Ipsen takes gold at World see page B2
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IT’S YOUR PAPER www.claytonpioneer.com
September 8, 2006
925.672.0500
Two-time cancer survivor honored by Giants JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Photo courtesy of Weisscom Partners
CLAYTON RESIDENT DON FITZGERALD was recently honored at the San Francisco Giants game in the national Strike Out Cancer Program that recognizes individuals for their courage and inspirational journey in fighting the disease.
Sports Editor Needed
The Pioneer is looking for a new Spor ts Editor. This is a paid position requiring approximately 10-15 hours per issue (twice a month.) The successful candidate will be thoroughly plug ged in to the Clayton area sports scene, preferably be a Clayton resident and will have good writing skills. A computer and a high comfor t level with email and Word are necessar y. Send a co ver letter with y our qualifications and a writing sample (a couple of paragraphs is fine) to tamara@claytonpioneer.com. Put Sports Editor in the subject line.
Don Fitzg erald is Cla yton’s newest all-star. On A ugust 20, Fitzgerald took the field at A T&T P ark with baseball in hand, wearing a T-shirt and cap . He positioned himself at second base and w as soon joined b y his eight teammates, who also took their assigned places on the field amidst the c heers and applause from the packed stadium. It was a picture-perfect day as the Giants took on the Los Angeles Dodg ers, but for Fitzgerald and his teammates , their all-star status was more than just about the game of baseball. They are cancer all-stars and were honored in a special ballpark event for their inspirational battle ag ainst cancer and dedicated w ork to help others affected by this debilitating disease. The ev ent w as sponsored by Genentech BioOncology, the Giants and fi ve non-profit cancer org anizations, including the Wellness Comm unity. Genentech, the leading dev eloper of targeted cancer therapies, has pledg ed $200 to the Wellness Comm unity of East
Bay/San F rancisco for ev ery strikeout thro wn b y a Giants pitcher at a regular season home game. Fitzgerald, a two-time cancer survivor, was c hosen b y the Wellness Comm unity to re present the non-profit organization in the national Strik e Out Cancer prog ram. It focuses on providing patients and their loved ones with the resources needed to effecti vely manag er their disease . The prog ram includes li ve ev ents at Major League ballparks across the country, like the recent pregame ceremony at AT&T Park. “Don has been on a long and strong jour ney through his experience of cancer,” says Jim Bouquin, executive director of the Wellness Community of San Francisco and the East Bay. “He took that jour ney with the Wellness Comm unity and connected with other sur vivors. He’s a w onderful inspiration and a remarkable guy , a full member of the community.” “I felt so honored, ” Fitzgerald sa ys of his nomination b y the W ellness Community.
See Fitzgerald, page A13
Four candidates vie for Council seats When voters go to the polls this November to fill tw o city council seats, they will choose fr om a field of four candidates. Council member Dave Shuey’s seat is up for reelection as is the seat vacated by Pete Laurence. Shuey has declared his candidacy and is joined in the race by Joe Medrano, Hank Stratford and Jim Diaz. Diaz ran in 2004 but lost to the incumbents . Here, in their own w ords, the candidates intr oduce themselves and tell w hy they ar e running for the city council. In futur e issues, the candidates will answer a set of questions compiled by the Pioneer .
City buys vacant lot for public parking TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
The City has purc hased the 14,854 square foot v acant lot behind Endeavor Hall for future public parking it was disclosed at the Aug. 15 Council meeting . A portion of the parcel is already leased from the sellers and used for Endeavor Hall parking.
What’s Inside SECTION A
Around Town . . . . . . . .A2, A4 Clayton Homes Twilight Tour A3 Obituary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A4 Classified and Directory of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A4 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Mayor’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . .A7 School News . . . . . . . . . . . .A10 Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . .A11 Sharing History . . . . . . . . .A12 Weather Words . . . . . . . . . .A12 Upcoming Events . . . . . . .A14 Movie Review . . . . . . . . . . .A14 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . .A15 So, Anyway . . . . . . . . . . . . .A15
SECTION B
Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B1 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B5 Dining Around . . . . . . . . . . .B6 EcoFocus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B7 On the Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B7 Crossword Puzzle . . . . . . . . .B7 Church News . . . . . . . . . . . .B8 Pet Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B9 Food For Thought . . . . . . .B10
In its ong oing effor t to encourage do wntown dev elopment, the City recently amended the Town Center Specific Plan, relaxing the previous onsite parking requirements and calling for more street parking . This move increased the a vailable land for commercial dev elopment from 45,700 to 111,500 square feet. There has been a “groundswell of commercial interest in the Cla yton T own Center,” said City Manager Gary Napper in his staff report. There are sev eral projects that are currently in the works which would dictate a g reater need for parking: The proposed nine units of Mitchell Creek Place residential subdivision at the cor ner of Oak and High Streets The Oak Center commercial building at Oak and Center The new Long’s Dr ugs at Center and Clayton Road In No vember, the long awaited, much anticipated downtown park will g o to the v oters for approval. Should it pass, this will mean more cars downtown. The city is also looking at making Diablo/High Street one way to create additional angular on street parking. The purc hase price of $240,000 was paid to sellers Mr . and Mrs . Neil Stafford from Redevelopment Agency funds.
JIM DIAZ MANAGEMENT AND SECURITY CONSULTANT
JOE MEDRANO, 42, OWNER OF INSURANCE MANAGEMENT CORP.
DAVE SHUEY, 39, ATTORNEY
RUSS “HANK” STRATFORD, 40, CPA AND OWNER OF DIABLO VIEW CLEANING
I ha ve been a resident of Clayton for o ver 25 years. I am an acti ve member of the Clayton Business and Community Association (CBCA), serving as music coordinator for the ann ual Ar t and
I am a member of the Clayton Business and Community Association (CBCA) and ha ve been on the board of directors for the past two years . I co-c haired the Clayton Ar t and Wine F estival
My name is Da vid Shuey , but most people call me “Shoe.” I am y our cur rent mayor (I hope most of you know that b y no w) and ha ve been on the City Council for the last four years . My wife Shelly and I ha ve been mar ried
I moved to Clayton in 1976, attending Mt. Diablo Elementary for fifth and sixth grade. I g raduated from Pine Hollow and Cla yton V alley High School and then attended Brigham Y oung Uni versity
See Diaz, page A8
See Medrano, page A8
See Shuey, page A8
See Stratford, page A8
175 race in this year’s Labor Day Derby TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
The da y da wned crisp , cool and sunny , a w elcome respite from the nor mally hot A ugust weather. Brightly painted, bullet shaped little cars lined up along the curb on Main Street and the kids were ready to race. This w as the T hird Ann ual Great Labor Da y Derby put on by the Cla yton Comm unity Church (CCC). In just tw o years, the event established itself as a tradition in Cla yton, right up there with the Ar t and Wine Festival and Oktoberfest. Over 175 kids signed up for
a c hance to (leg ally) “drag the Main,” according to ev ent cochair Mike Fossan. Down the street in the parking lot of Clayton Comm unity Church, was the car show where 86 spit shined, classic cars stood, hoods up, basking in the attentions of their admirers. The free family ev ent w as the vision of CCC’s pastor , Shawn Robinson. “My favorite par t about this town is when the c hurch and civic leaders come tog ether to make a comm unity,” said Robinson. “This is what it’ s all about.”
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
SAM GOLDEEN, left, and Payton Albert wait on the ramp for their chance to race down Main Street.