Check out our Holiday Gift Section Page B6
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA PERMIT 190
Volunteers needed for emergency training
IT’S YOUR PAPER www.claytonpioneer.com
October 6, 2006
925.672.0500
Bavarian dancers kick off Oktoberfest BEV BRITTON Clayton Pioneer
The male members of the Schuhplattlers dance troupe do the majority of the work: slapping their toes, then knees, then back to their toes – from behind this time. During their Saturda y performance at Cla yton’s Oktoberfest, one man feigns fainting and has to be mockingly carted off. Later, the women in the group bring cold beers to the breathless men, who thank them with a polite round of kisses and spanks. Clayton resident Denise Stephens has been dancing with the Bavarian g roup since 1987. Her 9-year-old daughter J enelle just joined this year. “We car ry on the Ger man traditions. Pretty m uch all the members g rew up in the club ,” she sa ys of Naturfreunde (Nature F riends). Her g reatgrandparents, Bruno and Lottie Miller, were among the founders of the Oakland club. A full house cro wded the beer tent to w atch the dancers and listen to the festive tunes of
TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
If a major disaster hits the Bay Area, the “first responders” — those who pro vide the first fire and medical services — will likely not be able to meet the demand for these ser vices for the first sev eral da ys. That will leave Cla yton to fend for itself for possibly as long as a w eek. This is a harsh reality that the city needs to plan for , says Clayton P olice Chief Dan Lawrence. Factors such as the n umber of victims, communication failures and road bloc kages will prevent people from accessing the 911 emerg ency ser vices. People will have to rely on each other to meet their immediate life-saving and life-sustaining needs. “We all kno w that w e’ll be the last to g et help because w e don’t ha ve a major freew ay,” says Cla yton Council Member Pete Laurence. To meet this c hallenge, the city is for ming a Comm unity Emergency R esponse T eam (CERT) and is looking for residents willing to underg o 20 hours of training to pre pare them to co ver these first few days following a disaster. Volunteers will receive training in suc h areas as all-hazard disaster pre paredness, terrorism, fire suppression, disaster medicine and triag e, disaster psychology and light search and rescue. The most lik ely disaster to strike the Ba y Area w ould be the inevitable “big one ,” an earthquake that could cripple major transportation routes and leave cities without critical communication. “Having citizens who are better pre pared to tak e care of themselves and others during times of local crises will allo w paid first responders to focus their effor ts on the most critical, life-threatening situations ,”
See Volunteer, page A7
What’s Inside SECTION A
Around Town . . . . . . . . . . .A2 Letter to the Editor . . . . . . .A4 Upcoming Events . . . . . . . .A4 Classified Ads and Director y of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A5 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Mayor’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A8 Sharing History . . . . . . . . .A10 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . .A10 School News . . . . . . . . . . . .A11 Theater Review . . . . . . . . . .A12 At the Movies . . . . . . . . . . .A12 Food for Thought . . . . . . .A13
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
CLAYTON
RESIDENT
DENISE STEPHENS, left, dances with the Schuhplattlers at CBCA’s Oktoberfest on Saturday.
Council candidates address Clayton issues Editor’s Note: This November , four candidates will vie for tw o, fouryear seats on the City Council: Jim Diaz, Joe Medrano, Dave Shuey and Hank Stratford. In the last issue , we introduced these candidates and g ave each the opportunity to submit a brief biography. The Clayton Pioneer then ask ed each of the four candidates to submit five questions that they w ould like to ask their opponents. Diaz, Shuey and Stratford submitted questions. We then compiled the questions , eliminating overlap. We ended up with eight questions that we believe address the issues facing our small town today and into the future. In this issue , y ou will r ead their answers to the first four questions . In the next issue , the candidates will address the final four questions . (See box, page A8 for details.)
JIM DIAZ
JOE MEDRANO
DAVE SHUEY
HANK STRATFORD
1 . What ar e your qualifications for serving on the council? W hat sets you apart from the other candidates? DIAZ: I ha ve ser ved on the city’s Planning Commission for two years and w as the commission’s re presentative to
TRANSPAC, the regional planning group. I ser ved in a senior California state ex ecutive position, appointed b y Go v. Pete Wilson, leading and managing a large consumer agency. I understand the “f low” of things in
the governmental process. MEDRANO: I believ e m y experience in running a successful business as w ell as w orking with CEOs and CFOs of multinational companies to review and analyze risks while stri ving
to provide a ser vice or perfor m a function within a budg et will assist me in my capacity as a City Council member. I believe what sets me apar t
Interim city clerk takes on job per manently TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
SECTION B
Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B1 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2 On the Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B4 Community Calendar . . . . . .B5 Holiday Gift Section (New) .B6 Dining Around . . . . . . . . . . .B8 Crossword Puzzle . . . . . . . . .B8 Pet Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B7 Weather Words . . . . . . . . . . .B7 Financial Sense . . . . . . . . . . .B7 Church News . . . . . . . . . . .B11
See Oktoberfest, page A9
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
RECENT ST. MARY’S GRAD, LACI JACKSON, 22, was the interview panel’s unanimous choice for Clayton’s city clerk position.
City Manag er Gar y Napper has selected a recent Saint Mary’s College g raduate for the position of city clerk. Laci Jackson, 22, was serving an inter nship with the to wn of Moraga this summer when she was recruited by Napper to temporarily fill the city clerk position. The Cla yton job opened up when Cla yton City Clerk Rhonda Basore left to become the town clerk in Moraga. After deciding she lik ed Clayton and w anted to sta y, Jackson applied for the per manent position. There w ere nine applicants for the position, with four mak-
ing it past the initial screening . They w ere inter viewed b y a panel of city officials and a city clerk from a neighboring city. With a presence and maturity belying her age, Jackson “was the unanimous , number one choice arising out of the process,” said Napper. “I w as highly impressed b y Laci’s pre paration for the interview and her w orking kno wledge about the v ast ar ray of tasks and responsibilities required of today’s city clerk, ” Napper said. “She is cur rent on issues facing cities in the 21st century, familiar with g overning body processes and has been a delight to w ork with during her interim stint as city clerk.”
See Clerk, page A7
See Council, page A8
Sports Editor Needed
The Pioneer is looking for a new Sports Editor. This is a paid position requiring approximately 10-15 hours per issue (twice a month.) The successful candidate will be thoroughly plug ged in to the Cla yton area spor ts scene, preferably be a Clayton resident and will ha ve g ood writing skills. A computer and a high comfor t lev el with email and Word are necessary. Send a co ver letter with y our qualifications and a writing sample (a couple of paragraphs is fine) to tamara@claytonpioneer.com. Put Sports Editor in the subject line . Call 672-0500 for more information.
Page A2
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Around Town
DVR men aid CBCA in Oktoberf est set up
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
Pictured from left: Back row: Dave, Vic, Dave, Jason, Shaun, Eric; Center row: Eric, CBCA’s Dave Johnson, Mike, Jared, Chris; Front row: Adam, Brian, Mike.
What’s happening Around Town? Know someone that’ s getting mar ried? Graduating? Did you vacation somewhere interesting or celebrate an anniversary lately? Is there a new baby in town? Have out of town guests? Send y our “ Around Town” news item to tamara@claytonpioneer.com, or online at www .claytonpioneer.com.
C
PRI
Concord
Gina Marie P erri of Concord and Silas Andrew Habig of Clayton will mar ry November 4 at Golden Hills Church in Brentwood. The couple announced their engagement last Ma y. The couple w as on the beac h in Monterey when Silas wrote in the sand “Will y ou mar ry me?” Gina answ ered, again in the sand, “Yes.” Gina is the daughter of Andrew and Marie P erri of Concord. She is a 2003 graduate
D
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Concord
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Garaventa Oaks – Motivated Owner tak es pride in this 4BD/2.5BA on a beautifully landscaped cor ner lot. Tons of updates including paint, dual panes & roof 2 years new.
Danville
$1,599,000
Hidden V alley – Mediterranean-style 5 bedroom, 4.5 bath w/almost 4,000 s .f. has classy for mal pool w/spa. Grand marble entry w/stunning curved staircase.
Clayton
Kirkwood – $5K Seller Credit! 3BD/2BA w/8500 s.f. lot & 2,052 s.f. of updates & upgrades incl. baths & flooring! RV Prk/Outdoor toy storage. Backs to golf course.
Clayton
Concord
$449,980
Clayton
Amber Gr ove - Vacant Cor ner Lot in beautiful upscale neighborhood w/.34 acres, zoned for two (2) R-10, single family residential with utilities in the street.Don’t miss out on this great deal!
The Crossings - A Must-See, this 5BD/3BA w/ 2,500+ s.f. is remodeled to please w/granite in kitchen, hardwood floors, 2 fireplaces & tile entr y. Deck & hot tub in bac k.
$629,980
Clayton
$969,980
Clayton
Morgan Territory – Perfect horse set-up w/2 acres, barn, tack room & arena. 2 beautiful upscale homes , one newly refurbished w/spacious office. Enjoy Mt. Diablo views.
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UCE
ED ER
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Westwood – $10K Seller Credit! Great curb appeal on this 4BD/3BA home w/1,739 s.f. Open floorplan w/guest bed & bath on the main f loor. Gazebo, deck and spa!
$839,980
Concord
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$1,199,980
Morgan Territory – 20.49 Acre Lot Appro ved & Ready for Building- Engineered building site has w ell w/2 5,000 gal. tanks, 8.5 GPM pump & fire h ydrant.
$649,980
Concord
C
$794,980
and is a 1996 g raduate of Clayton V alley High Sc hool. He attended CSU Nor thridge, graduating in 2002. Michael is an art director for feature films and commercials in the Los Angeles area. His screen adaptation of Ambrose Bierce’ s short stor y “T he Eyes of the Panther” is cur rently touring film festi vals across the country. Bethany and Mic hael honeymooned in Maui and are now at home in Santa Monica, California.
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Dana Hills – Wonderful family home has 4BD/3B A & over 2,100 s .f. Guest bed & full bath on the lo wer level. Serene location backing to Mt. Diablo State Park.
MR. AND MRS. MICHAEL BARTON
Bethany Ga yle Hog an and Michael Ra ymond Bar ton exchanged vows at the Malibu West Beac h Club in Malibu, California on Sept. 9. Bethany is the daughter of Jack and Carol Hog an of St. Louis, Missouri. She is a 2005 graduate of California State University Nor thridge, California. She is a professional singer and artist. She recently exhibited in an ex clusive showing in Hollywood. Michael is the son of Steve and Cynthia Barton of Clayton
of Ygnacio Valley High Sc hool and attended Diablo V alley College. She is emplo yed in automobile sales at BMW Mini Cooper in Concord. Silas is the son of Roger and K andell Habig of Clayton. He g raduated from Liber ty High Sc hool in Brentw ood in 2000 and the J ob Cor ps hea vy equipment program in 2002 and is a car penter with Habig Construction in Concord. The couple plans to li ve in Clayton.
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Turtle Creek – Plush lawns sur round this 4BD/2.5B A w/ frml. dining & living rooms & Oak hardwood floors. Stunning curb appeal & entryway. Large 3-car garage w/storage.
Clayton
Bethany Hogan and Michael Barton exchange vows
Gina Perri and Silas Habig to mar ry
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When it look ed lik e the CBCA was going to need some extra help in setting up for Oktoberfest, members Da ve Johnson and T om F aine had a “light bulb” moment. They called the Diablo Valley Ranc h (D VR), a mens’ residential dr ug and alcohol recovery prog ram on Marsh Creek Road. DVR stepped up to the plate and 14 men donned their Oktoberfest tee shirts and headed on do wn to Main Street to set up the Beer Hall tent and all the tables and chairs. “I couldn’t turn ‘em off once I ask ed for volunteers,” Tom said. “I’d love to come bac k next year and help ,” said Vic , “but hopefully I w on’t still be at DVR.” DVR is owned and operated by the Bi Bett Cor poration which operates substance abuse treatment facilities in Contra Costa, Alameda and Solano Counties.
October 6, 2006
$617,000
Downtown Clayton – Bright, fresh, new! 3BD/2.5B A has high ceilings, loft area and over 1,600 s.f.. Landscaped lot, cul-de-sac location that backs to trail.
$349,980
Morgan Territory – 1.62 Useable Acres adjacent to 2440 horse property. Great piece of land at an amazing v alue. Expand your land for tr ue ranch living!
NOW is Real Es the time to in tate…C vest in a l l L y free Con n sultatio ne f or a n
October 6, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page A3
Around Town
Clayton actor James Gee appears in Miss Saigon James Gee , is appearing in the ensemble of the Broadw ay By T he Bay production of Miss Saigon through Oct. 8 The Clayton man tr uly has a love for the theater. In preparing for the sho w, he regularly dro ve the 100 mile round trip to San Mateo six nights a w eek for rehearsals. “It’s par tly out of a lo ve of the theater,” says James. “But it’s really the show. Ever since I saw it in 1993, I’ve w anted to do it because of the profound stor y line…what kind of sacrifice a mother will make to see that her child has a better life.” Miss Saigon tells the stor y of Chris, an American Marine in Saigon on the eve of the city’s fall to Comm unist forces in Ma y 1975. He meets Kim, a y oung Vietnamese woman orphaned by
Photo courtesy of Carla Befera & Co Public Relations
James Gee, far left, in Broadway by the Bay's Miss Saigon.
the war and forced to w ork in a Saigon night club/brothel. Initially apprehensi ve, the tw o
Grace and Finn double the joy for the Clear ys
GRACE MADELEINE (IN PINK) AND FINN MARCUS (IN BLUE)
Joe and Hilary Cleary of Clayton are the proud parents of twins. Finn Marcus and Grace Madeleine arrived to great familial fanfare on Sept.1. Their grandparents are Joe and Irene Clear y, also of Clayton. Madeleine weighed in at 5 lbs , 8 ozs and Finn w as close behind her at 4 lbs. 11 ozs. They are their parents’ first children.
end up falling in lo ve. Separated from Kim in the c haos of the American ev acuation, Chris returns to the United States and during the next three years the pair str uggle with the emotional
aftermath of their affair. “Also,” he contin ued, “the story is told mostly b y the ensemble rather than the principals.” James appeared in the Diablo Light Opera Company production of Miss Saigon last year. He has also appeared in Me and My Gal and Kiss Me Kate with DLOC. By da y, James is a finance manager for Inter net Ser vices for W ells F argo. He is mar ried and has one daughter, 12, who is in the Drama Mama after school program at Diablo View Middle School. Miss Saigon opened to ex cellent reviews on Se p. 22 and will close on Oct. 8. For seat a vailability and tic ket infor mation, call 650-579-5565, or g o online at broadwaybythebay.org. Miss Saigon is at the San Mateo P erforming Ar ts Center , 600 N. Delaware, San Mateo.
Patricia Michener and Douglas Warrender to wed Patricia Mic hener and Douglas W arrender announced their engagement on A ugust 13. Douglas proposed to P atricia in the Botanical Gardens at Golden Gate Park. They are both from Sacramento. Patricia is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Donald Martensen of Davis. She g raduated from University of California, Davis and is a Legislative Assistant. Douglas is the son of Jean Wondra of Clayton and Doug and Arlene Warrender of Walnut Creek. He is a 2001 g raduate of California State Uni versity at Chico and an Assistant Brew er at B.J.’s Brewery.
PATRICIA MICHENER AND DOUGLAS WARRENDER
Ryan Doig is a natural in front of the camera Most kindergartners can’t sit long enough to ha ve their picture tak en, especially for that cherished holida y photo . But young Cla yton resident R yan Doig actually enjo ys being in front of the camera. The energ etic 6-year -old with the capti vating smile is a professional model with Models Inc. Talent Ag ency in San Francisco. “I lo ve g etting m y picture tak en,” says R yan, who attends Mt. Diablo Elementar y School. He especially enjoys the action shots where he’s asked to jump, twist or turn. “Ryan has the total package,” says Cla yton resident Sher rie Garcia, owner of the ag ency. “He’s a g reat talent and a solid size 5,” a size whic h she sa ys is in demand from clients lik e Mervyns. Ryan has appeared in six print ads for Mer vyns and also has worked with Macy’s and Microsoft. He’s sc heduled to appear in a P ottery Bar n Kids holiday catalog dressed as a knight in shining ar mor. “Modeling has been an incredible experience for me and R yan,” says his mom, Misha. She supports his interest and dri ves him to all the auditions, yet tries to keep a balance. “School is a priority , but I also think that life experience is a priority. He is ear ning money and learning to set goals for this money,” Misha sa ys. “I am impressed with his demeanor and style . He w alks into a job now with confidence and poise that you don’t generally find in a 6-year-old.” His ag ent ag rees. “Ryan has no inhibitions ,” says Garcia. “He w alks in and the whole room lights up . He’s a friendly
child who takes direction well.” When he’s not in school or at a photo shoot, Ryan enjoys playing g ames with his friends and family. He has three brothers , a sister, a dog, cat and fish. Garcia’s talent agency is fairly new , however, she is no stranger to the talent industr y. She spent years representing her own c hildren, Niquel, 21 and
Photo courtesy of photographer, Susan Kenedi
Ryan Doig, 6, loves his work in front of the camera, appearing in print ads for Mervyn’s, Macy’s and others.
Ross, 17. When their sc hedules got too busy, she was in c harge of managing their careers. “They’ve been in 55 national commercials, hundreds and hundreds of print ads and in six motion pictures,” she says. Garcia re presents all ag es at Models Inc ., but her c hildren’s division is the largest. To contact Models Inc . Talent Ag ency call (415) 5134471.
