JAN 12 Clayton Pioneer 2007

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA PERMIT 190

IT’S YOUR PAPER www.claytonpioneer.com

January 12, 2007

925.672.0500

Church buys downtown parcel TAMARA STEINER BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer

AND JILL

BILL WALCUTT

MAYOR’S CORNER Resolve to thwart crime This is m y fa vorite time of the year. The new year brings an opportunity to spend more time with family and friends . It is also a time when it’ s customary to look bac k at our accomplishments, our mistak es (yes , politicians mak e mistak es) and things we could have done better. We generally turn the things we could ha ve done better into New Year’s resolutions.

Beyond my standard resolutions this year of getting into shape, organizing my taxes and spending less time at Home Depot, I am g oing to be more diligent about loc king m y car and loc king the g arage door into the house.

I hate to admit this , but I have been guilty of leaving my car unlocked at night. Last year, we had a couple of crooks walk down m y street and steal cell phones, wallets, money, CDs, etc., from all the unloc ked cars.

The police c hief told me the only reason I w as not a victim of theft is because I did not have anything in m y unloc ked car that the thiev es w anted (I am not quite sure what he meant by this comment).

Beyond the rash of recent burglaries, I was quite surprised to learn that there are still a lot of residential and car burglaries in Clayton by criminals entering through unloc ked doors .

Although we live in one of the safest small cities in Califor nia, we still need to protect ourselves from the occasional thieves who w ant to do their weekly shopping at our house or in our car.

Enough about burglaries . I had the oppor tunity to attend

See Mayor, page A3

What’s Inside SECTION A Around Town . . . . . . . . . . .A2 Financial Sense . . . . . . . . . . .A4 Classified Ads . . . . . . . . . . . .A5 Directory of Advertisers . . .A5 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Rosendich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 At the Movies . . . . . . . . . . . .A8 Glassbergen . . . . . . . . . . . . .A9 Clayton History . . . . . . . . .A10

SECTION B

Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . .B1 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2 On the Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B4 Paws and Claws . . . . . . . . . .B5 Dining Around . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Community Calendar . . . . . .B7 Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B8 Church News . . . . . . . . . . . .B8 Weather Words . . . . . . . . . . .B9 School News . . . . . . . . . . . . .B9 Food for Thought . . . . . . .B10

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

CLAYTON COMMUNITY CHURCH has purchased this 1.7 acre, L-shaped parcel which runs behind and adjacent to their Main Street offices with plans to build a worship center/community theater at the northwest end of the property.

Clayton Comm unity (CC) Church has purc hased the 1.7 acre parcel adjacent to their Main Street offices and plans to build its per manent c hurch home on the site.

In an announcement that took his cong regation b y surprise and stunned city officials , CC Churc h pastor Sha wn Robinson told c hurch members at their regular Sunda y ser vices on December 17 that the deal made earlier in the year for 19 acres on Marsh Creek Road had fallen through and the c hurch was abandoning plans for a worship and retreat center in a country setting in fa vor of a much smaller do wntown w orship center for the 650 member congregation.

The property, now in escrow, was purc hased for $1.4 million from developer Dick Buscaglia.

Buscaglia had previously proposed a one-stor y commercial office building for the site , but decided not to g o ahead with

See Church, page A3

Grove park heads list of top stories of 2006 JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer

DOWNTOWN PARK Clearly the big stor y of 2006 was the downtown Grove Park.

After, the Landscape Maintenance District renew al (Measure M) failed miserably at the polls in November 2005, the city spearheaded a campaign to bring the issue of funding park maintenance bac k to the v oters in a separate measure.

The city had enough money in the bank to build the park, but refused to begin constr uction until there was a guaranteed source of funding for the annual maintenance. To do this, the city created a special district for the downtown park. Residents were asked to pay an annual parcel tax of $16.39 whic h co vered tw o-

thirds of the park’s maintenance and operations while a graduated tax on commercial parcels would cover the remaining third.

Measure O received a 70 percent yes v ote in the No vember 2006 election, well more than the twothirds majority needed to pass.

The tax created a Community Facilities District with an ann ual budget of $100,600.

Construction is expected to begin in early spring with the grand opening targ eted for Labor Day. MAIN BREAK ON CLAYTON ROAD A r uptured CCWD main pipe caused sev ere damag e to Clayton Road on March 30 creating dela ys of up to three hours during the mor ning comm ute.

The 12-inch pipe at the corner of

Peacock Creek Dri ve and Clayton R oad damag ed about 1000 feet of Clayton R oad.

CCWD ac knowledged financial responsibility for the damag es and road re pair which was completed in early June.

ARREST MADE IN STRING OF ARSON FIRES

Jesse Galvin, 53, and a member of one Clayton’s oldest families w as ar rested J uly 17 and charged with fi ve counts of arson in connection with a string of fires along Morg an Territory and Marsh Creek Roads.

Galvin pleaded not-guilty .

However a hearing for change of plea has been set for F eb. 8.

Galvin remains in custody with bail set at $375,000.

SEMINARY DEMOLITION The old Claretian seminar y on Regency Drive came crashing down in July, paving the way for Lemke’s constr uction of 24 luxury homes . The seminar y w as constructed in 1965 b y the Claretian Missionaries as a training center for young priests.

PUMPKIN FARM FLOODED After a w ater main brok e at the intersection of Pine Lane and Marsh Creek R oad on the evening of Aug. 2, neighbors came out in force to help with the messy cleanup at the Clayton Valley Pumpkin F arm. Owners Dave and Sharon Osteen w ere getting the proper ty ready for a wedding rece ption when the water erupted.

Contra Costa W ater District shut off the water and contained

the f looding. Neighbors pitc hed in to clean up the proper ty.

CCWD made re pairs to Marsh Creek R oad and Pine Lane and the Pumpkin Farm was open on Sept. 23 for the Hallo ween season.

KRISTIAN IPSEN WINS GOLD Thirteen year old Kristian Ipsen took home a gold medal in diving from the Jr . World Championships in Mala ysia in August.

The Cla yton resident captured g old in the 1-meter ev ent in the 14-15 ag e g roup and a bronze medal in the 3-meter dive. Ipsen won gold for the first time as a 10-year old in the United States Nationals . One of his goals is to win a berth on the 2008 or 2012 Olympic team. He

See Top Stories, page A6

Library expands tutoring and homework help program TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer

Cheryllyn Broc k, an eighth grader at Diablo View Middle School, does “ok” in school but “wants to do a lot better.”

Yaneli Cev allos, a junior at Clayton V alley High Sc hool, finds she needs a little extra help with Alg ebra II and Trigonometry. Walnut Acres third g rader Raheem Sa yedi also comes for the math. These students, and about three dozen more, are taking advantage of the free v olunteer tutoring prog ram offered b y the Cla yton Community Library.

The T utoring/Homework Help v olunteer prog ram at the Clayton Librar y beg an in 1995 with three tutors , one who remains to this da y – retired teacher Paul Wara.

The Cla yton Comm unity Library is the only county branch

to offer free , one-on-one volunteer tutoring ser vices along with the group tutoring sessions every Wednesday. A few other branches in the system plan to create their o wn T utoring/Homework Help v olunteer prog rams, with Clayton’s program as their model.

Arlene Kikka wa-Nielsen, the library’s v olunteer coordinator , and new Student Lead T utor Jared Rosen recently met with the principals from Diablo View Middle Sc hool and Cla yton Valley High Sc hool to recei ve feedback on their specific needs as the groups partner to help the students.

In the past, the library has had so many requests for free tutoring ser vices that it has been impossible to accommodate them all. They have had as many as 40 students on the w aiting list at one time.

See Library, page A6

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

LIBRARY PROGRAM’S STUDENT LEAD TUTOR, JARED ROSEN (center), helps Yaneli Cevallos (left) and Arsiema Berhe (right) make sense of their math homework during a group tutoring session at the Clayton Library.

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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

January 12, 2007

Around Town

Clayton “Counted Down” at community New Year’s Eve party in the g ym JULIE PIERCE Special to the Pioneer

What a mar velous signature event for Cla yton! Cro wds w ere full and happy while volunteers in good spirits helped usher in the New Year in a safe and sane en vironment at the Cla yton Community Gym. Congrats and “thanks” to all who g ave and slaved that night and prior to the event.

Somewhere betw een 800 and 1,000 people from the Cla yton community enjoyed an evening of fun sponsored b y the City of Clayton and Mt. Diablo R egion YMCA, all funded b y the donations of many at no expense to the city or to the par ticipants.

Donors this year included Allied W aste Ser vices, Comcast, A. D. Seeno Company , Clayton Business and Comm unity Assn., Gregg and Joan Manning, Mazzei Pontiac-Cadillac-Buick-GMC, Komgold T own and City Development, Endashiian Properties and Linda Pinder . For

The Pioneer on location with the Har tleys

Ed and Cecilia Har tley brought a bit of Clayton with them on their recent tw o-week trip to Europe , showing off their Cla yton Pioneer in the town square of Wertheim, Germany.

Wertheim is a picturesque town at the conf luence of the Main and Tauber rivers (between the Danube and the Rhine) dating bac k to the R omans and includes one of the largest castle remains in Ger many. The Hartleys re port that the beer , Franconian sausag es and sauerkraut were excellent.

Clayton $599,980 Westwood – Don’t pass this up! Upg rades completed incl. flooring & paint! 4BD/3B A w/open f loorplan & 1st floor guest bed & bath. Backyard features deck, spa w/gazebo, grassy play area & patio.

board g ames and family mo vies.

Judging the Crazy Hat contest was a tough call for Ma yor Bill Walcutt to decide - w e’ll need to add more prizes next year . What creative kids we have in Clayton!

I’ll put out a call today for volunteers to help next year . If you had a g ood time , please let us know (call Laci at City Hall, 6737300) and we’ll let you help for an hour or two during the evening.

With a 10 p.m. “midnight”, we

were all cleaned up and home b y 11:15 p.m. It’s a g reat way for the whole family to celebrate New Year’s Ev e in an alcohol-free fun environment right here in Clayton.

It’s what Cla yton is all about families!

Pictured far left: Jousting and Twister proved fa vorites with the teens as w ell as younger kids; Below, the crafts room was a popular place with kids of all ages cr eating their one-of-a-kind masterpiece hats for the “Crazy Hat Competition.”

Photos by Steve Pierce.

Max Marcil wins design award Max Marcil submitted the winning design for the annual “Clayton Counts Down” t-shirts. This year, Clayton will celebrate its sesquicentennial – 150 year anni versary—and contestants w ere asked to design the t-shir ts with this theme in mind.

Max, a junior in the Ar ts Academy at CVHS, entered the contest out of a desire to contribute to the town he has called home since ag e 3.

“Primarily, I just w anted to lea ve m y mark here,” says Max. “Of course, the prize money was motivational as well.”

Photo courtesy of Melissa Rodgers Second place w ent to J eannette Rapica voli, third to Kyle Langford and J ake Turrin and Sara Max Marcil receives his first place award for his Clayton Counts Down T shirt design from Vice Kommer both received honorable mention.

Mayor Gregg Manning.

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Clayton $1,399,980 Horse Property, Clayton – Two very private, updated homes on 10 acres , close to mountain trails w/Mt. Diablo views! Main house 4BD/2.5B A w/g ourmet kitchen. Guest house 2BD/1B A. Huge yard, pool, Cabana & 4-stall horse set-up.

Clayton $1,199,980 20.49 Acr e Lot Appr oved & R eady f or Building Engineered building site has a w ell w/tw o 5,000 g al. tanks, 8.5 GPM pump & fire hydrant. “Must see” plans for a 5BD/3.5BA home!

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others who may want to help with next year’s event, donations will be gratefully accepted throughout the year.

The ev ent committee is cochaired by myself and Vice Mayor Gregg Manning, with the help of City Manag er Gar y Napper , Assistant to the City Manag er Laura Hoffmeister , City Clerk Laci J ackson and Cla yton Gym Manager Liz Rookstool. They and their families v olunteered their personal time to plan and staff the event along with the many community members who help out on New Year’s Ev e - a hug e “thank you” to all.

Many thanks , too, to Council Member Da vid Shuey and his BBQ team who cook ed over 400 burgers and 400 hot dogs for our ravenous cro wd. More than 45 door prizes w ere awarded including por table D VD pla yers, MP3 players and many gift cer tificates for local businesses.

Participants enjo yed inf latable slides, jousting, bungee pulls and twister, basketball tour naments,

$849,980 Concord Clayton Border – Completely reno vated 3BD/3B A home on 5 serene acres – very private & gated. Features an In-law unit & too many perks to list: 3-zone HVAC, attic storag e, 4-car tandem g arage. Beautiful dec k with great views of the surrounding hills.

January 12, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Church, from page A1 that project when the city made it clear they w anted a tw o stor y building with retail space on the first f loor, explained City Manager Gary Napper.

Napper was “thunderstr uck” at the news that the c hurch had bought the do wntown parcel.

“We’ve been w orking with them all along the w ay in their searc h for a new home,” he said, “then, out of the blue they are in escrow.”

Earlier in the year, the church issued a letter of intent to purchase a 19 acre parcel at Marsh Creek and Russelman Road from church member GARY NAPPER Mike Temps for $4.2 million.

However, the costs quic kly g ot out of hand with the need for two bridg es and a traffic light.

Add to the mix, the Alameda Whip Snak e, an endang ered species on the property, and “the project w as bey ond our reac h,” said Robinson.

The contract with Buscaglia “fell into our lap ,” said Robinson. Once CC Churc h inked the deal on Dec. 15, things moved rapidly . Robinson met with Napper the next da y to inform the city of the transaction and then rela yed the information to his cong regation on Sunday.

Reaction to the purc hase has been mix ed. At 72, 310 square feet, the Buscaglia property is the second larg est parcel in the city after the 84,000 square foot Village Oaks building at Marsh Creek and Center . When combined with the parcel the c hurch already owns, church land would account for about 20 percent of the downtown, said Napper.

“I don ’t think it contributes to the mix ed use w e ha ve in

mind for do wntown,” Napper said, “It’s not the highest and best use of prime do wntown commercial property.”

Skip Ipsen, the retired founder of Skipolini’s Pizza on Main Street, a Cla yton resident and do wntown proper ty o wner agrees. “I don’t think downtown Clayton is the place for a church,” said Ipsen. “The city has w orked hard at g etting a retail base…this doesn’t help the city in any way, shape or form.”

“I ha ve nothing ag ainst Shawn (R obinson) and his church,” he contin ued. “This is strictly business. It doesn’t add to the financial g ain of existing retailers; it takes out the big gest piece of commercial proper ty from the tax base .” By la w, churches are ex empt from pa ying property taxes.

Also opposed to seeing a church downtown, Clayton’s first mayor, Bob Ho yer said “this is really discouraging . The city needs income badly and this isn’t going to bring in a dime .”

City Council members , who will ultimately be called upon to vote on the project, are being careful to sta y neutral. “We will look at whatever plans they bring us just like we would look at any other project, ” said Councilwoman Julie Pierce.

Mayor Bill Walcutt did, however, share his personal vision of downtown—“A business and retail mix that in vites people to walk around and shop and gi ves a Nor man R ockwell feel, ” he said. “It’s important for city leaders to ha ve an opinion on what the downtown area should look like.”

Councilman Da ve Shuey who is also a member of CC Church is taking a conciliator y position. “At this time ,” Shuey said, “I’m hopeful that through the process, we might be able to address both the concerns of the

city and the desires of the church.”

Napper w as sur prised that Buscaglia did not contact the city prior to the sale . “Most sellers want to create some competition and get the price bid up,” he said.

In a letter to Buscaglia sent after he lear ned of the sale , Napper said that the city w ould have been very interested in purchasing the proper ty and probably w ould ha ve paid more than the $1.4 million the c hurch paid for it.

Robinson hopes to constr uct two two-story buildings. One on the nor thwest cor ner of the property w ould include a w orship center/comm unity theatre , and the other building, which currently houses c hurch offices , would include a second stor y with offices and classrooms.

Robinson cautiously calls his plan for a future w orship center in do wntown Cla yton “a vision not a blueprint.”

While not the spra wling country campus he had in mind for the Marsh Creek proper ty, “this is the next SHAWN best thing—a ROBINSON compact v ersion,” Robinson said.

He talks about the possibility of adding retail on the bottom floor including a Christian bookstore or dance and ar t studio.

“I’d love to see Englund’s Tea Cottage there,” he said. England’s is o wned b y CC Churc h members and cur rently operates in Clayton Station. “I’d lik e something complimentar y to the city and families,” said Robinson.

Sara Sk ow who o wns the Royal R ooster on Diablo Street behind Cup O Jo has mixed feelings about a church in the center of town. She initially lik es the idea remembering a time when a church was the center of an old town and w as the str ucture that drew people . However, she also

Clayton Families Finding yourself overwhelmed by bills before the holidays?

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sees the need for more retail options in downtown Clayton.

Developer and businessman Uzoma Nwakuche sees some real benefit to ha ving the c hurch downtown. As more people are drawn to downtown for any reason, park, church or businesses, it will enhance the revenue of local businesses and increase emplo yment. It’s an oppor tunity to create a more destination spot in downtown Clayton, as small as it is.”

And Sam Sandhu, owner of the Villag e Mark et, says “Anything that increases foot traffic downtown is good.”

While the city’s General Plan and T own Center Specific Plan call for retail and commercial use downtown, other uses ma y be allowed.

CC Church must file an application for a use per mit with the Planning Commission in order to proceed with the project. Since the vacant property is also located in a designated Planned Development Zone , the project must also be approved by the city council.

Parking will lik ely be a major issue. City parking standards for churches, temples and syna-

gogues approved in 1992 require one parking space for every three seats in a main chapel or congregation area. A g eneral r ule of thumb is that each parking space needs appro ximately 400 square feet of land for the space , aisle and landscaping.

Robinson admits that parking is one of the big gest hurdles to overcome and talks about w orking out a deal with Children ’s World on Sunda ys when about 200 are on campus for a par ticular service.

