Oct 25 clayton pioneer 2013

The days are getting shorterand there’s a nip in the air in themorning. The leaves are starting

to turn their glorious colors andpumpkins are everywhere. Thatmeans that goblins and ghostswill be out in force next week.Don’t forget that Richard Taylorwill once again be leading the

annual Clayton Ghost Walk indowntown Clayton on Hal-loween night, beginning at 8p.m. at Endeavor Hall. It’s agreat opportunity to introducethe family to a bit of Clayton

history at the same time as hav-ing some fun together. Bringyour flashlights and join us.

Lights on at the fire station:For about three weeks, startingin early November, ContraCosta Fire Station 8 will be tem-porarily operating 24 hours a

day out of our now-closed Sta-tion 11 building while theirbuilding on Clayton Road isrepaired. Unfortunately, due toon-going budget restraints, ourstation is not being re-opened,though it may look active for afew weeks.

Books for days: Don’t forgetthat this weekend Oct. 25–27, isour Clayton Community LibraryBook Sale. There are more than15,000 used books for sale andmost books are just $1, and

There was a thrilling highschool volleyball match lastThursday evening at ClaytonValley Charter High with theEagles edging College Park. Itwas a match that went the fullfive sets, included a long delaydue to a player injury and sawEagles junior setter SarahWilliams set a school single-game record with 46 assists.

But all of that was secondaryto the fact that CVCHS coachDave Hobson and volunteersorganized the second annualDig Pink event benefitting theSide-Out Foundation as part ofBreast Cancer AwarenessMonth.

Hobson began the Dig Pinkevent last year and the effortwas able to raise $1500. Thisyear the funds raised jumped to$2,500 and the team is alreadylooking ahead to doing it againin October, 2014.

It all started with a neighbor-hood park.

When Julie Pierce moved toClayton back in 1984, she andher neighbors went after thedeveloper of their subdivision,who had reneged on building agreen area that young momPierce was looking forward tosharing with her two sons. Thedeveloper ultimately put in thepark

Then there was the big

remodel on a house behind herhome, for which Pierce helpedconvince city planners and theowner to rearrange an invasivedeck that would tower over herbedroom windows.

Before long, Pierce was afamiliar face at city planningmeetings, and soon, she wasasked to join the planning com-mission. The has led to her 20-plus years on the Clayton CityCouncil, where she now servesas mayor.

See Pierce page 12

See Mayor page 4

See Dig Pink page 10

JULIE PIERCE

Mayor’s Corner

PEGGY SPEAR

Clayton Pioneer

Clayton Mayor Julie Pierceready to take helm of ABAG

CVCHS volleyball Digs Pinkfor breast cancer awareness

MMoorrggaann FFiirree:: TToowwnn HHaallll mmeeeettiinngg sseett ffoorr NNoovv.. 77

Photo courtesy CVCHS volleyball by Stephanie Cicconi

PLAYERS FROM THE CVCHS varsity, JV and frosh girls volleyballteams formed the iconic pink ribbon—symbol of Breast CancerAwareness Month—at their recent benefit match against CollegePark. Announcer Brandon Enriquez (center) was also in the spiritof the Dig Pink fundraiser for the Side-Out Foundation.

Meet really old residents on the Clayton Ghost Walk

JAY BEDECARRÉ

Clayton Pioneer

JULIE PIERCE

For a small town, Claytonhas its share of big-time heroes,but it’s the pint-sized ones thatare really making a mark.

When 12-year-old SydneySkow of Clayton was asked toperform community servicethrough her leadership classduring the fall term at DiabloView Middle School, her wheelsstarted to turn. This is when sheremembered the Love-a-ChildHomeless and Recovery Shelterfor women and children in BayPoint. Sydney’s church had pre-viously donated items to theshelter and she wanted to followup on those gifts.

Sydney presented the idea ofa Halloween “costume drive” toher teacher and the projectquickly became an all-schoolpush. “Most kids and parents atthe shelter can’t go out and buya costume (for Halloween),”says Sydney. “When their friends

Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Church News . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Community Calendar . . . . .14

Concord Beat . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Design and Décor . . . . . . . .17

Directory of Advertisers . . . . .5

Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Food for Thought . . . . . . . .18

Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Get up & Get Out . . . . . . . . .3

History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Letter to the Editor . . . . . . . .2

Obituary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Performing Arts . . . . . . . . . .16

Pine Hollow Reporter . . . . . .9

Pioneer Photo Album . . . . . . .3

Pocket Parenting . . . . . . . . . .8

Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Sports Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Tech Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Teen Reads . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Voyage of the Eagle . . . . . . .9

What’s Inside

PRSRTSTD

US POSTAGE

PAID

CLAYTON, CA94517

PERMIT190

Postal Customer

ECRWSS

‘Like’us on Facebook

See Costumes page 4

IT’S YOUR PAPER

www.claytonpioneer.com October 25, 2013 925.672.0500

Local girl brings Halloween joy to homeless

Photo courtesy of the Skow family

WHEN DOZENS OF KIDS AT A BAY POINT HOMELESS SHELTER ASK “ANYTHING FOR HALLOWEEN” THIS YEAR, they will be wearing one of the nearly 100 cos-tumes gathered by Sydney Skow, 12, and fellow Diablo View Middle School students. Sydney organized and managed the logistics of the costumedrive as a project for her leadership class.

JOHN JACKSON

Clayton Pioneer

Mayor’s Corner

The fire is out and a fewgreen sprouts are alreadybeginning to show onNorth Peak and Mt. Diabloafter the September firethat blackened 3,111acres and scared the witsout of residents along Mor-gan Territory Road.

Now, says CalFire

Batallion Chief Mike Mar-cucci, it’s time to addresssome of the potentialissues arising out of the fireat a November 7 TownHall meeting.

CalFire, ConFire, EastCounty Fire, Save MountDiablo, Diablo Fire SafeCouncil and local officials

will be on hand to talk aboutrunoff during the rainy sea-son, potential soil erosionproblems, communicationissues and fire suppressionpolicies going forward.

TToowwnn HHaallll MMeeeettiinngg:: TThhuurrss..,, NNoovv.. 77 aatt 77 pp..mm..IInn HHooyyeerr HHaallll aatt tthhee CCllaayyttoonn LLiibbrraarryy..

THE CLAYTON VALLEY

WOMAN’S CLUB

The Clayton Valley Woman’sClub is giving shoppers a headstart on decorating for fall and

the holidays. This year, theannual Craft and Bake Sale willbe Nov. 9-10.

Kathleen Horvath andKathy Olson, event co-chairs,

say handmade general crafts,American Girl doll clothes,scarves, hats, baby and house-hold items are for sale. Thebake sale features candy, jams,breads, cookies and brownies.Proceeds benefit the club’s localcharities and scholarships.

Shopping hours are Saturday,Nov. 9, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.and Sunday, Nov. 10, from 1 to4 p.m. at the Clayton Communi-ty Library, 6125 Clayton Road.

The Clayton Valley Woman’sClub meets at 10 a.m. on the secondTuesday of the month, except Julyand August, at Holy Cross LutheranChurch, 1092 Alberta way, Concord.For more information, call 524-0641or go to claytonvalleywomansclub.org.

A local service bringing organic, in-season produce

straight from local farms to your doorstep.

“It’s like Christmasevery week”

-A happy Doorstep member

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com October 25, 2013

Thoughts on Common CoreI recently attended one of

the MDUSD meetings on thenew Common Core standards.Unfortunately the answers pro-vided were far from inspiring oreven reassuring.

