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IT’S YOUR PAPER www.claytonpioneer.com
March 14, 2014
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National leaders to hear of CVCHS success Linzey, McChesney speak in Washington of high school’s conversion to charter PEGGY SPEAR Clayton Pioneer
By now, most people around the Clayton Valley area are aware of the success of Clayton Valley Charter High School.
Now, some others are taking notice: The U.S. House of Representatives. This week, CVCHS Executive Director David Linzey and administrator Neil McChesney
are in Washington D.C., speaking to members of Congress on “Raising the Bar: How Charter Schools are Impacting Public Education.” “We’re very excited” Linzey said last week of the invitation, made on behalf of Congressman George Miller, an early supporter of the CVCHS char-
ter. They are two of just five charter school leaders from across the country invited to the House of Representatives Congressional Hearing on Education and the Workforce on March 12. “They want us to tell the CVCHS story,” Lindsay said. “They want to hear about the
great success and the dramatic change in our school’s culture once we became a charter school.” Since becoming a charter school in 2012, the school’s academics have skyrocketed, and the improvement in last year’s API scores made CVCHS one of the top academic high school
Origami crane sculpture sends support to sister city
in the state. Linzey and McChesney both credit the change to becoming a charter school, yet they both say that traditional schools can do the same things, with the will, leadership and teacher support. “Becoming a charter school
See CVCHS, page 8
Museum, council celebrate 50 years
HANK STRATFORD
MAYOR’S CORNER Council meets with MDUSD trustees On Wednesday, March 5, the Clayton City Council and Mt. Diablo Unified School district held a historic joint meeting. During the struggles to win approval for Clayton Valley High School to become a charter school, it became apparent that the relationship between our city council and the school district was very thin. Vice Mayor David Shuey led an effort to establish a stronger relationship between the city and the district. Unfortunately, the school board at the time had no interest in meeting with our city council or a sub-committee of our council. However, I believe that Vice Mayor Shuey’s efforts exposed a need for greater collaboration between the MDUSD and the cities that it serves.
See Mayor page 6
CLAYTON’S FIRST CITY HALL was in a tiny red building at the corner of Oak and Main Streets. The building was later a real estate office and a hair salon. It burned down Thanksgiving weekend, 2010. The photo was taken by Eldora Hoyer whose husband, Bob Hoyer, was Clayton’s first mayor. Rochelle Douglass; rochellezphotography.com
ON THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF THE FUKUSHIMA EARTHQUAKE, an origami sculpture created from more than 10,000 cranes hangs in the lobby of the Brendan Theater. The cranes represent luck and healing and were folded by the community to support Concord’s sister city in Japan. TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Concord has a sister. Her name is Kitakami and she lives in Japan. And, for 40 years she and Concord have
been sisters. Like all sisters, when something bad happens to one, the other does something to make her feel better. So, when the earthquake and tsunami hit Fukushima Prefec-
ture three years ago and turned life in Japan upside down, Concord did something to make her sister feel better. In Japan, legend has it if you make 1000 origami cranes for someone who suffers, you are
sending good luck and hope for full healing and recovery. Concord did one better for her sister—she made 10,000 cranes! Today, these cranes “fly”
See Origami page 4
‘Team Christy’ captain loses battle with cancer Clayton resident Christy Harris died last week after a long battle with cancer. She was just three weeks short of her 50th birthday. She was diagnosed in December 2012 when an annoying pain in her hip turned out to be a fast-growing tumor. Not one to go down without a fight, the spirited mother of three mounted a two year battle that included leadership posts in Clayton’s Relay for Life, the two day event sponsored by the American Cancer Association. In 2012, Harris served as
the event’s team recruitment leader, never suspecting that, one year later, she would be leading her own team of more than 100 around the field. “Team Christy” all wore bright blue t-shirts and a life-size likeness of Harris towered over the walkers. Across her blue-clad chest, she wore a banner that read “Fighting Like Hell.” In 2007, Harris and husband Joel, realized a long-held dream and opened Clayton Books in the Clayton Station. For the next three years, her quick wit and “book banter” made the store a community center. In 2010, the store closed, unable to compete against publishers who were selling online at less
Captain Grammar Pants . . . .8 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Community Calendar . . . . .14 Concord City Beat . . . . . . . . .8 Design and Décor . . . . . . . .18
Estate Planning . . . . . . . . . .8 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . .6 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Performing Arts . . . . . . . . . .15 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Tamara Steiner
CHRISTY HARRIS WITH HUSBAND JOEL, led more than 100 supporters in the first laps of the 2013 American Cancer Society Relay for Life while undergoing chemo for a fast spreading cancer. Harris lost the battle last week after “Fighting Like Hell” for nearly two years.
What’s Inside Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Behind the Badge . . . . . . . . .7 Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . .17
than wholesale. Sadness spread through the community at the news of her death. “She loved her family, her church, her neighbors, friends and Clayton Books,” said Sunny Solomon, long-time employee and the store’s Book Lady. “The loss of a bookstore is one thing, but the loss of Christy Harris leaves a huge gap in the community of Clayton.” “Christy loved the finer things,” says her friend Beth Kenneally. “But lived for the simple basic beauties in life; grace and love and gratefulness…She was a shining light.” See page 6 for obituary and funeral arrangements. Pine Hollow Reporter . . . . . .9 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Sports Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Teen Reads . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Teen Speak . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
The city of Clayton just turned the Big 5-0. As many residents know, the town of Clayton was founded by Joel Clayton in 1857 but it took 107 years to become an incorporated city. In 1964, a dedicated group of founding mothers and fathers vigorously resisted a potential take-over by Concord, working to ensure Clayton’s independence and self-direction. Fifty years ago, on March 3, 1964, in a record turnout, 91 percent of the town’s 364 registered voters cast their ballots for independence. The measure passed 251 to 61 and Clayton became Contra Costa County’s 13th city. The first city council meeting was held on March 18 of that year. To commemorate the city’s 50th anniversary, the Clayton Historical Society will open a special new exhibit at the Clayton Museum at 4:30 p.m. next Tuesday, March 18. At 7 p.m., the “liberty” bell will ring once more when the Clayton City Council meets in the historic Endeavor Hall to commemorate that first city council meeting. The public is invited to share in the celebration. Rumor has it, there will be birthday cake.
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
March 14, 2014
Around Town Jennifer DeAngelis, Christopher Krnich plan June wedding
JENNIFER DEANGELIS AND CHRISTOPHER KRNICH
CVCHS teacher, Jennifer DeAngelis will marry Christopher Krnich in Piedmont on June 14. The couple announced their engagement at a family wine tasting party in Sonoma on Feb. 23. Jennifer is a 2002 Clayton Valley High graduate and the daughter of Don and Jeanne DeAngelis. She graduated from Chico State University in 2006. Christopher graduated from Clayton Valley in 2000 and from Northern Arizona University in 2004 He is a sales representative for Liberty Mutual Insurance. Christopher is the son of Ann and Randy Welty of Clayton and Nick and Florenza Krnich of Rancho Santa Fe, CA.
Motivated, disciplined students recognized by City Council Students, teachers and parents filled Hoyer Hall last week when the Clayton City Council honored eight local students for their outstanding Self-discipline as part of the Do The Right Thing program. From MDES, Ella Habermeyer and Jared Rickard were each recognized by their teachers for their maturity. “Ella sets the perfect example,” said her teacher, Mrs. Ills. “No matter how much of a goofball everyone else is being, Jared is always in control,” his teacher said. Diablo View Middle School principal, Patti Bannister, stood with Payton Mannie and Madison Webster and relayed their teachers’ comments. Student body president, Payton Mannie, is “quiet, motivated and directs students. She has really helped while her teacher has been out on maternity leave.” Madison Webster, the
school’s yearbook editor, was remarkable for her consistency, said Mrs. Bannister. She has also stepped up while her teacher has been out. “She is just a generally nice person,” she said. From Clayton Valley Charter High School, Shane Reardon was nominated by his science teacher who said he “gives his all everyday. He is serious and wants everything just right.” Megan Lobsinger’s teacher, Jeanne Costello, said “Megan is an awesome student. She works hard, she’s kind and I could just go on and on.” Miguel Hernandez is “intrinsically” motivated, his teacher said. “He doesn’t need motivation from anyone except himself.” Ariana Rahbari was honored but was not present for the awards. The DTRT initiative has been enthusiastically adopted by the schools, police and commu-
Reagan Richardson wins Highland Bee
nity groups. The program identifies six character traits that are emphasized on a rotating basis throughout the year: Self-discipline, Integrity, Courage, Responsibility, Respect and Kindness.
Fourth-grader Reagan Richardson won the Highlands Elementary spelling bee on Feb. 7. She competed against 15 of the top spellers from the fourth and fifth grades, winning with “anonymity” and “juxtapose.” Reagan is currently preparing to compete in the county spelling bee on Mar. 22.
Chefs awarded Chili Cook-off prizes
Photo: Jennifer Jay
14TH ANNUAL CLAYTON CLUB CHILI CONTEST JUDGES AND WINNERS: From left, Jim Diaz, Tammy Parris, Howard Geller, Renee Stevenson, Bob Steiner, Savanna Rike and Clayton Club owner, Steve Barton.
DTRT STUDENTS HONORED AT MARCH 4 CITY COUNCIL MEETING: Back row: Mayor Hank Stratford, Payton Mannie, Shane Reardon, Miguel Hernandez, Megan Lobsinger and Madison Webster; Front: Ella Habermeyer and Jared Rickard.
9013 Elk Drive – Clayton
To bean or not to bean…that was the question that 18 local chefs had to answer before they filled their pots in preparation for the 14th annual Clayton Club Chili Cook-off on March 2. Ten of the chili-meisters were from Clayton, seven from Concord and one from Bay Point. First place and a $300 prize went to Tammy Parris from Concord, who has participated
in this contest three times and came in first place in 2010. Parris wouldn’t share her winning recipe but said that her medium spicy chili included tri-tip and pork sausage and no beans. Second place and $200 was awarded to Clayton resident Renee Stevenson, whose mild chili was made with beef, bacon and black beans. Savanna Rike of Clayton took third place and a $100
925 Douglas Court – Clayton
prize with her medium-spicy chili made with brisket, pork belly and red beans. The lucky judges were Clayton City Council members Howard Geller and Jim Diaz and Clayton Pioneer Publisher Robert Steiner. The chili was graded on a scale of 1 to 10, based on their aroma, color, thickness, flavor/taste, and aftertaste. Jennifer Jay
Helping friends, neighbors & newcomers buy and sell their homes since 1979 Each Office Is Independently Owned & Operated.
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3385 Aspara Dr. – Clayton
Desirable Douglas Court! Stately Custom Home with separate cottage on a .56 acre lot! within walking distance to downtown! 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths plus a bonus room and a den, 5 car garage. Cottage features 1 bedroom, 1 bath, kitchen, living room & laundry closet. Magnificent wooded creek side setting with mature landscape and a putting green! A rare find! $979,000
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Clayton Market Update provided by Better Homes Realty ADDRESS Great “Gorham” model at Peacock Creek! 4 bedrooms + loft, 3 baths, approx. 3230sf, 2 fireplaces, 2 car garage, rare builder’s option home office. Gourmet kitchen with granite counters. Spacious family room with fireplace. Huge master suite with upgraded master bathroom! Private lot offers sprawling lawn, mature landscape & patio area. Coming Soon
1008 Pebble Beach Dr. – Clayton Best of both Worlds! Country living yet close to town! Tucked away at the end of a private road and situated on 8 acres with spectacular Mt. Diablo views & meandering creek! 3 bedrooms, 3 baths + a loft, approx. 2800sf. Open floor plan features soaring ceilings, walls of windows and a distinctive two-way stone fireplace that is the focal point of the formal living areas. Coming Soon
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144 Mount Etna Drive..........$419,250 35 Jalalon Place ..................$526,000 585 Mount Olivet .................$660,000 5190 Keller Ridge Drive.......$785,000 5848 Mitchell Canyon Ct .....$760,000 1549 Haviland Pl .................$600,000 1800 Trail Ride Rd...............$530,000 5023 Keller Ridge Drive.......$590,000 1169 Shell Lane ...................$406,000 3022 Windmill Canyon Dr....$601,500 214 Mountaire Circle............$700,000 308 Mount Palomar Place ...$671,000 70 Weatherly Drive ..............$606,300 3 Long Creek Circle.............$309,000
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Don Howard Realtor-Associate
Clayton Resident
(925) 408-3184 Donald.kent.howard@gmail.com
Emily Howard
Realtor-Associate
925-408-1871 howard.emily05@gmail.com Cal BRE #01846446 & Cal BRE#01938441
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March 14, 2014
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 3
Creekside Arts festival highlights fire Here is a schedule of events: Friday, March 21, 6 to 8:30 p.m.: Opening reception, sampling of art for sale, demonstrations by local artists, and refreshments.
MICHAEL YASHAR’S OIL PAINTING, REFLECTION POND #2, is just one of several paintings on exhibit during the Creekside Arts Celebration next weekend at the Clayton library. Pictured are library staff members Doug Thomas and Karen Hansen-Smith.
