MAY 25 Clayton Pioneer 2007

Congratulate your grad in the Pioneer See page B4

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA PERMIT 190

IT’S YOUR PAPER www.claytonpioneer.com

May 25, 2007

925.672.0500

Clayton graduates first CERT class BILL WALCUTT

MAYOR’S CORNER

June 5 is last chance to save our landscaping Clayton voters will soon decide the fate of the Clayton Landscape Maintenance District. As you know, the current $128 a year landscape maintenance tax ends on June 30, 2007, and so does the funding to maintain the roadway landscaping, trails and open space.

Measure B on the June 5 ballot is a $197 per year tax that will replace the old Landscape Maintenance District. This is roughly a $69 a year increase over what residents are currently paying. Measure B requires a two-third majority “yes” vote to pass. This is not an easy target to hit under any circumstance.

I am supporting Measure B because I believe Clayton’s public landscaping adds to our overall quality of life. I thoroughly enjoy the peace and serenity of our tree-lined streets, our lush roadway landscaping and our scenic trails.

As a Realtor, I know that how our public landscaping is maintained impacts our property values. It is difficult to place a value on it, but people do form opinions based on what they see when they enter a city — Clayton’s curb appeal. This is why successful developers spend so much money creating grand entrances to their housing developments and why residents spruce up the front yard before they put their home up for sale.

I have had a lot of people ask me why this is on the ballot in the first place. Good or bad, right or wrong, local governments do not have taxing authority. Special assessments, including our Landscape Maintenance District, can only be imposed with a two-thirds

See Mayor, page A13

What’s Inside SECTION A Around Town . . . . . . . . . .A2, 3 Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . .A4 Classified Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . .A5 Directory of Advertisers . . . .A5 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A8 Letters to the Editor . . . . . . .A8 For the Books . . . . . . . . . . . .A9 At the Movies . . . . . . . . . . .A11 Tea for You . . . . . . . . . . . . .A11 School News . . . . . . . . . . . .A12 CVHS Reporter . . . . . . . . . .A12 SECTION B Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . .B1 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2, 3 Financial Sense . . . . . . . . . . .B4 Senior Moments . . . . . . . . . .B5 Paws and Claws . . . . . . . . . .B6 ARF Stars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Tech Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B7 Your Health . . . . . . . . . . . . .B7 Crossword Puzzle Solution .B7 Community Calendar . . . . . .B8 Church News . . . . . . . . . . . .B9 Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B9 Food for Thought . . . . . . .B10

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM VOLUNTEERS COMPLETE A SEARCH AND RESCUE DRILL at the graduation of the program’s first class on May 7. During the drill, medical triage team member, Ginny Eddy (kneeling) monitors vital signs of wall collapse victim. Harun Simbirdi (standing next to Eddy) relays critical information to the debris removal team assembled behind the pile of rubble.

TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer

A limp hand protruded from the pile of rubble that was once a wood wall. A nurse knelt beside the pile holding the victim’s hand and searched for a pulse. A group of rescuers in green vests

and hardhats listened carefully as their leader gave precise instructions for shoring up the collapsed wall and moving the debris.

Fifty yards away, another group prepared to enter a farmhouse that had been hit by an earthquake. Marking the front

door with a chalk slash to tell others behind them that they were inside, they would work their way through the dark house, slowly feeling their way along the walls and calling out to locate victims.

If Clayton is hit by a major earthquake or terrorist attack,

these scenes could play out almost anywhere in town.

Luckily, this time, the stage was the Contra Costa Fire Protection District Training Center in Concord and the event was a graduation. These men and women were completing their final drill for certification in the

city’s first Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) 18 hour course.

The 38 citizen volunteers received instruction in fire suppression and safety, search and rescue techniques, medical triage

See CERT, page A9

Voters will decide the fate of Local celebrity Clayton’s Front Yard June 5 headlines Clayton Books opening TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer

On June 5, Clayton residents will decide whether

Clayton stays green or not.

The current Landscape Maintenance District is due to expire this June leaving a scarce $36,000 left to meet this year’s

state mandated weed abatement.

Landscape maintenance has always been funded by a special district, never out of the general fund. If Measure B fails, come June 30, there will be no money to pay the water bill.

The city will have no choice but to turn the water off and let everything die.

And it won’t take long, says Maintenance Supervisor, John Johnson the May 15 City Council meeting. “The tulip trees and the ground cover will die right away. The sycamores, crape myrtles and oleanders may survive for awhile. But, there won’t be much left at all in two to three years.”

To address those who still believe that the city will find a way to water, City Manager Gary Napper prepared a list of what reductions in city services the city would have to make in order to fund landscape maintenance from the general fund should Measure B fail. In one scenario, the city would have to cut five of the 11 sworn officers in the police department to come up

See Measure B, page A9

JIM HUDAK Special to the Pioneer

Greg Kihn – the rocker, the DJ and the author To refer to Greg Kihn as a rock star would be accurate.

After all, he has toured the world, appeared twice on “Saturday Night Live” and sold millions of records.

But in terms of where he’s at nowadays, that term is outdated.

At this point, “celebrity” is a more suitable description.

Kihn is well-known today as an author and morning drive radio host on KFOX-FM in San Jose. He also can be heard doing numerous commercials and voiceovers on radio and television stations throughout the Bay Area.

See Kihn, page A13

photo by David Apelt Photography

GREG KIHN SIGNED BOOKS, joked with fans and played a little guitar at the Clayton Books grand opening May 12.

Page A2

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

May 25, 2007

Around Town Romano ladies take tea at St. Bonaventure’s St. Bonaventure’s Catholic Church hosted a Mother Daughter Tea on Sat. May 5 which brought multiple generations of mothers and daughters to share in delicious tea sandwiches, a variety of tea, delectable desserts and soothing harp music by Anne Sackman.

Speaker Kathy Roberts, Director of Community Bible Study gave an inspiring talk about women and raising families called “It Takes a Village”.

More than 200 people attended the afternoon event.

Jill Bedecarré/Clayton Pioneer

GRANDMOTHER CHRIS ROMANO, daughter-in-law, Lisa and granddaughter, Carina are pretty in pink for St. Bonaventure’s Mother-Daughter Tea.

Clayton Books celebrates Grand Opening Curious George drew dedicated fans bright and early Saturday, May 12 to kick off the grand opening of Clayton Books in Clayton Station. Owners Joel and Christy Harris planned a full day of activities which included well-know children and adult authors and local musician and author Greg Kihn. “It was a great success,” says Joel who revived the local bookstore a few months ago when it was about to close. Since then, Joel has hosted book clubs, author signings and has collaborated with local schools to carry their pre-

Senior girl scouts go for the gold in library garden Four senior Girl Scouts from Troop 3903 were honored by the city at the May 15 City Council meeting for their Gold Award

projects. Each of the women contributed a project to the Library Interpretive Garden.

Courtney Beckham, 18, built

and installed a redwood bench and arbor midway between the library and the garden. Megan Roberson, 17, designed, built and planted a

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

Megan Roberson, Courtney Beckham, Monica Fisher and Marina Bohn on the three-bench seating built by Monica Fisher in the Interpretive Garden and the Clayton Community Library.

Sensory Garden, Monica Fisher, 17, built a three-bench seating area under an oak tree and Marina Bohn, 18, built the rock path that connected all of the projects with each other and the garden.

The rock for the pathway was donated by Amex Quarry and the girls raised some money for the rest of the materials with a car wash. Despite their efforts, however, they came up short and the Troop and parents financed the rest.

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award that a Girl Scout may earn. The Gold Award project is something that fulfills a need within a girl’s community (whether local or global), creates change, and is something that becomes ongoing. The project is more than a good service project—it encompasses organizational, leadership, and networking skills.

If you enjoy the garden and would like to donate to the project, call Troop Leader Sandy Beckham, 672-1780.

ferred reading lists. Clayton Books carries new, used and

rare books and can order any title for delivery in a few days.

Jill Bedecarré/Clayton Pioneer

Curious George greets young fan Claire Chislett, who according to her mom, Jennifer, reads at least three Curious George books every night before bedtime.

Post office collects 3,023 pounds of food for Food Bank The Clayton Post Office collected 3023 pounds of food for the Contra Costa Food Bank in the annual Letter Carriers’ Food Drive. The carriers picked up bags of food donated by postal customers as they delivered mail on May 12.

The Food Bank Clayton Letter Carrier, Donna Youngquist truck arrived at the post office about noon and provided a barbeque lunch for postal workers. As the food came in, it was loaded onto the truck with Nathan Landry and Alex Landry, grandsons of Food Bank volunteer and Clayton resident Lynne Phelps, helping.

Each year, letter carriers in more than 10,000 cities and towns across America collect non-perishable food items donated by customers for the annual National Association of Letter Carriers Food Drive. This is the largest annual one-day food drive in the nation.

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Clayton $499,980 Chaparral Springs Townhome – Wonderful singlestory 2BD/2BA shows beautifully! Great room w/dining area & fireplace. Enjoy a cozy patio surrounded by the greenery of Oakhurst’s 15th hole & tasteful landscaping. Community amenities include pool & spa!

Clayton $774,980 Regency Woods – Lovely family home with 4BD/2.5BA & a flowing, fresh floorplan featuring an updated kitchen w/paneled appliances & wine storage.

Gorgeous wood floors run throughout. Open great room & master bedroom w/doors to pool & patio area.

$519,980 Concord Central Concord – Custom touches on this 3BD/2BA include paint, baseboards, crown molding & dual pane windows w/coverings. Enjoy the outdoors w/a spacious Florida room, large yards w/auto sprinklers & storage. Great curb appeal w/a court location.

$849,980 Concord Clayton Border – Nicely updated 3BD/3BA home on 5 serene acres. Includes an In-law/guest unit, 3-zone HVAC & 4-car tandem garage. Very private & gated, this property presents unique business opportunities: kennel, horses, RV/commercial vehicle parking.

Concord $999,980 Crystyl Ranch – Spacious Waterford model has 5BD/3.5BA w/ bed/bath suite downstairs. Oversized windows & soaring ceilings highlight the formal living areas. Gorgeous gourmet kitchen, refined formal dining & family room w/fireplace.

Concord $1,199,980 The Point @ Crystyl Ranch – Desirable Barcelona model offers high ceilings & ample windows. Gourmet kitchen w/granite, island & butlers pantry. Wonderful master w/retreat, dual sinks & soaking tub. Fantastic yard with panoramic views.

Concord $1,250,000 Great opportunity for builder/developer in Concord – Spacious home with 4 large bedrooms, 2BA and 1,932 s.f. rests on nearly an acre of land that has an existing Tentative Map for a 4-Lot minor subdivision. Call for more information!

May 25, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page A3

Around Town Kindercare tots walk for March of Dimes

With just about everyone participating in one charity walk or another, the kids at Kindercare (formerly Children’s World) in Clayton were not to be left out.

The school set a goal to raise $1000 during the month of May for the March of Dimes. Families contributed to the fundraiser and the children walked the parking lot in support of the effort, walking a lap for each year of their age. Pictured with their charges are Assistant Director Chantal Atwood (front) and Kindergarten teacher Lindsey Darden.

To date, the school has exceeded their goal by $10 and they are still going strong. Those who wish to help Kindercare increase their March of Dimes donations can contact Director Barbara Owens, 672-9370.

Clayton resident honored

by Head Start

Pat Pfister, right, receives recognition from Congressman George Miller. Dr. Pat Stroh is in the center.

Sonja Wilkins sings with women’s chorale Sonja Wilkin of Clayton will sing with the Diablo Women’s Chorus 64th Annual Spring Concert on Friday, June 1.

Sonja, a mezzo soprano and fellow Claytonian, Kellie Hansen will perform with the chorale in an all folk music performance at Trinity Lutheran Church in Walnut Creek.

The Diablo Women’s Chorale is a non-profit, nonauditioned group of women vocalists from all areas of the county. Annual concerts are presented at Christmas and in the Spring and the proceeds are donated to a selected local beneficiary. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $8 for students. To purchase tickets or for more information, call (925) 736-4157.

Clayton resident Sue Pfister accepted a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition on behalf of the management staff of the county’s Head Start program.

Pfister is executive secretary for the Community Services Bureau’s Head Start program, which is directed by Dr. Pat Stroh.

Congressman George Miller was among the dignitaries at the event, which was held at the George Miller III Head Start site in Richmond.

Parish Jubilee Gala draws 400 2

1

It was a night to remember as more than 400 partygoers in sequins and tuxedos turned out for St. Bonaventure’s black tie gala at Oakhurst Country Club on May 12. The party was to celebrate the parish’s Jubilee Anniversary. Also feted was the parish’s pastor, Father Richard Mangini, on the 40th anniversary of his ordination.

Every square inch of the club was put to work. Upstairs was a small history room with photos and mementoes of the church’s growth the past half century. In the main room was the dance floor where the

combo led by Claytonians Santiago and Joyce Martinez provided dancing all evening.

Downstairs the lucky and unlucky alike crowded around the roulette wheels and blackjack tables set up in the casino room. Gamblers played with “funny money” and winnings were totaled up at the end of the evening. High rollers walked away with a variety of prizes.A silent auction raised over $3200 for charity.

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Photos by Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

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4

1. Carol and Pete Chrobak; 2. Joe Fitzsimmons, Chris Romano, Carol Fitzsimmons; 3. Event Chair, Dan Gabe; 4. Renee and Tom Faine; 5.

Maureen Moosbrugger and Elaine Shingleton

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Page A4

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

May 25, 2007

Dana Foods brings back Choice meat and personal service JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer

Imagine a trip to the local grocery store where you’re greeted with smiling faces that are waiting to help you. A place where everything is fresh and the produce is as delicious as it looks. A meat department that

following in the footsteps of the family-owned Diablo Foods which thrived there for 31 years.

The owner has changed and there are some new faces to greet you, but the tradition of quality food and personal service lives on.

Owner Mark Thang is really not the new kid on the block.

pendent grocery store that so many customers and local residents had come to appreciate and rely on.

“I really felt bad for the neighborhood. All the local businesses were affected by losing the anchor grocer store,” Thang says.

Store manager Jeff Gochez

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

THE FRESH PRODUCE AT DANA FOODS IS A TEMPTING PLETHORA OF COLOR, TASTE AND SMELL. The new store in Dana Plaza specializes in quality meat, fresh produce, competitive prices and friendly customer service.

harkens back to the good old days, where the meat is USDA Choice and Prime, where a butcher prepares your purchase while you watch, and where the staff is happy to take your special order and fill it quickly.

Dana Foods in the Dana Plaza on Concord Boulevard is

Thang has owned and operated Mann’s Chinese Restaurant in Dana Plaza for 17 years and has come to know and respect his clientele as well as the businesses that surround the shopping center. When Diablo Foods announced its closure, he wasn’t willing to let go of the inde-

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agrees. “Once the store was closed, there was an outpouring from customers who missed the independent grocer and the great customer service,” says Gochez.

Thang stepped in, remodeled portions of the store, hired experienced personnel and

opened Dana Foods.

“We’re really picking up where they (Diablo Foods) left off,” he adds.

Dana Foods prides itself on serving the best meat in town, with its own butcher and choice cuts. Produce is fresh and plentiful, with wide aisles to traverse as customers choose their favorite fruits and vegetables.

Lunchtime is a treat, thanks to a full service deli with hot and cold items.

“We are also very competitive with all other products in the store, Gochez explains. “We do all our own pricing and frequently conduct surveys at other large grocery chains in the area.”