CC Churc h w as founded in 1996 and has been meeting at Diablo View Middle School since then. In 2003, they bought the old “Pioneer Inn” building and renovated it for use as offices and classrooms. They ha ve been looking for land for a per manent church for several years.

“We ha ve been a mobile church for 10 years ,” Robinson said. “We just want a home.”

“Clayton Community Church needs and deser ves to ha ve a home,” says Napper , “they are part of the comm unity.” He is , however, quick to point out that “their dream doesn ’t mesh with our vision for the downtown.”

Mayor, from page A1 the Cla yton Counts Do wn fourth ann ual F amily New Year’s Ev e celebration on Sunday. What a w onderful event. This is an alcohol-free (not free alcohol) family ev ent with food, door prizes , gym games, family mo vies, giant inflatable slides , board g ames and a crazy hat contest.

Even though it is free to the public, there is no tax money used to pa y for the ev ent. The sponsors, and donations collected that night, cover the cost of putting this on. In addition, community volunteers org anize

and staff it. A big thank y ou to all the sponsors: the committee, Vice Mayor Gregg Manning and Council Member J ulie Pierce , and all the other comm unity volunteers.

For those of you who w ere unable to attend, I hope to see you there next year.

Let me lea ve y ou with this new year’ s thought from Will Rogers: “Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”

If you ha ve any question, concerns, comments or advice, please send me an email at wrwalcutt@aol.com.

Clayton man seeks help in locating pit bull A Clayton resident was bitten in the ar m b y a white female pit bull while he w as walking on the trail betw een the librar y and Ly dia Lane Park shor tly before noon on December 18 and is asking for help in locating the dog’s owners.

The 73-year -old man w as walking briskly at his normal 4 mph pace as he approac hed a couple with the dog on a leash coming to ward him. As he passed, the dog jumped toward him and bit him through his sleeve on the ar m 8 inches above the wrist. The man was unaware that the bite had brok en the skin and drawn blood until he g ot home. The couple with the dog k ept w alking after the incident and he did not g et their names or phone number.

Concerned about the dog’s vaccination status , the victim has tried in v ain to locate the dog and its o wners. There were a few witnesses to the attack, but the man did not get their names.

The dog’ s o wners are described as in their for ties about 5’6” and 5’8” tall, possibly having a European accent.

If you ha ve any infor mation about this incident or know who the dog’ s o wners are, please call the Cla yton Pioneer, 925-672-0500. You need not gi ve y our name and your call will be held in the strictest confidence.

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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

January 12, 2007

Artists needed for March arts celebration The Cla yton Comm unity Library F oundation is looking for people to par ticipate in its fourth ann ual Creekside Ar ts Celebration.

This free ev ent will ag ain highlight visual and perfor ming arts and entertainment from the community. The Creekside Artists, a new group formed last year, has attracted many new artists who will be selling and demonstrating their artforms. A local guest author also is expect-

ed to par ticipate, as are local school children.

This year’ s ev ent will begin on F riday, March 2, and r un through Sunda y, March 4.

Friday ev ening will include an artists “mini-sho wcase,” with a sampling of their ar t for sale , along with a perfor mance b y Celtic har pist Anne Sac kman and others. Saturday will feature ongoing sales and demonstrations, as w ell as perfor mances by the local youth community –

including Cla yton V alley High School’s Cla ytonArts Academ y.

On Sunda y, as sales contin ue, local professional musicians will perform during “Meet the Musician.”

The w eekend celebration will be held in the Librar y Community R oom, the adjoining outdoor cour tyard and the interpretive area in the cer tified wildlife habitat. The artisans will be demonstrating and selling inside the library as well.

The Cla yton Comm unity Library F oundation is a nonprofit org anization.

Participating ar tists are requested to donate $30 for par ticipation, as well as giving 20 percent of their profits to ward the purchase of new books and related materials for the librar y.

Artists and m usicians interested in participating should call Arlene Kikkawa-Nielsen at 6739777 or e-mail akikkawa@ccclib.org.

Five things to know about the Pension Protection Act MURELEEN BENTON FINANCIAL SENSE The recently passed P ension Protection Act (PP A) is the broadest piece of pension legislation in 25 years.

Designed to strengthen and stabilize the cor porate pension system and promote indi vidual savings, the new law makes permanent a n umber of important rules passed in 2001 that w ere set to expire in a few years . It also includes a range of changes that mak e it easier to sa ve for retirement.

When considered individually, few of the PPA’s hundreds of provisions seem significant. Yet with the financial responsibility for retirement steadily shifting from cor porations to consumers, these types of retirement legislati ve c hanges can have a big impact on y our specific situation and financial future. As you assess your financial and tax plans, consider these changes in five key areas.

1. Higher limits for r etirement contributions made to IRAs and qualified plans – including catch-up contributions – ar e now permanent.

The PP A made per manent numerous rules that were enacted as par t of the Economic Growth and T ax R elief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA) and set to expire at the end of 2010. A few r ules made per manent include increased ann ual limits for retirement contributions and catch-up contributions for people over age 50.

Whether y ou contribute to your o wn IRA or a plan sponsored by your employer, consider sa ving up to the increased limit to help ensure y ou achieve your retirement g oals. If you’re age 50 or older, catch-up contributions can boost your progress

toward sa vings targ ets b y enabling you to put extra money aside for the future . You ma y want to increase y our 401(k) or 403(b) contribution or mak e a larger contribution to y our IRA before this year’s tax deadline.

2.

New rules broaden distribution, withdraw al, r ollover and charitable giving options for r etirement plans.

The PP A mak es n umerous changes to IRAs and emplo yersponsored retirement plans that expand the c hoices for y ou and your heirs . Starting in 2007, non-spouse beneficiaries (c hildren, parents, domestic par tners, other family members and friends) who ha ve inherited assets from emplo yer-sponsored retirement plans lik e 401(k)s ma y directly roll them over to inherited IRAs .

Inherited IRAs typically enable designated beneficiaries to stretch their distributions – and the taxes owed on them – o ver many years if they meet IRS requirements. (The length of time may depend on the ag e of the deceased or the beneficiary.)

If you’re age 70 ½ or older , you can no w mak e a “qualified charitable distribution” of up to $100,000 directly from y our IRA to a qualified charity during the 2006 and 2007 tax years .

Qualifying distributions are free from federal income tax and count to ward satisfying y our required minim um distribution from your IRA for that year.

Also effecti ve in 2007, 401(k) and 403(b) par ticipants may be able to tak e hardship distributions on behalf of their designated beneficiaries’ hardships. The plan participant must pay taxes on the distribution as well as the 10 percent early withdrawal penalty , as applicable .

Although this option could help your heirs in emergencies, it also usually comes at a cost: lost retirement savings opportunities in addition to the increased tax liability.

For plan years after 2006, a

new PPA provision allows traditional pension plans to make inservice distributions (retirement payments made to emplo yees while they are still w orking for their emplo yers) to w orkers starting at age 62, if their plan is amended to allo w it. Under prior la w, in-service distributions w ere only allo wed after employees reac hed the planned retirement date, typically age 65 under most plans. The new rule enables emplo yees to create phased retirements b y combining income from part-time work and in-ser vice distributions from their pension.

3. Tax ad vantages for 529 education sa vings plans ar e now permanent.

The la w no w per manently provides that distributions from 529 education sa vings plans are federal income tax free when used for qualified higher education expenses. If you are saving for your children’s or g randchildren’s educations , consider investing in a 529 plan.This savings vehicle offers many attractive features and benefits , including gifting options and tax-deferred growth potential.

4. Enhancements to employersponsored r etirement plans saf eguard and encourage savings.

The PPA includes numerous improvements to emplo yersponsored plans that are designed to strengthen retirement security and sa vings. The law creates financial safeguards to help ensure that company pension plans can pay promised benefits to emplo yees and retirees. For example , under a new PPA r ule, if your pension plan is under-funded, it may not be able to offer lump-sum distributions until the plan reac hes a certain level of funding.

Workers also m ust be allowed to di versify their retirement plan in vestments from employer stoc k. Employers are encouraged to automatically enroll employees in and increase

Full Service Auto Care FOREIGN Call for d kup an c i p e e r f delivery

all types of mechanical repairs and computer diagnostics on most vehicles.

We perform 30K 60K 90K factory maintenance.

Corner of Clayton Road and Kirker Pass Road

FREE Brake Inspection

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Oil Change

$54.50 value

62 point complete safety & performance inspection.

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Our professionals are here to serve you: Amir, Jameson, Jeff & Ray (back) Alex, Peter & Gary (front)

contributions to 401(k) and other defined contribution plans and to pro vide for faster vesting of employer contributions. In addition, rules allowing contributions to R oth 401(k)s/403(b)s are no w made permanent.

5. New r ules impact tax deductions for charitable donations.

The new pension la w tightens the r ules for donations of cash, clothing and household items to c harities in tw o areas .

Effective in 2007, you m ust substantiate all cash donations , regardless of the amount, with a canceled c heck, other bank record or a receipt from the charity.

For deductible donations of clothing and household g oods made after Aug. 17, 2006, items must no w be in “g ood used condition or better.” If an item isn’t in g ood condition but is

See Financial, page A10

Sat. Jan. 27,

9 am-12 noon Pleasant Hill Community Center 320 Civic Dr., Pleasant Hill (off Taylor, 2 blocks west of Sun Valley Mall)

FREE EVENT

Speciaulpon ordersuest req Open to the public seven days a week.

January’s featured product

Sebastian Shaper hair spray 10.6 oz., 2 for $18.99 -

save $8.46

owner

Donna Taber

“I only feature products that I’ve used and recommend.

Clayton Station

5439 A Clayton Road, Clayton

925-672-0405

Applause Staging & Interiors Kitchen Makeovers Norman Shutters Hunter Douglas Window Coverings Drapery Panels, Valences & Bedding

Your home town resource.

greetings from Kobi and Jack

Weekend & evening appointments available. Visit my website to see what’s new: www.applausestaging.com

672-7701

January 12, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page A5

Classified HELP WANTED Internet Customer Service Seasonal Reflections Holiday Decorations Store at 5434YgnacioValley Road is hiring an in-store, internet customer service phone representative. Full time position, Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Compensation based on experience. Fax resumes to 925-672-2314 or email guest.service@seasonalreflections.com.

COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSIONER The City of Clayton is now accepting applications for Community Services Commissioner, term limit June 2006 through June 2008.

Presently one Commissioner position and one Alternate Commissioner position are vacant.

The Community Services Commission is an advisory body

to the City Council, responsible for recommending user fees and policies for use of City facilities and sponsored community activities. The Commission meets the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. and helps coordinate community evens such as Fourth of July celebration, Clayton Cleans Up, and the New Years Eve celebration. The stipend is $75 per month (when a meeting is held).

SERVICES Perennial Garden Design by Nicole Hackett AKA The Garden Girl Personal consultations regarding plant choices, placement, identification, fertilizing and maintenance. Spring is just around the corner. Call or email for information and pricing. 925-673-1746 (leave message) gardengirl94517@yahoo.com.

VACATION RENTAL Cabin in Blue Lake Springs (Arnold, CA). Sleeps 6, fully remodeled, quiet, use of recreation facilities. $150/night, $950/week. Call Kevin Parker @ (925) 383-9430 or http://www.vrconnection.com/ parkerpaw.

VOLUNTEERS WANTED Trails and Landscape Committee Members City Council of Clayton seeks applicants to fill two appointed positions on the “Trails and Landscaping Committee.” The purpose of this citizens Committee is to advise the City Council and City Manager on maintenance, improvement and financial matters related to the 1997 Citywide Landscape Maintenance District. For applications and more information,

LY party store in the a N O e th rea w o n

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has everything you need to plan your

Super Bowl XLI party Celebrate in the Super Bowl spirit with balloons and tableware (plates, tablecloths, napkins)

Clayton City Hall, 6000 Heritage Trail, 673-7300, ljackson@ci.clayton.ca.us. Please return completed application to the City Clerk by 5 p.m. Fri., Oct. 27.

Greeter, Clayton Historical Society Museum needs a greeter the second Sun. of each month from 2 - 4 p.m. Training is provided. If interested, call 672-0240, email claytonmuseum@sbcglobal.net or visit the museum between 2 and 4 p.m. on Wed. or Sun. The Clayton Community Library is seeking to fill the following volunteer positions: (All positions require a minimum age of 13 years and a 6-month commitment. Training will be provided). Scrapbook Historian - to document the many interesting activities the library provides to the community using newspaper clippings, event photos, flyers, etc., Will be put on display at the annual March library birthday celebration. Shelver - to shelve and sensitize books...must be detail oriented (Tues. between the hours of 10am-2pm, Wed. 3-5pm, Sat. 11 a.m.-1 pm & 2-4 pm).

Tutor/Homework Helper - to work one-on-one with local students in our community. You choose the age range, subjects, remedial or light help, and days/times. Office Assistant handle filing, word processing, create flyers, volunteer database input on Microsoft Access, assistance with meetings/programs.

Contact: Arlene @ 673-9777 or email: akikkawa@ccclib.org.

PIONEER INFO

Mention this ad for a

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HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD

OTBA L L L i g ht up g of FO LIG HT n i th e pa r t S rty w i t h a s John Sharapata, Owner & Clayton Resident

Mon - Thu 9 - 8, Fri & Sat 9 - 9 5434 Ygnacio Valley Road, Ste. 130 in the Clayton Valley Shopping Center Closed Sun on the Washington Blvd. side. visit our online store: seasonalreflections.com

rice $775,000 P w e N Wow, incredible price, must go.

Classified rates per insertion: Non-profit: $12 for first 30 words, $.20 eac h additional word Individual/non-commercial: $18 for first 30 w ords, $.30 each additional word Commercial: $48 for first 30 words, $.40 eac h additional word To place y our classified ad over the phone , call the office at (925) 672-0500 betw een 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. Or, you ma y fax y our typewritten ad and credit card information to (925) 672-6580 All classifieds m ust be paid for in adv ance b y credit card (Master Card or Visa) We will not accept any ad that discriminates on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, nationality, family status or disability. The Cla yton Pioneer reserves the right to reject any advertising w e believ e is unsuitable.

LET US KNOW

972 Oak St. – best location in Clayton. Seller will work with buyer’s reasonable offer! 4 bedoom, 2 bath plus den!

We are looking forward to working with you in 2007. Happy New Year.

Clayton’s Preferred Real Estate Team

925.932.7375 Helen

925.932.7329 Stephanie

homes@helenandstephanie.com

Weddings, engagements, anniversaries, births and deaths all w eave tog ether as part of the fabric of our community. Please let us kno w of these important events. We ask only that the announcement be for a Cla yton resident. You will find the appropriate for m for your announcement on our Website. Attach your photo to the form.

Also on our W eb site are forms for submitting Community Calendar items and press releases for your organization.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Cla yton Pioneer w elcomes letters from our readers.

As a general rule, letters should be less than two double spaced pages and submitted at least one w eek prior to publication date. Letters concer ning current issues will ha ve priority .

We may edit letters for length and clarity . All letters will be published at the editor’s discretion.

Please include y our name , address and daytime telephone number. We will not print letters from “anonymous.”

E-mail y our letter in a Word Document to tamara@claytonpioneer.com.

Letters MUST be submitted via E-mail.

P.O. Box 1246 6200 Center Street, Suite F Clayton, CA 94517 Office: 925.672.0500 Fax: 925.672.6580 TAMARA

AND

R OBERT S TEINER , Publishers

TAMARA S TEINER , Editor J ILL B EDECARRÉ , Assistant Editor and Display Advertising P ETE C RUZ , Graphic Design D EANNA M ERRIGAN , Sports B EV B RITTON , Copy Editor and Feature Writer B ETH N EUDELL , Administrative Assistant

Directory of Advertisers

Abbey Carpets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-9901 Aircloud Wireless Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-4119 Applause Staging and Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7701 Barta Chiropractic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4941 Bella Mia Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-7792 Benton, Mureleen - Ameriprise Financial . . . . . . . . .685-4523 Beautique Beauty Supply and Salon . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0405 Burkin Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1519 Calkins, Bill - Charlotte Clifford Realtors . . . . . . . . . .673-9164 Carol Keane and Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .937-5200 CD Federal Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .825-0900 Clark, Robert C., D.O. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .969-7530 Clayton Fitness and Tanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2010 Clayton Historical Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1865 Clayton Home Inspection Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9405 Clayton Sports Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8445 Clayton Valley Bowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-4631 Clayton Valley Medical Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6744 Clayton Valley Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3900 Clayton Valley Villa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8401 Cleary, Joe - Home Loan Experts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .497-5270 Computers USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9989 ComUnity Lending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-5363 Cookies by Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .256-1137 Cruise Adventures Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .935-7447 Dan and Dave's Cat Boarding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0652 Denim & Lace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0345 Diamond Terrace Senior Retirement Living . . . . . . .524-5100 Dromlewicz, Kim - Century 21 Diablo Valley Realty .682-4663 Easy Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3476 Eternal Life Lutheran Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0295 Flannery, Patty - Diablo Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0541 French, Lynne - Windemere Real Estate . . . . . . . . .672-8787 Galaxy Nail Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .676-8668 Gesinee's Alterations Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .687-1347 Gourmet Subs and More . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-5550 Help You Sell Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-4950 HomeEquity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-9737 Hudak, Jim - Pianist and Composer . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-7293 Insite Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6460 Joanna's Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-8911 Kelly Marshall Garden Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .914-0327 Laurence, Pete - Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . . . . .939-7920 Lampo, Allen - John Hancock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .681-4438 La Veranda Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0011 Lenox Homes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .284-0415 Littorno, Richard - Attorney at Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6463 Lopez, Stephanie - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . . . .932-7329 Main St. Nail Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4975 Mazzei Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .757-5600 Mike's Auto Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-1739 Miller, Tom - CPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .354-1385 Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1100 Moon, Steven Dr., Chiropractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-8400 Morucci, Kim - Intero Real Estate Services . . . . . . .280-8563 Music Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .360-3298 National Energy Rebate Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-957-4544 Neptune Society of Northern California . . . . . . . . . .944-5100 Nichols Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9955 Nuchols, Alicia - Premier Home Loans . . . . .691-5070 X 323 Ouimet Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4242 Paulson, Steve - KTVU Fox 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-5761 Postal Annex + . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8900 Preschool and Parenting Fair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .939-6466 Quantum Stress and Pain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .459-8595 Rahimzadeh, Helen - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . .932-7375 R&M Pool, Patio & Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0207 R.E. Carpet Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .595-8623 Roberta Claire Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .625-1123 Robin's Ranches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7323 Rocco's Ristorante & Pizzeria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .947-6105 Schaefer's Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-6065 Seasonal Reflections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4425 Smith Bernal Roofing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-6461 Sposito, Stephanie - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . . .932-7334 St. John's Episcopal Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8855 Stone Tree Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-2094 Straight Line Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .335-9801 Swint, Brad - Team Funding Group . . . . . . . . .627-1400 X 12 The Maids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-6243 The Royal Rooster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-8744 The UPS Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6245 Tipperary Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-2679 Travel Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .304-5000 Van Fleet, Josie - Intero Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4333 Van Wyck, Doug - State Farm Insurance . . . . . . . . .672-2300 Vujnovich, George - Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . .672-4433 We the People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246-0370 Williams, Mike - Williams Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-5363 Wooden It Be Nice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-5595

Page A6

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Disclosure statements are no place for guesswork LYNNE FRENCH

REAL ESTATE Unfortunately there are sellers who have been sued b y buyers after a home sale. It’s easy to understand ho w this can happen. Owning a home is the biggest investment most people make in their lifetimes . When something g oes wrong after a sale, it’s natural for the aggrieved party to look to someone for satisfaction. What can you do to make sure that after -closing disputes don’t arise?

