Olympic
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July 27, 2012
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Clayton natives Kohler, Ipsen seek Olympic glory JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
HOWARD GELLER
MAYOR’S CORNER
Thanks for another fantastic Fourth I’d like to offer a big Clayton “thank you” to all the volunteers who participated in making this year’s Fourth of July Parade a huge success. This year, we seemed to have even more children and parents participate and an increased number of floats and equestrian units. The challenge is on to make next year’s
See Mayor, page 13
Medrano to seek reelection despite trial set for Sept. TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
A request to dismiss embezzlement charges against Clayton City Councilman Joseph Medrano was denied for a second time by a San Mateo County judge on July 20. A jury trial is set to begin Sept. 10. Medrano called the proceedings “a joke” and said he plans to run for reelection despite the pending trial. “There was no way the judge was going to reverse his own ruling,” Medrano said. Medrano claims San Mateo County does not have jurisdiction over the case. He plans to file another motion for dismissal, this time asking for a new judge. According to San Mateo District Attorney Steven Wagstaff, a new motion would again argue the jurisdiction issue. “This would be the same basis as the motion brought by the defense today,” Wagstaff said. “We would hope for the same outcome.” Medrano, an insurance broker and owner of IMC Services, is charged with allegedly embezzling $159,630 meant for insurance premiums from iPass Corporation and failing to turn the money over to Travelers Insurance. Medrano claims iPass breached their contract and that the money was owed to him. “While I am disappointed with what occurred today, I am more confident that the case will be dismissed or I will be found not guilty,” Medrano said. “I will be vindicated.”
Photo by John Beck Photography courtesy USA Diving
CLAYTON’S KRISTIAN IPSEN (second from right) joined in the celebration at the US Olympic Trials with his new fellow Olympians. The 11-member American diving team in London over the next two weeks includes, from left, Chris Colwill, Christina Loukas, Cassidy Krug, Ipsen and Troy Dumais. Krug is a former Stanford diver while Dumais is Ipsen’s partner in the three-meter synchro, which will be held next Wednesday. Stanford diving coach Rick Schavone is assistant coach of the American team, which hasn’t won a diving medal since 2000. He thinks both Ipsen, his current NCAA champion from Stanford, and Krug can medal in London.
A pair of young Clayton natives, Kristian Ipsen and Kara Kohler, will step onto the biggest international sporting stage over the next several days at the 30th Summer Olympics in London. Each homegrown athlete can visualize achieving the heights of glory next Wednesday that another Clayton resident, Don Bragg, reached with his pole vault gold medal performance in the 1960 Rome Olympics, four years before Clayton was incorporated as a city. Ipsen, a diving child prodigy and still a teenager of 19, is the youngest member of the USA’s Olympic diving team, where he is paired with the oldest American Olympic diver, Troy Dumais, in the three-meter synchronized event next Wednesday. Kohler at 21 is the youngest rower in the entire London Olympics. Unlike Ipsen, she came to her sport just three short years ago and will be in
See Olympians, page 8
BBQ fans get fired up for Rib Cook-off PAMELA WIESENDANGER Clayton Pioneer
Give it a little tooth. That is the advice from Yvonne Erb of Back Forty Texas BBQ – and official Kansas City Barbecue Society judge – who joins the crew at the Clayton Business and Community Association’s Third Annual Rib Cook-
Off on Aug. 11 at the Clayton Club Saloon. “A fall-off-the-bone rib is considered well done. It doesn’t allow you to grasp the flavors because you swallow before you get your tooth into it,” Erb says. An award-winning rib “tantalizes all parts of the tongue.” Contestants have just a few bites by the judge to show their cre-
ativity and the complexity of flavors they spend hours developing by trimming, rubbing and glazing their ribs. Break out the barbecue, tongs and spices and enter the contest or mark the calendar to bring an appetite downtown. The event is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Come early to buy a raffle ticket to win a spot as one of
Police chief to retire in November PAMELA WIESENDANGER Clayton Pioneer
POLICE CHIEF DAN LAWRENCE WILL HANG UP HIS BADGE in November after a 40 year career in law enforcement.
Soon, he will no longer be seen walking The Grove during concerts in his dark blues, driving Santa in the vintage patrol car to the holiday tree lighting, or even making a traffic stop. He will be wearing a leisurely uniform and walking a different beat by Christmas time. After seven years at the helm, Clayton Police Chief Dan Lawrence will retire from the force on Nov. 30. The date culminates a 40-plus-year career in law enforcement and marks the beginning of a new agenda.
See Chief, page 3
What’s Inside Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Car Tuned . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Community Calendar . . . . . .14
CVCHS News . . . . . . . . . . .12 Directory of Advertisers . . . . .5 Estate Planning . . . . . . . . . . .7 Fashion Over 50 . . . . . . . . .15 Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
the People’s Choice judges. Winners are announced and cash and prizes will be awarded at 3 p.m. The first announced is the People’s Choice winner. “It is the biggest trophy, giving bragging rights,” says organizer Rob Robertson. First place wins $300, second place wins $200 and third place wins $100. Live music will be performed by Crossman Country, The Relyks, Shorty Bacon Revue and Desert Moon at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively. Drinks are available from the Clayton Club. Soft drink sales benefit the CBCA as do food sales. The cook-off is CBCA’s annual membership drive and community fellowship party. Kinder’s Meats is cooking ribs for sale to spectators this year instead of contestants doing the cooking so they can concentrate on their entries. Burgers and hot dogs round out enough food to feed the anticipated crowd of 2,500. Other ways of partaking in the day are to volunteer or be a sponsor. This year’s local judges are joined by experts from Armadillo Willy’s, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, Kinder’s and Back Forty. Robertson says, “They certainly serve up enough ribs to know what’s good and bad.”
Food for Thought . . . . . . . . .18 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Hiker’s Haven . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Obituary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Performing Arts . . . . . . . . . .17
RIBS, THE PERFECT SAUCE and a little smoke make for a tasty day on Aug. 11 when the Clayton Club hosts the third annual CBCA rib cookoff. Dozens of ‘que-meisters will compete for the $300 top prize. Pictured is Jim Frazier at the 2011 event.
The pork baby back ribs are judged on appearance, tenderness and taste following the rules of KCBS, the world’s largest organization of barbecue and grill enthusiasts. The hope is to someday have the event be a KCBS-sanctioned competition. Steve Barton, owner of the Clayton Club, says he will host for as long as his property is big enough. “I love the partnership with the CBCA. The public that attends the cook-off loves it.” For entry forms and more information, go to claytoncbca.org or call 925672-2272. Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Sports Shorts . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Tech Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Teen Speak . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
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