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September 10, 2010
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Curry fire burns 357 acres TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
A fast moving grassfire on Mt. Diablo at the top of Curry Canyon last month charred 375 acres and rattled the nerves of residents in Curry Creek and along Morgan Territory Road. The fire started around 4 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 24. By early Tuesday morning, it was 80 percent contained and out by Friday. The remote location, low humidity and temperatures well above 100 degrees created a very serious situation. More than 200 firefighters from Cal Fire, Contra Costa Fire Protection and San Ramon Fire battled the heat, smoke and thousands of panicked tarantulas as they worked to contain the blaze. Six tankers and three helicopters dropped fire retardant and water from the air. The fire threatened several homes on Curry Canyon Road, but no structures were lost. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Initial reports of a downed power pole were incorrect, said Cal Fire Battalion Chief Mike Marcucci. See page 6 for more on Morgan Territory/ Marsh Creek area fire protection.
HANK STRATFORD
MAYOR’S CORNER It takes a village to run a school Now that school has started, I have been trying to figure out where the summer went. I remember as a kid being a little nervous the night before the first day of school. I always had a slight feeling of dread (OK, maybe more than slight) as I counted how many months until the next summer. However, once the school year
See Mayor, page 9
A CAL FIRE/CDF HELICOPTER DIPS INTO A COW POND on Marsh Creek Road to fill the tank. Minutes later, the water was dumped on the Curry Canyon fire. Local ponds provide a quick source of water to fight wildfires in rural areas. This photo was taken by Jared Woods, a Morgan Territory resident and 8th grade student at Diablo View Middle School.
It took a little ribbing to HGTV personality makes a raise community spirit splash at hardware store opening The grand opening of Orchard Supply Hardware on Sept. 11 will include an appearance by Danielle Hirsch, cohost of HGTV’s “Color Splash.” The long-awaited new store
officially opens in the Clayton Valley Shopping Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 7 a.m. The celebration will continue throughout the weekend. The 43,000 sq. ft. store will employ 60 associates, said man-
ager Gary Siegrist. The store includes a 14,000 sq. ft. nursery, where plants come with a lifetime guarantee. The interior features a comfortable shopping
See OSH, page 4
School leaders push past finances toward success DENISEN HARTLOVE Clayton Pioneer
Rather than buckling under the pressure of increasing student rolls and slashed budgets, local principals still hold high hopes and maintain a dogged determination to ensure that no student misses a chance for a good education. Some, like Gary Swanson of Clayton Valley High School, have been on the job for many
See Principals, page 8
Station 11 remembers 9-11comrades Mike Dunn/Clayton Pioneer
JOHN SCHIAPPACASSE BITES INTO HIS OWN COOKING at the CBCA rib cookoff and membership drive on Aug. 21. DENISEN HARTLOVE Clayton Pioneer
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA PERMIT 190
“Low and slow” was the philosophy of the day at Clayton’s first Rib Cook-Off in the backyard of the downtown Clayton Club. In the late summertime heat,
attendees listened to local band The Relyks as they wandered from one grilling contestant’s booth to the next, sampling ribs and sharing stories of their summer adventures with friends and neighbors. Clayton hairstylist Jim Frazier conceived the idea for the free public event as a publicity and membership drive for the nonprofit Clayton Business and Community Association. With the help of local Realtor Rob Robertson and a team of volunteers, Frazier’s idea quickly took off. Just six weeks after the event was proposed, an estimated 500
See Ribs, page 3
The front lawns of the Clayton firehouse are alive with red, white and blue as 343 small flags flutter in the breeze – one for each of the 343 firefighters lost in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in 2001. Each flag is in memory of a lost comrade. A card with the firefighter’s photo, dates of service and a brief memorial is attached. “I feel like I have to stop and read each one,” says an emotional Capt. Terry Newberry. “This is too close to home. These guys are part of us. Ken Robb measures carefully, preparing to start a new row. He stops in the middle and reads the card in front of him. “This guy was 62,” he says, quietly. “Served a long time.” The flag memorial will stay in place for a week following 9-11.
What’s Inside Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Church News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
CCFPD Capt. Terry Newberry and firefighters Jared Parant and Ken Robb place the flags for the annual 9-11 memorial at the Clayton firestation.
Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Community Calendar . . . . . . . .16 Directory of Advertisers . . . . . . . .5 DVMS Reporter . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Food for Thought . . . . . . . . . . . .20 From the Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . .7 Parenting Today . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 School News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Tech Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Teen Speak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Weather Words . . . . . . . . . . . . .10