Real estate disputes often involve misre presentation. For example, let’s sa y the sellers believe their proper ty measures 1/2 acre . They include this information in the adv ertising about the proper ty and a buyer relies on this infor mation when he makes his offer. If the buyer later discovers that the proper ty is actually only 1/4 acre , he may have a legitimate leg al claim

against the seller for misre presentation.

Unless y ou can confir m square footage or acreag e, these figures shouldn’t be included in your advertising materials. Even if your intentions are g ood, if you’re wrong, and the buyers rely on this infor mation to their detriment, you ma y be held responsible.

Another common cause of property disputes is lac k of disclosure. State laws differ on what sellers must disclose about their property when they sell, but most states require sellers to disclose material facts about the property. A material fact is something that w ould reasonably effect a buyers’ decision to buy or the price they’d be willing to pay.

One buyer successfully sued the seller because he failed to accurately disclose the condition of the roof . The disclosure statement ask ed the ag e of the roof. The seller didn’t know but he guessed that the roof was about 8 years old. The buyer

Top Stories, from page A1 currently di ves for the Diablo Divers in W alnut Creek and is coached by Phil Tonne.

HEAT WAVE

It w as lights out for many Clayton residents in A ugust when triple digit temperatures and record-breaking energ y demands caused po wer outages, some lasting for sev eral days. Clayton Station Safew ay was hardest hit with a series of outages that caused the major grocer to lose all of its perishables. Traffic lights w ere out for days, residents lost the contents of refrigerators and freezers and some transfor mers overheated and shut off.

CITY COUNCIL ELECTION There w as a c hanging of the guard on the council this past year as one incumbent and a new comer filled the tw o vacant city council seats up for grabs in the No vember election. Dave Shuey w as re-elected to another four years on the council. Ross “Hank” Stratford claimed the second seat. Shuey finished out his ter m as Mayor and then tur ned the g avel over to Councilman Bill W alcutt.

Greg Manning was named vice mayor.

After 16 years of service, Councilman P ete Laurence retired, bidding fond farew ell to friends , family and colleagues at a farew ell par ty at

DECOY COP CARS Strategically-placed deco y patrol cars throughout the city instituted by the cur rent police chief Dan La wrence g ot a favorable response from residents and city officials . The program includes placing an unmanned patrol car in various locations around to wn to slo w down traffic. Even though the car is empty most of the time, the decoy is effective in forcing drivers to reduce their speed and drive with caution.

“Never guess when you’re making disclosures about your property. If you don’t know the answer to a question, it’s better to answer ‘unknown’ than it is to guess.”

Lynne French Never guess when y ou’re making disclosures about y our property. If you don’t know the answer to a question, it’s better to answer “unkno wn” than it is to guess. If you answer “unknown”

This led to a restructuring of the prog ram and the acti ve recruitment of tutors. Many of the new recr uits are high sc hool students who ha ve found that it’s not only a g reat way to help other students in the comm unity but they also recei ve community service hours to put on their college applications.

Jason Rosen, 16 and a junior at Clayton Valley High School is the lead student tutor and serves as a coordinator betw een the volunteer tutors and the students. Rosen w as looking for a community ser vice project last year and v olunteered to be a tutor. This year, he assumed the coordinator role . Rosen helps students with math, science and AP F rench. While he doesn ’t expect to mak e teac hing his career, he loves the tutoring he is doing now. “I really enjo y helping the community,” he says.

The prog ram cur rently has about 25 v olunteer tutors who assist some 40 students in the kindergarten through pre-college lev el eac h year . Language arts and math tend to be the subjects covered, but it can vary depending upon the student’ s needs. The librar y recently added Spanish tutoring.

Free, live online tutoring can also be accessed through the Contra Costa County Librar y Website at www.ccclib.org.

Parents and students of those currently being tutored or those seeking information about

www.TheClaytonRealtor.com Check my Website for FREE list of foreclosure auctions in northern California. $1,025,000

Your Local Real Estate Pro Since 1991

265 Wildflower Dr., Martinez

Reduced. Lease option available. - 2 master suites, 2.5 bath, quiet court, mature landscaping, backs up to open space.

the Clayton program can stop by the librar y from 5 to 6 p .m. on Saturday, Jan. 13.

The program has an ongoing need for v olunteer tutors for high sc hool subjects , especially math. If you ha ve an interest and a little extra time and w ould like to work with motivated high school students , contact Arlene Kikkawa-Nielsen at the Cla yton Community Librar y, 673-0659, or email her at akikkawa@ccclib.org.

Schaefer’s PAINTING

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Purchase 4 traditional half-hour Massages and get the fifth one FREE That’s only $32 for each massage!

Bella Mia Spa

Located inside Mavericks Sports Club Non-members welcome

5294 Clayton Rd., Concord

680-7792

$2.00 off UPS or Fed Ex Shipping

certi signi fied loan ng ag ents

(expires 1/26/07)

Notary, Fax & Shipping Services

Julia Aguilar, owner

672-8900 5433 Clayton Rd., #K, in the Clayton Station shopping center

Services Provided: Packaging & shipping UPS, FEDEX, CAL Overnight & U.S. Post Office

Key Making Mail boxes Notary Copying / Fax

New “Single Story” Executive Homes Construction is underway on Lenox Homes new residential community of sought after “Single Story” homes on spacious 13,000 + sq. ft. lots. Now is the time to move up to a dream home with no stairs and a yard that is designed for great outdoor living.

These four and five bedroom Lenox Homes offer all the amenities and features you ever dreamed of having. The array of custom features include: Spacious floor plans 10 ft. ceilings Gourmet kitchen with granite countertops Maple cabinetry Elegant master bedroom and bathroom Many more extras Early home buyers have the opportunity to personalize their new home from a wide selection of options and upgrades.

New Price - 3 bed, 2 bath, 4 stall barn, arena, 2.57 acre country living at its finest

4297 Morgan Territory Rd $479,950

to a question and the buyers feel they need to kno w the answ er, they can hire an exper t to gi ve them an opinion.

It’s a g ood idea to pass all reports you have on y our property on to the buyers before the closing. Even if the reports contain neg ative infor mation about the proper ty, it’s better to ha ve this information out in the open before closing . An after -closing lawsuit could be time-consuming and expensi ve. Make sure your agent documents in writing that re ports w ere gi ven to the buyers. Otherwise, ask the buyers to sign and date a copy of the cover pag e of the report to prove they received it.

Sellers who recei ve an offer that doesn ’t include an inspection contingency might consider including one for ev eryone’s protection.

Lynne F rench is a r ealtor with Windermere Real Estate and a Clayton resident. F or any r eal estate needs or questions contact her at: Phone (925) 672-8787 or E-mail: Lynne@LynneFrench.com

Library, from page A1

Oakhurst Countr y Club in November.

The v eteran councilman was remembered for his contribution to the do wntown revitalization effor t and for his generous donation of the city clock at the cor ner of Main Street and Marsh Creek R oad that has become emblematic of Clayton.

LONGS BREAKS GROUND In December, Longs Drugs broke ground on a new 14,000 square foot store at the cor ner of Center Street and Cla yton Road. The Cla yton store will feature a dri ve-thru phar macy and a parking lot behind the building and arc hitecture that sports a Western theme. Longs is the first major retailer in downtown Cla yton and is expected to g enerate $36,000 in annual sales tax revenue.

relied on this infor mation and didn’t ha ve the roof inspected.

After the closing, the buyer became friendly with a neighbor.

The neighbor claimed that the seller told him that the roof had leaked during the previous winter. Furthermore, the seller had called sev eral roofers for estimates to replace the roof.

January 12, 2007

Mike Williams broker/owner

(925) 260-5363 6200 Center St. Ste. 220, Clayton

Thinking about remodeling your current home? Call our sales office first and discover what the possibilities are in a new Lenox Home. W e will be happy to send you more information.

Call (925) 284-0415 or go to www.lenoxhomes.net Broker Cooperation

January 12, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com

Local construction team brings Insite into every home remodel project

INTEGRITY HANDS-ON

BUILDERS

40 YEARS

COMBINED EXPERIENCE

Page A7

For all your remodeling needs, call Chris & Marc, Clayton residents

kitchen, bath & additions our specialty Chris Simoneaux > 980-0465 Marc Thorne > 383-4277 general contractors

Office > 689-6460 Fully licensed and insured: #822229

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Marc T horne and Chris Simoneaux are lifelong friends with plenty of insight into ho w to run a successful business.

Co-owners of Insite Design and Build for the past five years, the two friends have literally put their hands and heads tog ether to create a home remodeling business that has been tur ning heads in the area, particularly Alamo, Danville and W alnut Creek.

“We’d like Clayton to be our new area of specialty,” says Marc who has li ved in the city for the past several years. “I love the small to wn comm unity and want to g et more in volved,” he says.

Marc and Chris think of themselves as a team with balance, creativity and plenty of hard w ork. They specialize in whole house remodeling and are on the job from star t to finish.

Experts in the field of construction, the duo pride themselves on attention to detail, yet they ha ve a unique ability to view the whole picture making sure all the pieces of the remodeling job fit. “We are at the job everyday,” says Marc , “and w e have control o ver ho w things are done .” “Our clients see us when w e present them with a bid and continue to see us until the job is finished.”

From cabinetr y, lighting,

flooring and countertops to new room additions, Marc and Chris have a w ealth of experience with all types of designs and styles. Too many times ha ve they experienced homeo wners who wait and remodel when it’s time to sell and then reg ret that they w eren’t able to enjo y the new look of their home . “We encourage homeo wners to remodel no w and experience the luxur y of a dream home without the stress of having to move,” says Chris.

Marc and Chris are serious about their commitment to their clients. “We don ’t acce pt just any job . When w e do , we become a par t of the family ,” says. “It’s all w orth it when y ou have a satisfied customer and they appreciate all that y ou’ve done.”

The fact that both Marc and Chris enjoy their work shows in the final product.

Mike and Mary Callaghan of Clayton w eren’t in the mark et to remodel but talked to friends who said their kitc hen remodel was fun. “I nev er heard that before,” says Mar y. Their friends recommended Insite for the job and the Callahans were thrilled. “They did the work on time , they w ere neat and clean and it was a beautiful job,” she sa ys. Mary w as so pleased with the w ork, she recommended Insite to her daughter and son-in-la w who hired the constr uction team for a

Dan Rosendich

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

LIfelong friends, Chris Simoneaux and Marc Thorne, are proud of their long association and their successful remodeling business.

major remodel project.

Chris and Marc g rew up together and remained friends through high sc hool and beyond. In their spare time, they enjoy the g reat outdoors especially boating, motorcycling, and skiing.

And now you know From time to time , something truly inter esting and useful finds it w ay thr ough c yberspace to m y inbox. W atch for mor e of these gems in future issues. Ed. Q: Why are many coin banks shaped like pigs?

A: Long ag o, dishes and cookware in Europe w ere made of a dense orang e cla y called "pyg g". When people saved coins in jars made of this clay, the jars became kno wn as "pygg banks ." W hen an English potter misunderstood the word, he made a bank that resembled a pig--and it caught on.

Q: Did y ou ev er w onder why dimes , quarters and half dollars ha ve notc hes, while pennies and nickels do not?

A: The US Mint began putting notc hes on the edg es of coins containing g old and silver to discourage holders from shaving off small quantities of the precious metals . Dimes, quarters and half dollars are notched because they used to

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contain silv er. Pennies and nickels aren't notc hed because the metals they contain are not valuable enough to shave.

Q: Why do men's clothes have buttons on the right while women's clothes ha ve buttons on the left?

A: When buttons w ere invented, they w ere v ery expensive and w orn primarily by the ric h. Because w ealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid's right. Since most people are right-handed, it is easier to push buttons on the right through holes on the left.

And that's where women's buttons have remained since.

Q: Why do X's at the end of a letter signify kisses?

A: In the Middle Ag es, when many people w ere unable to read or write , documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X re presented an oath to fulfill obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss ev entually became synonymous.

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Page A8

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

January 12, 2007

At the Movies Est.1972

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The Pioneer’s movie reviewers pick their top five movies of 2006

1

The JIM Science of BRIGGS Sleep. Michel Gondry has made one of the most personal, accurate and touching films I’ve seen since his last film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. With or without screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, Gondry has proven to be a master of the craft.

United 93. Paul Greengrass’ fiercely intense reenactment of what may have happened on United flight 93 never delves into melodrama or exploitation. A number of characters in this film play themselves, including Ben Sliney, who relives his first day as FAA National Operations manager.

Little Children. Director Todd Field (In The Bedroom) explores the lives of five characters whose lives intersect and for better or worse are forever changed.

Includes terrific performances

by Kate Winslet and Jackie

2

Earle Haley.

T he Queen. Yes, Helen Mirren is great, no surprises there. But this film would not be the masterpiece it is without Michael Sheen.

Director Stephen Frears sets us in London when Tony Blair has been elected the new Prime Minister and Princess Diana has died.

Children of Men. We’re never made aware of how unimaginably difficult this film must have been to shoot.

Director Alfonso Cuarón (Y tu mamá también, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) adds to his diverse career with this dystopian look at Britain in 2027 when humanity has lost the ability to procreate.

4

5

JEANNA ROSS

3

1

An Inconvenient Truth. Never before has a film terrified me to such an extent.

Despite the usual skepticism that surrounds political propagan-

da, it’s a well-made piece with a surprisingly charismatic leading man.

Thank You for Smoking.

Original, quick, and a hero I love…to hate…to love…

Little Miss Sunshine.

Where did they find this cast of hilarious kooks? Great story, great message.

The Queen. Who would have thought the staunch Queen Elizabeth II could become a figure of sympathy in this century? A balanced portrayal that finally brings “the other side of the story” to light. Oh, and Helen Mirran is awesome.

Stranger than Fiction.

Fun storytelling techniques – not perfect, but a sweet romp with great performances from unexpected corners.

2 3 4 5

I've been

JANE less than MAILANDER impressed by

most Best Picture Oscar winners, I don't go to summer blockbusters, and I'm practically guaranteed not to like a widelypopular film. (Disney--I not only want my $10 back from

Pirates 2: Dead Man's Chest, I want an apology from you, too.) The films I do like tend to be of an eclectic and bizar re nature.

So I hereby present for your amusement and puzzlement my favorite five films for 2006.

The Queen. Another film about family dysfunction that creates empathy for all the participants. Helen Mirren, who has now played both Queen Elizabeths, may finally get the acclaim she's deserved for years with her titular portrayal of the British monarch during the pivotal week of Princess Diana's death and funeral. Michael Sheen's Tony Blair shines as a thoroughly modern and unlikely defender of the royal family.

Little Miss Sunshine. A road comedy about a dysfunctional family that's actually funny, and makes you empathize with the characters instead of wishing they'd all drive off a cliff. The ending scene is jaw-droppingly hilarious – and its vicious elbo w in the side of the child beautypageant industry recalls "Bad News Bears"'s assault on Little League parents.

Dreamgirls. A marvelous adaptation of a stage musical to the screen. Newcomer Jennifer Hudson blows you

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Rags to riches, riches to rags.

Art subsumed b y commerce .

The nature of fame. American history. And m usic indelibly stamped with the era in which it was written and sung.

Musicals are risk y things to translate to film these da ys.

When expanding the scope of what was once confined to a live stage, a hundred things can g o wrong. “Dreamgirls,” however, is pure triumph.

It helps a g reat deal that

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much as in the spoken words.

The Dreamettes g et their

See Dreamgirls, page A9

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Page A9

Dreamgirls, from page A8 break as background singers for wild R&B ar tist James Thunder Early (Eddie Mur phy, who is perfect for the role). They make it to the big time as the Dreams, with the assistance of their ruthless manag er Cur tis T aylor (Jamie Foxx).

Fame comes at the expense of their best singer, Effie White (amazing new comer J ennifer Hudson, whose po werful v oice commands and r ules this film, as it should). She is shunned in favor of a prettier, thinner lead who will look better on television and album co vers, Deena Jones (Beyoncé Knowles).

The central m usical number remains Effie’ s di va-esque departure song, “And I Tell You I’m Not Going, ” which g ar-

nered applause from the moviegoers behind me.

