IT’S YOUR PAPER www.claytonpioneer.com
March 25, 2011
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Rural residents will vote on $93 fire tax TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Property owners living in the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District will be asked to pay an additional $93 in property taxes to keep fire stations
open when a proposal to form a special Benefit Assessment District goes to voters this spring. The assessment is needed to close a $2.8 million budget deficit and to keep the Marsh Creek Sunshine Fire Station
open all year. ECCFPD provides fire and emergency services to the Marsh Creek/Morgan Territory rural areas that are outside that served by Contra Costa Fire Protection District’s Station 11 in Clayton.
The state of California operates and funds the Sunshine Station during fire season, from the first of May through October. During the non-fire season from November to May, ECCFPD pays CalFire to provide fire and emergency services.
ECCFPD, bleeding red ink, closed the Sunshine Station last October to save $377,000. Outraged at the move, residents formed a coalition and persuaded the district to draw on reserves to keep the station open one more year.
Current revenue from the 44,000 parcels in the ECCFPD is $8.4 million, but expenditures top $10.4 million. The district has been drawing on reserves to close the gap. If voters do not
See Fire Tax, page 4
After long wait, shoppers crowd Fresh & Easy TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
DAVE SHUEY
MAYOR’S CORNER ‘David, clean up your room!’ I am channeling my childhood and I can remember when I use to hate to hear those words from my mother. “Come on, Mom, who cares what my room looks like? Besides, it’s fine!” Well, decades have passed and now it is my wife that tells me to clean my room. Go figure. Now, what in the wide, wide world of sports does this have to do with the city of Clayton you ask? It is just an opening to once again tell you that April 16
See Mayor, page 6 Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
Help mark Earth Day at Clayton Cleans Up More than a billion people in 192 countries will observe Earth Day this month. Individuals and organizations worldwide have shown their commitment to environmental protection and sustainability since its inception by Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. senator from Wisconsin who campaigned for an environmental teach-in on April 22, 1970. This year Earth Day is April 22. But this year, Clayton will observe the day early a week earlier on April 16 with Clayton Cleans Up. This is a great activity for
FRESH & EASY EMPLOYEE DEBBIE COOPER HELPS EAGER SHOPPERS AT THE MARKET’S GRAND OPENING on March 16. The store is one of 11 that will open in Northern California by the end of April. Surrounding merchants are hopeful that the increased traffic will help spur sales in the rest of the Center.
Neighbors keep friendly eye on emus and llamas DENISEN HARTLOVE Clayton Pioneer
Mention the phrase “angry birds” to some people and they immediately reach for their
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA PERMIT 190
See Cleans Up, page 8
Photo by Rhonda Parcesepe
FOR ALL THEIR FEROCIOUS appearance, the 6-foot tall emus are actually peaceful, curious birds. However, when threatened, they have a powerful kick, and can run up to 40 miles per hour.
What’s Inside Around Town . . . . . . . . . . .2 Ask the Doc . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Book Review . . . . . . . . . .13
iPhones and start chattering about canaries and catapults. For Albert Seeno Jr., the phrase brings to mind six foot tall birds that can weigh up to 120 pounds and run 40 miles an hour. (The fastest human on record runs 29 miles per hour; the average human is much slower.) Wandering the backyard of the Seeno mansion just outside of downtown Clayton, three emus keep company with 12 llamas, eight rare Barbados sheep, two miniature horses named Reno and Dolly and a dog. Emus are the world’s third largest birds. Not actually angry at all, the curious birds fascinate neighborhood parents and children alike as they placidly stroll the 50-plus acre fenced property. Asked why he collected the exotic animals, Seeno responded with a statement through a representative. “We love our animals. They are part of the family. We are so happy the
See Emus, page 9
Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Community Calendar . . . .15 Director of Advertisers . . . .5 Earth Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Estate Planning . . . . . . . . .8 Fit with Levity . . . . . . . . . .13
After a three-year wait, Fresh & Easy finally broke the suspense and opened in the Clayton Valley Center last week. Enthusiastic shoppers, looking for a close-to-home option to standard supermarket fare, lined up early for the 10 a.m. opening. Representatives from the Concord Chamber of Commerce, Concord Mayor Laura Hoffmeister and the city manager were all on hand to welcome the British-owned supermarket. After a few brief welcoming remarks, store manager Barbara Tinlin presented the local Meals on Wheels chapter with the store’s grand opening gift of $1,000. Inside, the store filled so quickly that management began limiting the number who could enter at one time. Checkout lines stretched almost completely
See Fresh & Easy, page 2
Commanding performance anchors Willows homecoming LOU FANCHER Clayton Pioneer
If Broadway star David Burnham’s March 12 appearance at the Willows Theatre Company’s gala was any indication, the forecast for the upcoming season is sunny, with blue skies ahead. Celebrating the company’s triumphant return to the main stage in Concord, Burnham wowed the crowd with a 90minute concert spanning the spectrum of musical theater history. Along the way, he included stories of his trajectory from California farm boy to star of stage and screen. After a cocktail hour hosted by managing director David Faustina and artistic director Eric Inman, the nearly sold-out audience settled into the renovated venue. Barbary Grant and Stu Klitsner, two actors closely
See Willows, page 3
Food for Thought . . . . . . .17 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . .18 Obituary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Pioneer Photo Album . . . . .3 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Photo by Charles Jarrett
BROADWAY STAR DAVID BURHAM GREETS STU KLITSNER and Diane Tierney in the theatre lobby after the gala opening concert celebrating the Willows Theatre return to the Concord mainstage.
Safety Zone . . . . . . . . . . .14 Senior Moments . . . . . . . .13 So Anyway . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Teen Speak . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Wilmetta Mann, Clayton native and member of one of Clayton’s oldest families, died last week at the age of 97. See obituary on page 6