Many parents are justly con-cerned about how CommonCore will affect their children’seducation…There are no Com-mon Core textbooks…MDUSD is currently pullingteachers out of our children’sclassrooms during the regularschool day to train them. Theyaren’t prepared yet…There areno plans to encourage or accel-erate children beyond theirgrade level. What about bench-marks to measure the effective-ness of the program? …Therewill be no teacher assessmentsthis year, no test for students.

It would be impossible to sayCommon Core is anything but ahastily implemented programwithout adequate preparation.Year two is scheduled to containa new test for students but thisis not certain. Even with a testnext year, it would only providea starting point since there won’tbe anything to compare it to. Weare several years away from anymeaningful data to measureeffectiveness. This may beacceptable for teachers andadministrators but our childrendo not have the luxury to exper-iment. Our kids need to belearning all the knowledge, skillsand information necessary toprogress through their gradesand prepare them for the future.Without essential things likebooks, teachers and tests, thiscannot happen with CommonCore.

Bruce AlbertClayton resident

Letter tothe Editor

CREEKSIDE ARTISTS

GUILD

Creekside Artists Guild willlead a guided tour of art atClayton civic locations on Sat.,Oct. 26, from 10 a.m. to noon.

Meet club member and tourguide Jeffrey DeSalles at theflagpole in front of the ClaytonCommunity Library. The tourgoes from the library to ClaytonCity Hall, in the old winerybuilding, to downtown and theClayton Historical Society andMuseum. The mini-galleries atCup O’ Jo are the last stop. TheCreekside Artists Guild meets at7 p.m. on the second Wednesdayof the month at the ClaytonCommunity Library, 6125 Clay-ton Road. The Artwalk is a freeevent.

For more information contactJeffrey DeSalles at 693-0132 [email protected].

Claytonn Markett Updatee providedd byy Betterr Homess Realtyy

118 El Portal Place ..............$565,000 . . . .2427 . . . . .4/2.5 . . . . .10/10/13

3901 Coyote Circle ..............$410,000 . . . .1595 . . . . .3/2.5 . . . . . .10/9/13

1295 Shell Circle .................$439,000 . . . .1367 . . . . .2/2.5 . . . . . .10/4/13

341 Semillon Circle..............$675,000 . . . .2078 . . . . .4/3 . . . . . . .10/4/13

40 Mountaire Place..............$700,000 . . . .2481 . . . . .5/3 . . . . . . .10/4/13

5029 Keller Ridge Dr ...........$515,000 . . . .1639 . . . . .3/2.5 . . . . . .10/3/13

3365 Aspara Drive ...............$569,000 . . . .2204 . . . . .3/2.5 . . . . . .10/3/13

4201 Coyote Circle ..............$410,000 . . . .1554 . . . . .3/2.5 . . . . . .10/2/13

3109 Windmill Canyon Dr....$720,000 . . . .2481 . . . . .4/3 . . . . . . .9/25/13

152 Joscolo View.................$710,000 . . . .2571 . . . . .4/2.5 . . . . . .9/24/13

31 Mt. Emory Ct...................$629,000 . . . .2619 . . . . .4/3 . . . . . . .9/24/13

1065 Feather Circle .............$565,000 . . . .1703 . . . . .3/2.5 . . . . . .9/24/13

17 Widmar Court..................$684,500 . . . .2408 . . . . .3/2 . . . . . . .9/20/13

514 E. Myrick Ct ..................$678,000 . . . .2032 . . . . .4/2.5 . . . . . .9/18/13

Helpingg friends,, neighborss && newcomerss buyy andd selltheirr homess sincee 1979

61600 Centerr St.,, Suitee E,, Clayton

Each Office Is IndependentlyOwned & Operated.

(925)) 672-44333

Better Homes DRE#00933393

Short Sale

Specialists

helping Homeowners SUCCESSFULLY

close their short sale transactions since 2007.

www.georgevujnovich.com

George VujnovichBrokerClayton Resident

(925) 672-4433cell: (925) [email protected]

www.jenniferstojanovich.com

Jennifer StojanovichBroker-AssociateLifelong Concord/Clayton Resident

(925) [email protected]

howardhomeseastbay.com

Don HowardRealtor-Associate Clayton Resident


Emily Howard Realtor-Associate

[email protected] #01446062BRE #00711036

BRE #01846446

& BRE#01938441

ADDRESS PRICE SF BED/BATH SALE DATE

PENDING PROPERTIESPENDING PROPERTIES

1904 Sofia Court – Brentwood

Palatial Home with Dream back yardfeaturing elaborate

custom patio, pool &

spa! 5 bedrooms,

4.5 baths, bonus

room, den & down-

stairs Jr. Master

suite with retreat!

Approx. 4790sf & 3

car garage.

$699,000

804 Chert Place – Clayton Popular “Summit” modelon a private lot! 3 bed-

rooms, 2.5 baths, approx. 1991sf,

inside laundry & attached 2 car

garage! New carpets! Views of

Mt. Diablo!

$529,000

3065 Windmill Canyon Dr. – Clayton

Great Single Story “Augusta” model inIronwood/WindmillCanyon! Backing to

open space.

3 bedrooms,

2 baths, approx.

1835sf on a

private lot!

$589,500

1205 Buckeye Terrace – ClaytonDelightful SingleStory “San Antonio”model in OakHollow! 3 bedrooms, 2

baths, approx. 1343sf, inside

laundry & 2 car attached

garage. $459,000

325 Mount Palomar Pl. – Clayton

Dana Hills Rancher with Rare Find CustomBuilders Option featuring In-Law unit! 5 bed-

rooms, 3 full baths, approx. 3211sf on a HUGE approx. 27

acre lot with pool! $669,000

1230 Roanwood Way – Concord

Desirable Dana Farms! 5 bedrooms, 2.5 baths,

approx. 2,228sf on a HUGE approx. .30 acre lot! 1st floor

master suite! $539,000

117 Mountaire Pkwy – Clayton Awesome Dana HillsRancher! 4 bedrooms, 3

full updated baths, approx.

2177sf. Expansive approx.

.41 acre lot with pool & spa!

Extensive upgrading &

updating throughout!

$669,000

VViissiitt uuss oonnlliinnee aanndd SSiiggnn uupp ttooddaayy!!

925.672.29951026 Oak Street, Ste. 102, Clayton

www.levityfitness.com � [email protected]

Ilima Heuerman,Founder

Club News

THE LANDSCAPES OF LOCAL ARTIST JULIE VANWYK are amongworks by local artists displayed at Cup-o-Jo on Main Streetand other local venues along the Creekside Art Guild Artwalk.

Creekside Guild Artwalk set for Oct. 26

“A bone!” “A bottle!” “Anarrowhead!” The gleeful excla-mations of excited discoveriesechoed across Pine Canyon.Participating in the JuniorRanger Program of Mount Dia-blo State Park, 10 kids and theirparents enjoyed a beautiful fallday this month at a simulatedarcheological dig. The kidsuncover artifacts, categorizetheir finds and propose possibleconclusions about the site. Is itan ancient Native American fire

pit or a trash pile left from an1870’s stagecoach, or a little ofboth? An animated discussionunfolds.

This is just one of the ses-sions in the fall offering of theMount Diablo Junior RangerProgram. The kids used clues tofind the site. They encountereda tarantula crossing the trail,investigated a large cave andexplored an exposed fossil bedcoming and going from the dig.Co-sponsored by the state parkand the Mount Diablo Interpre-tive Association, other fall ses-sions included studying the pre-

historic times of the area, dis-secting owl pellets and examin-ing animal skeletons.