What the film adds to the stage m usical are imag es that help tell the story along with the lyrics. The deep, rich sounds of “Cadillac Car” turn into bland pop as white malt-shop kids slow-dance on American Bandstand. During the song “Steppin’ to the Bad Side ,” Curtis deals with mobsters to acquire the payola money needed to g et airplay by black artists on mainstream radio stations at the time.

The 1967 Detroit riot is the background for a relationship’ s destruction. The wrec kage still present years later is not only symbolic of the unhealed wounds betw een the human

Best Films,

from page A8

away a s the di va Effie W hite, and Eddie Mur phy is perfect as R&B king James Thunder Early.

The costuming and set design deserve an ar mful of Oscars all on their own.

Wordplay. A documentar y about crossw ord puzzles , their makers and their fans, that draws you in to the li ves of the participants of a tour nament, with a nail-biter of a climax.

Sounds impossible? It's amazing – a compelling film that transcends the g eekiness of its subject and participants.

Snakes on a Plane. (I told you this was an eclectic list.)

Pure Sam uel L. Jackson c heesy action-film and completely unbelievable, but with the underlying iconoclasm of a small company thumbing its nose at the Hollyw ood machine

– a film that dares to kill the handsome white people first and make (sur viving) heroes of rap

4

beings but also m ute testimony that the city , too, had a ric hesto-rags fall after the Motown era ended.

The set designs , props and costumes f lawlessly bring bac k every year of that doo-w op to disco era as surely as does the brilliant music.

“Dreamgirls” is about a musical style and an era, but it is told through a small g roup of people. It’s a stor y of a family breaking apar t and the persistence of dreams.

The spectacle of the stage is all in the songs . Perhaps this is the reason this m usical translates so v ery w ell to the big screen.

Jane Mailander is a secr etary and a freelance writer . She’s written movie r eview and short stories and appears for 10 seconds in the film “Trekkies 2.” Email her at movies@claytonpioneer.com.

star bodyguards with Gameboys.

Have a good 2007! I hope to see many more interesting and unusual films this year and report back to you. (Pirates 3 is on its own, however.)

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Page A10

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

January 12, 2007

A bit of cocky Clayton history JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer

When Clayton resident Sara Skow opened a new boutique in do wntown Cla yton, The Royal Rooster, she didn’t realize the real connection between the name and the former inhabitants of her store.

Thanks to some researc h

by Cla yton’s first ma yor Bob Hoyer, Sara discovered that her store used to be one of Clayton’s only apar tments for rent.

Local jour nalist Bob Neuman who wrote for the Daily Transcript (which is now the Concord T ranscript) took up residence there in 1965 and much to his c hagrin, found himself living “in a v eritable hotbed of roosters, waking him daily in the w ee hours of the morning.”

Living conditions became intolerable and Neuman decided to v ent his ang er at these early morning critters in a letter to the editor . Apparently, Newman’s letter drew a few cackles from the roosters in question who criticized Neuman’s “fo wl” remarks on their sunrise serenades.

As for Sara whose first advertisement for her boutique in the Cla yton Pioneer ask ed readers to w ake up with the Rooster and shop ,” she just shakes her head and sa ys “I think this was meant to be.”

CITY BOY FACES LIFE

This letter appear ed in the Daily Transcript in May of 1965 with this note by the editor : The following literary piece was submitted to Ye Old Editor in response to a memo inquiring into the ver y delightful, but strange new habit developed by Staffer Bob Neuman upon his r ecent occupanc y of an apartment in the City of Clayton.

He ar rives at w ork early! His explanation…

Dear Chief: Having been lulled and charmed by the atmosphere of

Clayton, I recently took an apartment (which I think is the only one in the city) and moved in, hi fi, books and stuffed owl.

Now that I am a Claytonian I ha ve found some fault with this unbooming metropolis.

Having been born and bred a city boy, I have found myself becoming increasingly bitter about the noctur nal habits of the male Gallus Phasianidae, or rooster chicken.

I ha ve alw ays been one to admire the spectacular beauties of the sunrise . Indeed, I tend to g et rhapsodic when m y sleepy little eyes behold the colors and splendor of the great g olden orb slo wly rising over the blue and pur ple hills.

In all, I have witnessed two sunrises – and I lik ed them both. I am a g reat believ er in not overdoing a good thing.

Roosters, however, are not of such an ev en disposition.

They seem to have a great passion for the early hours . In order to lear n more about this unnatural fetish, I consulted a huge book of learning whic h said that roosters alw ays w ake up early. I was shocked.

You see – when the noisy birds w ake up , they w ake me up – and I become v ery cross with them.

I ha ve c hosen to mak e m y residence in a v eritable hotbed of roosters. Sensing m y discomfort at being a wakened at the wretc hed hours of four o’clock in the mor ning – the vindictive birds g ather outside my bedroom windo w to raise their joint cacophony in a cappella renditions of their favorite ribald songs.

No amount of screeching and yelling on m y par t eases the din of these creatures who through some miscar riage of justice have escaped the fr ying pan.

I am at a loss on what to do.

Unlike the ev eryday human relationships which vex mortal man – one cannot ease this tribulation b y the most direct

method – bribery.

The so wing of poisoned corn seed outside the roosters’ roosts is a method whic h would undoubtedly w ork, but is beneath m y sense of fair play.

I have thought of buying an exotic jungle cat – perhaps an ocelot – to k eep w atch in m y back yard for the stra y g allus phasianidae. This idea, however, has proven to be impractical because of the cat’ s prohibitively high purc hase price – even a used one.

My third solution was to get an extremely used feline – a stuffed animal whic h I w ould not ha ve to feed. I could just place the bogus animal at the place where the loathsome roosters enter m y domicile , thus scaring them out of their chicken livered wits.

This seemingly brilliant device was scuttled by the realization that small people – children – should not be tempted into the sin of thievery by having suc h lik ely loot within the sight of their unsa vory little eyes.

I don’t want to start a crime wave in Clayton.

After consultation and quiet meditation, I have decided upon what to do to ease my pitiable situation. I am going to purchase half a dozen extremely attractive and toothsome hens and gi ve them the run of the yard. The roosters won’t have time to crow.

Sheer brilliance.

Your faithful servant, Bob Neuman May, 1965 CACKLE, CACKLE… Not willing to be silenced, the rooster replies...

Clayton’s new est resident, Transcript R eporter Bob Neuman, prompted a few chuckles from readers and few cackles from the roosters with his e pic “letter to the editor” appearing in this column the

other day.

One of the chicken scrawls, deciphered b y Staffer W oody Johannes, is passed on for your continued bemusement.

Grapevine Editor: My Dear Sir, As a paid up member of the SPCA (Society for the Perpetuation of Crowing Artists), and a card car rying Rhode Island R ed, I m ust protest Transcript Staffer Bob Neuman’s derog atory remarks on our sunrise serenades.

His fowl viewpoint violates both our esthetic senses and our political prerog atives. The fact that our cro wing has aroused a newsman and sent him to work early is a triumph unparalleled in y our jour nalistic annals.

But his attempts to silence our effor ts are a violation of the basic principles set do wn by the F ree Speech Movement – a c hicken org anization if there ever was one.

Bob confesses, too, that he “is at a loss on what to do.” As he is a newsman, this is ob vious.

Finally this poor lad, untutored in the w ays of roosters threatens to purc hase half a dozen attracti ve hens to distract us. Doesn’t he realize this really will give us something to crow about?

Someday this staffer ma y realize that a common bond links our species with members of the Fourth Estate – both lay a lot of eggs. We roosters, however, cannot write, and for that reason this missive was dictated to an old hen who should retire to newspaperdom.

Until Neuman ’s c hickens come home to roost I am, With kindest Personal Regards, (Signed) Clayton Red May 27, 1965

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(925) 935-7447 1610 Locust St., Walnut Creek

www.cruiseadventuresunliminted.com

financing options, making me the best choice for you, your friends, your family or your client s. Give me a call today and let me show you how good service can be! I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Creative financing for every situation Unique loan programs to choose from Quick Close!

Cell phone 497-6195 Office (925) 691-5070 ext. 323 anuchols@sbcglobal.net

“Helping you build your future one investment at a time.”

Custom Woodworking

673-5595; Fax: 674-1565 WOODEN' IT Tel:Contact Contact Bob Bob Maes, Maes, Owner Owner BE NICE

Advertise with the Clayton Pioneer 672-0500

Voyages at 50% Discount April 9 - Alexandria to Athens - 10 days April 30 - Bridgetown to Barcelona - 16 days May 2 - Athens to Monte Carlo - 9 days May 5 - Alexandria to Rome - 11 days May 24 - Monte Carlo Roundtrip - 8 days June 7 - London to Copenhagen - 11 days June 7 - Istanbul to Rome - 15 days June 8 - Rome to Monte Carlo - 7 days June 15 - Rome to Barcelona - 7 days

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Financial, from page A4

Mureleen Benton is a Certified Financial Planner . Call her with questions at 685-4523

Ultra luxury cruises All inclusive with gratuities included All suite accomodations 296 to 382 guests Complimentary beverages served Open seating dining

Step into a world of flooring possibilities at Abbey Carpet. We can help make your home a comfort able inviting place for friends and family, a place of warmth and lived-in ease.

Visit our showroom M-F 9-5; Sat. 10-4

Additional showroom time by appointment

Alicia Nuchols,

Mortgage Consultant

DRE Lic. #1310277

1170 Burnett Ave. Ste. E Concord 686-9901 Fax: 686-2106

January 12, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Winter Weather Sale 20% off

Page A11

New museum exhibit shows 150 years of Clayton history

all in stock patio furniture Last chance to enjoy 2006 prices offer expires Jan. 31, 2006

The place for fine gifts, patio and garden furniture, spas, barbeque islands and a quality nursery.

Pool, Patio & Gardens Family owned since 1983

6780 Marsh Creek Road, Clayton

Closed Mondays

· 672-0207 Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

Independently owned and operated

t Intero, we begin and end each day with one goal: to provide our clients with the finest customer service available in real estate. Every Intero real estate professional is guided by principles of trust, respect and integrity.

A

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Located on the Concord/Clayton border, upgraded lower end unit. Sellers have meticulously maintained this home..

Spacious Floor plan. Large Master bedroom, with walk in closet. Community swimming, tennis. Close to shopping, transportation, great schools, and biking and walking trails.

ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE HOME IN GATED COMMUNITY! Home features include: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, living room with cozy fireplace.

Vaulted ceilings, recessed & track light& newer ceiling fans. Master bedListed for: $424,000 ing, room with walk in closet & master bath.

Beautiful backyard paradise with large covered patio & Spanish tile. Sprawling decking and easy-care yards throughout. This is truly an entertainer ’s delight!

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Recipient of Intero’s Chairman Circle Award

MUSEUM CURATOR, MARY SPRYER, HOLDS AN 1870 CORONET that was used in the Clayton Silver Coronet Band in the late 1800s. The coronet is part of the sesquicentennial exhibit opening at the Museum on January 7.

JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer

Did y ou kno w that in 1882 Paul De Martini was offering top quality wine at 15 cents a g allon?

Or that in 1930 Clayton’s population w as 318? W ere y ou a ware that a record four feet of snow fell in Clayton in 1903?

These and other facts are part of a comprehensi ve new exhibit at the Cla yton Museum entitled Clayton, A T own Rich in History, honoring Cla yton’s sesquicentennial.

Museum Curator Mar y Spryer is ex cited about the new exhibit whic h is open

Wednesdays and Sundays from 2 to 4 throughout the year. “It will be a c hanging exhibit, ” says Spryer.

She hopes to solicit ideas and suggestions from m useum visitors throughout the year and eventually use those ideas to enhance the exhibit as the sesquicentennial festi vites mo ve forward.

With a timeline as a guide for visitors, the exhibit sho wcases a journey through the w orld, California and Cla yton from 1857 to the present.

Many Clayton residents are fairly new to the area and will be intrigued by the city’s history, development and g rowth o ver the past 150

22 year resident of Clayton

www.CallTheVanFleetTeam.com

years, says Spryer.

Along with a m yriad of facts and figures , Clayton, a T own Rich in Histor y will also feature musical instr uments, dishes and other ar tifacts. There’s an 1870 Coronet donated b y J osef Schwendel which was used in the

With a timeline as a guide for visitors, the exhibit showcases a journey through the world, California and Clayton from 1857 to the present. popular Cla yton Silv er Coronet Band from that time period.

Spryer and her v olunteers also spent time g athering facts about g eologic time calling the display “a histor y sweep toward Clayton.” “We sho w the la y of the land ev en before humans ,” she adds.

As par t of the exhibit, the museum will host a series of walking tours of Clayton led b y museum staff and v olunteers beginning Mar. 24 at 10 a.m. The tours are free and are held the fourth Saturda y of each month through September.

Spryer anticipates a lot of interest in the exhibit based on the long histor y of community involvement in Cla yton and the amount of volunteers that offer their time and talent to projects and events in the city. “Everyone loves Cla yton for many of the same reasons,” says Spryer.

For mor e infor mation on the Clayton Historical Society’ s Sesquicentennial exhibit call 6727232. The Museum is located at 6101 Main Street.

Call today for a personal tour & complimentary lunch

(925) 524-5100

Retirement Community

Join us for our Thursday Socials at 4pm.

6401 Center Street Clayton CA 94517

www.diamondterrace.net

“Living at Diamond Terrace makes me feel at ease and that I am home.”

– Tudy Routman, 94

Page A12

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

January 12, 2007

georgevujnovich.com

Trust your home to

GEORGE VUJNOVICH , Broker Helping friends, neighbors and newcomers buy and sell their homes since 1979

PEACOCK CREEK AT OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB!

Each Office Is Independently Owned & Operated.

Tel: (925) 672-4433 6160 Center Street, Suite E, Clayton 94517

WINDMILL CANYON AT OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB!

Large Single Story “Keller” model! tucked away at the end of a quiet

Just Listed! Exquisite “Belveder e” model on premium view lot! nestled in

a quiet court. Decorator ’s showplace features 5 bedrooms plus a den, 3.5 baths, approx. 4,100sq ft & rare 4-car garage. Downstairs bedroom with full bath. Extensively upgraded throughout featuring 16” tile floors, custom window treatments, ornate lighting fixtures, designer paint, central vacuum & extensive closet or ganizer systems.

Gracious living room with fireplace & dramatic

formal dining room. Chef ’s dream gourmet kitchen of fers commercial grade appliances, granite tile counters & island, maple cabinetry & spacious pantry . Enormous great room with impressive two-way granite tile fireplace & walk around bar . Lavish master suite boasts a lar ge “Trex” deck balcony of fing sensational views! Remarkable private oasis lot backs to open space with Mt. Diablo, canyon & ridgeline views & features a spectacular freeform pool with raised spa boasting a stacked stone backdrop featuring a cascading waterfall, custom outdoor kitchen & lush $1,495,000 professional landscape.

EAGLE PEAK AT OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB!

court backing to oak studded open space. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, approx. 2,053sf. Upgraded marble floors extend from entry into formal dining room. Tile kitchen open to family room with upgraded marble tile fireplace. Spacious master suite with retreat. Neutral colors & décor throughout. Extensive use of natural slate in front & rear yard hardscape. Private rear lot features lots of mature trees, lawn area & patio, plus a relaxing spa. $715,000

JEFFRY RANCH!

Pristine single story rancher!

with Mt. Diablo views. 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, approx.

2,088sf, inside laundry & 3 car garage. Many upgrades & updating including: New roof/gutters, heating/ac, dual pane windows/sliders, flooring, paint & light fixtures! Formal living & dining room. Eat-in kitchen opens to family room with brick fireplace. Master suite features slider to trellis covered deck. HUGE .31 acre lot boasts a sparkling in-ground gunite pool with built-in spa, extensive redwood deck, lawn area, wide assortment of roses & flowers. Great green house for the avid gardener & big side yard! $719,000

Spectacular “Lassen” model!

nestled at the end of a quiet court with views of hills, opens space & city lights. 4 bedrooms, plus an upgraded loft, 2.5 baths, approx.

3,162sf, 2 fireplaces & 3 car garage. Upgrades include: laminate wood, tile & carpet floors, dramatic light fixtures, thick baseboards, designer paint colors & cabinet treatments!

Gorgeous gourmet kitchen features slab granite counters, breakfast bar & center island.

Separate formal dining room with upgraded columns. Huge master suite with fireplace & jetted tub! Private professionally landscaped lot features an exposed aggregate patio, nice lush lawn area, many trees & colorful flowers. $899,000 CLAYTON/CONCORD BORDER - RARE .75 ACRE LOT!

ING D N PE

Distinctive custom home on a private lane! 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, approx.