The Clayton Community Library will celebrate its 19th birthday at the annual Creekside Arts festival March 21, 22 and 23. “Creekside Arts 2014! Mount Diablo…Rising From the Ashes” will highlight the recent Morgan Fire, and the
regeneration of the local hillsides affected by the blaze. Nature is just part of the focus of the festival, which celebrates the visual and performing arts and culture of the community through art sales, craft demonstrations and entertainment.
Saturday, March 22, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: More than 40 artists will be on hand to demonstrate and sell their wares, including plein air painting with Patsy Taylor; members of Walnut Creek Civic Arts; a copper enameling demonstration by Rana MillerOwen; and “Cora’s Quilt,” a Clayton Civil War tale of a young girl living on Mt. Diablo, told by Joy Koonin in authentic period clothing and including quilt square crafts. There will also be wildlife experts, including representatives from Save Mount Diablo, who will discuss “Mount Diablo Morgan Fire and Regeneration on the Mountain,” with an outdoor tour to follow. Artist Jeffrey DeSalles will lead the Clayton Spring Artwalk tour through downtown Clayton, followed by a “Meet the Author, Artist, Eco Group” question-and-answer sessions. Sunday, March 23, 12 to 5 p.m. (Library opens at 1 p.m.): Ongoing sales and exhibits by more than 40 East Bay artists/vendors; children’s entertainment; craft demonstrations; and a performance poetry workshop with Taz Yamaguchi, an award-winning filmmaker. There will also be a “Ukulele Jam” with Ehu Alidon, and a demonstration of
Taiko drumming by Diablo Taiko. Festival-goers can also vote for their favorite artwork in the People’s Choice Award, to be announced at the end of the weekend. The event will be held throughout the inside of the library, Hoyer Hall community room, adjoining outdoor courtyard and interpretive area in the certified wildlife habitat. For more information contact Arlene at 925-673-9777, email creeksideartsfest@gmail.com, or visit claytonlibrary.org.
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3BD/1.5BA townhome in a gated complex offers a central Concord location. Kitchen has newer cabinets and counters. Appreciate the updated bath and indoor laundry. Large patio in the backyard and storage.
Assisting More Buyers & Sellers than Anyone Else* *Statistics based on Clayton closed by sales volume (1/2012 – 12/2012). Data by Trendgraphix
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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
March 14, 2014
Origami, from page 1
THE FOLDED PAPER BIRDS making up the sculpture range in size from less than one inch to more than a foot across.
across the lobby of the Brendan Theater downtown Concord in a 60’ foot long banner that looks like an inverted rainbow. The sculpture, which was unveiled to the public last Sunday, was created by Diablo Valley College teacher Sean Olson to mark the third anniversary of the Fukushima tsunami. Olson has worked with large origami installations in the past. His largest was constructed of 25,000 pieces that he made himself. The sculpture, although installed in sections, looks seamless. Working with a glue gun, Olson hung the origami birds, some with wingspan of less than an inch, others up to a foot wide,
in a soft, subtle pattern of color that stretches side to side across the lobby. “I wanted texture rather than a solid set of colors,” Olson said. “Not blunt; softer, more subtle—unlike the space.” His challenge with this project was not one of numbers, but of time. He typically needs at least six months to complete an installation. He didn’t start on this one until October. The crane project first took flight after the tsunami, at a candlelight vigil in Todos Santos Plaza held by Concord Ambassadors, volunteers who coordinate the Sister City Program. The community responded first with 1000 cranes, then 5000,
then 8,000, until finally more than 10,000 of the brightly colored, folded paper cranes filled the garage of one of the volunteers. “I have been amazed at the community support,” Olson said. “People coming out to make cranes for something that happened on the other side of the world.” The unveiling of the sculpture last Sunday kicks off preparations for the sister city visit in October when a delegation from Kitakami will arrive in Concord to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the two cities’ sisterhood. The relationship began in 1974 when two cable TV executives met at a conference, became friends and persuaded their city leaders to approve the partnership. Every five years, a delegation from one city visits the other. When the Kitakami delegation visits Concord in October, they will need places to stay. Those who wish to host a visitor should contact city clerk, Mary Rae Lehman (925) 671-3495 for information. The origami sculpture will be on display during theater hours at the Brendan Theater, 1985 Willow Pass Rd. There is no charge to enter the lobby for those who only want to view the sculpture. For more information on the Concord Ambassadors and Kitakami, go to www.concordambassadors.org.
Amgen Race seeks volunteer marshals Mount Diablo State Park will host the Stage 3 finish of the 2014 Amgen Tour of California bike race, and the park is looking for a few hundred friends to help out. Park officials are looking to recruit several hundred volunteers as course marshals, in hos-
pitality, in media support and a host of other volunteer roles. The finish will be on Tuesday, May 13 at the Summit. This event will attract many thousands of spectators and live worldwide TV coverage. It is one of the premier road bike races in the world and will fea-
LEIGH KLOCK
ture the best international riders and teams competing today. In past years the race has swung through the streets of Clayton and Walnut Creek.
To register as a prospective volunteer visit www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/Tour/volunteer.html.
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March 14, 2014
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
CCC Library seeks tattooed veterans for ‘War Art’ exhibit P.O. Box 1246 6200 Center Street, Suite H, Clayton, CA 94517 TAMARA AND R OBERT S TEINER , Publishers TAMARA S TEINER , Editor P ETE C RUZ , Graphic Design P EGGY S PEAR , Copy Editor J AY B EDECARRÉ, Sports PAMELA W IESENDANGER , Administration S TAFF W RITERS : Denisen Hartlove, Pam Wiesendanger, Peggy Spear
We remember Jill Bedecarré - Her spirit is our muse
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SUBSCRIPTIONS To subscribe, call the office at (925) 672-0500. Subscriptions are $50/year and are for full year only.
With nearly 2 million veterans in California and a generation of them returning home from two wars, Contra Costa County Library has launched a timely and relevant project, War Ink, an online exhibit of Iraq and Afghanistan veteran memorial tattoo art. War Ink will launch on Veterans Day 2014, and represents a platform to explore the unfiltered record of war that veterans have documented on their body; their story, told their way. Currently, War Ink will consist of a virtual-multimedia
exhibit of 18 veterans. Each veteran’s story surrounding their tattoos will be recorded by StoryCorps’ Military Voices Initiative, and be photographed by Shaun Roberts whose work has been featured in GQ and Wired.com. The exhibit will be curated by Jason Deitch, a former Amy Ranger and PhD graduate from the University of California, Berkeley. Veterans interested in the project are encouraged to contact Jason directly at jasonadeitch@gmail.com or 510-593-8423.
Advertise in the Pioneer 672-0500
Classified FREE LAWN MOWING If you are in need of your lawn mowed due to some hardship, email bearcat1824@yahoo.com. Clayton resident. Not a professional; just looking to help someone that needs it.
TUTORS NEEDED Diablo Valley Literacy Council, English tutors. Must attend both training classes: Mar. 22, Mar. 29. Nominal fee for training and materials. Go to dvlc.tripod.com, call 685-3881 or email dvlc4esl@gmail.com.
FOR LEASE Office and retail space for lease in Historic Clayton City Center: Village Oaks Center, 6200 Center St., Clayton. Call Nick Adamson at (408) 371-8770, ext. 21.
GARDENING Flower Gardening by Nicole Hackett Perennial, ornamental, rose and container care. Keep your garden in flowers this year with monthly fertilizing and pruning visits. Email for consultation or details. Gardengirl94517@yahoo.com.
Now $1,800/month Our belief is that our residents deserve the very best personalized care possible at an affordable rate.
HELP WANTED Computer Tech Growing business has position for onsite pro computer tech in Contra Costa County. Must have experience in Windows and Mac OS, network repair and troubleshooting. ComputersUSA! 672-9989.
Come join Mazzei Realty! Currently interviewing and hiring new and experienced real estate agents. Call 693-0757 for details. Real Estate Agents Be Successful! Lynne French is expanding and interviewing for a few agents. Call her today 6728787.
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Directory of Advertisers AUTOMOTIVE Clayton Valley Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3900 Business Services Rising Moon Marketing & Public Relations . . . . .672-8717 Construction and Trades Appliance Repairs by Bruce, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2700 Belfast Plumbing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .457-5423 Burkin Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1519 Diablo View Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .822-5144 Gary’s Home Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .787-2500 Iron Horse Concrete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .566-8666 Tipperary Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-2679 Dining and Entertainment Clayton Club Saloon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-0440 Oakhurst Country Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9737 Events Scavenger Hunt – Smile Tu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .280-4880 Financial, Insurance and Legal Services DuRee, Daniel – The Law Office of . . . . . . . . . . .210-1400 Littorno, Richard – The Law Office of . . . . . . . . .432-4211 Travis Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .888-698-0000 Van Wyck, Doug – State Farm Insurance . . . . . .672-2300 Funerals Ouimet Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4242 Groceries Doorstep Farmers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .349-4568
FOR LEASE Office and retail space for lease in Historic Clayton City Center: Village Oaks Center, 6200 Center St., Clayton. Call Nick Adamson at (408) 371-8770, ext. 21.
Sales Associate Retail feed and pet supply store, full or part time. Apply in person at Rodie’s Feed, 8863 Marsh Creek Road, Clayton.
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Page 5
Help Fight Hunger Anna Chan – AKA: The Lemon Lady needs your help! Weekly commitment appreciated. For more info and contact numbers, go to thelemonlady.blogspot.com.
Home and Garden Clayton Furniture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-2299 Diablo Lawnscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .381-3757 Interiors Panache . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7920 Just Floors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .681-4747 Nichols Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9955 The Floor Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .969-9890 The Maids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-6243 Utopic Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0055 Waraner Bros. Tree Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .831-2323 Waraner Tree Experts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250-0334 Mailing Services The UPS Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6245 Optometry Foresight Optometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4100 Pet Services Cat Hospital of Clayton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2287 Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . .276-5744 Pittsburg Pet Resort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .432-7387 Rodie's Feed and Pet Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4600 Real Estate and Mortgage Services French, Lynne – Windermere Real Estate . . . . . .672-8787 Howard, Don – Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . . . .408-3184 Howard, Emily – Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . .408-1871 Klock, Leigh – Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212-5593 Landgraf, Linda – Prudential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .876-0311 Laurence, Pete – RE/MAX Realty . . . . . . . . . . . .890-6004 Lopez, Stephanie – Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . .932-7329 Mazzei, Matt – Mazzei Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-0757 Stojanovich, Jennifer – Better Homes Realty . . .567-6170 The Torrey Team – J. Rockcliff Realtors . . . . . . .595-6707 Vujnovich, George - Better Homes Realty . . . . . .672-4433
Clayton Historical Society Museum The Clayton Historical Society Museum needs a greeter for two hours per month from 2-4 p.m. Wednesdays or Sundays. Call the museum at 672-0240 and leave your name.
Recreation and Fitness Earthquake Arabians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .360-7454
Clayton Community Library Needs volunteers. Minimum age 13. Minimum commitment is 6 months. Some training provided. Contact Arlene at 673-9777 or nielsenjanc@aol.com.
Services, Other ComputersUSA! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9989 Net Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6029 Recycling Center & Transfer Station . . . . . . . . . .473-0180
Meals on Wheels Meals on Wheels is looking for volunteer drivers one day a week between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Make a tremendous difference to seniors in your community. Contact Sharon Fitzgerald at 932-8607 or sfitzgerald@ mowsos.org today!
