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December 12, 2014
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Eagles to go Bowl-ing again JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
DAVE SHUEY
MAYOR’S CORNER
New mayor gives thanks for Clayton As we round out 2014 and head into 2015 there is a lot to be thankful for in Clayton. First, thank you to all who voted in the November election. Despite common pessimism, your vote does matter and you overwhelmingly voted to renew our downtown park revenue for the next 20 years, ensuring our beautiful park will remain the centerpiece of downtown. In addition, you voted me back in for which I am grateful
See Mayor, page 9 Jason Rogers
Gavel goes to Dave Shuey in Council reorg
TO THE VICTOR GO THE SPOILS AND IT WAS CLAYTON VALLEY CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL that won the North Coast Section football championship last Friday in an historic showdown with cross-town rivals Concord Minutemen, prompting an on-field celebration at Diablo Valley College. It was the first time two Concord schools had faced off in the NCS finals. The Ugly Eagles won 33-6 to claim their second NCS Division II title in three years. Concord won Section in 2010 and was also runner-up in 2011.
TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
The Clayton City Council shifted seamlessly into 2015 last Tuesday when City Clerk Janet Brown administered the oath of office to newly elected council members Keith Hayden and David Shuey; Hayden for the first time and Shuey for the fourth. After signing the oaths, the two took their seats on the dais and outgoing council member and mayor Hank Stratford addressed the council and the city staff. Stratford, by nature quiet and somewhat uncomfortable in the spotlight, thanked the city staff and his fellow council members. “I’ve learned something from every one of you, he said. “It’s been an honor to serve the city for eight years.” As Stratford prepared to leave the dais for the last time, See Council Election, page 9
See CVCHS Win,, page 10
Tree Lighting begins holiday countdown ARIEL HENLEY Special to the Pioneer
CITY COUNCILMEN Keith Haydon and David Shuey take oath of office
Undefeated Diablo Valley Athletic League and North Coast Section champion Clayton Valley Charter High School will be hosting its most significant home football game ever this Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. when the Eagles have a rematch with Oakdale (13-1) in the Northern California Division II Regional Bowl. To reach this game that dangles a berth in the CIF State Bowl Dec. 20 to the winner, coach Tim Murphy’s team used a stunning defensive display to defeat arch-rival Concord High 33-6 in the NCS finals last Friday at packed, rain-drenched Diablo Valley College. It was the 14th straight win for CVCHS as they continue to rack up school records and remain among the nation’s top high school offenses with over 7400 total years this season. Clayton Valley is No. 1 in the state in scoring, rushing and total offense. Nationally, the Ugly Eagles are No. 2 in rushing
Clayton’s quaint and picturesque town park was lit up Saturday night for the annual Caroling and Tree Lighting. The event, which drew hundreds of spectators from Clayton and the surrounding communities, was the perfect way to kick off the holiday season. The entire downtown was closed to traffic, and was instead filled with scenes of carolers, horse and carriage rides, and children holding cups of cider and the hands of their mothers. “It’s like a Thomas Kinkade Christmas,” said one man watching the horse drawn carriages outside of Moresi’s
Chophouse. Others smiled and nodded in agreement. The carriages took families on a lovely loop around town while those waiting in line were treated to the sounds of Vintage, a quartet of Clayton singers. The clip-clop of the horses’ hooves added nice rhythmic backup to the traditional and original Christmas music of the group led by Santiago Martinez. This is the fifth year that the Dynamic Real Estate Group, the Moresi Family and P2C Foundation have teamed up to provide the rides. By 6 p.m., the Mt. Diablo Elementary Chorus was in place SANTA,
ACCOMPANIED BY
DAVE ATKINSON (LEFT)
AND
MAYOR DAVE SHUEY and two Clayton kids,
See Tree Lighting, page 3 heads down Main Street to flip the switch on the town tree, officially kicking off the holidays.
Two Clayton scouts earn Gold Awards with innovative projects Clayton is fortunate that its culture of “giving back” extends to its younger residents. And nowhere is that as apparent as in prestigious scouting awards. Just recently, two young Clayton girls received their Girl Scout Gold Award for two unique projects.
JUSTINE DEL MONTE CAPS SCOUTING YEARS with Gold Award for her “Drew” anti-bullying children’s books.
COMBATING BULLYING Justine Del Monte, a 14year-old resident of Clayton, combined her love of reading, writing and fighting bullying into a unique project that
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earned the Athenian School ninth grader the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award. It started when Justine wrote the book, “Drew’s Dancing Drum” at age 11 as a class project while attending Palmer School. Artist Brandon Chappell, volunteered to illustrate the book and then created a children’s interactive app. The app is available in three languages: English, Spanish and Mandarin. Fans of the first book inquired about a second book,
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which inspired Justine at age 12 to write, “Drew Meets Boo.” Brandon volunteered again to illustrate the second book and created a children’s interactive app for the book that is available in three languages as well. The first app for “Drew’s Dancing Drum” is free – the second App for “Drew Meets Boo” is $1.99 and all the money goes to charity — food banks, Girl Scouts, an Autistic
See Gold Awards, page 3
Check out the EBRPD Activity Guide Inside.
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