Farmers’ Market Savings Book Inside
IT’S YOUR PAPER
Keeping Clayton Green
www.claytonpioneer.com
May 13, 2016
925.672.0500
Public Forum
Yes on Measure H
HoWard GeLLer
MAYOR’S CORNER
DAN RICHARDSON Clayton Planning Commission
‘Unsung heroes’ keep Clayton thriving
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” –Chinese Proverb
I am often asked by officials from other cities, out-oftown family and friends and even Clayton residents: “What makes Clayton such a great city to live in?” Being a cheerleader for Clayton, my answer can be lengthy. I cover known facts printed in publications and journals describing Clayton as one of the safest and most desirable towns in California in which to live.
See Mayor, page 7
Pioneer’s Herrera named top student journalist
John Johnston/City of Clayton
CLAYTON’S LANDSCAPING IS FUNDED BY A SPECIAL LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE DISTRICT parcel tax of $234.84 per residential parcel. The district is due to sunset in 2017. Measure H renews the district for another 10 years at the same rate.
PEGGY SPEAR Clayton Pioneer
Celine Herrera was just 12 years old when someone asked her what she wanted to do with her life. She said she felt totally unsure, but there was one thing she knew she wanted: She wanted to write. “Whether it was writing down the metaphors that couldn’t escape my mind or completely immersing myself into the essays my English teachers assigned me, I couldn’t deny the fact that words flowed through my veins,” says Celine, the Pioneer’s chief teen correspondent. Words have stayed with Celine, and for that she was
See Herrera, page 2
What’s Inside
Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Community Calendar . . . . .17 Directory of Advertisers . . . .7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 School News . . . . . . . . . . .10
See Yes on H, page 2
Sailor recalls his personal day of infamy He’ll never forget May ’44 disaster at Pearl Harbor ROD PLAISTED Special to the Pioneer
CELINE HERRERA
In 1997, Clayton residents, recognizing the importance of public landscaping and how it defines our community, and faced with the ever-increasing practice of the state withholding or denying funding destined for Clayton, planted a “tree.” Our “tree” came in the form of a Community Facility District, known as the Trails and Landscape Maintenance District. It was designed to provide 10 years of dedicated funding for the maintenance for our trails, open space and roadside landscaping, and
Most people think of Dec. 7 as Pearl Harbor Day, but my memories are tied to May 21. That was the day in 1944, when an explosion rocked the deck of LST (landing ship, tank) 353 in Pearl Harbor’s West Loch at 3:08 p.m. A chain reaction of explosions and fire killed 163 men, with 396
wounded. Six LSTs sunk, and several more were severely damaged. It was Pearl Harbor’s second greatest disaster, in terms of casualties. I thought I had long ago buried the event deep in my memory bank. Yet as I think about it now, it comes back with clarity of detail that surprises me. I was an 18-year-old sailor, S.2/c, assigned to an outfit called Acorn 33. We were housed on West Loch, waiting to be deployed (I later learned) to Guam – which had yet to be invaded. Our job there was to
occupy a captured Japanese airfield and convert it into a Naval base as quickly as possible. We did, and it became Naval Air Base, Guam.
ChaotiC sCene On May 21, eight fully loaded LSTs – the largest seagoing crafts ever built – were tied up on West Loch, ready to sail off for the invasion of Saipan. When fires broke out, every able-bodied man on West Loch was rushed to the dock adjacent to the burning ships to remove tons of various stacks of live ammunition
that had been off-loaded from safe for storage. an ammo ship tied up nearby. This was a super-secret We were working in teams of operation. We only talked 10-20 guys, loading ammo into trucks to be taken somewhere See West Loch, page 20
Memorial Day Observance
those who lost their lives in service of their country. This year’s celebration will mark the 150th anniversary of the first Memorial Day in 1866. The ceremony includes color guards from the local Scout units, JROTC and veteran service organizations, speakers and music by the local school choruses. A fly-over is scheduled and a small collection of military equipment will be on display. There will be seating for the first 500 to The VFW and the Korean War Veterans arrive, so plan to come early. The event is sponsored by the VFW Post Association will co-host the annual Memorial Day observance at the VFW flagpole on Main 1525, its Auxiliary and the Korean War Veterans Association, Chapter 264. St., May 30 at 10 a.m. Each year more than 500 gather on Main For more information, contact Paul Carroll, ComStreet for talks, prayer and music. The ceremony is always a moving remembrance of mander, VFW Post 1525, 925-628-9508
CONCORD RESIDENT ROD PLAISTED was stationed at West Loch in Pearl Harbor when an explosion and fire sunk six ships. He served in the U.S. Navy as a Photographer’s Mate Second Class from 1943-1946. He is shown here on Guam in 1946.
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