“Junior Rangers is a terrificprogram for kids. Theyencounter so many differentaspects of the history, flora andfauna of the park,” said parentShannon Warburg. Shannon’sdaughters, Ella and Honor, havetaken many of the JuniorRanger Programs. “They lovethe content. They love thehikes,” she said.

The Junior Ranger Programstarts each spring with five Satur-day sessions for beginning partic-

ipants, ages 7 to 12 years old. Itcontinues over the summer withmonthly hikes and additionalprograms for kids already in theprogram. The three fall sessionsconclude the year.

Complementing the corespring and fall sessions, the restof the hikes and programschange every year. For example,the program recently offered aspecial fire interpretive hike toexplore the areas impacted bythe recent wildfire on the moun-tain.

For more information about theJunior Ranger Program or to get onthe invitation list for 2014, [email protected]. Informationabout the park in general can be foundat www.mdia.org.

With all the backpacking andcamping I have done, I havebeen privileged to have had anumber of great black bear expe-riences. Many people have vili-fied black bears and exaggeratedtheir threat. Yes, there can besome bad ones but mostly theyare as timid of people as we areof them.

Recently, as I laid in my tentone night trying to sleep, I hearda bear sniffing – its breathing wasloud and heavy, it was just inchesfrom my head, identifying myscent. Other experiences havebeen watching cubs play, watch-ing bears steal a fisherman’scatch, photographing “BlackSocks” while she walked a beau-

tiful shoreline, and seeing“Patience,” the cub from theMeadow I had the pleasure offinding the summer before.

Last summer, however, I wasbothered by a bear while tryingto stop it from littering my trashabout. It was my fault: I got tooclose and was treated to a run-ning charge. I knew it was a“bluster.” I stood my ground,screamed like a girl and it haltedright in front of me. I won thatargument!

Common bluster involvesnervous bears that pouncetoward a person or another bear,slap the ground or an object andblow. Sometimes blowing takeson a guttural quality that soundsalmost like a growl. They clacktheir teeth that look and soundvery threatening but are harm-less. Researchers believe bluster-ing relieves tension. Facts haveshown that this behavior doesnot lead to attacks, according to

Dr. Lynn Rogers at the NorthAmerican Bear Center.

Rogers has spent more than42 years forming trusting rela-tionships with wild black bears,including mothers with cubs.

October 25, 2013 Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Clayton $599,000Dana Hills – Wonderful home with 4BD/2.5BA offersa classic floor plan, pool and spa with solar heat, and apavilion-style gazebo with seating. Wood deck offkitchen. Family room w/fireplace, wet bar & ½ bath andlaundry, all on lower level. Walk to trails and downtown.

Clayton $699,000Morgan Territory – Built by student of Frank LloydWright, this 3BD/3BA home sits on 5 acre creekside lotin the rolling foothills of Mt. Diablo. Fresh carpet &paint. Great decks & walls of windows surround you innature. Fantastic potential in a very private home.

Pittsburg $579,000San Marco – 5BD/3BA has 3,329 sq. ft. and a hugekitchen & family room to enjoy. Master suite offers wetbar and fridge & spacious master bath & closets. Sizablebedrooms plus a roomy loft. Fresh landscaping in frontand back makes it extra appealing.

Clayton $369,000Westwood – 4BD/3BA duet has 1,865 sq. ft. includingtwo master bedrooms. Living Room has fireplace. Eat inkitchen with island & breakfast bar. Enjoy fenced back-yard and hot tub. Close to shopping & restaurants.

1541 Haviland Place, Clayton $350,000Westwood – 2BD/2BA single-story oncul-de-sac. Community park & poolnearby. Vaulted ceilings in family roomwith fireplace & slider. Grassy play areas.2-car garage, indoor laundry. Walk toshopping and transportation.

Heather Gray, (925) 765-3822RealEstatebyHeather.com

BRE#01122025

Clayton Resident & Broker Owner

AAssssiissttiinngg MMoorree BBuuyyeerrss && SSeelllleerrss tthhaann AAnnyyoonnee EEllssee***Statistics based on Clayton closed by sales volume (1/2012 – 12/2012). Data by Trendgraphix

Concord $438,000Kirkwood – 3BD/2BA at the end of a cul-de-sac has alovely deck & views! Spacious courtyard into an openfloor plan with updated kitchen & tile floors out to din-ing/family area. Beautiful open formal living and diningarea has lots of light and sleek floors.

"Like" us on - Windermere Clayton!

Clayton $859,000Eagle Peak – 4BD/3BA 3,008 sq. ft. home has every-thing you need! Exceptional master suite is updated withendless list of amenities inc. fireplace & stunning views.Gorgeous landscaping with fountains, walkways, out-door kitchen & flourishing trees.

BRE#01329100

14 Nottingham Circle, Clayton $649,900Jeffrey Ranch – 4BD/2.5BA with manyupgrades & over 2200 sq. ft. of livingspace. Formal dining room/living roomcombo and open kitchen/family roomcombo. Enjoy a spacious master suiteand a sparkling pool and spa.

John Silvester, (925) 980-2896www.JSilvester.withWRE.com

BRE#01839657

Pioneer Photo Album

The Pioneer is proud to spotlight our readers’ photos. Email your photo in a high-resolution format to [email protected] with a description of the photo, where and when it was taken and a little about whyyou like it. Include your name and phone number. Then look for it in the next Pioneer.

Brooks Burtch took this photo from Mt. Wilson Way in Clayton on Mon., Sept. 30.

“Loved seeing this on a Monday morning to start the work week,” wrote Brooks.

STEVE ELLIOTT

Special to the Pioneer

Mount Diablo is an adventure playground for Junior Rangers

The ‘bear’ facts aboutthese beautiful animals

Photo Sharon Anderson

THE SIERRAS ARE HOME to a largeblack bear population. Theblack bear can be black,brown or even blond. If yousee one, make yourself big,bluster and stand your ground.

SHARON ANDERSON

GET UP & GET OUT

Steve ElliottSABRINA, SYDNEY AND OLIVIA BRANDEIS sift shovels of dirt looking forartifacts at a recent MDIA Jr. Ranger simulated archeological dig.

See Bears page 6

children’s books are 50 cents. The Clayton Com-munity Library Foundation Members Preview(you may join at door for $10) is Friday, Oct. 25from 4 to7 p.m. Hours on Saturday, Oct. 26 are10a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday, Oct. 27 from noonto 4 p.m. All books will be half price from 2 to 4p.m. This is a great opportunity to stock up forsome great winter reading and support our libraryat the same time.

Motorcyclist doing well: A bit of very good

news: I’m sure many of you remember the veryserious accident last summer near the library. I gota note this week from a co-worker of Mark T, themotorcyclist who was so seriously injured that day,to report that Mark is home safe and sound. Hisrehab road is still a long one, but he is a strong,determined individual. Mark wishes to thank all ofthe wonderful people who prayed for him andcontributed to his recovery fund.

Have a happy and safe Halloween! As always, you canreach me at [email protected]. Let me know whatyou think.

at school say, ‘I’m going to be this for Halloween,’they can’t really talk about that.”

Sydney organized all the logistics of the drive,with the help of fellow leadership students at Dia-blo View. Student liaisons spread the word toteachers and throughout campus, asking for every-one to bring donated costumes that would begiven to the shelter. These student leaders thencollected them from individual classrooms. Onceeverything was collected, Sydney and her friendsorganized the costumes so they were ready for herand her parents to make an evening drop-off atthe shelter. As a fun incentive, students whobrought donations were entered into a raffle forfree cookies and “early lunch” passes.