Thang plans to continue Dana Foods’ customer service and competitive pricing as they move forward.

To encourage shoppers from Clayton to make the short trek down Concord Blvd., the store is currently hosting a contest especially for Pioneer readers.

Fill out your name and phone number on the ad in this issue, take it to the store and drop it in one of the specially marked boxes and you might win $50 to spend in the store.

Along with hosting outdoor barbeques and special customer appreciation events, Thang is dedicated to serving the community by donating to local school fund-raisers and sports leagues.

When he’s not busy with his restaurant and anchor grocery store, Thang enjoys time with his family--wife, Rebecca, and children, Marvin, Alvin and Samantha.

Thang and Gochez are at the

store daily and are looking for opportunities to connect with new and veteran customers. Stop by, say hello to the staff and enjoy a grocery shopping experience that only an independent

grocer, like Dana Foods, can provide. It’s worth the extra 4 miles. Dana Foods is at 4115 Concord Blvd. in Concord. For more information, see ad on page A5.

Upcoming Events MEMORIAL DAY SERVICES MAY 28 Clayton will honor all war veterans at the annual Memorial Day Services at the VFW Flagpole at the foot of Main Street on Monday morning, May 28. The two hour program will begin at 10 a.m. with patriotic music by the Diablo View and Pine Hollow Middle School bands.

The main speaker is Major General Daniel C. Helix, U.S. Army (Ret.).

Former Councilman, mayor and Green Beret, Pete Laurence will emcee the program. Other local digni-

taries including Assemblyman Mark DeSaulnier, Supervisor Susan Bonilla, Clayton Mayor Bill Walcutt and Concord Mayor Mark Peterson will provide comments and reflections.

There will be seating for 400 and plenty of shade for those who wish to stand or bring their own chairs. The Korean War Veterans Association will provide water.

The annual commemoration is hosted by the Lt. Jerry Novakovich VFW Post 1525 and the Korean War Veterans Association, Chapter 264.

Photo taken at last year’s Memorial Day services

May 25, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Classified

City of Clayton is accepting applications for

HELP WANTED

VOLUNTEERS WANTED

Planning Commission

Garage Sale. Saturday, June 2, Regency Woods Neighborhood Garage Sale, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Items include bicycles, furniture, antiques, toys, household items, clothes, tires, auto parts, baby items, microwave, suitcases, tools, fishing equipment, etc.

Greeter. Clayton Historical Society Museum needs a greeter the second Sun. of each month from 2 - 4 p.m.

Training is provided. If interested, call 672-0240, email claytonmuseum@ sbcglobal.net or visit the museum between 2 and 4 p.m. on Wed. or Sun.

SERVICES

The Clayton Community Library is seeking to fill the following volunteer positions: (All positions require a minimum age of 13 years and a 6month commitment. Training will be provided). Shelver - to shelve and sensitize books. Must be detail oriented, various days and hours. Lead Tutor - To help with matching the student requests with the tutors and other related administrative duties in our Tutoring Program. Must have excellent skills in dealing with the public, all age levels and in group settings. Schedule is flexible.

Tutor/Homework Helper - to work one-on-one with local students in our community. You choose the age range, subjects, remedial or light help, and days/times. Office Assistant - handle filing, word processing, create flyers, volunteer database input on Microsoft Access, assistance with meetings/programs. Contact: Arlene @ 673-9777 or email: akikkawa@ccclib.org.

Term: June 2007 – June 2009 The Planning Commission is composed of five members appointed by the City Council for two-year terms. The Planning Commission advises the City Council on land use matters, including general plan amendments and zone changes. The Commission also makes decisions on site plans, use permits, subdivisions, and variances. All Planning Commission decisions can be appealed to the City Council.

The Planning Commission meets on the second and fourth Tues. of each month, 7 p.m. in the Clayton Community Library Meeting Room.Planning Commissioners receive a monthly stipend of $100. An applicant must be 18 years of age, a registered voter and a resident of Clayton.

Applications may be obtained in person at Clayton City Hall, 6000 Heritage Trail; or by mail by calling city offices at (925) 673-7300; or by Email, contact ljackson@ci.clayton.ca.us. For more information, visit the city’s Website at ww.ci.clayton.ca.us.

Please return the completed application to the City Clerk by 5 p.m., Fri., June 1, 2007. Interviews will be held the week of June 11.

Perennial Garden Design by Nicole Hackett AKA The Garden Girl.

Personal consultations regarding plant choices, placement, identification, fertilizing and maintenance. Spring is just around the corner. Call or email for information and pricing. 925-6731746 (leave message) gardengirl94517@yahoo.com.

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PIONEER INFO CONTACT US Tamara Steiner tamara@claytonpioneer.com Jill Bedecarre jill@claytonpioneer.com Beth Neudell beth@claytonpioneer.com Deanna Merrigan sports@claytonpioneer.com Send ads to ads@claytonpioneer.com Send Sports News to sports@claytonpioneer.com Send Club News to clubnews@claytonpioneer.com Send Religion News to churchnews@claytonpioneer.com

Register today Call (925) 777-1920 or visit www.NWREI.net

NATIONWIDE REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS

Dana Foods

HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD Classified rates per insertion: Non-profit: $12 for first 30 words, $.20 each additional word Individual/non-commercial: $18 for first 30 words, $.30 each additional word Commercial: $48 for first 30 words, $.40 each additional word To place your classified ad over the phone, call the office at (925) 672-0500 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. Or, you may fax your typewritten ad and credit card information to (925) 672-6580 All classifieds must be paid for in advance by credit card (Master Card or Visa) We will not accept any ad that discriminates on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, nationality, family status or disability.

The Clayton Pioneer reserves the right to reject any advertising we believe is unsuitable.

LET US KNOW

Where the meat is Choice and the parking is easy

USDA Choice meats and poultry cut order by your top-notch friendly, neighborhood butcher

Page A5

freshest fish in town produce to please the pickiest palate a deli to dazzle

Weddings, engagements, anniversaries, births and deaths all weave together as part of the fabric of our community. Please let us know of these important events. We ask only that the announcement be for a Clayton resident. You will find the appropriate form for your announcement on our Website.

Attach your photo to the form.

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

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Special drawing for Pioneer readers.

Win $50 to spend in the store Bring this ad to the store and you could win a $50 Dana Foods gift certificate

Name: ______________________phone # ______________________

Dana Foods-If you care what you eat. in Dana Plaza It’s worth the extra 4 miles down Concord Blvd.

4115 Concord Blvd. 925-609-7789 Store hours: Mon.-Sat. 8 am to 9 pm, Sun. 9 am to 7 pm

The Clayton Pioneer welcomes letters from our readers.

As a general rule, letters should be less than two double spaced pages and submitted at least one week prior to publication date.

Letters concerning current issues will have priority. We may edit letters for length and clarity.

All letters will be published at the editor’s discretion.

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

E-mail your letter in a Word Document to tamara@claytonpioneer.com. Letters MUST be submitted via E-mail.

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

AND

R OBERT S TEINER , Publishers

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

Directory of Advertisers Abbey Carpets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-9901 A Clayton Window Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .914-0508 Acupressure for Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .674-0767 Aegis of Concord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .692-5838 Aircloud Wireless Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-4119 Andrus, Randi - Keller Williams Real Estate . . . . . .381-0659 Benton, Mureleen - Ameriprise Financial . . . . . . . . .685-4523 Beautique Beauty Supply and Salon . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0405 Burkin Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1519 Butterfly Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4238 Calkins, Bill - Charlotte Clifford Realtors . . . . . . . . . .673-9164 Cartridge World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-3500 Carol Keane and Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .937-5200 CD Federal Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .825-0900 Chic'z on the Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-877-933-6644 City of Clayton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-7300 Clark, Robert C., D.O. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .969-7530 Clayton Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-3325 Clayton Financial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-5470 Clayton Fitness and Tanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2010 Clayton Mind and Body Connections . . . . . . . . . . . .673-0686 Clayton Valley Bowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-4631 Clayton Valley Medical Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6744 Clayton Valley Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3900 Clayton Valley Villa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8401 Computers USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9989 ComUnity Lending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-5363 Contra Costa County Fair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .779-7916 Cruise Adventures Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .935-7447 Dana Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .609-7789 Dan and Dave's Cat Boarding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0652 Denim & Lace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0345 Diamond Terrace Senior Retirement Living . . . . . . .524-5100 Dromlewicz, Kim - Century 21 Hosking Assoc. . . . .682-4663 Easton, Martin - Liberty Homes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8552 Easy Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3476 Englund's Tea Cottage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8327 Eternal Life Lutheran Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0295 Farrand, Greg - HomEquity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-9737 Flannery, Patty - Diablo Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0541 French, Lynne - Windemere Real Estate . . . . . . . . .672-8787 Golden Gate Satellite TV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-5959 Hadox, Paula - Kropa Realty . . . . . . .1-800-283-5075X 1003 Help - U - Sell Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-4950 Hudak, Jim - Pianist and Composer . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-7293 HomEquity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-9737 Insite Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6460 Kavanaugh, Mike ReMax Accord Real Estate . . . . .383-6102 Kelly Marshall Garden Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .914-0327 Laurence, Pete - Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . . . . .939-7920 La Veranda Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0011 Littorno, Richard - Attorney at Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6463 Lopez, Stephanie - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . . . .932-7329 Marchione, Terry - Eagles Peak Realty . . . . . . . . . .465-0435 Michael Dwyer & Sons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3980 Mike's Auto Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-1739 Miller, Linda - HomEquity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .765-4765 Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1100 Moon, Steven Dr., Chiropractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-8400 Morucci, Kim - Intero Real Estate Services . . . . . . .280-8563 Nationwide Real Estate Investments . . . . . . . . . . . .777-1920 Nature's Creations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-624-2188 Navlet's Garden Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .681-0550 Neptune Society of Northern California . . . . . . . . . .944-5100 Nichols Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9955 Nickerson, Glenna - Diablo Funding Group . . . . . . .227-0100 Nuchols, Alicia - Premier Home Loans . . . . .691-5070 X 323 Nu Image Painting & Decorating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1777 Ouimet Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4242 Peregrine Lending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .627-2564 Postal Annex + . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-8900 Quantum Stress and Pain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .459-8595 Rahimzadeh, Helen - Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . .932-7375 R&M Pool, Patio & Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0207 R.E. Carpet Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .595-8623 Reed, Ruth - ReMax Accord Real Estate . . . . . . . . .260-6731 Roberta Claire Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .625-1123 Rocco's Ristorante & Pizzeria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .947-6105 Seasonal Reflections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4425 Skylark Equestrian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .516-5942 Smith Bernal Roofing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-0138 Sonset Flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .685-8200 Sorelle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3500 Sparkle Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-5025 Stone Tree Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-2094 Straight Line Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .335-9801 The Home Depot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2790 The Maids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-6243 The Royal Rooster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2025 The UPS Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6245 Tipperary Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-2679 Van Wyck, Doug - State Farm Insurance . . . . . . . . .672-2300 Vujnovich, George - Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . .672-4433 Williams, Mike - Williams Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . .260-5363 Wooden It Be Nice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-5595

Page A6

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

May 25, 2007

Stargazers unite atop Mt. Diablo for anniversary party JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer

Star light, star bright, the first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight.

From early childhood through our adult years, many of us have stopped for a moment on a clear night, looked up to the sky, spotted that first star and recited this melodic poem from memory. For some, those brief moments are a passing fancy; for others, stargazing is much more.

Local resident Nick Tsakoyias devotes a good part of his life these days to things of celestial nature. As president of the Mt. Diablo Astronomy Society (MDAS), Tsakoyias considers himself an amateur astronomer.

He spends hours star- and solargazing as well as overseeing the business of MDAS, which is busy preparing for its 50th anniversary on June 9.

“The 50th anniversary is a milestone for the club,” Tsakoyias explains. He notes that with the return of Haley’s Comet in 1985, MDAS joined with the state Department of Parks and Recreation to sponsor a series of comet viewings on Mt. Diablo.

“More than 1,000 people showed up for that first viewing,” he says. That sparked the beginnings of a monthly stargazing program for the public at the lower summit of the mountain.

Last year, MDAS’s sister organization, the Mt. Diablo Observatory Association (MDOA), constructed an astronomical observatory near the summit with the assistance of the state parks department to commemorate MDAS’s and MDOA’s common interest in astronomy and their dedication to further science education.

On June 9, MDAS will host a star party complete with gazing opportunities, refreshments, giveaways, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, short speeches from some MDAS veterans and a special presentation by MDAS member Marni Berendsen. She will demonstrate how to make a pocket solar system and lead stargazers in viewing five planets as well as the moons of Jupiter through a telescope. Berendsen has a master’s in astronomy from the University of Western Sydney and has been a member of MDAS since 1991.

Based on the popularity of MDAS’s monthly stargazing parties, Tsakoyias is predicting a large crowd. He explains that all club presenters are park docents and are well-versed in park safety and protocol.

When talking about the anniversary and the society in general, Tsakoyias’s excitement is

NICK TSAKOYIAS contagious. “Amateur astronomy has played such a big role in society,” he says.

Tsakoyias recalls a renewed interest in astronomy in 1957, when the Soviet Union launched the world’s first orbital satellite, Sputnik I. It stirred some trepidation and a lot of interest in manmade satellites. That same year, a group of MDAS amateur astronomers participated in the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Moonwatch program, which enlisted members to observe and track artificial satellites from their post atop Mt. Diablo and individually from their own backyards.

Since then, members have logged in thousands of valuable

chancellor for research at UC Santa Cruz. Another guest was Charles Townes, the 1964 recipient of the Nobel Prize in physics.

Monthly stargazing sessions are part of MDAS’s successful outreach program, which keeps in contact with thousands of area students, Scout organizations and other community groups through the efforts of MDAS member Jim Head. He has brought the astronomy program to the classrooms throughout the area as well as to Mt. Diablo with a night at the telescopes.

“He’s so passionate about his work with the society,” says Tsakoyias.

Through his efforts, Head has fostered MDAS’s goal of bringing a knowledge of astronomy to the general public. Gazing has come a long way from the first attempts to view Sputnik with rudimentary instruments to current techniques utilizing lasers, integrated circuits and powerful home computers, explains Tsakoyias.

Stargazing is more than just a hobby for Tsakoyias, who runs a family business, Clayton Jewelry and Loan on Clayton Road in Concord. He’s an active member of the Rotary Club of Clayton Valley/Concord Sunrise and St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church. His wife, Maria, often has to drag him in from the backyard after hours of looking at the

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This photo of Saturn was taken in April 2007 by Jim Scala, member and past president of the Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society. For more photos like this go to www.mdas.net.

stars, making significant contributions to the world of astronomy.

Tsakoyias is proud of MDAS’s growth over the years.

“Our club is extremely vibrant,” he says, noting that members are active, keenly interested in the field of astronomy and determined to keep MDAS alive in the community. The society now boasts several hundred members and draws from a roster of prestigious speakers at their monthly events.

One such speaker was Bruce Morgan, a former co-investigator on the Hubble Space Telescope project. He has served on and chaired numerous scientific advisory committees on space science for NASA and is currently vice

heavens.

His interest in astronomy began when he was about 10 years old and was rekindled as an adult seven years ago. He joined MDAS in 2000 and became president this past year.

“When I first joined MDAS, there were 125 families, and now we are up to 250,” he says. “I really think it’s important for young and old alike to look at celestial objects and experience the ‘wow’ that most amateur stargazers do when they look through a telescope. Having our young get involved in science is something we really need in this country.”