Senior Services Courtyards at Pine Creek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-3900 Diamond Terrace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-5100
Travel Travel to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9840
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Page 6
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
March 14, 2014
Obituaries
Christine Diane Harris March 28, 1964 – March 5, 2014
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Christine Diane Harris died Wednesday, March 5, 2014, after a 16 month struggle with cancer. She was born March 28, 1964 (a long held secret) in Los Angeles, California to David G. and Marcene Munson. In 1969 the family moved to Littleton, Colorado, where they lived for 10 years before returning to California to live in Concord. Christy graduated from Concord High School (1982) and Golden Gate University. She worked briefly at JC Penney and then for about seven years at Chevron USA in Concord and San Ramon. From 2007 to 2010 Christy owned and managed Clayton Books. She was active in clubs, school activities, and several volunteer organizations. In 1990, Christy married Joel A. Harris in a beautiful ceremony at Treasure Island, and in 1993 they welcomed their first child, Andrew David Harris, joined in 1996 by daughter Amy Janilee Harris. In 2004 they welcomed Christy’s sister’s child, Carter Munson-Ring, into their family. Christy and Joel especially enjoyed entertaining friends and family at their home in Clayton. They loved family vacations to
Mayor, from page 1 When current School Board President Barbara Oaks reached out to schedule a meeting we were grateful and excited for the opportunity to meet. Along with President Oaks, board members Linda Mayo and Cheryl Hansen (a Clayton resident) met with the Clayton City Council in our meeting room at the Clayton Library. MDUSD Superintendent Dr. Nellie Meyer gave a presentation on the new Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) and new Local Control Funding Formulas (LCFF.) The state is changing the way it funds our schools and the way our schools are being held accountable. Details are still being worked out but the district seems enthusiastic about the changes. We shared what we have been doing as a community to promote good character with our Do the Right Thing program. The Board provided information on enrollment, student achievement, the new Common Core standards and improvement projects. Police Chief Chris Thorsen, talked about the ongoing challenges at Mt. Diablo Elementary School around traffic safety. The meeting ended with a mutual appreciation for the opportunity to exchange information and to have an open dialogue. We sincerely appreciate Barbara Oaks, Cheryl Hansen and Linda Mayo, along with Dr. Nellie Meyer and the other district employees who were in attendance, for taking the time to meet with us. The two governing bodies expressed the desire to meet again, possibly on an annual basis. We hope that what started off as a historical meeting turns into a regular occurrence. Email your questions or comments to hstratford@ci.clayton.ca.us
Tahoe, Disneyland, Florida, Hawaii, Canada, Alaska and Mexico. Recent trips to Africa and Norway were special highlights. Christy and her family could regularly be found at Giants games in their seats in section 115, cheering on their son Andy as he served as a batboy for the visiting teams. In December 2012, Christy was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. In the following months, she underwent numerous surgeries and procedures at John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek and at UCSF Hospitals in San Francisco. She continued to maintain her hope for a cure and more time to spend with her family until the cancer returned. She died peacefully surrounded by her loving family. Christy was a gregarious person who loved fun and valued friendship highly. She nourished friendships with so many over the years, from high school friends, her moms’
groups, neighbors, authors and bookstore clients, everyone she met. Those friends rallied around her in amazing ways during her illness, and her family is so grateful for all the support offered. In 2013, Christy and her family spearheaded Team Christy in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life fundraiser, and raised an amazing $40,000 for cancer research, with the help of the Clayton community, friends and family. Christy would love nothing more than to be remembered through Team Christy returning for Relay for Life 2014 to be held on August 16 in Clayton. Please sign up for Team Christy and donate through the Clayton Relay for Life website. Christy will be much missed but her courage and selflessness serve all of us as a wonderful example of how to meet adversity and her love of life inspires us to treasure each day we have. Christy is survived by her husband, Joel, son Andrew, daughter Amy, son Carter Munson-Ring, and her parents; along with aunts Donna Kieffer, Joanne Keefe, Carol Person (Peter), Julie Bothun, and Rebecca Ask (Paul); uncle Lee Peterson (Mary); many cousins and their families; in-laws, Norman and Esther Harris, sister-in-law Marlene Common (Doug). She was preceded in death by her sister, Cat Helen Munson, her uncle Alan Peterson, her grandparents, Clifford Munson and Gwendolyn Dague and Alton and Helen Peterson; and cousins Erick Person, Peter Chiglo III, and Jesse Peterson. Funeral services will be held at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 4000 Clayton Road in Concord on March 15 at 2 p.m. Per Christy, Team Christy shirts are appropriate attire. Please donate to Relay for Life Team Christy and sign up for the team's event on Aug. 18 at Relayforlife.org.
Leslie Ann Castro December 13, 1954 – February 1, 2014 Leslie Ann Castro, a 25-year resident of Clayton, died on February 1. She was a native Californian, raised in Walnut Creek. She loved to cook and entertain. Camping and traveling to historic sites were favorite pastimes. She enjoyed music and classic TV shows and movies. Leslie loved her Bay Area sports teams and was always cheering for the A’s and 49ers. She was a dog lover and always had a soft spot in her heart for all animals. There will be a memorial service on March 15 at Unity of Walnut Creek, 1871 Geary Rd., Walnut Creek, CA 94597
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In a story by Northgate Reporter Ivar Laanen in the Jan. 17 issue of the Pioneer (“Bad blood ignites melee between Northgate and College Park”), a showdown between rivals Northgate and College Park basketball (Clayton Pioneer, Jan. 17, 2014) received some negative attention. It was said that a “nearriot was averted. The game that took place at Northgate a month ago brought out both schools’ 6th Man as well as many fans. College Park recently revamped their 6th Man and has tight controls over any chants, complete with weekly meetings with the principal and student leaders …
(According to student leaders) “6th man is meant to uphold a positive and competitive atmosphere in order to motivate and support our team, not to create a hostile environment directing offensive remarks toward the opposite team.” During the game, fans could hear the NG 6th Man chanting profane and vulgar remarks, including a poster regarding a recent transfer from NG to CP with an offensive message. CP had strong administrator supervision during the game, and their 6th man remained in positive form. Post game, there was some shouting between CP and NG, but no fights occurred. NG did follow through with not allowing their 6th man to
attend the following game at CP. There were no issues at the CP game. If administrators demonstrate effective leadership by simply having separate entrances and exits, strong administrator presence, and allowing only appropriate chants, problems can be averted. Changing games times to avoid potential conflicts is unnecessary and punishes players, students and parents. There are many healthy rivalries in existence, and they should remain that way. Christine Crosno
Favors sales tax hike CCCFPD I received a call last night from a survey company regarding a new proposed sales tax increase that the Contra Costa Transportation Commission is considering for an upcoming ballot. A half cent
sales tax already goes to the CCTC. They want to double it… I would rather spend (that) added half penny sales tax to assist our fire districts…I want to propose a solution to help (CCCFPD) by (directing) the other half a penny to them. I would vote yes in a heartbeat for the half cent for fire protection services in Contra Costa. Everyone has heard that the fire districts in this county are having serious financial problems. It also appears that parcel tax measures are not popular and have and will fail…I would be willing to pay one half of one penny on sales tax because … it would create about $75 million for our fire districts. So contact your representatives, politicians, mayors, and let’s get this critically important fire suppression and EMT/Paramedic delivery under control. John A Gonzales Knightsen
March 14, 2014
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 7
ECCFPD says no to parcel tax on June ballot TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
East Contra Costa Fire Protection District will not put a $98 parcel tax on the ballot in June. At the March 3 meeting, a deeply divided board voted 5-4 against the June ballot after a survey mailed to 42,000 East County residents produced a dismal 863 responses, less than 2 percent. While 87 percent of those responding supported the tax, the low response rate rendered the survey “irrelevant,” said district consultant,
Charles Heath. In January, a phone survey of 300 voters conducted by United Professional Firefighters Union told a much darker story. In a scientifically conducted poll, only 54 percent said they would support a parcel tax. “Going in June is the equivalent of a Hail Mary pass,” Director Greg Cooper said. He noted that nothing had changed since the 2012 election when 56 percent of the voters rejected a $197 parcel tax. The consultant hired by the district to conduct the mailing
said it would be “virtually impossible” to pass the parcel tax on the June ballot. So, the district will step up public education efforts and wait until the November general election Other board members viewed the mailer in a more positive light. Director Stephen Smith thought, given the poor response, 87 percent support was encouraging. “It shows that a little aggressive education can have good results.” The survey was not sent to residents in the Marsh Creek/Morgan Territory area
which is served by the Sunshine Station. Director Cheryl Morgan suspected it was because the consultant eliminated addresses in the 94517 ZIP, assuming they are within the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. She doubts, however, that it would have made a significant difference in the outcome. East County Fire is currently operating on a federal SAFER grant which will run out in November. Waiting until the general election will cost the district $4 million, and even if the tax passes then, it will be a full year before the
district sees any revenue, requiring the closing of one, possibly two stations. The district must have five stations to adequately respond to a structural fire, said Chairman Joel Bryant. When we closed to three stations (after the 2012 parcel tax failed), we lost lives; I can give you names,” Bryant said in an impassioned plea to the board to go with the June ballot. “Whatever number of stations below five means some-
Buying can reap big dividends Q. Several people have told me to try to buy a property instead of renting. They said I can build wealth due to equity. What is equity? A. A big benefit of buying real estate is that you can buy an expensive asset with a relatively small amount of your own cash. This is called leverage. As your home increases in value over time — called appreciation — you earn appreciation on the entire property, not just your downpayment amount. Home equity is the difference between the value of a home and the liens (usually mortgages) secured against it. If you buy a $400,000 home using a 10 percent cash down payment and a 90 percent mortgage, you will have $40,000 in equity in the property. If the property were to increase 7 percent in just one
LYNNE FRENCH
REAL ANSWERS year, the property value would rise 7 percent to $428,000. However, your equity would increase 70 percent — from $40,000 to 68,000. This is the beauty of leverage. Some mortgages help build equity faster than others. An amortized loan is completely paid back during the loan
term. A portion of each monthly payment pays the interest owed and a portion goes to paying back the amount borrowed (called principal). So if you borrow $340,000 and it’s paid back with amortized payments over 30 years, you owe the lender nothing at the end of that time. When you pay the loan off you will have an additional $340,000 equity in the property. Sometimes your leverage can backfire if property values drop significantly and you have to sell your home. Despite periods of deflation, though, residential real estate in this country has tended to appreciate over time. Other ways to build equity include paying down your mortgage by making extra payments and increasing the value of your home through cost-effective improvements. Also, the short-
one will call 911 and there won’t be anyone there.” Regardless of which ballot the measure was on, the parcel tax is “just a band aid,” Bryant said. “I support it to buy time.” The proposed parcel tax will “sunset” in five years, leaving the district right back where it is today. Whether or not the tax measure is approved, Director Stephen Smith states that he favors exploring a merger with Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.
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er the term of a fully amortized mortgage, the quicker the equity build-up. You build equity faster with a 15 year amortized loan than one that is amortized over 30 years. Interest-only loans aren’t amortized, so you will not build equity. Another way to deplete equity is to refinance into a larger mortgage and take the difference in the two loan amounts out in cash. This is called a “cash out” mortgage. Letting your home fall into disrepair is another way to diminish your equity. Keeping your home well-maintained helps to protect your equity.
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Last month, my article revolved around safety on our roadway here in Clayton. I spoke of the “Three E’s” of traffic (Engineering, Educa-
tion, and Enforcement). I received several comments regarding that article, most encouraging the Clayton Police Department to take a more aggressive role in the “enforcement” component. Interestingly, the comments cried for more tickets. The numbers vary, but on a monthly basis, the police department issues anywhere from 40 to 100 tickets. Violations range from speeding, running stop signs, cell phone violations, right of way violations, etc. Officers do not cite every person they stop; they have discretion and in some cases choose to give the violator a
Police Activity Report Police Activity for two weeks ending Mar. 6, 2014 ACCIDENTS: None. ARRESTS: Feb. 21, 12:20 p.m. Clayton Rd./Peacock Creek Dr. A 47-year-old Tracy female was arrested for possessing a controlled substance; possessing a narcotic controlled substance; possessing marijuana one ounce or less while driving.
Feb. 23, 1:20 a.m. Kirker Pass Rd. A 44-yearold Clayton male was arrested for drunk: protective custody.
break, issuing only a warning. While this may be disappointing to some, I’m sure it makes the day of that lucky motorist who catches a break. In response to a complaint received after last month’s article, we have placed the survey trailer in a particular area of the city, had our officers observe to verify the severity of the problem, analyzed it with respect to time of day and traffic volume, and yes, even issued several speeding tickets. At the Clayton Police Department, we don’t have a dedicated traffic enforcement officer. All the staff is responsible for traffic enforcement.
vandalism; disorderly conduct: alcohol. Mar. 4, 8:31 p.m. 6100 Clayton Rd. A 37-yearold Concord male was arrested on a warrant. Mar. 5, 1:32 a.m. 5400 Clayton Rd. A 63-yearold Bay Point male was arrested for DUI; driving without a license.
Feb. 23, 9:40 a.m. N. Mitchell Canyon Rd. A 25-year-old Clayton male was arrested on a warrant.
BURGLARIES/THEFTS: Feb. 23, Stranahan Cr. Burglary – Vehicle. Mar. 2, Roundhill Pl. Burglary – Residential.
Feb. 26, 1:12 a.m. Main St. A 35-year-old Clayton male was arrested for
VANDALISM: Feb. 26, Main St. Feb. 27, Indian Wells Wy.
They also respond to calls for service ranging from visiting rattle snakes to serious criminal matters. With the resources available, I believe we are providing excellent overall service to our community. I thank those who took the time to inform me of traffic matters they have witnessed. Our swift response to at least some of the complaints is testament to the commitment of the Clayton Police Department in working with our community to solve these matters. Chris Thorsen is Clayton’s chief of police. For questions and comments, call him at (925) 673-7350.