Nearly 100 costumes of all shapes, sizes, colorsand varieties were delivered to smiling, happy chil-dren. “They were all really happy,” said Sydney. “Ithink it made them feel like someone was lookingout for them for something that they probablymight not have had last year or the year before.”

Shawnteanee, a mother at the shelter holdingher young daughter, echoed this thought. “Thereare moms like me who can’t afford (costumes),”she said, “and there are a lot of kids out herewho’re unfortunate and can’t get costumes.”

Love-a-Child has been in existence since 1984,when it was founded to serve women and theirchildren who need help with substance recovery,homelessness, job training and educational sup-port. The goal for the women who enter the shel-ter is to get them on their feet and build a founda-tion of independence, which sometimes meanstransitional housing or other means of support.There are 86 beds on site and the facility servesthree meals each day to the women and children.

Sydney’s efforts have landed her on local tele-vision news stations, and are bringing a lot of

attention to the youngster and her classmates atPine Hollow. But upon finishing this project, Syd-ney realized something – it just feels great to helpother people. She put in many hours of planning,motivating classmates, organizing donations anddelivering costumes.

“It made me feel really good (to do this) and itmade me feel like I want to help out more in thecommunity,” she said. “It made me feel reallyproud of myself.”

LEIGH KLOCKRealtor®, DRE#01874255

925.212.5593

STEPHANIE LOPEZRealtor®, DRE#01370548

925.932.7329

Beautiful Expansive Rancher on ClaytonBorder. 4 bedrooms 4 1/2 baths, 2 masters,4080 square feet, possible in-law, or au pair setup. Beautifully landscaped lot 29,621 sq. ft. RVparking-Clayton Valley Charter High School!

Offered at $795,000

www.1901CarzinoCt.com

www.myDynamicRealtors.com

INSPIRED REAL ESTATE

This fantastic property features two mastersuites, a large great room with vaulted ceilings,fireplace and hearth and plenty of light brightcharm! The newly installed carpet and new paintthroughout enhances the updated kitchen anddining areas. The landscaped yards featurewonderful low maintenance flower beds anddrought tolerant plantings! Relax and entertain onyour large veranda! Don’t’ miss this sharpproperty. Offered at $350,000

2012 Lost Lake Place

Stunning custom home featuring 4+ generousbedrooms and 2.75 beautiful baths. Enjoy theprivacy and sophistication of a country home whilebenefitting from all of the charm and amenities ofbeautiful quaint downtown Clayton, just stepsaway! Entertain in the large formal spaces, relax inthe expansive family room or bonus room, or enjoythe gorgeous English gardens, landscaped yards, orjust enjoy the views from your front porch! Thishome has it all – 10++

www.7AlefCourt.com

Black Diamond Duet Stunning three bedroom2 1/2 baths 1904 square foot home. Vaulted ceil-ings, updated kitchen and baths, fabulous yardwith lush landscaping and decking.

Offered at $535,000

www.1729IndianWellsWay.com

SOLDover asking

price!NEW

LISTING

Costumes, from pg 1

Mayor, from pg 1


THIS LITTLE GUY COULDN’T WAIT FOR HALLOWEEN

to try on the “Toy Story” costume donated bythe students of Sydney Skow’s DVMS leader-ship class

GARDENINGFlower Gardening

by Nicole Hackett

Perennial, ornamental, rose and

container care. Keep your gar-

den in flowers this year with

monthly fertilizing and pruning

visits. Email for consultation

or details.

[email protected].

FOR LEASEOffice and retail space for

lease in Historic Clayton City

Center: Village Oaks Center,

6200 Center St., Clayton. Call

Nick Adamson at (408) 371-

8770, ext. 21.

HELP WANTEDComputer Tech

Growing business has position

for onsite pro computer tech in

Contra Costa County. Must have

experience in Windows and

Mac OS, network repair and

troubleshooting.

ComputersUSA! 672-9989.

Come join Mazzei Realty!

Currently interviewing and hir-

ing new and experienced real

estate agents. Call 693-0757 for

details.

Real Estate Agents

Be Successful! Lynne French is

expanding and interviewing for

a few agents. Call her today

672-8787.

VOLUNTEERS

NEEDEDHelp Fight Hunger

Anna Chan – AKA: The Lemon

Lady needs your help! Weekly

commitment appreciated. For

more info and contact numbers,

go to

thelemonlady.blogspot.com.

Clayton Historical Society

Museum

The Clayton Historical Society

Museum needs a greeter for two

hours per month from 2-4 p.m.

Wednesdays or Sundays. Call

the museum at 672-0240 and

leave your name.

Clayton Community Library

Needs volunteers. Minimum age

13. Minimum commitment is 6

months. Some training provid-

ed. Contact Arlene at 673-9777

or [email protected].

Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels is looking for

volunteer drivers one day a

week between 10:30 a.m. and

12:30 p.m. Make a tremendous

difference to seniors in your

community. Contact Sharon

Fitzgerald at 932-8607 or

[email protected] today.

P.O. Box 1246

6200 Center Street, Suite H, Clayton, CA 94517

TAMARA AND ROBERT STEINER, PublishersTAMARA STEINER, EditorPETE CRUZ, Graphic DesignPEGGY SPEAR, Copy Editor JAY BEDECARRÉ, Sports PAMELA WIESENDANGER, Administration

STAFF WRITERS: Denisen Hartlove, Pam Wiesendanger, Peggy SpearWe remember Jill Bedecarré - Her spirit is our muse

Business Services

Rising Moon Marketing & Public Relations . . . . .672-8717

Construction and Trades

Appliance Repairs by Bruce, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2700

Belfast Plumbing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .457-5423

Burkin Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1519

Diablo View Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .822-5144

Gary’s Home Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .787-2500

Iron Horse Concrete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .566-8666

Steffan Smith Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .914-0497

Tipperary Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-2679

Dining and Entertainment

Center Street Deli & Café . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1203

Clayton Club Saloon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-0440

Oakhurst Country Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9737

Financial, Insurance and Legal Services

DuRee, Daniel – The Law Office of . . . . . . . . . . .210-1400

Littorno, Richard – The Law Office of . . . . . . . . .432-4211

Prosperitas Wealth Management . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7700

Sorensen, David – Wells Fargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . .296-3086

Van Wyck, Doug – State Farm Insurance . . . . . .672-2300

Funerals

Ouimet Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4242

Groceries

Doorstep Farmers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .349-4568

Home and Garden

Diablo Lawnscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .381-3757

Interiors Panache . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-7920

Refresh Pool Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .286-8601

The Floor Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .969-9890

The Maids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-6243

Utopic Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524-0055

Waraner Bros. Tree Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .831-2323

Waraner Tree Experts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250-0334

Mailing Services

The UPS Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6245

Optometry

Foresight Optometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4100

Pet Services

All Paws Dog Walking Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .332-8856

Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . .276-5744

Pittsburg Pet Resort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .432-7387

Rodie's Feed and Pet Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-4600

Real Estate and Mortgage Services

French, Lynne – Windermere Real Estate . . . . . .672-8787

Geddes-Sinclaire, Christine – RE/MAX Realty . .286-7593

Howard, Don – Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . . . .408-3184

Howard, Emily – Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . .408-1871

Klock, Leigh – Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212-5593

Landgraf, Linda – Prudential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .876-0311

Laurence, Pete – RE/MAX Realty . . . . . . . . . . . .890-6004

Lopez, Stephanie – Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . .932-7329