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Page A4
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Letter to the Editor KUDOS TO STATION 11 Today my daughter, Kayla, 2 ½, managed to g et the w and attachment to the Shop-V ac stuck on her ar m. My son Steven and I pumped lotion in it to tr y to loosen it. It didn ’t work. We didn ’t kno w what to do next. We had to lea ve to pick up m y older daughter , Sydney, so I loaded (m y son) Steven and K ayla—wand and all—into the car. Kayla thought it w as hilarious that she could almost bop the bac k of Mom’s head from her car seat. After 20 min utes of driving Sydney here and there, the wand was not g etting any looser , so we pulled into Station 11 to g et
help from the firemen on duty. Mike Stralo vich and Louie Manzo g ot right to w ork with little chuckles at the sight of this tiny child wearing a plastic wand on her ar m almost as tall as she was. Mike pumped the wand with “pretty pink soap” while Louie gathered little fire station gifts for K ayla and Stev en. After working for sev eral min utes, Mike managed to finally slip the wand off , being ev er so g entle through the whole thing. Not a tear was shed. While prepared for m uch big ger emerg encies, they certainly know how to handle the little ones as w ell! - Cathleen Blatt
October 6, 2006
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Upcoming Events
CLAYTON BIBLIOPHILES will find fertile hunting grounds at the Clayton Community Library’s fall Used Book Sale Oct. 14-15.
CLAYTON COMMUNITY LIBRARY FOUNDATION USED BOOK SALE
Do you like to curl up with a good book on those chilly winter evenings? This is y our opportunity to stock up on recent releases and old favorites. The Clayton Community Library Foundation (CCLF) Fall Used Book Sale will be held in the Comm unity Room of the Cla yton Community Librar y, 6125 Clayton Rd., Clayton, on Sat. Oct., 14 from 10 a.m. to 6 p .m. and on Sun., Oct., 15 from noon-4 p.m. There is a $2 a bag special from 2-4 p .m. Most books sell for $1. On Sunda y most books cost 50¢. Pick up some g reat barg ains at the “Special Books” table. These gently used books , suitable for gift giving, are priced individually. There will be a Member’ s Only Preview on F ri., Oct., 13 from 4-7 p .m. Memberships can be purc hased at the door . The cost for an indi vidual is $10, a family membership is $15. We also have a new category, Contributing Member for a cost of $30.
Halloween night at 8 p .m. The tour begins and ends at Endeavor Hall and includes 10 stops with guest appearances by three celebrity ghosts . Participants are ask ed to bring flashlights and are gi ven a certificate that states “I sur vived the Ghost tour.”
CLAYTON VALLEY WOMAN’S CLUB KITCHEN TOUR
Local homeo wners will share their lo vely kitchens with the public when the Cla yton Valley W oman’s Club presents its fourth Kitchen Tour on Sat., Oct. 21. The self-dri ving tour includes six new or remodeled kitchens, each with its own distinctive decorating style . Cochairwomen, Jeanne
Groschwitz and J oan R eed, promise that tour par ticipants will ha ve an oppor tunity to view v aried counter tops, cabinet styles and appliances and, undoubtedly, will pick up several ideas that they can use in their own homes. The one-da y tour begins at Clayton City Hall Cour tyard where maps and broc hures will be available. Check in begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 2:30 pm. Homes will close promptly at 4 p.m. Walking is required on the tour and private homes are not handicap accessible. Tickets are required for any one par ticipating in the tour , including c hildren, with the ex ception of infants in a front-pac k. Tickets are $25 in adv ance and $30 on the da y of the ev ent and are available b y calling (925) 6721696. The Cla yton V alley Woman’s Club is a nonprofit organization that ser ves the Clayton/Concord comm unity. Fundraising effor ts in 2005 benefited a host of local charities. The W oman’s Club is an active g roup of nearly 100 women who are w orking together to make a difference in their comm unity. Meetings are held on the second and four th Tuesday of each month at Holy Cross Lutheran Churc h, 1092 Alberta Way, Concord.
Country Living At It’s Finest!
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Mike Williams
4297 Morgan Territory Road
broker/owner
Clayton resident since 1972
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$1,199,950
www.TheClaytonRealtor.com
Full Service Auto Care FOREIGN Call for up and k c i p e e fr delivery
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Clean and adjust all four brakes, inspect brake hydraulics* (*Valid if brake work is done at this location.) exp. 10/31/06
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A GHOSTLY WALK THROUGH CLAYTON
Led b y Cla yton historian Richard Taylor, the 26th annual Ghost W alk is set for
Your local real estate pro
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Official Smog Te st Repair S and tation
925 672-3900
Oil Change
with Fuel Injection Service
$30 off
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$24.95 (regularly $29.95) coupon good for most cars
exp. 10/31/06
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FLU AND PNEUMONIA SHOT CLINIC
Our professionals are here to serve you: Amir, Jameson, Jeff & Ray (back) Alex, Peter & Gary (front)
Open to the Public Friday, October 13th 2-5 p.m. RSVP by October 10 at (925) 524-5100
Jeanine: (925) 788-6132 Brent: (925) 788-2480
FREE with Medicare Part B FREE with Aetna , Secure Horizons, Pacificare Flu Shots: Cost $25 Pneumonia Shots: Cost $40 Refreshments provided. Tours available
(925) 524-5100
6401 Center Street, Clayton, CA 5420 Ygnacio Valley Rd., Suite 20 Concord, CA
Retirement Community
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October 6, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page A5
Classified FOUND
Wheel lock key lug, and a backpack found on Clayton Road. Call 925-673-9336.
HELP WANTED
Management and Sales Seasonal Reflections Holiday Decorations Store at 5434YgnacioValley Road is hiring for positions in store management, sales, and phone sales/customer support. Fax resumes to 925-6722314 or email guest.service@seasonalreflections.com. Sports Editor for the Clayton Pioneer. Part time, 10-15 hours per issue which is published twice a month. Candidate must be thoroughly connected with the Clayton area sports scene and have a high comfort level with Word and Email. Some photography skills would be helpful.
Clayton resident preferred. Email cover letter and writing sample (two or three paragraphs) to tamara@claytonpioneer.com, or call the office at 672-0500 for more information. Teacher Aide Clayton Community School Childcare Teacher/Aide position available. Mon., Tues., Thurs., and Fri. 2 – 5 p.m. Wed.12 – 5 p.m. Please contact Nancy at (925) 672-0388.
SERVICES
Clayton Community School Busy Bee Preschool now enrolling K-5 Childcare/Preschool. Located in Rm. 38, Mt. Diablo Elementary School. Extended care for preschool available. Call for details, M – F 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., 925-6731488, 925-672-0388.
Free Estimates & Competitive Pricing
Perennial Garden Design by Nicole Hackett AKA The Garden Girl. Personal consultations regarding plant choices, placement, identification, fertilizing and maintenance. Spring is just around the corner. Call or email for information and pricing. 925673-1746 (leave message) gardengirl94517@yahoo.com.
VOLUNTEERS WANTED
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 6720240, email claytonmuseum@sbcglobal.net or visit the museum between 2 and 4 p.m. on Wed. or Sun. The Clayton Community Library is seeking to fill the following volunteer positions: (All
Residential & Commercial
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.
Burglar/Fire Alarm Intercom Systems Cabling for Voice & Data Security Cameras (CCTV) Access Control 24 Hour Listed Monitoring Immediate Installation available
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$889,000
SOLD
$660,000
FOR SALE
1884 Ohlone Hts.
$699,000
BUYING A HOME?
$ FALL SPECIAL - 25% REBATE $ Use Eagles Peak Realty and we will give you 25% of the commission we are paid by the seller. On a $700,000 purchase, that’s $4,375! ** (**Based upon a 2.5% commission)
Email: FallRebate@eaglespeakrealty.com for details
*3.5% - ( 1% to Eagles Peak Realty - 2.5% to Buyers Agent )
www.EaglesPeakRealty.com 925-708-1046
Classified rates per insertion: Non-profit: $12 for first 30 words, $.20 eac h additional word Individual/non-commercial: $18 for first 30 w ords, $.30 each additional word Commercial: $48 for first 30 words, $.40 eac h additional word To place 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.
LET US KNOW
CLAYTON
FOR SALE
442 Coleman Ct.
$816,500
1016 Tiffin Dr.
PLEASANT HILL
positions require a minimum age of 13 years and a 6-month 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 & 2-4 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.
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 EV B RITTON , Copy Editor and Feature Writer B ETH N EUDELL , Administrative Assistant
Directory of Advertisers
Abbey Carpets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-9901 Advanced Voice and Data, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .681-2800 Aircloud Wireless Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-4119 All Loving Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0752 Applause Staging and Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7701 Aqua Pro Pool & Chemical Service, Inc. . . . . . . . . . .673-7000 Asemi, Hamid - State Farm Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . .726-0154 Benton, Mureleen - Ameriprise Financial . . . . . . . . . .685-4523 Beautique Beauty Supply and Salon . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0405 Burkin Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1519 California Reverse Mortgage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .899-3511 Calkins, Bill - Charlotte Clifford Realtors . . . . . . . . . . .673-9164 Carol Keane and Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .937-5200 CD Federal Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .825-0900 Clayton Family Dentistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0110 Clayton Fitness and Tanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2010 Clayton Home Inspection Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9405 Clayton Valley Bowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-4631 Clayton Valley Frameworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6066 Clayton Valley Medical Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6744 Clayton Valley Pumpkin Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .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 Hholiday Craft Fair . . . . . . . . . .757-4400 Cookies by Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .256-1137 Cruise Adventures Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .935-7447 Dance Connection Performing Arts Centre . . . . . . . . .676-5678 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 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 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 Joanna's Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-8911 Kelly Marshall Garden Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .914-0327 Ladies Workout Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .405-8888 Laurence, Pete - Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . . . . . .939-7920 La Veranda Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0011 Lela's Hair Salon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2000 Lerner Eye Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .685-1130 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 Mazzei Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .757-5600 Melanie’s Gifts and Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0207 Mike's Auto Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-1739 Model A Cabinets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-0827 Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1100 Dr. Steven Moon, Chiropractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-8400 Morucci, Kim - Intero Real Estate Services . . . . . . . .280-8563 NBS Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-1845 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 Ranches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7323 Rocco's Ristorante & Pizzeria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .947-6105 Schaefer's Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-6065 Seasonal Reflections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4425 Skin Care by Trina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2000 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 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 Vujnovich, George - Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . . .672-4433 Wakefield, Jeanine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .788-6132 Weekends at the Cottage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0744 Williams, Mike - Williams Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-5363 Wooden It Be Nice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-5595 Zekco Watch Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-2470
Page A6
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
October 6, 2006
e a h c S fer’s
First-time buyers may need help with down payment LYNNE FRENCH
REAL ESTATE Many first-time buyers ha ve difficulty coming up with enough cash for a do wn pa yment and the v arious fees associated with a home purc hase. Several strategies can be used to overcome this obstacle. One approach is to researc h low-down pa yment loan programs. FHA, Fannie Mae , VA and state and county first-time buyer loan prog rams enable buyers who qualify to purc hase with little cash down. Sit do wn with a loan ag ent or brok er and explore the financing options a vailable to you. Be candid with the ag ent regarding your cash situation. If the brok er can ’t help y ou, ask for a refer ral to someone who can. Ask other first-time buyers who purc hased recently whom
they used for their financing. One w ay to reduce the amount of cash you’ll need is to reduce your closing costs. Look for a home loan that has low, or no, points (loan origination fees). Another way to reduce y our closing costs is to ask the seller to credit y ou an amount to cover some or all of your nonrecurring closing costs . Nonrecurring costs are paid on a one-time basis at closing. They include such things as title insurance and points. Lenders have limits on ho w much they will allo w a seller to credit a buyer – usually 3 to 6 percent of the purc hase price . The amount of the credit m ust not exceed the actual amount of the buyer’s nonrecurring costs. You can reduce the amount of your closing costs b y closing late in the month. The lender collects money at closing to cover the interest o wed for the current month. If you close early in the month, this figure
will be higher than it will be if you close late in the month. Another low cash down purchase strategy is to ask someone to gi ve or lend y ou money . If the sellers don ’t need all their cash proceeds from the sale , they may be willing to give you a second loan that will be secured against the property. If you can accum ulate 20 to 25 percent in a combination of your cash and a loan from someone else , the lender will usually give you a better interest rate than is a vailable on a 90 or 95 percent loan. However, the lender will usually w ant y our own cash to equal at least 5 percent of the purchase price. Many first-time buyers purchase with gift money from their parents. A parent can gift $10,000 per year to another individual without pa ying a gift tax. If both of your parents give $10,000 eac h to y ou and y our spouse, this would add up to a substantial $40,000 do wn pa yment. If you can accum ulate a
PAINTING
20 percent down payment, most lenders will allo w all of it to be a gift. The lease option is often touted as a w ay for first-time buyers to get into a house with a minimal cash in vestment. This way, the buyer pa ys option money to the seller (the amount is neg otiable) and leases the property for a period of time. At the end of the lease , the buyer has the option of purchasing the property or not. If the buyer doesn ’t complete the purc hase, the option money is forfeited to the seller . Statistics show that only a small percent of lease options result in a purc hase, so make sure the house is one y ou w ant to buy before entering into a lease option agreement.
Because the Finish Counts (Cell) 10%
A SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY
Speaking of community pride (wow, amazing segue don’t you think?), do you want to do more for Cla yton than drink
DAVE SHUEY
MAYOR’S CORNER beer and eat sausage (not that we don’t appreciate ev en that small gesture)? T he Comm unity Services Commission is acce pting applications for new members. The CSC is a vital part of our small to wn, putting on Cla yton Cleans Up and the F ourth of July P arade. The g roup also oversees our YMCA par tnership, receives comm unity input on fur ther prog rams and acti vities and advises the City Council on community issues. They meet once a month and have the eternal gratitude of the council and city staff. Yours truly (that’s me) started his civic service on this commission (although admittedly I had purchased beer and sausag e at Ar t and Wine festivals for years). So if you want to give back, call City Hall at 673-7300 and tell them Shoe sent y ou (sor ry, forgot I don’t g et commission on this recruitment).
SUPPORT DOWNTOWN PARK How would you like to sit in the sun (or shade), listen to a concert, take a nap on the g rass, play in the w ater, go do wn a slide, play catch, talk to friends , think about how great the mayor is (OK, just making sure you are paying attention), eat a meal, play chess, watch a movie, hold hands with a loved one, walk your pet, play with your kids, let your kids run wild so y ou can read in peace, blow a bubble, sing a song and many other acti vities? What if you could do all those things in one place? Guess what, you can have all that for less than the cost of one pizza a year . In November, you can make our Downtown Park a reality by voting yes on Measure O. You have heard it before, but here it is ag ain: We ha ve the funds to build, but not maintain, this beautiful park. It will be a meeting place and the center piece of a vibrant downtown. It will have a gazebo and la wn for concer ts and movies, a w ater feature for hot days, a pla y str ucture for kids , benches for eating and pla ying games, paths to walk on, grass to lie on and bathrooms to … (you get the point). You already v oted and told us you wanted the space used for a park and not for commercial purposes. We designed a park and now we need you to vote yes for funding the maintenance. Our do wntown businesses support this measure , our first
bpaintingdog@sbcglobal.net
Any o or e full int ff x er for P teri or j ior ione er r men ead ob ti on t his ers, ad
Bryan Schaefer Clayton resident since 2000
anywhere in the world? The City of Clayton is updating it s list of those residents or their family members who are serving the United S tates in the Armed Forces. Please help by calling Laci Jackson, City Clerk, City of Clayton, 673-7300 with the following information:
mayor helped design it, the council is unanimous in support of it and w e need y ou to mak e it happen. Vote yes on Measure O. In closing, during a heated debate, one politician righteously said, “God put me on this earth to accomplish a cer tain number of things.” A member of the audience w as heard to utter, “Right now, you are so far behind, you will never die.” Have a great week and email me at shuey@rankinlaw.com.
Your name, address and phone The name, address, rank and branch of the Armed Forces of the person serving and their relationship to you.
announces The service of the month for our patients for the month of October
Complimentary Body Mass Index (BMI) offered Monday through Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. If you are not a patient of Clayton Valley Medical Group and would like to become one, please contact Sue at (925) 672-6744 x14
1520 Kirker Pass Road, Suite A Clayton, CA
Visit the barn for a complete selection of fall decorations for inside & outside. Everything you need to carve a pumpkin!
als ar e Our farm anim to see you. always happy
OCTOBER
on! s a e S 7 0 0 2 6 he 200 t r o f m r a F e Garden Plant t e r c e S p New to th a M arm scramble nd Landscape F
map and the Using a farm , hunt for clues provided ous farm letters at vari spell out a landmarks to e puzzle is word. Once th turn the completed, re e! map for a priz
©2006 Harvest Magic, Inc.
Open Every Day October 1st - 31st, 9 am to 8 pm Playland: daily daily 99 am am till till dusk dusk Playland:
1060 Pine Lane, Clayton, CA 94517
(925) 672-6744
Open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Appointments are available
Providing family fun & learning to the Clayton community since 1980
a th We now have with Playland filled in pk m ed the Plu rv se lima beans re 3,000 lbs. of ur years and for children fo Along their families. younger and ts this other bean po with our two of s. tal to 9,000 lb brings the to beans!
Lic. #708321
Armed Forces
Lynne F rench is a r ealtor with Windermere Real Estate and a Clayton r esident. F or any r eal estate needs or questions contact her at: Phone (925) 672-8787 or E-mail: Lynne@LynneFrench.com
CLAYTON VALLEY PUMPKIN FARM and CHRISTMAS TREES
Toddlers Bean Pot for ird bean pot in
Licensed Bonded Insured
Are you or a member of your family serving in any branch of the
The facts are in: Oktoberfest is a civic duty For all of you fans of the TV sho w “Cheers” (unbelievably, you may need to explain it to your kids since it has been 13 years since it ended), a Cliff Clavin moment is coming . Did you kno w that Oktoberfest started in 1810 in Munic h, Germany, as a wedding celebration (no w, now, Normy …). And you thought your wedding was a festive event. Clayton’s third ann ual Oktoberfest was held last weekend, and it was another rousing success. The ev ent w as put on by the Cla yton Business and Community Association (CBCA), with all proceeds being given back to benefit the community. Thus, you can be assured that all the beer , sausage and carnival tic kets y ou paid for went to a g ood cause. Yes, you heard me cor rectly, you can look at y our spouse with a straight face and sa y that it w as your civic duty to buy those 20 beers and four sausag es and that the hang over and stomachache were the result of your civic pride and a small price to pay for the greater public good. Great job , CBCA! If you would lik e to join this fun organization, call 672-2272 and tell them Shoe sent you.
