasy, will perfor m ex cerpts from Shak espeare and other classical and contemporar y lit-
erature in an assembly setting. The School Visit Program is part of the F estival’s ong oing commitment to bring li ve theatre to students. At the conclu-
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2006 season No v. 18 at Stockton’s Lincoln High School and is a perfor ming unit of the Western Band Association and the Nor thern Califor nia Band Association. Families and students that would lik e more infor mation about the Eagle Band and Color Guard program are invited to email director, Mr. Mundy Viar, at ClaytonBands@aol.com.
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sion of the Fe s t iva l ’s 2005 season, six teams of actors visited 124 s c h o o l s GINA DANIELS and organizations, reaching o ver 67,000 students in four states. For many students , The Oregon Shak espeare F estival’s School V i s i t Program has afforded them their first encounter with li ve TED DEASY theatre. One teac her wrote , “The Oregon Shak espeare F estival’s visit is a windo w for m y students. It helps expose them to different worlds, ways of thinking, and to professional theatre.”
Advertise with the Clayton Pioneer 672-0500
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Richard A. Littorno Littorno & Morrison, Attorneys At Law “The planning solutions are here.”
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
November 17, 2006
It’s always in season at Seasonal Reflections JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Longtime Cla yton resident John Sharapata is a kid at hear t. Ever since he can remember , he loved the holidays and decorating. One Christmas when J ohn was a young boy, he surprised his mom b y spending his entire allowance on holida y decorations for the family home . Now, Sharapata is tur ning his passion into a new , year-round holida y
and par ty superstore in the Clayton Valley Shopping Center, near Washington Boulevard. “It’s alw ays been the plan, ” John sa ys as he talks ex citedly about his new store , Seasonal Reflections. “People ha ve told me that w e really need this kind of store in Clayton.” John notes that people ha ve come from all over the Bay Area because they heard this store is a “must see.” Seasonal Reflections will host
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
SEASONAL REFLECTIONS DISPLAYS hundreds of ornaments on themed pre-lit trees throughout the store.
its g rand opening No v. 24, the day after T hanksgiving. The store will open at 7 a.m., and Santa will visit the store from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Customers can get 20 percent off any purchase during Santa’s visit. Seasonal R eflections boasts the larg est selection of lights in the Ba y Area. The year -round store features commercial g rade, custom lights in all kinds of colors – from traditional red, white and g reen to pur ple, pink and turquoise. Decorated trees throughout the store sho wcase various themes and use of color, providing some g reat ideas about holiday decorating in your own home. “Everything w e do here is cool,” John says as he sho ws off a unique set of Spiderman lights. If you can ’t find what y ou want, John will custom order light sets to meet y our personal tastes and décor. Lighted yard sets , including the R udolph series , garlands, wreaths and Christmas or naments, are available as well as top brands suc h as De pt. 56, Polonaise, Fabriché, Steinbach, Mark Roberts and Fontanini. The year -round Hallo ween Room and Christmas Rooms are an experience in themselv es, with festi ve decorations , music, animated features and interactive displays. John is especially ex cited about the par ty merchandise for every holida y, including St. Patrick’s Da y, Valentine’s Da y, Easter, July 4th and, of course, birthdays. The store is stac ked with year-round costumes, party paper products and decorations to help you celebrate in style. John brings a wealth of experience to Seasonal R eflections, with 16 years in the retail industry and three Inter net sites for year round party and holiday items.
Do year-end tax planning for your business CAROL KEANE, CPA
TAX TIPS Many small businesses and self-employed business o wners make the mistak e of not thinking about taxes until it’s too late. Most tax mo ves m ust be made before year-end. Here are a few tax-cutting ideas that will help reduce y our 2006 business taxes. Purchase business assets . If your business will soon require additional computers , furnishings or ev en transpor tation equipment, make those purchases before the end of the year and take maximum advantage of the Section 179 expensing election. Plan for retirement. If you
don’t ha ve a retirement plan, consider setting one up before the end of the year, even if you don’t actually fund the plan until 2007. In fact, there are federal tax credits for some of the costs of setting up a new retirement plan. And don ’t o verlook a Simplified Emplo yee P ension (SEP) plan, which does not have to be established or funded until 2007. Use your credit card. Even a cash-basis business can deduct expenses purchased with a credit card on the date of the charge, not necessarily when the credit card payment is made. So if you find that you need business supplies or equipment before the end of the year and you’re short of cash, consider using y our credit card and deduct the
expense this year. Defer income and accelerate deductions. For cash-basis taxpayers, consider sending out your in voices late in December so the pa yment isn ’t recei ved until the follo wing year, thereby deferring cur rent tax es. Also, stock up and pa y for office supplies and other needed office items before year -end, including paying any outstanding bills or prepaying cer tain business expenses. The best w ay to maximize your business deductions is to meet with y our tax professional while there is still time to tak e action. For assistance , give our office a call. Carol Keane is a Cer tified Pub lic Accountant in Walnut Creek. Email her at carol@carolkeanecpa.com.
C ome hhelp elp S anta llight ight oour ur Come Santa
C layton Clayton T own T ree Town Tree
Mt. Diablo Elementary School Choir
Santa Claus in person!
FREE hot apple cider & donut holes
Saturday, Dec. 2, 6p.m. Meet at the Museum on Main Street and bring your flashlight hosted by the Clayton Business & Community Association
672-2272
JOHN SHARAPATA Call me today for a complimentary initial consultation.
He li ves in Cla yton with his wife Natalie and six c hildren, ranging in age from 1 to 15 years old. “This is all very exciting. I’m totally sleep deprived,” he says. See ad in Gift Section on page B6.
Mureleen Benton CFP® 5356 Clayton Rd., Suite 211 Concord, CA 94521 925-685-4523
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A
End Unit with Wood bamboo floors with spacious kitchen & dinning area. Inside laundry. Vaulted Ceilings & Dual pane windows. Recently overhauled exterior. Community pool & quiet complex. Pottery Barn Cute!
Listed for: $399,500 COMING SOON IN CLAYTON!
Spacious 4 Bedrooms, 2.5 baths home with approx. 2,390 sq ft of living space. 3 Car garage. Brick Fireplace, Wet bar in kitchen with island. Located on a court with Mount diablo views. New pool.
A Top Producer Working for You Since 1989
JOSIE VAN FLEET 925-672-4333
Broker/Owner
Recipient of Intero’s Chairman Circle Award 22 year resident of Clayton
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There's still still time time for for There's
A Time For Christmas A fresh, contemporary collection of Christmas music by Clayton's Joyce and Santiago Martinez and Roxanne Pardi, featuring the lovely and original "Angel of God." A perfect stocking stuffer or a great gift for yourself. To order, call
(925) 352-6303 or order download order form from
www.vintagetrio.com Book Vintage for your holiday parties. Call Today.
& a t Visit San sert
s e D y enjo us a l C . s r with M ry ibra at the Clayton L . 9 ec D , y a d Satur m. . p 2 1 1
Prizes, Goodies Candy Canes, FREE Photo
Admission $1 or donation Free for children 12 and under Children must be accompanied by an adult CHRISTMAS in CLAYTON is hosted by the elves of the CBCA (Clayton Business & Community Association.) CBCA: 672-2272
November 17, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com
Page A15
The Royal Rooster makes its debut with French country accents boutique in a historical building that captures the charm of old Clayton. The mother of two y oung c hildren says her boutique will be kidfriendly, a “real family place .” Since Cup O’ Jo has an in viting children’s pla y room, Sara will collaborate with owners Kristi and Peter Barbosa when both shops are open – encouraging visitors to sip some coffee while they shop and let the kids enter tain themselves with toys and c halkboards. Sara has worked hard to bring high-quality, upscale items to Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer the new boutique . SARA SKOW SHOWS OFF SOME OF THE MERCHANDISE at the new Royal Rooster With a bac kbehind Cup O’ Jo Coffee House in downtown Clayton. ground in adv ertising, Sara also JILL BEDECARRÉ quality items with a F rench has a lot of experience working Country touc h. Sara plans to Clayton Pioneer in a small gift shop . She spent carry soaps , candles, antiques, her colleg e da ys and bey ond Clayton resident Sara Sk ow iron accent fur niture, occasion- employed by the Gift Horse in al tables , baker’s rac ks, table has a unique ability to combine Berkeley. “It was a g reat lear nthe old with the new . Her new décor, candleholders and other ing experience,” she says. gift boutique in do wntown specialty items. Sara has w orked with the The Royal Rooster will open Clayton, called the R oyal owners of Weekends at the Rooster, is a passion of Sara’s after T hanksgiving, with a Cottage, which is no w closing grand opening from 8 to 5 p.m., that has come to fr uition. at the Cla yton Valley Shopping Her best friend, graphic Sat, Dec. 2. Customers will Center, to incorporate some of designer Caress T hreadgill, receive a free cup of coffee and their merc handise into the describes Sara as an entre pre- a free gift with any purc hase Royal R ooster. She’s also been neur with ex cellent taste . “She (with Pioneer ad on pag e B6). networking, traveling to sho wThe R oyal R ooster is new , always had a creative side,” says rooms and thumbing through but the building is more than Caress. “Sara is doing what she catalogs to create an in ventory 100 years old. It ser ved as a loves to do.” that appeals to a v ariety of Located inside Cup O’ Jo general store and post office in tastes and personalities. the early 1910s . Sara lo ves the Coffee House on Main Street, She had been looking for idea of opening up her new the gift shop will feature highstore space in Clayton when she
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learned that the Barbosas w ere looking to rent out their bac k room. “I immediately sa w the potential of the gift shop at Cup O’ Jo’s,” said Sara. “I jumped at the oppor tunity.”
The Barbosas, in turn, we’re excited about Sara’ s vision for her store and ho w it w ould complement the coffee house , where good friends gather. The Royal Rooster is at 1030
Diablo St., across from Skipolini’s and behind Cup O’ Jo Coffee House . For more information, call Sara at 2168744.
At the Movies
‘Flags’ fails to wrap us in emotions “Flags of Our F athers” is who w ear the same clothes , technically a film about the men have the same haircut and speak who raised the American f lag in the same harsh battle shouts JEANNA ROSS atop Mount Suribac hi at the while rarely standing still. Battle of Iwo Jima. AT THE MOVIES Ryan Phillippe , in his third Photographer Joe Rosenthal Paul Haggis script, is the biggest won a Pulitzer Prize for capturname in the cast. However, the shoulder of a fallen friend’ s ing the moment on film. The project is tr uly an ensemble mother – yet I w as not mo ved. photograph became the basis effort, so he shares primar y The personal relationships w ere for the Marine Cor ps W ar story credit with J esse Bradford not strongly enough established Memorial in Washington, D.C. and Adam Beach. Barry Pepper, before the battle beg an to allow However, “Flags” the audience to really feel is not a w ar mo vie in the pain of their copious the traditional sense . losses. There are , of course, In addition, while w e the requisite g ory batsaw glimpses of the hortle scenes , but there rors they experienced, we are far few er of them hear only rumors of atrocand they are of shorter ities committed – yet these duration than in many memories haunt. Yes, I predecessors. appreciated Eastw ood’s Instead, the focus discretion in reducing the is on the three sur vivamount of violence w e ing “heroes of Iwo had to be subjected to, but Jima,” who retur n apparently, some of the stateside for a bondweight w as lost in translasale tour while tion. attempting to reconcile Eastwood’s next film, their actions and the “Letters from Iw o Jima, ” deaths of their com- DIRECTED BY CLINT EASTWOOD, Flags of Our Fathers tells the story of the battle rades with the prestig e focuses on the three surviving heroes of Iwo Jima. from the Japanese perspecgained for follo wing a tive, with a primarily simple order. Jamie Bell, Paul W alker and Japanese cast. In a perfect The w ar scenes ser ve to numerous others deli ver strong world, the first line of “Flags” emphasize the post-traumatic supporting performances. would be restored: “We lik e stress the men experience , “Flags of Our F athers” things nice and simple . Good rather than tell the linear stor y bears Eastw ood’s signature and evil, heroes and villains.” of the battle. However, the film style, combining realistic vioIf “Letters” is as confusing cuts confusingly betw een v ari- lence with strong c haracters so about villainy as “Flags” is ous pre- and post-w ar scenes – that the audience can actually about heroism, these tw o films making it difficult to disco ver care what becomes of these might forev er c hange the w ay how the battle tr uly played out. men. However, it does not pull our society views disputes in Clint Eastw ood’s directorial at hear tstrings. Even m y leak y such black and white ter ms. resume alone demands that this tear ducts remained sur prisingly film be gi ven consideration, dry. Jeanna Ross is an Eng lish and, as always, the cast he g athThat ma y be the problem teacher at Clayton V alley High ers is impressi ve. Most pro vide with this film. We hear , con- School and a fr ee lance writer . She familiar enough faces to aid us stantly of the anguish these men regularly contributes to the Pioneer . in the ev er-perplexing task of experience – in one scene , Send comments to her at putting names to c haracters Beach falls sobbing onto the movies@claytonpioneer.com.
