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August 22, 2008
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Beijing trip more than Olympics How did you spend your summer vacation? JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
GREGG MANNING
Well I accepted an invitation from my brother Tom to accompany him on a sixday visit to the Beijing Olympics! Our Games itinerary included gymnastics, swimming (yes, we got to see Michael Phelps win two gold medals and Concord native Natalie Coughlin take a medal too), diving, field hockey, women’s beach volleyball and the first day of track and field in the Bird’s Nest, where the closing ceremonies will be held this weekend. We also visited the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City and a classic Beijing Hutong. The experience was an once-in-a-lifetime chance to combine my favorite sports event with a tourist’s experience in this historic land.
MAYOR’S CORNER
Ordinances, regs are the rule of law With the race for Clayton City Council in full swing, I thought I would address city rules such as ordinances, licenses, permits and land use issues. The new candidates for City Council and all of us should pay attention to planning issues. I am of the opinion there is not a street in the city without an illegal structure or some other violation of the City Code. We are a society of laws. No society can long endure without a set of rules or laws. This need for social regulation produced the Code of Hammurabi and the Ten Commandments, to note but two sets of ancient rules. In the 1800s, the Ten Commandments were the only law in what became the state of Hawaii. Laws change, as a perusal of the Hawaiian Penal Code will verify. As time goes by, it seems laws get more and more complicated. Many violations of the law are made by people unaware
See Mayor page 10
With health department issues solved, Cup O’ Jo reopens
THE GREAT WALL We went to the Great Wall at Miyuan less than two hours from Beijing. We walked up a small roadway sandwiched by the cheesiest of souvenir stands. It seemed like everything was “$1” until you started bargaining and found nothing was $1. You take a ski lift up to the wall, built Photo by Jay Bedecarré to keep out the Mongols in the north A FAMILIAR SIGN OUTSIDE any American concert or sporting event reads "I Need Tickets". Almost always it's being held by a ticket scalper seeking to get extra tickets and re-sell them to those willing to pay a premi- from coming into China, whether as an um to see their favorite performer or team. At the Beijing Olympics things weren't much different, or was this invading force or to take the “fruits” of the Chinese farmer’s harvest. someone who just had to see Michael Phelps make history? The day we were there the views were good. We could only imagine young Chinese soldiers during bitter cold, snowy winters and brutally hot, humid summers living with their families in the tiny watchtower room keeping an eye out for foes. They would signal Paul Revere-like with fires to indicate the volume of enemy investigation but is not considered to be forces in their area. suspicious in nature. After walking along the Wall filled with If readers want to donate to the asso- mostly foreign tourists we went to the ciation to replace the hay and other items nearby Xiaolongpu Restaurant for an lost, call CMDTRA president Diane See Beijing, page 8 Jorgensen at 408-9700.
Trail Ride club loses barn to fire
Family produce stand at odds with the city code
TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
The Cup O’ Jo coffee shop on Main Street opened last week after being closed for more than two months for health department infractions.
ANDRÉ GENSBURGER Clayton Pioneer Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
A CHARRED TRUCK is all that’s left after a fast moving fire destroyed the haybarn and contents at the Mt. Diablo Trail Ride grounds Aug. 5. TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
CUP O’ JO re-opens with expanded menu In a June 5 inspection, officials determined that the shop, owned by locals Kristy FerreiraBarbosa and her husband Peter Barbosa, needed coved
See Cup O’ Jo, page 4
Quick reactions and cool heads saved the day earlier this month when a fire destroyed the Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association’s hay barn. The CMDTRA property is located about halfway up Mt. Diablo via Russelman Road. “It could have been a whole lot worse,” board member Synthia Hakola said of the fire that burned the hay barn, a truck inside and a scant one acre of tinder dry grass and brush. “Our members acted fast and the fire department was here within 15 minutes.” Many of the association’s members live on property leased from the association and were close by when the fire started a little after noon on Aug. 5. Mike and Paulette Probsts, who live near the barn,
What’s Inside All About You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
alerted the fire department and other neighbors. “An ounce of prevention really worked,” Hakola said. “We had the fire hoses near the hydrants and neighbors came down to help fight the fire.” By the time the first trucks arrived on the scene, the barn roof had collapsed. In all, 12 trucks responded from the California Department of Forestry Sunshine Station on Marsh Creek Road and from Contra Costa Fire. The fire was controlled early and there were no evacuations of people or horses. Association members formed teams of four and stood watch around the clock for three days, putting out several “startup” fires. The barn and truck are insured, says Hakola, but the contents of the barn weren’t. The cause of the fire is still under
Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Church News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Community Calendar . . . . . . . . .18 CVHS Student Reporter . . . . . . .11
Deal With It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Food for Thought . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Movie Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
A unique controversy is in play in Clayton. Until recently, the Lewis family sold excess homegrown fruit and vegetables outside their home at the intersection of Pine Hollow and Mitchell Canyon roads. Following an anonymous complaint, they learned they are in violation of city code that designates it a commercial activity. Bursting from gardens along both sides of the property and the fence running the length are grapes, melons, cantaloupe, lettuce, eggplants, tomatoes, zucchini, sunflowers, daisies and more. They grow in abundance, the product of the family’s love of gardening and eating healthy foods. On Saturdays and Sunday, the two Lewis daughters, Katie, 11, and Sabrina, 3, maintained a stand where they sold what the family could not use themselves. “We eat a lot of it,” Katie said, acknowledging that she likes eggplant and zucchini and other vegetables many kids her age won’t touch. “I didn’t want it to go to waste,” she said. Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Safety Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 School News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Senior Moments . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Sharing History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
A BUSINESS LESSON That was when Katie asked her father Michael for permission to put out a
See Produce, page 19
André Gensburger/Clayton Pioneer
SABRINA AND KATIE LEWIS had to close their vegetable stand after an anonymous complaint to city hall. Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Theatre Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Where Are They Now? . . . . . . . .21