Mazzei, Matt – Mazzei Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-0757

Stojanovich, Jennifer – Better Homes Realty . . .567-6170

Vujnovich, George - Better Homes Realty . . . . . .672-4433

Recreation and Fitness

Levity Fitness Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2995

Senior Services

Chateau on Broadway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-1700

Montecito – Oakmont Senior Living . . . . . . . . . . .852-6702

Services, Other

1-800-Junkster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-586-5783

ComputersUSA! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9989

Net Solutions672-6029

Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Travel to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9840

Holiday Guide

Earthquake Arabians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .360-7454

Nichols Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9955

Directory of Advertisers

PIONEER INFOCONTACT USTel: (925) 672-0500Fax: (925) 672-6580

Tamara [email protected]

Send ads [email protected]

Send Sports News [email protected]

Send Club News [email protected]

Send Church News [email protected]

Send School News [email protected]

Send Classified Ads [email protected]

CLASSIFIEDSClassified rates per insertion:$48 for first 30 words, 40 cents

each additional word Non-profit: $24 for first 30

words, 20 cents each additional word To place your classified ad over thephone, call the office at (925) 672-0500 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. All classifieds must be paid for inadvance by credit card (Master Cardor Visa) We will not accept any ad thatdiscriminates on the basis of race,color, sex, religion, nationality, familystatus or disability. The Clayton Pio-neer reserves the right to reject anyadvertising we believe is unsuitable.

LET US KNOW Weddings, engagements, anniver-

saries, births and deaths all weavetogether as part of the fabric of ourcommunity. Please let us know ofthese important events. We ask onlythat the announcement be for a resi-dent in our home delivery area. Sub-mit on our website and be sure toattach a JPG photo that is at least 3

MB but not bigger than 6MB. Youcan also mail or bring your print tothe office and we can scan it for you.

Also on the website are forms forcalendar items, events & press releases.

LETTERS TO THE EDITORThe Clayton Pioneer welcomes

letters from our readers. As a generalrule, letters should be 250 words orless and submitted at least one weekprior to publication date. Letters con-cerning current issues will have prior-ity. We may edit letters for length andclarity. All letters will be published atthe editor’s discretion. Please includename, address and daytime telephonenumber. We will not print anonymousletters. E-mail your letter to [email protected]. Letters mustbe submitted via E-mail.

CIRCULATIONTotal circulation of the Clayton

Pioneer is 15,500. Papers are deliv-ered to households in ZIP codes94517, 94518 and 94521.

In Clayton, all papers are deliv-ered Every Door Direct by the USPost Office. We cannot start or stopdelivery to individual addresses.

All Concord delivery is by carrierand delivered twice a month on a Fri-day morning. To stop delivery for anyreason, call the office at (925) 672-0500 or email [email protected].

If you are NOT receiving thePioneer, please check the distributionmap on the website. If you live in theshaded area and are not receiving thepaper, please call us or send an emailto [email protected] you are not in the shaded area,please be patient. We will come toyour neighborhood soon.

SUBSCRIPTIONSTo subscribe, call the office at

(925) 672-0500. Subscriptions are$50/year and are for full year only.

Classified

RespectDo the Right Thing


News andFeatureWritersThe Clayton Pioneer is lookingfor news and feature writerswho have a passion for com-munity journalism. Assign-ments are made on a freelancebasis. Writers must be local(Clayton or Concord resi-dents), and have a polished,lively and interesting style.Send two short writing sam-ples — a straight news storyand a feature or profile to [email protected] contact informationand a cover letter.

Ed Waraner8861 Marsh Creek Rd, Clayton

Bonded and Fully Insured

Serving Northern California for Over 30 Years

24 HOUREMERGENCY

SERVICE

Residential &Commercial

� Specializing in Large Hazardous Trees &Heritage Oak trees

� Crane Service� Tree & Stump Removal� Arborist Consulting� Arborist Reports� Pruning/Cabling� Fire Abatement� Custom Milled Lumber� Firewood

CCCCCC CCeerrttiiffiieeddFFiirree AAbbaatteemmeenntt

FREEESTIMATES

www.waranerbrostree.com

Lic. #642272 Certified Arborist WE-3386A

Major Credit Cards Accepted

(925) 831-2323

Pittsburg Office:2211 Railroad Ave.Pittsburg CA 94565Phone: (925) 432-4211www.LittornoLaw.com

Walnut Creek Office:3100 Oak Road, #100Walnut Creek CA 94597Phone: (925) [email protected]

Richardd A.. LittornoLITTORNOO LAWW GROUP

� Livingg Trustss andd Wills� Taxx && Estatee Planning,, LLMM (Tax)� Probatee && Trustt Administrationn � Assett Protectionn Strategies� Medi-Call && VAA Benefitt Planning� VAA Accreditedd Attorney,, Memberr of

Academyy off VAA Pensionn Plannersandd ElderCounsel

Assisted over 4,000 Families since 1979

Send a message of hope thisChristmas to less fortunate chil-dren in the community bydonating to Toys for Tots.Bring new, unwrapped toys forchildren and teens to Claytonarea collection locations atBank of America, Ed’sMudville Grill and Mazzei Real-ty or to the Clayton Christmastree lighting on Dec. 7. Addi-tional donation location sitesare needed. Locations havedonation barrels until mid-December. The toys are distrib-uted by the United StatesMarine Corps as Christmasgifts to those in need in thecommunity. For more informa-tion, to be a donation site or tomake a monetary donation, goto toysfortots.org or contactStephanie Surls at 262-7608 or935-6448.

Toys for Tots barrelsready for donations

Matt and Matt Mazzei; Fatherand son team up for Toys forTots.

This unique study of bearscomes from following the sameclan starting with “Shadow” in1987. Dr. Rogers is responsiblefor Live Den Cams which film,in real-time, the bears givingbirth in the dens. The Live DenCams can be seen on their site atbear.org. I live-stream the dencams all winter to watch thebirths, growth and momma bearsluring the cubs away from theden.

These are some bear factsRogers has learned:

When hibernating, bears theycan reduce oxygen consumptionand metabolic rate by half and

breathe only once every 45 sec-onds.

Bears voluntarily eat anddrink less when they come out ofthe den for the first two weeks.

The two-year reproductivecycle is genetically timed to fitthe annual cycle of plant growthand fruiting of the region.

A mother will lick the cubs tostimulate defecation and eat thefeces to recycle unabsorbednutrients and keep the den clean.

How many cubs can blackbears have? The record is six inPennsylvania. Most litters aretwo or three. Black Bears can beblack, brown and even blonde.

I photographed Black Socksin Mammoth Lakes, Calif.. Shewas named by Steve Searles,“The Bear Whisperer of Mam-moth Lakes.” He has been fea-tured on Animal Planet for hisnonlethal approach to bear man-agement. He helped formulateYosemite National Park’s initialbear program and also inventedthe “Scat” kits that are now rou-tinely used for bearaversion/conditioning. Learnmore at bearwhisperer.com.

If you see a bear on the traildon’t run, be calm, keep the dis-tance and get the camera out forsome memorable photographs.

Sharon Anderson is a Claytonresident and lifelong hiker, mountainbiker and skier with a passion for theSierra Nevada.

Panhandling is a social andpublic safety concern in mostcities, including ours. Inresponse to resident concerns,on Tuesday, Nov. 12, the Con-cord City Council will consideran ordinance to specificallyaddress aggressive and captiveaudience panhandling.