Little flavor behind frilly ‘Antoinette’ “Marie Antoinette” is hardly The soundan educational lesson. Sure track wastes no there’s the beautiful V ersailles, time in g etting entrancing F rench landscape the point and Louis XVI. But these are all across, as a backdrops to the extra vagance revamped “I of Marie Antoinette herself. Want Candy” And here, she appears much accompanies a more stylish than in any histor y montage of lesson. Marie’s splurg e That said, the un usual porsessions. trayal of the famous queen The probshows a side hard to see elselem is there is KIRSTEN DUNST STARS AS MARIE ANTIONETTE in the film where. Much of the intrigue lies not m uch to based on the biography by Antonia Fraser. in the frivolous absurdity of the support the the time. What exactly does it look lighthearted facade on whic h band, news comes of storming of the Bastille prison. like to r un in a the film focuses . The major failure of the film tent-like gown? Kirsten Dunst is a was not to cash in on the scanMeanwhile, a capable Marie, delivdalous climax of Marie’s life . new reality is ering the best scenes Everyone kno ws a guillotine is given to the factuas the queen lost in within reac h, but the almost al ev ents lear ned her thoughts , but annoying innocence of Marie in class – the mob she is not gi ven never breaks upon the realizais 10 times more enough room to tion of a harsher world. horrific when y ou expand the role . Two hours ma y ha ve been witness Marie and Instead, the auditoo long to dwell on one side of her family tr ying ence gets an intensiMarie. In this screenpla y based N ATALIE B UDESA to eat dinner with fied feeling of being on the biog raphy b y Antonia the threatening A T THE MOVIES spectators looking Fraser, it’s easy to see wh y roar in the bac kin on the picturMarie, safe within her w ealthy ground. esque scenes , too corner of the world, could have Marie Antoinette is only a dainty to touch or fully ponder. been tempted to sa y “Let them young teen when she is stripped, A similar approac h to filmeat cak e.” Of course, it w ould quite literally , of her A ustrian making w as tak en earlier this be pink and fluffy – just like this background and brought to year with “T he New W orld,” take on the doomed queen. France to meet her F rench which had the thought-pro vokfiancé. From there, the film fol- ing silences and nar rative that Natalie Budesa is 15 y ears old lows her as she comes of age “Marie” lacks. By the time Louis and a sophomor e at CVHS . She and ev entually embraces the XVI (a delightfully a wkward aspires to a car eer as a cinemato graluxurious lifestyle at her fing er- Jason Sc hwartzman) becomes pher. Send y our comments to tips. king and an appropriate husmovies@claytonpioneer.com
Page A16
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
November 17, 2006
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Clayton Market Update Provided by George Vujnovich of Better Homes Realty ADDRESS 1068 Mitchell Canyon Road 1130 Peacock Creek Drive 4301 Coyote Circle 20 Mt. McKinley Court 129 Mt. Etna Drive 705 Condor Place 503 Raven Place 7018 Molluk Way 428 Zinfandel Circle 436 Grenache Circle 115 Samuel Court 928 Kenston Dr 809 Chert Place 1293 Shell Circle 1451 Yosemite Circle 1163 Moccasin Ct 7026 Molluk Way 179 Mountaire Pkwy 3016 Windmill Canyon Dr 518 Mt. Dell Dr 336 Mt. Washington Wy 1820 Eagle Peak Ave 5861 Caulfield Drive 320 Saclan Terrace 239 Jeffry Ranch Place 329 Ahwanee Lane 54 Marquette Ct 821 Savignon Ct 1016 Tiffin Dr 52 La Honda Ct 19 Barcelona Wy 31 Nottingham Pl 38 Jalalon Pl 315 Windmill Canyon 5155 Keller Ridge Dr 632 Julpun Loop 1000 Panadero Way 109 Forest Hill Drive 2 Nottingham Circle 1824 Ohlone Heights 328 Ahwanee Lane 635 Mt. Duncan Drive
PRICE $675,000 $1,129,000 $539,000 $739,980 $499,200 $455,000 $675,000 $775,000 $850,000 $865,000 $864,000 $995,000 $505,000 $595,000 $700,000 $641,000 $859,000 $700,000 $640,000 $575,000 $730,000 $775,000 $835,000 $637,900 $725,000 $975,000 $680,000 $795,000 $816,500 $825,000 $800,000 $890,000 $670,000 $640,000 $769,500 $660,000 $725,000 $1,039,000 $780,000 $780,000 $1,198,000 $940,000
SALE DATE
SF
11/08/06 11/02/06 11/01/06 10/31/06 10/28/06 10/20/06 10/17/06 10/13/06 10/13/06 10/12/06 10/11/06 10/2/06 09/29/06 09/28/06 09/26/06 09/22/06 09/13/06 09/08/06 09/08/06 09/07/06 09/07/06 08/31/06 08/31/06 08/31/06 08/31/06 08/24/06 08/23/06 08/23/06 08/22/06 08/16/06 08/15/06 08/14/06 08/11/06 08/10/06 08/10/06 08/03/06 08/02/06 08/01/06 07/28/06 07/27/06 07/26/06 07/21/06
1,494 3,185 1,554 1,919 1,442 1,026 1,877 2,674 2,391 2,391 2,334 3,048 1,235 1,709 1,566 1,639 2,542 1,600 1,493 1,658 1,740 2,313 2,050 1,749 1,810 2,944 1,568 2,052 1,815 2,390 2,324 2,262 1,939 1,501 2,313 1,904 1,501 2,700 2,088 2,313 3,416 2,960
BED/BATH 3/2 5/3.5 3/2.5 4/2 3/2 2/2 3/2.5 4/3 4/2.5 4/2.5 4/3 5/4 2/2 3/3 3/2 3/2.5 4/2.5 3/2 3/2 3/2 4/2 4/2.5 4/2 3/2.5 4/2 4/2.5 4/2 4/2.5 3/2 4/2.5 5/2.5 4/2.5 3/2.5 3/2 4/2.5 3/2.5 3/2.5 3/2.5 4/2 4/2.5 4/3.5 5/3
Happy Thanksgiving from the publisher’s and staff of The Clayton Pioneer
CLAYTON PIONEER November 17, 2006
Section B
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page B1
The Runaway Turkey and Other Thanksgiving Contributions faux pas that become par t of family lore as w ell. Thanks to contributions from our readers w e ha ve some stories and heritage recipes to share with you this Thanksgiving season.
LINDA WYNER
FOOD
FOR
THOUGHT
Holiday cooking is a complex of traditional, imaginative, bright and tasty foods . Most recipes are repeated year after year to the c heers of family members . However, t h e r e inevitably a r e
TURKEY ON THE LOOSE Chuck and Peggy Bidondo shared their embar rassing Thanksgiving moment when their turk ey got loose. Back in the mid-70’s when they were living in Virginia, someone told them about a great way to cook a turk ey on the barbecue: put it in a paper bag and put it in the BBQ and whatev er y ou do , don’t open the lid for 4-5 hours! So , the Bidondos followed the instr uctions and went to visit some neighbors across the street. Suddenly, billows of smoke started rising
from the bac kyard. The hapless couple ran bac k home , lifted the lid of the BBQ and the bag burst into f lames. They quic kly dumped baking soda all o ver it to put out the fire. In tr ying to g et the no wburned turk ey off the g rill, they dropped it on the deck— where it bounced and beg an rolling do wn the hill to the street! The eight people around the Bidondo Thanksgiving table that da y feasted on the one turk ey leg that could be salvaged, and the stor y is repeated year after year TIPSY CRANBERRY SAUCE Beth Neudell enjo ys spiking her traditional cranber ry sauce, and shares the follo wing recipe with Cla yton Pioneer readers: Cranberry Sauce 3 apples 2 pears 3 oranges to yield 1 cup juice 2 Tbsp. orange rind 2 c golden raisins 3 ea. 12oz. bags whole fresh cranberries 2 c sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. nutmeg Choice of liqueur Peel and c hop apples and pears. Juice the orang es.