For more information on the June 9 50th anniversary or to learn more about MDAS, visit www.mdas.net.

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May 25, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com

Page A7

Clayton Financial positions itself in the heart of the community

Your prom corsage is waiting for you at our new location

JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer

5356 Clayton Road.

Place online orders at

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David and Misha Doig are so committed to the community where they live that they recently decided to relocate their financial office from Benicia to downtown Clayton.

“We want to be involved in our city. We’ve been given so much, we want to give back,” says David.

Giving back includes a free notary service for all types of documents for Clayton residents and a $100 donation to a client’s school of choice when they close a loan with Clayton Financial.

The loan center, at 6160 Center St. F, adjacent to the Post Office, offers all types of loans, residential as well as commercial. When David talks about his service, he always focuses on doing the best job that he can for his clients.

This often entails going above and beyond the normal business of finding the best loan available for a particular customer. “We understand every borrower is different,” says Misha.

David, Misha and Valerie Johnson take time to get to know their clients, initially discussing their current financial portfolio and where they would like to see themselves several years from now. “It’s also an education process,” says David.

Clients are sometimes confused about points and the benefits of certain loans, and they look to us to educate and advise, he adds. “We want to get away from the used-car mentality for brokers. We are not here to take advantage; we are here

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

Clayton Financial: From left: Misha Doig, Dave Doig and Val Johnson to educate.”

Armed with all the information they need from individual clients, David and his staff make it their mission to sort out all the options and come up with a plan. “We work with the leading lenders in the industry and have access to the same loan programs as everyone else.

However, we charge fewer fees than most other companies,” David explains.

From refinancing with no cash out and debt consolidation to up to 100 percent financing for clients who qualify with certain criteria, Clayton Financial invests in each client with programs suited to individual needs.

The trio keeps current on trends in the industry and they are experts at finding the right loan for the right client. David is casual in style but ambitious and determined to draw from his 15

years experience in the industry.

Misha is fluent in French and proficient in Spanish and hopes to open doors to help the Spanish-speaking community.

Val has a degree in marketing and will head the communications department at Clayton Financial.

Clients always have questions, and the staff at Clayton Financial has the answers, from “How do I know how much house I can afford?” to “What is the difference between a fixedrate loan and an adjustable-rate loan?”

All three are also family-oriented. Misha and David are involved with their five children, while Val attempts to keep up with her four.

For more information on Clayton Financial, visit www.claytonfinancialmortgage.com or see ad page A6.

Health care, education, employment information for veterans Veterans can learn about jobs and benefits available to them at the East Bay Veterans Fair on Saturday, June 2, in Concord.

Specialists from the Veterans Administration will help access health care, disability compensation, counseling and burial benefits. Veterans can also get information about the UC, CSU and community college systems. Non-profit veterans organizations will provide information on their programs.

At the Job Fair, employers and employment counselors can help veterans improve their resumes and interview skills, along with offering tips on how to convert military experience into civilian jobs.

OTHER EVENTS INCLUDE: Workshops on meditation, yoga, tai chi and massage therapy.

An American Red Cross blood drive.

A Blue Star Moms “Drop Zone,” where people can drop off items for care packages to be sent to our troops overseas.

Military items for sale, including unit patches, pins, hats and jackets.

The fair takes place 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Concord Senior Center, 2727 Parkside Circle.

For more information, visit www.EastBayVeteransFair.org.

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Page A8

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Letters to the Editor

COME MEET

More on Clayton’s Measure “B” Dear Editor, If the city landscape dies, home values will drop more than the $197 per year that the parcel tax will cost. How can a home seller explain away dying landscape?

Bob Hoyer Dear Editor, As a former Councilman and Clayton Mayor, I can tell you that Measure B’s renewal of our Landscaping tax is necessary for the City lands of Clayton to maintain their well kept beauty. As a Realtor for 37 years, I can also tell you that this relatively small annual amount adds to Clayton’s enjoyment, reputation, and many thousands to each and every home’s value in Clayton. To keep

back the weeds and keep Clayton beautiful, Let’s vote YES on Measure B! Pete Laurence Citizens: Vote “Yes” on Measure B. It’s a no brainer.

We’ve been paying $128 a year to date. That ends this June. The new yearly rate if passed goes to $197 a year, up $69 a year. That equals a fraction less than 19-cents a day more. We spend more than that just to keep up our backyard.

This is a deal, Clayton stays green, your property values stay green too. If you’ve lived anywhere else, Clayton is a dream come true, let’s keep it that way. Vote YES on Measure B. Jim and Ann Vestal

Title insurance is protection for both buyer and seller

LYNNE FRENCH

REAL ESTATE Title defects aren’t common, but when they occur, the consequences can be disastrous.

To his surprise, one seller found out that there was a “cloud” (title defect) affecting title to his property. The title search showed that a deed had been recorded, transferring title from the previous owner to himself. But, that deed was signed by only one of two owners. Due to an oversight, the wife’s signature wasn’t on the deed.

She was still in title as an owner because she hadn’t transferred her interest in the property. This meant that the wife could still make a claim to the property.

Your real estate purchase contract should include a clause that requires the sellers to provide you with good title to the property at closing. If the sellers are unable to do this, you should be able to withdraw from the contract without penalty.

In the example above, the buyer’s title insurance company was able to track down the wife’s heirs and get the signatures necessary to remove the cloud on title. The defect in the title report was corrected and the sale went through.

Most buyers take out a mort-

gage when they purchase a home.

Before a lender will issue a mortgage, they will need evidence that the buyers will receive good title to the property. The lender also will require that a title insurance policy be purchased, usually at the buyer’s expense. This guarantees the lender’s interest in the property.

Title insurance is paid on a one-time-only basis. It is not transferable from one party to another.

A lender’s policy of title insurance won’t protect the buyers’ interest. But, buyers can get title insurance for their own protection. Even if you’re paying cash for a property and won’t need a mortgage, it’s wise to obtain a title insurance policy to protect yourself.

Either the buyer or seller can pay for title insurance for the buyer. Around here, the buyer usually pays. The cost is based on the purchase price: the higher the price, the higher the title insurance premium.

Before issuing a policy of title insurance, title examiners search for public records that affect the property in question, such as liens, judgments and easements.

An easement grants the right to use another’s property for a specific purpose.

If a title defect is discovered, the company insuring title will exclude this defect from its coverage. But if the title examiner makes a mistake and misses a defect, the buyer is protected by the title insurance policy.

For example, a buyer’s title examiner discovered that there was an underground storm drain on the property that passed underneath a corner of the

May 25, 2007

house. This was listed as an exception from coverage on the buyer’s policy of title insurance.

The seller was protected by a title insurance policy that he purchased when he bought the house. The seller’s title insurance company had not disclosed the existence of the underground drain and the drain wasn’t excluded from the seller’s title insurance coverage.

The seller contacted his title insurance company and made a claim. The seller’s title insurance company missed the unrecorded easement for the storm drain, so they paid the claim.

There are several kinds of title insurance available, so make sure you understand the type you’re buying. If you have a question about anything in your title search, ask your title insurer for an explanation before you close.

Clayton resident Lynne French is the broker/owner of Windermere Lynne French & Associates. Contact her at 672-8787, or email Lynne@LynneFrench.com.

THE

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1,080 acres adjacent to State Park

Set back off Clayton Road this 2 bedroom 2 bath condominium has all the amenities of units costing thousands more. This small 18 unit complex boasts a pool, spa and security gate. Unit #17 is an upstairs end unit with vaulted ceilings, wood burning fireplace, inside laundry and one car garage with one more assigned space. The kitchen overlooks a large sunny deck with enclosed storage room. Last upstairs unit sold for $36,000 more.

Sellers motivated.

This gorgeous updated custom home features 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths and 2471 square feet of living space. It is located on a premium view lot in a fantastic area of Antioch. Surrounded by custom homes, you can enjoy the magnificent views of Mt Diablo and a peek of the Delta from the wrap around deck with numerous eating and entertaining areas. Don’t miss the fantastic 36X21 ft. Great Room or the Chefs kitchen with Wolfe Range and Freestanding Hood. Vertical grain fir Cathedral ceilings, custom ceiling fans, ¾ inch tongue & groove oak plank floors & dual pane windows are just a few of the many features this home offers.

Sellers will look at all offers

Nestled at the end of a quiet canyon off Morgan Territory Road sits this fantastic country estate situated on 3 parcels totaling 1080 acres. The upper 560 acre parcel is adjacent to Mt. Diablo State Park and offers a variety of outdoor activities. The lower parcels, totaling 520 acres, are in a gentle canyon and feature a 3,000+ square foot custom home built beside a seasonal creek. There is plenty of acreage for vineyards, orchards and grazing land.

Most of the lower 520 acres is also surrounded by Mt. Diablo State Park. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to own a piece of Mount Diablo.

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Offered at $16,665 per acre

May 25, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com

Page A9

DeLillo’s Falling Man follows characters in the year after 9/11

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In four months, it will have been six years since 9/11. The reading public has, since that ominous day in American history, been plowed under with books of explanation, lamentation, condemnation and just about everything else authors of nonfiction could think of.

Novelists have been a little slower to respond, allowing themselves time to live in the aftermath of such devastation before attempting a telling of anything with 9/11 at its core.

Prior to DeLillo’s new novel, Falling Man, we had McEwan’s, Saturday, Beigbeder’s, Windows on the World, and Foer’s, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. None of them come close to Falling Man. I was immediately drawn to the title by the absence of “The” in front of “Falling Man.” This is not a book about any one particular person who fell out of the second tower, although that is the book’s final image. Nor is it only about the performance artist (actually called, “Falling Man”) who dangles from bridges, ledges and steeples, giving his life both public notoriety and nuisance value before finally falling to his death. In the simplest terms, this is a book about separation.

Everyone and everything that falls separates from something.

We meet DeLillo’s protago-

nist, Keith Neudecker, just after the the towers have fallen. He is hurt and dazed, walking away from the scene and not yet sure where he is going. “He tried to tell himself he was alive, but the idea was too obscure to take hold.”

The novel follows Keith’s ambivalent return to his estranged wife, Lianne, and his son, Justin, for a period of almost a year. DeLillo records

SUNNY SOLOMON

FOR

THE

BOOKS

with insight and depth how the events of 9/11 affect these people, and those close to them: Lianne’s aging mother and her German lover; Justin and his playmates who search the skies for more planes and Ben Lawton; Keith’s brief lover, Florence, who also survived the falling buildings, and an old poker buddy, Terry Cheng.

Without going into the plot

CERT, from page A1 and first aid, sanitation and water purification and how to respond to a terrorist attack.

The city’s goal is to have a team of trained CERT volunteers in every neighborhood to help themselves and their neighbors in the days following a major disaster when Clayton is likely to be cut off from law enforcement and relief agencies.

“We have to be prepared to be on our own for probably a week, maybe more,” says Councilwoman Julie Pierce.

All of the graduates signed up for the same reason—to be prepared in the event of a major disaster.

“We have an elderly man living right across the street from us,” said Cindi Johansson.

“Who would take care of him if something happened? I just need to be more prepared.”

Kevin Parker agrees, “If you can help your own family and neighbors, you’ve already helped local emergency services and given them the ability to focus on those who have the greatest need.”

The class was about evenly divided between men and women and many came with emergency medical skills.

Parker previously trained as an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) and there were nurses and physicians among the trainees. Colleen Owen, a teacher, is on her school’s emergency team and just “needed more tools.”

The C.E.R.T. program is a

Measure B, from page A1 with the $560k needed to keep the landscaping alive. “This would be a major amputation of critical city services. It would be wrongheaded to do this,” said

Councilwoman Julie Pierce. “If Measure B doesn’t pass, we turn off the water.”

This is the second attempt to replace the Landscape

or giving away any of the storyline, it is enough to know that DeLillo gets to the heart of what we were all feeling from the time we watched the planes crash into the buildings over and over again until the moment we understood that nothing would ever be the same.

The characters are in a constant state of flux as they move in and out of intimacy. They find themselves living in doubt, questioning everything. While walking with his son to meet his wife, Keith thinks about Florence and the end of their relationship, a relationship in which he was “double in himself, coming and going, the walks across the park and back, the deep shared self, down through the smoke, and then here again to safety and family, to the implications of one’s conduct.”

Falling Man is a thoughtful, dynamic and haunting book. Its story will stay with you long after you’ve finished, which makes it worth reading more than once.

Sunny Solomon is the BookLady and manager of Clayton Books in the Clayton Station. She holds an MA in English and Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. Sunny is a poet and loves to “talk books.” Reach her with questions or comments at 673-3325.

“zero budget item,” says Program Supervisor Sgt. Scott Dansie of the Clayton Police.

The cost of training the volunteers and providing them with an identifying reflective vest, hardhat and backpack comes out of a $60,000 Homeland Security Grant administered by the county.

There is no limit to the number of volunteers who can receive the CERT training and no physical requirements, explains Program Coordinator Lynn Christ of the Clayton Police Department. Volunteers must only be 18 and live in Clayton.

The next CERT class will be in early fall and is already nearly full. Residents interested in signing up for the fall training should call Christ at 673-7350.

For more information on the CERT program and training, go to www.citizencorps.gov/cert

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After Winemakers’ Dinner at La Veranda, we happily waddled home LINDA WYNER Special to the Pioneer

La Veranda restaurant in Clayton hosted 59 gourmands at its seventh monthly wine-tasting dinner on May 14. We were greeted by a flute of soft, sweet champagne and took time to say hellos to our fellow diners before selecting a table for the evening.

The focus was on Kenwood Vineyards wines, and there were few disappointments. Assistant winemaker Kryss Speegle and winery assistant Natalie Deutsch introduced us to the wines of the evening.

The 2005 Sauvignon Blanc was fresh and crisp, pairing beautifully with the calamari salad appetizer. Bits of tender calamari generously filled the plate, along with some white Tuscan beans, mint, capers, celery, white wine and lemon. The lemon in particular brought out the full flavor of the wine, which had a well-balanced acidity and short finish.

The 2005 Chardonnay followed, along with La Veranda’s trademark salad of baby greens with walnuts, gorgonzola cheese and honey-Dijon dressing. The salad was a true 10. The first sip of the wine had a discordant note of tobacco and smokiness.

However, the salad dressing brought out the more classic flavors of the varietal and the lushness of the French oak aging.

Diners had a choice of entrees. Our table selected the halibut and lamb, but the kitchen generously provided a tasting of baked scallops and filet mignon so we could experiment.

The spice-encrusted rib lamb

Linda Wyner/Clayton Pioneer

Kenwood Winery’s Natalie Deutsch and Kryss Speegle of Kenwood Vineyards carefully chose wine to accompany each course at La Veranda’s Winemakers Dinner. chops were bathed in a deeply hued honey pomegranate sauce.

The sauce was actually too sweet for the lamb and might have benefited from a touch of balsamic vinegar or lemon. A surprise awaited us, though, when sipping the 2004 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon with this dish. Suddenly, the dark fruit and “figgy-ness” of the wine turned the sauce and lamb into a heavenly blend of earthy delight.

While not successful with the lamb, Kenwood’s 2004 Merlot highlighted the perfect texture of the halibut baked with fennel en papillote. Its smooth flavors likewise balanced the velvety richness of the huge scallops finished in a Florentine sauce.

The filet mignon in the port reduction sauce was perfect all on its own. Shallots (maybe onions?), mushrooms and rich beef stock mellowed the port that bathed the perfectly cooked, melt-in-your-mouth steak.