2,378sf. 3 downstairs bedrooms, second floor master suite/wing with separate retreat/sitting room, spacious suite & huge master bath featuring a jetted tub with hillside & wooded views, lar ge separate stall shower & lar ge walk-in closet with extensive closet or ganizer system. Large formal living room with marble fireplace. Gourmet kitchen features custom solid oak cabinets, tile counters & island upgraded stainless steel appliances. Enchanted park-like setting featuring vibrant & sweeping landscape, various pathways with foot bridges crossing over seasonal “Galindo” creek that meanders through property. Many secret & reflective garden spots. Refreshing pool with lar ge aggregate patio. An irreplaceable must see setting. $1,095,000

Mortgage Market Update Conforming $417,000 or less

Jumbo $417,001 and up

30 year, fixed for 3 . . . . . . .6.375% 30 year, fixed for 5 . . . . . . .6.375% 30 year, fixed for 7 . . . . . . .6.375% 30 year, fixed for 10 . . . . . . . .6.5% 15 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.125% 30 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.375%

30 year, fixed for 3 . . . . . . . . .6.5% 30 year, fixed for 5 . . . . . . . . .6.5% 30 year, fixed for 7 . . . . . . .6.625% 30 year, fixed for 10 . . . . . . .6.75% 15 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.25% 30 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.625%

Clayton Market Update Provided by George Vujnovich of Better Homes Realty ADDRESS 1445 Yosemite Circle 1114 Oakwood Circle 1541 Haviland Pl 4405 Coyote Cir 7024 Molluk Way 3105 Windmill Canyon Dr 9001 Elk Drive 1880 Eagle Peak Ave 120 Mt. Etna Dr 5227 Keller Ridge Drive 1743 Indian Wells Way 608 Julpun Loop 1735 Indian Wells Way 3305 Coyote Circle 380 Blue Oak Lane 1848 Eagle Peak Ave 1068 Mitchell Canyon Road 1130 Peacock Creek Drive 4301 Coyote Circle 20 Mt. McKinley Court 129 Mt. Etna Drive 705 Condor Place 503 Raven Place 7018 Molluk Way 428 Zinfandel Circle 436 Grenache Circle 115 Samuel Court 928 Kenston Dr 809 Chert Place 1293 Shell Circle 1451 Yosemite Circle 1163 Moccasin Ct 7026 Molluk Way 179 Mountaire Pkwy 3016 Windmill Canyon Dr 518 Mt. Dell Dr 336 Mt. Washington Wy 1820 Eagle Peak Ave 5861 Caulfield Drive 320 Saclan Terrace 239 Jeffry Ranch Place 329 Ahwanee Lane

PRICE $690,000 $1,850,000 $472,000 $430,000 $650,000 $670,000 $745,000 $775,000 $495,000 $860,000 $611,000 $605,000 $599,000 $465,000 $950,000 $787,000 $675,000 $1,129,000 $539,000 $739,980 $499,200 $455,000 $675,000 $775,000 $850,000 $865,000 $864,000 $995,000 $505,000 $595,000 $700,000 $641,000 $859,000 $700,000 $640,000 $575,000 $730,000 $775,000 $835,000 $637,900 $725,000 $975,000

SALE DATE

SF

12/29/06 12/28/06 12/22/06 12/20/06 12/15/06 12/14/06 12/06/06 12/05/06 11/28/06 11/28/06 11/28/06 11/28/06 11/17/06 11/09/06 11/08/06 11/08/06 11/08/06 11/02/06 11/01/06 10/31/06 10/28/06 10/20/06 10/17/06 10/13/06 10/13/06 10/12/06 10/11/06 10/2/06 09/29/06 09/28/06 09/26/06 09/22/06 09/13/06 09/08/06 09/08/06 09/07/06 09/07/06 08/31/06 08/31/06 08/31/06 08/31/06 08/24/06

2,493 3,840 1,256 1,026 1,816 1,816 2,237 2,467 1,627 2,843 1,749 1,749 1,749 1,252 3,008 2,313 1,494 3,185 1,554 1,919 1,442 1,026 1,877 2,674 2,391 2,391 2,334 3,048 1,235 1,709 1,566 1,639 2,542 1,600 1,493 1,658 1,740 2,313 2,050 1,749 1,810 2,944

BED/BATH 3/2.5 3/3.5 2/2 2/2 3/2 3/2 4/2 4/3 4/2 4/3 3/2.5 3/2.5 3/2.5 2/2.5 4/3 4/2.5 3/2 5/3.5 3/2.5 4/2 3/2 2/2 3/2.5 4/3 4/2.5 4/2.5 4/3 5/4 2/2 3/3 3/2 3/2.5 4/2.5 3/2 3/2 3/2 4/2 4/2.5 4/2 3/2.5 4/2 4/2.5

CLAYTON PIONEER January 12, 2007

Section B

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page B1

Dress up your garden with this year’s new perennials NICOLE HACKETT

GARDEN GIRL A new g ardening year poses new g arden possibilities and the list for 2007’ s most desired perennials is in. These plants are all new introductions and will definitely be a c hallenge to find for both the nursery as well as the home g ardener. But, sometimes the chase makes the catch all the more sw eet. 2007 Most W anted Perennials consist of flowers for borders and cutting, groundcovers, tropical looking plants and even a fern.

Echinacea is a familiar plant family, commonly called pur ple cone f lower. The past few years we ha ve been able to look forward to a new introduction. Last year w e enjo yed Orange and Mango Meadow Bright. These plants were exceptional. Today I have the pleasure to tell y ou about Echinacea R aspberry Tart and Tiki Torch. Raspberry Tart is a very compact Echinacea reaching heights of 18-24 inches tall, and 15-18 inc hes wide. This coneflower blooms in masses of small deep magenta flowers. The power of this perennial should be used in dramatic borders to add color J uly through September.

Tiki T orch has a name that will be remembered.

This Echinacea has a g rowth habit recognized as a conef lower. Tiki Torch reaches 32 inc hes tall and 24 inches wide. Plant this peren-

nial behind any early spring bloomer—the larg e bright pumpkin orang e f lowers w ould look g reat to wering o ver dw arf Spanish la vender. This vig orous plant will attract butterf lies and bees to the garden, so plant away from a swimming pool or sitting area. As with all Ec hinacea plants, it is easy to o ver w ater during the hot summer months , so be cautious, plant these perennials in ric h, well amended soil for maximum growth and results.

Coreopsis Pinwheel is another hot perennial new to the scene. This charming light yellow flower has a f lared pinwheel shape that stands 24 inc hes tall and almost 3 feet wide . So gi ve this bab y some room.

The Coreopsis family as a whole does well around our to wn. Install all coreopsis early for maxim um first season satisfaction. If planted late into the bloom, a sev ere cutting ma y be needed to allo w this perennial to become self supportive. The bluish g reen foliage of the Pinwheel is unique and attractive, lending itself to a cool garden color scheme.

Ajuga Toffee Chip is a small leaf creeping g roundcover with unique v ariegated foliag e. Last year Ajuga Black Scallop made its way into Clayton gardens, and it w as v ery successful. Another Ajuga in to wn will be v ery thrilling. The small leaves on this creeping g roundcover ha ve changing interest. At maturity the leaves are colored g old to cream on the margin with shades of gray green in the center. The new leaves’ centers ha ve bro wn to khaki shades within the margins .

As with all the Ajug a, a spring through early summer blue flower will stand 8 inches tall.

Lobelia is a recognizable name to six-pac k planters ev erywhere.

Lobelia Golden Torch is a v ariety that will be found in one g allon sized container and costs about four times

in moist soil, using a little peat in the mix. Hummingbird friendly, and comment worthy, this perennial is extreme.

Rudbeckia Henr y Eiler s is related to the Black-eyed Susan

ZANTEDESCHIA EDGE OF NIGHT

the price of the ann ual. This herbaceous perennial is a sho w stopper with its fabulous combination of gold foliag e and brilliant scarlet tw o lipped f lowers.

Golden Torch will reac h heights of 12-20 inches tall and 18 inc hes wide. Plant in half a day’s sun

family. These plants are Cla yton hardy. Henry Eilers looks slightly different than the rest of the family with his un usual yello w gold quelled petals with bro wn button centers that stand tall above the rest of the g arden.

Henry reac hes a height of 4-5

feet and will be 2 feet wide , so plant him towards the rear of the bed. During early life, it is recommended that the gardener severely cut the clump do wn in J uly to control height, limiting the possibility of the plant tipping o ver.

After a season, the root set should be sturdy enough to hold up to its o wn g rowth. This Rudbeckia makes a long lived cut flower. The more y ou cut, the more blooms you’ll enjoy.

Athyrium Ocean’ s Fur y is commonly called the Crested Painted Fern. This fern is deciduous and cold hardy . It enjo ys growing in fer tile, rich moist soil in part shade to a full shade environment. Ocean’s Fury would be a w onderful addition to any woodland g arden. Enjoy its upright habit and silv ery ting ed fronds. Plants with this type of color add light and texture without the distraction of flowers.

Scabiosa V ivid V iolet has large violet pincushion f lowers combined with a lo w mounding habit. This vig orous perennial has free f lowering blooms that are contin uous from late spring through frost. Vivid Violet is a superb border plant, bedding or rock garden introduction that will reach 12-15 inc hes tall and 18 inches wide. Plant in full sun, and protect from o ver w atering, this selection of Scabiosa has g ood mildew resistance, but we do not want to push our luck.

Begonia Cathedral, commonly called the Stained Glass Begonia, is the tropical selection for the New Y ear. This plant needs full shade to mor ning sun.

It’s preferable to plant it in a container, that way it can be relocated during the winter months indoors or to a sheltered porc h.

This beg onia will be w orth the extra effort when you see the fascinating ruffled foliage with windows of red and g reen. Ivory pink flowers adorn 12 inch spikes mid summer through late fall.

This plant is perfect for a wide mouth container or urn. You will love the 2 feet of foliage width and the 18-20 inc hes of height.

Install with an org anic soil and feed regularly for greatest impact.

As with all beg onias, protect from snails.

Zantedeschia Edge of Night is a Calla Lily that needs mentioning. Gone are the Mother’s Da y pinks and la venders, let’s make way for deep velvety pur ple blac k, with ev en a deeper pur ple color infusing the stern and leaf edges. The leaves are spotted pink and white and edged in dark maroon. This plant will be a wesome. Plant in a container or in a bed amended with rich soil and ha ving g ood drainage. Place in par t sun.

Summer dor mancy can be expected if the plant is allowed to dry out too many times . Winter dormancy is a must for re-bloom, so leave this plant outdoors and let it g o to slee p. Your spring bloom will be well worth it.

This list of the Top Ten Most Wanted P erennial of 2007 w as fun to compile and researc h. I hope that actually finding these perennials to sell and enjo y will not haunt me for too long. To be the first ones on the bloc k with such desirable perennials is the goal. We’ll see if we can do it.

Happy Planting.

Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio and Garden Contact her with questions, comments or sug gestions at gardengirl@claytonpioneer.com

(925) 672-8787 www.LynneFrench.com Lynne@LynneFrench.com

6200-E Center St. Clayton, CA 94517

F

rom the city to the country, the East Bay Area is a place full of surprises. Just ask longtime resident and local real estate professional, Lynne French. For her, it provides the ideal setting for some of her favorite hobbies, which include golf, hiking, jogging and horseback riding. “I discover something new here every day,” Lynne says. “That’s why I take such great pride and joy in helping others make the most of their real estate opportunities in the East Bay Area.”

With her straightforward determination and in-depth knowledge

of the local home market, Lynne has guided many East Bay residents to excellent results. She is backed by a team of skilled professionals, including her husband, Danny, a former general contractor, giving her unique insight into every aspect of your home.

When it comes time to buy or sell a home in the East Bay area, Lynne French is the ultimate guide.

Her experience, care and energy will make your move a complete success. Give her a call today and Discover the Possibilities in the local real estate market.

Page B2

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

January 12, 2007

Clayton Sports Clayton girl rides to win in English hunter-jumper and dressage competitions

Deanna Merrigan to cover sports in Pioneer Territory The Pioneer is pleased to several years and Mer rigan is introduce our new sports writer, actively involved in the manageDeanna Merrigan. ment of the team. Husband Merrigan holds a BA in jour- Tim, a family practice ph ysician nalism with an ar t in W alnut Creek, minor from Chico plays on an Ultimate State. After g raduatFrisbee team in ing in 1990, she went Brentwood and to work in marketing Merrigan hik es Mt. and public relationsDiablo ev ery first for an adv ertisWednesday with a ing ag ency, then for group of friends. a Fortune 500 com“It’s truly a fabulous pany in Milwaukee. way to g et ex ercise.

After mar riage The mountain is and tw o c hildren, beautiful in all seashe obtained her real sons.” estate license . She DEANNA MERRIGAN Son Matt, 9, is a and her par tner, skateboard enthusiShanan Tullis are cur rently with ast and an avid bike rider.

Team Mt. Diablo R ealty in Merrigan will cover all manConcord. ner of sports in the Cla yton Merrigan is no strang er to community from the mainthe local spor ts comm unity. stream to the less w ell kno wn.

Daughter Marissa, 12, has been Contact her with y our ideas , playing Class I soccer for the questions and comments at Mt. Diablo Soccer League for sports@claytonpioneer.com.

Karaoke in the Lounge Tuesdays starting Jan. 30

Call about

Daytime Senior Leagues

Deanna Merrigan/Clayton Pioneer

When not at school, Giovanna Facchini enjoys competing and studying English-style horseback riding.

DEANNA MERRIGAN Clayton Pioneer

If you’re a horsebac k riding enthusiast, Clayton is a g reat place to li ve. For Gio vanna Facchini, a sev enth g rader at Diablo View Middle Sc hool (DVMS), English style riding is truly a spor t to lo ve. Facchini competes for ribbons in both the Hunter -Jumper and Dressage style shows.

The Hunter-Jumper competitions in volve jumping, cross country and stadium acti vities.

In Dressag e (meaning “training” in F rench), participants must do all the w ork on f lat ground and m ust handle the horses themselves.

In dressag e competition, successful training at the various levels is demonstrated through the performance of “tests”, or a prescribed series of movements within a standard arena. Judges evaluate each movement on the basis of an objecti ve standard appropriate to the lev el of the test and assign each movement a score from zero to ten – zero being “not ex ecuted” and 10 being “ex cellent”. The horses should look g ood, walk, gallop, canter and follo w a course .

Ribbons are a warded to those riders who are rated the highest

One of t h top 50 G e M dealers C in the natio n

on the “tests”.

Points are deducted if a horse acts up or if the horse does not finish the course.

Facchini has consistently earned ribbons in ev ery sho w she has par ticipated in. In fact, according to her mom, Janet Facchini, Giovanna w on a first place ribbon at her v ery first show. Winning the ribbons is not that easy. With English riding competition, dedication and hard work are essential.

Facchini trains with a local trainer, Gina Marie Shaman, at Wishing Well Stable in Cla yton.

As part of the learning process, Giovanna has learned to ride all kinds of horses, through w ater and o ver fences. She also m ust learn tacking, cleaning stalls and shoes, giving shots and vir tually all aspects of being a responsible horse owner.

In fact, according to its Website, the mission of the Wishing Well Stable is “to operate a breeding and training facility for the production of professionally started young horses so they begin their show careers as mentally stable , physically able individuals at a reasonable cost to the public to enhance the sporthorse industry.”

Giovanna has been acti vely taking lessons for 8 years , but horses have always held a special

fascination for her . “She’s always had a lo ve for horses .

The first time she w as on a horse, she w as 9 months old.

She hasn’t stopped,” said Janet.

“She chooses horses over boys.”

In addition to training weekly, Facchini is also an acti ve member of the Clayton Canyon Pony Club , affiliated with the Middle California Region of the United States Pony Club, Inc. “The P ony Club is open to anyone who w ants to lear n about horses . You need access to a horse or pony , however,” said Janet. The Pony Club meets twice a month; one meeting they ha ve “mounted” lessons with a trainer , while the other meeting usually in volves lear n-

ing about feeding, shoeing, veterinary care and other areas of horse management.

Some sho ws and horse events in volve tra vel. Facchini has tra veled all o ver Califor nia for shows. She has also par ticipated in a rally; a 3-day competition combining dressage, cross country and sho w jumping in which the kids do ev erything themselves and parent/trainer contact is limited.

Owning horses and par ticipating in sho ws can be expensive. Things lik e feeding the horse and buying the equipment can put a squeeze on any one’s budget.

But for those who tr uly love the sport, it’s all worth it.

Digital Thunder Glow Bowling Fri. 4pm to 6pm, 10pm to 1am - Sat. 10pm to 1am

$1.50 Nights - Monday through Thursday, 9pm to midnight - $1.50 games

Freaky Funday on Sundays 5pm to midnight - $5 cover charge gets you $1-games, shoes, hotdogs, soda’s and small beers.

925.689.4631

visit: claytonvalleybowl.com

Clayton Valley Bowl

5300 Clayton Road Concord, CA

Clayton resident, Mike Rose, has been in business for over 34 years and has always provided quality repair with excellent customer service!

SEVEN LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU!

Morning weather on KTVU-Fox2 Mon.-Fri., 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.

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Mike’s Brentwood Autobody 4535 O’Hara Avenue Brentwood (925) 634-6366 2288 North Main Walnut Creek (925) 979-1739 2001 Fremont Street Concord (925) 686-1739

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January 12, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

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Page B3

two at tw o tour naments and fourth at the league c hampionships in his w eight division.

He continues to train with the Northgate High Sc hool wrestling team tw o da ys a week in addition to his training at the Moder n Defense Institute. Llacuna enjo ys wrestling and plans to continue wrestling in addition to his martial ar ts training through high school.

Llacuna does well in school and enjoys spending time with his family in Clayton.

PIONEER ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT Kimo Llacuna, a sev enth grader at Diablo View Middle School, has been studying martial arts for six years.

His training includes Kempo-Karate-Jujitsu and Valencia Lameco Eskrima (a Filipino Martial Art). The arts he practices combine striking (punches, kicks), grappling (throws, takedowns, joint restraint) and w eapon w ork.

Two days a week he trains and practices at the Moder n Defense Institute (MDI) in

KIMO LLACUNA

Concord. Llacuna has competed in local karate tour naments in forms and sparring.

In addition to his karate , Llacuna enjo yed success as a first year wrestler for League Champion F oothill W restling Team. He placed in the top

Favorite subject in school: Math – I’ve always liked being challenged with numbers.

Favorite spor ts: Wrestling, football and soccer.

Favorite team and athlete: 49ers; F rank Gor e is m y favorite athlete. He’ s str ong, fast and continues to push himself to be the best.

Favorite music: 80’ s r ock and

hip hop--they have rhythm.

Favorite w ay to spend leisure time: I like to play football with the kids in m y neighborhood, watch TV and play X Bo x.

The Cla yton Pioneer spotlights a local y outh athlete from our circulation area in the second issue eac h month. If you are a coach or an administrator and w ould like to nominate a young person (under 20 years of age) for the R occo’s Athlete Spotlight, go to our W ebsite at www .claytonpioneer.com and clic k on the Athlete Spotlight for m on the left side of the homepage, or fax to 672-6580. Nomination deadline for the February 9 issue is Sunday , January 28.