Combine all ing redients in a large sauce pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 45 min utes until thick. Remove from heat and stir in some triple sec or other liqueur to taste. Bring to room temperature before serving. This sauce stores well in the refrig erator for a month or long er, and can also be frozen for about six months. (But something this yummy shouldn’t stay ar ound that long anyway! – Ed.) TURKEY GLOP Clayton Pioneer editor Tamara Steiner shares an ah-ha moment with us. She writes:
I cook a turk ey tw o or thr ee times a year and sa ve the car cass and bones for soup . So , w hen I make m y turk ey soup after Thanksgiving, I ha ve enough bones to mak e a ver y rich stoc k. My family loves the soup almost as much as the turk ey on “Turkey Day .” (My husband will actually star t asking if I’ve started the soup y et befor e I’ ve even put aw ay the leftovers after Thanksgiving dinner.) A y oung (early tw enties) neighbor w ho w as a novice cook coveted my turkey soup stock and wanted to know how to mak e it. So, I g ave her detailed instr uctions about how to clean the stuffing out of the cavity, how to crack the bones , how to skim the top after bringing it to a boil and how to simmer it all night on low . I
told her to be sure and strain the whole thing
through cheesecloth and throw away all the solids. Then I told her about putting it in the fridge for at least 24 hours so the gr ease would harden. I told her to lift off the grease by running a metal spatula right under it between the gr ease and the stoc k. Then, when she got all the gr ease off...voila- ther e w as her rich turkey stock. Well, days w ent by and I didn’t hear anything . I finally calledher about a week later to ask how
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her soup came out. “Oh m y god, it was disgusting, she said.” “Disgusting? How could that be?” I asked. “Well, I did e verything you said, but w hen I scraped the fat of f , the stuf f under it was sickening. It was like jello...all thic k and slim y. I just threw the whole thing away.” Moral? Ther e’s no such thing as too much detail w hen helping a novice cook. Take hear t, dear R eaders. Thanksgiving is a time for blessings, learning and sharing. Even a food boo-boo can become the stuff of family tradition. So haul out y our cooking pans and whip up some special memories this season. Linda Wyner is an accomplished chef and “foodie.” Her cooking store, Pans on Fir e, r ecently opened in Pleasanton. W atch the Pioneer for more details. Email her at lwyner@claytonpioneer.com
Page B2
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
November 17, 2006
Clayton Sports
CV water polo team takes BVAL championship BOB PIMM Clayton Pioneer
Danny Boessenec ker and four other seniors led the Clayton V alley High Sc hool boys w ater polo team to the BVAL league c hampionship for the first time in 13 years. The team went 5-0 in league play, with an ex citing 12-11 victory o ver unbeaten arc hrival Ygnacio V alley to seal the Ba y Valley Athletic League c hampionship. Boessenecker w as the team’s sniper, netting eight goals on 11 shots during the decisi ve game. Coaches Da vid Boland and Tony Bianucci have a combined 18 years of youth sports coaching between them. Boland credited the team’ s success to the special bond that dev elops among water polo players. “I’m still very close with the players on the last CVHS team I played for, and this year’ s team has that special bond, too,” says Boland, who played on the last CVHS team to win the BV AL league title. Boessenecker pointed to team c hemistry for this year’ s championship r un. “We had so much depth. We knew we could put any one in the pool at anytime and w e could tr ust him to do what was needed,” he says. Four of the team’ s seniors played tog ether on v arsity all four years . Although Boessenecker noted the importance of having them tog ether for four years, he said contributions from the benc h all year long were the keys to success. Senior Erik Petersen agreed. “The entire team contributed. This year’ s team w as more mature. We had five seniors and lots of juniors,” Petersen explained. “Danny, Michael (Murray), Kevin (Zeidler) and I really focused on our senior year with the g oal of winning the BVAL title and making the NCS playoffs.” Water polo is an extremely physical g ame. If you w atched some of NBC’s coverage of the 2004 Athens Olympics, you saw underwater cameras expose players kicking, punching, grabbing bathing suits and submerging opponents until they fought to the surface g asping for air . Coaches Boland and Bian ucci wanted to mak e sure the opponents’ tough tactics w ouldn’t intimidate this year’s team. According to Boland, water polo is a g ame of runs. “You can’t let up when y ou ha ve someone on the ropes . It tak es mental discipline , but y ou just have to keep moving or you will sink,” he says. “You have to play hard every minute, because you
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ERIK PETERSEN AND GOALKEEPER KEVIN ZEIDLER BATTLE blocks a shot from archrival, Ygnacio Valley2006 NCS playoffs. The CVHS boys water polo team made the playoffs after going 5-0 in league play to win the BVAL title for the first time in 13 years. can never take time off during a game.” The coaches stressed physical and mental toughness this season, using a system that emphasized shared responsibility and working hard every minute in the pool. “I’d take a mentally tough player with a ‘team-first’ attitude over a better swimmer ev ery time,” says Boland. “Don’t g et me wrong, you have to be a great swimmer to do w ell in w ater polo, but success comes from mentally tough ‘team’ players who know how to keep working even when they’re tired. “This g ame requires a ‘brotherhood’ mindset to achieve success,” he adds. The team sho wed the kind of toughness the coac hes w ere looking for b y coming bac k from sev eral late-g ame deficits to pull out victories during its 50 r un to the c hampionship. With the BV AL c hampionship on the line ag ainst Ygnacio Valley, the team scored three goals against none in the four th quarter for the one-goal victory. Water polo pla yers need exceptional swimming and ballhandling skills . Top pla yers are quick, strong and sho w outstanding endurance . “Good swimmers who w ant more than just staring at a blac k line in the bottom of the pool should thrive pla ying w ater polo ,”
Boland sa ys. “Playing the g ame makes strong swimmers ev en stronger.” Boland laments that too many swim coac hes pressure kids not to tak e up the spor t, because they sa y it tak es away from traditional swimming . “Only the top two swimmers in each indi vidual ev ent g o to the Olympics,” Boland notes . “There’s a better c hance of attaining your Olympic dream if you play water polo, too.” Boessenecker is happy he played water polo all four years .
“If you’re g ood enough to pla y on v arsity as a freshman, you should pla y,” he re ports. “I learned what I needed to w ork on, things lik e endurance and getting big ger. I found out I needed a lot more strength and speed to hold off defenders.” According to Boessenec ker, the best way to learn is by doing. His strength, endurance and speed impro ved b y pla ying game after game during summer recreational leagues. The coaches say the success of this year’ s team extended
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beyond the pla yers. The g ood chemistry and team bonding came from the team’s “extended family” all working together. They praised statistician Bob Murray, whose numbers provided insight the coac hes used to develop and reinforce the team’s playing system. Team Mom’ s Alice Mur ray and Linda Petersen w ere instr umental in bringing the players and families together throughout the season, helping the team to achieve their goals. The wise counsel of CVHS’s v eteran w ater polo
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coach Denis Bledsoe w as also a tremendous help. Even though seniors Peterson, Zeidler, Boessenecker, Murray and Eric Piccolotti will be mo ving on, coach Boland says the team should be in good shape heading into next season. Up-and-coming pla yers lik e Jesse Walker (a 15-year -old junior), speedster Brenden Bro wn (a sophomore), potential g oalie Kyle Langford (a junior), and hole-set Jared Farizell (a junior) should k eep the prog ram on track for continued success.
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November 17, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Clayton Sports Two hole-in-ones in same foursome makes history
Page B3
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JOHN DELL’ISOLA AND LEIGH ANNE HOWITT (center) each made a hole-in-one on the 13th hole at Oakhurst last week. They are flanked by their spouses Susan Dell’Isola, far left, and Dave Howitt, far right. It w as momentous . It w as history in the making . It was 17 million to one. On No v. 5 at Oakhurst Country Club, two hole-in-ones occurred on the same day, on the same g olf course, on the same hole, in the same foursome. When J ohn Dell’Isola of Clayton teed off, everyone knew it was a g ood shot, but shadows on the g reen prev ented them from knowing for sure. His wife, Susan, was pretty sure it dropped in, but the others thought it
bounced forw ard and ma y ha ve rolled off the green. Then it w as Orinda resident Leigh Anne Howitt’s turn. It was another beautiful shot that hit close to the hole , and ev eryone was certain it had rolled in. After shouts of happiness that were heard far and wide and hugs from Ho witt’s husband, Dave, the foursome rode up to the g reen. As they w alked on, Dell’Isola’s ball w as no where in sight. His wife was the first to reach
the f lagstick, and from her screaming reaction, the rest of the foursome knew for sure: Two balls were in the bottom of the cup. According to the Oakhurst staff, this has nev er happened before. The 13th hole is 122 yards for men and 95 yards for women, par 3. Dell’Isola has been pla ying golf for 20 years and has a 15 handicap. Howitt has only been playing for 5 years. Her handicap is 33.
Sports Shorts
out number and date and time for tr youts.CVLL tryouts will begin Jan. 7 and 8. T-ball pla yers do not ha ve tr y-outs. CVLL needs more umpires and coac hes. Volunteer at registration. Visit the CVLL w ebsite for updates and information at www.cvll.org.
high sc hool swim season. Age g roup and high sc hool w ater polo prog ram: Nov. 13-Mar.1. Programs for 12 and under, 14 and under and high sc hool age athletes . Winter/Spring Competitive Clinic Prog ram: Feb 3 through Apr . 1. Get a jump on the summer recreation swim season with these instructional clinics. For additional infor mation on all prog rams or to down load registration infor mation, go to www .terrapinswim.com. For questions call 680-8372 ext. 206.
CVHS TENNIS
Suzanne Beck, Head Coach of the CVHS girls varsity tennis team, reports the team finished a sensational 13-3 this season. The 15 pla yers, captained by Katie Chirco and Meg an Roberson, placed second in BV AL behind only Carondelet. Celeste Piper, a freshman, finished third behind Carondelet’ s # 1 and 2 pla yers at the BV AL’s last w eek held at Freedom High School.
TERRAPINS SWIM TEAM WINTER AND SPRING PROGRAMS.
High Sc hool pre-season training program, Nov. 13 through Feb 2. Begin conditioning for the upcoming
CV LITTLE LEAGUE
Clayton Valley Little League’s 2007 season registration for all lev els of baseball and softball is No v. 28 at 68:30 p.m., Dec. 2 and Dec 9 from 10 a.m.-4 p .m. and Dec . 14 6-7:30 p .m. Families m ust pro vide proof of residence within the Mt Diablo Elementary or Highlands Elementar y attendance areas and a bir th certificate to v erify ag e of player. Returning CVLL families residing outside of these attendance areas ma y be “g randfathered” into the league if they ha ve had continuous par ticipation in CVLL and their address w as once within CVLL boundaries before map changes. A postcard will be mailed out in late December to all registered players who are required to try-out with player’s try-
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CLAYTON VALLEY PONY L EAGUE.
All interested 11-12 and 13-14 year old bo ys and parents that li ve in the Clayton area are welcome to attend the 2007 Cla yton V alley PONY League Player Orientation and Sign-up Meeting, Wed., Dec. 6, 6:30 p .m. at Skipolini’s Pizza, 1035 Diablo Street, Clayton. Pizza and soda will be ser ved. For fur ther infor mation contact T om King (925) 685-7452, Andy Gar tner (925) 250-5978, or Craig Nelson (925) 628-2362. www.cvpony.org .
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Page B4
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
November 17, 2006
Clayton Sports
“If you want to buy or sell a home in 10 years call us!”
Erik Petersen PIONEER ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT SWIMMER LOOKS TOWARD COLLEGE CAREER Erik P etersen star ted swimming with the F orest Park Flyers in Concord when he w as 3. He mo ved to the Dana Hills Swim Club when he was 11. Although it was difficult to lea ve a lot of great friends behind at Dana Hills , the Clayton resident joined the Terrapins last summer to concentrate on year -round training. Part of Erik’s approach to competitive swimming is playing w ater polo . He made the Clayton V alley High Sc hool varsity w ater polo team as a freshman and has been on the team all four years. Erik w as one of five seniors to lead the CVHS bo ys
water polo team to the BV AL League Championship for the first time in 13 years. “Water polo is a very tiring game to pla y, but m y quic kness helps,” says Erik. For top swimmers , water polo is only one piece of the puzzle. Participating on the CVHS swim team means more hard work in the pool. The big gest c hallenge in top-level swimming is mental preparation. “I like to break a race do wn into shor ter segments,” says Erik. “In a 500 race, I might break it do wn into four , 125 races to k eep my concentration focused on short-term goals for each segment of the race.” His swimming goal for this year is to mak e it to NCS finals and to become an AllAmerican. The National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA) sets the All-America Swimming Time Standards. To become an All-American in the 100 Butterf ly, Erik’s target time is 51.02 seconds (to “automatically” qualify) or 51.91 (for “consideration”). “My best time so far is a low 53,” says Erik, who will be working hard this season to break that 52-second bar rier.
ERIK PETERSEN The NISCA only recognizes the top 130 pre p sc hool athletes as All-Americans. Colleges around the country ha ve already tak en notice of his ex ceptional ability . “I would also lik e to contin ue competitive swimming in college,” Erik says. Swim coac hes from Pomona-Pitzer Colleg es, Claremont-McKenna Colleg e, Willamette Uni versity, University of Puget Sound and Califor nia Lutheran University ha ve been recr uiting him. For y oung athletes who want to pursue competiti ve
swimming, Erik’s advice is “to focus on strok e tec hnique, starts, turns and finishes. I w ould also emphasize the impor tance of hard work.” Erik is a conscientious student and a sports fan, with baseball his fa vorite spor t to watch. “I am a big A ’s fan, and m y fa vorite A’s pla yer is Huston Street, ” says Erik, who also lik es to w atch football and basketball. His love of movies makes “Introduction to Film Studies” his fa vorite class at CVHS. Erik also enjoys reading, music and English, along with art classes.