La Veranda’s service was

well-timed to allow diners to savor each course and wine. This was especially important as we faced the piece de resistance: napoleons and chocolate ganache paired with a 2003 vintage Valley of the Moon port (which Kenwood helps to make). The dark ruby port danced on the palate and exploded with flavor when coupled with a bit of the dark chocolate ganache.

What seemed like an impossibly rich dessert disappeared in very little time, with the bravest of us wiping the plate clean with a surreptitious swipe of the finger.

After three glorious hours, we spilled out onto the street pleasantly full — literally and figuratively — of a delightful culinary experience.

The next Winemaker’s Dinner at La Veranda is June 11 and will feature the wines of Raymond Estate. Cost is $50 per person. Call 524-0011 to make a reservation.

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Study up on childbirth in new online course To help meet the demands of today’s busy families, the John Muir Women’s Health Center is offering a childbirth preparation class online. The online curriculum is an alternative to the classroom-based “Preparation for Childbirth” and is a first for California.

Online prenatal education allows expectant parents the opportunity to learn about labor and birth on their own computer at their own pace, while still benefiting from inperson support. The online course includes notepads, quick quizzes and video clips to ensure comprehension.

“People have unique learning styles and have busy lifestyles. Many expectant parents are working and commuting. Others may have other children at home and may just need a refresher course,” says Christy Kaplan, director of the health center.

Online learners also have the option of attending an on-site clinic at the conclusion of the online course.

That clinic will include instruction on relaxation and breathing exercises and the opportunity to ask questions.

Expectant parents do not need to deliver at John Muir Medical Center to sign-up for the class; it is open to anyone with Internet access.

For more information, visit johnmuirhealth.com.

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Page A11

At the Movies

Despite flaws, characters save the day in ‘Spider-Man 3’ JEANNA ROSS

AT THE MOVIES Remember when summer blockbuster season started on Labor Day weekend?

Apparently our need for immediate gratification extends to the theater as well.

Midnight on May 4 saw the opening of the first “3” film of the summer, with the dubious honor belonging to the wallclimbing bug (who will be followed soon by gamblers, pirates and ogres).

In “Spider-Man 3,” the cast is intact, storylines left hanging at the end of No. 2 are dutifully dusted off and set back into motion, and the credits do their level best to remind us what happened when last we saw Peter, Mary Jane, Harry, Aunt May and the rest of the gang.

Never one to shirk duty, I rewatched the first two movies before heading off to cinema – and thank goodness. While Marvel pretends to have created a solitary piece that one can accept without knowledge of the previous two films (unlike that heinous DC Comics irritation “Superman Returns”), I doubt that the entire back-story

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Tobey Maguire stars in Spider-man 3. highly convenient coincidences, the character suddenly becomes a bad guy just in time to fight the last battle.

Conversations that should have happened in the second movie are delayed so long that they shouldn’t even matter anymore, but of course they do and bonds are repaired in order to save the day. Unlikely allies join forces after trying to kill each other, only to escape to heaven knows where, perhaps to fight again another day.

It feels forced. And long.

And tedious.

And yet, I find myself strangely compelled. My worst fear was that the franchise

would disintegrate into mindless battle sequences without a decent thread of plot to join them together, yet it refrains.

The main storyline is, arguably, Peter and Mary Jane’s battle through Peter’s newfound fame (urged on by his encounter with the mind-altering black goo). Relationships are strained or repaired, based on logical difficulties.

The fights are good, but the drama is better.

Jeanna Ross is an English teacher at Clayton Valley High School and a free lance writer. She regularly contributes to the Pioneer.

Send comments to her at movies@claytonpioneer.com.

Readers chime in with tea questions

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also be a refreshing treat. As for its origins, the first record of iced tea is at the 1904 World’s Fair.

Tea purveyor Robert Blechynden poured tea over ice to keep fairgoers cool. Today, 90 percent of the tea consumed in the United States is iced.

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could be garnered from the black-and-white flashbacks that pepper the action.

The actors all work well in their time-tested roles. My particular favorites (as always) are J.K. Simmons as prickly Daily Bugle editor J.J. Jameson and Elizabeth Banks as his saucy secretary.

Two new villains enter straight from the comics: Thomas Haden Church as Sandman Flint Marco and cute Tobey Maguire look-alike Topher Grace as Eddie Brock turned Venom. Both do what they can with their rather limited script appeal.

But with two villains to flesh out, plus Harry Osborn’s Goblin question, Mary Jane and another female antagonist to challenge MJ’s territory (Bryce Dallas Howard), the problem with this film is that – even at 150 minutes – they just don’t bother to accomplish everything that needs doing.

Sorry, that’s only the first problem. The other difficulty is that there are gaping holes in the plot. The entire film feels uneven, as though they are setting up for a fourth (as yet, hypothetical) flick.

One villain was just a human annoyance for 80 percent of the story. Then through a set of

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Dear Tea Lady: I have been hearing about tea being good for you to drink. Can you explain why? Thanks, Tara

Dear Tara: Tea is good for you in so many ways. First, it’s a natural hydrator for the body and is calorie-free. It also contains a natural fluoride which helps fight tooth decay. It is full of tannins (polyphenols) that help cholesterol, antibacterial properties to help combat infections and antioxidants that help our immune system and the effects of aging. When it comes to antioxidants, five cups of tea are equal to two servings of fruits or vegetables. There are also many studies that show tea drinkers reduce their risk of breast, colon and other cancers. It’s a tea-riffic

way to drink yourself to better health.

Dear Pam: I love to make tea sandwiches when I have friends over and occasionally for a shower or party. It seems whenever I make them ahead of time, the bread is soggy. Any tips?

Thanks, Betty

Hi Betty: Try spreading a thin layer of butter or cream cheese on the bread first. This should provide a bit of a “seal” before adding your fillings. Here’s a great sandwich recipe for you to try: HAM FINGER SANDWICHES 6 oz. softened cream cheese ½ tsp. chopped rosemary ½ tsp. chopped thyme 24 thin toasted baguette slices 1 ½ lbs. deli sliced ham 6 T. orange marmalade Beat together cream cheese, rosemary and thyme. Spread a layer of cream cheese mixture onto each baguette slice. Using a 1-inch round cutter, cut ham

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Dear Pam: What are some guidelines to consider when trying to match a dish with a specific tea? Larry and Barb

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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

School News CLAYTON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL

The CVHS bands and choirs wore their concert attire for the Seattle tour.

The CVHS Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Jazz Bands joined the school’s choirs (Women’s Ensemble, Concert, Honors and Men’s) for a combined tour to Seattle on April 27-29.

More than 120 students participated in this tour, which marked the first time that the choirs and bands have traveled together in at least 15 years. Elizabeth Emigh directs the choirs, and Mundy Viar leads the bands.

Each of the six groups competed separately in the Heritage Music Festival, winning a majority of the awards: First place: Women’s Ensemble, Men’s Choir, Concert Choir, Honors Choir, Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band.

Adjudicators Special Award: Women’s Ensemble and Symphonic Wind Ensemble.

Sweepstakes Choir of the Weekend Maestro Award: Libby Quam.

Seattle Festival Sweepstakes in Instrumental and Choir Special Invitation to Festival of Gold: Women’s Ensemble and Symphonic Wind Ensemble.

The judges included former students of the ClaytonArts Academy, CV teachers and Principal Gary Swanson. Former student Jack Rusk was the host and also performed some poems with ClaytonArts teacher Tom Wills.

The first round ended with upsets, as two favored teams were surprised by their adversary. In the end, three teams emerged: the Sins, In the Land of Women and the top seed, the Decaying Poets Society. The Sins prevailed and took home the gold. *** Sophomore Cici Chen won first place in the Clayton Valley Science Fair on Jan. 11, with her project titled “Battle with Bacteria: How Well Does E. Coli Survive on your Cutting Board.” As it turns out, washing time is the biggest factor, and oldfashioned salt works better than soap.

Cici also won first place in sophomore Biological Projects, a $300 special award from Bio-Rad in Hercules for Best in Biological and a Certificate of Achievement from the Society of Vitro Biology at the Contra Costa County Science Fair on March 23-24. On May 21-22, she Cici Chen, a sophomore at CV, took her award-winning science project attended the California State Science to the State Fair in Los Angeles.

Fair in Los Angeles. *** On May 30, Biology and Life Science students will see “Secrets” presented by the Kaiser Educational Theatre Program. The award winning dramatization is part of the school’s HIV/AIDS prevention program.

The Live Theatrical Performance Uses Drama, Humor and an Interactive Question and Answer Sessions to Educate High School Students About the Dangers of HIV/AIDS and STIs.

***

Join youth group and make a difference Hetchy or environwere not surmental issues in generprising. For al. example, When I discovered youth in low that the situation in socioecoHetch Hetchy was nomic levels unlikely to be solved tended to any time soon, I also regard police realized that I still with more wanted to affect the suspicion. world around me. So However, DEIRDRE RUSCITTI when I saw an ad for other findings the CYC, I applied. I CVHS REPORTER were less became a member at obvious. the beginning of sevSome of our enth grade. survey participants stated their The CYC, founded in 1995 desire to have more police-sponby then-Supervisor Mark sored bonding events, like picnics DeSaulnier, works with groups and nature walks for young chiland schools across the county to dren, which is a program I didn’t discover what issue the youth even know existed. Because want us to tackle next. those who had access to these Three years ago, the issue was programs were much more likely police relations. Through an to view the police positively, we extensive survey process, as well recommended the program be as forums where CYC members extended. talked to youth firsthand, the But herein lies the problem: CYC complied a report on what None of these surveys can be the problems were and possible distributed, none of these findsolutions. ings can be publicized and none Sadly, some of the problems of these recommendations can

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DIABLO VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL

The DVMS Film Festival on June 7 will showcase films created by The ClaytonArts Academy of Clayton Valley High School held a S.L.A.M. Poetry Competition on May 4 as the culmination of their students in the Movie Production class. This is a time for parents, friends, students and the Clayton community to enjoy the student-prospring all-academy project.

S.L.A.M.Poetry is an international phenomenon started in Chicago duced films.

The Movie Production class allows students to exhibit a product during the ’80s. Original poetry is performed in front of an audience that is encouraged to react. The academy took the genre into new ter- while learning cooperative teamwork, writing, planning, organizing and incorporating the use of modern technology. ritory as the poems were created and perWith more than 90 school hours invested, formed by groups of as many as 10 students, students have written and edited a 10-page using various theatrical or choral techniques. screenplay, produced, directed, acted and editThe event involved 110 students from all ed their footage using computer editing softfour grade levels. ware.

The S.L.A.M. (Scintillating Linguistically Five, 10-minute movies will be shown Adept Manipulations) consisted of 12 teams, starting at 7 p.m. in the Multi-Use Room. A $1 all prepared with five promising group donation is requested at the door. poems. The teams endured a preliminary round robin seeding tournament on April 30.

Send your school news items of They were then placed according to their general interest to seed for the final, single elimination round. The Sins celebrate their win in the Poetry Slam at CVHS schoolnews@claytonpioneer.com

While walking beside the untouchable lawns of Diablo View back in sixth grade, a friend and I were discussing the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. I had just discovered that it had been dammed to provide San Francisco with a source of water, and I was outraged.

With my friend listening, I outlined a plan for change – including petitions to be signed and protests to be held.

“It doesn’t matter what you do,” my friend replied. “You can’t vote, so they don’t care.”

I’ve always had a contrary nature. Had my friend merely nodded along to my plans, occasionally uttering a syphocantic word, I probably would have eventually forgotten my vows to make a difference. However, as soon as I was told that I couldn’t do something, I resolved to do the opposite.

It was because of that challenge that I joined the Contra Costa Countywide Youth Commission (CYC). The CYC has nothing to do with Hetch

May 25, 2007

be put into place if there is no one working behind the scenes.

So, in that vein, I would like this column to double as a recruiting tool.

For all the middle schoolers to high school juniors who have hoped to better their community, this is for you. The application, along with more information about the CYC, is posted on the CYC’s Web site, www.contracostayouth.net.

This recruitment attempt is not limited only to youth. The CYC, along with so many other youth organizations, needs adults for cohesiveness and, of course, rides to and from meetings. The CYC is also looking for adult volunteers. Information for that can also be found on the Website.

The six years I have spent on the CYC have been incredibly valuable, and I hope that when I leave at the end of this year, other youth will be able to have the same experience.

For comments or questions contact Deirdre at CVHS@claytonpioneer.com

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Page A13

Clayton and Concord women rally together for relay

“We’re going to do it again next year – without a doubt.”

“We laughed and we cried and I think, most importantly, we formed new friendships with the people we didn’t know as well before we started,” says

relay team member Susan Wray of Clayton. She became friends with Langford 11 years ago when their children swam at Dana Hills.

“It was truly an amazing experience to be part of something that makes people aware of how important organ donations are to all of our lives,” Wray says. “To hear the stories of the people have who been helped by organ donations was pretty touching.”

Langford has an autoimmune disease that is only curable by a liver transplant.

Although it was her first foray into the relay, another sister, Ellen Enes-Schlegel, used to run the race. After she died in 2004, her fellow Contra Costa County firefighters ran the 199 miles in her name.

Langford is not currently on a transplant list. “It’s unknown as to what will happen down the line. It’s not a hard and fast rule that I will have to have one,” she says, adding: “I have wonderful friends and families who support all of this.”

Organs ’R’ Us was founded

reductions in city General Fund services that would be required in order to fund the Landscape Maintenance District. None of these options could be considered a viable alternative, because they would have a much greater impact on the community and city than letting the Landscape Maintenance District go without funds.

Therefore, Measure B is an opportunity for Clayton voters to decide how important Clayton’s landscaping is to them. The city does not have any other way to fund these

services.

In other words, Plan B means we will have no funds to water, trim or mow all our roadway landscaping, trails and open space. As my wife Pam says, “Plan B will be brown.”

Remember: “Democracy is a process by which the people are free to choose the person who will get the blame.” (Laurence J. Peter) Please vote yes on June 5.

As always, if you have any questions, concerns, comments or advice, please send me an email at wrwalcutt@aol.com.

BEV BRITTON Clayton Pioneer

Carolyn Langford and Maggie Shepard, two sisters raised in Clayton, bonded with 10 female friends as they walked a 128-mile relay to raise money and awareness for Organs ’R’ Us, which supports organ transplants.

The team, dubbed the Flaming Calla Lilies, finished in first place of the six walking teams. They began their journey at 8:05 a.m. on Saturday, May 5, at the Marin Cheese Factory and completed the race at 3:04 p.m.

May 6 at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

The Flaming Calla Lilies raised $5,655, including many donations from Clayton families.

The 12-member team was split into two heats, with the women walking in relay. “The legs are anywhere from three to seven miles,” reports Langford, who now lives in Concord.

“When the first leg was done, the next one would take the baton and walk. Each woman

The relay team included, top, Susan Wray of Clayton, Renee Walker of Concord, driver Shane Walker of Concord, Myra Delzeit of Concord, Maggie Shepard of Mt. Shasta, Dianne Gingrich of Concord and Gina Jennings of Concord, and bottom, BeLinda Davies of Rodeo, Kristen Langford of Concord, Carolyn Langford of Concord, Shirley Branske of Clayton, Valarie Smith of San Ramon and Maria Bekakis of Concord.

has to walk two legs.”

According to Langford, the relay was “total teamwork.”