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Page 8
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
March 14, 2014
CVCHS,
Ordinance will help fund pensions The Concord City Council will soon be looking at passing an ordinance that will help us crystallize our budget priorities — including “unfunded liabilities” such as pensions for current and past employees. We know that we have a legal and ethical obligation to fully fund long-term postemployment benefits for our current and past employees. Because of that, the Policy Development & Internal Operations Council Committee, along with city staff, will be
proposing to the city council an ordinance that will allow the use of one-time or surplus funds to address these needs, as well as others. We understand that it is not fiscally prudent to spend onetime money on long term commitments, such as increasing salaries or hiring new staff. By establishing this policy into a law, we are sending a strong message of our commitment to making our city fiscally stable. We are also proposing that this ordinance require a four-fifths
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vote to overturn our stated priorities. The first priority proposed in this new ordinance will be to fund the required annual contributions for the City of Concord Retirement System (CCRS) and our other retiree health programs. The CCRS is currently 38 percent unfunded, or $24 million. Part of the reason this problem developed was because years ago the city did not require contributing payments from our employees, as we do now. The California Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) is 24 percent unfunded. The total dollar value is $83 million. The Retiree Medical Benefits program (OPEB) is 69 percent unfunded, which means we have a shortfall of $42 million. Our goal has been to fully fund
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CONCORD CITY BEAT address our stated priorities. This ordinance certainly is not a panacea which will end all of our budget issues. We will continue to struggle to find more money for our city’s needs. However, it will focus us on beginning to address our city’s fiscal obligations. Ron Leone is vice mayor and a former mayor of Concord. Email comments or questions to ronaldleone@comcast.net, or call (925) 680-1776
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this program, but we have a current annual shortfall of $1.7 million. In addition to these “unfunded liabilities” the council is striving to maintain a 15 percent general fund reserve. Due to the recession and our deferred maintenance programs, the city has an infrastructure backlog. Our streets and parks require much needed repairs. Plus, other special or one-time priority projects may also develop from time to time. Every year, with this new ordinance in our pocket, we will attempt to apply these surplus funds to address our unfunded priorities — if we have a mid-year or end-of-theyear budget report that shows a surplus. In addition, if any one-time money comes our way, we will also be able to
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DANIEL DUREE ESTATE PLANNING You may be familiar with using a durable power of attorney for incapacity planning as part of your estate plan. But what if you have a family member who has an estate plan in place but who is already starting to lose capacity due to dementia, Alzheimer’s or simply old age? With some basic steps, you can smoothly transfer management of financial, personal, and healthcare decisions without going through the painful process of declaring someone incapacitated. TRANSITIONING MANAGEMENT OF A TRUST Generally, a person will serve as trustee of their trust until they pass away, or are declared incompetent by two separate doctors. Only at that time will the successor trustee take control and start managing the trust property. However, management can be more
easily transferred by amending the trust and making the first successor trustee a co-trustee. This way, the original trust creator can still help manage the property alongside the cotrustee and eventually leave the co-trustee to do most of the management. Another benefit to this is that the original trust creator never needs to be declared incompetent and will remain a co-trustee until their death. This simplifies tax preparation as well because a separate tax return must be filed when the creator of the trust is no longer a trustee or co-trustee. MANAGEMENT OF DECISIONS
TRANSITIONING
Similarly to the trust management succession above, most Durable Powers of Attorney and Advance Healthcare Directives do not take effect until a person is deemed incapacitated by two doctors. However, if a family member is slowly losing capacity but is presently still competent, they can create an immediate durable power of attorney
and/or advance healthcare directive to transition this decision-making to another person. With an immediate durable power of attorney, for example, the creator can still write checks, file their taxes, etc., but their agent can also do these things on their behalf. So instead of management going from only the principal having authority to only the agent having authority, there is a smooth transition where both parties have legal authority to manage the principal’s finances. If the deteriorating capacity of a loved one is addressed early enough, you can transition management smoothly without having to resort to declaring the person incapacitated or going through the painful conservatorship process. Daniel DuRee is a licensed attorney whose practice focuses on estate planning. He may be reached for questions or comments at Daniel@DuReeLaw.com or 925210-1400.
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1) Intervention: “We identify students early who may be having a problem in a class, and we don’t wait for them to fail.” For instance, the school takes data from incoming ninth graders and “even before they set foot on campus, we are helping the ones who need it.” He also says that after-school tutoring and Saturday Schools have helped keep failure rates down. 2) Credit Recovery: Students who are “off-track” to graduate will be given every opportunity to improve in subjects they’ve failed, and to recover lost credits. 3) The Three-R’s: Linzey has made a mantra of this new twist on an old cliché. At CVCHS, the “Three-Rs” stand for rigor, relevance and relationships in the curriculum that is being taught. “We help students understand why what they are learning is important,” he says. 4) Quarterly Benchmark Exams: Rather than waiting for finals, the quarterly assessments measure students’ progress in a subject, and teachers can immediately help students where it’s needed. “This way we’re not waiting for the end of the year to fix something,” Linzey says. 5) A Failure-free School: CVCHS does its best to keep students from failing, requiring after-school tutoring, Saturday Schools, and individual counseling. “The staff has to ‘own’ our students’ success,” Linzey says. In two years, the school’s failure rate has been cut in half.
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is like being a speed boat rather than the Titanic,” Linzey says. McChesney said that one of the major reasons the charter succeeded, and why the school is flourishing, is because of the widespread community support. “When I’m out and about, I hear words like ‘our’ high school rather than ‘the’ high school,” he says. “People take a lot of pride and ownership in the school, and that’s what helps its success.” Linzey, who has overseen many other traditional and charter schools, says that while every school has its “own DNA,” there is one common thread to success. “Every successful school integrates as many ‘Best Practices’ as possible. There has to be a call for change, then a demand for change, and then accountability. “Our kids have to develop a culture of success, not failure, and it’s up to the staff to make that happen,” he says. Linzey cites several reasons CVCHS has been successful since transitioning to a charter school:
Captain Grammar Pants PRINCIPAL (Latin, “first”) and PRINCIPLE (Latin, “first”) come from the same root source, but their meanings have diverged over time. Principal means the main one, or the most important one (of a school or of an idea). The principal of the school is your PAL (princi-PAL). It is also a sum of money, or the lead in a play or an opera; the principals have arrived, so we need the principal to pay them. The principal (main) idea here is that unless you know your grammar, you need to work on your writing skills! In contrast, a principle is a fundamental element or code of conduct. A prince might never become the principal of a school without a set of princely principles.
“Charter schools are no longer an experiment,” McChesney said. “There are more than 500,000 students enrolled in charter schools in California.” “I wish every school could do what we’re doing,” Linzey says. “It’s important for let Congress know that it should be easier to make schools charter schools.”
Sean Williams is a professor of ethnomusicology at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash. She is currently working on a Captain Grammar Pants book. Follow her regular postings on Facebook.
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March 14, 2014
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Mt. Diablo Elementary Science Fair sizzles
Page 9
Excuses from litterbugs are garbage You enter downtown Clayton, expecting to spend a sunny day in the park with your family. You are expecting to let your kids out and play while you also get some time to yourself, to enjoy the park, sit on a bench, and enjoy some calm relaxation. Nevertheless, you arrive and find the tables are full of trash with the surrounding ground likewise littered. How does this happen? Too many people disregard the ever-available trash cans around downtown Clayton. Too many people seem to not be able to walk three steps from a table to the nearest trashcan. Too many people do not care. The city of Clayton has made it so easy for every person visiting down-
LILIANA HERNANDEZ
TEEN SPEAK town to throw away their trash, and yet much of it gets left out in the open. Many accuse teens of this crime, and of course the question that follows is: why? The simple answer to this
question could be pure laziness. Indeed, it is easy to throw trash away, but many people just refuse to. In certain circumstances, it could be that one forgets that the trash is sitting there, or maybe one is in a hurry and leaves it there for someone else to pick up. Another reason may be just that; some people are just used to others picking up after their trash. It is easy for one to just leave something sitting there for others to clean up; the same thing happens at Clayton Valley Charter High School. One thing that has substantially changed with the coming of the charter has been the cleanliness of the campus. Of course,
this has been a product of not only the students’ willingness to throw their trash away after lunch and brunch, but much of the administrative team and janitors take action to pick up trash and make CVCHS look good. With this in mind, I believe that many of those who do not throw away their trash do so because it is easy, and they are assured that somehow it will get picked up. Liliana Hernandez is a Senior at Clayton Valley Charter High School. She loves to read and plans to pursue her interest in writing in the future. Send email to her at liliana@claytonpioneer.com
‘Divergent’ series firing up teens MDES SCIENCE FAIR WINNERS: Back row (from left) Scott Tomaszewicz, Jake Reeves, Jack Simpkins, Keaton Curtis, Carrick Duggan and Nolan Degener. Front row (from left) Logan Meyer, Ryder Bartholomew, J.T. Parker and Alec Beach.
The Multi-use Room of Mt. Diablo Elementary School was full of impressive scientific projects last month for the annual Science Fair, held on Feb. 13. The students and parents also enjoyed exciting scientific demonstrations by Mike Meneghetti, a.k.a “Mr. Science.” The projects were judged by a panel of nine Clayton Valley Charter High School students: Nneoma Nwosu, Gonzalo Carrasco, Spencer Christensen, Madison Curtis, Sam Ritzo, Harrish Sheikh, David Tejada, Ahmed Alhag, Emily Rabbitt; two teachers: John Ouimet from the Engineering Academy and Jennifer DeAngelis from the social studies department; and parent Tom Borbely. The elementary school students were thrilled to have high school students asking them about their projects. The judges were impressed at how articulate and knowledgeable the students
were in explaining their projects. The panel had a difficult job selecting six projects from the 69 projects on display to go on to represent Mt. Diablo Elementary at the District Science Fair. Finally, after serious consideration, the following projects were selected: Grade 3: J.T. Parker and Logan Meyer — Smell and Taste; Ryder Bartholomew — Dirt and Soil and Their Ability to Hold Water Grade 4: Jake Reeves and Carrick Duggan — Bridges vs. Earthquakes; Scott Tomaszewicz — Fit or Fat? Can You Tell? Grade 5: Keaton Curtis— Make Your Own Lava Lamp; Jack Simpkins, Nolan Degener and Alec Beach — Taste Test 101 Congratulations to all students who participated in this important annual event. The District Science Fair was held on Sat., March 1.
The “Divergent” series by Veronica Roth is about to take the United States by storm with a Hunger-Games-like impact. With a movie release date set for March 21, this anticipated film, based on the first book, started to buzz a few weeks ago and is only getting louder with time. The book series consists of “Divergent,” “Insurgent,” and “Allegiant.” In this dystopian-based series, Beatrice Prior is forced to choose a category to devote
the rest of her life to, along with every other 16-year-old in the world. The options are: Erudite (the intelligent), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Candor (the honest). Once they’ve gone through numerous physical and mental tests, they will be forced to make a decision that if made wrong, will haunt them for the rest of their lives. After changing her name to Tris, she has an extremely hard time fitting in and keeping up
Peace and Justice Center to hold art and writing contest The Mt. Diablo Peace and Justice Center is holding its 17th annual Dennis Thomas Art and Writing Challenge. Middle and high school students in Contra Costa County are encouraged and eligible to participate. Four categories will be judged: Essay, Creative Writing, Art and Video. The challenge is for students to use their unique artistic voice to create a visual and/or literary
interpretation of diversity, multiculturalism, community or brotherhood. Submissions must be received by April 11. Monetary awards are higher this year. Winners will be recognized at an awards dinner on May 10 in Walnut Creek. For contest rules and additional information, go to the website: creatingpeacefulschools.weebly.com or call the center at 933-7850.
PHMS puts ‘Minds’ to work
with everyone else’s pace of excellence. With her confidence fading and the competition growing even stronger, Tris starts to feel less worthy and not needed, but she knows she’s already come too far to give up. Somehow despite all the chaos and problems popping up here and there, Tris finds friends, enemies, and a little bit of romance. With surprises jumping out of nowhere, this series shows some major individuality, and the movie will most likely be just as unique and rare as the novels are.
CARLIE BEESON
PINE HOLLOW REPORTER Pine Hollow Middle School had a unique odyssey recently, when four teams from the school entered the Odyssey of the Mind tournament, and one of them is now headed to the state competition. Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem-solving competition for teams of three to seven from cities all over the San Francisco region. In Odyssey of the Mind, or OM, each team is to choose a problem and then they have to come up with a way to solve the problem. It takes many months to complete and there are many requirements and restrictions. The four teams from Pine Hollow involved in this afterschool program, coordinated by
ODYSSEY OF THE MIND program challenges problem solving skills for four Pine Hollow Teams, sending one team to the state competition.
Kelly Kahl-Hernandez, included two all-eighth grade teams and two all-sixth grade teams. This year is the best the school has ever done in the competition. The oldest team consists of all-eighth grade girls who have been in the Odyssey of the Mind competition together for all three years of middle school. Kelsey Turner, Jordan Steinburg, Emma Ramirez, Jenny Vonnegut, Kayla Confetti, Sarah Mirabella, and me, Carlie Beeson, have done very well each
year we have participated in OM. In our first year of Odyssey of the Mind, the team took second place in our division and moved on to the second round, the state competition. The team’s seventh grade year, we took fourth place, only four points away from making to the next level. At this year’s competition, our team struck again, finishing second and will be going to the state competition in our last year of competing in Odyssey of the Mind.
TEEN READS Emily York is a freshman at CVCHS.
