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September 9, 2016
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Downtown development key issue in City Council race BEV BRITTON Clayton Pioneer
Enhancing city revenue through responsible downtown development is a top priority for the four candidates running for the Clayton City Council on Nov. 8. Tuija Catalano and Allen Lampo join incumbents Jim Diaz and Julie Pierce in the race for three seats. Current Mayor Howard Geller has decided not to run again, citing the desire to travel and spend
time with family. Pierce serves on numerous local and regional committees, including the Contra Costa Transportation Authority and the Association of Bay Area Governments. She is a longtime member of the Clayton Business and Community Association (CBCA) and secretary of the Clayton Historical Society. Pierce co-chairs the annual July 4th parade and is an integral part of the Concerts in the Grove team.
See Council, page 9
TUIJA CATALANO
JIM DIAZ
ALLEN LAMPO
JULIE PIERCE
New marker details history of Keller Ranch house
Photo courtesy of the Clayton Historical Society
THIS PHOTO OF THE KELLER RANCH HOUSE, WAS TAKEN IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, not long after the mission-style house was completed. The Clayton Historical Society will place a monument marking the historical significance of the home on Sat., Oct. 8 at 4 p.m.
A new monument will further preserve Clayton’s historic Keller Ranch House by recognizing its archaeological and cultural importance. The local chapter of E Vitus Clampus will do the heavy work of installing the monument near the Cardinet Trail, so it can be seen from the bridge behind the library and from the trail. The Clayton Historical Society will dedicate it at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8. The marker details the site’s historical significance, dating back to as early as 2000 BC – when the area was home to the Volvon Miwok Native Americans. When settlers arrived in the 1800s, they discovered many artifacts. The land on which the house sits may have been a part of Rancho Del Diablo, a Mexican land grant. It was subse-
Tails of Gray shines spotlight on senior dogs JENNIFER LEISCHER Correspondent
TAILS OF GRAY FOUNDER, STEPHANIE MEISSNER, snuggles with Cynthia, an aging, blind terrier mix that rescuers found caught in a fence. Cynthia is currently recovering in Meissner’s care, but will soon be placed in a permanent home.
An accident that required Stephanie Meissner to adopt a more inactive lifestyle didn’t slow her passion for dog rescue. It merely reinforced her focus on senior dogs, who also move at a more leisurely pace. The Clayton resident founded the non-profit Tails of Gray in 2015 to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome abandoned senior dogs. In 2003, a life-changing accident caused permanent damage to the left side of her body. During this time, the previously active and athletic Meissner was a foster parent for a dog from Muttville Senior Dog Rescue in San Francisco. “I felt as if I had a strong connection with the senior
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HOWARD GELLER
MAYOR’S CORNER
dogs from Muttville,” she recalls. “Because of my accident, the dogs and I shared a common bond.” The life-long animal lover has always been involved with dog rescue, an affinity she shares with her daughter Emily. But she notes that rescuing senior dogs is not an endeavor for the delicate at heart. “Some of the dogs that have been rescued have very sad stories, from starvation and neglect to abuse and abandonment,” Meissner reports. Regardless of breed or potential health-care issues, Tails of Gray vows to rehabilitate the dogs they rescue through socialization. The non-profit assumes all financial responsibility for necessary medical treatments as long as the animal requires care.
The ultimate reward for Meissner, and her sweet furry friends, is a permanent, loving and safe home that allows the dogs to thrive. Kevin Klein, once a stray Chihuahua mix, is currently selling a piece of artwork through the Tails of Gray website. It’s a perfect testament that it’s never too late to start a new chapter in life. Cynthia, a Terrier mix who is living with Meissner, isn’t much for artwork. But she is living proof that one’s life can be changed for the better almost instantly. Contra Costa Animal services found Cynthia intertwined in a fence, unable to move. She was starving and is also blind.
For a taste of Bavaria, Clayton’s Oktoberfest is the place to be. Mark your calendars for Sept. 30-Oct. 2 for the Clayton Business & Community Association’s most attended weekend event. Chaired by Mary Ann Lawrence and Marilyn Schmidt, aided by many volunteers, this event is sure to please.
The family fun begins on Friday night, Sept. 30, with the opening of the carnival. Get tickets early and save some money. Head to Skipolini’s, Ed’s Mudville Grill, the Royal Rooster or Hair’s the Place after Sept. 14 and until 4 p.m. opening day for deeply discounted carnival tickets. The carnival will be open 4-10 p.m.
See Tails, page 4
quently owned by Clayton’s founder, Joel Clayton. Under the Homestead Act, Clayton acquired 480 acres between 1862 and 1872 and planted grapes. After Clayton died in 1872, vintner Paul DeMartini acquired 145 acres of the southwestern Clayton Ranch and built the DeMartini Winery – now Clayton City Hall. In the early 1900s, Charles Henry “Harry” Keller purchased the remainder of the Clayton Ranch and named it Liberty Ranch in honor of his wife, Elodia Liberty. During Prohibition, the vineyard converted to ranchland. The Keller Ranch House,
named Casa Del Sierra, was completed in 1913. It had a Mission style home, with Craftsman elements. The ranch included magnificent gardens, a fish pond, large barns and cattle yards. Harry Keller operated the ranch until his death in 1940. Elodia maintained a life estate there until her death in 1954. Previously, they had lived in a house they built on Galindo Street in Concord, and that is now a Concord historical house. The State Historical Resource Commission determined the Keller House to be
See Keller, page 7
We Remember
It’s a bittersweet sight, those 343 little flags waving in the breeze on the lawn of Station 11. They signal the approaching anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Each flag memorializes a firefighter lost in the 9/11 attack. On Sunday morning, Sept. 11 at 10 a.m., Station 11 will host a brief ceremony in observance of the anniversary with words from Retired Battalion Chief Dave George, Clayton’s vice mayor, Jim Diaz and CCFPD Fire chief, Jeff Carman. The program will last about 30 minutes and will conclude with the somber Final Alarm Bell Ringing Ceremony. There will be limited seating for seniors and the disabled. Station 11 will be open for tours following the program.
Always popular Oktoberfest ushers in fall Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. Dust off your lederhosen and dance the “Chicken Dance” with the award-winning band, the Internationals. Or sample great German sausages, schnitzel, Hofbrau beers, schnapps and California wines. The event also features 50 vendor booths, street performances
and Bavarian dancing throughout the day. Stop by at noon Saturday to experience the ceremonial parade into the big tent for the tapping of the keg, which officially signals the opening of the event. No matter your age, Oktoberfest promises some-
See Mayor, page 9
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