The difference betweensolicitation or panhandling andaggressive or captive panhan-dling is when the panhandlermakes loud or sometimesrepeated demands, or theychoose to solicit in places thatare particularly intimidating,such as near ATM machines, ina restroom or near your car. Itcould also include:• Involving physical contact• Blocking path/entrance• Soliciting when a person is

located in a sidewalk cafe• Following a person who

said “no” to ask again• Using obscene/profane/

abusive language• Creating fear of bodily

harm• Threatening criminal act

upon property• Intimidating a person while

under influence of alcoholor drugs

• Soliciting in a group of twoor more

• Soliciting after sunset orbefore sunrise

Not all panhandlers arehomeless – many may make upstories to get money to use fordrugs or alcohol; when youtake out your wallet or purse,you’re more likely to be a vic-tim of a crime.

The city has been focusingon reducing homeless-relatedcriminal activities. The Con-cord Police Department hasbeen working to increase out-reach to the homeless and per-forming a number of homeless

camp cleanups. This, alongwith the “Change 4 RealChange” program, has resultedin a 44 percent drop in Con-cord’s homeless count this yearwhen compared to last year.

The common practice ofgiving money directly to thehomeless is often counterpro-ductive. When we give moneydirectly to the homeless we areenabling them to stay on our

streets instead of encouragingthem to seek the help that somany of them need. You cantake action, both to stop crimeand to make a real differenceto help people in need. If youare confronted by an aggres-sive panhandler, you shouldcall 911, but don’t give moneyto panhandlers: Politely say“no.”

Ron Leone, a Concord city coun-cilman and former mayor, welcomescomments and questions. Call him at925-680-1776 or [email protected].

Scott P. Johnson has beenchosen to fill the position ofConcord’s Assistant City Man-ager. His first day on the job willbe Monday, October 14. He fillsthe position left vacant whenthe City Council appointed hispredecessor, Valerie Barone, tothe City Manager position.

“We are very happy to wel-come Scott to the City of Con-cord,” says Barone. “His experi-ence in the financial arena willbe incredibly valuable to theCity as we continue our work toresolve our budget challengesover the next few years and planfor the development of theConcord Naval Weapons Sta-tion. In addition, his experiencesin Oakland and San Jose and hisability to think strategically willbe an asset as we move forwardwith addressing the council’sfour areas of priority focus:long term fiscal stability andeconomic vitality, public safety,infrastructure maintenance, andorganizational health andemployee success.”

Johnson comes to Concordfrom the City of Oakland,where he served as Assistant

C i t yAdministra-tor andF i n a n c eDirector forthe last twoyears. Hisareas ofresponsibil-ity includedday-to-dayoperations,s t r a t e g i cp l a n n i n gand organi-zational development, and poli-cy support for the Mayor andCity Council. Prior to hisemployment in Oakland, John-son worked for the City of SanJose as Director of Financefrom 2001 to 2011, managing astaff of 125 and a departmentbudget of $15.3 million. He pre-viously worked for the City ofMilpitas, and for the City andCounty of Santa Clara. Johnsonstarted his career in the privatesector as an audit manager. Heholds a Bachelor of Sciencedegree in Business Administra-tion/Accounting from Califor-nia State University, Hayward.


Bears, from page 3

It could be a virus, orit could just need a tune-up.

Prevent problems caused by viruses and spywarewith regular proactive maintenance.

TTOOTTAALL DDEESSKKTTOOPP CCAARREE && SSEERRVVEERR WWAATTCCHH

Low cost, fixed feeservices thatmonitor & maintainyour networkto minimize IT problems

Call Mark 925.672.6029 or

[email protected]

Retired Contra Costa WaterDistrict director and 53-yearClayton resident Craig Z Ran-dall died on Saturday, Sept. 7,2013 at his home, surroundedby family. He was 91.

Randall is perhaps bestknown for his work in establish-ing the Contra Costa CountyWater District where he servedas the president of its Board ofDirectors for 18 years. Hejoined the board in 1967 andtook a lead role in getting infra-structure in the ground to pro-vide water to a changing ContraCosta County. Facing a growingresidential community, heactively supported projects toprovide safe, reliable drinkingwater to residents. He was alsoinstrumental in the develop-ment of Los Vaqueros Reser-voir.

In the 1970s, Randall playedan instrumental role in support-ing CCWD, the U.S. Depart-ment of the Interior Bureau ofReclamation and East BayRegional Park District in provid-ing recreational trails alongsidethe Contra Costa Canal. Today,miles of trail are open to thepublic, and recreationalists con-tinue to benefit from his work.

In 1992, the CCWD Boarddedicated a new treatment facil-ity in Oakley and named it theRandall Bold Water TreatmentPlant, in honor of Randall’sdedication to innovations inproviding safe drinking water toCCWD customers.

“Mr. Randall was a dedicatedrepresentative of CCWD cus-tomers for 20 years and his con-tributions were important inestablishing the system that con-tinues to provide safe and reli-able drinking water today,” saidCCWD Board President JosephL. Campbell.

John Gregg was CCWDManager of Operations and theproject manager for the LosVaqueros Reservoir, andremembers Randall as” a practi-cal and principled man, straightforward and frank.”

He remembers frequent tripswith Randall to New York andWashington D.C. during therestructuring of CCWD for thefinancing and implementationof the Los Vaqueros Project. “Iremember well one flight back,”Gregg recalls.

“We had spent the day tellingthe CCWD/Los Vaqueros storyto rating agencies, insurancecompanies and investmentbankers. Our last presentationwas in the World Financial Cen-ter. From where we stood, wecould see and feel the sun on thewater and see the Statue of Lib-erty. Craig said to me, ‘John,what are two country bumpkinslike you and I doing in thisplace?’ A man so well remem-bered!”

The family suggests memo-rial contributions be made toSave Mount Diablo, 1901Olympic Blvd #320, WalnutCreek, CA 94596.

Obituary

It should come as no surprise that Clayton has always beena fun place to live and grow up, especially around the holidays.Here is a taste of that from the pioneering Frank family, from“Frank Family History,” compiled by Charmetta Mann .

According to Mann’s mother Wilmetta Frank Mann (1913-2011), “On Halloween the children were “thick” in town. WillFrank (1884-1969) and his son George (1912-2002) rigged upa pumpkin on a pulley attached to a post at the foot of schoolhill and when the kids came to steal “the Frank pumpkin,”Will and George gave the rope a yank and up the hill thepumpkin flew, scaring the daylights out of the children. Oneyear it broke loose and rolled all the way down the hill, scat-tering the kids who screamed and “ran all the way home!”

Mary Spryer, Curator Clayton Museum

The Way We WereThe Frank’s ‘haunted’ pumpkin

Doug Van WyckCLU ChFC, AgentInsurance Lic. # 05863966200 Center St. Ste. AClayton, CA 94517925-672-2300www.dougvanwyck.com

We all feel the same

commitment to care for our

families. Helping you meet

your insurance needs is part

of my commitment to you.

Like a good neighbor,

State Farm is there.®

CALL ME TODAY.

0907504.1

State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, IL

FREE ESTIMATES

925-250-0334

OwnersDustin & Kim WaranerContractors Lic #879423

Arborist Lic WE-7372A

City of Concord has plan totarget aggressive pandhandling

RON LEONE

CONCORDCITY BEAT

Concord welcomes newAssistant City Manager

Garbage serviceto ‘Give Back’for the holidays

For the third year in a row,Concord Disposal Service isstrengthening its commitment tothe environment and to the localcommunity leading up to the hol-iday season with the “Give Back”program, encouraging the use ofpaperless billing.

From Oct. 14 through Nov.22, Concord Disposal Servicewill donate $2 to the Food Bankof Contra Costa and SolanoCounties for every customerthat signs up for paperlessbilling. The program has result-ed in past donations of close to$4,000 for the Food Bank.

