July 26, 2013
Letters to the Editor GRATEFUL MOM SAYS ‘THANKS’
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Clayton walks to celebrate, remember and fight back
On June 27, my son Nick crashed on his skateboard on Marsh Creek Road. It was a pretty bad fall. I want to thank the fabulous, wonderful person or persons who stopped and helped him and brought him home. He didn’t know you and you didn’t know him and he was pretty bloody but you did it anyway. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Not many people would have brought him home or helped for that matter. You truly make be believe in people again. I just hope that one day I will be able to thank you in person. - Lisa Bazan PENSIONS NEED RESTRUCTURING BART and other public pay/pension systems are bound to fail if they aren’t adjusted NOW to what regular citizens earn and receive. Just as regular citizens do, government employees should all be paying at least 50/50 with their employer for retirement benefits. In the real world, to plan for a $50,000 annual income in retirement, at today’s 10-year treasury two percent return, you would have to set aside $2.5 million dollars. Even at the ridiculous 7.5 percent return that the public employees’ union uses in their calculations, for each retiring government employee to receive $50,000, there would have to be a half million dollars set aside. And many are retiring at more than $100,000, plus benefits and free medical! However, tax paying citizens and business owners retiring at 65 are lucky to have a paid off house, a little savings and a Social Security stipend that they’ve paid half for. They definitely should not also be saddled by corrupt union-bought politicians with making ANY, much less almost all government employees into instant millionaires. And that’s with retiring at only 55. - Pete Laurence KUDOS TO CITY It occurred to me while I was walking on one of our fabulous trails that someone needs to be thanked for all the “mowing” of the weeds etc. that need constant maintenance. I was watching the guys who were trimming the trees along Clayton Road and wondering if they ever get the thanks they deserve. And a big shout-out to the people who drive the street sweepers and pick up our garbage! Thanks to all of you who make Clayton the best place in the world to live! You are appreciated! - Alexandria Lafferty
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THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY’S RELAY FOR LIFE kicks off each year with parade of purple-clad survivors. Last year’s Survivor’s Lap included Clayton Pioneer photographer, Mike Dunn, who lost his battle on Christmas Eve 2012. Dunn, along with hundreds of others, will be remembered throughout the event.
It is that time of year again – time to get out and walk for Relay For Life, the signature event for the American Cancer Society. This is Clayton’s third year of participating. The committee and teams are gearing up for a wonderful day celebrating cancer survivors, remembering those lost to the disease and
fighting back against cancer by making positive health changes. The event runs from 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 3 to 10 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 4. at Clayton Community Park. Relay For Life is different from some other fundraisers in that it is a 24-hour event. Cancer does not sleep and neither
Armistice celebration set for Korean War vets Local Korean war veterans, their friends and families will mark the 60th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice at a celebration on Saturday, July 27 at the Korean War Memorial in Concord’s Hillcrest Park. At the anniversary commemoration, U.S. allies who fought alongside American troops – especially South Korea – will also be honored. Local dignitaries, military
do the walkers. Teams are formed and money is raised to fund research and to offer much needed programs to cancer victims and their families. To date, 16 teams have raised over $36,000 for Clayton’s event. There is still time to sign up to walk and raise money. Walkers can even join the day of the event. Spectators are welcome as well. Some of the activities for the day include two special ceremonies. The first ceremony, Celebrate, opens the event at 10 a.m. to celebrate cancer survivors. They are encouraged to attend and walk the opening lap. At dusk, the Luminaria Ceremony lines the field with glowing luminarias decorated in remembrance of loved ones who have passed as well as to honor those who have survived cancer. A Fight Back Ceremony closes the event at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday morning. Teams set up booths and have individual fundraisers such as selling baked goods and cold drinks. Raffle tickets are on sale for amazing prizes, including both A’s and Giant’s gift baskets with tickets to a game and team accessories. A round of golf for four at Oakhurst Country Club, a fabulous gift basket from The Royal Rooster, jewelry and gift cards to local eateries are being raffled off, too. The relay event is at Clayton Community Park, Ball Field 1, Marsh Creek Road and Regency Drive, Clayton. For more information, go to relayforlife.org/claytonca or like them on facebook.
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officials and veterans will be on hand to give speeches, lay wreaths, and reminisce about the war and its aftermath. Free food will follow the ceremony. The event begins at 11 a.m., at the corner of Olivera Road and Grant Street, and is sponsored by the Korean War Veterans Association of Mt. Diablo, Chapter 264. For more information, call 925899-2015 or 925-998-8071.
Rotary, from page 4 Adopt-a-Village was created by Sebastopol Rotarians Frank and Kathie Mayhew, who in their travels to Uganda identified a number of villages and worked with local leaders to customize programs for each village, following the precepts that sick and hungry children can’t learn; that water borne diseases account for
90 percent of childhood illness; and that parents can improve their children’s nutrition if provided the tools to improve their farming. The goal and motto of Adopt-a-Village is “Ending Poverty – One Village at a Time.” For more information, go to www.claytonvalleyrotary.org.
Dead birds signal a growing West Nile Virus threat in Contra Costa The Contra Costa Mosquito & Vector Control District announced last week that three dead birds and two groups of mosquitoes tested positive for the virus. Two of the birds, both American crows, were found near Marsh Creek Road and Byron Highway, and Balfour Road and Walnut Boulevard in Brentwood. The third bird, also an American crow, was found near Concord Boulevard and Bailey Road in Concord. Both groups of mosquitoes were trapped near Bixler Road and Point of Timber Road in Discovery Bay. “Partnering with the public is crucial to protecting their health,” said Deborah Bass, public affairs manager for the
district. “Their dead bird reports coupled with our mosquito surveillance help us understand where the virus is active in the county and where we should concentrate our control efforts.” Bass warns everyone to guard against mosquito bites, not just the people in these areas. Here are some tips: • Wear mosquito repellent when mosquitoes are present. • Dump or drain any standing water to prevent mosquitoes from having a place to lay their eggs. • Report neglected swimming pools. One pool can produce more than one million mosquitoes that can affect people up to five miles away. The district accepts anonymous reports of water sources
where mosquitoes may be developing. • Report dead birds. The Contra Costa Mosquito & Vector Control website (below) has a video demonstrating how to report dead bird sightings. Since 2005, 42 people in Contra Costa County have been diagnosed with West Nile virus. In 2006, two people died from the disease. Recent studies have shown that the majority of cases are not diagnosed and grossly under reported. For more information, to report dead birds or mosquito problems, or to receive automatic emails when the district fogs for adult mosquitoes, visit contracostamosquito.com or call 925771-6195.
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