PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA PERMIT 190
City names new chief of police
IT’S YOUR PAPER www.claytonpioneer.com
September 9, 2005
925.672.0500
Firefighters avert disaster in MTR fire TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
For Dan Lawrence, coming to Clayton as the new police chief is a bit like coming home. A graduate of Clayton Valley High School, Class of ’65, Lawrence’s law enforcement career has spanned more than 30 years, most of it with the Contra Costa County Sheriff ’s Department. The last six years of his career were spent as police chief of Orinda which contracts with the
Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morgan
AIR
DAN LAWRENCE
County for their police services. Lawrence is the current president of the Orinda Rotary Club. After retiring from the Sheriff ’s department two years ago, Lawrence signed on as chief of the Contra Costa Community College police service. “It’s a great job,” said Lawrence, “But I really want to be chief of a small town force and Clayton is so close to where I was raised, it’s an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I’ve watched it grow and I really want to be part of the community.” It was this expressed desire that cinched the deal for City Manager, Gary Napper. Aside from being highly qualified for the job, Lawrence was eager for the position. “I didn’t want someone coming in who just wanted the title and then would move on,” said Napper. “I
See Chief, page A12
What’s inside SECTION A Around Town . . . . . . . . . .A2 Upcoming Events . . . . . . .A4 Classifieds and Directory of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . . .A5 School News . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . .A8 Sharing History . . . . . . . . .A9 Music Notes . . . . . . . . . . .A13 Club News . . . . . . . . . . . .A13 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . .A14 Food For Thought . . . . . .A15 SECTION B Hiker’s Haven . . . . . . . . . . .B1 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2 Dining Around . . . . . . . . . .B4 Community Calendar . . . . .B6 Your Health . . . . . . . . . . . .B7 Just My Opinion . . . . . . . . .B7 Church News . . . . . . . . . . .B8 Pet Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B9 Tea For You . . . . . . . . . . .B10
TANKERS DROP FIRE RETARDANT
and ground crews respond aggressively to save threatened homes in Morgan Territory fire.
Principals old and new share vision JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
With the first day of school jitters out of the way, the three principals of our local schools take time to talk about their goals, impressions and personal aspirations for the new year ahead.
Linda Hutcherson Mt. Diablo Elementary School
Gary Swanson Clayton Valley High School
Michelle Cooper Diablo View Middle School
Linda Hutcherson likes to think of herself more as a student than as an administrator at Mt. Diablo Elementary School. As the new principal, she recently wrote a welcome to the students and parents and asked them “don’t you just love being a lifelong learner?” In fact her goal for her first year at Mt Diablo is a humble one. “The first year, I’m dedicated to being a learner,”
The new Clayton Valley High School principal has only been on the job for a little over a month and he likes what he sees. Gary Swanson is impressed with the staff, teachers and facility and he says he has “great aspirations for what this school can become.” Much like his other colleague, MDES principal Linda Hutcherson, Swanson wasn’t
Unlike her colleagues at Clayton Valley and Mt. Diablo, Michelle Cooper is a veteran, starting her fourth year as principal of Diablo View Middle School. When she first became principal three years ago, she developed five goals that she felt enhanced the DVMS vision which includes preparing students to become respectful, responsible, and ethical
See Hutcherson, page A11
See Swanson, page A11
See Cooper, page A11
August 27 was a hot, dry Saturday afternoon and I was sitting on the deck at our house on Morgan Territory Road with a big glass of iced tea, mostly relaxing. I say mostly, because, as always on a really hot, dry day, that niggling little voice in the back of my mind wouldn’t stay quiet. “Wow,” said Voice, “it’s really hot—sure hope we don’t have a fire.” “Quiet, Voice,” I said, “Don’t even think it.” Then, less than two hours later, the first of more than a dozen fire trucks and emergency equipment began to whiz past my house, sirens blaring and lights blazing. Standing in our driveway, the adrenaline reached epic levels as my husband and I, who clearly remember watching the 1978 Mt. Diablo fire burn up 7000 acres within spitting distance from our house, watched the smoke rise across the road and the tankers circle above our heads. We jumped into the car and headed up the road toward the smoke to get a closer look.
See Fire, page A6
City to review Market plans TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Plans for the remodel of the Village Market downtown should go before the Planning Commission at the September 13 meeting, says Community Development Director Jeremy Graves. He expects it will take the Planning Commission two to three meetings to review the plans and all conditions before giving the project the green light. There are also some property line encroachment issues with the City of Clayton, which surfaced after the corner was surveyed for the park. The
See Market, page A6
Rollin’ on down Main Street, classic derby style JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Ready. Set. Go. And they were off, racing down Main Street in Clayton in the second annual Great Labor Day Derby. Youngsters of all ages donned a protective helmet, jumped in a sponsored car, were pulled up the ramp and once released, raced their opponent to the finish line adjacent to Clayton Community Church. The derby race was the brainchild of CCC’s pastor Shawn Robinson who wanted to give families something fun to do over the Labor Day Weekend. Last year’s event was a rousing success and this year’s race doubled in size said Chuck Bidondo, one of 64 event volunteers.
Pre-event festivities included classic car show preview, sponsor’s dinner and concert. Local businesses came out in droves to provide beautiful handpainted, flashy cars bearing the sponsors’ names for the young racers. Evan Barney, 6 ½ years old, raced in the IMC car, one of the event’s main sponsors. “I’m excited,” he said as he waited to be pulled up the ramp. “ I want to go really fast.” Evan trailed his opponent in the first heat and won his second heat after a near wipe out. Volunteers had their work cut out as they ran after and saved young racers from imminent crashes throughout the day. In between age divisions,
See Derby, page A10
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
SHAWN ROBINSON
AND
DAVE SHUEY
ON THE RAMP,
ready for their fight to the finish race down Main St.