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The other eighth grade team consisting of Dalton Elzey, Sam Buchholz, Alex Roper, Keane Escueta, T.J. Nguyen and Katiey Kingsmore came in sixth place. Coming in third place for their first year was team A, an allsixth grade team: Nick and Christina Mueller, Alaine Lindsey, McKenzie Cummings, Taylor Keys, Caleigh Olgeirson, and Hannah Crooked. The last sixth grade team, Team B, placed: Chloe Pearson, Alexis Gonzales, Olivia Kreamer, Karla Ruiz, Jared Ralleya, Destiny Tonnochy and Grace Ramirez. All of Pine Hollow Middle School’s teams did amazing and it was great to see all of our teams get recognized. Odyssey of the Mind is a very time consuming extra-curricular activity that really helps participants to be more creative. Pine Hollow Middle School’s teams did really great at the competition this year and we are all excited to see what happens at state for our girls’ eighth grade team.
EMILY YORK
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Carlie Beeson is an 8th grader at Pine Hollow Middle School. She enjoys reading, playing soccer, and singing. Questions or comments? Send her an Email at carlie@claytonpioneer.com
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March 14, 2014
Sports Eagle girls host NorCal tournament game Saturday At NCS Clayton Valley defeated Livermore 57-36, Casa Grande of Petaluma 62-42 and Ukiah 62-51 before running into the Carondelet buzz saw. Lynbrook (20-8 overall) finished second to Wilcox (a team in the NorCal Division I tournament) in the DeAnza League and then won the Central Coast Section DII tournament, taking the finals 40-34 over St. Francis of Mountain View. The winner of the Clayton Valley-Lynbrook game is likely to face top seed Archbishop Mitty of San Jose next Tuesday in the semi-finals. The NorCal championship game is next Saturday at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento. The previous two times Clayton Valley Charter has hosted a NorCal game the home-court advantage has proved insufficient for the Eagles, who lost to Chico in 2011 and Presentation of San Jose last March.
Scott Anderson photo
DESPITE A LOPSIDED LOSS IN THE NORTH COAST SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP GAME to crosstown rival Carondelet High School, the Clayton Valley Charter girls basketball team managed some proud smiles with their runnerup medals. The team includes, front Row from left, Kim Anderson, Katie Osterkamp, Ellie Ralston, Morgan Giacobazzi, Annemarie Del Bene, Jordan Karmann, Sarah Williams; back row, assistant coach Gina Pedroni, head coach Paul Kommer, Cassidy Woodworth, Katie Kommer, Kayla Taylor, Mikaela Keisel, Ashlyn Bartzi, Hailey Pascoe, Jordan Johnson, freshman coach Emily Wood and JV coach Chris Obrien. JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
It’s not exactly old hat when Dan Della Gym will again be the site of a Northern California CIF girls basketball playoff game Saturday night for the third time in four years. The Eagles host Lynbrook of San Jose for a 6 p.m. tipoff in the second round of the playoffs after each team received an opening bye. Coach Paul Kommer hopes his fourth-seeded team has more success than the Eagles of 2011 and 2013, who both lost opening-round NorCal Division II home games after finishing
runner-up in the North Coast Section playoffs. This is the position CVCHS (23-7) occupies after absorbing a 100-48 thrashing by Carondelet (27-3) in the NCS finale. Carondelet is seeded second in the NorCal Open Division moving up after the Cougars won their 10th NCS DII title in 12 years. Carondelet is currently ranked No. 10 in the MaxPreps national high school poll and they looked every bit of that lofty place in jumping to a 32-4 lead over Clayton Valley in the first quarter of the section championship game at St. Mary’s College last Saturday evening. By halftime the score was
55-17 and Carondelet totaled 89 points in the first three quarters before a running clock limited scoring in the last period. Seniors Kayla Taylor and Sarah Williams led the Eagles in scoring with 16 and 15, respectively. Hailey Pascoe was also in double figures with 13. Carondelet featured Natalie Romeo, a Nebraska commit, and Christina Chenault each over 20 points. The Cougars have three seniors and four freshmen on the roster, so it looks like coach Margaret Gartner’s squad will not be fading anytime soon. Last year, Carondelet defeated Clayton Valley 84-56 in the NCS finals. In 2011 the Eagles
lost a section championship game heart-breaker to Dougherty Valley 46-45 when Carondelet played in Division I and lost to Berkeley by two points in the finale. Clayton Valley has benefitted from a tough schedule this season in preparation of the playoffs. The last 12 non-league opponents the Eagles faced all made it to the section playoffs and Dublin, Miramonte, McClatchy, Santa Rosa and Presentation all advanced to the NorCal championships. All of the local team’s seven losses this year have been to playoff teams. Before the Carondelet game Kommer said, “Obviously I am so pleased with my team's effort
Amanda Zodikoff selected to train with U.S. National soccer team id2 program JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Diablo FC 99 goalkeeper Amanda Zodikoff is headed to Nike World Headquarters near Portland, Oregon next week to
train in the U.S. Club Soccer id2 program. The Pine Hollow Middle School eighth grader demonstrates how young players can develop as she’s overcome disappointments to receive this high honor.
Photo courtesy Diablo FC
GOALKEEPER AMANDA ZODIKOFF OF DIABLO FC 99 is headed to Nike World Headquarters next week after being chosen for the US Club Soccer id2 program. She will be one of 60 girls from around the country born in 2000 to take part in this program that helps players get selected to U.S. National Teams.
Director of coaching Brian Voltattorni explains, “Amanda is extremely hard working and a very determined young soccer athlete. Just a year ago, she was cut from the NorCal PDP program for Region 3 & 4 (Eastbay area). Amanda used that as motivation to work even harder and less than one year later she passed almost everyone in the region and was selected to the NorCal State team and now the prestigious id2 program.” Zodikoff is coached at Diablo FC by former Major League Soccer player Richard Weiszmann and U.S. Men’s national team goalie coach Henry Foulk. Both Weiszmann and Foulk are former Cal Bears soccer players. Foulk has coached many Diablo FC goalies to collegiate and professional success. The Concord 13-year-old began playing for Diablo FC 99 Blue, which is the second team behind Diablo FC 99 in the age group. Among her best friends and 99 Blue teammate was Jenna Betti, the young girl who was killed in a recent train accident in Martinez. The goalie is now on Diablo FC 99 as she demonstrated another step in her career by moving to the local club’s premier team. Established in 2004, US
Club Soccer’s id2 National Identification and Development Program provides an opportunity for the country’s elite youth soccer players to be identified and developed, and scouted for inclusion in U.S. Soccer’s National Team programs. Diablo FC had two boys in the initial 2004 id2 program, Jose Cabeza and Rafael Paredes. Cabeza led the Diablo FC 90 team to the 2008 National Championships and helped St. Mary’s College to the 2011 NCAA Elite Eight. The local goalie will be in Portland March 20-23 with approximately 60 girls at the camp. Opportunities for players at id2 Training Camps include training with some of the nation’s best coaches, playing with and against some of the nation’s best players in their age group, exposure to U.S. Soccer scouts, and off-the-field guest speakers and classroom sessions – creating a multi-faceted learning experience. The current id2 program cycle targets boys born in 2001 and girls born in 2000. There are camps in Oregon and North Carolina this spring. For more information about visit the id2 Program usclubsoccer.org/id2.
and performance. We have worked hard all year at going up-tempo and getting to a level of fitness that can be sustained for four quarters. Also, this team learned a lot from our losses and never gave up in trying to improve each and every week. “We are playing our best basketball of the season right now and getting major contributions from several players. We are passing the ball better than earlier in the year and really looking to get the best shot possible on each possession.” The first-year head coach added that the team’s ability to mix up defenses and push the ball up court on offense were keys to the playoff run.
OTHER POST-SEASON RESULTS Northgate girls won their opening-round NCS game 4032 over Montgomery before coach Dan Middleton’s team met a familiar foe, losing to Carondelet 75-41. The Cougars eliminated Northgate from NCS every year from 2005 through 2012, except 2011 when CVCHS turned the trick. Clayton Valley boys gave a good account of themselves in their NCS first-round game against Maria Carrillo before dropping a 72-64 verdict in a tightly-contested game. Carrillo was then eliminated by Newark Memorial which went on to win the Division II title and is seeded fourth in the Open Division at NorCal. Newark beat Concord 74-70 in the NCS championship game in a wild finish. The Minutemen are second seeds in DII at NorCal, hoping to match the magical run DVAL rival College Park had last year to the state championship game.
Moita brothers’ college teams meet on the mat
Photo courtesy Moita family
Olympic gold medalist and world champion Jordan Burroughs (center) is flanked by Clayton’s own collegiate wrestlers, senior Vince Moita (125 pounds) of Brown University and sophomore Joe Moita (133) of Columbia. The Moita brothers followed their successful high school careers at De La Salle by matriculating to the East Coast for college. Their schools met on the mat late last month with Columbia prevailing 33-9. After graduation, Vince Moita plans to return to the West Coast for law school. Their DLS teammate Luke Sheridan (184) has been having an excellent junior season at Indiana University.
March 14, 2014
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 11
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AFTER LOSING A 2-0 LEAD IN THE FINALS, MDSA STRIKERS FC WON A PENALTY KICK SHOOTOUT and took home the championship for U12 boys at the President’s Cup in San Jose. The team includes, front row from left, Matthew Loui, Felipe Ognian, Abdullah Saleh, Zachary Kaleal, Thomas Cordova, Aidan Cook and “lucky charm” Javier Cordova”; back row, coach Anthony Kaleal, John Glenn, Mateo Cordova, Nicolas Campos, Joseph Ferrell, Tyler Loui, Ryan Chand and coach Jorge Cordova. Not pictured, coach Jim Hawk and Joseph Hawk. JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Three teams from Mt. Diablo Soccer Association claimed titles at the President’s Cup in San Jose last month as the AYSO tournament season kicked into gear. The under 10 girls MDSA Vortex, U10 Arsenal boys and U12 MDSA Strikers FC boys all won titles in the busy weekend that required teams to play up to six games over two days. MDSA Vortex won two games but lost to Palo Alto Net Ripper 1-0 on the opening day. They then took a lopsided 6-0 verdict in the quarterfinals over Cupertino Green Dragons. In the semi-finals against Davis Hurricanes the winning goal came in the waning minutes by Kelly Adams for a 1-0 victory. In the championship game the Net Rippers were the opponents again. Olivia Yoshii scored in the last five minutes for a 1-0 Vortex win that reversed the previous day’s result and scoreline. Sister team MDSA Phoenix won its bracket but was eliminated on Sunday. The U12 Strikers FC won five games in two days to reach the championship game. The semi-final game found the Strikers against MDSA United with the Strikers prevailing 3-2. In the finals against Mountain
View Hammers the Strikers took charge with 2-0 lead at halftime, but the Hammers came out strong in the second half and tied the game in the fourth quarter. The teams went straight to penalty kicks at the end of a 2-2 regulation game. The Strikers won it on the sixth PK round. United rebounded from its semi-finals loss to blank Davis Elite 3-0 for third place. The U10 boys MDSA Arsenal had five shutouts in six games en route to a President’s Cup title with a 32-1 scoring margin. Both the semi-finals and finals were 3-0 wins over San Jose Barcelona and Mountain View Tigers, respectively. The MDSA Diablos beat Barcelona 2-1 to take third in the U10 boys bracket in the highest scoring among six games they played. Diablos only gave up three goals on the weekend. In the U14 boys bracket MDSA Legends United FC tied for the best group play record but lost in the quarterfinals 1-0 to Pacifica Electrolytes. In the U14 girls flight MDSA Fury got all the way to the finals before dropping a 2-0 decision to Mountain View Revolution, which beat the local team twice on the weekend. The U12 girls MDSA Legends FC won its red division
bracket but then was upended 3-2 by Intensity in the quarterfinals. In the U12 girls white division MDSA Heat took third by defeating Black Storm 2-0 in its final match after losing to Bel-
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A LATE GOAL IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH gave MDSA Vortex a 1-0 victory and the title at the President’s Cup in San Jose. The team includes, front row from left, Alyssa Birder, Kelly Adams, Emma Williams, Ainsley Townlin; middle row, Carly Urteaga, Milla Anum, Lauren Gherlone, Olivia Yoshii, Julia Stranko, Bailey Kessinger; back row, assistant coach KC Anum, assistant youth coach Devanne Zalewksi, assistant youth coach Nikki Apana and head coach Kim Apana.
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Free Agency: Boon or Bust for Raiders?
