PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA PERMIT 190
IT’S YOUR PAPER www.claytonpioneer.com
August 19, 2005
925.672.0500
New Longs store coming to Clayton GREGG MANNING
MAYOR’S CORNER Pete Peterson ends 35 year career in Clayton Pete Peterson, Clayton’s Police Chief for the past seven years has retired for the second time in his 35-year career—this time from Clayton. This fact was hard to miss for anyone who read the Aug. 5 issue of the Pioneer. There it was; the only item above the fold with the largest picture I can remember the Pioneer ever running. I have mixed feeling on the departure of Chief Peterson. As a citizen, I know we are losing one of the finest officers who has ever served Clayton. As mayor it means we have to find a replacement for a legend. As a property owner I wonder if we will see our standing slip as the city with the second lowest crime rate in the state. However, Chief Peterson has earned his retirement. Thirty-five years is a long time to work at anything. In law enforcement it can seem like an eternity with the day-to-day duties of stopping the bad guys. Today’s criminals seem to have fewer and fewer qualms about committing crimes and often place little value on human life. Even Clayton with its low crime rate can still sometimes be a dangerous place. Chief Peterson is a very private individual and not one to toot his own horn. So I was surprised at the depth of the law enforcement education he had acquired over the 28 years he served with the Oakland Police Department. At Pete’s retirement dinner, I had the honor of presenting State Senator Tom Torlakson’s Senate long proclamation honoring Pete’s career. It was long because it detailed the vast scope of that education. While I was reading it, I was thinking Pete must have
THE
Courtesy of Johnson Lyman Architects
NEW
LONGS DRUGS proposed for the one acre parcel at Clayton Rd. and Center St. is expected to generate $36,000 in annual sales tax revenue.
JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
The city-owned 1.1-acre vacant lot at the corner of Clayton Road and Center Street will soon house a Longs Drug Store with a drive-through pharmacy. Plans call for a 14,500 square foot building with ample parking, according to the Jack McGuire, the project’s develop-
er. Unlike the design of most stand alone retail stores, the new Clayton store backs up to the corner of Clayton Road and Center Street with parking on the inside of the lot. “When commuters drive by, they’ll see an extremely attractive exterior, not a parking lot,” said McGuire. He describes the Clayton Longs as a full service drug store with an award win-
SECTION A Around Town . . . . . . . . . .A2 Upcoming Events . . . . . . .A3 Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . .A4 Classifieds and Directory of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . . .A5 School News . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . .A8 Tech Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . .A10 Your Health . . . . . . . . . . .A10 Tea For You . . . . . . . . . . .A11 Food For Thought . . . . . .A13 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . .A14 For the Birds . . . . . . . . . .A15 SECTION B Hiker’s Haven . . . . . . . . . . .B1 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2 Just My Opinion . . . . . . . . .B5 Church News . . . . . . . . . . .B5 Community Calendar . . . . .B6 Financial Sense . . . . . . . . . .B7 Dining Around . . . . . . . . . .B8 Pet Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B9
annual sales taxes and provide up to 35 new jobs which Napper expects to bolster the local economic and commerce base within the city. The developer, who purchased the land for $801,000, has agreed to contribute $10,000 per year for 10 years to the maintenance of Clayton’s long-awaited downtown park. “This development is very
much in tune with what the people wanted,” says McGuire referring to a 2003 city council survey that polled residents about prospective uses for the site. He said that the new Longs store meets so many of the requirements expressed in the survey. “They (Longs) are very excited about coming to
See Longs, page A9
Dana Hills rules the pool at Concord Cup XII JIM ZEWAN Clayton Pioneer
See Mayor, page A7
What’s inside
ning new “in store look.” In a staff report to the city council, City Manager Gary Napper refers to the Longs proposed development as a “firstclass retail facility” filling the void in one of the last large commercially-zoned sites within the Clayton Town Center plan. As a major anchor retailer, the drug store is expected to generate approximately $36,000 in
Courtesy of Mike Kohler
DANA HILLS SWIMMERS Ashley Jennings, Kara Kohler, Cassie Grove and Marisa Marr won the Girls Outstanding relay of the Concord Cup City Meet.
The Dana Hills Swim Team won the Concord Cup “City” Championship Aug. 5-7, taking the championship title for the 13th time in the last 14 years. Contra Costa County has seen some powerhouse swim teams come and go over the years, and Dana Hills has managed to stay strong. But, just as impressive as its Division A win – or possibly even more so - DHST also won the “B” Division title this year. Winning both Divisions at City Meet is a great accomplishment and clearly shows the depth and strength of Dana Hills’ overall swimmers as well as their wellhoned swim stroke techniques and their hard work and determination. This was the fifth
time in the last 14 years that DHST has won both Divisions at Concord City Meet, where more than 900 athletes competed this year. DHST’s new head coach, Matt Struempf, was happy with the results. Struempf said he and the other Dana Hills coaches thought they had a chance at winning Division A, “but it certainly showed the depth of our team when we won B Division, too.” “The whole season went well,” Struempf said. “The kids trained hard and we pushed them to their limits and they delivered. The swimmers really came together as a team, and it showed when we won both A and B.” The Springwood team parent volunteers run the Concord
Cup “City” Championship Swim Meet each year. And, again this year, the Springwood swimmers provided some of the best competition for Dana Hills by coming in second place in the A Division. Springwood and Dana Hills led all teams this year with four A Division Age Group High Point Winners each. Ygnacio Wood had the most overall High Point Winners with seven. DHST’s four high point winners were Chloe Traynor, Kara Kohler, Lindsay Kiyama and John Keane. Oakhurst Country Club Swim Team’s Jordy Robichaud was also a high point winner this year. The Springwood 13-14 boys not only won all seven A events
See Pool, page B2
Fouts takes on Iron Man challenge for brother TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
As John Fouts approached his fortieth birthday, he, like many at that milestone, resolved to eat better and work a little harder at getting in shape. At age 38 and tipping the scales at 285, Fouts had already had surgery to clear a clogged artery. “I was on a collision course with heart disease,” said Fouts. His father, grandfather and a brother before him all had blazed their own trails to
the cardiologist. But it was more than his own health that motivated Fouts. Last year, his identical twin brother Martin was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. During his yearlong battle with the disease, Martin encouraged Fouts, to commit to training for quite possibly the most grueling of all sports, the Iron Man triathlon—quite likely the most punishing event thought up by humans since the Romans pitted gladiators against lions in the Coliseum.
The Iron Man event starts out with a 2.4-mile swim followed by a 112-mile bike ride. At the end of the 112 miles, the athlete ditches the bike and hits the dirt running for a 26.2-mile marathon run. And, for those scoffers who say “pish, piece of cake,” it all must be finished inside of 17 hours. In January of this year, Martin’s cancer had gone into remission, and by March the brothers’ training and preparation had begun in earnest. Martin would provide the cheer-
ing section and support and John would swim, bike and run. But the brothers’ partnership was not to be. Following his short remission, Martin’s cancer returned and he died on May 27. Fouts’ grief is profound. It has been less than three months since he lost his twin and the wounds are still raw. However, not one to back down from a challenge, Fouts redoubled his efforts, kicked his training up a notch and vowed
See Fouts, page A9
JOHN FOUTS