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Two for mer Brazilian Olympic soccer stars , Sissi and Tafa (both w omen g o b y only one name), joined the Clayton V alley High Sc hool

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(CVHS) alumni in a matc h against the V arsity squad, Friday, December 29 at Clayton V alley High. The Varsity w omen defeated the alumni 4-0.

Most of the returning alumni w omen pla y colleg e soccer .

They came from sc hools l ike Sacramento State, Chico State, DVC, UOP and San Dieg o State. The w omen, including Kelly No vac, Ashley W ong, Lindsey V anderstraetan, Marissa Lopez, Kristen Ca ya, and Deb Garcia enjoyed some of their winter break pla ying soccer on their old home field.

The matc h-up Saturda y

was hard fought, and the outcome w as enlightening . With the tw o Brazil Olympians on the alumni team, it was a possible if not probable win o ver the V arsity w omen. But instead, the CVHS Eagles took the victor y and pro ved that their training and hard work is paying off.

Coach P at Middendorf said the Ba y V alley Athletic League (BVAL) is up for grabs this year. “It’s not just a w alkaway for Carondelet, ” she said. The Cla yton V alley Eagles ha ve had a strong showing this year .

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games ag ainst Ygnacio V alley High, Liberty High and Carondelet should be a g ood indicator on ho w the rest of the season will g o. After last Friday’s g ame ag ainst the alumni with the Olympians , coach Middendorf is optimistic.

Currently, Brazilian stars Sissi and T afa are coac hing and training at D VSC. They are helping with Cla yton Valley High’s training over the winter break.

With their knowledge and training assistance, it is sure to be an ex citing season for the CVHS Eagles.

5354 Clayton Rd, Suites B1 & B2, Concord phone: (925) 765-4765 673-9737 ll fax: (925) 798-2100 email: www.homequity.us email: lmiller@homequity.us lmiller@homequity.us ll www.homequity.us

Page B4

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

January 12, 2007

R.E. Carpet has your floor covered JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer

One builder at a time , one realtor at a time, one homeowner at a time . Clayton resident, Dan Bettencour t of R.E.Carpet. has spent the last 20 years perfecting his trade and developing his business . As a professional f looring brok er, Dan has spent years for ming relationships with realtors and builders in the area by providing a quality product at a reasonable price. R.E. Carpet handles a wide v ariety of flooring needs from carpet, vinyl and wood to laminate and tile .“It all comes down to service,” says Dan. For homeowners, Dan brings the product to his customers in the comfort of their own home and helps them decide on color, texture and style.

He responds immediately to a request for a bid, returns phone calls on the job and helps clients with f looring decisions that best meet their needs . It’s the simple things that build trust, Dan explains .Since there are so many f looring options available for homeo wners, realtors and builders , Dan focuses

DAN BETTENCOURT

on his ability to offer a high end product at a reasonable cost.He primarily r uns the business b y himself and works at home . “I don’t ha ve the o verhead of a flooring dealership or w arehouse and therefore m y clients benefit. I provide personal service and offer competiti ve prices.”

Dan star ted in the business as an installer and dev eloped a reputation o ver the years for reliable ser vice and quality work. Angelique Booth of the Lynne F rench team sa ys that Dan is professional, reliable and reasonably-priced. “If there’s a problem, he’ll fix it. We definitely recommend him, ” she adds.

Dan attributes success in the business to his ability to handle stressful situations . He manages anywhere from 50 to 90 projects a month.

“One thing about the constr uction business is that things don ’t always g o as planned, ” he says.

“You have to be task oriented, driven and y ou ha ve to be accountable for y our w ork,” Dan adds. “If you don’t, you’re just another contractor.”

See ad this page.

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“Photo sharing sites understand the daunting task of sifting through hundreds of pictures.”

Mark Freeman Buzznet are lik e the social-networking giant Myspace , which revolves around comm unity interaction. Like Myspace , the sites allo w users to add contacts and lea ve comments, but

pictures are the primar y focus here.

Since photo sharing is the primary g oal of these sites , they make it easy for people to get their images out to as many people as possible . Hosting pictures to a site lik e Flic kr is more practical than sending them via email, since attac hed images can fill up a person ’s inbox quic kly or ma y be too large to send at all.

The sites also offer a reliable bac kup for precious photos. If your computer crashes , they will be safely stored on the Internet.

Getting started is easy. After registering, users can bro wse their computer for imag es and then upload them to the Internet. Yahoo users tak e note: Since the searc h engine owns Flic kr, you ma y already be signed up for the ser vice.

Most sites allo w users to upload sev eral pictures at a time in a process that only takes a few min utes. After the photos are uploaded, some sites allow you to rotate , resize or edit out blemishes lik e redeye.

Users ha ve total control over who sees their pictures , thanks to the sites’ customizable pri vacy controls . As Flickr’s W ebsite (

MARK FREEMAN

ON

THE

NET

www.Flickr.com) notes , its users have varied tastes. While some might w ant to sho w off their pictures to the world, others might w ant only family members to view their imag es.

Photo sharing sites understand the daunting task of sifting through hundreds of pictures. This is where tags come in. Tags are k eywords or labels that a user places on the photo to make it easier to find later.

Unlike vir tual albums , which Flic kr sa ys are “in desperate need of a Florida condo and full retirement” because they are disorg anized, tags make it easy to find photos. On most photo sharing sites , users can look up the most popular tags – whic h include k eywords like wedding and travel.

Clicking on the tag for wedding finds nearly 3 million pictures. From there , users can

search related tags suc h as bride, groom and f lowers. In two clic ks, one can g o from pictures of Aunt Helg a’s w edding to a gallery about roses.

Since pictures are notorious for taking up lots of space, it should be noted that there are some limitations to photo sharing sites. Flickr’s free membership allows for 100 MB (roughly 100 photos) of uploads a month and the ability to display up to 200 photos at a time. For about $2 a month, Flickr allows unlimited photo storag e and uploads.

Premium membership at photo sites gi ves users cer tain perks, like ha ving unlimited photo do wnloads or the ability to access high-resolution photos.

For most people though, the limitations of Flickr and the other sites are small compared to the advantage of sharing photos with any one, anywhere. In the Inter net ag e, user-generated content is king.

But now it’s time to go – the camera’s memory is full again.

Mark Freeman is a graduate of De La Salle High School and a freshman at Saint Mar y’s College in Moraga. He plans to study economics and cur rently writes for the school paper. Questions/comments can be sent to mfreeman543@gmail.com.

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Photo sharing Websites allo w people to upload pictures from their computer for free and share them with friends, family or the entire w orld. In this w ay, pictures are easily a vailable on the Web, and the camera’s memory is freed up.

But these sites are more than just a dumping ground for old photos. Popular photo sites like Flic kr, Webshots and

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Imagine the hor rendous condition of your mouth if you never brushed your teeth. Even eating hard foods or tearing your meat from bones with your teeth as wild animals do will not prevent dental disease.

Studies show that periodontal disease is one of the most common health issues in our aging pets. Up to 85 percent of our cats and dogs are affected after the ag e of 4. Not only do they suffer mouth pain but lifethreatening internal disease.

Senior to y and small breed dogs are the most prone to severe periodontal disease .

Poodles, Yorkshire ter riers and schnauzers ha ve the g reatest predisposition. Generally, medium and larg er breed dogs are less affected, but beagles and greyhounds are more at risk.

Felines also dev elop periodontal disease , along with a decay process at the gum line of the teeth called F eline Odontoclastic R esorptive Lesions (FORLs). The cause of FORLs is still controversial.

Periodontal disease is inflammation of the tooth’ s support system. These tissues consist of the gingi va (gums), ligaments whic h attac h the tooth to the bone , cementum and suppor ting bone . The inflammation star ts with the buildup of plaque, a thin adhesive fluid composed of bacteria.

Plaque star ts to for m within eight hours of dental cleaning.

Mineral salts from sali va combine with this f luid to for m hard calculus – the brown tarter we see on teeth. Toxic bacterial by-products start to eat away at the suppor tive tissues of the tooth. With time , gingivitis (gum inf lammation) dev elops, progressing into periodontitis (bone loss).

Periodontal disease is di vided into four stages. The first two stages are classified as gingi vitis.

In Stag e 1, a minimal lev el of calculus is seen causing red or inflamed gums . The gums become swollen in Stage 2. With dental cleaning under anesthesia and home care , gingivitis is reversible. If left untreated, the dental disease prog resses into the last two stages.

Periodontitis is the extension of inflammation into the tooth socket and bone sur rounding the teeth. The inf lammation now destro ys the lig aments, cementum and bone. This bone

loss is minimal in Stag e 3, but the tooth loosens and is eventually lost in Stage 4.

The later tw o stag es require a full dental procedure with the appropriate dental surg ery or extraction to control the progressive infection.

The primar y sign of periodontal disease is halitosis or bad breath. Other signs you may see at home include difficulty eating, bleeding from the mouth and drooling . If you lift y our pet’s lips, you may see receding red and sw ollen gums , brown calculus built up around the base of the teeth, discharge at the gum line, gum ulcers, bleeding and loose teeth.

In sev ere cases of Stage 4, the inflammation can erode the bone – predisposing them to jaw fractures. Bone loss around the upper canine teeth can create oral-nasal fistulas . Food entering the nasal sinus through this opening will cause nasal infections, with cong estion, sneezing and nasal discharge.

Severe infection of the upper car nassial teeth (the primary c hewing teeth or the fourth premolars) can cause facial sw elling and infect the eyes, leading to cor neal ulcers and ruptures.

Once the later tw o stag es have dev eloped, advance therapy will be required to halt the progression of disease. To fully evaluate the lev el of disease, each tooth is examined, pockets are measured and X-ra ys are taken. This can only be effectively done under anesthetic.

Therapies to sa ve the teeth include deep root cleaning, periodontal surgery and root canals with crowns.

A new periodontal v accine has just been dev eloped. This vaccine stim ulates imm unity against the culprit bacteria, helping to prevent periodontitis.

Several factors should be taken into account in making your desicion on the lev el of therapy. To save a tooth at this level requires commitment on your part. This consists of daily home br ushings to remo ve the plaque, frequent veterinary dental exams and regular dental cleanings, all with considerable expense of time and money.

We m ust also ha ve patient compliance. If Fido will not tolerate brushing or will not eat the recommended foods and treats , then our effor ts to sa ve a tooth

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will be ineffective.

So, be tr uthful with y ourself and y our pet. If your commitment is w eak and Fido is uncooperative, the wiser decision is to extract the tooth to prev ent further suffering.

It is difficult for us to kno w how much our pets suffer from dental disease . If they could talk, I am sure w e would hear a lot of complaints. There m ust be pain while c hewing on loose teeth and inf lamed sw ollen gums. Considering the lev el of severe disease I ha ve seen, it often astounds me how our pets manage to eat.

By remo ving the source of bacteria, we eliminate a source of chronic infection for the rest of the body . Renal infections , liver disease , heart disease , gastro-enteritis, diabetes and autoimmune diseases can stem from periodontitis.

After a dental procedure , owners are amazed to see ho w much healthier their pet feels .

“Doc, he acts lik e a puppy

AND

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again” is a comment often heard on the dental recheck exam.

The goal of preventing periodontal disease is to k eep the teeth as clean as possible . If your pet’ s teeth are y oung and free of disease, start a home care routine of brushing, dental food, chew treats and to ys to prevent dental disease in older age. If you see red gums or brown teeth, it is time to see your veterinarian for a full dental exam and procedure.

Most practitioners star t to celebrate February’s P et Dental Health Month in J anuary. So, see y our v eterinarian soon to take adv antage of the dental promotions offered during this time.

Marybeth Rymer, DVM, can be reached at Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital, Concord. 672-1100.

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Page B6

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

January 12, 2007

Dining Around For a leisurely, scrumptious brunch close to home, it’s LA VERANDA CAFE at the coner of Marsh Creek Road and Center Street all the way.

Try one of the traditional, tried and true brunch favorites, like Joe’s Special—a scrumptious mix

6-12 and free for children under 6. Price includes champagne or sparkling cider, choice of fresh fruit juice, dessert and coffee.

Brunch is served from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. La Veranda is open daily for lunch and dinner and serves a Northern Italian menu of

Gourmet Subs owner Sadie Rangel-Nazzal

of sausage, spinach and eggs, or the Eggs Benedict, which will delight you with its smooth and satiny Hollandaise.

Or, opt for a light and luscious Chicken Piccata, a chicken breast sauteed in white wine with lemon and capers or a gentle salmon with a light cream sauce.

Salads will include fresh fruit and the personal favorite of many La Veranda fans, the Insalata Della Reina...baby greens with walnuts and gorgonzola tossed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil Sunday breakfast traditionalists can order their favorite eggs, omelets or buttermilk pancakes from the menu.

All this is offered at $18 per person, $9 for children

pasta, pizza, chicken, veal and fish starting at $8.50 for Bruchetta with olive oil, fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil.

For reservations for brunch, lunch or dinner, call 524-0011.For reservations for brunch, lunch or dinner, call 524-0011.

This is not your kid’s sub, and there’s nothing ordinary about the gourmet sandwiches served up at the new GOURMET SUBS AND MORE. Owner, Sadie Rangel, had something special in mind when she opened her new sub shop next to the Shell station at Clayton Road and Ygnacio.

First, the menu – you’ll find no less than 25 different sandwiches, served either “sub style” or “Panini”

style and all calling for nothing but the freshest ingredients. Her menu is also “vegetarian and vegan friendly.” All subs are oven baked and all Paninis are grilled.

For the meat lover in you try the Tri-Tip House Special—oven roasted trip tip served au-jus with provolone for $5.99. If you’re super hungry, size up to $7.99. And the list goes on…Chipotle Cheese Steak, Chicken Parmigiano, The Blue – oven roasted or smoked turkey breast, ham, bacon, avocado all topped with a blue cheese dressing.

Or, how about a turkey breast with cranberry sauce and cream cheese.

Panini lovers can have their sandwich with garlic, Cesar or ranch spread or basil, black olive and sun dried tomato pesto…all homemade.

If you’re watching your carbs, dig into one of Sadie’s garden fresh salads.

Try an Oriental Chicken Salad of grilled chicken breast with an Oriental dressing or an All American Albacore Tuna salad. All dressings are homemade.

At this end of Clayton Road’s “fast food row,” this family owned and operated eatery is a welcome respite from MSG and deep fried “stuff.” Priced from $1.99 for a cup of homemade soup to $7.99 for the biggest Tri Tip Special, Gourmet Subs is as good for your wallet as it is for your health.

Located at 5415 Clayton Road at the corner of Clayton Road and Ygnacio, Gourmet Subs is open Mon.-Sat. from 10:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. Closed on Sunday.

A little more on the casual side and a great place to take the kids is ROCCO’S RISTORANTE at 2909 Ygnacio Valley Road in Walnut Creek. Voted the best pizza in the Bay Area

Crossword Puzzle ACROSS

1- Egyptian deity 5- Playthings 9- Hanging loosely

14- Language of Pakistan 15- Extent of space 16- City in Nebraska 17- Side

18- Knocks lightly 19- Word with panel or energy 20- Village near the Matterhorn

by a Contra Costa Times Reader Poll, Rocco’s serves up a killer house specialty.

The Dominator, piled high with pepperoni, salami, mushrooms, ham, linguica, sausage and onions, is not for the faint of heart. At $19.97, this large pizza will feed a small army.

Rocco’s also has several choices of classic Italian pasta, homemade minestrone and several salads.

All pasta dishes are served with fresh bread. Top your pasta dinner off with a glass of wine and you’re well fed and satisfied for well under $20 (tax and tip included.)

Rocco’s opens every day at 11 a.m.

And, ROCCO’S SPORTS BAR is now open. With a full bar, 25 big flat screen TVs and LIVE MUSIC, sports fans might just think they’ve found heaven.

And for those who need a little break from sports, check out the beautiful fresh water aquarium behind the bar.

See you at Rocco’s.

La Veranda Café Northern Italian Cuisine in downtown Clayton Fresh soups, salads, antipasti, pizza and pasta Dinner and lunch daily Brunch on Sunday Children’s menu and take out service available

For reservations call (925) 524-0011 6201 CENTER ST. CLAYTON

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2909 Ygnacio Valley Rd. at Oak Grove Rd. in Walnut Creek (925) 947-6105 • Fax (925) 947-6106 • www.roccospizzeria.com 22- Locate 24- Leers at 26- The French word for "no" 27- Ringlike formation 30- Not quickly forgotten 35- Similar 36- One who has something coming?

37- Insult 38- Transgression 39- Ceded 42- Before 43- Soviet news service 45- Charge per unit 46- Humiliate 48- Toothless 50- Located

51- Cereal grass 52- Staggers 54- Privileged 58- The month of May 62- Modify 63- Chess piece 65- Billy ___ had a hit song with "White Wedding" 66- Fungal infection of the skin or nails 67- Poker stake 68- You can't catch fish without them!

69- Severe 70- Undesirable plant 71- Movable barrier

Solution for 12/22 Crossword

DOWN

1- Fool 2- Hammock holder 3- Purim month 4- Hillock 5- Gossip 6- Use a soapbox 7- "Sure thing" 8- Disrespectful back talk 9- Capital of Massachusetts 10- Quantities 11- Festive occasion 12- Steps down to an Indian river 13- Dextrous, lively 21- Awry 23- Accustom 25- Refuge 27- Class of Indian society 28- Greek epic poem 29- Wash lightly 31- Helper 32- Pertaining to the small intestine 33- Suckle 34- Avarice 36- Warmth 40- Angry 41- Loiter 44- Meddling person 47- Temporary stitching 49- Plaid 50- Having a peak 53- Engage in histrionics 54- Solid oils 55- Mine entrance 56- Turbine blade 57- Sketch 59- Thought 60- Feminist Lucretia 61- Otherwise 64- Washington bill

January 12, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page B7

Clayton Community Calendar PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M., JAN. 17 FOR THE JAN. 26 ISSUE. FAX TO 672-6580 OR E-MAIL calendar@claytonpioneer.com EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT THROUGH FEB. 27 Patty Cakes Story Time @ Clayton Community Library 11 a.m. Tuesdays. Story time for babies to children 3 years old. No registration required. 673-0659. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road.