TYLER LEHMAN SPORTS TALK Imagine being a kid in a candy store, your pockets full of money, only to find that there isn’t really any good candy in the store to buy. This is similar to the dilemma the Oakland Raiders are currently facing. The Raiders currently have the most cap space of any team in the National Football League with an estimated $66.5 million in cap space. There is no shortage of cap room for the Raiders this offseason, but unfortunately there is a lack of talent in this
year’s free agent market to spend it on. Free agency is filled with many middle tier players. There are a lot of solid rotation men, back-ups and older veterans, but there are not many elite, young players. Another problem for the Raiders this offseason is their conflicting interests between the general manager and owner. Mark Davis, owner of the Raiders, has made it publicly known that if there aren’t improvements to this year’s team both head coach Dennis Allen and general manager Reggie McKenzie will lose their jobs. With McKenzie’s job on the line, it is questionable whether he will even go after developmental players for the future in free agency. If McKenzie wants to keep his job he needs to win now. He might be more prone to signing stop-gap players who aren’t in the franchise’s long-
term interest, but might help the Raiders win a couple extra games next season. Regardless of McKenzie’s mindset, the Raiders first moves of free agency should be resigning Lamarr Houston and Jared Veldheer. Houston is the best defensive player on the Raiders and it would egregious if they did not re-sign him. He has quick burst and immense power. He is best as a run-stopping defensive end and he is invaluable to a talentdepleted Raiders defense. Veldheer has played well enough over the past few years to warrant calling him one of the better left tackles in the league. It is a mystery who will be playing quarterback for the Raiders next season, but regardless of who it is they will want Veldheer protecting their left side. Once the Raiders have resigned Veldheer and Houston, it remains unknown what direc-
tion they will head. The team is in dire need of a quarterback, but with the top quarterback free agents being Josh McCown, Matt Cassel and Michael Vick, it doesn’t look like the long-term QB answer is in this year’s free agent market for the Raiders. They will most likely take a quarterback with their second or third round pick, sign a free agent quarterback and let the two battle for the starting position. The Raiders have an innumerable amount of needs. They have more than enough money to sign players to fill their roster and it will be interesting to see how McKenzie decides to build this team with his job on the line. Tyler Lehman is a sophomore at Diablo Valley College and a 2012 CVHS graduate. He plans to major in journalism and wants to be a sports writer. Email your comments or questions to Tyler@claytonpioneer.com.
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Page 12
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
March 14, 2014
Sports St. Bonaventure 6th grade boys wrap up two league titles
St. Bonaventure CYO basketball had a pair of league champions in sixth grade boys competition this season. The sixth grade St. Bonnies American team (left) won its third consecutive league title and then advanced to the semi-finals of the Oakland Diocese Tournament. The team includes, bottom row from left, Eric Zimmer, Seth Gwynn, Luke Westermeyer, Tyler Darr, Connor Lawson; back row, coach Dave Gwynn, Clayton Seastrand, Tristen Daley, coach Kevin Daley, Mikey Mann, Jayson Downs, coach Kevin Zimmer and Derek Luedtke. The sixth grade National team (right) won league for the first time. They then entered the playoffs as the No. 4 seed and rolled past top-seed Good Shepherd and Holy Rosary, a team that beat them by 17 points in the regular season, for the title. They concluded their season as quarterfinals in the Heritage Tournament of Champions. The national team includes, front row from left, Mitch Hansen, Jack Gwynn, Shane Duckworth, Ryan Rickard, Carson Newman; back row, coach Dave Gwynn, Kalani Uu, coach Peter Shadek, Cole Shadek, Kolbie Kowalski, Donald Bass, Jesse Reyes and coach Mike Duckworth.
Sports Shorts DANA HILLS SWIM TEAM REGISTRATION ON LINE Dana Hills Swim Team is accepting online registrations for the 2014 recreation season. New members are given the option to sign up for the team on a free, one-week “trial” basis. Dana Hills has won 21 of the past 22 Concord Swim Championships. For additional info and to register, visit danahillsotters.com. CONCORD CUP XXI SOCCER RETURNS MAY 17-18 The 20th anniversary edition of Concord Cup youth soccer program which began in 1994 returns to many local fields on May 17-18. Applications are now being accepted for boys and girls teams from U10-U19. Concord Cup is a rare tournament that includes both AYSO and club teams. Diablo FC, MDSA and Concord AYSO are the host leagues. For information visit concordcup.com. CVCHS
TRACK OFF TO FLYING START IN PLEASANTON
The Clayton Valley Charter High School girls 4x100 relay team of Brianne Newell, Jessica Forrester, Diwa Esko and Sarah Holt won the recent Dan Gabor Invitational at Amador Valley High against a very deep field in a time of 51.71, which is amongst the top 25 times in the state. Xavier Crawford, who stumbled coming out of the blocks, ran a blazing 11.21 to win the men’s 100 meters. Megan Coppa ran the 400M in 62.09. Other good early-season marks were posted by Casey Mitchell (girls pole vault), Lindsay Mondloch (girls 800M), Anthony Fuentes (800M) and Danny Condon (1600M) for coach Darren Newell’s Eagles.
DOMENIC MAZZA BEATS NATIONAL CHAMPION UCLA Clayton Valley Charter grad Domenic Mazza picked up the win for UC Santa Barbara recently over defending national champion UCLA in a non-league game. The sophomore lefthander pitched 5.2 innings while surrendering two runs on four hits to notch his first win of the young season. SPRING
PROGRAM REGISTRATION ENDING SOON AT CLAYTON GYM
Signup deadlines are fast approaching for All Out Sports League programs at Clayton Gym. Adult Sunday softball league begins this weekend. Open gym for volleyball players 18 and over is on Wednesdays from 7:30-10 p.m. through Mar. 25. Adult volleyball league on Wednesdays runs from Apr. 2-May 28 with a Mar. 20 registration deadline. For complete information on all the programs, visit alloutsportsleague.com.
DIABLO FC SOCCER TRYOUTS CONTINUE IN APRIL Tryouts for U15-U19 players with Diablo FC will be held in April. Younger players in the U9-U14 age groups who missed formal tryouts can contact the club for an individual evaluation and possible placement on a competitive team for the 2014 season. Visit diablofc.org to register for free tryouts in all age groups. WALNUT COUNTRY OFFERING SPRING CLINIC FOR RECREATION SWIMMERS Head coach Adrian Lohse is offering a spring clinic to teach the foundation of proper stroke technique. The clinic is designed to get boys and girls ready for the Walnut Country recreational swim team season. Swimmers from the six and under age group to 15-18 ages are eligible to attend. The clinic runs weekdays through Apr. 11. For info on the clinic and Walnut Country Swim Team contact Lohse by email at coachadrianswim@gmail.com
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Ipsen takes 1st, 2nd, 3rd at Pacific-12 diving meet Stanford junior Kristian Ipsen recently defended his Pacific-12 Conference onemeter diving championship in Washington but fell short of a third straight crown in the threemeter by 2.65 points. The Clayton native is in Colorado Springs this week for the NCAA Zone E diving meet leading up to the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas Mar. 27-29. Ipsen set a new Pac-12 scoring record with 481.65 points in the 1M but he was upset by Canadian Riley McCormick in the 3M. The Stanford diver was third off the platform. Ipsen skipped the Pac-12 meet in 2012 prepping for the London Olympics as a freshman but has three NCAA titles to his name in his first two seasons as well as a pair of runnerup National meet placings.
20TH CVCHS ATHLETIC BOOSTERS CRAB FEED & AUCTION SATURDAY Clayton Valley Charter High School Athletic Boosters will hold their 20th annual Crab Feed and Auction this Saturday at Centre Concord. Tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis and the popular event always sells out. You must be 21 or older to attend. For more info email cvabcrabfeed@gmail.com or go to cvhsboosters.org to order tickets for a night of food, drink, dancing, exciting auctions and outstanding raffle prizes. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with dinner served at 7 p.m. OAKHURST ORCAS
SIGNUPS FOR UPCOMING SEASON APRIL 11
Final Oakhurst Orcas summer recreation swim team registration date is Apr. 11 from 6:30-8 p.m. at Oakhurst Country Club. Information is available at oakhurstorcas.com.
CLAYTON PIONEER
WANTS TO HEAR YOUR SPORTS STORY
We get plenty of information from local high schools, sports leagues and clubs. What we don’t hear about so often are from our neighbors who are competing below that radar screen. There are Claytonians who are participating in sports and recreational endeavors that we don’t normally hear about but we’d like to tell their stories too. If you know of someone — or even if you are that someone — let us know what you’re doing and perhaps we’ll find it something our readers would love to read about! If you’re running, jumping, hiking, biking, swimming, skydiving, bowling, golfing or participating in any of dozens of other sports and recreational activities let us know. Give us a brief rundown and your contact information and we might be in touch with you. It’s as simple as sending an email to sports@claytonpioneer.com.
The Torrey Team is now in Clayton! Zack Torrey, of the hugely successful Torrey Team with J. Rockcliff Realtors, has moved to Clayton! He and his family love the small town atmosphere and tight knit community. With over 4 decades of success throughout the central county area, Zack and the rest of The Torrey Team bring a unique blend of exemplary service to Clayton. If you’re thinking of buying or selling a home in Clayton, find out what the HOME TEAM ADVANTAGE can do for you!
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March 14, 2014
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 13
Club News
Fitness a priority for CBCA GARY CARR Special to the Pioneer
The Clayton Business and Community Association made a commitment to the health and fitness of the community at its last meeting, reviewing track and field needs, getting bocce court updates and finding out where the CBCA-funded defibrillators have been installed. At the Feb. 27 meeting at the Oakhurst Country Club, Clayton Valley High School track and field coaches Darren Newell and Todd Enemark pitched a proposal to fund an “Acceleration Hill,” a man-made 40-meter slope with a 30 percent grade designed to improve athletes’ strength and technical skills. The association will vote on granting funds at the March meeting. Meanwhile, the advent of bocce in Clayton continues to gain support. Keith Haydon reported on the progress of the downtown courts and had
detailed plans in hand. Naming rights for courts, tables and benches are available for purchase, he said. Two court sponsors have stepped forward, at $25,000 each, and a Clayton family will be purchasing naming rights to a table. Table sponsorships cost $4,000 each; bench sponsorships are $2,500 per bench, Haydon said. The health and safety of the community was also discussed as Clayton Chief of Police Chris Thorsen reported that two new Automatic External Defibrillators are now in place in the community: One at Ed’s Mudville Grill and the other at Skipolini’s. These AEDs were funded by CBCA. “Use the Acceleration Hill now, avoid the defibrillator later,” one member advised. OTHER CBCA NEWS The Art & Wine Festival, set for May 3 and 4, is ahead of schedule in attracting sponsors, according to festival chairperson Lou Gernhart. As always, volun-
teers are needed from both CBCA and the general community. Clayton Garden Club president Steve Lane announced that plans for improvements to the Clayton Museum’s gardens are being developed for city approval. Engraved bricks for the hardscape can be purchased at one of three levels. Interested donors may contact Lane at claytonvalleygardenclub.org. Lane also announced that the Clayton Historical Society’s 22nd annual Clayton Gardens Tour will be Saturday and Sunday, April 2627, rain or shine. Association members voted approval of a donation for CVCHS seniors who need financial assistance to be able to attend Grad Night, the school-sponsored safe, sane and healthy graduation night event. CBCA exists to benefit the entire Clayton community through fundraising activities and other events. To join CBCA or to volunteer for an event, visit www.claytoncbca.org or call (925) 672-2272.
Clayton Valley Garden Club organizes rose pruning work party Get Acquainted Offer
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Back row: Steve Lane, Linda Cruz, Chris Callaghan, Robb Kingsbury, Debbie Eistetter, Seated: Joan Thisius, Carin Kaplan, Marcia Hart, Ingela Nielsen formed a rose pruning work party at the Clayton Library.
Everything will be coming up roses this spring at the Clayton Library thanks to the Clayton Valley Garden Club. Members pruned and thinned out the 39 rose bushes at the library on March 2. Joan Thisius, club member, rosarian and director of the Contra Costa Rose Soci-
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Boy Scouts Troop 444 celebrates Scouting birthday
Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Venture Scouts celebrated Scout Sunday at Saint Bonaventure Catholic Community Church in February.
Saint Bonaventure Catholic Community Church celebrated Scout Sunday on Feb. 22. Boy Scouts of America celebrate the birthday of scouting in February. Scouts across America celebrate the occasion at their local places of worship on Scout Sunday. Saint Bonaventure is the chartering organization for Pack 444, Troop 444 and Crew 444. Both Catholic and Protestant Scouts, young men and women, from these groups were recognized on Scout Sunday at Saint Bonaventure for earning the religious emblems of their faith. Father Richard Mangini, pastor, was honored with the St. George Emblem for significant and outstanding contributions to the spiritual development of Catholic youth in scouting. Crew 444 associate advisor, Courtney Mizutani, was recognized for her volunteer service to ministry and the Boy Scouts of America.
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The death of a beloved pet can be devastating. Share loving memories with friends & family by creating a Reflections Memorial for your departed pet. Send a photo (JPEG, PDF format, 300 dpi) with your reflection (maximum words – 75) to Reflections@claytonpioneer.com. Include your name, address, phone and email address. Memorial box is 4” wide by 3” high. Cost is $90. We will call you for credit card info.