260-6065
(925) 672-5198
We showcase more than 25 varieties of gourmet quality pumpkins, squash and gourds.
Nursery a
ur yard righten up yo B e! er h is ll Fa h exciting new and patio wit your old ll plants plus fa of s ie et ri va ts. lable in 4” po favorites, avai ction of le se a h lled wit fi ts po er rg La as well. ts are for sale an pl l u rf lo co
Barbequ ed food availa on week ends at t ble he Plumpk in Pantr y
www.cvpumpkinfarm.com
Just 2 miles East of Downtown Clayton off Marsh Creek Road
Buy One Ride, Get One Free* On our popular "trackless" train *Train operates weekdays 3pm - dusk & weekends 9am - dusk Limit one per household. Valid with coupon thru Oct. 31, 2006.
October 6, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Club News
Clayton Buyers
AAUW VOTER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Now’s the time to buy!
The ballot propositions pro and con will be discussed by T he League of Women Voters at a for um on Mon. evening Oct. 23 at 7:30 p .m. The Cla yton and Concord Branches of the American Association of University Women are co-sponsoring this opportunity for education for the propositions whic h will appear on the No v. 7, 2006 election ballot. All interested persons are in vited to attend and receive clarification on the sometimes complex aspects of the propositions . The for um location is Diamond T errace Retirement Comm unity 6401 Center St. Clayton. The American Association of University Women has a history of involvement with voter education issues , and the tw o local branc hes will assure that
My listings are sold, so let’s go buy some others!
Interest rates are low and 100% financing is available Buy now while prices are “soft” and watch it go back up in value next year! At no obligation, let’s plan your purchase or investment, then carry it out while it’ s still a “Buyer’s Market.”
For the best Lenders and Best Homes, Call Pete Today!
Knowledge, Service, Integrity, Results PETE LAURENCE Broker-Owner, Realtor, GRI
Office: 939-7920 Fax: 939-1939 VM 24 hr: 940-2777
1511 Treat Blvd. #100, Walnut Creek, CA 94598
Skin Care by Trina Facial, Waxing, Makeup & Eyebrow Tinting SPECIAL for first time customers:
We carry top quality products
any chemical service new customers only
Trina’s cell (925) 914-0994
$5 off
exp. 10/20/06
672-2000
with any Facial
Free Lip Wax
$15 off
Please call for an appointment with Trina or Lela today
Free Eyebrow Wax
5433-G Clayton Rd., Clayton, in Clayton Station
with any Eyebrow Waxing or Tinting
Page A7
ear piercing exp. 10/20/06
Lela’s Hair Salon COMPLETE HAIR CARE , SKIN CARE AND WAXING , COLOR , HIGHLIGHTING AND FOIL , CUT , PERM
this for um is w orthwhile and informative. For fur ther information, please contact Sue Keller 672-0674 or Sheila Driscoll 672-7947.
CLAYTON VALLEY WOMAN’S CLUB Meeting at John Muir Women’s Health Center The Cla yton V alley Woman’s Club will host a special social meeting on T ues. Oct. 24 with a trip to John Muir Women’s Health Center , 1656 N. California Blv d, Walnut Creek, for a presentation b y Evon Shipley , Cardiac Nurse Coordinator, on hear t disease and the prev ention of heart attacks. The prog ram will begin at 10 a.m. and attendees will also have a c hance to lear n more about the Health Center, which offers many ser vices specifically for w omen. Members and guests will meet at 9 a.m. at Holy Cross Lutheran Churc h, 1092 Alber ta W ay, Concord, and carpool from there . Please call Millie Graham at (925) 672-1868 to reser ve your spot, as space is limited. See Upcoming Ev ents, page A4 for information on the Kitchen Tour. CVWC is a non-profit, nondenominational ser vice org anization that is open to all women interested in c haritable work in the Cla yton V alley community. Meetings are held on the second and four th Tuesday of the month. The regular October business meeting will be on Oct. 10 at Holy Cross Lutheran with coffee beginning at 9:30 a.m. and the meeting starting at 10 a.m.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS ANNUAL CHARITY BALL The Knights of Columbus of Concord and Cla yton Annual Charity Ball will be Oct. 14 at St. Francis of Assisi Family Center . The ball benefits Our Lady of Lourdes Parish of Slidell, Louisiana, devastated b y Hur ricane Katrina. Cost is $35 per person. Cocktails at 7 p.m., dinner is at
ROTARY CLUB IS
COLLECTING BOOKS FOR ZAMBIANS
Northern Califor nia Rotary Clubs are collecting books for students and adults in Zimba, Zambia. The c hildren’s school has almost nothing to read. We are readying a container to ship the end of October. With v ery little effort y ou can be part of this hug e international project b y cleaning out your book case and asking y our friends and neighbors to do the same. Are y ou on a 8 p .m. Dancing at 9 p .m. features the “Island City Big Band”. This v ery worthwhile ev ent is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and Catholic Daughters of St. Agnes, St. Bonaventure, St. Francis of Assisi and Queen of All Saints. For tic kets contact: Bob Malucelli, St Bonaventure, 6740920; George Conlo w, St. Agnes, 685-9547; Sandy DeBow, Queen of All Saints , 676-8544; and John Kracjir, St. Francis 937-7075. Donations graciously accepted. St. Francis of Assisi F amily Center , 7860 Oak Grove Road, Concord.
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS BREAKFAST Let’s g et Mom out of the kitchen and rew ard her for all those scr umptious meals she prepares throughout the w eek. Breakfast will be ser ved on Oct. 8, in the cafeteria of Concord’s V eterans Memorial Hall, corner of Willow P ass and Colfax, from 8 - 11a.m. The bill of fare includes eg gs (prepared y our w ay), pancakes, sausage, coffee and orang e juice. Invite y our friends and
Clerk, from page A1 According to J ackson, the swap with Moraga has benefited everyone. “I know where things are there and Rhonda kno ws where things are here, so we can help each other,” she said. Jackson recei ved her bac helor of arts in politics and history in Ma y. “I took a course in public administration and fell in love with the field,” Jackson said from her desk at City Hall. She also “fell in lo ve” with travel when she studied for four 50 Mountaire Place
months in Rome, taking courses in politics , history and culture and traveling in Europe. Jackson g rew up in the tiny town of Maxwell, Calif. (pop. 800), where her father is a retired in vestigator for the Shasta County District Attorney and her mother is an analyst with the state of California Office of Homeland Security . “Public ser vice kind of runs in our family,” she said, laughing. The city clerk is responsible
library committee? Ask them for sur plus books . We are labeling the books as gifts from R otarians. Call Chuc k Graham, 925-689-7640 to make ar rangements to ha ve the books picked up.
neighbors. Call Pete at (925) 255-3449 with questions.
Volunteer, from page A1
Lawrence wrote in his Se pt. 19 report to the City Council. The CERT prog ram will be administered and regulated by a 5- to 10-member Citizens Corps Council o verseen b y Clayton PD’s Sgt. Scott Dansie. The $28.50 cost of training a volunteer will come from a Homeland Security g rant of $60,000 to be distributed to the six Contra Costa cities whic h have not yet for med a CERT. Residents interested in ser ving on the Citizens Cor ps Council or in recei ving the CERT training are ask ed to contact Lynn Christ of the Clayton P olice De partment, 673-7350. There is no limit to the number of volunteers who can receive the CERT training, says Lawrence. “If everyone received it, that would be ideal.” for the city’s recordkeeping and information manag ement. “I’m the ‘g o to’ person for the city ,” said J ackson. “If you ha ve a question, you’ll come to me.” Jackson is in the process of moving from Morag a to Walnut Creek. When not working, she is an a vid reader , preferring nonfiction works on public policy. “Right no w, I’m reading ‘The W al-Mart Effect. ’ My favorite book of all time is ‘Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, ’ ” she said. “But, I lo ve Nic holas Sparks, too.”
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Council, from page A1 from the other candidates is that while I ha ve only li ved in Clayton for six years , I ha ve been very involved in the community since da y one and w ork very hard to impro ve our community. Being v ery in volved in the comm unity, I ha ve been able to lear n about the passion our long-time residents have for the community. Yet I am able to bring new ideas and perspectives from g rowing up and li ving in other cities , as many of the newer residents ha ve. I will be able to pro vide a fresh perspective while k eeping some core v alues and roots of the community in my decisions as a council member. SHUEY: I g rew up here and am familiar with Cla yton’s history and issues . I majored in political science at Stanford University and ha ve been involved in state and federal political campaigns since high school. I ser ved on the Community Ser vices Commission for years before being elected to the council in 2002. I am the cur rent ma yor, and I bring humor , intelligence and reasonableness to the issues. My record is unmatc hed by any other candidate. STRATFORD: Working as a CPA, both in public accounting and as a cor porate controller, I have the experience to make fiscally responsible decisions so Clayton families can benefit the most from the city’ s limited resources. Owning a business in Clayton, combined with m y business education and experience, will allo w me to dev elop strategies to attract sustainable businesses to Cla yton that will benefit the city. I am not motivated b y the attention or limelight. I simply want to serve the community. 2 . What ha ve y ou contributed toward “the gr eater good” in Clayton? DIAZ: I have been in volved in Clayton since moving here in 1979. I beg an ser ving the citizens in a public safety role as the commanding officer of the Police De partment’s R eserve Division from 1979 to 1989. I have w orked with sev eral organizations that want the best for this city. MEDRANO: I have been very involved within the community. I ha ve co-c haired the Cla yton Art & Wine Festival for the last three years , helping raise o ver $250,000 whic h the Cla yton Business and Comm unity Association (CBCA) donates back to Cla yton sc hools and other Clayton organizations and for scholarships. I also personally donate sev eral thousand dollars a year to v arious school fund-fundraisers, Little League and other services. When the Cla yton
Community Churc h w as w orking on putting together the first Clayton Labor Da y Derb y, I stepped up as the title sponsor so the ev ent could be free to kids and their families. I continue to sponsor the ev ent eac h year. When the middle sc hool gym w as being constr ucted, I donated o ver $10,000 for the scoreboards in the g ym. SHUEY: I ser ved on the Community Ser vices Commission for sev eral years and ha ve been on the City Council for four years . I am an active member of the Cla yton Business and Comm unity Association. I am on the board for Clayton Valley Little League and acti vely help and suppor t the Mt. Diablo P arent F aculty Club (PFC). As par t of the Clayton Comm unity Churc h, I have helped plan and r un the Labor Day Derby. STRATFORD: Like many residents in Cla yton, my g reatest contribution to “the g reater good” has been b y trying to be a good citizen, a good neighbor and a good homeowner. 3 . Are you for or ag ainst Measur e O, which will set up a special district to fund the operation and maintenance needs of the downtown park? DIAZ: I suppor t it. If it doesn’t pass , then I will help find better sources of funds to provide operation and maintenance. MEDRANO: I am in suppor t of Measure O . I believ e a downtown park will assist in the revitalization of downtown and will help bring more people downtown, which will help support our retail establishments and bring more rev enue to the city. SHUEY: I am unequi vocally in support of this measure, as I helped draft it. This is par t of our Do wntown R evitalization Plan and will be the centerpiece of a vibrant do wntown. As chair of the P ark Design Committee, I helped designed a park that will serve all segments and ages of our population. For less than the cost of a pizza a year, the residents can brighten our downtown and have a focal meeting point for do wntown activities STRATFORD: The park will be a g reat addition to our downtown b y not only adding to its beauty but b y attracting consumers to do wntown businesses. It has been pro ven in other cities that the building of a park spurs dev elopment, which is needed in our do wntown area. The majority of Clayton voted for the park and this No vember, hopefully, at least two-thirds will approve the funding of the park’ s maintenance. I am leer y of increasing taxes, however, the park’s benefit to the comm unity will out-
weigh the small cost of approximately $16 per year for eac h residential parcel. 4 . The cur rent Landscape Maintenance District is set to expir e in 2007 and the measur e that would have r enewed it w as def eated at the polls last November. How would you propose to fund Clayton’ s landscape maintenance needs? DIAZ: I ac knowledge that the public ob viously did not approve this measure . As an alternative, we should consider drought-tolerant plants , which require less maintenance. I support possibly renewing the current landscape plan – pro viding dollars to contin ue the maintenance plan until we identify new sources of funds. MEDRANO: We need to work on another measure that will meet the city’ s landscape needs, and we need to comm unicate the measure more effectively to the residents of Clayton in order for the v oters to pass it at the polls. SHUEY: A special landscape district is the only w ay to properly dedicate the funds to tak e care of our landscaping. We do not have the funds in our general fund account to pa y for this maintenance, and those funds are also subject to state tak eaways. A special landscape district ensures the funds cannot be taken away and are only used for their intended purpose. STRATFORD: Currently, each residential parcel is pa ying approximately $128 a year for the city’ s landscape maintenance. However, our landscape maintenance needs ha ve outgrown this cur rent assessment. As a result, the new Landscape Maintenance District that will be v oted on in J une 2007 will need to be higher than the current amount. I would like to see the assessment k ept under $200, with neighborhoods that have no city-maintained landscaping paying a little less than those neighborhoods that ha ve city-maintained landscaping . This seems to be a fair approach to k eeping Cla yton looking great.
October 6, 2006
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In the Oct. 20 issue, the four City Council candidates will ans wer the f ollowing questions: What plans do y ou have to reinvigorate the do wntown area? W hat specific types of businesses do y ou think w ould succeed downtown area? What role do y ou see the city taking in suppor ting families? In suppor ting the local schools? What is the most impor tant issue facing Clayton in the next four years? Do y ou believe the cur rent council has done a g ood job representing the city’ s interest? Please explain.
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Page A9
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When Sgt. Jared Agnetti came home from acti ve combat in Iraq in No vember 2003, it was a jo yous occasion. The Clayton City Council proclaimed No vember 5, 2003, as Jared Agnetti Day, and his family and friends hosted a hug e homecoming par ty for the 25year-old soldier. Agnetti recently retur ned home once ag ain from Iraq. This time , the reaction w as a combination of joy and relief after he suffered a serious gunshot wound from a sniper’s bullet while on active duty there. Agnetti is at W alter R eed Hospital in W ashington, D.C., for a final check before officials determine what’s ahead for the Clayton native. “I’m not sure what is g oing to happen. I could be discharged or sent bac k to Germany,” he said from his home in W alnut Creek, where he lives with his dad, Randy. Agnetti speaks calmly and methodically about the sniper attack but rarely mentions his concern for himself . “Other people’s li ves are more important than my own,” Agnetti says. Those w ere his thoughts when he engaged in a dismount patrol in the Anbar Pro vince. “You think about g etting shot, but y ou don ’t let that fear tak e over.” Agnetti was the lead person for the 1st Ar mored Di vision during a dismount patrol. As point man, Agnetti was the first man on the job in a w alkthrough of the city – c hecking cars, houses, buildings and such. He was used to being in c harge, having had other leadership roles during his militar y career. On A ug. 2, Agnetti w as
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JARED AGNETTI, right, with his father, Randy Agnetti, at their home in Walnut Creek where Jared is recuperating from injuries sustained in a sniper attack in Iraq. doing his job in a dismount patrol in the city of Hit. As he turned a cor ner and w alked about 20 feet, he felt a shar p pain in his side . Agnetti describes the bullet as a “big, giant round” that ripped through his body. “I didn ’t fall do wn. I stood on m y o wn tw o feet, ” Agnetti recalls. “I’m most proud of that.” As he ste pped bac k for cover, he remembers twisting his ankle in a ditch but still managing to direct his soldiers and maneuver his squad into position. The bullet tore through his body – hitting his lungs , liver, kidneys, diaphragm and spleen. Agnetti lost 11 units of blood, and medics as well as fel-
low soldiers tried desperately to keep him conscious . “I didn ’t want to end up dying on the battlefield,” he recalls. Agnetti w as transpor ted back to base and then airlifted by helicopter to Alisod. “I remember thinking: I’m g oing to be OK. When I realized I wasn’t g oing to die on the battlefield, I went unconscious.” The y oung soldier w as later transported to a hospital in Germany, where he underw ent surgery to remove his spleen. “I couldn’t eat solid food for three weeks and lost 35 pounds ,” Agnetti says. He w as then transpor ted to Walter Reed Hospital and spent 3 ½ w eeks recuperating . “My family surprisingly took it well,”
Oktoberfest, from page A1
the Internationals. And as evidenced b y the empty plates and half-empty beer steins, the party had star ted long before Ma yor Da ve Shuey “officially” tapped the keg about 1:45 p.m. Saturday. The w eekend beg an F riday night, with the opening of the carnival. Although there had been some g rumblings from v endors about the addition of the rides last year, this year’s festival drew about 80 ar ts and crafts booths – almost twice as many as last year . According to Oktoberfest committee chair Mary Ann Lawrence, once the vendors saw that it w asn’t a “car ny” atmosphere, they happily signed on. “It’s no different than having a few blow-up jumpy toys,” says Lawrence, who was among the many members of the Cla yton Business and Community Association. Lawrence has been the c hair for all three of the CBCA sponsored event. Custom jew elry v endor J erry Har r sa ys
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
MAYOR DAVE SHUEY and Vice Mayor Bill Walcutt raise a stein of foam after tapping the “official” keg at Oktoberfest Saturday.
it’s rare for a car nival and ar ts booths to thrive tog ether. “I think if you threw this together in any other to wn, it w ould be a disaster for the crafters ,” he says. “But here the people support what goes on. There are not just people here with beers in hand – they ha ve bags . They’re spending money .
Agnetti sa ys, noting that they supported each other and visited him at Walter Reed. His unit and fello w soldiers are at the heart of his conversations about Iraq and the war. “If I could go back, I’d go back in a heartbeat. My soldiers are there,” Agnetti says. “You hear a lot of bad things and how people view the war,” says Agnetti, adding that people don’t have to support the war, but they should support the soldiers. “All for one and one for all.” When he’ s officially discharged, which could be anytime betw een no w and Marc h, Agnetti w ould lik e to pursue a career as a forest ranger or work with Fish and Game.