“We had to rely on each person to complete her legs. We also relied on each other’s humor and support,” she says.

Mayor, from page A1 affirmative vote by those voting in the district. Local governments cannot continue an expiring benefit district tax, raise an existing benefit district tax or impose new benefit district taxes without voter approval.

In 1996, California voters passed Prop. 218, also known as the “right to vote on local taxes initiative.” It passed because California residents wanted more control over their local taxes. Prop. 218 also gave voters

the right to choose whether they wish to be taxed for specific services, such as the services provided by our Landscape Maintenance District.

I am cautiously optimistic that Measure B will get the twothirds majority needed to pass in June. However, it is important to look at all other options should it fail.

So, at the May 15 City Council meeting, the council reviewed nine examples of equivalent

in 1996 in the Bay Area. The group has raised more than $25 million to promote the need for organ donors. According to the group, there are 90,000

Americans waiting for organs, with 18 dying each day without a transplant.

For more information, visit www.therelay.com.

Kihn, from page A1 An East Bay resident, Kihn was one of the guest authors at the grand opening of Clayton Books on May 12. For nearly 90 minutes, he related anecdotes, signed books and even pulled out the guitar for a few songs to a delighted audience.

As head of the Greg Kihn Band in the ’70s and ’80s, he saw the world of rock and roll from every conceivable angle. The Baltimore native came to San Francisco in 1974 and performed as a “sensitive folk singer.” He paid his dues through constant performances as the opening act at Winterland, the Fillmore and other Bay Area venues.

Promoter Bill Graham even booked the Greg Kihn Band with Black Sabbath for one memorable concert, an unlikely pairing at best.

“Bill liked me as a person, which was good,” Kihn says.

“He appreciated the fact that I could show up for a last-minute gig within an hour. We did lots of shows with incompatible acts.

It was hard work, but that’s how you got your fame back then.”

Kihn spoke at length about his early days with Berserkly Records, the fledgling Bay Area independent label that spawned several ’70s acts, and also about his new book, “Dark Delicacies.” The book is part of a compilation due out this summer.

His books combine fiction with reality, mixed with considerable rock and roll perspective.

He writes about what he knows best and describes himself as “restless with an active mind.

I’ve always got to be doing something.”

In spite of his worldwide fame, Kihn remains unspoiled by success. Self-deprecating humor gets sprinkled in with tales of his history, and he notes that his low budget record label required cheap hotels and restaurants, even during his band’s heyday.

Kihn speaks with obvious pride when talking about his son, Ry, who has emerged as an outstanding guitarist and composer.

“We wrote several songs together, with me as the lyricist,” Kihn says. “But lately, he’s been writing his own lyrics to his music, and the songs are better than the ones we’ve written together. Ry has found his own voice, musically, which is great.”

Ry will be going into the studio to record later this month, and Kihn says he will only be peripherally involved. “I’ll try to keep out of the way as much as possible, maybe going to get sandwiches and things like that,” he says.

Kihn’s books and music are available on www.gregkihn.com and at Clayton Books in the Clayton Station.

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Page A14

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

May 25, 2007

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Stunning “Horseshoe” model! on a premium golf course lot situated on the 11th fairway with spectacular Mt. Diablo, course & Heritage oak views! 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, approx. 1,749sf, inside laundry & 2 car garage! Many upgrades include: laminate floors in kitchen, nook, living & dining rooms, designer paint colors/scheme, plantation shutters & 2” blinds. Living room with vaulted ceiling, upgraded marble fireplace & views. Separate dining room with upgraded chandelier. Gourmet kitchen offers a spacious eating nook & pantry. Spacious master with sitting area & sweeping views! Great lot backs to tranquil golf course setting with stunning views, deck, built-in benches, aggregate patio, lush lawn, lots of flowers & ornamentals. $625,000

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IRONWOOD/WINDMILL CANYON AT OAKHURST COUNTRY CLUB!

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nestled in a serene court setting adjacent to greenbelt & miles of walking trails! 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, approx.

1,740sf, inside laundry & 2 car garage! Parquet entry extends into cozy family room with slider to courtyard. Neutral décor, 2” blinds & new carpet throughout! Updated gourmet kitchen features gorgeous granite tile counters, parquet floors, bay window eating nook with hillside & wooded views.

Living room offers a stone fireplace with raised hearth. Dining area with elaborate chandelier & slider to deck! Spacious master suite with dual closets. Awesome totally private lot boasts plenty of room for a pool & features a great trellis covered redwood deck with built-in bench seating & relaxing spa with wooded & $739,000 Mt. Diablo views. Sprawling lawn, lots of trees, ornamentals, roses & large side yard!

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Gracious living room with fireplace & dramatic formal dining room. Chef’s dream gourmet kitchen offers commercial grade appliances, granite tile counters & island, maple cabinetry & spacious pantry. Enormous great room with impressive two-way granite tile fireplace & walk around bar. Lavish master suite boasts a large “Trex” deck balcony offing sensational views!

Remarkable private oasis lot backs to open space with Mt. Diablo, canyon & ridgeline views & features a spectacular freeform pool with raised spa boasting a stacked stone backdrop featuring a cascading waterfall, custom outdoor kitchen & lush professional landscape. $1,495,000

Mortgage Market Update Conforming $417,000 or less

Jumbo $417,001 and up

30 year, fixed for 3 . . . . . . . .6.25% 30 year, fixed for 5 . . . . . . . .6.25% 30 year, fixed for 7 . . . . . . . .6.25% 30 year, fixed for 10 . . . . . . .6.25% 15 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.0% 30 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.375%

30 year, fixed for 3 . . . . . . . .6.25% 30 year, fixed for 5 . . . . . . . .6.25% 30 year, fixed for 7 . . . . . . .6.375% 30 year, fixed for 10 . . . . . .6.375% 15 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.125% 30 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.5%

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ING D N PE

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Upgraded gleaming hardwood floors extend from entry into kitchen. Open living & dining room with soaring ceiling & marble slab fireplace. Eat-in kitchen features oak cabinets & tile counters. Spacious master suite with wall length dual closets with mirrored doors & bay window sitting nook with views. Private yard offers a trellis covered deck, lush lawn area, lots of vibrant colorful flowers, ornamentals & mature redwoods all in a serene & tranquil setting. $679,000

Clayton Market Update Provided by George Vujnovich of Better Homes Realty ADDRESS 102 La Encinal Court 11 Donner Creek Court 3165 Bragdon Way 1487 El Camino Drive 302 Mt. Sierra Place 5226 Keller Ridge Drive 103 Gold Rush Ct 505 Suisun Ct 303 Windmill Canyon Pl

PRICE $775,000 $475,000 $2,550,000 $629,000 $874,950 $875,000 $665,000 $589,000 $687,730

SALE DATE

SF

5/11/07 5/10/07 5/7/07 5/04/07 5/04/07 5/02/07 4/20/07 4/19/07 4/18/07

2,390 1,457 5,310 2,070 3,275 2,894 2,171 1,939 1,877

BED/BATH 4/2.5 3/2.5 4/4 3/2.5 5/3 4/3 4/2.5 3/2.5 3/2.5

CLAYTON PIONEER May 25, 2007

Section B

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Bell flowers are sure to succeed in your yard

photo by Antonie Van Den Bos for aycronto.com

CAMPANULA VIDALII

Campanula is a cunning group of mostly herbaceous perennials that can ramble their way through Clayton Valley yards and gardens.

This awesome plant is usually a successful installation. It’s excellent trailing over rock walls and containers, or softening walkways and edging.

Campanulas are commonly referred to as bell flowers. They get their names from the classic shape of the blossoms. Bell flowers do better when installed

in partial sun or mostly shade situations, surrounded by rich, moist, well-drained soil.

These long-lived plants are fulfilling to any gardener, regardless of their experience level. Bell flowers have visual impact to please the springtime shopper, and collectors will search far and wide to have them all.

Campanula portenschlagiana is one of the most commonly installed bell flowers.

This selection is called the

Dalmatian Bell Flower, named for the mountain range off the coast of Croatia where it was discovered. It does not have any black spots, as you might expect.

This mounding plant is one of the few campanulas that is evergreen. Install this enjoyable bell flower along walkways or as a living border or edging. The violet-blue blossoms face upward, just like smiling eyes.

Cluster campanula Dalmatian under acid lovers, such as azaleas or camellias.

Gardenias and ferns will also delight with campanula along their feet. The Dalmatian bell flower reaches 8 inches tall and spreads wider with age.

C a m p a n u l a poscharskyana is referred to as the Serbian Bell Flower. This selection is a great trailer, or cascading perennial, with open, star-shaped lavender flowers.

Serbian looks great in containers or along retaining walls.

This vigorous species reseeds freely and spreads by runners. Plant with the late winter and early spring blooming violas. They have foliage and flower very early in the season, extending the area’s bloom time.

Blue Waterfall is an excellent campanula to consider. This selection is easy to find and the flower will stand out among the family. Each star-shaped blossom of the Blue Waterfall is highlighted by a subtle white eye. The plant has a soft contrast and feminine appeal.

Campanula glomerata Superba is one of this family’s only selections that can take

moderate to full sun. under rose trees, with alstromeCommonly called the Clustered ria and black-eyed Susan.

Bell Flower, it makes a great borDickson’s Gold is a golden der plant and cut foliaged campanflower. Mostly ula that adds a found in purplevibrant blast of blues and occacolor to any shady sionally white, walkway or conthe cluster bell tainer. This acid flower deserves yellow leaf is a to be installed in garden knockout. any Clayton The blossom Valley perennial color of this cambed or cut flower panula selection is garden. clear blue.

When in Alternate this NICOLE HACKETT bloom, this plant perennial with the GARDEN GIRL Dalmatian bell reaches 18 inches tall and much flower, or add wider with age. The cluster bell contrast by installing with the flowers spread by rhizomes and Ajuga Black Scallop. Prepare to will need to be divided every pay a couple of dollars more for two to three years. This chore is this special perennial. a great way to introduce the Several other campanulas are perennial to other spots in the worth mentioning. Some are yard. Plant Campanula Superba annuals that reseed and others

With an unsurpassed knowledge of the local home market and a dedicated approach to her clients' unique needs, when people around here speak

Congratulate your grad in the Pioneer see B4

are f o r the collector.

C a m p a nu l a Deep Blue Clips is an outstanding perennial, with masses of upturned bell-shaped flowers standing 6 inches tall and spreading wider. The round foliage remains tidy.

For cottage appeal, install Campanula latifolia Blue or Brantwood. Their indigo purple, cup-shaped flowers stand on stems 2 feet tall. This perennial will need staking.

Campanula vidalii has waxy, pink blossoms shaped like church bells. Telham Beauty offers large, nodding, sky blue flowers on slender stems.

I have only scratched the surface of this fabulous plant family. Try some different selections, as well as the standards.

You will be thrilled with your success.

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

Tips for Good Gardening

SERBIAN BELLFLOWER

N

o, we're not talking about the language of France. We're referring to what many people throughout the Clayton Valley area are talking about: Lynne French. As one of the area's leading real estate professionals, she's changing the way people look at buying or selling homes.

Page B1

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Give Lynne French and her team a call today and discover the language of success. You'll be glad you did!

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Compost is best aged a little like a fine wine. I mean, would you prefer to drink a nice 97, or something that was made last Thursday.

Page B2

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Clayton Sports

May 25, 2007

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Acupressure for Health The Clayton Valley Jr. Eagles 14U Tournament team qualified for two of three World Series berths, which would take them to Muncie, Ind., or Liberty, Kan., in late July. If they also qualify in the USSSA division, they would have the choice of going to Kingsport, Tenn., as well.

“The players have been practicing very hard over the past couple of months, and it has started to pay off,” says Manager Dave Deichler.

The team recently finished

third in a Super Series tourney in Modesto, Sunnyvale and Davis. They also claimed a second-place finish in Dixon.

“We are really trying from here on in to prepare the players for high school ball, both on and off the field, and thus give the players a choice on what World Series berth they would want to attend,” Deichler says.

So far, the season is going as planned. At the start of the 2007, the team’s goal was to have the three World Series

options offered to them. “We have seen some very strong competition at this level,” the manager notes.

The Jr. Eagles play in a variety of the three sanctioned tournament organizations around Northern California, including BPA/Baseball Players Association, Super Series Association and USSSA. Next up for the team is a trip to Peoria, Ariz., over Memorial Day weekend. They will play in a Western Regional Super Series Tournament in

the Seattle Mainers/San Diego Padres MLB complex.

“This will be a great experience for our young players, and I know they are truly looking forward to this – just like every young baseball player would,” Deichler says.

In June, they will participate in the state championships in Sunnyvale, along with a trip to the new Field of Dreams park in Manteca and another regional Super Series tournament in Elk Grove.

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Local athletes help rebuild New Orleans DEANNA MERRIGAN Clayton Pioneer

photo courtesy of the Maes family

While helping with relief efforts over Spring Break, Michaela Maes takes time out for some fun with a young Hurricane Katrina victim.

Being a top athlete is an accomplishment, and so is being a top student. Some local top student athletes recently became true humanitarians and went to New Orleans to help the people rebuild their lives and heal their hearts.

Michaela Maes, a seventhgrader at Tabernacle School, took a break from her busy soccer schedule to fly to New Orleans with her church youth group during Spring Break.

Michaela has been playing soccer for many years and is currently a member of the U13 Girls MDSL Arsenal. As a club team, it requires a lot of time to train, practice and play. As part

of the mission trip, Michaela, her sister Ally, and their parents, Bob and Cindy Maes, spent countless hours helping folks who lost their homes, schools, livelihoods and dreams.

Ally also excels in soccer and has been playing for 10 years. A Clayton resident and Berean Christian High School freshman, Ally plays for MDSL Impact, a U16 team. In addition, she was on the varsity team for Berean.

“We went to NCS and did pretty well and also placed second in league,” says Ally. “I really love soccer, because of the challenge and the aggressiveness of the sport. I love how it just takes your mind off of everySee New Orleans, page B3

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Fourth-grader is tops at CYO meet DEANNA MERRIGAN Clayton Pioneer

May 12 turned out to be a winning day for Tiffany Cerruti, as she took first place in the 200-meter at the CYO Championship Meet at Diablo Valley College.

The fourth-grader also placed second in the 100-meters – “just missing by a hair,” says her mom, Tammy Cerruti.

“What a great race!”

Tiffany, a Clayton resident and student at Queen of All Saints, took the races seriously.

“I was nervous all week, because I knew the girls in my races will run really fast. I wanted to win medals in my races,” she says. “I was really tired after each race because I ran very hard. I was really excited to win a first place medal and a second place medal.”

Leading up to the championship, Tiffany had to qualify for the Oakland Diocese sectional meet by winning both the 100-and 200-meter races on April 28. Next, she won both of her races in the CYO sectional

meet on May 5, beating out athletes from throughout Contra Costa County. Only the few top winners moved onto the championships.

It’s important for athletes like Tiffany to keep in shape while preparing for a big race.

“Tiffany practices for two hours, twice a week,” her mom reports. “She eats light and keeps hydrated during the meet.

She warms up by running three laps and stretches with the team. She also stretches just before each race.”

Still, it’s essential for the sport to be fun, and Tiffany is sure to find time to play with her friends on the team before and between races. But she’s absolutely focused when it is time to run.

Tiffany enjoys running and playing with her classmates and other girls on the team. “She loves to run against girls from the other schools, and she is excited when she and her teammates do well,” says her mom.