“But...if you want to buy or sell a home today, then call our Dad!”
925-673-9164 Bill Calkins
Clayton Resident & Neighbor Helping People Find Their Way Home!
Ask about our Special Programs for Buyers & Sellers
The Cla yton Pioneer spotlights a local y outh athlete from our circulation area in the second issue eac h month. If you are a coach or an administrator and w ould like to nominate a y oung person (under 20 years of age) for the R occo’s Athlete Spotlight, please send information to spor ts@claytonpioneer.com or fax to 6726580. Nomination deadline f or our Dec . 22 issue is Sunday, Dec. 10.
DVSC Black 95 are District IV c hamps
Visit our showroom M-F 9-5; Sat. 10-4
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BRAD HOLST Special to the Pioneer
The Diablo V alley Soccer Club (D VSC) Blac k 95 bo ys’ team was crowned District IV Division 1 Gold League Champions after defeating a tough Lamorinda FC team 32 at an early mor ning g ame Nov. 4 at Campolindo High School in Moraga. The team of 10-year-old boys was formed in spring of 2006 to compete in the Division 1 Gold class , the highest lev el of competition in youth soccer. While dra wing primarily from the comm unities of Concord, Pleasant Hill, Clayton and Mar tinez, some of the pla yers come from as far away a s Benicia and Antioch to par ticipate in practices and g ames ev ery week. Coach J ohn Badg er is well kno wn for his success with y outh soccer teams at both the state and national
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Photo courtesy of DVSC Black 95 team
DVSC Black ’95 – 2006 District IV Division 1 Gold League Champions. Behind the team: Coach John Badger. Back Row, L-R, Patrick Holst, Sergio Avila, Scott Hroza, Sho Silvan, Antonio Saldana, Justin Doig Middle Row, L-R, Joshua Kirmsse, Joey Brauer, Kevin Neys, Juan Velazquez, Jose Jimenez, Jordan Tate Front Row, L-R, Dillon Nordstrom, Jeffrey Drevno, Julian Cabeza, Sam Giambalvo, Austin Guard, Alex Clewis
level. DVSC Blac k 95 also had success in tour nament play, winning Gold at the Sacramento United
Invitational T ournament and Silver at the Sonoma County Classic Tournament.
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Tel: 673-5595; Fax: 674-1565 Contact Bob Bob Maes, Maes, Owner Owner Contact Clayton resident
Locally owned and operated since 1987 Licenses 805733 and 803979
Clayton Valley Frameworks is during the construction at alive and well Clayton Valley Shopping Center. Picture Framing The experts at Clayton Valley Frameworks will assist you in all the aspects of framing, from memory shadow boxes, photo collages, preservation framing, to simple poster framing. We have frames for every budget.
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November 17, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Clayton Sports Velocity wins back-to-back fall tournaments
Page B5 CORRECTION In Allen Lampo’ s Financial Sense column in the October 20 issue, we mistak enly printed the disclaimer infor mation for Ameriprise Financial at the end of his column. Allen Lampo is an agent for John Hancock Financial Network. We sincerely apologize to Mr . Lampo and his readers for the error.
JIM REILLY Special to the Pioneer
MDSL Velocity Class-1 U13 Girls triumphed in tw o back-to-back fall tournaments. The V elocity w on the Hayward F all Classic In September with an undefeated run. The V elocity beat Mustang Fur y 1-0, WCC Cyclones 5-0, Orchard V alley Toro’s 6-0. The V elocity defeated the Ha yward CyberRays 3-1 in the finals. The V elocity also w ent undefeated in the 2006 Walnut Creek Oktoberfest Championship. The V elocity shutout Santa R osa 2-0, ACC Mavericks 3-2, and New ark Freedom, 2-1. Velocity shutout the Vallejo Strikers Gold 2-0 in the championship game.
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Front row: Michelle Drevno, Raelyn Pamela, Paige Reilly, Kaila Wakida, Sarah Alitaha, Belinda Ruvalcaba Middle row: Jennifer Crider, Leah Aquirre, Shayana Gois, Ashley Delgado, Steffanie Burg, Daisy Bonilla Back row: Coach Alex Delgado, Lindsay Parscal, Melissa Del Bene, Kate Miller, Alison Marines, Lindsay DeCosta, Coach Russ Marines Est.1972
Opening the lines of communication
BOB PIMM THE SPORTS PARENT This is the second in a new series on hel ping par ents and kids get the most out of their sports experiences. Have you ever felt out-andout anger at one of your child’s coaches in the heat of game action? Ma ybe y ou couldn ’t
hold bac k and confronted the coach during the g ame or right after? If you sit in the stands of any y outh spor ts g ame or pull up a c hair at any practice , it won’t take long before you hear rumblings of discontent from a parent about ho w the coac h is handling his kid. It’s only natural for parents to be protecti ve and wish their kids success on the pla ying field. But these instincts can lead to heated fr ustration that boils o ver into passionate conflict with the coac h – unless a foundation for g ood communication is laid do wn ahead of time. Next time y ou witness a fiery parent-coac h confrontation, stop and look at the faces
Reem mood deelliinngg R Deecckkss D Ovveerrhhaannggss O Wiinnd doow wss//D Doooorrss W wnn M Moolld diinngg CCrroow diinngg SSiid m TTrriim
of any child watching the altercation. More often than not, the parent’s child is in tears – either in ang er at the coac h or with embarrassment at her parent’ s loss of emotional control. One w ay to minimize emotional confrontations betw een parents and coaches is idea No. 2 from the P ositive Coac hing Alliance. This idea zeroes-in on “parent-involvement” and whether children should be left alone “in the hands of the coach” for their spor ts experiences or if it should be “shared between coach and parent.” IDEA NO. 2: MAKE EARLY, POSITIVE CONTACT WITH THE COACH As soon as y ou kno w who your c hild’s coac h is g oing to be, contact her to introduce yourself and let her kno w y ou want to help your child have the best experience she can ha ve this season. To the extent that you can do so , ask if there is any way you can help. By g etting to kno w the coach early and establishing a positive relationship , it will be much easier to talk with her if a problem arises. However, not ev ery coac h endorses an open comm unication policy and acti ve parent involvement. A Cla yton coac h of a c hampionship tra veling team told me he does not allo w parents at practice. “Parents can come to g ames – but that’ s it,” he said. The coach argued that once a c hild is dropped off at practice, the c hild is his until practice is o ver. If parents w ant
their c hildren to pla y on his team (a winning team), they must agree to no parent participation. He notes that there are no parents around during high school sports to “protect” their kids, so y oung athletes should get used to it sooner rather than later. On the other hand, another successful Cla yton coac h believes parent input is helpful. “There are a lot of things parents can do to sho w the coac h they’re in volved in their c hild’s success on the field. Attending team meetings, volunteering for league duties and helping on the field are great starts. I give a lot of latitude to parents if I know they’ve been involved attending practices and team acti vities. They deser ve to ha ve an input (at least at the young ages).” If it’s the policy of your child’s coac h to prohibit acti ve communication, you will ha ve to acce pt or reject that approach. That’s not an easy decision when y our c hild desperately wants to play on a winning team with his friends , but the coac hing philosoph y is at odds with a your instincts. For mor e infor mation on how Positive Coaching Alliance w orks to enhance y outh spor ts, visit www.PositiveCoach.org, e-mail pca@positivecoach.org or call toll-free 866-725-0024. Bob Pimm is the sports editor for the Clayton Pioneer . He can be reached for comments and questions at sports@claytonpioneer.com.
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Page B6
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Holiday Décor & Nativity Scenes
November 17, 2006
SHOP FOR THE HOLIDAYS! Ornaments Nativity scenes
Manicures, pedicures, gels and acrylics
Snow globes, candle holders Holiday cards...and more
$10 off new set $5 off fills
Decorate your home or check off those gifts on your Christmas list. We have unique gifts for everyone.
New clients only. Expires 12/8/06
Grace Pruett (925) 672-4975 6064 Main St., Clayton in the Frontier Hair Salon
Shop Pioneer Territory for T
Donna’s Gifts Find a special place in your home for Snow Village Ball
Quality Gifts and Collectibles
30th anniversary limited edition
ake the stress out of your holiday shopping this year and avoid the crowded major department stores. Everything you need is right here in Pioneer Territory including retailers who care about customer service. Read on for some great ideas to get you started on your Christmas list. Make sure you tell our advertisers that you saw their ad in the Clayton Pioneer. Happy Shopping.
Seasonal Reflections
Grand Opening
now at Donna’s Gifts Dept. 56 for Holidays, Special days & Everyday
672-2440 Clayton Valley Shopping Center
15% Off Storewide excludes certain collectibles exp. 12/24/06
Fri - Nov. 24 - 7 am Santa visit 9am - 1 pm This big, bright, beautiful, brand new holiday and party superstore is NOW OPEN in Clayton Valley Shopping Center. One step inside and it’s pure magic. There’s a year ‘round Christmas room with wonderful custom lights, top brands like Dept. 56, Polonaise, Mark Roberts Elves, Fabriché, Kurt Adler,
Thomas Kinkaide and Christopher Radko, and decorations to trim every inch of your home, inside and out. The rest of the store is filled with party decorations for all holidays imaginable from Valentine’s Day and July 4 to Easter and St. Patrick’s Day. And there are hundreds and hundreds of light sets for every occasion. John will host his grand opening on Friday, Nov. 24. The store opens at 7 a.m. and Santa will be there from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will also be a special “door buster” sale during Santa’s visit featuring 20 percent off all purchases (some collectibles and trees excluded). Clayton resident and owner John Sharapata has always loved Christmas and holidays. He admits he loves the Clayton area and felt that there was a demand for a local holiday and party super store that residents could enjoy all year round. Stop by
and welcome John and his staff to the area or call Seasonal Reflections at 6724425.
and $1499.95 for dual core. Call 672-9989 and ask for Will or anyone on his staff.
Cookies by Design Computers USA
Is it the sweet smell of the cookies or the colorful, whimsical displays of cookie bouquets that keeps customers coming back for more. Deborah and Tony Nork moved to Clayton Station next to Safeway awhile ago and are enjoying serving the Clayton and Concord community. They feature bouquets for just about every occasion from Father’s Day and graduation to Get Well wishes and Birthdays. Tony and Deborah will also personally design a cookie bouquet for your own special needs. A cookie bouquet is a great gift for the holidays and will even make an attractive centerpiece. Order now before the holiday rush. Call Deborah and Tony at 5249901.