And it’s great.” New at Oktoberfest this year w as comedian Marcus Raymond of Pleasant Hill, who kept visitors laughing during his routines at the Blac k Diamonds Cor ral. When the crowd didn’t fully appreciate how quickly he solved the R ubik’s Cube , he taunted them with: “I don’t think you heard me. I just did this in 1 minute and 21 seconds.” The crowd roared. Over in the car nival, Clayton resident Lisa Valory was enjoying the cool afternoon with her 11 and 9 year olds. “I think it’s just so much fun for the community,” she says of the Oktoberfest. “And the kids love the carnival.” As the four members of the Internationals got the crowd singing, yodeling and toasting good cheer, they summed it up best: “For heart, for soul, for good times, you can’t beat the Clayton Oktoberfest.” For infor mation on the Clayton Business and Community Association, call 672-2272. For mor e infor mation on the Ba varian Schuhplattlers and Naturfr eunde, call 510-5312930.
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Page A10
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
October 6, 2006
70 years married, June and Bob Case share a lot of together times COLLEEN ELWY
SHARING HISTORY Bob and June Case, both 90, are a fun-lo ving couple who will be celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary in March. When sharing ho w their lives came tog ether, Bob sa ys, “We w ere g oing to the same Sunday sc hool when w e w ere 15 years old, but June wouldn’t even look in m y direction. It took four more years of being persistent before she w ould even speak to me.” They both laugh o ver the way they for mally met when June’s brother invited Bob into their home . It tur ned out that June and her mother had tak en raw whipped eg gs and r ubbed them on their faces to tone their skin. “I w alked in and J une and her mother had this stuff all over their faces ,” says Bob , chuckling. “I knew June wanted me to g o a way fast, so before she could slam me out the door, I asked her out.” June agrees that she said yes to g et Bob out of the house quickly. Although they dated for
Colleen Elwy/Clayton Pioneer
JUNE AND BOB CASE at their Diamond Terrace home
Photo courtesy of Bob and June Case
June and Bob were married in a simple ceremony at their minister’s home in March 1937.
more than two more years, June was unsure of their relationship at times , but Bob knew what he wanted. “One Saturday night, I was at June’s house and the whole family w as in bed, ” says Bob, smiling at the memory. “I knew this was a time that June wouldn’t scream at me and wake up her whole family , so I asked her to marry me.” They were mar ried in 1937 and li ved in Montclair , where they had their two sons, Ronald and Roger. Now, they have four grandchildren and fi ve g reat grandchildren. Bob’s career always involved the automobile business, where he first started working on cars and ev entually became a par tner in tw o local dealerships . “From the time I w as 5 years
old,” Bob says with a smirk, “I had tw o interests in m y life-cars and girls.” June smiles , knowing that she was the one who captured his heart. June g raduated in business from Heald Colleg e and has been a devoted wife and mother. During World War II, Bob was a sergeant in the Army stationed stateside . Bob literally worked both da y and night to pay off his mor tgage before being drafted, as he didn’t want June worrying about pa yments while he was gone. Their hard w ork and dev otion to each other is something we all yearn to hear more about these da ys. “Today, things are different and people need more focus,” states June. “Our spiri-
tuality and religious bac kground has k ept us strong all these years. It is a v ery important thing in our lives that saved us from so many problems. “As we grew and saw different things working out through our pra yer life , we just knew that w as the basis of everything,” she adds . “I didn ’t always know what a jew el Bob was in m y life when I w as younger. And he still is today.” June and Bob are enjo ying their new home for the last four months at Diamond Terrace. Since retiring 30 years ago and mo ving locally , Bob has had a mor tgage business and been in volved in making stained glass pieces . June learned to ride a bicycle at ag e 60 and has also enjo yed recreational boating with Bob. They both w ere in volved in the Coast Guard A uxiliary classes and Bob taught boating safety. “That was a fun time in our lives,” says Bob. “It was a complete get-away for us both.” Bob’s passion the past 10 years has been writing poetr y and he enjo ys ha ving others read his w ork. He shares a humorous poem he wrote for their 68th anni versary that starts out with him “drooling over a new car that speaks to him and tells him he m ust buy it.” After saying goodbye to his old car on their anniversary and hopping into the new one , Bob’s poem ends with: “I then w ent to get J une in sheer luxury, She was sur prised, but as happy as could possibly be. I have had many cars in my long years of life, But I’m pleased and contented to have but one wife.”
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As winter approaches, make sure your garden is ready Clayton Valley yards and gardens ha ve a few demands that need to be fulfilled before the winter season begins. It is time to tend to citr us, camellias, azaleas, gardenias, tropical plants and y our la wn. This month, we need to apply fertilizer and gi ve micron utrients to our plants, helping them sustain life through the cold months. Care will mak e them stronger, with health y foliag e and robust blooms . Strong plants also have a greater chance of fighting off the elements such as cold w eather, ants and scale. Citrus trees and shr ubs should have immature fr uit and some late blossom this time of year. Considering all that is expected from citr us, we g ardeners ha ve to lend a helping
hand, especially when the plants are less than 7 years old. When was the last time y ou fed your lemon, orange or lime trees? Y our answ er will determine y our course of fertilizing action. If you last fed y our citrus in early spring, you should consider a dose of citrus food. The extra nitrog en will encourage tender new g rowth, which may be vulnerable to frosty conditions, but the positi ves outweigh the negatives. If your citrus has had regular feedings during the growing season, a bud and bloom fer tilizer should be applied. Usually, the combination of ingredients will look something lik e 0-10-10. This product lac ks nitrog en, focusing on fr uit and root development, and pest and disease tolerance. Iron and sulfur are micronu-
trients that also should be applied no w. High amounts of iron and sulfur are necessary for the tree or shr ub to retain its dark, green leathery foliage. At this time , your citr us should ha ve Cloud Co ver to prevent foliage dehydration during frost. If your tree or shrub is young and has m ultiple fruit on each branc h, think about removing the smallest fr uit so the plant can focus on a few. Camellias and azaleas need almost the same sor t of care this time of year. Did you regularly feed y our acid-lo ving shrubs this g rowing season? If you w ere dilig ent, now is the time to apply y our first application of 0-10-10. If you cannot remember when y our last feeding took place, you need to feed with a food designed for acidloving plants. Choose wisely, as
Whether buying, selling or refinancing when you’re calling this number, you’re calling the right number Linda Miller
Realtor, Loan Consultant
NICOLE HACKETT
GARDEN GIRL some combinations are higher in nitrog en then the others . Adding an iron supplement is encouraged at this time to k eep all plants’ leaves green. Resist the urg e to culti vate around acid-loving plant’s roots. The shallo w-rooted plants are easily damaged when disrupted. Clayton Valley g ardens have enjoyed months of blooms out of their g ardenia plants this spring and summer . Now it is time to gi ve bac k to the plant that has given so much of itself. Feed y our g ardenias with acid
See Garden, page A11
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There’s a massi ve amount of turnover g oing on at Cla yton Valley High School. For a variety of reasons, teachers ha ve engaged in a mass ex odus from campus. As I w as filling out an application for Senior W omen, a community ser vice g roup, I needed to find three teac hers who could v ouch that I w ould make a g ood member. Mentally, I ran through the lists of teachers I had in past years. However, most of them w ere no long er teachers at Clayton Valley. Of the 15 teac hers I had in my previous three years, 9, or 60 percent, have left CV. To be fair , not all ha ve left because of a lack of job satisfaction. Some have left for medical or personal reasons , and others left because they w ere offered
jobs at the administrative level. Whatever the reasons , the absence of a larg e n umber of teachers has had ramifications . The district did not hire enough teachers to re place them, which amounted to pandemonium in scheduling. When the schedule was being laid out last summer , it w as evident that there w as going to be a lack of teachers. However, the schedule w as planned with the assumption that those classes that exceeded the maxim um enrollment would miraculously become less cro wded, presumably from students dropping out or moving. Plus, there w ere more incoming students then initially expected. This incor rect notion w as even applied to m y Adv anced Placement (AP) Economics and Government class, which is sup-
School News LIGHTS! C AMERA! A CTION! Students at D VMS are busy putting the finishing touc hes on their films and music videos in preparation for their “Super Shor t Film Fest” later this month. Aspiring Coppolas and Lucases ha ve been invited to submit a short (three min utes) film or m usic video to be considered for showing at the festival. Each film or video will be filmed b y, written by or will feature DVMS students and the festival films will be selected by an independent committee for a lunch time showing in mid-October.
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Ted Hall prepares to shoot a scene from his Super Short Film Festival entry, “Ratzilla.”
MT. DIABLO ELEMENTARY Mt. Diablo Elementar y School’s 2007 Gift W rap Fundraiser started Oct. 2 and runs through Oct. 13. Anyone
can order from QSP R eader’s Digest’ selection of gift wrap , chocolates and par ty w are. To order go to www.QSP.com. Enter school code 710327732 or type
Garden, from page A10
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food and apply iron to retain green leaf. Pinch back blooms to encourage a dense plant. Spray with Cloud Cover to prevent any frost damage and remember not to cultivate. Gardeners who lo ve tropical plants need to pa y a little attention to their tender friends . Feed with an org anic fer tilizer designed for tropical plants and palm trees. Apply iron for color – yes ev en on the palms . Apply a
STRAIGHT LINE IMPORTS Fabrication and Installation of:
thick la yer of mulch around plant base to w arm up the roots. Spray Cloud Co ver to help prevent frost damage. As winter ar rives and the temperature drops , resist the desire to remo ve bro wn, dry foliage. The dying lea ves protect the rest of the plant, and most importantly, its roots. If frost is threatening the area, apply more Cloud Co ver and w ater the g arden.
posed to mimic a colleg e lev el class. Well, it’s hard to w ork at a college level if you have to sit on a counter for almost a month, as some students did before an additional AP class was created. However, that w as not the most eg regious er ror to come out of the faulty sc heduling. Some students ha ve had their schedules c hanged around and around and around. Some weren’t placed in AP classes they wanted, while others were placed in AP classes they hadn ’t requested. Some w ere perfectly happy with their sc hedule, but then had it completely altered, sometimes lea ving them with a hole in their schedule. I don ’t think it’ s possible to create a sc hedule that w ouldn’t require minor tw eaking at the beginning of the year . And, by
“Mount” Diablo Elementar y. Orders over $55 are shipped free and will ar rive in No vember, or talk to y our elementar y student next door because c hildren will be eligible for g reat prizes based on their sales . Contact marybethcook1@aol.com with any questions. CLAYTON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL Principal Gar y Sw anson w as presented with a c heck for o ver $22,000 b y P arent F aculty Club President Melinda Moore at Back to Sc hool Night Se pt. 22. The money w as raised b y the PFC with a larg e donation coming from the Cla yton Business and Comm unity Association. On order are 20 new computers, flat screen monitors and computer tables for a new mini lab in the school library. The district has refinished the gym f loor with a beautiful new eagle in the center . There are also new tennis cour ts with bleachers. The new parent-comm unity funded security camera system continues to successfully aid in the identification of vandals as well as deter the incidence of vandalism on campus. Lawn care this time of year also is impor tant. Winter brown lawns are all too common, yet simple to a void. First, you need to fertilize. Lawn food should be adjusted during the fall and winter months to include less nitrogen. We do not w ant vulnerable blades of grass getting nipped by the frost. You need tw o different bags of food for y our la wn – one to be used Marc h-September and the other October -February. Two applications of fall and win-
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DEIRDRE RUSCITTI
CVHS REPORTER all means , it could ha ve been much worse. My schedule tur ned out perfect, and I’m enjo ying all of my classes. I was even lucky enough to g et an early mor ning class , which is a rare luxur y. But I was fortunate, unlike too many students. If the district mak es it as hard for teac hers to teac h as it does for students to learn, it’s no wonder so many teac hers ha ve decided to leave.
For comments or questions contact Deirdre at CVHS@claytonpioneer.com
The CVHS Ann ual Homecoming parade will be Wed. Oct. 11 from 4 – 6 p.m. on Main Street in Clayton. The Academic P erformance Index (API), based on STAR test results, grew 17 points, from 701 to 718 betw een spring 2005 and spring 2006. The API rang es from 200 to 1000. The statewide goal for all schools is 800. CVHS set a growth target of five points and ac hieved w ell o ver that mark. Go to www .greatschools .com, put in Cla yton V alley High Sc hool and clic k on test results and it is all there , per the California Dep. of Education. SUBSTANCE ABUSE POSTER CONTEST The Ann ual Substance Abuse Poster Contest sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Concord Council, is in full swing. Age g roups are 8-11 and 12-14 in tw o categ ories, “drug” or “alcohol. ” Call the n umber below for contest r ules. Use art to show why it is not cool to use any form of drugs or alcohol. For more infor mation contact Claire Tryon, Knights of Columbus, 925-673-8564 or at greyeototo@sbcglobal.net. The contest deadline is Jan. 25, 2007. ter lawn food will give you a great looking lawn all winter long. Now is also the time to apply iron and sulfur to y our g rass. Your g reen blades will mak e all your neighbors jealous . There’s no need to use a la wn food with weed killer this time of year, so save that product for the early spring. 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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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
October 6, 2006
Enter autumn, just ‘As You Like it’ JEANNA ROSS Special to the Pioneer
Theater Review What: “As You Like it” Where: California Shakespeare Theater, 100 Gateway Blvd., Orinda When: Through Oct. 15 Call: 510-548-9666 The Califor nia Shak espeare Theater season comes to a rollicking conclusion with tw o varied productions b y William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice” and “As You Like It.” “Venice,” one of the Bard’s most controversial plays, experienced a thought-pro voking transformation in the hands of director Daniel Fish. Even those familiar with this “comedy” find issues to contemplate , as a jaded, upper-class, bored Christian society tur ns their talons on the (literally) dumpster-dwelling J ewish comm unity, who find that while the grass may look g reener on the other side of the fence , it’s actually
Photo courtesy of Carla Befera and Co
Oliver (Hector Correa) and Orlando (Stephen Barker Turner) in Cal Shakes’ As You Like It
just synthetic turf that feels rather scratchy under the feet. In this v ersion, the harsh message w as emphasized b y extreme sets , a m ultimedia presentation (including a segment from the 2004 Al P acino film v ersion) and an almost
paparazzi-like videog rapher following the expressions of primary reactionaries. With an intensity not seen in any of the comedic productions this year , Fish twists this piece from a stor y of racial identity to a tale of class ar ro-
Boyce Nichols - Owner - Clayton resident
gance and self-deceit – a message far more per tinent to our modern audiences. The pieces w ere alw ays there – none of the w ords changed – but the stor y
While helping out a pair of incompetent piano mo vers, which results in the piano falling down sev eral f lights of stairs and g oing hor rifically out of tune, we meet Ste phanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg), Stephane’s new neighbor. Soon, he falls for her. The problem is that Stephane can ’t se parate his dreams from reality . This becomes especially detrimental as he misses a da y of work because in his dream, he’s there. In betw een the real w orld and the dream w orld, Stephane hosts what is essentially a cooking sho w where dreams are made. The walls are co vered in egg car tons, the cameras and
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Gael Garcia Bernal in “The Science of Sleep”
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most of the set pieces are made of cardboard but someho w he has a blue screen. Here he imagines events of the day and literally everything is fair g ame – be it a faulty beard-trimmer or a conversation with Guy (Alain Chabat), his one-trac k minded co-worker. In these dream sequences , we’re treated to Gondr y’s talent for stop-motion animation and subsequent humor. Stephane has so many selfserving encounters with Stephanie in his dreams that their relationship in reality is affected by it. He begins accusing her of things that never happened. Stephanie is admirably tolerant of Stephane’s quirkiness. Gainsbourg is not the knockout female lead we’re used to seeing in films . Arguably, to buy Ste phane’s interest in her , she should be physically appealing yet Ste phanie is tall, awkward, pale, skinny, has larg e front teeth, wears really fuzzy sweaters and jeans that are loose by Hollyw ood standards . She’s not particularly shapely and is in her mid-30s . Guess what, she’s beautiful. She looks lik e a real person and Gondr y, understanding the
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Simply put, ‘The Science of Sleep’ is my favorite film so far this y ear The other night, I had this crazy dream in which I was playing in a roc k band with m y coworkers, only I was dressed in a koala bear suit and pla ying drums with paint br ushes. Completely nonsensical. Leave it to v eteran m usic video director Mic hel Gondr y (who also directed “Eter nal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”) to mak e sense of the nonsensical in “T he Science of Sleep.” After his father’ s death, Stephane (Gael Garcia Ber nal) moves from Mexico to P aris to live with his mother . She lands him a tedious job with a calendar-making fir m and lies about it to sweeten the deal.
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power of natural beauty, makes no effort to doll her up. Bernal gi ves one of my favorite perfor mances of the year. It’s too understated to g et the recognition it deser ves, though in one moment he received a sim ultaneous “a we” from a nearly sold-out 10 p .m. crowd in San Francisco. If you’ve ever made a showstopping er ror amidst a courtship and lear ned anything from it, this film will lik ely resonate with you. “The Science of Sleep” is a beautiful film that deserves to be seen. I’m looking forw ard to seeing this film a second time . As the credits rolled, I wondered if any of his dreams clev erly passed themselves off as reality. Jim Briggs is a composer and music teacher. He has a BA in Jazz Composition from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. He writes film r eviews for online magazine Dissolver . Send comments to movies@claytonpioneer.com.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com
The curious art of sushi
Cruise Adventures Unlimited Serving all cruise lines since 1987
Most of us equate ra w fish with sushi. While that is basically tr ue toda y (some v ersions contain cook ed seafood and others are v egetarian), it definitely w as not the nor m about 2,000 years ago in China, where sushi evolved. The Chinese dev eloped a method of preservation in which fish w as pressed between slabs of cooked rice and allo wed to fer ment. When it came time to consume the fish, the rice was discarded. The process took quite a while – from a few months to as much as a year. When sushi spread to the Chinese coast, nori (seaweed) w as added along with various types of pickled fish. The J apanese adapted most of these tec hniques during the 7th centur y, but the biggest distinction was that they ate the rice along with the fish. In the early 1600s , a food v endor in Tokyo (called Edo at that time) began seasoning rice with wine vinegar and using raw fish. The dish w as ser ved for immediate consumption, instead of waiting for months for the fermentation process. The J apanese elev ated sushi to an ar tform. Expert c hefs, known then and no w as itamae, developed food pairings based on color, texture and taste. They added additional seasonings such as wasabi, ginger and miso to the typical vinegared rice. The ar rangement of the plate in the hands of a master itamae is g enerally symbolic of earth, mountain and sk y. Some chefs insist on patter ning the items. Sashimi (raw fish eaten by itself) is ser ved only in odd numbers because even numbers are considered unluc ky for this dish, while sushi is alw ays served in pairs.