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percent off one 7-week dog training session. Two-year-old Keira is a sweetie who is looking for someone to sit close to for lots of pets! It is unknown whether Keira has previous experience with children. She is suitable for a first time cat guardian The adoption fee for adult cats is $50. Meet your forever friend at Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek, during adoption hours: Noon to 5 pm. Wednesday, 3 to 7 pm. Thursday
and Friday, Noon to 5 pm. Saturday and Sunday. The primary caretaker must be present to adopt. ARF also encourages kids 16 and younger and canine family members (dog adoptions only) to be present during the adoption process. Would you like to be part of the heroic team that saves the lives of rescued dogs and cats? Can you share your talents to connect people and animals? ARF volunteers are making a difference! For more information see our website, www.arf.net, or call 925.256.1ARF.
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Page 14
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
March 14, 2014
Community Calendar PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M. MAR. 19 FOR THE MAR. 28 ISSUE. ITEMS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY EMAIL TO calendar@claytonpioneer.com
IN CLAYTON Mar. 18 Happy Birthday, Clayton
Celebrate Clayton’s 50th birthday as an incorporated city by visiting a new exhibit at the Clayton Museum and having cake at the city council meeting at Endeavor Hall to commemorate the first city council meeting. Exhibit opens at 4:30 p.m., 6101 Main St. City council meeting at 7 p.m., 6008 Center St., Clayton.
musical that encourages audience participation. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $14. fantasyforum.org.
Mar. 30 Herstory
Thru Mar. 16 “South Pacific”
A Women’s History Month Celebration performed by the Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra. 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $10-$30. cccorch.org.
Enchanting tale of romance set on a tropical island during WWII. California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. $10-$20. pittsburgcommunitytheatre.org. 427-1611. Mar. 14 – 15 “Xxtremes”
Mar. 21 – 23 Creekside Arts
Arts, entertainment, environmental education. This year’s theme, “Mount Diablo…Rising from the Ashes,” highlights the Morgan Fire and regeneration. Fri. 6 – 8 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sun. 12 – 5 p.m. Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Rd. Free. claytonlibrary.org. Apr. 3 Oakhurst Business Network
Meets quarterly for social hour. Hosted hors d’oeuvres, cash bar. 6 – 7:30 p.m. Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Drive, Clayton. oakhurstcc.com. Apr. 4 – 12 “Night of January 16th”
A tense and humorous courtroom drama depicting a murder trial. Jury picked from the audience. Is she guilty of murder or not? Clayton Theatre Company, Endeavor Hall, 6008 Center St., Clayton. $12-$18. claytontheatrecompany.com. 222-9106.
IN CONCORD
Performed by Smuin Ballet. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $70. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
A musical based on “Through the Looking Glass.” Presented by Center Stage Theatre and Contra Costa Christian Theatre. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $14. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Mar. 15 Almost Elton John
One of the best Elton John tribute acts. 8 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $25-$27. elcampaniltheatre.com. Mar. 16 Commanders Jazz Ensemble
An ensemble from the United States Air Force. 3 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. Free. elcampaniltheatre.com. Starting Mar. 20 Ham Radio Licensing Course
Tuesdays year round, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. cityofconcord.org.
Learn everything you need to upgrade your Amateur Radio License to General Class. Sponsored by The Salvation Army and Mt. Diablo Amateur Radio Club. 8 weeks. 7 – 9 p.m. The Salvation Army, 3950 Clayton Road, Concord. Materials and textbook fees. Registration required. hamradioclass@gmail.com. 465-9554.
Family event with folk band featuring guitar, banjo, mandolin and fiddle. 3:30 p.m. 2nd Chance Boutique, 4305 Clayton Road, Concord. Free. 2ndchanceboutique.com. Mar. 23 Summer Programs Expo
Get info and meet instructors from summer camps/programs offered through the city of Concord. Activities, demos and prizes. Save 10% at camps when register at expo. 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Rd, Concord. Free. cityofconcord.org/recreation. Apr. 1 – May 13 Disaster Preparedness Training
Learn how to protect yourself, your family and your neighbors in a disaster with no emergency services available. Sponsored by the Concord Emergency Response Team. Fire Training Center, 2945 Treat Blvd., Concord. Free. concordcert.org. 603-5933. Apr. 5 – 6 Quilt Show
Quilts, demos, boutique, youth activities, opportunity quilt. Sponsored by the Guild of Quilters of Contra Costa County. Sat. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sun. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Rd, Concord. $8 adult; $4 youth; under 6 free. contracostaquiltguild.org.
ON THE MOUNTAIN Mount Diablo Interpretive Association programs listed are free with the exception of park entrance fee. Go to mdia.org and click on Events Calendar for more information. Mar. 16 Black Point Hike
Hike to the summit of Black Point before returning to trailhead. 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Meet at Mitchell Canyon trailhead. Mar. 22 Butterfly Walk
Walk up Mitchell Canyon Road to Red Road looking for flowers and butterflies. Ten to 15 different butterflies possible. Bring binoculars. 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Meet at Mitchell Canyon trailhead. Registration required. Save Mount Diablo programs listed are free unless otherwise noted. Go to savemountdiablo.org and click on Activities/Guided Hikes for more information. 947-3535. Mar. 29 Family Hike
Easy hike around Mount Diablo’s Summit. Walk on the Mary Bowerman Trail through a portion of the area damaged by the Morgan Fire. Look for wildflowers and new growth. 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Meet at Lower Summit Parking Lot. Response required to smdinfo@savemountdiablo.org. Apr. 30 Student Photo Contest
Contest for students kindergarten through grade 12 of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Submit photo of one of eligible Diablo parks that shows why the student enjoys the land and thinks it should be protected. Due Apr. 30. savemountdiablocontest.com.
EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT Thru Mar. 16 “Sleeping Beauty”
Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble performs this family-friendly
Mar. 28 – 29 Mad About Marriage
Weekend seminar on communication, problem solving and more. Couples and singles welcome. Concord International Adventist Church, 1655 West St., Concord. Free. Register at madaboutmarriage.com.
Mar. 14 – 23 “Wonderland!”
Tuesdays Farmers’ Market
Mar. 16 Tangled Up in Blue
CHURCHES AND RELIGION
Mar. 21 H.M.S. Pinafore Singalong
Performed by Lamplighters Music Theatre. 8 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $20-$36. lamplighters.org. Mar. 21 – Apr. 5 “Weekend Comedy”
Funny, home-spun tale about two couples who accidentally rent the same vacation cabin for the weekend. Presented by Onstage Theatre at the Campbell Theatre, 636 Ward St., Martinez. $12$18. onstagethhm@aol.com. 518-3277. Mar. 21 – Apr. 20 “Les Miserables”
Treasured tale about the survival of the human spirit. Performed by the Contra Costa Musical Theatre. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $44-$57. ccmt.org. Mar. 22 Sincerity Girls Ensemble – Something New
Presented by Music Repertoire. 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $10. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Mar. 22 Top Shelf
Tribute to Motown. 8 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $25-$27. elcampaniltheatre.com. Mar. 23 Brahms 1
Diablo Symphony Orchestra. 2 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $12-$28. diablosymphony.org. Mar. 24 In the Mood
Musical revue of the 1940s performed by ArtBeat. 2 and 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $58-$62. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Mar. 28 Justin Harrison
Comedy. Presented by the Laff Gang. 8:45 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., W.C.. $20. lesherartscenter.org. 9437469. Mar. 28 – Apr. 26 “Sleuth”
One of the best stage thrillers of all time. Performed by Center REP. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $33-$54. centerrep.org. Mar. 29 Johnny Steele
Comedy. Presented by the Laff Gang. 8:45 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $20. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Mar. 29 Junius Courtney Big Band
Lace up your dancing shoes and get ready to swing. 8 p.m. California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. $15. pittsburgcommunitytheatre.org. 427-1611. Mar. 29 – 30 “Social Security”
Aging mothers have never been funnier, unless they’re your aging mother. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $12$15. elcampaniltheatre.com.
FUNDRAISERS Mar. 20 The Eagle Arts Expo
Fabulous showcase of student artwork from Clayton Valley Charter High School, Pine Hollow and Diablo View on display during Open House. Jazz Band, raffle prizes and awards. Benefits the Arts at CVCHS. Donations for raffle items appreciated. 6 p.m. CVCHS Multi-Use Room, 1101 Alberta Way, Concord. Contact Mrs. Nolan at 682-7474, ext 2683. Mar. 22 Auction
Walk on the Wild Side auction benefiting the Mt. Diablo Elementary School. Raffle, live and silent auctions, food, dancing and gaming tables. 5:30 – 11 p.m. Crowne Plaza Hotel, 45 John Glenn Drive, Concord. $45 before Mar. 17; $50 after. Adults only. mdes-mdusd-ca.schoolloop.com. Mar. 29 The California Philharmonic Youth Orchestra
Performance benefiting Imagine No Malaria. Coordinated by the Concord United Methodist Church. 3 – 5 p.m. California Theater, 345 S. First St., San Jose. $30. Contact Betsy Mcleod at 2127459 or the church at 685-5260.
AT THE LIBRARY The Clayton Library is at 6125 Clayton Road. Programs are free unless otherwise noted. claytonlibrary.org or 673-0659. Tuesdays Mar. 25 – May 13 Patty Cakes
Story time for babies to 3-year-olds. Child attends with caregiver. 11 a.m. Wednesdays Book Buddies
A volunteer will read stories for children 3 and older. 2 - 3 p.m. Call in advance. Thursdays Mar. 27 – May 8 Picture Book Time
Story time for 3- to 5-year-olds. Child may attend without caregiver. 11 a.m. Mar. 18, 25 Paws to Read
Learn to read by reading aloud to a dog. Grades 1 – 5. Registration required. 4 or 4:35 p.m. Mar. 26 “Play Away Please”
Author talk with John Peter Hagen sharing his life and love of golf. 7 p.m. The Concord Library is at 2900 Salvio St. ccclib.org or 646-5455. Friday and Saturdays thru Apr. 14
Free income tax assistance from AARP to low and middleincome people. Appointment required. Mar. 29 Computers and Technology
If you need help with your mouse, come to our house. Drop-in assistance to learn how to use computers, smart phones and tablets. 12 - 2 p.m. Additional dates and times offered. Check library calendar. Mar. 31 Movie
Come watch a G or PG rated movie. Ages 5 – 11. 7 – 8:30 p.m.
GOVERNMENT 1st and 3rd Tuesdays Clayton City Council
7 p.m. Hoyer Hall, Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road. 6737304 or ci.clayton.ca.us. 2nd and 4th Tuesdays Clayton Planning Commission
7 p.m., Hoyer Hall, Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road. 6737304 or ci.clayton.ca.us. 1st, 2nd and 4th Tuesdays Concord City Council
6:30 p.m., Council Chamber, Concord Civic Center, 1950 Parkside Dr. cityofconcord.org.
Meeting dates and times for local clubs and organizations are listed at claytonpioneer.com. Click on ‘Links’
March 14, 2014
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Performing Arts
Page 15
Piedmont-Oakland Repertory Theatre
Contra Costa Ballet to present ‘Swan Lake’ Swan Lake, one of the greatest and most revered,
fairytale ballets of all time is coming to the Lesher Center in
KRISTIN LINDSAY performs the technically challenging dual roles of Odette/Odile, and Aaron Orza makes his CC Ballet debut as her eternally-devoted Prince Siegfried in “Swan Lake” at the Lesher Center, May 2 and 3.
Walnut Creek May 2 and 3. Highlighting the dancers of the Contra Costa Ballet Company, dressed in all white, the opulent “Swan Lake” casts a haunting innocence on the passion of undying love. This archetypal story of good versus evil features the enduring choreography of Petipa/Ivanov and is set to Tchaikovsky’s magnificent, timeless score. Filled with beauty and enchantment, Contra Costa Ballet’s Swan Lake will captivate audiences of all ages.
presents
MICHELLE CAIMOTTO FLAUTIST
The Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra will wrap up March with HERstory, A Women’s History Month Celebration featuring women composers and artists. Michelle Caimotto, world renowned and prolific, Bay Area flute super star joins CCCO with the iconic Chaminade Concerto. The world premiere of Estefania
Jerry Sterner’s
Other People’s Money
The Contra Costa Ballet Company is a regional, preprofessional youth company of unusual stature. Under the direction of Richard Cammack and Zola Dishong, and sponsored by the non-profit Contra Costa Ballet Foundation, Contra Costa Ballet produces two high-quality productions annually at the Lesher Center: Spring Rep and Story of the Nutcracker. For ticket information and performance times, call (925) 943SHOW (7469) or go to www.lesherartscenter.org .
A dark comedy about Corporate Raiders on the loose Kehilla Community Synagogue 1300 Grand Ave., Oakland
Tickets $25 at www.PiedmontOaklandRep.org
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Clever ‘Sleuth’ dazzles on Lesher stage
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CC Chamber to honor women artists in HERstory, a wrap-up of Womens History Month Webster’s Tren del fin del mundo, will take you to the end of the world, with an exciting and mysterious rendition of the Argentinian landscape. Lili Boulanger’s d’un matin du printemps brings a romantic moment, juxtaposed with a stirring invocation from Stacy Garrop’s Thunderwalker. Also on the program are women master composers Jennifer Higdon with Fanfare Ritmico, Libby Larsen’s Overture for the End of a Century, and Emma Lou Diemer’s Festival Overture. Long-time educator and conductor Timothy Smith will introduce each piece with insights into the composers’ lives and work. Performances are March 29, 7:30 p.m. at Los Medanos College Recital Hall in Pittsburg. Tickets are $5-$10 at the door; and March 30, 7:30 p.m. at the Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, Tickets are $10-$30 at the door, or order by phone (925-943SHOW) or online at www.LesherArtsCenter.org.