THROUGH FEB. 12 The Art of Retirement @ Loma Vista Adult Center 7 - 9 p.m. The course is five weeks in length and costs just $18 for people 55-plus. The topic for Jan. 16 is Social Security; how it works; how it effects retiree finances; how to keep the money you've got; retirement spending and distribution; charitable trusts and annuities. The topic for Jan. 23 is health in retirement; life expectancy factors and long-term-care insurance.

People of all ages and situations are welcome. For class information call George Fulmore at (925) 686-6916. Call (925) 937-1530 for registration information. Loma Vista Adult Center, located at 1266 San Carlos Ave, Concord.

JAN. 11 - MAR. 1 Picture Book Time @ Clayton Community Library 11 a.m. Thursdays. Story time for children 3 to 5 years old. . No registration required. Child may attend without caregiver. 673-0659. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road.

JAN. 13 East Bay Regional Park Presentation @ Clayton Community Library 2 p.m. Beverly Lane and Jim Townsend will present an overview of the East Bay Regional Park District and all that it has to offer residents of the Clayton area. The presentation will include making trail connections from Clayton to nearby regional parks such as Black Diamond and Clayton Ranch. 6730659. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road.

JAN. 17 OLLI Lecture @ CSU East Bay 2:00-3:30 p.m. Shaping the Destiny of Our World - how Mediterranean Sea countries play their roles. Presented by Larry Foster, professor emeritus of geography, San Francisco State University. $5.00 at the door (free to OLLI members). Oak Room, CSU East Bay, Concord Campus, 4700 Ygnacio Valley Road, Concord, 925-602-6776, www.scholarolli.com.

JAN. 17 6:30 p.m. Classic Movie Night @ Clayton Community Library Young rich and obsessed with death, a young man finds himself changed forever when he meets a lively septuagenarian at a funeral. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, 673-0659.

JAN. 18 OLLI Lecture @ CSU East Bay 7 - 8:30 p.m. Through the Eyes of the Veterinarian: Wildlife Rehabilitation, presented by Nancy Anderson, DVM, Director of Wildlife Services, Lindsay Wildlife Museum. $5.00 at the door (free to OLLI and Lindsay Wildlife Museum members). www.scholarolli.com, 925-602-6776. Oak Room, CSU East Bay, Concord Campus, 4700 Ygnacio Valley Road, Concord.

JAN. 19 Caring Hands Volunteer Training @ John Muir Medical Center 8:45 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Interview and pre-registration by Jan. 10 is required.

Volunteering 1 - 3 hours a week can be an extremely rewarding experience and just might be what you've been searching for. Lend a caring hand and make a significant difference in someone else's life. Caring Hands creates "matches" between caring volunteers and frail, isolated, and disabled seniors. You may choose the services you would like to perform, the communities in which you would like to serve, and your own schedule. For more information or to register, please call (925) 952-2999.

JAN. 20 Saturday Movie Matinees @ Clayton Community Library 2 p.m. Two dogs, one a pampered cocker spaniel and the other a freedom loving mutt with a heart of gold, share thrilling adventures. 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton.

JAN. 23 Check your Bones @ Diamond Terrace Retirement Community 11 a.m. Latest osteoporosis information and free bone density testing.

Donna Schuppert from the Foundation for Osteoporosis Research and Education will be here. You will receive your results immediately and also find out if you qualify for free calcium. Join us on Tuesday, January 23rd at 11a.m. Test is open to adults 55 and older. Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center Street. Call 524-5100 today to reserve your spot.

JAN 26 - FEB. 18 Some Enchanted Evening: The Songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein @ Diablo Valley College Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Some Enchanted Evening is a celebration of songs from many of the greatest musicals of all time: Carousel, Cinderella, Oklahoma, Flower Drum Song, South Pacific and Sound Of Music. The songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein have become an integral part of our everyday lives. This stunning collection of compositions reminds you of why Rodgers & Hammerstein are our most beloved composer and lyricist. Tickets $12 - $15. Call the box office at 687-4445. Diablo Valley College Performing Arts Center, 321 Golf Club Road, Pleasant Hill.

FEB. 7 Numbers Don't Lie @ Clayton Community Library 7 - 9 p.m. An effective accounting system is key to a successful business.

Presented by Zachary Sahar, C.P.A., Capital Tax and Accounting. Topics include how accounting glues parts of a business into a whole, building a professional accounting system with a small budget and using accounting reports to help owners manage their business. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, 673-0659.

Serving Contra Costa for 25 years

NICHOLS LANDSCAPE Boyce Nichols - Owner - Clayton resident

COMPLETE LANDSCAPE INSTALLATION Renovation

Lawns

Sprinklers

FEB. 14 Pajama Story Time @ Clayton Community Library 7 p.m. Beat the bedtime blues with stories, songs and a craft at the library.

The whole family is invited to pajama story time. You can wear your comfy pajamas and bring your favorite stuffed animal too. Registration is required.

673-0659. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road.

CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS JAN. 11, 18, 25 Rotary Club of Clayton Valley Concord Sunrise @ Oakhurst 7 a.m. Meets every Thurs. for breakfast meeting that usually features a speaker. www. claytonvalleyrotary.org Chuck Graham 689-7640. Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Drive, Clayton.

JAN. 11, 18, 25 Weights Watchers Weekly Meeting @ Contra Costa Farm Bureau 10 a.m.and 5:30 p.m. Weekly Weight Watchers weigh-in and meeting on Thurs. 800-326-8450 x 2023.Contra Costa Farm Bureau, 5554 Clayton Rd., Concord.

JAN. 11, 25 Clayton Valley Woman's Club @ Holy Cross Lutheran Church 9:30 a.m. Regular monthly business meeting starts with coffee; the meeting begins at 10 a.m. CVWC is a non-profit, non-denominational service organization that is open to all women interested in charitable work in the Clayton Valley community. Meetings are held on the second and fourth Tues. of the month. For more information, please call Joyce at 672-3850 or Sheila at 672-7947. Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1092 Alberta Way, Concord.

JAN.14 Concord Mystery Book Club @ Concord Library 2:30 - 4 p.m. All mystery readers are invited to participate and explore a different genre each month. Group meets the second Sun. of the month.

Concord Library, 2900 Salvio Street, Concord, 646-5455.

JAN. 14 VFW Post 1525 Breakfast @ Concord Veterans Memorial Hall 8 - 11 a.m. Serving eggs, prepared your way, pancakes, sausage, coffee and orange juice. $4 for adults and $2 for children under 12. Bring the family, friends and neighbors. Call Pete at 925-255-3449 with questions.Veterans Memorial Hall, corner of Colfax and Willow Pass Road, Concord.

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FEB. 14 Creekside Artists Meeting @ Clayton Community Library 7 p.m. Come join this unique group of eclectic artists that meet the 2nd Wed. of each month. If you like, bring your artwork for review - all levels and all art forms are welcome! "We provide an environment for all artists to inspire, create, educate and prosper." Call Arlene Kikkawa-Nielsen at (925) 673-9777, or email akikkawa@ccclib.org with questions.

JAN. 11 Clayton Community Services Commission Meeting @ City Hall 7 p.m. City of Clayton Community Services Commission meets 2nd Thurs. of month. Open to the public. www.ci.clayton.ca.us 673-7304, Clayton City Hall Conference Room, 6000 Heritage Trail, Clayton.

JAN. 18 Veterans of Foreign Wars Meeting @ Veterans Memorial Hall, Concord 6 p.m. Meeting begins. At 7 p.m. Post 1525 will dedicate Eagle Scout Artist Aaron Neighbour’s painting, The Five Seals of Defense. The public is invited to attend. Refreshments will be served. VFW meets the third Thurs. of the month. All Veterans of foreign wars are invited to attend. The VFW is here to support eligible Veterans and their families. Wives and daughters of eligible Veterans are invited to join the Ladies Auxiliary. Meetings are held at Veterans Memorial Hall, corner of Colfax and Willow Pass Road, Concord.

JAN. 18 Concord Chamber After Hours Business Mixer @ Mechanics Bank 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Bring lots of business cards. Mechanics Bank, 1170 Concord Ave, Concord.

JAN. 24 Blue Star Mom Meeting in Concord 6:30 p.m. Small group Blue Star Mom meetings held the fourth Wed. of each month. Blue Star Moms is a support and service group for those serving in all branches of the Armed Forces. 1792 Elmhurst Lane, Concord. Call 676-3654 for information.

JAN. 24 Concord Chamber of Commerce Mayor's Breakfast @ Concord Hilton 7:30 - 9:30 a.m. Register Online at www.concordchamber.com Concord Hilton, 1970 Diamond Blvd, Concord.

JAN. 24 League of Women Voters Health Care Forum @ Rossmoor 7 p.m. Public forum on health care single payer system. Pat Snyder, PhD, RN, Chair of Health Care for Contra Costa and Chair of the Health Care Committee of the Diablo League of Women Voters, will present an informative 22 minute DVD, which describes an affordable, comprehensive, secure system of universal health care for all Californians. A question and answer period follows. For further information contact Pat Snyder at (925) 9620379 or Annabelle Cloner at (925) 933-8806. Rossmoor, Los Trampas Room, 1001 Golden Rain Road, Walnut Creek. Directions to the Los Trampas Room are available at the Rossmoor entrance.

FEB. 1 Sons in Retirement Meeting (SIRS) @ Oakhurt Country Club 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Meetings are the first Thurs. of the month. George Fulmore. Publicity Chair, SIR, Branch 19. March 1, April 5, May 3, June 7, July 5, August 2, September 6, October 4, November 1, December 6.

EAR NEW LOOK NEW Y Why not redo the dining room drapes and table runners, reupholster the old sofa with fabulous new fabric for a great new look for the New Year!

Call Joanna at (925) 673-8911

FEB. 12 Stroke Support Group of Contra Costa County @ John Muir Medical Center 7 p.m. Join stroke survivors, caregivers and health professionals as they discuss issues, challenges and suggestions for living with stroke. Monthly guest speakers provide important information about the rehabilitation process.

Meetings held the second Mon. of each month, are free and open to the public. For more information contact Ann Dzuna at 925-376-6218. John Muir Medical Center, 1601 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek

JAN. 16 Women in Business @ Chapman University 11:45 - 1:15 p.m. What a Woman needs to know about Finances. $20 for Concord Chamber Members, $30 for non-Chamber Members. Lunch Provided. Register online at ww.concordchamber.com. Chapman University 2600 Stanwell Dr. #110.

Decks, Patios (Pavers & Concrete), Retaining Walls, Lawn Installation, Low Voltage Lighting, Dry River Beds, Drought Tolerant Landscaping, Irrigation (Spray & Drip)

Contr. Lic. No. 542812

FEB. 12 Clayton Valley 4-H Club @ Farm Bureau Hall 7:15 p.m. 4-H is open to youth ages 5 - 19 and adults. Projects in small and large animals, leadership, community service, 4-H camp, conferences and fairs. Learn new skills including cooking, photography, arts/crafts etc.

Contact Candy Hogan at 925- 969-1325 for more information. Meetings held on the second Mon. of the month Sept. - June. Farm Bureau Hall, 5554 Clayton Rd. Concord.

JAN. 16, 23, 30 Kiwanis Club of Walnut Creek 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Meetings every Tues. All are invited to check us out and be our guest for lunch. Massimo’s Ristorante, 1604 Locust St., Walnut Creek. For more information call Sam Totah, 941-1536.

New Year, New Style, New Home!

www.nicholslandscape.com

FEB 7 Self Help for the Hard of Hearing @ Walnut Creek Methodist Church 7:30 p.m. We meet on the first Wed. of the month. Contact Bob at shhhbob@sbcglobal.net with questions. Walnut Creek Methodist Church, Education Building in the rear parking lot at 1543 Sunnyvale Avenue, Walnut Creek.

FEB. 14 Clayton Valley Garden Club @ Diamond Terrace 7 p.m. The Clayton Valley Garden Club meets the second Wed. of the month. Every meeting has an informative program concerning some aspect of gardening. Garden lectures will resume in Feb. The Club maintains the flowers on Daffodil Hill, the planters on Main Street, and the raised garden beds at the Library as well as other civic projects. Anyone interested in gardening is welcome at our meetings. Call Jeff at 672-7579 or Barry at 8279540 for information. Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center Street, Clayton.

Call today for your FREE ESTIMATE

925-672-9955

FEB. 6 Knights of Columbus @ St. Agnes Church Hall 7:30 p.m. General membership meeting of the Knights of Columbus Concord Council 6038 of Concord and Clayton is the first Tues. of the month. We look forward to seeing our brother Knights there. St. Agnes Church, 3478 Chestnut Street, Concord.

Clayton Resident

BUSINESS & GOVERNMENT

JAN. 16, 23, 30 Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Meeting @ County Administration Building 9 a.m. County Board of Supervisors holds regular weekly meetings Tues. mornings. Open to the public. www.co.contra-costa.ca.us 335-1900. County Administration Building, 651 Pine Street, Room 107, Martinez.

JAN. 16 Clayton City Council Meeting @ Clayton Community Library 6 p.m. City Council meets on the first and third Tues. of the month. Open to the public. Agendas posted at the following locations: City Hall, 6000 Heritage Trail, Clayton, Ohm's Bulletin Board, 1028 Diablo St., Clayton, Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Rd., Clayton.

JAN. 23 Planning Commission Meeting @ Clayton Community Library 7p.m. City of Clayton Planning Commission meets 2nd and 4th Tues. of month. Open to the public. www.ci.clayton.ca.us 673-7304, Clayton Library Community Room, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton.

JAN. 25 CBCA (Clayton Business & Community Association) Meeting @ Oakhurst 6:30 p.m. Monthly dinner meeting, last non-holiday Thurs. of the month.

Reservations due by Tuesday noon prior, 672-2272. John Rubiales, President. Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Drive, Clayton.

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION JAN. 16 Parent Faculty Club Meeting @ Mt. Diablo Elementary 7:00 p.m., Multi Use Room. Make a difference in your child's education. For items to be included on the agenda, contact Stacey Wickware 673-1999, the5wicks@sbcglobal.net or Kristy Smith 673-1795, kristinsmith@yahoo.com, PFC Co-Presidents. Childcare is available. Watch website for details. http://www.mdusd.k12.ca.us/mountdiabloelementary/.

FEB. 1 Parent Faculty Club Meeting @Clayton Valley High School 7:00 p.m. If you show your child that you care about their school, your child will care too. Together we can make a difference! The meeting will be held in the school library. Clayton Valley High School, 1101 Alberta Way, Concord.

FEB. 13 Parent Faculty Club Meeting @ Diablo View Middle School 7 p.m. Meeting to be held in the school library. All parents welcome. Diablo View Middle School, 300 Diablo View Lane, Clayton.

New vehicle donation rules apply

The deduction rules for donating a vehicle to charity have been tightened. If the charity sells the vehicle you donate, you may deduct the sales price – which is usually far less than “blue book” value. If the charity keeps and uses the vehicle, they must provide you with an estimated value for your deduction. New IRS Form 1098-C is to be used to report and substantiate vehicle contributions.

700 Ygnacio Valley Rd., #360 Walnut Creek, CA 94596 Carol@carolkeanecpa.com (925) 937-5200 (925) 937-5202 fax www.carolkeanecpa.com

Page B8

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Club News

Clayton Valley Woman’s Club installs new slate of officers for 2007 Bringing closure to a successful year , the Cla yton V alley Woman’s Club held its ann ual Holiday Lunc heon and Installation of Officers at Oakhurst Countr y Club on Tuesday, December 12.

Members and guests were treated to an outstanding perfor mance by “Ladies First”, a chorale group from Concord High School.

After lunch, the 2007 officers were installed b y P ast President Joan Reed. Once again serving as co-presidents are Joyce Atkinson and Sheila Driscoll.

Also installed w ere J udy Cook, first vice president and dean, Shirley Bo yd, second vice president/membership J oan Bergum, third vice president/ programs, Connie W eimar, recording secretary, June Stewart, corresponding secretar y, Ida Cook, budget director , Chris Light, treasurer, and Mag gie Gardner, auditor; and K athy Olson, Parliamentarian and Jeanne Grosc hwitz, newsletter editor, both appointed positions.

As they do each year, the copresidents selected a c harity AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN The Clayton branch of the American Association of University W omen (AA UW) will present a prog ram on volunteer ser vice oppor tunities in the Cla yton/Concord area.

Make a New Y ear’s resolution to use your time and talents to help mak e y our comm unity healthier and happier in 2007.

The prog ram, which is open to the public , will be at 7:30 p .m. Monday, Jan. 22, at Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center St., Clayton.

Representatives from the following org anizations will present infor mation and answer questions: Assistance League of Diablo V alley, Clayton Comm unity Librar y, Clayton Historical Museum, Habitat for Humanity, Hospice of Contra Costa, Diablo Valley Literacy Council, Meals on Wheels, Prevent Blindness of

Clayton Valley Woman’s Club 2007 officers from left, Jeanne Groschwitz, Kathy Olson, Ida Cook, Chris Light, Sheila Driscoll, Connie Weimar, Shirley Boyd, Judy Cook, and June Stewart.

project for members to donate to at the event. This year’s recipient, Diablo V alley Literar y Council, was re presented b y Kris T orske who recei ved 250 books donated b y the Woman’s Club. Additionally, in lieu of a gift for the outg oing co-presidents, the club will make a monetary donation to the Monument Crisis Center.

The Clayton Valley Woman’s Club, whose theme for 2007 is

“Working T ogether to R each Our P otential”, is a non-profit, non-sectarian g roup of nearly 100 w omen who ser ve the Clayton/Concord comm unity with their v olunteer and fundraising effor ts. In 2006, members org anized and par ticipated in a spring F estival of Tables and F ashion, Macy’s Shopping Da y, the popular Clayton Valley Kitchen Tour and a Holida y Crafts Boutique .