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Page A13
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To add some more words to your sushi v ocabulary, nigirizushi is a piece of fish laid on top of a small tube-shaped bit of sushi rice . Wasabi paste is often used to help the fish
adhere to the rice . Maki is a rolled for m, with nori encasing a la yer of sushi rice wrapped around fish, tofu or v egetables. A Califor nia roll, however, has the rice on the outside and the nori for ming the la yer betw een the rice and vegetables. You may also have seen temaki, where the filling is placed into coneshaped nori. Most of the time, the wasabi we Americans get in restaurants and ev en specialty g rocery stores is not authentic but instead is made of domestic horseradish with m ustard and green food coloring. Fish selection for sushi is virtually unlimited, although fresh v arieties of tuna, salmon and shrimp are American favorites. I’ve heard that bluefin tuna (a hug e fish that w eighs from 250 pounds to more than
Theatre, from page A12
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revealed secrets previously unexplored. A host of CalShakes veterans took to the stag e in this production, with standout Danny Sc heie (in his third show this season) as the treacherous Lancelot Gobbo . Broadway v eterans Andrew Weems and Da vid Chandler stepped into the roles of the Merchant and Shylock, respectively, playing eerie foils to each other’s characters. Shylock’s tenacity in exacting his rev enge was countered by Antonio’s lack of resistance in acce pting his fate , yet w e saw a cor relation in their solitary miser y. In the end, a melancholy per vades as
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despair w as pushed aside in favor of blind ignorance and no one experienced a tr ue “happy ending.” A depressing thought, perhaps, but fascinating nonetheless and a rather fresh tactic for this increasingly difficult comedy of hate. The cur rent offering, “As You Lik e It, ” plays lik e an homage to the approac hing autumn – with an evocative set of barren trees , an enor mous harvest moon and tree stump steps. Since the sun no w sets before curtain, take a moment during the dimmer scenes to gaze up at the canopy of stars and hear the cric kets c hirp in the sur rounding w oods. It is
a ton) used to sell for a penny a pound for use in cat food 25 years ago. Today, however, it will sell for up to $50 a pound because of its popularity in sushi and sashimi. Sushi didn’t g ain much of a foothold in American cuisine until the 1980s , but it is no w a booming industr y with c hain grocery stores suc h as Safeway introducing tak ehome sushi bars. More and more people are lear ning how to mak e it at home with the help of sushi kits. Because most sushi recipes use raw fish, it is important to know your fishmonger to ensure the freshest, disease-free fish g oes into y our recipes. Technically, the w ord sushi refers to cold, seasoned stic ky rice , which is easy to make. SUSHI RICE 2 c short-grain sticky rice 2¼ c water 3 Tbsp rice wine vineg ar 1 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt Rinse rice and cook on stovetop or in one of the newfangled fuzzy logic mac hines that know how to cook a variety of rice. Meanwhile, combine vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan o ver medium heat. Heat and stir until sug ar is fully dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allo w the mixture to cool. Spread hot, cooked rice over large cookie sheet or wide-bottomed pan and sprinkle cooled vinegar sauce o ver it, carefully folding it over to avoid breaking the g rains. Use a fan to rapidly cool the rice , which should form a glossy appearance. Note: Short-grain sticky rice is a vailable at T rader J oe’s, and
easy to imagine oneself escaping to Arden. The beautiful costumes and creati ve lighting suppor t this vision, but while a mo vable lighting g rid kept a raised platform lit, it created an obvious stumbling bloc k for the actors. I contin uously found myself cringing in expectation of broken ankles. As in most Shak espearean comedies, there are love triangles, cross-dressing w omen, misunderstandings and oldfashioned ba wdiness. But the real treat in this production is the m usic, written b y Gina Leishman. The cast members occasionally sing and dance with exuberance , but it is in the haunting underscores that the bass, violin and accordion trio tr uly captures our attention.
LINDA WYNER
FOOD
FOR
THOUGHT
most natural food and specialty Asian stores. There’s so m uch more to discuss about sushi, so sta y tuned for Part 2 in the next edition. Linda W yner is an accomplished chef and “foodie.” She will be opening her kitchen stor e and cooking school in Pleasanton soon. W atch the Pioneer for details. Direct your sug gestions or questions to lwyner@claytonpioneer.com
What’s your Thanksgiving story?
Last year , I reminisced about the traditions , foibles, fun and recipes dev eloped over years of Thanksgiving celebrations in my household. This year , I’d lik e readers to contribute their stories , traditions and recipes. Brief anecdotes and ev en longer contributions (no more than 500 w ords) will be reviewed. If accepted, your submission will be published in the No v. 17 issue of the Pioneer . Please Email me at
lwyner@claytonpioneer.com
OOPS-There w as a technical glitch with the Email address published in the last issue and I was not r eceiving any Email for several w eeks. So , if you sent something for the Thanksgi ving issue, please SEND IT AGAIN.
There are sev eral standout performances in the production, particularly those actors playing double roles . L. Peter Callender excels as the brother dukes. As for the solo ar tists, Dan Hiatt recei ved his share of chuckles as T ouchstone and Susannah Shulman admirably tac kles one of Shakespeare’s most complex heroines. In order to facilitate a dialogue between the members of the audience, Artistic Director Jonathan Moscone added a discussion board, available at www.calshakes.org, for conversation on the themes and stereotypes. Combined with the actor blogs , podcasts and Shindig coc ktail hours , it is almost possible to forg et that this is all in homag e to a 442year-old playwright
Fall into Autumn at R & M It’s time to get your home ready for holiday entertaining. Come see our gorgeous collection of American Heritage and Tuscan Traditions. Servers, lidded casseroles, tureens, decorative plates and two-tiered stands. Let us help you create the perfect tablescape for your kitchen and dining room. The place for fine gifts, patio and garden furniture, spas, barbeque islands and a quality nursery.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
October 6, 2006
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Clayton Market Update
ING D N PE
Windmill Canyon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$649,000 Black Diamond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$525,000
Mortgage Market Update
Conforming $417,000 or less
Jumbo $417,001 and up
30 year, fixed for 3 . . . . . . . .6.25% 30 year, fixed for 5 . . . . . . . .6.25% 30 year, fixed for 7 . . . . . . . .6.25% 30 year, fixed for 10 . . . . .6.3755% 15 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.125% 30 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.325%
30 year, fixed for 3 . . . . . . .6.375% 30 year, fixed for 5 . . . . . . .6.375% 30 year, fixed for 7 . . . . . . . . .6.5% 30 year, fixed for 10 . . . . . .6.625% 15 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.25% 30 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.75%
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 1049 Kenston Drive 303 Saclan Terrace 3405 Coyote Circle 365 Blue Oak Lane 202 Round House Pl 1391 Yosemite Circle 3905 Coyote Cir 711 Acorn Drive 235 Mountaire Pkwy 1131 Peacock Creek Dr 32 Jalalon Place 1291 Shell Circle 5640 Southbrook Dr 4021 Hummingbird Wy 1328 Shell Lane 1126 Peacock Creek Dr
PRICE $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 $940,000 $659,980 $495,000 $1,100,000 $610,000 $690,000 $455,000 $1,055,000 $885,000 $1,085,000 $524,000 $625,000 $775,000 $839,00 $539,000 $1,265,000
SALE DATE
SF
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 07/20/06 07/18/06 07/11/06 07/07/06 07/07/06 06/30/06 06/29/06 06/28/06 06/26/06 06/26/06 06/25/06 06/23/06 06/23/06 06/17/06 06/15/06 06/09/06
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 2,807 1,991 1,252 2,981 1,749 1,734 1,026 2,836 2,960 2,748 1,235 1,709 1,986 2,315 1,430 3,820
BED/BATH 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 4/2 3/2.5 2/2.5 4/2.5 3/2.5 3/1.5 2/2 3/3 5/3 4/2 2/2 3/3 4/2 4/2.5 3/2.5 4/2.5
CLAYTON PIONEER October 6, 2006
Section B
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page B1
Checking out the royals – from Elizabeth to Shak espeare Americans often think of the United Kingdom in ter ms of romantic novels, fairy tales of jousting knights and faithless queens and distant images of craggy cliffs and hilltop castles. Much of that still exists, yet much has changed in this moder n country (which is smaller than the state of Oregon). Come with me as I explor e the bustling beauty of southern England. JEANNA ROSS Special to the Pioneer
As I contin ued to explore the outskir ts of London’s metropolitan spra wl, I spent a morning wandering through the halls of Windsor Castle – home to England’ s cur rent monarc h, Queen Elizabeth II. Since Windsor Castle is “home” and Buckingham Palace is “the office” (according to our Windsor guide), I decided that this cozy, country hamlet w as a better use of my money than the ridiculous lines that surround Buc kingham during the summer visitor’ s season, when queen and company head for their retreat in Scotland. The exterior villag e of Windsor that surrounds the castle looks rather lik e a fair y-tale that was run over by a shopping mall. Quaint teahouses stand beside imposing for tress w alls, and an impressi ve, glassed train station stands adjacent. Since the ro yals no long er tra vel b y rail, the antique steam engine sits forlor nly on displa y off to the rear, while the once-bustling terminal now holds suc h stores as Nine W est and F rench Connection. Oh, what a tra vesty. The interiors w ere m uch more impressi ve, although the fleet of cars park ed in v arious lots w as also jar ring. Gorgeous gardens fill the empty moats ,
and the State Apar tments are bursting with treasures g athered by centuries of travelers. My fa vorite moment w as coming face to face with the royal por traits that ha ve so dominated our idea of these people. Elizabeth I, Henry VIII, Edward VI and Georg e IV all stared out from centuries-old canvases. A quic k glance off the battlements rev eals Eton Colleg e less than a half mile away, which goes far to explain wh y it has always been used as the educational arena for the nation ’s princes. The city of Oxford was next on m y list. While I found it pleasant, it resembled most universities on summer break – quiet. Again, the city boasted an array of modern shops , most catering to the student population, though the colleg e itself was a treat for the senses . With the same butter-colored walls as Bath, the buildings are in accord throughout the campus . Heavy gates se parate the public from the pri vate colleg e campuses within, but the dark wrought iron look w as more pleasantly decorative than imposingly restrictive. Many of the buildings interiors have been used for locations in the “Harry Potter” film series, but I didn ’t traipse through them, thinking that just a tad
Photo by Jeanna Ross
University of Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking world, is comprised of 39 self-governing colleges.
touristy for m y tastes (though that sensibility did not stop me from visiting King’ s Cross Station to see Platfor m 9 ¾.) Finally, my countr y tra vels ended at the lo vely hamlet of Stratford-Upon-Avon and the long-awaited tributes to William Shakespeare. Within a few hours, I had visited the home of his wife , Anne Hath away, his own bir thplace in Stratford, his grave at Holy T rinity Churc h and the monument to the writer and his c haracters on the ri ver shores. The city, home to the R oyal Shakespeare Company’ s Complete Works F estival 2006, practically exhales theater from every pore. Gift shops surround the major attractions, and shops
are named after lines in plays (or characters, or titles). I ate at Marlowe’s R estaurant, named for Shak espeare’s writing contemporary. The only place I ha ve ev er been that felt so appreciati ve of the Bard’s g enius w as the city’ s twin in Stratford, Ontario. That night, in a perfect ending to a perfect w eek of arts exploration, I sa w P atrick Stew art rumble as Prospero in “T he Tempest” in m y fifth production of the week. London theater is an eclectic mix of modern and antique , famous and unkno wn, musical and play – much like New York City, though the “one city” theory helps actors tra verse the border betw een film, theater
and television with m uch greater ease. Many of our favorites originated there , including “Phantom of the Opera” (now in its 20th consecuti ve year), “Mamma Mia” and “Evita. ” Others, including “Wic ked,” “Footloose,” “Blue Man Group,” “Avenue Q” and “Guys and Dolls” (starring P atrick Swayze), have skipped in the opposite direction. The highlight of my theatergoing experience , though, was based on a 2000 BBC film, “Billy Elliot: The Musical.” For this stor y about an 11-year -old boy combating the disinteg ration of his family with an unexpected ballet class , the producers ha ve opened a sc hool to
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train future casts . A slew of dancing c hildren share the lead and c horus role , and they are phenomenal. The stag e pulses with emotion to music by Elton John and Lee Hall. The stag e production is directed and c horeographed by Ste phen Daldr y and P eter Darling, respectively, the same men who helmed the film. I laughed, I cried – I came home and rented the mo vie again. After hearing the wind whispering through the trees and birds chirping for several days, it was time to head bac k to the mad chaos that was London. An entire city of adventure awaited my return.
Page B2
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
October 6, 2006
Clayton Sports Diablo Bowmen right on target with archery range JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
For a small to wn, Clayton has ste pped up to the plate in the past few years to flex its athletic muscle. Clayton resident Erin Dobratz sw am her w ay to Olympic bronze with the U .S. Synchronized Swim T eam in Athens in 2004. Oakhurst resident Cla yton T anner, a lefthanded pitc her from De La Salle High School, signed a professional baseball contract with the San F rancisco Giants . Clayton’s own Nick Moresi w as a third round pic k b y the Houston Astros in the 2006 Major League baseball draft in June. Most recently , Kristian Ipsen won a g old medal in the 1-meter event in the Fina Junior World Diving Championships in Malaysia. Now people from all o ver the state ha ve tur ned their eyes toward Clayton’s 52-acre private archery range nestled in the Mt. Diablo Hills off Morgan Territory R oad. Run b y the Diablo Bo wmen Arc hery Club, the rang e is one of Clayton’s best-kept secrets . Although the club has been around for some 50 years and the arc hery rang e was constr ucted in 1966, not many people in the area kno w about this family sports venue. “It’s one of the most soughtafter rang es in the state for its terrain,” says club member and food committee c hair Diane Montanez. She describes the four-course rang e as “up and downhill, very challenging.” The Diablo Bowmen hosted the State Field Championships in June, attracting arc hers from all o ver Califor nia. The club even has its o wn celebrity , Angela Moscarelli, who is the youngest arc her to mak e a U .S. World Team and the youngest in the history of the sport to win a World gold medal, at age 13.
DIANE MONTANEZ
To make the rang e and club more user -friendly among locals, the Diablo Bowmen Club will open its doors to the public from 8 a.m. to 3 p .m. Sunday, Oct. 8. There will be tours of
photos by Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
DIABLO BOWMEN CLUB PRESIDENT, ROCKY CAPEHART helps Clayton resident Arlene Nielsen with her pull and stance at a practice session. the rang e, archery lessons and lunch, plus a Club Shoot star ting at 9 a.m. The cost is $6 per person. ALL SKILL LEVELS WELCOME On any gi ven ev ening, you can find a g roup of adults and children, bows in hand, getting personalized instr uction on technique, form and proper stance in the spor t of archery. “It doesn’t make any difference how good you are,” says Diablo Bowmen Club president R ocky Capehart, emphasizing that archery is a family sport open to all ages at all levels. “When you become a member, there is something for everyone,” he adds , listing camping oppor tunities, fun shoots and special ev ents plus the oppor tunity to lear n in a safe, supervised environment. Clayton residents Lani Kauten and her 22-year -old daughter J essi ha ve been club members for about a year . “It’s exhilarating and fun,” says Lani. “It opens y our mind and cleans it out,” Jessi c himes in. “It’s so close to home, just five minutes away,” adds Lani. Claytonian Nancy T opps
enjoys the practice and concentration associated with the sport of archery and the spectacular landscape that sur rounds the range in Clayton. COMPLICATED COURSES In simple ter ms, archery is the practice of using a bo w to shoot arrows.
Many of us are familiar with target arc hery, where arc hers shoot from v arious distances at targets called butts . The butt is covered with can vas with fi ve concentric circles , the innermost circle being the co veted bull’s eye. Clayton’s rang e is appro ved by the National Field Arc hery
Association, and the four , welldesigned courses can test ev en the most seasoned archer. The R egalia R ound is described as one of the tough-
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Fri. 4pm to 6pm, 11pm to 1am - Sat. 10pm to 1am
See Bowmen, page B4
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October 6, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Clayton Sports DVSC U11 Boys take first place at Sacramento United MISHA SAFRAN-DOIG Special to the Pioneer
Diablo Valley Soccer Clubs’ U11 Bo ys team (D VSC Blac k 95), coached b y J ohn Badg er, ran with a first place win at the Sacramento United Tournament, Sept. 23-24. Playing in the Gold category, two f lights of four teams eac h battled to be the best. DVSC Black 95 played w ell the entire weekend. The first game, against San J uan Lightening—with whom they tied at CalCup in the spring—was the most ex citing and the g reatest c hallenge. As the g ame approached the end
of its first half , a single g oal claimed victory for the team. This first victory shut out of 1-0 w as exactly what the bo ys needed to car ry them through their four hour break between games. The second g ame w as played on Saturda y and they won 5-0. Now, think about getting 16 eleven year old boys up and out to a field call of 7:5 a.m. on a Sunday mor ning. What might their g ame results be? W ell, DVSC Black 95 showed us they were indeed mor ning pla yers. With their third game win of 40, they were now just one game away from first place.
At 12:20 p .m., the whistle blows and DVSC Blac k 95 scored before I had opened open m y soccer umbrella. It happened so fast, spectator reaction w as slo w. Once ev eryone realized the g oal had been scored, DVSC families c heered and Ri ver City United Boca Families whispered to eac h other, “that was too easy.” The remaining 49 min utes was cer tainly a m uch more aggressive game. However, DVSC Blac k 95 held their 1-0 lead to become T ournament Champions with a 4-0 record. The team is pre paring for the State Cup this winter.