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THOMAS GORREBEECK AND KIT WILDER star in Center REP’s production of Sleuth, opening March 28 at the Lesher Center.
Center REPertory Company’s production of “Sleuth” — called one of the best stage thrillers of all time — runs at the Lesher Center for the Arts March 28 to April 26. “Sleuth” has been wowing audiences with its breathtaking surprises and revelations for decades. Successful British mystery writer Andrew Wyke invites his wife’s lover to his mansion and proposes an intricate scheme in which they can both come out winners. So begins the
twisty, high-stakes game of brinksmanship that The New York Times called “clever as a wagonload of monkeys solving the crossword puzzle — intricate as the Hampton Court maze — good, clean bloody fun!” For info go to CenterREP.org or call 925.943.SHOW (7469) or go to the Lesher Center Ticket Office at 1601 Civic Drive or the ticket office Outlets at Barnes & Noble in Walnut Creek and the Downtown Walnut Creek Library.
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CTC’s spring play wants audience as part of the action Did you ever want to be on a jury, but not deal with the hassle of jury duty? Theater-goers will have that chance in the new play presented by the Clayton Theatre Company, “Night of January 16,” which runs April 4 through 12. Clayton’s own theater company’s second play takes place
entirely in a courtroom during a murder trial. As a twist, members of the audience will be selected to play members of the jury — and ultimately determine the ending of the performance: guilty or not-guilty. The play’s author, Ayn Rand, intended it to dramatize a conflict between individualism and con-
formity, with the jury’s verdict revealing which viewpoint they preferred. Audience members who would like to be considered to serve on the jury should arrive 20 minutes before curtain to fill out the juror paperwork. The play is directed by LaTonya Watts, with help from
assistant director Roxanne Pardi. The company is also seeking volunteers for the performances, as well as donations to the company itself.
LINDA LANDGRAF Real Estate Professional
(925) 876-0311 lindalandgraf@comcast.net
Cal BRE License #01504011
Purchase tickets online by following a link on the company’s website, www.claytontheatrecompany.com.
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Hardy Rockrose shrub is back
NICOLE HACKETT
GARDEN GIRL Plants go in and out of style as fashion does. Red Fountain Grass, Tapien Verbena, and Carpet Roses are just a handful of plants
Sunday, April 20 • Two Seatings at 11 a.m. & 1 p.m. If you’re looking for place to go for a delicious Easter Sunday Brunch, come celebrate the holiday with your friends and family at Oakhurst Country Club. Ring in springtime with a delectable selection of food, drink, and beautiful surroundings.
There will also be a Petting Zoo, an Easter Egg hunt, and pictures with the Easter Bunny for the kids. $43.99++ Adults • $22.99++ Children (ages 4-12) For reservations, please contact (925) 672-9737 ext. 217 | eventdirector@oakhurstcc.com
1001 Peacock Creek Drive, Clayton, CA | www.oakhurstcc.com
for which customers once swarmed the nursery. Then for one reason or another their popularity began to fade, and suddenly the urgency to install these plants faded. This too was the case with the shrub commonly called Rockrose. Rockrose was the “it” shrub 20 years ago. Its popularity soared as the Oakhurst Development was being landscaped. Now, Rockrose is back by popular demand. This is a perfect shrub for our Clayton Valley climate and growing conditions. Cistus is the botanical name for Rockrose. This evergreen isn’t picky about soil. Rockrose can handle our sticky clay, as well as rocky hills. Cistus is drought-tolerant once established, needing only small amounts of summer water to survive. There is no need to fertilize Rockrose. Depending on the variety, Rockrose can have flowers in light or dark pink, white or blotched. Rockrose has the typical early spring flower display that can last four to six weeks depending on the weather. Growers can also expect a repeat of flowers in autumn. Cistus ladnifer is a variety of Rockrose with a dark green leaf and contrasting red stem. In March and April, a
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white flower with a crimson blotch covers this evergreen shrub. Flowers can be two- to twoand-a-half-inch round. The flower of a Rockrose is simple-shaped, having only five or six petals surrounding a center. Cistus ladnifer can grow four-feet tall and sixfeet wide. Consider the mature growth when planting. You want Rockrose to grow and thrive. You don’t want to have to control its size. You’ll take away from the shrub’s natural shape. Orchard pink flowers with a maroon blotch covers the Rockrose called Cistus purpureus in early spring. This selection of Rockrose has a bold color scheme and compliments red foliaged grasses well. Purpureus can reach heights of four feet and can grow eight-feet wide. Rockrose is a perfect companion to summer blooming
crape myrtle shrubs or trees, or multitrunk smoke trees. White blooming Manzanita Carmel Sur or the blue flowers of Yankee Point ceanothus would both make fine, hardy ground covers to plant along a Rockrose. Consider planting Rockrose along fence lines, hillsides and side yards. When planting, take care to dig a wide enough hole. Water plant before installing, and mix soil conditioner in with the native soil. Water thoroughly after planting. Cistus shrubs are handsome foundation plants with pretty spring flower. They are tough to kill in our Clayton Valley landscapes. Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts and Garden. Contact her with questions or comments at Gardengirl@claytonpioneer.com
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Page 17
Book Review
‘Jinni’: A magical fable of love, hope and belonging One of the time-tested stories that holds broad appeal is the immigrant tale. Not only is the traveler’s story one of hope and belonging, it can provide the backdrop to any number of plot twists. Take for instance, “The Golem & the Jinni,” Helene Wecker’s debut novel (Harper Perennial; Reprint edition, December 2013). It is New York in 1899, and two strange immigrants have found one another. One is a Jinni, trapped in physical form by an evil wizard in ancient Syria and locked in a bottle for a thousand
years. The Jinni is released by a hapless tinsmith as he attempts to repair the bottle in the slums of New York. The Golem is a madeto-order bride, a woman created of clay and sparked to life with an incantation known only by her creator and by the husband who, minutes after bringing her to life in the hold of the ship bound for New York from Danzig, dies of a burst appendix. Now we have two superhumans, lost and made vulnerable by their “otherness.” We also have two strangers longing for connection to something not-human,
and yet forced by circumstance to rely on humans and their strange customs. Finally, we have two beings, perhaps the last of their kind, who want more than anything, to live. The tinsmith names his Jinni Ahmad, because people after all, have names. Ahmad’s essential nature is fire. And though he’s trapped in the body of a human, he still has special powers. He can, for instance, shape metal with his bare hands, creating ornate and beautiful works of art. He becomes restless however, and begins to prowl the streets of
Tasty edamame makes a super snack
New York at night. As a Jinni, he has no need of sleep, and roaming the city when the rest of the world slumbers brings Ahmad a small measure of comfort. When she arrives in New York and jumps ship to avoid immigration, the Golem discovers herself in the Jewish ghetto, where she is adopted by a kindly rabbi. He takes her in to protect her, because she is technically just a few days old, and names her Chava. The rabbi teaches Chava how to behave around humans, how to mask her differentness with normal behaviors. She learns to cook, and takes a job. But like the Jinni, a Golem has no need for sleep so she too, begins to wander the streets of New York at night, seeking something she
can’t name. One night, inevitably, Chava and Ahmad meet. They immediately recognize each other as someone different, and form a tentative pact. They are lonely in a way they can’t explain to people and shape a kind of solace in each other’s company. Though their natures are complete opposites – Ahmad craves freedom and open space, Chava craves close relations and belonging – a bond forms. But this is not an easy fable, there is evil in the city, and even life for super-humans is complicated. The Golem and the Jinni are separated, both fearing their own natures and not entirely trusting the humans with whom they must co-exist.
CYNTHIA GREGORY
FOR
THE
BOOKS
“The Golem and the Jinni” makes for great winter reading – it’s a fabulous tale of magic and love, something we can all use a little more of. Cynthia Gregory writes book reviews, award-winning short stories and a blog. Visit her blog at PersephonesStepSisters.Wordpress.com or send email to her at cgregory111@gmail.com
DEBRA J. MORRIS Pacific Coast Farmers Market
Spring is coming and with it comes a variety of pods, like spring peas, beans, fava beans and edamame. Edamame is the name of a special variety of soybeans harvested in the green stage. They are also known as vegetable soybean, green vegetable soybean and sweet bean. Edamame is super nutritious, easy to cook, and very tasty. Called edamame in Japanese (“branched bean”) and mao dou in Chinese (“hairy bean”), these soybeans originated in China more than 2,000 years ago. Edamame is the same species as grain (or field) soybeans, but it has larger seed, sweeter flavor, smoother texture and better digestibility. They look like large lima beans. This nutritious bean is great tasting and good for you. Edamame contains about 38 percent protein, and a one-half cup serving contributes 11 grams of protein towards the
average adult requirement of 46-63 grams per day. Edamame is also rich in calcium, vitamin A and phytoestrogens. Your farmers’ market offers edamame in the pod. Pick up a bag and try them for a tasty and healthy addition to your meals. Select pods that are brightly colored, plump, smooth and firm. Edamame will last a week in a loosely sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator. Before eating, wash in cold water. CRISPY EDAMAME SNACKS Fresh edamame beans, shelled Olive oil Granulated garlic Salt Pepper Parmesan cheese, grated (optional) Preheat the oven to 400
degrees. Pat dry the edamame. Place the edamame into a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, then toss to coat. Sprinkle desired amount of granulated garlic, salt and pepper and, if desired, grated Parmesan cheese. Toss to evenly coat the edamame. Spread the edamame beans evenly on a baking sheet, in a single layer. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, then remove from oven and stir to ensure even cooking. Place back in the oven for 10 to 12 more minutes. Total amount of cooking time should be about 20 -24 minutes. (Keep an eye on the cooking process to prevent burning.) Remove from oven. Eat warm or allow to cool for a nice crispy, crunchy snack. Do not store too long as they tend to get too chewy.
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Page 18
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
March 14, 2014
Mix up designs for a one-of-a-kind look JENNIFER LEISCHER Our passion is pets.
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Buy a 40# bag of Naturewise feed, get a chick for only 25¢! Valid for Chick Day only, March 22nd. See event info below. Maximum 2 chicks per bag.
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Picture this: Two mid-century lamps, with bases constructed of stacked brass balls, sitting casually on either end of an 18th Century, ivory-colored French chest of drawers, with decorative bronze accents. Modern Lucite nesting tables sit quietly beside a traditional tufted chaise lounge, while a unique, rattan wrapped floor lamp, peaks over the back of the chaise. A vintage writing desk with a cast iron, industrial inspired base, paired with a Regency styled desk chair in a black finish, face the one picture window in the petite home office. Anchoring the furniture, is an Art Deco area rug from the 1920s, with two-toned zigzag design. And, hovering above all of these wonderful treasures is another treasure, a good-sized Italian Sputnik chandelier, dating back to the 1970s, with frosted glass and brass globes. Does this feel like furniture chaos to you? Maybe a few too many things going on? A collision of design eras and building materials? Can a living space make sense aesthetically if the furnishings are so varied? By all means, yes. While many of us may not have a house full of rare antiques, the point here is more about coordinating furniture and accessories that take you out of your comfort zone. I can’t think of one single design book, magazine, or online blog where there is a written rule that states
“all furnishings in a living space should be the same: the same color, the same style, the same fabric.” Can you imagine how drab and unexciting that would be? Let’s put your inner designer to work and think outside of the box for a moment with a couple of design suggestions. FIND SOME COMMON GROUND Right off, a homework assignment for your inner designer: why does this grouping of furniture work? This grouping works because the furnishings are well proportioned, not one single piece steals the spotlight, and all of the finishes coordinate well. These are very loose guidelines, but important guidelines to keep handy when out and about shopping, or sorting through the furnishings you currently own. Find subtle connections between your furnishings and a custom look will result. The ultimate goal is to create a living space that suits your lifestyle and the lifestyle of your family, while the furnishings quietly scream casual elegance, func-
tional design, and a very fluid and unforced appearance. MAGAZINE VS. DESIGN WORK It’s so easy, so enticing, to purchase everything you see on a spread in your favorite retail home store catalogue. How can you not love the expertly coordinated colors or the style and scale of the furniture and accessories? Instead of “selecting all,” use those pages as your inspiration. If you must have the lounge chair that is displayed, purchase the lounge chair, but search alternate venues for the accessory items, also shown. Acknowledge the obvious choice for coordinated furnishings, but then implement pieces that are unexpected. Consider visiting antique fairs, local home décor boutiques, or online marketplaces to find oneof-a-kind treasures. Jennifer Leischer is the owner of J. Designs Interior Design based in Clayton. Contact her with questions, comments and suggestions at jenna@j-designs.com.