“She and her teammates cheer for each other and share in each other’s accomplishments.”

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Page B3

thing else and forces you to we would play football when the focus on only the game.” field was not too muddy.”

While in New Orleans, Ally Ally enjoyed the time off and Michaela helped in a variety from her strenuous soccer and of ways. “In the morning, we went to a homeless shelter. We helped to clean up the place a little. I did a little bit of painting, cleaning the bathrooms, organizing piles of clothes, things like that,” Ally says.

“We fed about 120 to 140 a day. We served them all lunch and then tried to just make a connection with them, show them that somebody loved them and cared about them.

“After lunch, we would help clean up again, and then we would head over to an old abandoned elementary school. We held VBS (vacation bible school) there for the kids,” she adds.

ALANA LAUX BONDED WITH MANY OF THE Of course, soccer and YOUNG VICTIMS of Hurricane Katrina sports were never com- during her recent trip to New Orleans pletely out of the picture. to aid in relief efforts.

“With the kids at the abandoned school schedule. “It was an school park, we would play absolutely amazing week. I can’t some soccer (with a basketball think of a better way to spend because that was all that they my Easter Break,” she says. “I had), which they got good at think what I remember most after a while of juggling with about New Orleans would defithem,” says Michaela. “The nitely be the people. It’s amazing older boys there would play a the hope they have when their ton of basketball, and they were whole town is in ruins. They very good at it. And some days, truly have amazing faith in God.”

photo courtesy of the Cerruti family

TIFFANY CERRUTI runs the relay at Diocesan meet April 28th at Ygnacio Valley High.

Michaela had similar feelings. “The experience was awesome. You would come back at the end of the day and listen to all of your friends tell you how they were touched by almost every single person that we met down there.”

Clayton Valley High School track star Alana Laux also made the trip to the hurricane/flood ravaged city. “I had the greatest experience of my life helping in New Orleans,” she says. “I actually was going to stay home to commit to track and speed training. It wasn’t until 20 hours before the flight took off that I fully committed to the mission trip.”

While on break from her grueling track training, she spent many tireless hours helping others. “During the trip, we helped rebuild homes that were damaged by the storm. Every day, we went to a local mission that served food to homeless.

Here we talked to many people, to listen to them and to hear their stories,” she explains.

Alana truly enjoyed helping those less fortunate. She also noted that her time in New Orleans helped to prepare her for the future. She wants to become a traveling doctor, “providing medical attention and missionary work around the world.”

“I especially loved working with the inner city children,” Alana adds. “It feels wonderful

to be used by God and to show people that even if they lost everything in the hurricane and even though they often feel lonesome, someone cares.”

Sports Shorts DIABLO BOWMEN ARCHERY CLUB The group will hold a Ladies Day on June 2 at the club, off Morgan Territory Road on Mt. Diablo.

The day begins with a Pot Luck Brunch, from 9 to 10 a.m.

Afterward, there will be free lessons for any women who want to try archery. The club has limited equipment to borrow, or you may bring your own.

Those who already have experience may shoot one of the club’s four courses.

The privately owned, nonprofit club has 52 acres on Mt. Diablo. The club held the State Field Championships in 2005 and has four “open shoots” during the year.

For more information or directions, call Diane Montanez at (916) 685-4640 or visit www.diablobowmen.org.

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Page B4

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Savvy management tips for the Mompreneur The word “mompreneurs” is stances, you also may want to a trademarked term to describe investigate professional liability women who are raising children and health insurance. and operating small businesses at home.

Be creative in financing Mompreneurs typically the start-up or expansion of merge their personal and pro- your small business. Consider fessional lives, loaning yourself s i mu l t a n e o u s l y the money from juggling dentist personal savings appointments and or a financial deadlines, selfwindfall, borpromotion and rowing from school conferfamily and ences, play dates friends or and presentations, obtaining businetworking and ness loans from nap times. banks or governTechnological ment programs.

MURELEEN BENTON advancements You may want to have made it pos- FINANCIAL SENSE consult a finansible for an cial advisor increasing number of adults to before you use credit cards, work from home, and the flexi- home equity or retirement bility of owning their own busi- assets to fund your business. ness appeals to many women. In After your business is underway, 2006, the Center for Women’s consider these cash-flow tips: Business Research reported that invoice promptly; periodically women-owned firms without evaluate and raise your prices; employees, including mompre- work on retainer; get some or all neurs, are increasing in number of your money up-front and and revenues are growing faster have access to a prudent busithan all firms in the United ness reserve such as a savings States without employees. account, credit line or credit Consider these statistics: card. Create and use a spending One of every 11 adult plan to operate and grow your women is an entrepreneur. business.

Between 1997 and 2004, women-owned, nonGet ready for business employee firms grew at 18 taxes. It’s critical to keep compercent. That’s twice the plete and separate records for national rate for all non- your business and to track all employee firms. income and expenses. This There are 5.4 million sole includes recording all sales, proprietresses that generate invoices, receipts, payroll and $167 billion in sales and purchases as well as keeping comprise nearly a third of all copies of all receipts, invoices firms with no employees. and canceled checks. Record your business mileage in a logWhile most mompreneurs book that you keep in your vehiare skilled multi-taskers, they cle. You may want to meet with may not pay close attention to a tax advisor/CPA to learn money management details about the various state and local involved in running their homebased businesses. Here is a financial checklist to help keep mompreneurs and other homebased business owners on track: Take care of the administrative and legal details.

Before you start a home-based business, check the zoning ordinances in your area and any possible restrictions in your neighborhood. Decide if you will be incorporated and explore whether you will need patents, trademarks or copyrights on your work. If your business will be incorporated, a partnership or have employees, obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) through the IRS. Determine if you are required to charge sales tax on your product or service and become familiar with the process. Register your business name (this is usually necessary to open a business checking account) and obtain any local, state or federal licenses required to operate your business.

Confirm that you have adequate insurance. Talk to your insurance agent about the need for additional homeowner’s insurance to cover your business equipment, inventory, liability, etc. Depending on your business and personal circum-

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tax and accounting issues for your business. Issues include potential deductions and substantiation requirements, when to pay estimated taxes and if you are planning on hiring an employee.

Save for your retirement.

Once you start generating an income from your business, consider saving a percentage of it every year in a SEP-IRA or other small-business retirement account. SEP accounts are easy to set up and your contributions are tax-deductible. Once your account is established, you can contribute every year up to your tax filing deadline, including any extensions. In 2007, you can generally contribute the lesser of 25 percent of your salary or $45,000. Your contributions can vary each year, offering you some flexibility when business or personal conditions vary.

Whether you’re just getting started as a mompreneur or have operated a home-based business for several years, you may face both personal and business challenges. Consider consulting a professional financial advisor to help you set financial goals and create an action plan to achieve them.

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

6 Costly Mistakes to Avoid Before Buying a Home Clayton/Concord – A new report has yourself about the factors involved before just been released which identifies the 6 you buy. most common and costly mistakes that In answer to this issue, industry insiders homebuyers make before buying a home. have prepared a free special report entitled Mortgage regulations have changed sig- “6 Things You Must Know Before You Buy.” nificantly over the last few years, making Having the right information beforehand your options wider than ever. Subtle changes in the way you approach mortgage shop- can undoubtedly make a major difference in ping, and even small differences in the way this critical negotiation. To hear a brief you structure your mortgage, can save or pre-recorded message about how to cost your literally thousands of dollars and order your FREE copy of this report, call 1-800-283-5075 and enter ID# 1004. years of expense.

You can call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 Whether you are about to buy your first days a week. Call NOW to find out what home, or are planning to make a move to you need to know before you buy a your next home, it is critical that you inform home.

This report is courtesy of Paula Hadox, Kropa Realty. Not intended to solicit properties currently listed for sale. Copyright © 2007.

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Page B5

From television commercials and radio promos to home construction sites and individual environmental projects, everything lately is going, going, Green, right down to the soil.

Just ask Clayton resident George Schultz, President of Nature’s Creations. His passion and slogan for his company is “keeping nature green …naturally and he achieves this through his efforts to educate people on how to landscape the organic way.

“Why not work with nature instead of against it,” says Schultz. He believes in the necessity of having a balance in nature. “It’s better to have all in sync,” he says when he talks about all aspects of landscaping from lawn, tree and shrub care to irrigation management.

Nature’s Creations is a comprehensive program that deals with insect and disease control, weed control, root system feeding, soil inoculation as well as a host of practices that include irrigation audits, soil analysis, mole and gopher control and lawn core aeration.

Shultz’s personal beliefs in the environment are neatly interwoven into his business.

“Our programs are designed to nurture the ecosystem to provide a better balance between man and nature,” Shultz says.

He believes that land without contaminated ground water

and harmful carcinogens is possible and opposes the use of chemical fertilizers that cause poisonous run off and the leaching of unnecessary nutrients and chemicals and.

Schultz holds a Qualified Applicator License by the California Department of Pesticide Regulations and is a Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor by the Irrigation Association.

He also works with the Contra Costa County Water District which offers rebates on smart irrigation practices.

Shultz’s expertise stems from his years in the golf course industry maintaining and building mountain courses in Oregon and California where he learned how to maintain turf grass organically without the harsh use of chemicals. A dedicated conservationist, He has a bachelor’s degree in Plant and Soil Science from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and is a member of the Sierra Club.

In his pursuit to keep nature green, Schultz realized “the only way to do it was to do it myself.”

His research eventually led to the formation of Nature’s Creations where Schultz works hard to educate his customers about organic landscaping.

Shultz now produces his own compost tea and utilizes products listed in the Organic Materials Review Institute, a non-profit organization which reviews materials used to produce organic food.

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

President of Nature’s Creations, Inc., George Schultz He advises his clients to “make the right choices for your landscape service because your choice not only increases the beauty of your property today

but protects the land for future generations.” For more information on Nature’s Creations, Inc. visit www.nciorganics.com or see ad this page.

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At Clifford Realtors, we offer you ALL the services available from any of the big companies, combined with the personal touch that only a one-on-one local agency can provide without all the overhead.

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SENIOR MOMENTS One of the leading challenges seniors face today is financial exploitation. It is of grave concern for our senior citizens because of its direct effect on their personal rights.

Financial exploitation causes many senior citizens to be pushed further into the despair of poverty. Many are robbed of their financial security, such as retirement savings and even their homes.

It is essential that seniors and their most trusted loved ones take an active role in planning their financial affairs. This will help prevent unscrupulous individuals from taking advantage of our senior population.

The Illinois Department of Aging describes financial exploitation as “the misuse or withholding of an older person’s resources by another, to the disadvantage of the elderly person and/or the profit or advantage of someone else”

(www.state.il.us/aging).

Core areas in which the senior population is being exploited financially include the abuse of a power of attorney, joint accounts and deed transfers.

A power of attorney (POA) is a legal form that allows one person to act on the behalf of another. This “agent” is granted the power to handle the principal senior’s affairs. Lack of supervision over the POA can result in the misuse of this legal document.

It is important that the chosen POA is trustworthy and capable of managing an individual’s business and legal matters efficiently. This is even more important if a senior citizen becomes incompetent and can no longer adequately supervise the POA’s actions.

Dangerous situations can be avoided with proper awareness and planning. One should meet with an attorney, specifically an elder law professional, to correctly tailor the power of attorney document to an individual’s needs.

“It is important to start talking with friends and family about advice someone is giving

you to see what they think.

This can often help expose faulty or abusive schemes,” says Karen Stein, an elder law attorney from Lafayette. “It is a strong signal of abuse when anyone pressures you for an immediate decision without allowing you to talk to anyone else.”

You should ensure that a POA be required to inform the senior on all decisions. A coagent can also be appointed to monitor any financial matters supervised by the POA. Most importantly, one must recognize that simply because you have ordered a power of attorney, this does not release your rights to control your own interactions.

Joint accounts can be of great concern, because this measure entitles another agent to have access to the original owner’s account without the signature of the owner. The agent will inherit the funds in the account upon death of the owner.

If a co-owner is appointed to the account, he should be an individual who is honest and trusted.

A deed of transfer is a document that confirms the proprietorship transfer from the owner to the newly appointed agent. Once this occurs, the new owner has full decisionmaking power over that property. This step is not recommended unless the new owner is extremely reliable.

Various resources can guide seniors on how to advocate for themselves in order to prevent senior exploitation, most specifically within the financial realm. Some of these nationwide services are Area on Aging Agencies, local Ombudsman Chapters, Senior Centers and the Retired Senior Volunteer Programs.

As the world continues to expand, so do the resources and services available to us. It is critical that we look to these services for guidance. Proper planning, with the advice of an elder law attorney, can preserve a senior’s assets, financial security and peace of mind.

Amanda Copenhaver is Marketing Director for Aegis of Concord. Send comments or questions to amanda.copenhaver@aegisliving.com

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Don’t overlook energy credits Tax breaks are available for energy-saving home improvements.

Qualifying purchases include such things as insulation systems, exterior windows and doors and metal roofs. There’s an even larger credit available for solar water heaters. Credits are also available to contractors who build energy-efficient homes and to manufacturers of energyefficient appliances. For details, call us.

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Page B6

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

May 25, 2007

Don’t allow your small dog to behave like a brat Small dogs provide many benefits, but they can present unique challenges as well.

Carolyn Goodrich, intake technician at the Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF), speaks from experience, as the owner of a Boston terrier. She says owners often give small dogs special treatment and privileges that would not be afforded to large dogs. This

double standard can lead a small dog to develop serious behavior problems.

It’s fine for Muffy the Maltese to jump and bark as long as he’s wearing a designer sweater with a matching collar.

Putting Sadie, your German shepherd, in a dress and letting her jump all over strangers would be far less acceptable.

It’s easy to pamper your

We Remember Maxwell Blue

Ozzie de Cat

March 7, 2006 April 24, 2007

March 8, 2006 April 21, 2007

“Max” woke me up some mornings.

After school I would feed him.

He would play with me and then he would take a cat nap. He loved to jump in the bath with me and he slept with my parents every night

“Oz” was a good pet. He woke me up for school every morning and would help me get dressed.

He watched me brush my teeth and wash my face.

After school he met me at the door and I would feed him. He would play with me and then take a cat nap.

He slept with me every night.

Max and Oz were the beloved pets of Kim, a young disabled girl. Max died of a tumor just three days after Oz was hit by a car.

small pooch by giving her what she wants when she wants it.

Unfortunately, this might teach the dog that she runs the household. Soon she will be telling you where to sit and sleep.

It’s a good idea to teach your little one to sit or roll over. Then ask her to do these tricks to earn meals, attention, treats and walks. Once you control her access to food and environment, she’ll see you as the pack leader.

ARF has classes designed specifically so small dog companions can learn manners and tricks.

Housetraining takes significantly more time with small dogs. This is due, in part, to their small bladders and high metabolism rate, which creates a need to relieve themselves frequently. It is also harder to catch the dog in the act because accidents happen so quickly.

Crating your dog when she is unsupervised or tethering her to your side with a leash can help minimize accidents.

Still, potty training a small dog can sometimes take months and requires patience and consistency.

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status or rank in the pack. A small dog feels more powerful while up high in laps or in their owner’s arms and will often bark or snap at dogs and people who are “below” them. Make an effort to have your small dog walk beside you and sleep in his bed or a crate rather than holding or carrying him all the time.

If your little one growls or snaps at strangers or dogs while sitting in your lap, the answer is to stand up. Once the lap disappears, so will the attitude.