Page B3
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Series invitation The 13U Eagles finished 7th in the USSSA 13U AAA state rankings and qualified for a World Series ber th to re present its ag e g roup from Nor thern California for the 2006 tour nament season. The team included K evin Adams, Lucas Ar teaga, Derrick Bizicki, Jordon Burger, Salomon Cazares , Drew Crider, Andrew Deic hler, Jeff Doran, Sean Flanner y, Brian Hutfliess, Evan Langlois, Blake Simons, Peter Stoiber and Brandon V andal. Dave Deichler is the manag er, and Ron Burg er is the assistant coach. The team, representing the city of Clayton, played in Elk
Grove, Modesto, Redding, Concord, Martinez, Davis, Sacramento and Brentwood. Deichler will be sc heduling try-outs for the 14U team in October. He is looking for tournament-experienced pla yers who have the fundamental skills and are building baseball as a high priority going into the high school level. According to Deic hler, the Junior Eagles tak e pride in teaching baseball to its highest achievement for all pla yers at this ag e g roup and ha ve built a reputation of winning and teaching the g ame while leaving out the club politics. For more infor mation, call 457-2655.
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Page B4
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
October 6, 2006
Quirky YouTube finds its niche in home videos
ON
THE
NET
Bree seems lik e a nor mal teen. She talks about boys, complains about homew ork and contemplates sneaking out for parties. But Bree is different from most teen-ag e girls: She is an Internet superstar. Bree tells her stor y through videos on Y ouTube.com, a Website that allo ws people to upload shor t videos and share them with the w orld. Though her videos are only about tw o minutes long, Bree (who g oes by lonelygirl15) has attracted thousands of followers, catapulting her into the Inter net limelight. Her videos ha ve been viewed more than 13 million times, making her one of the most popular users on YouTube. The W ebsite is a testament to tec hnological adv ancement. Before Y ouTube w as founded in February 2005, it was difficult for ordinar y people to host bulky video files online . This site mak es it easy for any one with a webcam and proper software lik e Windo ws Mo vie Maker to sho wcase their talent,
Bowmen, from page B2
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
Clayton resident and club member, Jerry Mann has been shooting for the past three years at the Mt. Diablo range.
65-yard shot after a rather testy climb. Archers along the Cr use Round often r ub elbows with a few friendly deer. During tour naments, the snack bar is a w elcome respite from the demanding targ et shoots. Despite the c hallenging courses, Diablo Bowmen members alw ays w elcome new comers and design lessons for the novice archer. “Archery attracts par ticipants for v arious reasons ,” explains Capehar t. “Many g et involved in the nostalgia of it all.” He refers to arc hery’s ric h and colorful history, dating back to medieval times and infamous outlaw Robin Hood. The spor t hasn’t c hanged m uch o ver the years, although the equipment has become more sophisticated. The 100-member Diablo Bowmen Club is a di versified group, made up of beginners to advanced arc hers. During the club shoots on the second Sunday of the month, you’ll see
a v ariety of bows – from the simple stic k bo w to the more complex compound styles and custom designs. FUN FOR FAMILIES There is a popular children’s program r un b y vice president Greg T obler, who has org anized scouts and c hurch g roup activities at the rang e. One Mother’s Day, Tobler was teaching about a dozen scouts and by the end of the day, moms wanted to shoot too . “If you’re physically able to dra w a bo w, you can shoot,” Tobler explains. Clayton Community Library volunteer coordinator Arlene Nielsen just purc hased equipment for herself and her tw o children. “I’m open to anything,” she sa ys of the spor t and her in volvement in the Diablo Bo wmen Club . “It’s more of a personal spor t. It’s very social.” Nielsen w as intrigued with the idea of archery after hearing about the Diablo Bowmen during Cla yton’s J uly 4th celebration some years ag o. She
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technical amateurs . Goldentusk sings along to the “Super man” and “James Bond” themes, with hilarious results . Goldentusk’s videos are more adv anced than Smosh’s, as he emplo ys a g reen screen to project desired scenes during his songs. Another, more sophisticated YouTube user edits scenes from “Star W ars” and “T he Matrix” into a seamless production. The amount of creativity on YouTube makes the site a haven for budding filmmak ers, who can apply for a special director account that allo ws them to post videos without time constraints. One of YouTube’s big gest problems has been with users uploading copyrighted content. Many videos use popular songs for bac kground m usic, causing industry giants lik e Uni versal Music Group to demand millions in repayment. But many companies are learning that quirkiness pa ys. Around the time of the site’ s inception, a user posted a “Saturday Night Li ve” clip that quickly received millions of hits. At the time, NBC requested that YouTube remove the video. But after seeing the site’s popularity, NBC signed a deal with YouTube in June to upload pro-
motional videos. In September, Warner Music Group authorized Y ouTube to use m usic from its catalog in exchange for ad revenue. As popular as the site is , there are some dra wbacks. It turns out that Bree is not just a teen blog ger – she is an actress who reads from a script. The lonelygirl15 scandal caused much pain among Y ouTube users who had become emotionally invested in her stor y. Bree, whose real name is Jessica R ose Lee , intends to stick with the online series . Unfortunately, this rev elation has put the v alidity of other video bloggers into question. The site’s future is de pendent on whether it can mak e enough money to sta y viable . YouTube is increasingly relying on ads for rev enue, a tactic that may drive some users away. But for the moment, the site is etc hing its name in Inter net history, one video at a time.
dropped the idea for awhile but then saw an item about the club in the Cla yton Pioneer that piqued her interest once ag ain. Her kids enjo y spor ts, but they nev er really g ot ex cited about any one acti vity until now. This, combined with Nielsen’s need to “stretch some muscles” after recent surg ery, led her up the mountain to the range and a membership in the club. Nielsen’s c hildren recently volunteered their time painting targets for the Diablo Bowmen’s popular Boo Shoot on Oct. 29. The ev ent, which starts at 9 a.m., features 42 cartoon targets. “It’s a lot of fun,” says Montanez. The Boo Shoot includes breakfast and lunc h and an arc hery sw ap meet, so archers can “tr y it …. before you buy it,” explains Capehart. “They are g reat,” Nielsen says as she talks about Capehar t and Montanez. “They are so welcoming and so helpful. Greg has been w onderful with the kids,” she adds.
The camaraderie found within the Diablo Bo wmen Club comes up frequently in conversation. Clayton resident Jerry Mann has been a member of the club for fi ve years. After five hear t surg eries, Mann said one of his sons told him about archery. He’s been shooting for three years. “I like being outside and the mental discipline of archery,” he says. “There are a lot of good people here.” Clayton’s rang e w as built with a lot of muscle from club members. And m uscle continues to be important. Club members m ust commit to 20 hours of volunteer work. Membership fees are $85 for a family, $75 for individuals and $35 for seniors 62 and o ver. Unattached y outh fee is $20, and he/she m ust be sponsored by an adult. There is also a nonworking family fee of $300.
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For mor e infor mation on the Diablo Bowmen Club and the open house on Oct. 8, call Rocky Capehart at (916) 685-4640 or visit www.diablobowmen.org.
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or lack thereof, on the site. Once users create their account, or “channel,” YouTube allows them to upload videos to the site for free. The site imposes a limit of 10 minutes or 100 megabytes per video, though the time limit can be circumv ented at the cost of video quality. Users can also rate other videos and “subscribe” to channels, allowing them to k eep track of new videos easily. YouTube celebrates diversity in its videos, most of which are quirky, homemade productions. Many of the site’ s top-view ed videos reflect this. For instance , a video in which tw o teens lip-sync h the theme song from the animated show “P okemon” has more than 16 million views, making it the second highest w atched video on the site . The video’ s creators, who collectively g o by Smosh, recently signed a deal with Li veUniverse.com to produce monthly videos. But the highest subscribed channels belong to blog gers. Peter (g eriatric1927) is a 79year-old wido wer from the United Kingdom who posts videos about his life. With nearly 30,000 subscribers , he is second only to Bree in popularity. Not all Y ouTube users are
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673-5595; Fax: 674-1565 WOODEN' IT Tel:Contact Contact Bob Bob Maes, Maes, Owner Owner BE NICE Clayton resident
Locally owned and operated since 1987 Licenses 805733 and 803979
October 6, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
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Clayton Community Calendar PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M., OCT. 11 FOR THE OCT. 20 ISSUE. FAX TO 672-6580 OR E-MAIL calendar@claytonpioneer.com EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT THROUGH OCT. 7 Footloose: The Musical @ CTA Crossroads Theatre Based on the 1984 hit movie, Footloose tells the story of a free-spirited teen, Ren, who moves to a town where dancing is outlawed. With the support of the teenagers in town Ren takes on small-town small-mindedness to shake up the community. An exuberant story of families, healing and dancing. CTA Crossroads Theatre, 1277 Boulevard Way, Walnut Creek, 925-9440597, www.ctacrossroads.org. THROUGH NOV. 16 Patty Cakes and Picture Book Time @ Clayton Community Library Patty Cakes - 11 a.m. Tuesdays, story time for birth to 3 years. No registration required. Picture Book Time - 11 a.m. Thursdays, child may attend without parent. For 3 to 5 year olds. No registration required. 673-0659, Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton. Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 "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. OCT., 6, 10, 13, 17, 20, 24, 27, 31 Fitness With Jeff @ Diamond Terrace 11:45 a.m. - 12:45 pm. 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. OCT. 8, 15, 22, 29 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. OCT. 9, 16, 23, 30 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.
OCT. 10, 17, 24, 31 Famous Literary Works @ Diamond Terrace 5:30-6:30 p.m. Another not-to-miss special presentation and discussion group on Famous Literary Works of our times. Presented by Cathleen Blatt from Mt. Diablo Adult Education. OCT. 11 Creekside Artists Meeting @ Clayton Community Library 7p.m. Come and join this unique group of eclectic artists that meet the 2nd Wednesday of each month. All levels and all art forms are welcome! "We provide an environment for all artists to inspire, create, educate and prosper.” If you have questions call Arlene Kikkawa-Nielsen (925) 673-9777, email: akikkawa@ccclib.org. OCT. 11 Mt. Diablo Creek Watershed Planning Group Meeting @ Farm Bureau Hall 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Michael Wright, Concord Reuse Project Director, will provide an update on the city's planning process for the Concord Naval Weapons Station and how the Mt. Diablo Creek Watershed Planning Group can participate. Discussion will include recommendations on parks and trails. No charge. For more information, contact Jessica Hamburger, Contra Costa Resource Conservation District, 925-672-6522 x118, jessica.hamburger@ca.nacdnet.net, www.ccrcd.org. Farm Bureau Hall, 5554 Clayton Rd., Concord. OCT. 13 Flu and Pneumonia Shot Clinic @ Diamond Terrace 2:00-5:00 p.m. Free flu and pneumonia shots with Medicare Part B, Aetna, Secure Horizons, and Pacificare. All others cost is $25 for Flu Shots and $40 for Pneumonia Shots. RSVP by October 10 at (925) 524-5100. Space is limited. Sign up early. OCT. 13 - NOV. 5 Macbeth @ Diablo Valley College Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2:30 p.m. Macbeth, the last of Shakespeare's four great tragedies, is considered to be his darkest work and one of the most powerful. Director Ed Trujilo has set this supernatural tale of the lust for power in a post-apocalyptic world where civilization is on the precipice of collapse. Tickets are $10 - $15, box office 687-4445. DVC, Performing Arts Center, 321 Golf Club Road, Pleasant Hill. OCT. 14, 15 Used Book Sale @ Clayton Community Library Sat. Oct 14 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sun., Oct. 15 from 12 - 4 p.m. Clayton Community Library Foundation (CCLF) Members Only Preview Fri. Oct. 13 from 4 - 7 p.m. Memberships can be purchased at the door. Mark your calendar, this is the huge semi-annual book sale book lovers eagerly await. Most books $1. Half off most remaining books Sun. from 12 - 4 p.m. “$2 a Bag” Sun. from 2 - 4 p.m. Sponsored by the Clayton Community Library Foundation. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road. OCT. 14 Hospice of Contra Costa Foundation's Let's Make Magic" Gala @ Blackhawk Country Club, Danville. 6 p.m. Doug McConnell, of KRON4 Bay Area Backroads is the Master of Ceremonies, hosting a silent and live auction, dinner, cocktails and dancing. All proceeds from the event benefit the Hospice of Contra Costa Foundation, supporting the patients and families in the care of Hospice and Palliative Care of Contra Costa. Tickets are $175 per person. For information, or to make a reservation, please call (925) 887-5678. OCT. 16, OCT. 17 Diablo Valley College Drama Auditions for Songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein @ DVC 7 - 9 p.m. Callbacks Wed. Oct. 18 from 7 - 9 p.m. Auditions for Some Enchanted Evening: The songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein. Have a prepared Broadway or Tin Pan Alley type song, please bring your music. An accompanist will be present. Contact director for an audition slot at
bnewberg@dvc.edu. Performers with "different abilities" ("disabilities") are encouraged to participate. Performing Arts Center, Diablo Valley College, 321 Golf Club Road, Pleasant Hill. OCT. 18 Pajama Party "Mummy's Little Monster" Stories and Crafts @ Clayton Community Library 7 p.m. Wear your snuggly jammies to this Halloween themed story and craft program. Recommended for 3 to 6 year olds. Registration required. 6730659, Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton. OCT. 23 Ballot Propositions Pro and Con - League of Women Voters Forum @ Diamond Terrace Retirement Community 7:30 p.m. The Clayton and Concord Branches of the American Association of University Women are co-sponsoring this opportunity for education regarding the propositions which will appear on the Nov. 7 election ballot. Diamond Terrace Retirement Community 6401 Center St., Clayton.
CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS OCT. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 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. OCT. 8 Concord Mystery Book Club @ Concord Library 2:30 - 4 p.m. All mystery readers are invited to participate and explore a different genre each month. Group meets the second Sun. of the month. Concord Library, 2900 Salvio Street, Concord, 646-5455. OCT. 8 Archery Open House, Mt. Diablo Interested in learning more about the sport of Archery? Diablo Bowmen Archery Club in Clayton is opening its private range to the general public from 7:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Tours of the range, archery lessons and information will be available. Club shoot starts at 9 a.m. Archery lessons or Club shoot fees are $6.00 per person which will include lunch. For more information or directions to the Club: Call Greg Tobler at (925) 938-4782 or go to our website: www.diablobowmen.org. OCT. 8 Veterans of Foreign Wars Breakfast @ Veterans Memorial Hall, Concord 8 - 10 a.m. Give Mom a break and take her to breakfast. The menu includes eggs (prepared your way), pancakes, sausage, coffee and orange juice that will delight your palate. Invite your friends and neighbors. Veterans Memorial Hall, 2290 Willow Pass Road (and Colfax). OCT. 9 Stroke Support Group of Contra Costa County Meeting @ John Muir Hospital 7 - 9 p.m. Speaker will be Kate Hayner, Ph.D, Chair of Occupational Therapy at Samuel Merritt College. The topic will be "Description and Follow-up of Constraint Induced Movement Therapy Study". For more information, contact Ann Dzuna at 925-376-6218. Meetings are free and open to the public. Ball Auditorium at John Muir Hospital's Walnut Creek Campus, 1601 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek.. OCT. 10, 24 Clayton Valley Woman's Club Meeting @ Holy Cross Lutheran Church 9:30 a.m. coffee, 10 a.m. meeting. Plans for the upcoming Clayton Valley Kitchen Tour on Oct. 21 will be discussed. Clayton Valley Woman's Club meets on the second and fourth Tues. of the month. CVWC is a non-profit, non-denominational service organization. Local charities benefit from the donations of time and money made by the club's members. For information, please call Shirley at 672-1163. Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1092 Alberta Way, Concord. OCT. 10 Clayton Knitters @ Clayton Community Library 3 - 5 p.m. Old hand at kniting or just starting? Come join like-minded folks for an afternoon at the library. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton. OCT. 11 Creekside Artists Meeting @ Clayton Community Library 7p.m. Come and join this unique group of eclectic artists that meet the 2nd Wednesday of each month. All levels and all artforms are welcome! "We provide an environment for all artists to inspire, create, educate and prosper.” If you have questions call Arlene Kikkawa-Nielsen (925) 673-9777, email: akikkawa@ccclib.org. OCT. 11 Clayton Valley Garden Club @ Diamond Terrace 7 p.m. The Clayton Garden Club meets the second Wed.of the month. Every meeting has an informative program concerning some aspect of gardening. The Garden maintains the flowers on Daffodil Hill and Main Street, and the planters at the library. Anyone interested in gardening iss welcome at our meetings, Call Jeff at 672-7579 or Barry at 827-9540 for information. Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center Street, Clayton. OCT. 12 ,19, 26 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. OCT. 12, 19, 26 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. OCT. 17 Newcomers' Club Founder's Day Luncheon Oakhurst Country Club 11:45 a.m. The Newcomers' Club of Walnut Creek, a social organization for women established in 1961, will celebrate its 45th anniversary with a Founders' Day Luncheon. The luncheon will feature floral designer Jennifer Hildalgo from Orchard Nursery of Lafayette as the speaker. If you have questions about the club and would like more information, please call Membership Chairperson Vinita Ramsay at (925) 465-4961. Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Drive, Clayton.
OCT. 23 AAUW Meetings @ Diamond Terrace 7:30 p.m. The program will be on voter education, sponsored by both Clayton and Concord branches of AAUW, in conjunction with The League of Women Voters. Contact: Sue Kelson 925 672-0674 or Sheila Driscoll 925 672-7947 for information. Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center St. Clayton. OCT. 25 Blue Star Mom Meeting in Concord 6:30 p.m. Small group Blue Star Mom meetings held the 4th 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.
