Have a Happy Halloween
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October 22, 2010
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Clayton Valley High continues to lead way in Save High School Sports effort JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
HANK STRATFORD
MAYOR’S CORNER Don’t lose sleep on street project I’m guessing you wake up in the morning wishing you knew more about Clayton’s street maintenance. Since the city is about to start a $1.3 million street project, I thought I would give you some information you can use as you stand around the water cooler at work. In order to qualify for state and federal funding for street projects, the city is required to maintain an acceptable pavement management program. As part
See Mayor, page 20 Photo by Mike Dunn
Museum event brings history into perspective
THE FAMILY FUN RUN/WALK was a highlight of the second annual Save High School Sports 5K event at Newhall Park in Concord. Over 1600 runners and walkers, plus some of the four-legged variety, took part in the event helping raise approximately $75,000 to fund sports a the six high schools of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District. Runners and walker wearing the school colors of Clayton Valley, Concord, Northgate, College Park, Ygnacio Valley and Mt. Diablo high schools included students, parents, teachers, school staff, alumni and community supporters.
Photo by Mike Dunn
FIONA SUNDY watches as her sister Branna grinds seeds into a pulp at the Clayton Museum. Looking on is Aiden Dvorak. MIKE DUNN Clayton Pioneer
Whispers of local people from the past were clearly witnessed at the Clayton Museum on Oct. 9. The “whispers” were visual clues seen with the help of Christine McCollum, a local archaeologist and 1994 Clayton Valley High alumnus. McCollum and museum curator Mary Spryer created an engaging and interesting focus
The Halloween Ghost Walk, an annual Clayton favorite, is marking its 30th anniversary this year. Clayton historian Richard Taylor leads the hauntingly fun tour from Endeavor Hall. The first Ghost Walk was really a history field trip. Taylor taught a class called “Clayton Past and Present” for Clayton Community School, an afterschool program at Mt. Diablo Elementary School. He walked 24 students and parents around Clayton, sharing interesting stories of Clayton’s
history. The abundance of scary stories coincided with it being Halloween that day, earning him a command performance the following Halloween. Word and interest spread and by the third year, 500 people showed up for the ghost walk. Today’s crowd averages about 200 people. The city of Clayton sponsors the event, and Police Explorers escort the crowd safely through the streets. Taylor’s mother assisted with the walks until she died in 2005. His father kept the ghouls and goblins satisfied at home by handing out candy to trick-or-treaters.
See Ghostwalk page 18
TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
FOR 30 YEARS, RICHARD TAYLOR has led the annual Halloween Ghost Walk through the streets of Clayton. At the Oct. 19 City Council meeting, Taylor was honored for his efforts.
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See Museum, page 6
SARAH ROSEN TEEN SPEAK
Over the past month or so, six kids have killed themselves as a result of bullying in the United States alone. Two of these were from California. The kids, ranging in age from 11 to 19, could no longer take the relentless bullying. Whether they were taunted because they were thought to be homosexual or were seen as being different, these children took their lives
What’s Inside Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Church News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
See 5K Run page 13
Downtown business development, potential conflicts addressed at Candidates’ Forum
The year’s Ghost Walk marks 30 years of ghoulish goings-on PAMELA WIESENDANGER Clayton Pioneer
As families rally to save sports in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District, the second annual Save High School Sports 5K Run/Walk at Newhall Park in Concord raised $75,000. Clayton Valley High School took a leadership role in the United Mt. Diablo Athletic Foundation, which was formed in 2009 to spearhead the Save High School Sports fund-raising efforts. At the second annual run/walk Oct. 10, CVHS had the most registered participants with 450 runners or walkers. Decorated former Eagle runner Nathanael Litwiller once again the first runner to cross the finish line of the 5K course around Newhall Park in a time of 16:31.46. Last year, families and community members were told they must raise more than $1.2 million so athletes from the six high schools can participate in boys and girls sports.
because they couldn’t live with the abuse. This past spring, I joined a group of Clayton Valley High School students as volunteer camp counselors for Ayers Elementary School’s fifth-grade Camp Sea Lab in Monterey. Upon my arrival, I realized that times had changed. There were no hand games and singing “Wheels on the Bus.” Instead,
Community Calendar . . . . . . . .16 Directory of Advertisers . . . . . . . .5 Financial Sense . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Food for Thought . . . . . . . . . . . .21 From the Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Going Green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
these kids were singing songs with references to alcohol and sex. After I got home from camp, I found that several of the kids had “friended” me on Facebook. Though I questioned why fifthgraders had Facebook pages, I accepted the requests.
See Bullying, page 18
Holiday Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . .7 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Mayor’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Police Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Attracting more businesses to the downtown was the central issue at last Monday’s Candidates’ Forum sponsored by the Clayton Pioneer and the Clayton Library Foundation and moderated by Concord Mayor Guy Bjerke. Dave Shuey, an attorney, is running for a third term and Hank Stratford, a businessman and CPA is running for a second. Challenger Ted Meriam is a Microsoft executive currently sitting on the Planning Commission and Jim Diaz is a businessman with a security and law enforcement background. This is his third run for City Council. Shuey and Stratford are essentially conducting a single campaign and say their skills and experience are needed in some critical areas. Shuey brings legal expertise to the city’s ongoing
See Forum page 17
Safety Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Senior Moments . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Take a Hike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Your Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8