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IT’S YOUR PAPER www.claytonpioneer.com
November 20, 2009
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Mt. Whitney climb is 60th birthday present for Clayton man and his friends JULIE PIERCE
MAYOR’S CORNER Street sweeping pricey component of clean water standards After reading about changes to the street-sweeping schedule in a nearby city, a resident recently asked me why we have to sweep our streets. The required minimum monthly street sweeping is just one of the methods we must use to meet federal and state clean water standards. The purpose of the street sweeping is only partly to remove the litter. The main purpose is to pick up the oil-laden sand, rubber debris and other pollutants that are shed by cars
See Mayor, page 19
Blood drive allows 8th grader to pay it forward
Photo by Scott Shackleton
PAUL ERACLIO
CELEBRATED HIS
JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
When Paul Eraclio turned 50, his wife Maggie gave him a climbing trip to the summit of the Grand Teton in Jackson
60TH
BIRTHDAY IN
SEPTEMBER at the summit of Mt. Whitney. It was his eighth climb to the 14,505 peak.
Hole, Wyo., as his birthday gift. Going one “step” better this September when he turned 60, Eraclio and three Clayton friends hiked to the summit of Mt. Whitney – the highest point in the continental United
States at 14,505 feet. Joining Eraclio were Scott and Karen Shackleton and Joyce Kelly, all experienced hikers. The friends hatched the idea last year at a neighborhood dinner in Clayton. Eraclio
already had seven trips to the summit of Mt. Whitney and Kelly had gone there twice. For the Shackletons, this would be a first. The Eraclios moved to Clayton 12 years ago as a result
of a corporate transfer and were inspired to start hiking with beautiful Mt. Diablo as a front yard. On his first Diablo hike, Eraclio found two
See Mt. Whitney, page 17
TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Students learn recipes for success DENISEN HARTLOVE Clayton Pioneer
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
MONICA FRAGA and daughter Molly Avilez appeal to the community for blood donations at Dec. 1 blood drive.
Molly Avilez says she has a debt to pay. Not a credit card debt for the latest skinny jeans or an advance against next week’s allowance – Molly’s debt is for her life. On a Wednesday night in 1997, as the family was leaving home for church, there was a moment of confusion between her parents. “I thought her dad put her in the truck and he thought I did,” says Monica Fraga, Molly’s mother.
See Blood Drive, page 9
Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, bacon and mayo sandwiches and mixing bowls full of breakfast cereal are on their way out as snacks for students of the after-school healthy cooking class at Diablo View Middle School. Instead, the typically ravenous students recently dined on pesto made with pumpkin seeds, basil and garlic; ravioli with yams and kale; and, of course, macaroni and cheese, but this time with Swiss chard, beans and wheat bread crumbs. Best yet, the students made all the dishes. The class taught by Marirose Piciucco and Christy Kovacs is part of the afterschool enrichment program put together as a joint effort by Patti Pratt (known around town as DramaMama) and Parent Faculty Club president Alison Bacigalupo, with the support of
What’s Inside Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Church News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
school principal Patti Bannister. “Middle schoolers are at an age where they are trying to find an identity,” said Bacigalupo. “They want to break away from mom; they want to hang out. We’ve seen some of that in gatherings down in the park or downtown. “This is a way to come together with their peer group, do something fun and interesting, but in a safe environment, without necessarily mom and dad there.” Regardless of the sociological schema involved, the kids were having fun at a recent class session. Christian HeinSilva, 11, worked alongside friends Chase Benham, 11, and Michael Baker, 12. Supervised by Kovacs, they diced cilantro and parsley for a falafel recipe. The day’s theme was Greek food. “No, dude – I always cut the cilantro,” Christian insisted to one of the others as they jostled for position at the
Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Community Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Deal with It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Directory of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Doc Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
countertop. Beside him, Chase tasted the herbs. “I like cilantro,” he decided. “I like the taste of it. I think I would like it in sauces
and other stuff.” A fan of seafood – oysters are his favorite – he joined the
See Cooking, page 15
Recessionary Thanksgiving: a reminder of hope and good faith ANDRÉ GENSBURGER Clayton Pioneer
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
DIABLO VIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS Michael Baker, Christian Hein-Silva and Chase Benham work together with instructor Christy Kovacs to learn to make Greek food at a recent after school cooking class
Financial Sense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Food for Thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 From the Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Going Green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Holiday Shopping Guide . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Police Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Safety Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 School News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
As Thanksgiving rolls around and retailers ready for the approaching Christmas shopping frenzy, tempered as it may be, Clayton residents are taking pause to remember the true meaning of the day. “Our family typically serves at a public Thanksgiving meal, then goes home and has a family meal,” said Maj. Clay Gardner of the Concord Salvation Army. He and his wife, Maj. Pam Gardner, have many reasons to give thanks. This past year, Pam donated a kidney to her friend
See Thanksgiving, page 23
Senior Moments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Teen Speak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Time to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4