BUSINESS & GOVERNMENT OCT. 9 Landscape District Meetings @ Endeavor Hall 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. Endeavor Hall, 6008 Center Street, Clayton, CA. OCT. 10 Concord Chamber of Commerce @ Crowne Plaza, Concord 7:45a.m. Good Morning Concord Breakfast. Guest Speaker Meryl Natchez, CEO Tech Prose. $12 for Chamber members, $20 for non-chamber members. Crowne Plaza Concord, 45 John Glenn Drive, Concord. OCT. 10, 17, 24, 31 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. OCT. 10, 24 Planning Commission Meeting @ Clayton 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. OCT. 11 Newcomers' Club of Walnut Creek Building support and friendship for women new to the area. Are you looking for a way to make new friends, participate in fun activities and get acquainted with Walnut Creek and the Bay Area? Newcomers' Club of Walnut Creek provides this and more. We meet the needs of our active and growing membership. We meet for a welcome coffee the second Wed. of each month. For more information contact: Mindy Carson at 279-2295, Carroll Brooks at 935-7887, or after September 1, Membership Chairperson Vinita Ramsay at 465-4961. OCT. 12 Clayton Community Services Commission Meeting @ City Hall 7 p.m. City of Clayton Community Services Commission meets 2nd Thurs. of month. Open to the public. www.ci.clayton.ca.us 673-7304, Clayton City Hall Conference Room, 6000 HeritageTrail, Clayton. OCT. 17 Clayton City Council Meeting @ Clayton Community Library 6 p.m. City Council meets on the first and third Tues. of the month. Open to the public. Agendas posted at the following locations: City Hall, 6000 Heritage Trail, Clayton, Ohm's Bulletin Board, 1028 Diablo St., Clayton, Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Rd., Clayton. OCT. 17 Concord Chamber of Commerce Women in Business Lunch @ Black Angus Restaurant, Pleasant Hill 11:45 a.m. Women in Business Networking Lunch, Guest Speaker, Heidi Jacquin, CEO Twibbles. $20 for chamber members, $30 non-members. Black Angus Restaurant , Pleasant Hill. OCT. 19 Concord Chamber of Commerce After Hours Business Mixer @ Aegis Living, Concord 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. After Hours Business Mixer, Aegis Living 4756 Clayton Rd. Concord. OCT. 19 Veterans of Foreign Wars Meeting @ Veterans Memorial Hall, Concord 6:30 - 7 p.m. is get acquainted time, 7 p.m. meeting. VFW meets the third Thurs. of the month. All Veterans of foreign wars are invited to attend. The VFW is here to support eligible Veterans and their families. Wives and daughters of eligible Veterans are invited to join the Ladies Auxiliary. Meetings are held at Veterans Memorial Hall, corner of Colfax and Willow Pass Road, Concord. (925) 255-3449.
SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION OCT. 5 Parent Faculty Club Meeting @ Clayton Valley High School Library 7 p.m. Come to the first CVHS PFC meeting of the school year. Meet the 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. OCT. 11 Parent Faculty Club Meeting @ Diablo View Middle School 7 p.m. Meeting to be held in the school library. All parents welcome. Diablo View Middle School, 300 Diablo View Lane, Clayton. OCT. 17 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 Tuesday of the month, except December. 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/.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
donna’s gifts Find a special place in your home for Jack’s Pumpkin Carving Studio
Shop Pioneer Territory for
Quality Gifts and Collectibles
Dept. 56 Snowbabies for Holidays, Special days & Everyday
672-2440 Clayton Valley Shopping Center
now at Donna’s Gifts
15 % off
Storewide
Excludes certain collectibles.
Expires 12/24/06
October 6, 2006
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.
T
Computers USA 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 and $1499.95 for dual core. Call 672-9989
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
and ask for Will or anyone on his staff. 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 in-store 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. Weekends at the Cottage If Halloween is one of your favorite holidays, you won’t want to miss a visit to Weekends at the Cottage in Clayton Valley Shopping Center (next to Quiznos). “We have everything and anything related to Halloween”, says owner Sue Somers. Vintage witches, black cats, pumpkins, ghosts and strange creatures from Midwest of Cannon Falls. There’s even a Halloween Tree for that perfect table display. You’ll find wonderful samples of Vintage Paper Mache and decorative items to make your Thanksgiving festivities extra special. Christmas is just around the corner and Sue already has a great display of Swarovski crystal jewelry and more to come for delightful stocking stuffers. McCall’s country candles are very popular, so purchase yours now before they’re gone! Weekends at the Cottage is a must see for everyone on your Christmas and holiday list.
Visit Sue at her new location or call 672-0744 for more information. 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 on Nov. 1012 and 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 only. Don’t miss this opportunity 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. 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. From Halloween figurines like the popular Dept. 56, Jack’s Pumpkin Carving Studio to Snow Babies, Precious Moments and Boyd’s Bears. 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.
An eclectic collection of gifts, holiday & home decor & accessories.
Have an old-fashioned fall & Halloween Vintage witches, jack-o-lanterns, black cats and strange creatures from Midwest of Cannon Falls, Bethany Lowe, THT Designs and more! New Location now facing Ygnacio Valley Road. Clayton Valley Shopping Center 5434 Ygnacio Valley Road. #270 Concord, CA (925) 672-0744
Hours:
Tues - Fri, 10 - 6 Sat, 10 - 5, closed Sun & Mon
October 6, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
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Great Holiday Gifts 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, bat-
teries 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. Melanie’s Gifts and Inte ri ors 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. Watch for a few upcoming events with sales that will make your holidays a little merrier. Call Melanie at 672-0207 and ask about her special collections.
Seasonal Reflections This big, bright, beautiful, brand new holiday and party superstore is set to open Oct. 16 in Clayton Valley Shopping Center One step inside and it’s pure magic. There’s a year ‘round Halloween store with all things scream-y and scary and plenty of costumes for everyone in the family, including the dog and cat. There’s also a year ‘round Christmas store with wonderful custom lights, top brands like Dept. 56 and Polonaise, 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. 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 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 672-4425.
certi signi fied loan ng ag ents
$2.00 off UPS or Fed Ex Shipping (expires 11/17/06)
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
Stylish choices for your home, holiday and garden
Melanie's Gifts & Interiors At R&M Pool, Patio and Gardens Distinct collections Finely woven tapestry wall for tablescapes hangings Accent pieces for the Decorative candles, stands kitchen and dining room and holders Luxurious pillows & throws
Find that unique gift or treat yourself to something special 6780 Marsh Creek Road, Clayton
672-0207
(closed Mondays)
Big, beautiful, year ‘round
Holiday & Party Super Store in the Clayton Valley Shopping Center
Nearly 4,000 square feet of quality decorations and gifts for every holiday and party of the year Unique items you won’t find in the “big box” stores for Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, July 4 and many more Visit our
Christmas Room hundreds of ornaments and gifts from your favorite designers: Steinbach, Department 56, Polonaise, Fabriche, Mark Roberts, Hallmark and more.
Light up
We DARE you to enter our
Halloween Room with all things scream-y and scary. Full line of costumes for everyone in the family, including the dog and cat.
EVERY holiday
We have the biggest selection of holiday lights in the Bay Area. If we don’t have precisely what you want, we can custom make most anything for you. All custom lights are commercial grade and come on your choice of green or white cord.
Make a $75 purchase and receive a FREE 100-bulb premium Christmas light set. (Mention this ad, one per customer, offer expires Oct. 31, 2006)
John Sharapata Owner and Clayton Resident Visit our online store: seasonalreflections.com
5434 Ygnacio Valley Road, Ste. 130 in the Clayton Valley Shopping Center on the Washington Blvd. side.
672-4 4425, Open Mon - Sat, 9 - 9
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Dining Around 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
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.
Gourmet Subs owner Sadie Rangel-Nazzal
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 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 dressing.
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. This Sunday, treat yourself to brunch at LA VERANDA CAFE. This all inclusive Sunday Champagne Brunch will tempt you with some old favorites including a unique take on the old tried and true Joe’s Special--a scrumptious mix of sausage, spinach and eggs. And the Eggs Benedict will delight with its smooth and satiny Hollandaise. But there will be a few surprises, as well. Look for a light and luscious Chicken Piccata, chicken breast sauteed in white wine with lemon and capers or a gentle salmon with a light cream sauce. Salads will include fresh fruit and the personal favorite of many La Veranda fans, the Insalata Della Reina...baby greens with walnuts and gorgonzola tossed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil And those Sunday breakfast traditionalists will still be able to order eggs, omelets and buttermilk pancakes from the menu. All this is offered at $18 per person, $9 for children 6-12 and free for children under 6. Price includes champagne or sparkling cider, choice of fresh fruit juice, dessert and coffee. Brunch is served from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. La Veranda is open daily for lunch and dinner and serves a Northern Italian menu of pasta, pizza, chicken, veal and fish starting at $8.50 for Bruchetta with olive oil, fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil. Pasta dishes range from $9 for Penne All’arrabiata to $11.75 for Spaghettini Frutti di Mare. For reservations for brunch, lunch or dinner, call 524-0011. A little more on the casual side and a great place to take the kids is ROCCO’S RISTORANTE at 2909 Ygnacio Valley Road in Walnut Creek. Voted the
Crossword Puzzle
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 NEW 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. See you at Rocco’s.
1- Oxidize 5- Currency unit in Western Samoa 9- Captive soldier 12- Sewing case 13- Away
15- Israeli round dance 16- Final, ultimate 17- Founder of the Mogul Empire 18- Manipulator 19- Treacle 21- Sorrow
23- Land measure 24- Feline 25- Declared 28- Sporting competitors 33- Senate attendants 34- Drug-yielding plant 35- Split apart
layersand get P r e c Soc in unif or m a & cookie xp. 10/20/06 sod se e Come small ch pur cha E E R i F and w 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
C
We cat
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
L
ive music every Saturd 8:30 pm ay night 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
Watch all the games
Corporate Catering
8-10 out of market major league baseball games per night
2909 Ygnacio Valley Rd. at Oak Grove Rd. in Walnut Creek (925) 947-6105 • Fax (925) 947-6106 www.roccospizzeria.com
36- Period of history 37- Brightly colored lizard 38- Prefix with profit or fiction 39- Ireland 41- Action word 42- An eccentric person 44- Great energy 46- Haggle 47- Beverage commonly drunk in England 48- Dress often worn by Hindu women 49- Pours off leaving sediment 53- Filmic 57- Atop 58- Like granola 60- Close 61- Tidy, without fault 62- Cheerful 63- Therefore 64- Acquire 65- Obligation 66- Watched intently
DOWN
ACROSS
October 6, 2006
1- Waist band 2- Four Corners state 3- Trick 4- Salt of nitric acid 5- Knight wear 6- With speed 7- Test area 8- Greek god of war 9- Attitude 10- Minerals 11- Bloody conflicts
14- Windpipe 15- The constellation Orion 20- Locks up 22- Indian dish 25- Swiftness 26- Loiter 27- Once more 28- Fright 29- Grave 30- Tinged 31- Elicit 32- Spanish Mister 34- Matures 37- Pilot 40- Floating 42- Give notice
43- Person to whom property is transferred 45- More than one male 46- Coated with paint 48- Smell 49- Manure 50- Fencing sword 51- Outer garment 52- Stated 54- Ethereal 55- Wise 56- Stepped 59- 19th letter of the Greek alphabet
Solution for 9/22 Crossword
October 6, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page B9
K-9 Coalition offers memorial plaque TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Morning weather on KTVU-Fox2 Mon.-Fri., 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.
The Cla yton K-9 Coalition has found a way for Clayton dog owners to memorialize their
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departed dog friends while raising money for the Cla yton Dog Park. Coalition member , Peggy Eyres, came up with the idea of a memorial plaque after her beloved Sheltie mix, Ginger, died of Cushing’s syndrome on Ma y 31. Linda Pinder, also a Coalition member, suggested renaming the shade arbor at the P ark the “Memorial Arbor” and mounting the plaques inside . Pinder’s dog, Lucy died in Ma y 2003 and has her own plaque in the Arbor. “This is for ev eryone in Clayton,” says Eyres , “not just Dog Park users.” To remember y our de parted dog with a plaque in the Memorial Arbor , contact the Clayton K-9 Coalition at 6729710 or 672-7815, or write to P.O. Box 21, Clayton, CA 94517. Informational f lyers and order forms are a vailable at the dog
Memorialize your departed pooch with a plaque mounted in the Memorial Arbor at the Clayton Dog Park.
park. The cost is $18 for the plaque plus a tax deductible donation of $50 to the Cla yton K-9 Coalition. Donations support the g eneral maintenance of the park and will g o to ward funding future impro vements. While this is a city o wned park, virtually all of the maintenance is
done and paid for b y a g roup of volunteers. The dog park is located along the w alking trail next to Marsh Creek R oad, directly across the street from the Cla yton Community Gym athletic fields . Access the trail from R egency Drive.
Many choices to be made before getting a new dog I am frequently ask ed what I think is the best breed of dog. There is no simple answ er, because different breeds are suited to different people and their particular lifestyles and situations. While it is relati vely easy to differentiate breeds based on their size , coat type and coloration, it is more difficult to
sort breeds based on beha vioral characteristics. An older w oman living alone is probably looking for a different dog, behaviorally speaking, than a y oung couple working 10-hour da ys and with small children at home. The situation is fur ther complicated when the decision is made to adopt a mix ed-breed dog of indeterminate origin
A Halloween Dat e with your Dog What: Society Dog’ s 2006 Ho wling Halloween Event Where: Begins at Borders Books, Los Gatos When: 6-9 p.m. Thur., Oct. 26 Description: This is a really fun annual event, where dogs and their humans are in vited to tak e part (in costumes, no less) in a Halloween festival. Society Dog is a social club for dogs and their people, and this ev ent is open to members and non-members alike. The festi vities include an Idol-lik e contest, costume contest and best puppy photo contest. There will be prizes, music and food provided for all of those who register.
from the shelter. First, you need to honestly evaluate your living situation and the amount of effort y ou are willing to invest in a new pet. Do you li ve in an apar tment or house? Do y ou ha ve a yard or will the dog ha ve to be w alked regularly at a nearb y park? Ho w many hours eac h da y are y ou home? Do y ou live alone? With
This event benefits Kids and Dogs Interactive Education (K adie), a non-profit org anization dedicated to reducing the number of dog bites to children through education of how c hildren should approach, interact with and avoid interaction with unknown dogs. For more information: Call 408-671-3417 or visit www.societydog.com for registration information. How to get ther e: Take Highway 680 south. Take the Mission Blv d./CA 262 W . exit to ward Highway 880. Take 880 south. Highway 880 becomes Highw ay 17 south. Take the Los Gatos/Saratoga R oad/Saratoga A venue/CA 9 exit. Make a left on Uni versity Avenue and head for the Borders Books in the Old Town Shopping Center. - Julie Bond, M.S.
JULIE BOND
PAWS
AND
CLAWS
roommates? With children? You also should consider your financial situation. Some breeds are just inherently more expensive to o wn and maintain. This isn’t to say that a mutt from the animal shelter will be an inexpensive, problem-free choice. Owning a dog is a pri vilege and entails a g reat deal of responsibility and commitment, both emotionally and financially. Most dogs li ve 10 years or longer, so you need to be ready for that kind of long-term relationship. Once you have honestly evaluated y our situation, you are ready to begin eliminating breeds based on these elements . For example, if you live in an apar tment, it ma y be ob vious that a
See Paws, page B11
Salt and Sussex ar e ARF’s Adoption Stars SALT Five-year-old Salt is a sw eet boy who’s a bit sh y initially, but once he g ets to kno w you he’s quite the snugglebug. The adoption fee for Salt is $100.
People these da ys are dreaming bigger than e ver when it comes t o their retirement. As an Ameriprise f inancial advisor , I belie ve people who writ e do wn their dreams are much more likely to achieve them. That’s why I am proud to offer the Dream Book,SM a tool designed to help you identify and envision your life goals. With the Dream Book, we can map out where y ou want to go, and thr ough sound financial advice, figure out the best way to get you there. Because there’s no be tter w ay t o star t disco vering possibilities, unlocking y our passions and articulating a vision for your future.
To get started, call me at (925) 685-4523 today. Mureleen Benton CFP® 5356 Clayton Rd., Suite 211 Concord, CA 94521 925-685-4523
SALT
Come fall in love with Salt and his fabulous feline friends at ARF . Visit our W eb site, www.arf.net, to lear n more about adding a cat to your family, or call (925) 2561ARF. SUSSEX Six-year-old Sussex is a quiet girl who likes to snuggle. Adopters should have experience with the Lhasa Apso breed and personality. The adoption fee for Sussex is $200 and includes the first six training courses. Bring everyone who will live with Salt or Sussex – including any canine family members – to meet them at T ony La R ussa’s Animal R escue F oundation, 2890 Mitc hell Drive, Walnut Creek, during adoption hours: 3 to 7 p .m. Thursday and F riday, 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
SUSSEX
and cats? Can you share your talents to connect people and animals? ARF v olunteers are making a difference . For more infor mation see our W eb site , www.arf.net, or call (925) 256-1ARF.