Everyone has a computer on their Christmas list, right? This year shop at the right place for all your computer needs. Computers USA in Clayton Station is one-stop shopping, says owner Will Claney. There’s no need to endure the stress of the “big box” stores when you can shop at Computers USA with all the top brands and customer service that makes shopping convenient and fun. Best of all, parking is a snap. Will and his staff go way beyond just the sale. They are there to help you network, upgrade, repair and maintain your new computer. Get your orders in early for sweet deals in silver and black like the Pentium Core Duo: $799.95 for single core
Largest selection of lights & ornaments in the Bay Area
Huge selection of pre-lit Christmas trees Fabriché
Thomas Kinkaide Kurt Adler
Polonaise
Christopher Radko
NFL and MLB
Also featuring: Department 56 Villages Steinbach Nutcrackers GKI Bethlehem Lighting Fontanini Nativity Roman Lighting Mark Roberts Elves
John Sharapata Owner and Clayton Resident
672-4 4425
20% off any one item som
e colle
Mon - Thu 9 - 9 Fri & Sat 9 - 10 Closed Sun
exp. 12-24-06 ed ctibles and trees exclud
Better Homes & Gardens
Visit our online store: seasonalreflections.com
5434 Ygnacio Valley Road, Ste. 130 in the Clayton Valley Shopping Center on the Washington Blvd. side.
November 17, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
certi signi fied loan ng ag ents
$2.00 off UPS or Fed Ex Shipping
Gifts that TASTE as GOOD as they LOOK
(expires 12/8/06)
Notary, Fax & Shipping Services
Julia Aguilar, owner
672-8900 5433 Clayton Rd., #K, in the Clayton Station shopping center
Services Provided: Packaging & shipping UPS, FEDEX, DHL, CAL Overnight & U.S. Post Office
Key Making Mail boxes Notary Copying / Fax
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There’s no better time to pamper yourself than the holidays. And there’s no better place to take the stress away than Main St. Nail Studio in downtown Clayton. Grace Pruett offers gift certificates for the holidays which make great stocking stuffers. She also specializes in manicures, pedicures, gels and acrylics. For the woman on the go, especially during the holiday season, Grace offers pink and while nails using two different colors in gel or acrylic. Nails are shiny and polish isn’t necessary, allowing more time to shop. Main St. Nail Studio is a cozy salon where you can say goodbye to the busy world outside, at least for an hour or so. Call Grace now at 6724975 and schedule your appointment now before the holiday rush.
Cegielski Jewelers Tucked away in an intimate and elegant shop off Clayton Road across from Mountain Mike’s Pizza is Cegielski Jewelers. Owner and master jeweler Anna Cegielski combines originality, uniqueness and quality craftsmanship in a wide variety of classic and contemporary exquisite jewelry designs. Anna guarantees excellent customer service and expertise in the selection of diamonds, colored stones, precious gems, pearls, watches and gold chains. Her beautiful collection has something for everyone’s budget, taste and personality. If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind piece, Anna will help design something special for you or a loved one. Cegielski provides on-site repairs and refurbishing while you wait. Call Anna at 682-2855 and schedule an appointment in time for the holidays. The local jewelry store accepts Mastercard and VISA for customers’ convenience.
Clayton Sports Cards There’s a sports fan on everyone’s Christmas list and Clayton Sports Cards in Clayton Station is the place to go. The sports specialty store is filled to the brim with sports memorabilia and Linda Mieczkowski is always on hand to help answer questions about vintage cards and specialty items. If you are looking for stocking stuffers, you can’t miss with the large array of vintage and new baseball and football cards. In fact Linda boasts the largest selection of player cards in the area. There’s the NFL McFarland Legends, only $59.95 for a set of 6 and Linda features a wonderful selection of sports figurines and bobble heads. For those special golf fans, take a look at the autographed photo of Anika Sorentam, the famous golf shot of Ben Hogan in the 1950 U.S. Open and the framed flag of the British
Open in 1995 signed by Arnold Palmer. For the baseball aficionados, the autographed photo of Barry Bonds and his 500th homerun is a sure hit. Stop by now and stock up for the holidays or call Linda at 672-8445 to check on the availability of your favorite sports items.
Country Crafts Fair This is the 35th year that Country Crafts Fair has brought great gifts, food and great buys to shoppers everywhere. It’s free admission and the College High School Athletic Boosters will provide refreshments. You’ll find all types of interesting decorations and gifts from photography and stone knives to fine jewelry, puzzles and toys. It’s truly a one-stop shopping experience for the holidays. The Fair is located at 320 Civic Dr. at the Pleasant Hill Community Center, two blocks west of Sun Valley Mall. Fair hours are Fri. Nov. 17 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sat. Nov. 18 from 9a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 9378283 for more information.
A NEW TOPPS FOOTBALL CARD EVERY WEEK! Topps Turn Back the Clock continues with a 22-card NFL Rookie set based on the classic Topps 1957 design.
Deborah & Anthony Nork Clayton Station, 5433A Clayton Rd.
® 925-524-9901 $5 off purchases $25 or mor e (excludes delivery) Cookies by Design. one coupon per customer, expires 12/8/06
A new card is released each of the 17 weeks of the 2006 NFL season! Pick up a Topps NFL Card of the Week at
Clayton Sports Cards
Great Holiday Gifts Main St. Nail Studio
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5439-D Clayton Rd., Clayton,
women and sports fans. Appointments are available Tues.-Sun. with late evening sessions on Wed. and Thurs. Give David a call and treat yourself, family and friends to an inviting spa package. Acupressure for Health is now available at Clayton Mind and Body Connections. Sharoll Gilbert is offering a holiday special that includes five sessions for $300. She also has gift certificates which are great for stocking stuffers. Acupressure Therapy involves pressing specific points on the body to relieve pain, reduce stress and promote general good health. Sharoll is available for
appointments on Sunday and Monday. Sharoll Gilbert is a graduate of the Acupressure Institute and has studied Reiki, therapeutic touch and cranio sacral. Her style of therapy incorporates all of these modalities along with an intuitive approach to bodywork, facilitating the release of energy blocks along the bodymind-spirit continuum. She has spent many years helping clients find the answers to their health challenges and encouraging them to be in tune with their body and its natural healing process. For more information or to make an appointment call 674-0767.
Turn the page for more great gift ideas
Stylish choices for your home, holiday and garden
Melanie's Gifts & Interiors At R&M Pool, Patio and Gardens
20% off all gift items Open House Saturday Nov. 25, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Santa, free photos, hot cider & cookies, drawings for seasonal servers and décor
An Elegant Evening of Shopping Wednesday Dec. 6, 5 to 8 p.m. champagne, hors d’oeurves and music
6780 Marsh Creek Road, Clayton
672-0207
(closed Mondays)
Beautique This small specialty store should be at the top of your list. Beautique in the Clayton Station across from Blockbuster offers quality beauty products for everyone on your list. Owner Donna Taber endorses all of her instore products and personally uses many of them. There’s Alterna, S Factor, Pureology, OPI, REDKEN and a wonderfully-scented pumpkin shampoo that will turn heads when you walk down the street. The store décor is warm and inviting and often features one of Donna’s beautiful handmade quilts, a hobby she has when she’s not busy at the store. Donna is always available to personally answer any questions you have about her product line. She also offers gift certificates and can suggest great ideas for holiday gift baskets. Stock up now before the holiday rush. If you’ve got several holiday parties on your calendar, be sure to make an appointment with hair stylist David Wall located in Beautique for that special “do”. Call him at 672-5156 or Donna at 672-0405.
Clayton Mind and Body Connections and Acupressure for Health The holidays can be stressful and Clayton Mind and Body Connections can help you through this hectic time. David Godsoe celebrates his sixth year in business with a wonderful, relaxing salon on Oak Street in Clayton. He offers facials, hair removal, body treatments and a variety of spa packages including hot stone, Swedish, deep tissue and reflexology. He and his talented staff also feature massage therapy for pregnant
672-8445
Final Weekend Nov. 17-19
Fri., 10-4, Sat. 10-5 and Sun. 10-4 Fairgrounds in Antioch FREE PARKING!
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Beautique
beauty supply & salon “The most complete source of beauty supplies to the public”
Alterna, S Factor, Pureology, OPI, REDKEN and the new Pumpkin line owner
Donna Taber
“I only feature products that I’ve used and recommend.”
Clayton Station
5439 A Clayton Road, Clayton
925-672-0405 Hair stylist,
David Wall
925-672-0516
Acupressure for Health
Clayton Mind & Body Connections
(great as stocking stuffers)
Holiday Special 3 one-hour massages in 90 days for $170
Gift Certificates
Other specials available
Available Sun & Mon Call 674-0767
Available Tues - Sun (925) 673-0686
Holiday Special 5 sessions for $300
Sharoll Gilbert for appointment
November 17, 2006
website www.mind-andbody-connections.com
Transform holiday stress into gratitude for the season At 1007 Oak Street, Clayton
Shop Pioneer Territory for Great Holiday Gifts Holiday Craft Faire A true one-stop shop for all of your Christmas needs can be found at the Holiday Craft Faire at the fairgrounds in Antioch. This special event Nov. 17-19 boasts the largest such faire in Contra Costa County and features wood crafts, candles, country and floral crafts, custom jewelry and more. Parking is free and the Faire is offering $1 off admission on Fridays. Don’t miss this chance to get a jump on your Christmas list. You might even find something for yourself. Call the Faire for more information 757-4400.
Postal Annex If owner Julia Aguilar’s smile doesn’t get you into her store, her mail services and supplies will. You’ll be glad you ventured into Postal Annex+ in Clayton Station for all of your needs from packaging and shipping to notary, faxing and key making. Postal Annex handles UPS, Fedex, DHL, CAL, Overnight and U.S. Post Office. Her greeting cards are wonderful, featuring cards by Leanin’ Tree and Blue Mountain. Cards by a Clayton artist add a nice local touch to the offerings. Julia is currently offering $2 off UPS or Fed Ex Shipping. Avoid the holiday rush and mail your packages early. Call Julia at 672-8900 and she’ll be glad to answer any questions.
Melanie’s Gifts and Interiors As the weather cools down and thoughts turn to inside the home, Melanie’s Gifts and Interiors must be a destination for your shopping needs. Tablescapes are the focus of many holiday family celebrations and your home will be right in style with distinct collections, accent pieces and decorative candles. Luxurious pillows and throws and beautiful dish and platter collections from Seasonal Fruits, Tuscan Traditions and American Heritage will brighten up any festive occasion. Holiday ornaments are also very popular and will fill every nook and cranny in the store in a few weeks. Melanie and Nicole and their entire staff are always on hand to offer friendly suggestions and decorating tips. It’s all part of the customer service that you’ll find in this wonderful specialty store in R&M Pool Patio and Garden off Marsh Creek Road in Clayton. R&M is hosting an Open House on Sat. Nov. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Santa will be there and Melanie will have a raffle with exquisite holiday gifts. On Dec, 6, mark your calendar for an Elegant Evening from 5 to 8 p.m.
with champagne, hors d’oeuvres, music and free gift wrap. Call Melanie at 672-0207 and ask about her special collections.
The Royal Rooster Clayton resident Sara Skow invites you to wake up with The Royal Rooster on your mind and prepare for a unique shopping experience in downtown Clayton. This new boutique opening after Thanksgiving will have a grand opening celebration on Sat. Dec. 2 from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Everyone will receive a free cup of coffee from Cup of Jo (next door) and the first 25 customers who make a purchase with the Royal Rooster (ad on page B6) will receive a free gift. The Royal Rooster at 1030 Diablo St. features unique gifts and French country accents. You’ll find candles, soaps, art work, small furniture, occasional tables, bakers racks and great stocking stuffers at this intimate shop designed for the sophisticated shopper. Sara has designed her boutique to be family-friendly where children are invited to shop with mom or dad or play in Cup O Jo’s playroom. Stop by and say hello to Sara or call her at (925) 216-8744.