Although it may seem amusing at first, a small dog that growls or snaps in any situation should be taken as seriously as you would a large dog.

Contact a trainer as soon as possible for advice on ways to curb bad behavior.

Your small dog is likely to live 15 years or more, so start training early to ensure a happy life together.

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Elena Bicker is the Executive Director of Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation. She can be reached at (925) 256-1ARF (1273)

Bunny and Lacey are ARF’s Adoption Stars

BUNNY

Bunny is a sweet and affectionate girl who likes to give gentle head butts asking for petting and love. The adoption fee for Bunny is $100. Call (925) 256-1ARF. Lacey is a sweet and gentle girl. She is likely to bond quickly to her new family members and become a little shadow. The adoption fee for Lacey is $200 and includes the first six training courses.

LACEY

Bring your pet’s primary caretaker and kids 16 and younger who will live with Lacey or Bunny, as well as any canine family members – to meet them at Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek, during adoption hours: 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Noon to 4:30 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday. Visit

www.arf.net or call (925) 2561ARF for more information.

Whether buying, selling or refinancing when you’re calling this number, you’re calling the right number Linda Miller

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 Web site, www.arf.net, or call (925) 2561ARF.

Realtor, Loan Consultant

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May 25, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

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Page B7

For better computing, understand the motherboard A motherboard isn’t a normally busy mom sitting around with little or nothing to do, but rather the most integral, least understood part of your personal computer.

Just like moms who bring families together, dole out chores, keep the family humming and otherwise make home life enjoyable, motherboards host computer components so they work together.

The motherboard is the largest single piece of hardware in your computer, but often not much is known about it. I think the marketing folks purposely forget to mention the importance of this component, just as we forget to praise moms sometimes.

The CPU, or central processor, is usually pointed out because of its stature as a brute

force component and its aweinspiring ability to calculate.

One usually hears of the size of the hard drives, memory and such, but few think about where it all connects.

Think of the motherboard as one big connector, where all the other computer components are plugged in and get their instructions to go to work.

It’s like a freeway complex, on and off ramps, places to stop, places to go fast, bypasses, rest stops, places of scenic interest, etc.

The motherboard shuffles computer traffic much like a freeway complex. A program command is issued from the hard drive. It moves into memory, is processed by the CPU, displayed by the video and returned to the hard drive for storage once again. The mother-

board provides express lanes and directs traffic through the system.

Here’s the rub: Nearly everyone has heard of Intel, which makes CPUs and such, and most knows about Microsoft, the company that makes software to run the CPUs. But what about Microstar, ASUS, Tyan, Soyo, Biostar, Foxconn, Supermicro or ECS – the motherboard manufacturers?

Intel and Microsoft are industry leaders and among the few to manufacture their products. There are dozens of motherboard manufacturers, so no name really pops out front.

It takes the right motherboard to do that job. Minimum traffic lanes may be good for light reading, but what about rush hour traffic – when you want everything to work at

WILL CLANEY TECH TALK once, including music, video, spreadsheets, Quickbooks and e-mail?

You need to know what’s inside your computer, so your motherboard can support the traffic lanes you want to travel.

Just like mom matters to a family, a motherboard matters to the well-functioning computer.

The more you know about computers, the better your experience with them will be.

Will Claney is the owner and operator of Computers USA! in the Clayton Station. Contact him at 925-672-9989.

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Sciatica sufferers may have several types of symptoms, including pain in the lower back and pain radiating down the back of the leg.

The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in your body. It starts at several spinal nerve levels and joins together, going from the lower back to the foot. When it is irritated, you are in pain.

Grade I sciatic pain goes from the lower back into the buttock. Grade II goes down to the knee, and Grade III goes all the way down to the foot.

If the pain is on the side or front of the leg, then it’s not sciatica.

The first step is to find out what is causing your problem.

With modern chiropractic, surgery is rarely needed. If a spinal disc is bulging, herniated or narrowed, it may pinch or irritate your sciatic nerve. The DRX

“The first step is to find out what is causing your problem.

With modern chiropractic, surgery is rarely needed.”

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Chiropractic treatment may help sciatic pain

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Jim Hudak Pianist and Composer

9000 may be your best treatment option. However, if sciatica is caused by a fixation (Subluxation) of the spine or sacroiliac joint, then regular chiropractic adjustments offer excellent relief for most patients.

Your treatment options include: Wait and hope it goes away. This is the favorite choice of most people. But if the problem isn’t fixed correctly, it will be worse next time and there may be permanent damage.

Surgery. This should be a last resort.

Medication. If the joint is narrowed or stuck, medication can’t fix it. It only covers up the pain, and your real problem just gets worse.

Physical Therapy. Most physical therapy offices use exercise to stretch and strengthen. While helpful, it doesn’t fix bulging or narrowed discs, or restricted, fixated spinal segments.

Chiropractic. Chiropractic treatments correct restricted joint motion, and take stress off joints and pressure off nerves. Some offices also offer Cold Laser to improve healing, control pain and help nerve function, and traction, percussion and other therapies so that you get better fast.

DRX9000. This is the newest and best treatment for disc herniations, protrusions, bulging and disc narrowing. If your low back or sciatic pain is caused by these conditions, the DRX9000 has great success in only six weeks.

Dr. Steven Moon is a doctor of chiropractic medicine in Concord. For a copy of this article or for more information, call Dr. Moon at (925) 682-8400 or visit his Web site at www.drmoon.com.

Get a Clue at the Library this summer JUNE 11 – AUGUST 20 Get ready for a summer of intrigue and suspense with great reads and exciting prizes.

Unravel the mystery behind a good book during the Contra Costa County Library’s Summer Reading Program, June 11 – August 20, where everyone is encouraged to “get a clue” at your local library.

Super sleuths can discover the key to summer reading fun with the Kids’ Summer Reading Program for kids age 2 through fifth grade.

Solve the puzzling question of what thrilling prizes are awaiting all teens who read during this summer’s Teen Reading Program for students grades 612.

For adults, ages 18 and up,

Crossword Puzzle Solution for 5/11 crossword

The Crossword will return in our next issue.

Discover the possibilities in YOUR garden with a creative down-to-earth garden designer

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simply read and submit a raffle ticket online at ccclib.org or at your community library for a chance to win a Booklover’s Bag full of goodies.

The Contra Costa County Library also introduces the first annual Baby Reading Program for children from birth to 2 years to promote early literacy skills. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to enjoy a series of fun activities with their babies to develop essential language skills and earn prizes along the way.

Interesting books, prizes and special events are awaiting you this summer at your local library. For more information or to get started, please contact your community library or visit us online at ccclib.org.

Let’s walk through YOUR space and focus on YOUR vision Kelly Marshall Garden Design in a one-on-one consultation.

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Member, Association of Professional Landscape Designers

Page B8

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

May 25, 2007

Clayton Community Calendar PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M., MAY 30 FOR THE JUNE 8 ISSUE. FAX TO 672-6580 OR E-MAIL calendar@claytonpioneer.com EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT MAY 28 Memorial Day Ceremony @ Clayton VFW Flagpole, Downtown Clayton 10 a.m. Join us to honor those who have fallen so that we may be free.

Seating for 400 attendees. Main speaker is Major General Daniel C. Helix, U.S. Army (Rte.), with short addresses by local dignitaries. Water will be distributed by members of the Korean War Veterans Association. Pete Loechner, Commander, (925) 255-3449.

MAY 29 - JULY 10 Patty Cakes @ Clayton Community Library 11 a.m. Story time for babies - 3 yr olds. Child attends with caregiver. Drop in any Tuesday. The program is free. 673-0659, Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton.

MAY 29 Travel Log @ Diamond Terrace Retirement Community 10 a.m. Presented by Kit Livingston from Mt. Diablo adult education. Join us for a cultural study of travel, including music and art history. This class will cover several destinations of interest. Classes are free. Questions? Call 5245100. Diamond Terrace Retirement Community, 6401 Center St. Clayton.

MAY 29 Contra Costa Youth Orchestra Comfort for Kids Benefit @ Lesher Center for the Arts 7:30 p.m. Kids helping kids spring concert. The Orchestra's spring concert benefits Comfort for Kids, a program of Hospice of the East Bay. Program includes Peter and the Wolf narrated by Bob MacKenzie, KTVU Channel 2.

Regular admission $15, seniors $12, Youth $10. For tickets call 943-7469.

MAY 30 Shaping the American West @ Diamond Terrace Retirement Community 2 p.m. Class will be instructed by Jim Gallagher from Mt. Diablo Adult Education. It will start with the migration from the east through the United States to the formation of the (wild) west. Classes are free. Questions? Call 524-5100. Diamond Terrace Retirement Community. 6401 Center St. Clayton

JUNE 11 - AUG. 20 “Get a Clue” Summer Reading Program @ Clayton Community Library Super sleuths can discover the key to summer reading fun with programs for babies - adults.Sign up and get a “reading record” on which to track your reading. Read books and get prizes. The program is free. For all ages. 6730659, Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road.

JUNE 10 Veterans of Foreign Wars Breakfast @ Concord Veterans Memorial Hall 8 - 11 a.m. VFW Post 1525 is hosting a breakfast at the Concord Veterans Memorial Hall. Breakfast includes eggs made to order, pancakes, sausage, coffee, and orange juice. The donation is $4.00 for adults and $2.00 for children 12 and younger. See you there. Pete Loechner (925) 682-6533.

Concord Veterans Memorial Hall, 2290 Willow Pass Road, Concord.

JUNE 14 Father's Day Crafts and Stories @ Clayton Community Library 11 a.m. For ages 3 - 8. Please register in advance. Show dad your creative side, with a gift he will treasure! The program is free. 673-0659, Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton.

JUNE 11 Stroke Support Group of Contra Costa County @ John Muir, Walnut Creek 7 - 9 p.m. Speaking will be Don Larsen, author of "I've Never Been an Old Man." He will discuss his journey as a caregiver for his wife as well as becoming a volunteer in the community. For more information, contact Ann Dzuna at 925-376-6218. Meetings are free and open to the public. John Muir Medical Center, Ball Auditorium, 1601 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek.

June 16 - Aug. 15 Teen Game Days on Wednesdays @ Clayton Community Library 3 - 7 p.m. Drop by and stay cool at the Clayton Community Library and play Clue and other board games in the Young Adult area. 673-0659, Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton.

JUNE 20 “Get a Clue” @ Clayton Community Library 7 - 8 p.m. Officer Jason Shaw from the Clayton Police Department will give a presentationon clues and evidence that ties into the library’s summer reading program. This program is recommended for upper elementary children through adult. 673-0659, Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton.

JUNE 21 Buchanan Field Master Plan Public Meeting and Public Hearing @ Crowne Plaza Hotel 6:00 - 7:00 p.m., 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. The draft master plan for Buchanan Field Airport will be presented to the public at a community meeting.

Directly after the community meeting there will be a short break, followed by a public hearing for the Far Part 150 noise study. The public hearing will begin about 7:30 p.m. Crowne Plaza Hotel, 45 John Glenn Drive, Concord.

CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS

JUNE 1 Canto Bello Handbell Ensemble and Heartsong @ Walnut Creek United Methodist Church 7:30 p.m. Touring under the name Tapestry, the two groups are raising money for Isubilo, a Zambian charity serving children whose lives have been affected by HIV/AIDS. The program features a wide variety of music from traditional to popular, sacred to secular. Admission is free but donations for a benefit tour in England will be accepted. Questions? Call Cindy Crausgrill at 672-7751. Walnut Creek United Methodist Church, 1543 Sunnyvale Ave., Walnut Creek.

MAY 27, JUNE 3 Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting @ Clayton Community Church 7 - 8 p.m. AA Big Book Study, every Sunday night in the meeting room at Clayton Community Church, 6055 Main Street, Clayton, 673-9060.

JUNE 1 Diablo Women's Chorale @ Trinity Lutheran Church, Walnut Creek 8 p.m. The Chorale, directed by Susan Peterson, presents "Just Folks." The concert will feature folk songs from around the world. Tickets are available at the door. The cost is $10 for adults and $8 for students. Call (925) 7364157 for more information. Additional information about the Chorale may be found at www.angelfire.com/ca/dwchorale. Trinity Lutheran Church, 2317 Buena Vista Avenue, Walnut Creek.

MAY 31, JUNE 7, 14, 21, 28 Rotary Club of Clayton Valley Concord Sunrise @ Oakhurst 7 a.m. Meets every Thurs. for breakfast and usually features a speaker. www. claytonvalleyrotary.org. Chuck Graham 689-7640. Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Drive, Clayton.

JUNE 2 Clayton Police Department's Tip-A-Cop for Special Olympics @ Ed's Mudville Grill 5 - 9 p.m. Enjoy dinner at Ed's while the Clayton Police Officers and police staff help wait tables! All donations collected during the event will go towards the Northern California Special Olympics. Ed's Mudville Grill, 6200 Center Street, Clayton.

JUNE 8 - JUNE 22 YMCA Art Camp at Clayton Community Gym For 3 - 6 graders. Call 609-9622 for more information. Clayton Community Gym, 700 Gym Court, Clayton.

JUNE 8 - JUNE 22 YMCA Basketball Camp at Clayton Community Gym For 1 -6 graders. Call 609-9622 for more information. Clayton Community Gym, 700 Gym Court, Clayton.

JUNE 9 Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society (MDAS) Celebration @ Mt. Diablo Summit 7 p.m. This year, MDAS is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and will mark the milestone with special activities at the June 9 star party on Mount Diablo.

The club will have cake, beverages and some surprises to share with members of the public who attend that night's event, which will begin at 7 p.m. at the lower summit parking lot. MDAS hosts monthly star parties and talks by professional astronomers involved in the latest astronomical research, and outreach programs to schools and scouting groups across Contra Costa County. Nick Tsakoyias, President, MDAS, 925-825-6523; claytonjandl@aol.com.

MAY 29, JUNE 5, 12, 19, 26 Kiwanis Club of Walnut Creek 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Meetings every Tues. All are invited to check us out and be our guest for lunch. Massimo’s Ristorante, 1604 Locust St., Walnut Creek. For more information call Sam Totah, 941-1536.

JUNE 11 Clayton Valley 4-H Club @ Farm Bureau Hall 7:15 p.m. 4-H is open to youth ages 5 - 19 and adults. Projects in small and large animals, leadership, community service, 4-H camp, conferences and fairs. Learn new skills including cooking, photography, arts/crafts etc.

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

JUNE 12, 26 Clayton Valley Woman's Club @ Holy Cross Lutheran Church 9:30 a.m. .Coffee, 10 a.m. Meeting. Meetings are held on the second and fourth Tues. of the month. Garden Girl Nicole Hackett of R&M Pool, Patio and Gardens will speak. She knows which plants grows best in our climate.

For more information, please call Joyce at 672-3850 or Sheila at 672-7947.

Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1092 Alberta Way, Concord.

JUNE 13 Creekside Artists Guild Meeting @ The Clayton Community Library 7p.m. Come and join this unique group of eclectic artists that meet the 2nd Wednesday of each month. If you like, bring your artwork for review...all levels and all artforms are welcome! "We provide an environment for all artists to inspire, create, educate and prosper". Questions? Arlene KikkawaNielsen (925) 673-9777 or akikkawa@ccclib.org Visit our website: www..creeksideartists.org.

