www.claytonpioneer.com
June 12, 2009
925.672.0500
Local history comes alive at Clayton Museum’s History Day MAYOR’S CORNER Transportation, solar projects move ahead
See Mayor, page 20
City needs volunteers for July 4 celebration “If you love Clayton’s Fourth of July Parade, you can help make sure our downtown comes alive with red, white and blue by joining the volunteer force,” says City Clerk, Laci Jackson. A highlight of the day is the ever popular Kiddie Parade – a true Norman Rockwell classic featuring Clayton’s children, decked out in red, white and blue, with their decorated wagons, strollers, scooters, bikes and trikes, with the faithful family dog, all marching proudly down Main Street. The main parade with floats, local dignitaries and civic participants follows the Kiddie Parade. The festivities are all emceed by ABC 7 News anchor, Dan Ashley, a former Clayton resident.
JULIE PIERCE
As a City Council member, my regional committee appointments include the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and the Contra Costa Conference of Mayors representative to the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG). Both agencies have been busy lately, so here’s an update. CCTA administers the halfcent sales tax for county transportation projects. Among the fully funded marquee projects is the new fourth bore of the Caldecott Tunnel, which will allow two tunnels to be open in each direction all the time. Anyone who has had to sit in the backup going into Oakland or San Francisco knows what a help that will be. The project is environmentally cleared and bids will be opened in August. Construction begins in December, with completion due in 2014. This project remains on-time and under the original budget estimate. CCTA just adopted its 2009 Countywide Transportation Plan. The plan assesses the impacts of projected future growth on the local transportation network and identifies
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA PERMIT 190
IT’S YOUR PAPER
See July 4th, page 7
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
THE CLAYTON MUSEUM OBSERVED NATIONAL HISTORY MONTH by hosting a history fair on May 30. Local historian Charmetta Mann sits in one of two vintage WWII jeeps brought in for the event in honor of Memorial Day. TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Downtown Clayton was “full of it” – history, that is, on May 30 when the Clayton Historical Society hosted History Day in observance of
National History Month. Ten organizations set up outdoor exhibits in the parking lot next to the museum. Docents and volunteers from local historical societies and the East Bay Regional Parks District were eager to share the history of the
area from the San Ramon Valley to the Black Diamond Mines. Did you know that the Penniman Home which houses the Shadelands Museum, was originally supposed to cost $7,000 to build, but went staggeringly over budget by $500?
Clayton girl named CVHS Grand Altair
And, did you know that Clayton would have been Rhinesville except for Joel Clayton’s lucky coin toss? Or that the main crop in Contra Costa County during the last half of the 19th century was wheat.
See History, page 3
Girl Scouts seek donations for backpack drive Casey Leedom LOU FANCHER Special to the Clayton Pioneer
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
ALISON ABELE, LAURA MINORSKY, STEPHANIE TANJI take up the Girl Scouts Silver Award challenge to “make the world a better place” by filling backpacks with school supplies for the Bay Area Crisis Nursery.
What’s Inside Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Church News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Community Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Deal With It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Directory of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Food for Thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 From the Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Laura Minorsky, a freshman at Clayton Valley High School, has been a Girl Scout out of habit more than anything else. With a mother and an older sister involved before her, quitting wasn’t an option – but Scouting wasn’t a priority either. That is, until Minorsky joined with Alison Abele and Stephanie Tanji on a project bearing the directive of “making the world a better place” to earn their Silver awards. The three decided they wanted to work with people and when they visited the Bay Area Crisis Nursery, the children won them over. Learning that Mervyn’s, a corporate victim of today’s economy, would no longer donate backpacks and supplies to the center, the team found its purpose – and Minorsky found her passion.
“This is the biggest opportunity I have had and I want to embrace it,” Minorsky says. “I have a chance to make a difference.” As a first step, the Scouts sent letters to Target, Staples and Jansport, requesting backpacks – 10 for each grade K-5 – and enough school supplies like scissors, pencil boxes and glue sticks to fill each pack. Next, they put their heads together, jamming on fundraiser ideas (Cookies, anyone?). Now, these ambitious girls are asking the community to help. They have placed a donation bin at the Clayton Pioneer’s office at 6200 Center St. and are hoping for 60 backpacks and supplies to fill them by Aug. 1. Let’s say you forgo a box or two of Thin Mints and take a backpack to the bin. The Clayton Pioneer is located in the Village Oaks building at 6200 H Center St., on the parking lot side.
Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Movie Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Police Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
DENISEN HARTLOVE Clayton Pioneer
The stars shone brightly as Clayton Valley High School recognized four graduating seniors who achieved exceptional levels in the areas of scholarship, leadership and community service with Altair Awards. “They all have that focus and they have a purpose,” CVHS principal Gary Swanson said. “They just have that inner drive.” Swanson said the name “Altair” derives from one of the brightest stars in the constellation Aquila. The word “aquila” once referred to an eagle used by the Greek god Zeus to carry his thunderbolts. The CVHS mascot is an eagle. Mary Raymond was awarded the Scholarship Altair Award. Raymond, who has the highest
See Altair, page 17
Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 School News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Weather Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8