Robin’s Nest Robin Thomas, owner of Robin’s Nest, invites you to experience a one-stop shopping for the holidays. It’s easy at Robin’s Nest inside Rodie’s on Marsh Creek Road where you’ll find a gift item for everyone on your list. Robin is quick to point out that she has many new items including the full line of Willow Tree and a new item in the collection called Generations. Robin features sunglasses, a fun line of jewelry including, magnetic jewelry, spa items and soaps and a wonderful neck pillow filled with Lavender. If candles are on your list, take a whiff of the Olde South Candles reasonably priced at $12.99. Robin’s Nest has hundreds of stuffed animals, adorable kid’s backpacks, Laurel Burch tote bags and leather purses. A great stocking stuffer is the Tavern puzzles which are great for holiday parties and family gatherings. When you find that perfect gift, Robin’s Nest has a full line of greeting cards, including cards by local artist Teresa Peters to put the finishing touches on that special package. Stock up on the Denali blanket—the blanket everyone will fight over. Definitely put Robin’s Nest on your
shopping list. There’s plenty of parking and the scenery is wonderful. Call Robin today at 6724600 if you have any questions.
Vineyard Shopping Center As you drive down Clayton Road, make sure you find time to turn into the Vineyard Shopping Center. Parking is a breeze and there’s a variety of stores to meet all of your needs. Bring your packages and notary documents to The UPS Store and let owner Tricia Tamura help you with your “to do” list. The store is spacious and the staff is friendly with a lot of expertise to help you get your gifts delivered on time, safe and sound. While you’re at The UPS store you have access to a new color copier, cards, postal materials, fax machines and more. Call Tricia at 689-6245 if you have any questions. After you mail your packages, walk next door and say hello to Prabha Jadia who has been the owner of Zekco Watch Repair & Sales for the past 20 years. If you are having trouble with that favorite watch and need some repair work done, Zecko is the place to go. If someone on your list is asking for a new watch, Prabha can help you select one from a variety of styles and brands. She’s offering 25 percent off Citizen, Pulsar and Seiko watches. Zekco also has Skagen watches for sale plus watch bands, batteries and gift articles. If you have a question about watches call Prabha at 6892470. Make time for yourself and pay a visit to Fantastic Sams, also at the Vineyard Shopping Center, for a great hair makeover. Manager Teresa Muti and owner Aaron Brinker welcome walk-ins only to Fantastic Sams where a full service salon awaits you. Services include waxing, cut, color and highlights and the prices are affordable. “We cater to the whole family and all haircuts come with complimentary shampoo,” says Teresa. The salon features hair products such as Paul Mitchell, Biosilk and Matrix as well as their own brand. Fantastic Sams has 10 chairs and there’s rarely a wait, but head in early to avoid the holiday rush. Call Sue at 682-8580. By now, you are probably starving and Lisa’s Hot Dogs & Burritos is the perfect place to satisfy your hunger. The restaurant has been at the Vineyard for over 20 years and it is known not only for its scrumptious hot dogs and burritos but also for a truly classic potato
salad. Owner Simon O’Sullivan offers indoor and outdoor seating and a variety of specials including tacos, nachos and salads.
Donna’s Gifts Everywhere you look at Donna’s Gifts at Clayton Valley Shopping Center near Clayton Valley Frameworks, you’ll find something that makes your eyes sparkle. The popular Dept. 56, Snow Villages, Precious Moments and Boyd’s Bears are all family favorites Christmas lighted houses, Willow Tree Angels and San Francisco Music Box Company are well represented with displays that get you into the holiday spirit. Donna’s Gifts is offering a 15 percent off coupon for the holidays. Call Donna’s Gifts 672-2440 to reserve that special collectible piece for holiday entertaining.
Top quality handcrafted gifts and decorations! Tole painting, stone knives, stepping stones, clothing, photography, fine jewelry, toys and puzzles, holiday decorations, and more!
A one-stop Holiday Shopping Experience! Refreshments by College Park High School Athletic Boosters. Prizes, prizes, prizes!
FRI, NOV 17 10am to 8pm SAT, NOV 18 9am to 5pm
November 17, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Dining Around
a 2/8/06 in sod chase exp. 1 a FREE t n u ur l fo smal and wich p with S
Vegan & Vegetarian friendly 5415
550
673-5 ll) e h S xt to d. (ne R n o t lay
sion Open
cca o y n a r er fo
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Sundays
11am - 3pm
La Veranda Café Northern Italian Cuisine in downtown Clayton Fresh soups, salads, antipasti, pizza and pasta Dinner and lunch daily Brunch on Sunday Children’s menu and take out service available
For reservations call (925) 524-0011 6201 CENTER ST. CLAYTON
JJ Hawaiian BBQ
Reasonable prices— Special party menus
Dine in or take out Experience the taste & scents of the Islands Hawaiian BBQ chicken
Grilled and boneless marinated in our Hawaiian BBQ sauce
Hawaiian BBQ Beef Short Ribs Tender beef short ribs marinated in our special BBQ sauce and grilled to perfection
Free 16-0z drink with any entrée
Mention this ad. Offer expires Dec. 31, 2006
Page B9
Chicken Katsu
Crispy breaded chicken fillets with Katsu sauce Many Island favorites to savor
OPEN 7 DAYS 5435-A Clayton Rd. in in Clayton Clayton Station Station
673-8686
There’s something new on the menu at LA VERANDA CAFE and it’s a big secret. So, if you happen to order the new Bay Scallop and Calamari salad, please don’t tell anyone about the melt-in-your-mouth scallops and tender calamari tossed with tiny white Tuscan beans, all dressed up in a fruity, virgin olive oil and lemon juice and only a whisper of mint. And definitely don’t tell anyone that it will be on both the lunch and dinner menus through the end of the year. Sshhhhh. La Veranda is open daily for lunch and dinner and on Sunday for brunch from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The menu features the cuisine of Northern Italy including several pasta choices, pizza, chicken, veal and fish starting. Prices start at $8.50 for Bruchetta with olive oil, fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil. Pasta dishes range from $9 for Penne All’arrabiata to $11.75 for Spaghettini Frutti di Mare. For reservations for brunch, lunch or dinner, call 524-0011. For authentic Hawaiian barbeque, bring your hungry family to JJ HAWAIIAN BBQ in the Clayton Station where everyone will find something wonderful on the menu. JJ features more than a dozen chicken dishes from Teriyaki Chicken (grilled boneless chicken brushed with a mouth-watering house Teriaki sauce) for $5.95 to a big Shrimp and BBQ Chicken Combo loaded with fried shrimp and BBQ chicken for only $6.75. But JJ’s isn’t just about chicken. For the fish lover, there’s a marinated, lightly breaded Mahi-Mahi for $6.45 or Garlic Shrimp and Curry Shrimp, each $6.95.
If you’re asking “where’s the beef,” look no further than JJ’s Hawaiian BBQ Beef (grilled slices of tender, marinated beef) or the Hawaiian BBQ Beef Short Ribs (tender beef shorts marinated in their special BBQ sauce and grilled to perfec-
with provolone for $5.99. If you’re super hungry, size up to $7.99. And the list goes on…Chipotle Cheese Steak, Chicken Parmigiano, The Blue – oven roasted or smoked turkey breast, ham, bacon, avocado all topped with a blue cheese
and dinner menu. Mary’s loves families so bring the kids. Pizzas range from $7 for a small Napoletana to $20.50 for the large Mary’s Combination. A pasta lunch will run you $7.25-$9.25; dinner $10.75-$13.25.
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
AFTER AN EVENING OF CHRISTMAS SHOPPING, take a break and and treat yourself to dinner, or take the family out for Sunday brunch, at La Veranda, located at the corner of Marsh Creek and Center Streets. tion.), each only $6.45. The menu also includes several succulent pork dishes, hamburger steaks and, what some say is the national dish of Hawaii, Grilled Spam Moco served with gravy and two eggs. All meals are served with steamed white rice, macaroni salad and vegetables. Brown rice, noodles or green salad are available on request. For your next party, be sure to check out the Party To Go Menu with chicken, beef and fish combos to feed from four to 20. So, for a taste of Hawaii at a table in Clayton, make JJ Hawaiian BBQ your next stop for a family dinner or a quick lunch. JJ is located in the Clayton Station neat the Safeway store. Telephone 6738686. This is not your kid’s sub, and there’s nothing ordinary about the gourmet sandwiches served up at the new GOURMET SUBS AND MORE. Owner, Sadie Rangel, had something special in mind when she opened her new sub shop next to the Shell station at Clayton Road and Ygnacio. First, the menu – you’ll find no less than 25 different sandwiches, served either “sub style” or “Panini” style and all calling for nothing but the freshest ingredients. Her menu is also “vegetarian and vegan friendly.” All subs are oven baked and all Paninis are grilled. For the meat lover in you try the Tri-Tip House Special—oven roasted trip tip served au-jus
dressing. Or, how about a turkey breast with cranberry sauce and cream cheese. Panini lovers can have their sandwich with garlic, Cesar or ranch spread or basil, black olive and sun dried tomato pesto…all homemade. If you’re watching your carbs, dig into one of Sadie’s garden fresh salads. Try an Oriental Chicken Salad of grilled chicken breast with an Oriental dressing or an All American Albacore Tuna salad. All dressings are homemade. At this end of Clayton Road’s “fast food row,” this family owned and operated eatery is a welcome respite from MSG and deep fried “stuff.” Priced from $1.99 for a cup of homemade soup to $7.99 for the biggest Tri Tip Special, Gourmet Subs is as good for your wallet as it is for your health. Located at 5415 Clayton Road at the corner of Clayton Road and Ygnacio, Gourmet Subs is open Mon.-Sat. from 10:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. Closed on Sunday. Don’t be misled by the name of this delightful family restaurant just over the hill in in the Citrus Marketplace. MARY’S PIZZA SHACK is definitely NOT a shack, and you can find a lot more on the menu than just pizza--although the pizza is a fine choice, indeed. Mary’s Pizza Shack serves up a delicious array of their legendary pizza and Italian dishes with both a luncheon
Keep Mary’s in mind when planning your holiday get togethers. Special party trays will cover your whole dinner from appetizers to desserts, leaving you with plenty of time to enjoy the party. If you’re looking for more than trinkets and socks for your Christmas stocking, Mary’s holiday gift cards will take care of everyone on your list. A little more on the casual side and a great place to take ROCCO’S the kids is RISTORANTE at 2909 Ygnacio Valley Road in Walnut Creek. Voted the best pizza in the Bay Area by a Contra Costa Times Reader Poll, Rocco’s serves up a killer house specialty. The Dominator, piled high with pepperoni, salami, mushrooms, ham, linguica, sausage and onions, is not for the faint of heart. At $19.97, this large pizza will feed a small army. Rocco’s also has several choices of classic Italian pasta, homemade minestrone and several salads. All pasta dishes are served with fresh bread. Top your pasta dinner off with a glass of wine and you’re well fed and satisfied for well under $20 (tax and tip included.) Rocco’s opens every day at 11 a.m. And, ROCCO’S SPORTS BAR is now open. With a full bar, 12 big flat screen TVs and LIVE MUSIC, sports fans might just think they’ve found heaven. And for those who need a little break from sports, check out the beautiful new fresh water aquarium behind the bar.
Open at 11 a.m
., 7 days a week
Banquet Rooms Patio Dining
Rocco’s New Sports Bar NOW Open
Locally owned by Rocco Biale & family
Full Bar Available
12 Flat Screens, 16 Draft Beers,
Team Parties
NFL SUNDAY TICKET... watch all the NFL games!