Northern Califor nia and R ed Cross.

For more infor mation, call Dee Billeter at 672-6379 or Sheila Driscoll at 672-7947

CLAYTON VALLEY/CONCORD SUNRISE ROTARY Rotary District Go vernor Candy Pierce presented Clayton V alley/Concord Sunrise R otarian Chuc k Graham with a Public Image

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS The Concord Council 6038 will host its annual Cra b Feed for Charity from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, in the large hall at St. Bonaventure Church, 5562 Clayton Road.

The men u includes crab with pasta, salad, garlic bread and dessert or barbecued steak with rice and vegetables (upon request). There will be a nohost bar with beer , wine and soft drinks . The ev ent also includes a raffle.

Tickets are $35 and on sale at the St. Bonaventure Office.

For information, call Pat Kealy at 672-7316 or Sumner P eery at 827-0916. Tickets go fast, so get them early . Don’t forg et your crabbing tools.

Candy Pierce and Chuck Graham

Achievement A ward from Rotary International.

Graham has been the District 5160 public relations officer for six years and has been training the other 65 Rotary Clubs in the district on

Proceeds from these ev ents will be distributed in 2007 to local charities and a youth scholarship.

In addition, the g roup participates in R ead Across America and Prevent Blindness.

They are in volved in W omen’s Health issues , collect loose change to aid in the reforestation of California National Parks, as well as collecting candy and personal items whic h are delivered to Blue Star Moms to be sent to our troops , used cell phones which are sent to Stand Against Violence , travel soaps and lotions that are given to the homeless shelter, unused BART tickets whic h g o to St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank to be distributed with food bask ets, and empty printer car tridges whic h are sent to Future Endeavors.

Meetings are held on the second and four th T uesday of the month at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1092 Alber ta Way, Concord. Coffee is ser ved at 9:30 a.m. with the meeting beginning at 10. For more information, please call Joyce at 6723850 or Sheila at 672-7947.

January 12, 2007

A new year of blessings, realities, challenges . . . and the same faithful God and saving Gospel Join us this new year for a traditional message in a non-traditional setting.

10 am Sunday School & Bible Class, 11:15 am Worship

5554 Clayton Rd., Concord (in the Farm Bureau building)

672-2502 or Jim Scott at 4592889.

At noon, there will be fellowship and a potluc k salad lunch.

Concord United Methodist Church also is ser ving an Italian dinner on Sunday, Jan. 27, with proceeds benefiting the Youth Ministr y. The men u includes spaghetti, salad and garlic bread. There will be seatings at 5, 6 and 7 p .m. at Oglesby Hall Tic kets are $7 adults, and $3 for c hildren 10 and under.

A new session of the Grief Support Group started Jan. 7 in the Counseling R oom at the

church. The g roup will meet 9 to 10 a.m. for the next four Sundays. For details, call Elaine deProsse at 827-0199.

social ev ents. For more information, visit www .stbonaventure.net/jubilee.shtml or call 672-5800.

ST. BONAVENTURE CATHOLIC CHURCH The c hurch will begin its 50th anniversary celebration at 9 a.m. Jan. 14 with a Mass of commemoration with Bishop Allen H. Vigneron and Bishop Emeritus John S. Cummins. The church is at 5562 Cla yton Road in Concord.

The jubilee festi vities will continue throughout the year with additional Mass celebrations, trips, a parish retreat and

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS The Knights of Columbus Concord Council is sponsoring its 8th ann ual Califor nia Essa y Contest. The contest is open to all Catholic students in grades 412. Winners will recei ve $50 to $100 sa vings bonds at council and regional lev els, along with special certificates.

Entry deadline is Feb. 2. For more infor mation, contact Claire T ryon at 673-8564 or greyeototo@sbcglobal.net.

Member of WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod)

The Clayton Pioneer’s “Music Notes” columnist

Clayton’s own

Jim Hudak Pianist and Composer For bookings and performances:

Visit our Website www.jhudak.com E-mail jimmydak@pacbell.net Piano CD’s available on his Brainstorm Records label

Call Or Write:

Brainstorm Records P.O. Box 488 Clayton, CA 94517 (925) 673-7293

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Church News CONCORD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH The c hurch is hosting a Mission Sunda y on J an. 21.

There will be a Celebration Worship at 10 a.m. in the Sanctuary, 1645 W est St., Concord. Congregation members will share their experiences of being in volved in specific missions.

At 11:30 am, a Mission F air in Oglesb y Hall will include exhibits and people a vailable to answer questions and pro vide information about the missions they represent. If you would like to have a table to represent your mission, contact Diana Bauer at

www.EternalLifeLutheranChurch.org

(925) 524-0295 William Kant, Pastor

public relations tec hniques.

District 5160 r uns from San Ramon to the Oreg on border and includes more than 3,300 Rotarians.

MT. DIABLO AMATEUR RADIO CLUB Signups are still a vailable for a 12-w eek amateur radio class that beg an J an. 9. The classes are hosted b y the Salvation Ar my’s SA TERN unit and taught by members of the Mt. Diablo Amateur Radio Club.

General Amateur Radio Theory is open to any one wishing to obtain a ham license or upg rade from Technical Class to General Class. The classes are 7-9 p .m.

Tuesdays at the Salv ation Army Center , 3950 Cla yton Road, Concord. To register , contact Lauren Styles at WA6CIE@arrl.net

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Namely, what do y ou w ant t o do in the y ears ahead? Ma ybe join the P eace Corps? Mak e y our own mo vie? Star t a ne w business, perhaps? Or maybe you’re not even sure.

As an Ameriprise financial advisor, I am proud to exclusively offer the Dream Book.SM It’s a guide to help y ou figure out what e xactly you want to do in the y ears ahead, and it’s the per fect starting point for us to develop a financial plan that can help get you there.

So call me at (925) 685-4523 today or stop by our office for a complimentary copy of the Dream Book .

Mureleen Benton CFP® 5356 Clayton Rd., Suite 211 Concord, CA 94521 925-685-4523

January 12, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Cloudseeding can increase rainfall

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Page B9

“Everyone talks about the weather, and no one does anything about it.”

-Mark Twain

This ma y ha ve been tr ue in Twain’s time, but over the last 50 years, meteorologists ha ve been able to c hange the w eather a little bit.

The w eather modification process I’m refer ring to is called cloud seeding. This involves the intentional treatment of individual storm systems to modify the amount of precipitation that would naturally occur.

Most cloud seeding in volves increasing the amount of precipitation that occurs with a stor m.

Cloud seeding is also used to suppress hail for mation and dissipate ground fog.

In California, with its distinct wet and dr y seasons , enhancing winter rainfall is impor tant to water districts to ensure that reservoirs ha ve enough w ater stored to meet human, industrial and agricultural needs during the dry summer. Electric utilities rely on cloud seeding to increase winter sno w pac k and rec harge underground aquifers so that downstream hydroelectric power plants have enough runoff water to provide cheap and clean electricity during the summer peak load season.

To understand wh y and ho w cloud seeding works, a short discussion on clouds is helpful. All air in the lower atmosphere contains some moisture . When the sky is clear, the moisture exists as water vapor.

The amount of water vapor in the air is typically measured as relative humidity. Once the relative humidity reac hes 100 percent, called saturation, water vapor condenses and for ms cloud droplets.

announces The service of the month for our patients for the month of January:

Complimentary Screening for Depression offered Monday through Friday from 1 to 4 p.m.

If you are not a patient of Clayton Valley Medical Group and would like to become one, please contact Sue at (925) 6744 x14

1520 Kirker Pass Road, Suite A Clayton, CA

(925) 672-6744

Open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Appointments are available

WOODY WHITLATCH

WEATHER WORDS Cloud droplets for m around microscopic particles called condensation n uclei, which occur naturally in the air . Some examples of condensation n uclei include dust, smoke and salt crystals that are always present in the atmosphere.

At cloud temperatures belo w freezing, ice n uclei are required to freeze the a vailable w ater vapor. Water vapor that has not frozen in temperatures below 32 F is considered “supercooled. ” Generally, there is an abundance of condensation n uclei in the atmosphere and a scarcity of ice nuclei in supercooled clouds.

Clouds appear in our sk y almost daily in winter , but rainfall only occurs if the there are enough cloud droplets to collide, combine and become hea vy enough to fall. Cloud droplets are so small that it ma y tak e a million or more combined droplets to form a single drop of rain.

Similarly, it tak es many individual ice cr ystals to combine and form a single snowflake. So,

in theory, increasing the amount of ice nuclei increases the n umber of ice cr ystals, and this in turn would increase c hances for snowflake production in a supercooled cloud.

The idea of cloud seeding was bor n in the 1940s when Vincent Sc haefer, a General Electric researc h scientist, discovered that dr y ice sha vings converted supercooled w ater droplets to ice cr ystals. Further experimentation showed that silver iodide was an ideal ice n uclei since it has a cr ystalline structure very similar to ice and was harmless to the environment.

Cloud-seeding operations involve injecting silv er iodide into the supercooled area of a cloud. There are tw o common methods for adding silv er iodide ice nuclei into clouds. The first is known as the g round-based method.

Radio-controlled, propane-powered bur ners release silver iodide that is buo yantly lifted into stor m clouds upwind of the target area.

The second is called direct the injection method. Aircraft equipped with meteorological instruments and silv er iodide flares f ly into stor m clouds and release the ice n uclei into the supercooled area of the stor m clouds.

Both of these methods are currently used to enhance sno w pack in the Sier ra Nev ada. Not all clouds can be seeded costeffectively, so meteorologists monitor temperature and wind conditions to c hoose the stor ms with the best chance of optimiz-

ing precipitation in target areas.

A v ariety of studies ha ve been performed on the effect of cloud seeding, and the consensus is that a 5 percent to 20 percent increase in winter precipitation is likely. Cost-benefit studies based on these statistics indicate that the payback in power production or w ater supply enhancement is well worth the cost of the cloudseeding operations.

“The idea of cloud seeding was born in the 1940s when Vincent Schaefer, a General Electric research scientist, discovered that dry ice shavings converted supercooled water droplets to ice cr ystals.”

Woody Whitlatch An additional benefit is the reduction in fossil fuel emissions, since h ydroelectric po wer production is nearly emission-free.

If Mark T wain w ere writing in the 21st centur y, his famous quote w ould ha ve to be altered, since meteorologist ha ve learned how to do something about the weather – at least on a small scale.

Woody Whitlatch is a meteorologist with PG &E. Email y our questions or comments to clayton_909@yahoo.com

School News CLAYTON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL Thomas Smith and Sarah Hunt of Clayton Valley High School have been selected to participate in the 2007 Northern Calif ornia Band Association All-Nor thern California Honor Band.

This band is a select group of musicians from Califor nia counties nor th of the Tehachapi Mountains.

Loras Sc hissel will direct the band. He is director of the Virginia Militar y Band and m usicologist for the Library of Congress.

Thomas is a member of the CVHS Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band, the Contra Costa County Honor Band and the Mt. Diablo Unified Sc hool District Honor Band. He was a member of the MDUSD Honor Jazz Band, which perfor med in No vember. Thomas w as also a member of the 2006 All-Northern Honor Band.

Sarah studies clarinet with Ed Holcraft and is a member of the CVHS W omen’s Ensemble, the Contra Costa County Honor Band and the Mt. Diablo Unified Sc hool District Honor Band.

The Clayton V alley High School Athletic Boosters Club is hosting its 13th ann ual Crab F eed & Auction on Saturda y, Jan. 13.

The event begins at 6 p .m. at Centre Concord. This is a major fund-raiser , which directly benefits all athletic programs at CVHS. Tickets are on sale $50 at the sc hool or online at www.cvhsboosters.org. For more infor mation, email crabfeed@cvhsboosters.org.

The Society f or International T ravel is taking applications for a trip to Athens and R ome in A ugust 2007. Parents and students are w elcome to register . Email rossj@mdusd.k12.ca.us for more infor mation.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS Students have until Jan. 25 to submit entries for the annual Substance Abuse Poster Contest sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, Concord Council 6038, serving Clayton and Concord.

Use ar t to sho w wh y it is not cool to use any for m of drugs or alcohol. For more information, contact Claire Tryon at 673-8564 or greyeototo@sbcglobal.net.

MT. DIABLO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Mt. Diablo Elementar y School’s annual auction will be April 21 at Centre Concord. The theme is Hollywood Nights . The evening of dining, dancing and pok er is sure to be an early sell-out, so w atch for the ticket sale date.

For more infor mation or to mak e a donation, contact Kim Lally at 673-1124 or Denise Stephens at 672-8510.

4820 Burgundy Drive Oakley, CA

(925) 625-1123 e-mail: contact@robertaclaire.com www.robertaclaire.com

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January 12, 2007

Milk Jam: a transcontinental delight

DULCE DE LECHE

Milk jam g oes b y many names: dulce de leche, confiture de lait, doce de leite , cajeta and manjar. It is a simple (but sinful) concoction of milk and sug ar cooked slo wly until it dev elops a caramel-blond color and a taffy-like consistency.

The delicacy is most often linked to Argentina where dulce de lec he is a national dish. Its precise origin is uncer tain, but the common thinking toda y is that in the early 19th centur y a cook for a militar y officer g ot distracted and left the sto ve where she w as pre paring “la lechada,” a drink made from milk and sug ar. When she returned, she found a dark, jelly-like substance in the pan.

Soldiers who ate the “mistak e” loved it, and the cook was saved from punishment.

However, one can g o bac k some 500 years to Normandy to find confiture de lait, which,

according to French lore comes from the same mistak e b y another cook for militar y troops. The F rench, not satisfied with just one origin, also attribute “milk candy” to a cook in Napoleon’s army.

While there is a considerable European inf luence in Argentinian cuisine , I think it likely that dulce de lec he developed independently on the tw o continents. The uses of milk jam are quite different: the French enjo y milk jam with cheese, while South and Central American cooks almost alw ays incorporate dulce de lec he into sweet dishes.

In the late 1990’ s Häag en Dazs introduced dulce de lec he ice cream in the U.S. I didn’t discover it until a year or so ag o, and immediately fell in lo ve with the smooth, rich, buttery nuttiness of the swirls surrounded by vanilla ice cream. I

never found a source of premade dulce de lec he until recently (it is sold in both solid and spreadable for ms—almost all of which are from South America). About the same time I learned that it is quite easy to make.

There are three super-simple shortcut methods to mak e

dulce de leche. (There’s a fourth version which entails boiling an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk. To me , that’s an explosion w aiting to happen and I prefer not to lose an eye or ha ve to clean up a stic ky mess from the ceiling in m y kitchen.) You can also mak e it from scratc h with milk, sugar, vanilla and baking soda, but I opt for these simpler methods.

Using one 14-oz. can of sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated but y ou can use the fat-free v ersion), prepare dulce de lec he on the sto vetop b y pouring the milk into top of double boiler . Bring milk to a simmer over boiling water, then reduce the heat and cook, stirring occasionally for 1½ to 2 hours, or until thic k and caramel-colored. (The long er it cooks, the more dense the product.)

In the micr owave, pour the sweetened condensed milk into a tw o-quart glass measuring cup. Cook on medium (50% power) for 6 min utes, stirring every tw o min utes. Cook on medium low power for 20 to 25 minutes until desired consistency (stir ev ery 2-4 min utes to

ALFAJORES

allow mixture to cook evenly).

In the oven method, preheat oven to 425°F. Pour the sw eetened condensed milk into a 9” pie pan. Cover with foil and place the pie pan into a larg er shallow baking pan filled with 1” of water. Bake 1 hour until desired consistency.

Dip fr uit in it, spread it on toast or try one of these ideas.

DULCE DE LECHE BROWNIES Brownie mix 1 c dulce de leche Prepare the bro wnie mix according to instr uctions.

Spread one-half of the mixture into an 8” square baking pan.

Using one-third cup of the dulce de lec he, drop spoonfuls evenly over the batter. Swirl dollops into the batter with the edge of a knife . Top with remaining bro wnie batter , and then drop the remaining dulce de lec he in spoonfuls o ver the top. Swirl slightly into the batter.

Bake and cool as instr ucted.

BANOFFI PIE Banoffi (or banoffee) pie was created in 1971 at the Hungry Monk Inn in Jevington, England.

1½cg raham crac ker crumbs 1 c butter ½ c sugar 1 Tbsp ground ginger 1 recipe dulce de leche 2 bananas, sliced 1 c hea vy whipping cream, whipped Combine crumbs, sugar, ginger and butter in food processor and press into 9” pie plate .

Spread the dulce de lec he o ver the cr ust, cover with bananas and top with whipped cream.

Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

LINDA WYNER

FOOD

FOR

THOUGHT

ALFAJORES These sandwic h cookies are a fa vorite throughout South America: 1½ cubes (¾ c) butter, room temperature 1 c sugar 1 egg + 2 eg g yolks 1 tsp vanilla extract ½ c all-purpose flour 2 c cornstarch ½ tsp baking powder Zest of one lemon 1 recipe dulce de leche ½ c – 1 c po wdered sugar Cream tog ether butter and sugar until f luffy. Add eg gs, yolks and v anilla. Combine flour, cornstarch, baking po wder and zest. Add to butter mixture until stiff dough for ms.

Knead until smooth and let rest 15 min utes. Roll dough to ¼” thick and cut into 2” rounds.

Bake at 300°F for 20 min utes.

Cool on a rac k. Spread a teaspoon (or more if needed) of dulce de lec he on f lat side of one cookie , and press another cookie on top , making a sandwich. Roll cookies in po wdered sugar, especially the sides to hold in the filling.

Linda W yner is an accomplished chef and “foodie” and pr oprietress of Pans on Fir e, a kitchen stor e and cooking school in Pleasanton. Visit her Website at www.pansonfire.com Direct your sug gestions or questions to lwyner@claytonpioneer.com.

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