“In preparation for the holi-day season, our customers arelooking for new ways to respectthe Earth and our neighbors,”says Concord Disposal ServiceChief Executive Officer JosephGaraventa. “The ‘Give Back’program is our way of sayingthanks to every customer whilealso finding a collective way tohelp the community.”

Current customers can sign up to“Give Back” and get free paperlessbilling by calling 925-682-9113 orvisiting concorddisposal.com.

SCOTT P.JOHNSON

Community mournspassing of Craig Randall,water district pioneer

CRAIG RANDALL

Church News

She could be anyone.The nanny waiting in the

pick-up line at the local middleschool; the woman doing yournails at the local salon; yourchild’s high school friend whoshares notes in history; eventhe man quietly cleaning aroom at your aunt’s nursinghome.

Any of them can be victimsof human trafficking –modern-day slaves.

According to a report pre-pared by the State AttorneyGeneral, human traffickinginvolves controlling a personthrough force, fraud or coer-cion, for labor or services. Thatlabor can be anything frombegging for money on thestreets and prostitution, toworking in a shop or salon, orin someone’s home as a nannyor gardener.

Victims can be anyone: menor women, old or young,accent-free or speaking barelyunderstandable English.

“A lot of times, peoplethink it’s happening somewhereelse, and so they will raisemoney for someone from theirchurch to fly to Thailand, domissionary work for girls over

there,” says Carlyn Obringer.“But human trafficking hap-pens here as well. It’s not just inOakland or San Francisco. It’shappening here in WalnutCreek and Central County.”

RAISING AWARENESS LOCALLY

On Oct. 30, the Sorop-tomists International of DiabloVista club – of which Obringeris President Pro-Tem – will behosting a panel discussion onhuman trafficking and slavery.District Attorney Mark Peter-son, along with Sister CaritasFoster and Cynthia Peterson ofCommunity Violence Solu-tions, will speak on what mod-ern day slavery actually lookslike, and how to recognize thesigns that something is terriblywrong.

In 2009, a prominent Wal-nut Creek realtor was sentencedto five years in prison andordered to pay hundreds ofthousands of dollars in restitu-tion to the woman she essen-tially held captive and forced towork 15-hour days as a nanny,without pay. It was only afterthe nanny confided in people atthe children’s school that shewas able to escape and authori-ties were contacted.

In another instance, Con-cord police arrested a manwho’d been forcing women to

work as prostitutes when oneescaped from a motel roomwhere she’d been beaten andwent to the police. The manwas sentenced to more thanfive years in prison for abusingthree separate women.

The crime of human traf-ficking – not the same thing ashuman smuggling, where peo-ple are transported illegally – islargely hidden in plain sight,and numbers are difficult totrack.

Between 2010 and 2012,various task forces identified1,277 victims, and arrested1,798 individuals for crimesrelated to trafficking in Califor-nia alone.

SIGNS TO LOOK FOR

Sister Caritas Foster is amember of a coalition ofgroups fostering awareness ofhuman trafficking and how tocombat it. “I think, as morecases are coming forward andmore victims are being identi-fied, we’re getting more of ahandle on what’s really happen-ing,” she said when asked howmany people are estimated tobe victims of the crime of traf-ficking. “But we really have noidea.”

Part of the solution is rais-ing awareness so that otherscan step forward to lend a

hand. Foster listed signs towatch out for, including a childbeing dropped off at school bysomeone who’s always wearingthe same clothes, who may lookdisheveled or never speak toothers; or a worker in a nailsalon who says they’re thereseven days a week, from thetime the store opens to closingand may not have a choice ofwhether to work long hours.

“We always say never to putthemselves or another personat risk,” Foster says, pointingout that a conversation with apossible victim could be seenor overheard by their captor.“But if there’s an opportunityto say, ‘are you free to move?’and someone says ‘No, I’m pay-ing off a debt,’ all those areindicators.”

Raising awareness throughtrainings like the one hosted bythe Soroptomists is key, shesays, to enabling members ofthe community to spot whatdoesn’t look right and take anactive part helping their neigh-bors who may secretly be inneed.

“That’s how people are res-cued,” she says. “Ordinary peo-ple saying something is notright and reporting it.”


10% Off!(925) 672-1203

6101 Center St.in Historic Downtown Clayton

(next to the park) Sun-Wed 7-5 – Thur, Fri & Sat til 6

with this ad

Openfor

Breakfasteveryday —

7-11am

Center Street Deli & Cafeformerly Johnny’s

FeaturingPeet’s Coffee, Lunches, Fresh Salads,Catering

Breakfast or Lunch

TTrraavveell TToo GGoo,, IInncc.. •• ((992255)) 667722--99884400 •• ttrraavveell--22--ggoo..ccoomm Clayton Station Shopping Center, 5439 Clayton Rd. Ste. F, Clayton, CA

CST #2033054-40

• EXTERIOR: painting, windows, doors, decks,

outdoor structures.

• INTERIOR: plumbing, drywall, electrical, trim, tile.

Gary Romano

787-2500Reliable & Professional Service

Owner operated Over 35 years of experience

Everything from home repair &maintenance to construction

Specializing indeferred maintenance, preppinghome for sale, repairs from home inspections

Lic. 979406

5442 Ygnacio Valley Rd. #180

925.672.4100CLAYTON VALLEY CENTER(Next door to Jamba Juice)

foresightoptometry.com

$50 off

your new frame

$50 to the Avon

Breast Cancer Fund

through Nov. 22*

* With the purchase of a complete set of eyewear, new patients only; may not be combined with insurance; other restrictions may apply.

Dr. Jeanette Hochstatter

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Buyers and Sellers – the time is right

Pete Laurence,Broker, Realtor, GRI

Cell: (925) 890-6004

Serving Clayton and ALL of C.C. County.Walnut Creek office

DRE#00344166

KNOWLEDGE � SERVICE � INTEGRITY � RESULTSCall PETE LAURENCE at (925) 890-6004

This exceptionally nice rancher has the gourmet granite kitchen that

people dream about, dual pane windows, base & crown molding, freshly

painted and is a 4 bedroom, 2 bath with a recent roof and a step-down

Family room! Located on a quiet street in the new Charter High School

attendance area, it also has concrete RV parking and a large backyard!

Now priced at only $444,000!

NEW LISTINGGREAT VALUE!

DENISEN HARTLOVE

Clayton Pioneer

National Hotline

If you are concernedabout a neighbor or afriend, help can be just aphone call away. Calls toa national hotline can bemade anonymously, andreports are then routed tolocal law enforcementpersonnel who aretrained in how to followup. The hotline number is1-888-373-7888.

This month, Clayton ValleyPresbyterian Church welcomes anew interim pastor, Rev. JackShriver.

Rev, Shriver holds a bache-lor’s degree from WhitworthUniversity and a Master ofDivinity from Princeton Theo-logical Seminary. Shriver hasserved as pastor several Califor-

nia churches and served as pas-tor and head of staff at theUnion Church of Manila,Philippines. He most recentlyserved at First PresbyterianChurch of Oakland.

Clayton Valley PresbyterianChurch is located at 1578 KirkerPass Road, Clayton. cvpresby.org.

CLAYTON VALLEY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

ST. BONAVENTURE’SBOUTIQUE AND AUCTION

St. Bonaventure CatholicChurch is sponsoring the Sec-ond Annual Classy Crafter’sBoutique Sale and Silent Auc-tion, Nov. 15 through 17, tobenefit the St. BonaventureFood Pantry.