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Throughout the w orld, unusual wind patter ns are gi ven regionally unique names . In Northern Califor nia, we ha ve one kno wn as the diablo wind named after the mountain in Clayton’s backyard. Diablo winds are hot and dry nor theasterly or offshore winds that typically occur during the late summer and early fall. This is the time of year when the jet stream begins its seasonal jour ney from higher latitudes to lo wer latitudes and alternating areas of high and low pressure affect Nor thern California. Once an upper lo w passes, an area of surface high pressure rebuilds quic kly o ver Oregon and Nev ada, and the general wind f low patter n is from the northeast to the southwest. Diablo winds fall under a category of winds called katabatic (kata is Greek for do wnward), which f low do wnhill. When this wind is w arm, it may be called a foehn wind. Many areas of the w orld ha ve foehn
winds occur cor responds to the time when wildland and open space grasses are particularly dry after many rain-free months . Dry grass, hot dry air and gusty winds are a recipe for extremely high fire danger. It w as just this type of weather patter n that led to the Oakland Hills firestorm in 1991. Gusty, dry winds are a firefighting nightmare , and b y the time the Oakland Hills fire subsided, 25 people were killed and 2,900 homes were destroyed. Newspaper records indicate that the Oakland Hills fire w as not an isolated event. At least 11 wild fires have destroyed homes in the East Ba y hills since the 1920s. The Cla yton area is not immune to the types of fires that ha ve been recorded in the East Ba y hills . When diablo winds are forecast, the National Weather Ser vice issues a R ed Flag w arning – whic h means that critical fire w eather conditions could create explosi ve fire growth potential. Diablo winds occur infrequently in the Cla yton area, but when they do appear , be prepared for sev eral days of warm temperatures, sunshine and high
fire danger. After the Oakland Hills fire , emphasis on fire prevention has increased dramatically. Here are some recommendations Clayton area homeowners should follow to minimize the c hances of fire damage:
have arrived to keep young ones warm and dry 5458 Ygnacio Valley Rd. Ste. 20 Clayton Valley Shopping Center
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Fall and winter styles
remember to ask the right questions when w orking with your bank or mor tgage consultant. Let’s celebrate this g reat run in real estate by making the right decisions when it comes to protecting home equity . Using our equity to build assets versus bor rowing is a g ood philosophy. Taking simple steps to protect it, such as biweekly pa yments, is a g reat start. Talk to y our financial plan-
Call to find out how to put your home to work for you
call for a free assessment
925.672.0752
do
A
do this is to mak e a mor tgage payment automatic . You can have y our lender set up an automatic draft from y our account and painlessly pa y off your mortgage sooner. One of the first companies to do this w as World Sa vings, using their Equity Builder program. The idea is simple and yet po werful. In Bac h’s example, a $2,000 mor tgage pa yment made ev ery month will total $24,000. That same pa yment cut in half and made every tw o w eeks will actually total 26 payments, or $26,000. The idea is that you gain an extra pa yment on y our loan. Sure, you could do this on your own b y applying an extra pa yment at the end of the year . But the idea is to make it automatic and g et it done without changing any habits. The impact of the extra payment is impressi ve. If, for example, you ha ve a $300,000 mortgage at 7 percent interest, using biw eekly pa yments will save y ou $106,000 in interest and the loan will be paid off in 23 years instead of 30. Most banks or lending institutions ha ve the ability to set up the biw eekly pa yments automatically. Note that some lenders set up biw eekly pa yments to their adv antage – not yours. So instead of the biweekly pa yment being applied at day 14 of the month, they will hold the money until the second pa yment and apply both at the same time. Be careful when setting this up and
Reverse Mortgage
Create a 30-foot wide safety zone around your home. Replace highly f lammable vegetation suc h as pine , eucalyptus and juniper with lower growing and less flammable species. Avoid the use of bark and wood chip mulch. Cover house vents with wire mesh to prev ent f lying embers from entering the house. Use dual- or triple-paned glass for windows and doors. Use fire-resistant materials for roofs and siding.
Protect your home equity in today’s marketplace It’s official: It is a buyers’ market in the w orld of real estate. We all kno w the incredible appreciation that has tak en place in the last few years , but now that the climate and market are c hanging, we need to take stoc k of what w e ha ve gained and tak e the necessar y steps to protect our most precious asset our home’s equity. More and more homeo wners are concer ned about the slowdown in appreciation, but there are ways to ensure equity protection, regardless of market conditions. According to Dataquic k, the median home price in Contra Costa County for August was $567,000. That is a 0 percent c hange from last year, which is significant to note. Clayton ho wever, posted a modest gain of 6.16 percent. Assume you are planning to live in Clayton for the duration and want to know how to handle y our 30- or 15-year mor tgage through this real estate cycle. What if you could pa y the loan off sooner? There are a lot of theories about ho w to do this – some more creati ve than others . Although some of these ideas take a little more faith and risk, the easiest w ay to do this is to start pa ying y our mor tgage biweekly, instead of monthly. David Bac h, author of “The A utomatic Millionaire Homeowner,” loves this method. He lik es to automate one’s finances, and one w ay to
Convert your home equity into tax free income with a
er
WOODY WHITLATCH WEATHER WORDS
winds. The Santa Ana winds of Southern Califor nia, mistral winds of France, sirocco winds of North Africa and the c hinook winds of the R ocky Mountains are all foehn winds. Like the diablo winds , the Santa Ana winds result in periods of high fire danger. The chinook wind that blow east of the Rockies takes its name from the Indian word that means “sno w eater,” as it results in rapid snow melt at the end of winter. When surface winds are offshore, a few interesting things happen that result in some dramatic w eather c hanges in Clayton and the Ba y Area. The air is w armed due to compressional heating, which occurs when winds mo ve do wn the slope of a mountain. Since air pressure is higher at lower elevations, compression occurs and the air heats similar to the w ay air in a bicycle pump heats as it is pumped. Diablo winds are strong enough to keep the famous Ba y Area sea breeze from dev eloping. This results in fog-free days along the immediate coast and temperatures that are well above seasonal normals. The time of year that diablo
Your home may be more than just your castle It may hold the key to a secure retirement.
i
When the diablo winds blow, fire danger is high
October 6, 2006
embra c
Page B10
fax: 9 2 5 . 6 7 2 . 2 6 9 4 mobile: 925.457.0954
P.O. Box 688, Clayton, CA
ra
La z a ro , ma n
ag
web: alllovingcare.com
JOE CLEARY FINANCIAL SENSE ner and y our mor tgage consultant to plan y our strateg y for this new cycle. Joe Cleary is a home loan expert with World Sa vings and a Clayton resident. Email questions and comments to jcleary898@worldsavings.com
700 Ygnacio Valley Rd., #360 Walnut Creek, CA 94596 Carol@carolkeanecpa.com (925) 937-5200 (925) 937-5202 fax www.carolkeanecpa.com
Model A Cabinet Company is a family-owned & operated business. Owner Scott Carlson, a Clayton resident for the past decade, brings over 20 years of general contracting & cabinet making experience to his craft. Scott will personally measure & build your cabinets to fit your individual style & needs.
Design and remodel / contracting services are available as needed. Contact Scott Carlson to arrange for a free estimate
925.673.0827 925.765.2178 cell Model A Cabinet Company is a licensed General Contractor in the state of California and is fully insured and bonded. Lic. #818588
October 6, 2006
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page B11
Church News
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
CONCORD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Come join us for these ongoing programs
Sunday Morning Support Groups
“Parenting and/or Grandparenting” . . . . . . . . . . .1st Sunday “A journey through Grief and Loss” . . . . . . . . . .2nd Sunday “Finding Freedom from Addictions” . . . . . . . . . . .3rd Sunday “Children of Aging Parents” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4th Sunday
Harvest Festival,
Saturday, Oct. 21, 12 - 5 p.m., Oglesby Hall
Games galore for kids! Cake Walk Hay Rides Bounce House Food too! Hot dogs Nachos Cheese dogs Root beer floats Proceeds to benefit The Bay Area Crisis Nursery Concord United Methodist Church
1645 West Street, Concord For more information call Marilyn at (925) 685-5260
CLAYTON COMMUNITY CHURCH Our fall y outh g roups ha ve started. The junior high g roup meets ev ery T hurs. the D VMS Multi-Use room from 7 - 8:30 p.m. The high sc hool g roup meets ev ery T hurs. from 8 - 9 p.m. at our do wntown office at 6055 Main St., Clayton. Join them for a time of worship, games and fun. If you have any questions please contact T obey Nichols, Jr. High Director at 673-2156, or Ric k Nylund, Pastor of Student Ministries at 673-2163. We meet for w orship ev ery Sunday at Diablo View Middle at 9 and 10:45 a.m. CONCORD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Concord United Methodist Church is holding Sunda y morning suppor t g roups. The first Sunday of each month the subject will be parenting and/or grand parenting, the second Sunday the subject will be a journey through g rief and loss,
the third Sunda y will be finding freedom from addictions , and the four th Sunda y of each month the subject will be c hildren of aging parents. A new choir, drama, arts and crafts and recreation prog ram has begun. The prog ram is for ages 3 –Kindergarten from 4:30 – 6 p .m., and for Grades 1-6 from 3:30 – 6 p.m. $1 each week for dinner . Registration is $30 for the year. For more infor mation call Marilyn at 925-6855260. CROSSROADS COVENANT CHURCH Crossroads Har vest F estival will be held 6 - 9 p .m. on Tues. Oct. 31, Halloween night. There will be a free BBQ dinner , jumpie houses, giant slides, carnival g ames, candy, and family pictures. Bring the whole family, everyone is w elcome. The Harvest F estival is free . Crossroads Co venant Churc h, 5353 Concord Blv d., Concord, 925-798-5905.
Paws, from page B9 St. Bernard is too big . But consider that y ou also need a dog that is somewhat quiet and more unlikely to disturb y our neighbors. If you don ’t lik e g rooming your dog daily , don’t c hoose a long-haired breed such as a collie, Lhasa Apso or Afghan hound since they require daily coat maintenance. If you don’t want a dog that likes to dig, don’t pick a terrier or Dachshund. They were originally bred for their ability to “go to ground” in pursuit of vermin. If you are athletic and w ant
to hik e with y our dog, don’t choose an English bulldog or pug since these dogs ha ve shor t legs and flat noses and are somewhat exercise-intolerant. Once y ou ha ve these basics down on paper and ha ve narrowed down the possible breeds for y our lifestyle , it’s time to do some research. While the advice of friends and relati ves ma y be helpful, it will be biased. Everyone’s living situation is different and will inf luence the companion animal they choose. Talk to veterinarians, trainers, groomers and breeders about the
INTERFAITH DEVOTIONS AT DIAMOND TERRACE Please join us on the first Sunday of each month for devotional readings and pra yers from v arious religious traditions. Feel free to bring y our own fa vorite readings or prayers. Music and refreshments are provided. Diamond Terrace Retirement Comm unity, 6401 Center Street, Movie Room. HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH Join the Nifty Fifty Seniors on Wed. Oct.18 for a visit to the Oakland Museum. They will review the histor y of California with a docent for 45 min utes. You can also bro wse the m useum at y our leisure . Lunch is at the Acapulco R estaurant in Alameda. Meet at the church at 9 a.m., the g roup lea ves promptly 9:15 a.m. Bring a friend and enjoy this impressi ve m useum which offers something for everyone. Sign up in Social Hall. Holy Cross Lutheran Churc h, 1092 Alberta Way, Concord.
breeds y ou are interested in. Keep in mind, however, that these experts also ma y be biased to cer tain breeds . Breed books from the pet store and librar y may also be useful. Don’t r ule out a shelter animal as a new companion. You can acquire good information on shelter residents from the staff . You also will see the personalities of these animals coming through the more you visit the facility. Even with purebred dogs , there is variability among individuals of the same breed. If you choose a puppy or dog of unknown parentag e, predicting future beha vior will be ev en more c hallenging. Complicating this fur ther is the fact that there are also differences in beha vior between males and females. So, now you’ve decided on a dog and ha ve a fairly g ood idea of which breed best suits y our lifestyle. Do you choose a puppy or an adult dog? Male or female? The best ag e for adoption of a puppy is betw een 8 and 11 weeks. With some of the smaller and toy breeds, however, it is not uncommon for the puppies to stay with their mother and the breeder until 4 to 5 months of age. A puppy m ust be properly socialized to both people and other dogs . Adoption before 6 weeks of age ma y disr upt a puppy’s socialization to other dogs, while adoption after 11 weeks may interfere with its complete socialization to people. Some people prefer adopting adult dogs, so they can bypass the housetraining and c hewing stages. However, many adult dogs available for adoption ha ve behavioral problems and may not make the adjustment to a new
ST. BONAVENTURE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY Grief Workshop. The death of a lo ved one is unlik e any other loss . Whether the death was sudden and tragic , or one with w arning and pre paration, the reality of death leaves most of us shoc ked, confused and sad. These feelings ma y ling er for years. Grieving people need time and space to honor their grief. Your loss may be recent or it ma y be years ag o. Candy Negrete and Alan Gaber and a team of peer ministers will facilitate a six w eek w orkshop to help y ou begin the healing process. The w orkshop will be Oct. 12 – No v. 16, 7:30 – 9 p .m. in the St. Bonaventure Chapel. Please call 672-5800 to register or Candy Neg rete at 672-2324 to obtain additional infor mation. Registration is required b y Sept. 26. Send your church news and events to us at churchnews@claytonpioneer.com household as readily as a puppy . Before adopting an adult dog, observe its beha vior closely under different circumstances and be pre pared to tur n away from an attracti ve, but nonetheless unadoptable animal from a behavioral point of view. When c hoosing betw een a male or female dog, there are a few general principles to k eep in mind. Male dogs are g enerally more ag gressive, dominant and territorial than females , regardless of breed. Females tend to be less active and pla yful and more demanding of attention and affection. Across all breeds , males tend to be more pla yful (and destr uctive), while females are easier to housetrain and obedience train. Please remember that these are generalities. There are aggressive female dogs and males who train easily within all breeds. By taking the time to honestly evaluate your situation, the breeds you are most interested in owning and those whic h best suit y our circumstances, you can dramatically increase the lik elihood that you will obtain a dog that you will be happy to call your own. Dog owners who ha ve taken the time to researc h their breed report few er beha vioral problems than o wners who acquire their dogs without a complete understanding of the w ork involved with that breed. Once all the decisions are made, you need to g o out and find that “perfect” dog for y ou. In my next column, I will discuss how to go about that. Julie Bond is an animal beha viorist. Address your pet questions to her at P.O. Bo x 21552, Concord, CA, or you can e-mail her at K9Freud@aol.com.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
October 6, 2006
Air Force vet gets new perspective after Marine ‘mission’ In this thr ee-part series , Clayton resident Chris “Doc” Halliday shares his experience flying a military charter with Marines enroute to Iraq. CHRIS HALLIDAY Special to the Pioneer
Just when I thought I w as out, they pulled me bac k in. It’s my fa vorite “Godfather III” line, and it’s appropriate to m y story. A couple of months ag o, I was officially released from the U.S. Air F orce. I did 11 acti ve years and 8 inacti ve, and I’m now a Boeing 747-400 first officer for United Airlines . In August, I g ot a call at 7 a.m. from the pilot crew sc heduling desk and the sc heduler asks: “Are you sitting do wn?” I know it can’t be good. Normally, I g et called for three to four da y trips to Tokyo or China, sometimes London or Sydney. But this time, I’m going on an 11-da y militar y c harter flight, bringing Marine troops based at Camp P endleton to Hahn Airbase in the outer fringes of Frankfurt, Germany (actually closer to Mainz and the Rheingau wine region). After loading new troops , we’re off to Kuwait City to proceed to points nor th (Iraq). Then, we’ll pick up some other troops to bring home from Kuwait after a six-month plus deployment. This will be the long est United trip I’v e ev er had, by three da ys, and the long est I’v e ever been away from m y wife since 1996, when we started dating. Heck, Paul McCar tney only spent nine days away from Linda when he w as busted for hauling weed out of Japan. BY THE NUMBERS My itinerar y g oes something
Photo courtesy of Chris Halliday
United pilot Chris “Doc” Halliday is shown here on a return flight from Tokyo. In August, he spent 11 days shuttling Marines to and from Kuwait
like this: Deadhead (crew member as passenger) to LAX on A ug. 13, 12 hours L/O (layover). Pushback at 7:30 a.m. to f ly LAX to Marc h AFB , 30minute f light, three-hour L/O. Pick up 300 Marines , with guns and kni ves as carry-on items but no w ater bottles or shampoo. Fly the Marines to Hahn AB, 10-hour flight, 87-hour L/O. They press on to K uwait. I drink tall Ger man beers and extinguish m y “bratwurst level low” light. Pick up different g roup of Marines and f ly to K uwait City, 5-hour f light, 3-hour L/O. Pick up 300 battleworn Marines and 12 tired
flight attendants , who g ot their 87-hour la yover in Kuwait (no beer or bratwurst there, as beer and pork are considered sins.) Fly back to Hahn AB, 5-hour flight, 66-hour L/O. Marines press on to Marc h AFB. My bratwurst light is f lickering, so I eat more g reasy pork sausage and w ash it do wn with a tall Ger man beer . Light goes out. Fly to March AFB, 11 hours, 30 min utes on the g round. Marines off to their lo ved ones, while I’m off to the most dang erous f lying of this trip – the L.A. basin. March to LAX, 20 min utes (straight in). I’m off to the gate with the fastest dead-
head ride for SFO I can g et, then to m y silv er J apanese car and m y three screaming fans in Clayton.
and gear, with supervision from United bag gage handlers . They then load themselv es and their remaining gear on the airplane. These guys could teac h all you unarmed passengers a thing or two about getting onboard in a timely manner. A sergeant got on the P A and g ave them a “motivational” boarding announcement along the lines of: “Move y our butts to y our seats as fast as y ou can, stow ALL of your g ear immediately and park that same butt in y our chair until w e reac h cr uise ... MOVE IT!” There w as also some unintelligible Marine Corps banter. I was Air Force so it may as well have been Chinese or Iroquois. It took about 20 min utes to get 300 soldiers with large, overstuffed militar y issue bac kpacks (similar to the one you send your third-grader to school with, only in desert camouflage), M-16s or similar rifles and 9 mm sidearms into their seats. Our flight attendants said they ha ven’t heard so many “yes ma’ams” and “thank yous” since Iris, the senior flight
attendant, was a new hire . And at 85, she’s possibly the w orld’s most senior flight attendant. Speaking of the stews (no one sa ys stew ardess/steward anymore, but stew is acce pted, among crewmembers , right up until y ou g et hit b y one with a frozen dinner roll), the crews we had went well above and beyond for these troops . They bought about 400 Krispy Kremes out of their o wn poc kets for the Marines (I couldn ’t help m yself I nipped a c hocolate glazed). They bought patriotic streamers and f lags and spent tw o hours decorating the jet just to sho w them ho w proud w e are of them. They were arguably some of the most “can do” flight attendants I’ve seen. There w ere some fun pictures taken of these women with made-up hair and nails , holding M-16s. One of our male f light attendants said, “Oh m y g oodness, it’s raining men!” And w e all laughed. In the next issue, Halliday tells of the journey into Kuwait.
Glassbergen Chuckles
OUT OF THE ORDINARY As expected, there w ere interesting occur rences on this mission (“trip” sounds too ordinary). For star ters, meshing an airline with the militar y is about as smar t as letting Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr. baby-sit your kids and drive them to soccer practice past three liquor stores and a brothel. It’s a total “goat rope” from the get-go. Once they all figured out what they w ere doing (the definition of eternity), the Marines finally came to the jet and proceeded to load their o wn bags
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