JUNE 13 Clayton Valley Garden Club @ Diamond Terrace 7 p.m. The Clayton Valley Garden Club meets the second Wed. of the month. For June, George Schultz of Nature's Creations Inc. will introduce " Landscape the Organic Way." The Clayton - based company specializes in environmental landscape practices that nurture the soil ecosystem, protect air and water quality and follow water conservation practices. The Club maintains the flowers on Daffodil Hill, the planters on Main and Center Streets, the raised garden beds at the Library, and other civic projects.

Anyone interested in gardening is welcome at our meetings. Call Jeff at 672-7579 for information. Diamond Terrace, 6401 Center Street, Clayton.

MAY 31, JUNE 7, 14, 21, 28 Weights Watchers Weekly Meeting @ Contra Costa Farm Bureau Building 10 a.m.and 5:30 p.m. Weekly Weight Watchers weigh-in and meetings on Thurs. 800-326-8450 x 2023. Contra Costa Farm Bureau, 5554 Clayton Rd., Concord.

JUNE 21 Veterans of Foreign Wars Meeting @ Veterans Memorial Hall, Concord 6 p.m. Meeting begins. at 7 p.m. VFW meets the third Thurs. of the month.

All Veterans of foreign wars are invited to attend. The VFW is here to support eligible Veterans and their families. Wives and daughters of eligible Veterans are invited to join the Ladies Auxiliary. Meetings are held at Veterans Memorial Hall, corner of Colfax and Willow Pass Road, Concord.

MAY 31 CBCA (Clayton Business & Community Association) Meeting @ Oakhurst 6:30 p.m. Monthly dinner meeting, last non-holiday Thurs. of the month.

Reservations due by Tuesday noon prior, 672-2272. Mike Fossan, President.

Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Drive, Clayton.

JUNE 27 Blue Star Mom Meeting in Concord 6:30 p.m. Small group Blue Star Mom meetings held the fourth Wed. of each month. Blue Star Moms is a support and service group for those serving in all branches of the Armed Forces. 1792 Elmhurst Lane, Concord. Call 676-3654 for information.

JUNE 3 Knitting Club @ Concord Library 2 - 4 p.m. Have you noticed that knitting is all the rage? Join the group and get creative. Club meets the first Sun. of the month. 646-5455, Concord Library, 2900 Salvio Street, Concord.

BUSINESS & GOVERNMENT

JUNE 5 Knights of Columbus @ St. Agnes Church Hall 7:30 p.m. General membership meeting of the Knights of Columbus Concord Council 6038 of Concord and Clayton is the first Tues. of the month. We look forward to seeing our brother Knights there. St. Agnes Church, 3478 Chestnut Street, Concord.

JUNE 10 Concord Mystery Book Club @ Concord Library 2:30 - 4 p.m. All mystery readers are invited to participate and explore a different genre each month. Group meets the second Sun. of the month.

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

MAY 29, JUNE 5 Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Meeting @ County Administration Building 9 a.m. County Board of Supervisors holds regular weekly meetings Tues. mornings. Open to the public. www.co.contra-costa.ca.us 335-1900. County Administration Building, 651 Pine Street, Room 107, Martinez.

JUNE 5, 19 Clayton City Council Meeting @ Clayton Community Library 6 p.m. City Council meets on the first and third Tues. of the month. Open to the public. Agendas posted at City Hall, 6000 Heritage Trail. Clayton Community Library, 6125 Clayton Rd., Clayton.

JUNE 12, 26 Planning Commission Meeting @ Clayton Community Library 7p.m. City of Clayton Planning Commission meets 2nd and 4th Tues. of month. Open to the public. www.ci.clayton.ca.us 673-7304, Clayton Library Community Room, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton.

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May 25, 2007

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Page B9

Church News ST. BONAVENTURE’S CATHOLIC CHURCH Father Richard Mangini cel- amazing to recognize the work ebrated the 40th anniversary of and ministry of 40 years, it is his ordination to the priest- even more amazing to recoghood with a special Mass on nize, realize and to accept the Saturday, May 12. amazing goodness and love of He was also toasted at a cel- God.” ebration that evening at Father Richard says he was Oakhurst Country Club. The touched by the many gestures gala dinner-dance was in con- of affection during the party. junction with the 50th anniver- “There are several moments sary of the St. Bonaventure during the celebration that parish. keep reappearing in my mind.

“The celebration of my Thank God for memory and 40th ordination anniversary the gift of bringing back those was a confirmation of God’s moments of great feeling,” he ministry through me,” Father says.

Richard says. “While it is truly

Bible Study for all ages @ 10am Worship @ 11:15am Wed.: Bible Study @ 7:15pm

Bible-based & Christ-centered worship, education & fellowship

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

www.EternalLifeLutheranChurch.org

(925) 524-0295 William Kant, Pastor

Member of WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod)

BAHA’IS The Baha’is of Clayton invite everyone to a talk and evening of fellowship on Friday, June 1. The subject is “A Violence-Free Society,” with speaker Bob Henderson.

Henderson holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and has been a law enforcement officer for 15 years. He is currently employed with the Santa Clara Police Department. He is also president elect of the San Jose East Evergreen Rotary Club and a member of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of San Jose.

The program starts at 7:30 p.m. with interfaith devotions at the Toloui residence in Clayton.

For more information and directions, call 672-6686. ***

The Baha’is hold devotional readings and prayers from various religious traditions at Diamond Terrace. Feel free to bring your own favorite readings or prayers. Music and refreshments are provided.

The next meeting will be 11 a.m.-noon on Sunday, June 3, in the Movie Room, 6401 Center St., Clayton.

CLAYTON COMMUNITY CHURCH The church has several summer activities planned for preschoolers through fifthgraders and their families. Stop by the office at 6055 Main St. to pick up a brochure for Kidz Summercraze 2007.

Clayton Community Church meets at 9 and 10:45 a.m.

Sundays at Diablo View Middle School. For more information, call 673-9060.

Father Richard Mangini and Deacon Bill Gall. The Deacon led the toast to Fr. Mangini to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. *** Summer events for women are being organized by Clayton Community Church — check www.claytoncc.com/events for updates. Among them are Book Club Breakfasts meeting Jun 20, Jul. 18 and Aug. 15, at the home of Judi Brassfield, the first book being “The Yada Yada Prayer Group” by Neta Jackson; For Women Only, a Study using the book and discussion guide, “For Women Only ... what you need to know about the inner lives of men” by Shaunti

Feldhahn, each Tuesday in June from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the home of Christine Ondersma; Coffee and Chat from 9-11 a.m. on Jun. 6 at Cup O’ Joe’s in Clayton; Jul. 11 at Renaissance Cafe in K-Mart Shopping Center, and Aug. 1, location to be determined. Bring a magazine or book to trade or inspiration or devotion to share.

Also, Farmers Market and Picnics, Girls Days Out, Girls Nights Out, and more. For more information check www.claytoncc.com/events, or call Christine at 925-672-5352.

What’s happening in your place of worship? Do you have a new pastor or choir director? Special projects you’d like the community to know about? Active ministries? Send your news to www.churchnews@claytonpioneer.com

Club News

The 11 new members of the AAUW board, from left, are Diane Rogers, Priscilla Schmalzel, JoAnn Caspar, Adela Oldford, Rosemary Harwood, Dana McDaniel, Joan Chesterman, Dee Totman, Jean Cain, Mary Ann Hayes and Carol Wolfe.

comments regarding their expected contributions to the AAUW “Treasure Chest.”

New president Dana McDaniel expressed gratitude to the outgoing board, and Rosemary Harwood was presented with a Past President’s pin.

AAUW welcomes all interested women with college degrees to join them in activities designed to further education for not only women but the community at large. For more information, contact membership chairs JoAnn Caspar at 672-7680 or Marcia Hart at 827-9540.

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN The Clayton Branch of AAUW held an Installation Luncheon on May 12 at the Clayton home of Dana and

NATIONAL SCRABBLE ASSOCIATION NSA Club 632 welcomes players of all skill levels. The group meets the second and fourth Saturdays at Carl’s Jr. in the Clayton Station shopping

Rhoda McDaniel.

Many members were present to enjoy salads and desserts and an entertaining skit with a pirates theme. The incoming officers were identified with

area. Drop in anytime between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. The next sessions are May 26, June 9 and June 23.

No purchase is necessary, and the $2 fee for playing goes toward prizes, usually scratchoff lottery tickets.

For more information, call Mike Treshler at 672-8332 or visit www.scrabble-assoc.com.

VFW Veterans of Clayton Valley’s VFW Post 1525 will distribute Buddy Poppies on May 25 and 26 at the Albertson store on Clayton Road. All donations benefit veteran hospitals, organizations and needy veterans and their families.

Send your club news of general interest to clubnews@claytonpioneer.com

Call today for a personal tour & complimentary lunch announces The service of the month for our patients for the month of May

(925) 524-5100 Retirement Community

Complimentary Vision Tests offered Monday through Friday from 1 to 4 p.m.

If you are not a patient of Clayton Valley Medical Group and would like to become one, please contact Sue at (925) 672-6744 x14

1520 Kirker Pass Road, Suite A Clayton, CA

(925) 672-6744

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

“I really like it here at Diamond Terrace. There is always something going on, and everyone is really nice. Moving here has been great because I am still able to be social and do things 6401 Center Street Clayton CA 94517 with the other residents.”

–Pat Kenney www.diamondterrace.net

Page B10

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

May 25, 2007

Mayonnaise by any name is just good! New veterans flag

LINDA WYNER

FOOD

FOR

THOUGHT

In the battle of the bulge, one condiment defies today’s healthy food trend: mayonnaise.

According to ACNielsen research, Americans spent more than $20 million on mayonnaise products in 2005. Its ability to bind and blend has made it an important ingredient in classic dishes and more obscure regional favorites such as cakes, biscuits and rolls.

The quest to find the origin of this noble sauce focuses on France, where it may be linked to battlefield cuisine. In the 1500’s, mayonnaise was prepared for a feast celebrating a French victory over the British at the Spanish port of Mahon (“Mahonnaise”).

Perhaps a more credible tale is related to the duc de Mayenne, who is said to have taken his time to finish a meal of chicken with a cold sauce (hence sauce Mayennaise) before being defeated in battle by Henri IV. The first time mayonnaise appeared in an English language dictionary was in the 1840’s. By that time it was in wide use throughout Europe and immigrants brought various mayo recipes with them to America.

In the early 20th Century, German immigrant Richard Hellmann’s New York City deli served salads and sandwiches made with his wife’s mayonnaise.

The sauce was so popular, he began selling it by the scoop and then in bulk. By 1912, he was selling “Hellmann’s Blue Ribbon Mayonnaise” throughout the region.

Whether you prefer fullthrottle mayo, fat-free, lower-fat, soy-based, organic, trans-fat-free or subtly flavored, supermarket shelves are stacked with mayonnaise choices. True aficionados often gravitate to regional products. Most of the East Coast devotees prefer Hellmann’s (still called that even after being purchased by Best Foods brand that made a west-of-the-Rockies favorite). Parts of the southern U.S. swear by Duke’s (the only commercial brand that does not contain sugar), while Blue Plate is the New Orleans’ favorite.

Worldwide, it is most commonly served in a sandwich or burger, or used in potato or tuna salad. Northern Europeans serve it on French fries (in the northwest U.S., it’s blended with spices and Tabasco and called “fry sauce”) and hard-boiled eggs. Japanese mayo comes in a squishy squeeze bottle and is used with okonomiyahi, yakisoba and even cold noodle salad. A 2004 study showed that Russia is the only European market where more mayo is sold than ketchup by volume.

Mayonnaise is an emulsion of oil, egg yolks, vinegar (or lemon juice), mustard and spices. It stands on its own but is also the basis for numerous other sauces.

Aioli is olive oil mayonnaise combined with garlic. Rouille is aioli with added red pepper or paprika. Tartar sauce is mayo spiked with pickle relish and onion. Russian dressing (or “Marie Rose” sauce in Europe) consists of mayonnaise and tomato sauce or ketchup and

yogurt or heavy cream).

Mayonesa is a lime-flavored mayonnaise popular in Mexico and the Southwest U.S. Sauce remoulade is classic French cuisine. It consists of mayonnaise with added mustard, gherkins, capers, parsley, chervil, tarragon and anchovy essence.

The popular Thousand Island dressing served on salads combines mayonnaise with tomato sauce and/or ketchup, sweet pickle relish, assorted herbs and spices (including mustard), and sometimes hard-boiled egg. It got its name from the Thousand Island Hotel in upstate New York along the U.S.Canada border.

Most home cooks avoid homemade mayonnaise because of food safety issues (using raw eggs that may contain salmonella) or a perception that it a difficult sauce to prepare. Using pasteurized eggs or egg product eliminates the former, and trying the latter will lead to very tasty results.

The new award-winning book, The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook by Matt Lee and Ted Lee (Norton, $35) offers the following: LEMONY MAYONNAISE 2 large egg yolks 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice ½ c vegetable oil AND ½ c extra-virgin olive oil 1 tsp white-wine vinegar ¼ tsp kosher salt Dash white pepper Whisk yolks with lemon juice. Add oils in a thin stream, whisking constantly to emulsify.

When mayonnaise is thick and consistent, add the vinegar, salt and pepper, whisking vigorously to incorporate. Store tightly covered in refrigerator for up to two days.

A flavorful mayonnaise for chicken or seafood salads is Creole mayonnaise: CREOLE MAYONNAISE ½ c prepared mayonnaise 1 tsp Creole mustard 1 tsp Cajun seasoning 1/8 tsp dried thyme ½ tsp lemon juice Combine and serve with chicken or seafood salads.

CORRECTION TO CHEWY OATMEAL COOKIES FROM THE MAY 11 ISSUE Here’s a corrected recipe (the flour was missing)…. Oops!

1 c butter (2 sticks) ¾ c firmly packed brown sugar ½ c granulated sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla 3 c oats (quick or old fashioned) 1½ c all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp nutmeg 1 c raisins Heat oven to 375°F. Cream together butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla.

Combine dry ingredients.

Add to butter-egg mixture.

Add oats and raisins and stir well. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-9 minutes for a chewy cookie; two or three minutes longer for a crisper cookie.

part of downtown memorial Three flags now fly over Clayton’s Flag Memorial Site at the foot of Main Street: the American flag, the POW/MIA flag and the new Veterans Remembered Flag.

This new, green flag honors the millions of former military personnel who have served America during strife or peace times. Eighty-five percent of deceased veterans are buried with no recognition of their military service because no flag existed to commemorate them.

The Veterans Remembered Flag is a symbol of recognition for all veterans – active, inactive or reserve, of all military branches, war or peace, discharge or active.

A resolution on the flag, California Assembly Bill AJR 48, was adopted by the Assembly on May 4, 2006, and the Senate on June 1, 2006. It is awaiting approval from the U.S. Congress and the president.

The Veterans Remembered Flag features: Thirteen stars proceeding from the hoist to the great star, representing the 13 original colonies.

A red outline star with five points, one for each branch of America’s military service.

Linda Wyner is an accomplished chef and “foodie.” She recently opened her kitchen store in Pleasanton and the cooking school will open soon. Watch the Pioneer for details.

Direct your suggestions or questions to lwyner@claytonpioneer.com

A white outline star, signifying the veteran’s dedication to protect and defend America.

A blue outline star, to honor all men and women who have worn the uniform.

A gold star, memorializing all who have fallen defending our nation.

A blue stripe at the bottom, bearing the title and honoring the locality of veterans to this nation, government and flag.

A green field, the hallowed ground where all veterans rest eternally.

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