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February 10, 2012
kings follow in 11 for g week more details
Girls’ bake sale raises money to help sick friend HOWARD GELLER
MAYOR’S CORNER
Mt. Diablo – The jewel of Clayton Valley Families do not move to Clayton because it is close to freeways or major shopping. Instead, they move here because they love the quaintness of our town that is nestled in the foothills of Mt. Diablo. My reason for moving to Clayton in the Spring of 1975 was clear when I saw Mt. Diablo for the first time. This feeling has been reinforced daily. Moving from the east coast, Mt. Diablo continues to remind me of the seasons I miss. Snow-capped peaks on cold and wet winter days, the colors of Fall before the leaves drop, the array of wildflowers that bloom after our rains and our hot summer days when we can see the grasses do their dance in the gentle breezes, all remind me of home. I stopped by our local Park Ranger Station at the end of Mitchell Canyon Road. I had a wonderful chat with some of the friendly staff. Walking away with a handful of free pamphlets and a quick education about what this awesome mountain has to offer, I realized I had to share with you.
See Mayor, page 6
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
FIVE MDES FIFTH-GRADERS PULLED TOGETHER LAST WEEK TO HOLD A BAKE SALE IN THE GROVE to raise money for a friend recently diagnosed with leukemia. From left Julia Deely, Miya Quesada, Kaylie Quesada, Kalli Malnick and Rebecca Snyder.
CVHS students to perform in local and state honor bands SARAH ROSEN Clayton Pioneer
This year, several Clayton Valley High School band students have been selected through an intensive audition process to represent the school by participating in various honor bands both within the district and across the state. CVHS will be represented by 16 students for the MDUSD High School Honor Band, six students for Contra Costa County Honor Band, two students for All-Northern California Honor Band, and one for All-State Honor Band. CVHS junior Josh Warzecha is the sole student to be selected to play in all four of the honor bands, making this his second year playing clarinet in the All State Honor Band. For the audition, each applicant was required to submit a CD recording of their performance at the California All-State Scales and excerpts from various required pieces. Warzecha was one of 26 clarinetists selected from a pool of 50 to join the All-Northern band, which is organized by a group of northern Cali-
fornia band directors. After being selected, all players had to re-audition for their specific placement. “By playing in honor bands, I hope to achieve a greater sense of musicianship and to meet other
See Honor Band, page 4
JASON FERNANDEZ ON THE EUPHONIUM and Josh Warzecha on the clarinet will represent CVHS in several local honor bands.
What’s Inside Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Car Tuned . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Community Calendar . . . . . .12 CVHS Reporter . . . . . . . . . .14 Directory of Advertisers . . . . .5 DVMS Reporter . . . . . . . . . .14 Estate Planning . . . . . . . . . .13
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What do you do when you find out your best friend has leukemia? Kallie Malnick, and four of her friends found their answer in the kitchen. The girls spent a whole weekend baking – turning out everything from cakes and cookies to brownies and lemon bars – for an impromptu bake sale in The Grove last week to raise money to help with the medical expenses faced by her friend’s family. Nick Steffan, a 5th grader at Valhalla School in Pleasant Hill, has ALL – acute lymphocytic leukemia. The girls set up their table after school and within minutes had customers lined up for the goodies. One woman stopped for a chocolate chip cookie, another just to donate to the cause. “Even the FedEx guy made a munchie stop,” said Kallie’s mom, Nicole Malnick. “He was really generous, too.” The girls publicized their sale with a “dancing sign” in front of Ed’s Mudville Grill, with flyers around campus and on Facebook. This was their first fundraiser and, judging by the results and their enthusiasm, definitely not their last. “It feels really good to be able to help,” said Rebecca Snyder. “Besides, it’s just really fun being out here.” The bake sale will be a surprise to Nick, said Kallie. “When he can eat again, we’ll tell him.” Nick’s parents, Tim and Julie Steffan, are both local real estate agents. Tim Steffan was a 1988 graduate of CVHS.
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City and school district conflict continues over gym fees, ball field rent TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
It may take more than a handshake and an olive branch to heal things between the city of Clayton and the Mt. Diablo Unified School District. City officials were outspoken supporters of the recent effort to convert Clayton Valley High School to a charter school. The district denied the petition, sending the charter school supporters to the Contra Costa County Board of Education to appeal the decision. The county overrode the district’s denial, unanimously approving the application. The months-long wrangling and the final decision have left relations between the city and the district tense, at best.
See Conflict, page 8
In this issue
Commitment and compromise keep these couples loving for more than 60 years DENISEN HARTLOVE Clayton Pioneer
Valentine’s Day…meh. Sure, roses are lovely, and diamonds last forever. But once the flowers have wilted, the chocolates are eaten, and the $1.98 heart-shaped Hallmark poems get swept up in stacks of household bills and children’s homework assignments, what keeps true love alive for longer than 72 days? “Take off the glasses and turn down the hearing aid,” quipped Barbara Goldsmith, who – Lasik and fresh batteries notwithstanding – has been together and raised four children with her partner of over 32 years. However diverse their lives and backgrounds, the several couples who spoke with us all agreed on one point. Staying together for the long-term means deciding to take one thing off the table – splitting up. Tucked into matching blue recliners in their Diamond Terrace apartment, Bill and Yvonne Billo have been married 67 years. Handsome in his
Fashion Over 50 . . . . . . . . .16 Fit with Levity . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 From the Chief . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Letter to the Editor . . . . . . . . .5 Mind Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Denisen Hartlove/Clayton Pioneer
YVONNE AND BILL BILLO SAY they’ve stayed married for 67 years because they never considered the alternative.
uniform, and sweetly pretty with a flower in her hair, the couple beam out from a photo picture taken in 1943 when they were first wed. Then in training to fly B-17s in World War II, Bill travelled
Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Police Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Sports Shorts . . . . . . . . . . . .11
See Couples, page 18 Teen Speak . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 The Charter Papers . . . . . .13 Trouble with Teens . . . . . . . .9 Weather Words . . . . . . . . . .17
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA PERMIT 190