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www.claytonpioneer.com
Howard Geller
February 12, 2016
925.672.0500
Civil War comes alive in unique and colorful museum exhibit
JENNIFER LEISCHER Correspondent
MAYOR’S CORNER
Clayton just keeps getting better
With the success of the Ipsen Family Bocce Park bringing 100 plus people downtown six days a week during the league seasons, I can only imagine how nice a fully developed Town Center would be. The vision of after school children stopping at a Main Street ice cream parlor/candy store, storefronts with seating, plazas filled with our locals residents walking to town on our awesome trail system, adds a twinkle to my eye and a smile on my face. The city is exploring partnering with the county and other cities to offer property owners a choice to “green/renewable” energy Tamara Steiner sources as an alternative to M ANY FLAGS WERE DESIGNED DURING THE C IVIL W AR , DEPICTING BATTLES AND PLATOONS . Here, ellis Byrd (center) holds the Union PG&E electrical service. Fort Sumter Flag, Joann Caspar holds the Missouri Battle Flag and dick ellis holds a Confederate Flag representing the Through funds from the battle of Bunker Hill. Citywide Landscape Maintenance District, the city just completed the removal and installation of new wood planks on all three bridges on the Cardinet Trail. If you are not walking our trail system regularly, you are missing out on great scenery, great exercise, and the great opportunity to meet many agreed to drop the lawsuit and trators as they had closed August 2012 the first CVCHS JAY BEDECARRÉ friendly folks who love Clayton ask the court to rule in favor their investigation of com- classes began. Clayton Pioneer just as much as you do. of CVCHS, withdraw a sepa- plaints made by stakeholders The relationship between rate Department of Fair about CVCHS. Middendorf and Linzey fracAs Clayton Valley Charter DIABLO VIEW Employment and Housing Middendorf, a long-time tured in early 2014 and MidHigh School looks ahead to its MIDDLE SCHOOL complaint, pay the charter teacher at the school, was codendorf was terminated that first graduation ceremony for Our community-wide char- seniors who have gone $50,000 for attorney fees and petitioner when a group of May, sparking a 20-month acter-building program, Do through all four years as a char- court costs, and drop the teachers and civic leaders led a saga involving Middendorf, The Right Thing, works and is ter later this year, the school opportunity to bring forward drive to convert Clayton Valley Linzey and his administration, High to a charter. Ironically the teachers, community memsettled several key legal issues any other lawsuit. See Mayor, page 11 last month. CVCHS agreed not to sue charter was approved by the bers and the board with heatAt the school’s January Middendorf and her attorney county four years and one day ed charges and counter before the January board meet- charges traded at board meetGoverning Board meeting it for malicious prosecution. The same evening as the ing. Middendorf led the search ings and on the Internet. was announced that the suit CVCHS governing board that resulted in hiring David A year ago Middendorf between former administrator meeting, the Contra Costa Linzey as executive director, sued the school for defamaand charter drive leader Pat County Board of Education she was appointed to a key tion of character after she earMiddendorf had been settled heard from county adminisadministrative position and in lier filed a harassment compliin favor of the school. She
Ellis Byrd, a resident of Clayton (by way of Swinton, England and then London, Ohio), is a modern-day Indiana Jones. His resume will show that he is a graphic artist and the author of three non-fiction books, currently working on his fourth. But his “other” resume is a little more adventuresome. While he hasn’t been part of any wild car chases or jumping out of planes or trains (that he admits to), Byrd has made it his business, over the past 30 years, to collect and immerse himself in the rich and important history of the Civil War. Byrd relocated from Swinton to Ohio in 1986. He was 20 years old, looking for work and a future. His collection serendipitously began a year later while working on a residential construction project. The owners, as a small token of their appreciation, gave Byrd a Civil War bullet that was found
See Museum, page 6
CVCHS settles legal challenges
ant with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. The charter filed an AntiSLAPP motion against Middendorf, claiming she was a “public person” and thus the bar for her to prove defamation or malice is very high. Judge George Spanos requested each side to present their opinion of that claim. The Clayton woman says her attorney submitted a 50page report that was dwarfed
See CVCHS, page 7
Demolition planned for three Keller buildings TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
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The town’s favorite photo site is about to succumb to the wrecking ball; that is, if El Niño doesn’t have its way first. The three buildings — a granary, a work shed and a garage — were once scattered throughout the 1200-acre Keller Ranch that became the Oakhurst development. The three ramshackle little buildings have served as the backdrop for countless photo shoots, including weddings, family gatherings and special occasions. In 1991, as part of a deal with the city of Clayton, the Oakhurst developers moved the three small buildings to their present location behind the Keller ranch house across the creek from the Clayton Library. The ranch house sits
on its original lot. Where the library is was once the site of the ranch’s main barn. The city has maintained the Keller house with hopes of one day turning it into a community center. The ranch house and the three outbuildings were deemed historically significant and listed in the California Register of Historical Resources in 2001. In October 2015, the city hired ECORP Consulting, an environmental consulting firm, to work with the Clayton Historical Society to see if the three outbuildings were still considered historically significant. They aren’t. The buildings have lost any connection with their original use. Time, weather and vandals have taken their toll and there simply isn’t enough left of the buildings to save. They pose a
hazard to public safety and demolition company and is around $20,000. The CHS will salvage what what’s left must come down. waiting for the final cost, The city has contacted a which the city estimates to be they can of the old wood.
Tamara Steiner
THE KELLER RANCH OUTBUILDINGS, long a favorite photo site for locals, have deteriorated over time to the point of becoming a public safety hazard. No longer deemed historically significant, the buildings are slated for demolition later this year.
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