Corporate Catering
2909 Ygnacio Valley Rd. at Oak Grove Rd. in Walnut Creek (925) 947-6105 • Fax (925) 947-6106 • www.roccospizzeria.com
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
November 17, 2006
Clayton Community Calendar PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M., NOV. 29 FOR THE DEC. 8 ISSUE. FAX TO 672-6580 OR E-MAIL calendar@claytonpioneer.com
Nov. 17, 18 Diablo Ballet's The Tale of Cinderella @ Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts 8 p.m. Diablo Ballet's 2006-2007 Season Gala. The world premiere of The Tale of Cinderella by Nikolai Kabaniaev is a playful, exciting, and a fresh way of telling the story. Opus for a Table, is a whimsical abstract work by Viktor Kabaniaev. To purchase single tickets: Call (925) 943-7469. For more information or season subscriptions: Call (925) 943-1775. Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek, CA.
DEC. 2 We Care Services for Children Boutique Benefit @ Endeavor Hall, Clayton 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. The boutique will feature local artists and crafters, specialty gifts and foods, entertainment, refreshments and a raffle. Proceeds from the event will benefit We Care Services for Children. Vendor space is available. For information or to reserve a space, please contact Patty Kaplan at (925) 672-4366, or e-mail: WeCareKids@aol.com. Endeavor Hall, 6008 Center Street, Clayton.
NOV. 17, 18, 19 Clayton Valley Woman's Club Holiday Boutique @ Clayton Community Library Fri. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sun. 1 - 4 p.m. Get a head start on your holiday shopping. This year's boutique will feature fall, Thanksgiving and Christmas crafts handmade by club members. There will be baked goods for sale and a raffle. All proceeds from the boutique will benefit the Clayton Valley Woman's Club, a nonprofit organization whose donations of time and money aid Clayton/Concord charities. For more information about the boutique, please contact Co-chairman Peggy Arundell at (925)672-2043. Clayton Community Library Community Room, 6125 Clayton Road.
DEC. 2 Winter Plant Sale and Boutique @ Markham Garden Center 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. All proceeds from plant sales benefit the Markham nature park and arboretum. Selected plants half off. Huge assortment of daylilies and many one of a kind varieties are available. Markham Garden Center, 1202 la Vista Avenue, concord (925)681-2968. markham.arboretum@gmail.com
NOV. 18 Drop-in Craft Time @ Clayton Community Library 11 - 3 p.m. Stop by the story room to show off your creative side. A variety of craft projects will be available. Recommended for kids ages three to nine years old. No registration. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road. NOV. 18 Diablo Ballet's "The Magic Toy Store" @ Dean Lesher Center for the Arts 2 p.m. The Magic Toy Store takes place in a shop where the dolls come to life when no one is looking. The Soldier and Ballerina dolls (who are in love) are bought by different customers and the other dolls in the store come up with an ingenious plot to save their friends. Single seats: $15 or $7.50 each for two seats. Ask for the "Buy 1 Get 1 Free" promotion. Call (925) 943-SHOW (7469) or buy online at www.DLRCA.org. Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. NOV. 18 Diablo Valley Masterworks Chorale @ Diablo Valley College 8 p.m. Under direction of Richard Kamprath, performing "What Sweeter Music", including Brahms' Liebeslieder Waltzes, Bennett's "The Many Moods of Christmas" plus seasonal favorites. Diablo Valley Performing Arts Center, Reserve tickets by calling the DVC box office at 687-4445. Prices are $15 in advance, and $18.00 at the door. NOV. 19, 26 Music with Lydia @ Diamond Terrace 4- 5 p.m. For loads of fun celebrating music, join in and enjoy the classics. Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center Street, Clayton.
DEC. 3 Tapestry Holiday program @ Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church 4 p.m. Tapestry is the combined sounds of Clayton's own Canto Bello handbell ensemble and the voices of Heartsong, under the direction of Cindy Krausgrill. Admission is free. A freewill offering will be taken in support of Isubito AIDS Community Resource Center, Zambia, Africa. Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church, 1378 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton. DEC. 7 Holiday Stories and Crafts with Mrs. L @ Clayton Community Library 11 a.m. Hickory, dickory, dock, come see why Mrs. L's holiday craft rocks. As part of the fun you'll find out what ran up the clock. Recommended for 3-6 year olds. Registration required. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, 673-0659. DEC. 9 Saturday Matinee Movies @ Clayton Community Library 2 p.m. Watch G-rated gems at the Clayton Community Library. Movies perfect for kids or the entire family. No registration required. See library for a listing of the movies being shown. 673-0659, Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton. DEC. 10 Concord Mystery Book Club @ Concord Library 2:30 - 4 p.m. All mystery readers are invited to participate and explore a different genre each month. Group meets the second Sun. of the month. Concord Library, 2900 Salvio Street, Concord, 646-5455. DEC. 12 Clayton Knitters @ Clayton Community Library. 3 - 5 p.m. Old hand at knitting or just starting? Come join like-minded folks for an afternoon at the library. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, 673-0659.
CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS
NOV. 20, 27 Famous Biographies @ Diamond Terrace 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Don't miss this special presentation and discussion group on famous biographies with Cathleen Blatt from Mt. Diablo Adult Education. View movies sure to peak your interest and your memories for exhilarating discussion on some of the world's famous people. Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center Street, Clayton.
NOV. 21, 28 Kiwanis Club of Walnut Creek 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Meetings every Tues. All are invited to check us out and be our guest for lunch. Massimo’s Ristorante, 1604 Locust St., Walnut Creek. For more information call Sam Totah, 941-1536.
NOV. 21, 28 Famous Literary Works @ Diamond Terrace 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. This is another not-to-miss special presentation and discussion on Famous Literary Works of our times. Presented by Cathleen Blatt from Mt. Diablo Adult Education. Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center Street, Clayton.
NOV. 22 Blue Star Mom Meeting in Concord 6:30 p.m. Small group Blue Star Mom meetings held the fourth Wednesday of each month. Blue Star Moms is a support and service group for those serving in all branches of the Armed Forces. 1792 Elmhurst Lane, Concord. Call 676-3654 for information.
NOV. 21, 24, 28, DEC. 1 Fitness with Jeff @ Diamond Terrace 11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Get a gentle, but effective workout every Tues. and Fri. while meeting new friends. Stretch, tone and strengthen with this fantastic new physical fitness class taught by Jeff Beard, Certified Personal Trainer. Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center Street, Clayton.
NOV. 23, 30, DE.C 7, 14, 21, 28 Rotary Club of Clayton Valley Concord Sunrise @ Oakhurst 7 a.m. Meets every Thurs. for breakfast meeting that usually features a speaker. www. claytonvalleyrotary.org Chuck Graham 689-7640. Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Drive, Clayton.
NOV. 30 Songs to Delight Our Senses @ Diamond Terrace 5:30 p.m. This class is an exploration of music, a must for all music lovers. It is taught by Marsha Joy from Mt. Diablo Adult Education. Enjoy an interactive and entertaining time while learning about all types of music. Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center Street, Clayton. DEC. 1 - 10 Woman in Mind by Alan Ayckbourn @ DVC Uproariously funny, perceptive and heartbreaking, this is a story of the parallel lives of a middle-aged English housewife, trapped in a stifling marriage to a clergyman and slowly going mad. After a collision with a garden rake, she creates her perfect dream family in her mind and finds herself weaving in and out of the two worlds, losing touch with reality and living more and more in her imagination. DVC, Arena Theatre, 321 Golf Club Road, Pleasant Hill.
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NOV. 23, 30, DEC. 7, 14, 21, 28 Weights Watchers Weekly Meeting @ Contra Costa Farm Bureau 10 a.m.and 5:30 p.m. Weekly Weight Watchers weigh-in and meeting on Thurs.. 800-326-8450 x 2023.Contra Costa Farm Bureau, 5554 Clayton Rd., Concord. NOV. 27 AAUW - Making a Difference in Ghana, West Africa @ Diamond Terrace 7:30 p.m. The speaker, Helen Primus, will talk about making a difference in the lives of orphans and teenage girls in Ghana, West Africa. She presents the hope of raising up a generation of leaders for Ghana, and she will share her experiences with the Rafiki Foundation, an organization building communities in 10 countries in Africa. Diamond Terrace Retirement Community, 6401 Center St. Clayton. For further information please call Marcia Hart 827-9540 or Sheila Driscoll 672-7947. The Clayton Pioneer’s “Music Notes” columnist
Clayton’s own
Jim Hudak Pianist and Composer For bookings and performances:
Visit our Website www.jhudak.com E-mail jimmydak@pacbell.net Piano CD’s available on his Brainstorm Records label
Call Or Write:
Brainstorm Records P.O. Box 488 Clayton, CA 94517 (925) 673-7293
NOV. 28, DEC. 12, 26 Clayton Valley Woman's Club @ Holy Cross Lutheran Church 9:30 a.m. Regular monthly business meeting starts with coffee, the meeting begins at 10 a.m. See Club News for program information. CVWC is a nonprofit, non-denominational service organization that is open to all women interested in charitable work in the Clayton Valley community. Meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. For more information, please call Joyce at 672-3850 or Sheila at 672-7947. Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1092 Alberta Way, Concord. DEC. 5 Knights of Columbus @ St. Agnes Church Hall 7:30 p.m. General membership meeting of the Knights of Columbus Concord Council 6038 of Concord and Clayton is the first Tues. of the month. We look forward to seeing our brother Knights there. St. Agnes Church, 3478 Chestnut Street, Concord. DEC. 11 Clayton Valley 4-H Club @ Farm Bureau Hall 7:15 p.m. 4-H is open to youth ages 5 - 19 and adults. Projects in small and large animals, leadership, community service, 4-H camp, conferences and fairs. Learn new skills including cooking, photography, arts/crafts etc. Contact Candy Hogan at 925- 969-1325 for more information. Meetings held on the second Mon. of the month Sept. - June. Farm Bureau Hall, 5554 Clayton Rd. Concord. DEC. 13 Creekside Artists Meeting @ Clayton Community Library 7 p.m. Come join this unique group of eclectic artists that meet the 2nd Wednesday of each month. If you like, bring your artwork for review...all levels and all art forms are welcome! "We provide an environment for all artists to inspire, create, educate and prosper." Call Arlene Kikkawa-Nielsen at (925) 673-9777, or email akikkawa@ccclib.org with questions.
BUSINESS & GOVERNMENT NOV. 21, 28, DEC. 5, 12, 19 Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Meeting @ County Administration Building 9 a.m. County Board of Supervisors holds regular weekly meetings Tues. mornings. Open to the public. www.co.contra-costa.ca.us 335-1900. County Administration Building, 651 Pine Street, Room 107, Martinez. NOV. 21, DEC. 5, 19 Clayton City Council Meeting @ Clayton Community Library 6 p.m. City Council meets on the first and third Tues. of the month. Open to the public. Agendas posted at the following locations: City Hall, 6000 Heritage Trail, Clayton, Ohm's Bulletin Board, 1028 Diablo St., Clayton, Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Rd., Clayton. NOV. 28, DEC. 12, 26 Planning Commission Meeting @ Clayton Community Library 7p.m. City of Clayton Planning Commission meets 2nd and 4th Tues. of month. Open to the public. www.ci.clayton.ca.us 673-7304, Clayton Library Community Room, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton. NOV. 30 CBCA (Clayton Business & Community Association) Meeting @ Oakhurst 6:30 p.m. Monthly dinner meeting, last non-holiday Thurs. of the month. Reservations due by Tuesday noon prior, 672-2272. John Rubiales, President. Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Drive, Clayton. DEC. 11 Landscape District Meetings @ Clayton Community Library 7 p.m. Because Measure M was voted down in 2005, the Landscape District will expire in June 2007. There will be no funds available for irrigation or maintenance of public landscape when that occurs. The public is invited to join us for these very important meetings. Clayton Community Library, Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton. DEC. 14 Clayton Community Services Commission Meeting @ City Hall 7 p.m. City of Clayton Community Services Commission meets 2nd Thurs. of month. Open to the public. www.ci.clayton.ca.us 673-7304, Clayton City Hall Conference Room, 6000 HeritageTrail, Clayton.
SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION NOV. 21 Parent Faculty Club Meeting @ Mt. Diablo Elementary 7p.m. in the library. Make a difference in your child's education. Childcare is provided. PFC meets the 3rd Tues. of the month, except Dec. For items to be included on the agenda, contact Stacey Wickware 673-1999, the5wicks@sbcglobal.net or Kristy Smith 673-1795, kristinsmith@yahoo.com, PFC Co-Presidents. Watch website for details. http://www.mdusd.k12.ca.us/mountdiabloelementary/. DEC. 7 Parent Faculty Club Meeting @ Clayton Valley High School Library 7 p.m. Meet Principal, Gary Swanson, and learn more about CVHS. If you have a topic you would like to see on the agenda, please contact President Melinda Moore at 672-0930 or e-mail melindammoore@yahoo.com. Clayton Valley High School, 1101 Alberta Way, Concord.
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NOV. 17 Inherit the Wind @ Clayton Valley High School 7:30 p.m. The play, based loosely on the 1925 Scopes Monkey trial, was intended as an indictment of McCarthyism and continues to apply in any society where attempts are made to suppress the right to individual thought. Clayton Valley High School MUR, 1101 Alberta Way, Concord.
DEC. 2 Annie Sampson @ Concord Senior Center Doors open at 7:15 p.m. Showtime at 8 p.m. Presented by The City of Concord and Community Concerts Present. Whether a blues, a rock tune, a country and western ballad or a modem folk classic, the love of music pervades every note Annie Sampson sings. For information call 925-229-2710 or www.communityconcerts.com. Concord Senior Center, 2727 Parkside Circle, Concord.
EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT
925-304-5000 6200 Center Street, Suite I Clayton, CA 94517
November 17, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
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Church News BAHAI’IS OF CLAYTON The Baha’is of Clayton is extending an invitation to a talk and an ev ening of fellowship. The subject of the talk is “Do you kno w where y our food comes from?” The speak er is Dr. Sarah J anssen, MD, PhD; MPH. Dr. Janssen w orks on issues including ho w en vironmental exposures can impact human health, particularly reproductive health outcomes , and the links betw een chemical contaminants and human diseases. Dr. Janssen has also been an acti ve member of the San Francisco Ba y area c hapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility. This g roup works with local Bay area hospitals to provide healthier and sustainable food options staff , patients and families. The prog ram star ts at 7:30 pm with a period of interfaith devotions follo wed b y Dr . Janssen’s presentation. Date and place: Fri., Dec. 1 at the T oloui residence in Cla yton. For more information and direction call
(925) 672-6686. Everybody is welcome. CONCORD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH The c hurch is holding a Carol Sing on Dec . 9 at 7 p .m. The Carol Sing includes the Chancel Choir and Youth Choir, and features Ladies First from Concord High. Refreshments will be ser ved. Concord United Methodist Churc h Oglesb y Hall, 1645 W est Street, Concord. 685-5260. ETERNAL LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH Eternal Life will ha ve Advent Evening Prayer services Dec. 6, 13, and 20, with the theme “In T hy Dark Streets Shineth - A J ourney through Advent” that will ser ve as spiritual pre paration for Christmas . Each service will be preceded by a soup supper that will begin at 6 p .m. The dev otional ser vices begin at 7:15 p.m. All are invited for an evening of family and fellowship that focuses on Jesus.
Eternal Life’ s regular Sun. schedule is Sun. school and Bible study at 10 a.m. and worship at 11:15 a.m. Eternal Life Lutheran Churc h is located at 5554 Cla yton Rd., Suite 1B , in Concord. Eternal Life is a member congregation of the WELS. Please call 524-0295, or email EternalLife@wels.net for more information about the cong regation. Check out the congregation’s w ebsite, www.EternalLifeLutheranChurc h.org for daily dev otions and prayers. INTERFAITH DEVOTIONS AT DIAMOND TERRACE Please join us on the first Sunday of each month for devotional readings and pra yers from various religious traditions . Feel free to bring y our o wn fa vorite readings or pra yers. Music and refreshments are pro vided. The next dev otional meeting will be on Sun. Dec. 3 from 10 - 11 a.m. Diamond T errace R etirement Community, 6401 Center Street, Movie Room.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS The Knights of Columbus, Concord Council #6038 is sponsoring its eighth Ann ual California State Essa y Contest. The contest is open to all Catholic students in g rades 4 – 6, 7 - 8 and 9 - 12. Competition winners will receive $50 to $100 savings bonds at council and regional lev els and special certificates. State awards will be $50 to $250. Subject matter is as follows: 4 - 6 g rades, “What does being a Catholic mean to me?” For 7 - 8 g rades the topic is , “How can I displa y c harity in my daily life” and for 9 - 12 grades “ As a Catholic y outh, how can I promote adv ocacy for the culture of life.” All entrants will recei ve a par ticipation cer tificate. The deadline is Feb. 2, 2007. For more information contact Claire Tryon, Youth Director and State Essa y Chairman for the Knights of Columbus at (925) 673-8564 or e m a i l greyeototo@sbcglobal.net.
Crossword Puzzle
CONCORD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH presents
Page B11
Solution for 11/3 Crossword
CAROL SING December 9, 7 p.m. Oglesby Hall Featuring the Chancel Choir, Youth Choir and Ladies First from Concord High refreshments served Concord United Methodist Church
1645 West Street, Concord For more information call Marilyn at (925) 685-5260
Join us for Commu our Thanksgiv ing Day nion, N ov. 23, 9 a.m.
Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church 925-672-4848 1578 Kirker Pass Road Patricia Ann Stout Pastor
Raymond S. Campton Parish Associate
Open-hearted, open-minded
Sundays 10:30 a.m.
www.cvpresby.org
ACROSS
1- Castle ring 5- Bro or sis 8- Petty quarrel 12- Word that can precede war, biotic and climax 13- Vocally 15- Fungus used in making soy sauce 16- Swill 17- Scapegoat 18- First man 19- Indicative 22- Wrath 23- Goddess of dawn in Greek mythology 24- American space agency 26- Diminutive 29- Wading birds 31- Cunning person 32- South American ruminant 34- Social gathering 36- Killer whale 38- Efface 40- Bog 41- Humdinger
43- Foe 45- Lisa, to Bart, briefly 46- Leave high and dry 48- Midday nap 50- Light ring 51- Where some vets served 52- Female sheep 54- Compact kitchen 61- Places to sleep 63- Drawing room 64- Coil 65- Uncover 66- Burst forth 67- Not false 68- Narrow strip of wood 69- Driving peg 70- Withered
DOWN 1- Aggregate 2- Solely 3- Molecular component 4- Scarf 5- Close with force 6- Very small quantity 7- Head and shoulders sculpture 8- Musical style with similarities to reggae 9- Chiropodist 10- Partly open 11- Duration 13- Follower of Christ 14- Like some arts 20- Labor 21- Complain unreasonably 25- Thin stratum 26- Skin openings 27- With authority 28- Like some seals 29- Relaxes 30- Ridge 31- Watch pocket 33- Game piece 35- Affirmative reply 37- Charisma, atmosphere 39- Distinguished 42- Confer 44- Bring forth young 47- Racket 49- Separates metal from ore 52- Recedes 53- Well-being 55- Sharp to the taste 56- Hint 57- Expectant desire 58- Ripped 59- Travel from place to place 60- Fencing sword 62- Become firm
Page B12
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
November 17, 2006
Fountains bring unique f lair to your garden NICOLE HACKETT
GARDEN GIRL The babbling sound of water w elcomes y ou into the garden. As y ou tur n the path, your eyes meet the center piece of the yard – a tw o-tiered fountain with a delicate petal motif accenting eac h of the bowls. Water f lows o ver the details, creating a distinct sound and g rabbing y our attention. This cast stone fountain stands a little more than 5 feet
tall, with a bo wl about 3 feet wide. Beneath the bottom bowl of the fountain, plants emphasize the g race of the overall shape . Salvia W averley is the backdrop of this garden, giving spiking shape and color, while Salvia T ricolor creates a living border. Water fountains pro vide both refreshing sounds and aesthetic pleasure in the g arden. Some ma y ha ve the perfect spot to incor porate a fountain, while others ma y have to create an environment. Either w ay, the moti vation is the same – arc hitectural str ucture as w ell as the mo vement and sounds of water. Fountains can be incor porated into front or bac k yard,
Contemporary garden fountain
patios and occasionally indoors for added ambiance. Through the past decade , the cast stone fountain has come a long w ay. Gone is the idea that a fountain m ust be three tiers , surrounded with lions, standing in a 60-inc h wide basin filled with w ater. Today’s fountains are more simple and contemporar y. Their sizes fit into cur rent residences, and the styles and color choices are considerable. Fountains fall into three basic categ ories. A freestanding fountain can be enjo yed from all sides . The w all fountain is appreciated from one to three sides and either hangs or is suppor ted b y a fence or house w all. With the tabletop fountain, the location is selfexplanatory. Freestanding fountains typically are the center piece or focal point of the yard or g arden. Colorful perennials or formal hedg es often sur round them. Placing seating areas or benches b y a freestanding fountain allows visitors to take in the scene. Styles and sizes are v ast. While one person will be attracted to a European style of fountain with strong arc hitecture, another ma y desire a natural, landscape-style fountain built with roc k and boulders in mind. Wall fountains w ent from being a v ery limited categ ory to one of the most ex citing and creati ve fountain c hoices. You can select from tiered varieties, inspirational or vintage options. Because wall fountains have a f lat bac k, they are g reat against y our entr y w all or fence, accented with vines.
Simple cast stone fountain
Color is an impor tant consideration when deciding on a fountain. If a freestanding fountain is on a natural stone patio, stained concrete or pavers, the highlighted color should be the fountain color . This w ay the fountain has a better chance of standing out. If your fountain is to be surrounded b y g rass, look to the home or patio for color preferences. If your patio furniture’s frames are r usset, then pull that color in with y our fountain. Or if your fountain can be seen from the family room and y our home decor uses a lot of sand and putty colors, use that for y our fountain color. A front yard fountain should pull its color from the trim, shutters or door. All g arden fountains use submersible pumps, recirculating the same water, so you will need an electrical outlet. Keeping your fountain clean is a constant chore. Weekly visits to add water and check cleanliness are highly recommended. Some people c hoose to use algaecides to k eep the w ater clean, while others occasional-
Classic design wall fountain
ly dump the w ater and refill to keep clean. Expect the pollens of spring and the fallen lea ves of autumn to be y our big gest problems. Mosquito dunks are available to k eep those pests from de positing eg gs in y our water. Fountains can be expensi ve and they are hea vy to deli ver
and mo ve around, so c hoose wisely. Ask to hear a fountain before purc hase and tak e a long look at a vailable color choices. Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio and Garden Contact her with questions, comments or sug gestions at
gardengirl@claytonpioneer.com
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