Auction guests enjoy com-plimentary wine and appetizers

while bidding on items such ascatered dinners, a weekend at aLake Tahoe vacation home,time at a Utah vacation homenear Bryce and Zion NationalParks, themed gift baskets, ahandmade quilt and hand-hooked rug as well as manyholiday decorations. In addi-tion, hundreds of handmadeitems and baked goods are on

sale all three days.The auction is from 6 to 8

p.m. on Friday, Nov. 15. Theboutique is from 10 a.m. to6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday,Nov. 17.

St. Bonaventure is located at5562 Clayton Road, Concord. Formore information, contact Linda [email protected].

REV. JACK SHRIVER

Local leaders combat human trafficking

Our bodies are very similarto our parents, teachers, bossesand coaches. They demand wemake responsible choices andwork hard to be successful.They expect us to wake up ontime, show up when we’re sup-pose to and hand things in whenthey’re due. Our bodies expectus to eat balanced meals con-taining complex carbohydrates,protein, fruits and vegetables,healthy fat, and goodies everynow and then. They also thriveon smaller meals throughout theday, the proper amount of calo-ries for our body size and activ-ity, and all the little things suchas not eating at all hours of thenight, not skipping meals andnot loading our bodies withnon-nutritious meals.

There are always conse-quences to your actions. Yourmom yells at you when youdon’t wake up on time. Yourboss threatens to fire you if you

don’t hand in the next assign-ment on time. Your body doesthe same thing through extraweight, decreased energy andlow self-esteem – all results ofirresponsible choices in ournutrition habits. We are successful in so manyother areas of our life – career,parenting, education, relation-ships and hobbies, but when itcomes to eating healthy we areabout as successful as thattwelfth grader who did whateverthey wanted in high school –you know, the one who realizedway too late you can’t haveinstant gratification all your lifeif you want to be successful.How many times have you trieda fad diet or insisted you weregoing to eat healthy for a fewweeks in hopes of changing allof your bad habits over theyears?

It doesn’t work that way inlife and it doesn’t work that waywith our bodies if we want to besuccessful. Why don’t we go tothe casinos more, sleep in untilnoon, not do laundry, stay uplate at night… because there areconsequences. Why do we eat

2,000 calories in one sitting, skipbreakfast, eat junk food all daylong and neglect the nutrientsour bodies crave?

Demand more of yourselfwhen it comes to nutrition. Ourparents, teachers, bosses andcoaches demand more and holdus accountable. Do the same foryourself. Be tolerant and under-standing of your imperfections,but don’t justify and forgiveyourself every chance you get.

If you eat chocolate everyday, set a goal to eat it only sixtimes a week. Slowly work yourway down to a more manageablemeans. Along the way, set upsystems to help you achieveyour goal. For example, the dayyou don’t eat chocolate, you’reprobably going to have cravings.When you do, find somethingthat helps you overcome thosecravings. Maybe drink a fruitsmoothie to combat the sugarcraving or sit down and writeout all the reasons why you wantto stop eating chocolate. Find a

How fast is your computer?I’ll bet if it is more than threeyears old, it’s not so fast, and isprobably downright slow.Believe it or not, computers areabout how fast they can go andnot so much about how muchthey cost. A few dollars buysblinding speed, tons of storage,and so much more, so how canyou tell which is best?

Technology moves fast andolder computers can’t run largeapps at their best speed. If youcan go make coffee and comeback, and your computer is stillstarting up, you’re ready for anew one. Today’s computers arelight years ahead of those madea few years ago.

Remember paying $2,500 ormore for your first computer?Today you should expect to payabout half that amount for acomputer running two or three

times faster. Now fast comput-ers are under $1,500. Here iswhat you need to know:

First, practically any desktopor tower computer will outrunmost laptops. If you wantspeed for Auto-CAD, graphics,Adobe Illustra-tor, QuickBooksand other largeprograms, you’llneed speed, and a lap-top or tablet is not theanswer. To get speedyou’ll need power, and that cre-ates heat that needs to dissipateby a heat sink; otherwise partsburn up. Laptops are plastic;therefore, there is no way to dis-sipate a lot of heat.

Most conversations I havewith computer buyers are aboutWindows 8. The response to myWin 8 recommendation usuallybrings, “I have a friend whodoesn’t like it, so…” I canunderstand the reluctancebecause Windows 8 really didn’tget off to a great start, but that’sin the past. Now the narrativeshould be about Windows 8.1and how Microsoft addressedthe issues. In short, buy Win-dows 8, or 8.1 now in releaseand toss out your fears.

Then, there is storage. Stor-age resides on a mechanicaldevice called the hard drive.

Hard drives have evolved from abunch of spinning platters toall-electric. Hard drives are

being replaced by solid statedrives, or SSDs. There

are two types of SSDs– stand-alones and

hybrids. Get thestand-alone if

you can; they workbetter than hybrids. Lastly, ask about the

motherboard. Yes, get the salesperson to tell you about themotherboard. If they can’t orwon’t give you details, walk out.Your motherboard should sup-port “fast boot” fromMicrosoft, and fourth-genera-tion CPUs. You don’t havespeed without fast boot andfourth-generation support.Good buzz words to see if yourrep is real or just a clerk.

For more info contact a localcomputer expert, not your nay-saying friend.

6096 Main Street, Clayton, 673-0440

Oct. 25, 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Plan B

Nov. 1, 2 . . . . . . . . . . .Blues Healers

www.claytonclubsaloon.com

Entertainment from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Now

Karaoke also

on Mondays

8 pm to 11 pm

2 for the price of 1 Beer only. Good anytime withoriginal coupon. Exp. 11/07/13

Karaoke Mon. & Wed. nights Open Mic Thur. nights, 8-11 pm


� Remodeling� Windows/Doors� Crown Molding� Overhangs� Decks � Siding� Trim

Clayton ResidentClayton

ResidentDeclan Woods 925.216.2679Declan Woods 925.216.2679

Noel O’ Meara925.518.0821Noel O’ Meara925.518.0821

FREE estimatesSpecializing in Bathrooms and Kitchens

Tipperary Construction Inc.General Contractor, license# 783799, B, HIC

TipperaryConstruction.com

Q. I want to buy a housesoon. I am told by friendsthat I should get pre-approved first. How do I picka lender? Should I just gowith the bank my accountsare with?

A. A referral from a friendwho had a positive experience

with a lender or from a realtor isthe best way. You might want tointerview more than one. I sug-gest that you interview a mort-gage broker and then comparewhat your bank can offer.

I asked my company’s pre-ferred lender, JVM Lendingowner Jay Voorhees, what youshould look for in a lender. Hisresponse:

1. Willingness to educate:Mortgage financing is very com-plicated and buyers need to beeducated about all options andthe process overall. They shouldhave an entire system of phonecalls, memos and emailsdesigned to educate the buyer inminute detail. They need to bewilling to talk to borrowers any-

time and as much as necessary.There should always be highlytrained staff available to answerquestions.

2. Reputation and integrity:Lenders need to prove they haveperformed in the past, not justtell you. Check their Yelp.comreviews and client testimonials.Call the references.

3. Ability to get offersaccepted: This is a hugely under-appreciated criterion. Lendersneed a very strong reputation inthe marketplace so that sellersaccept their pre-approval letters.Lenders also need to be able toclose very quickly, and to bewilling to talk to listing agents to“sell” the strength of a buyer.

4. Expertise: The mortgage

industry is far more complicatedthan most people realize. Buyersneed smart people in their campto ensure their purchase transac-tion goes smoothly and withoutcostly delays.

5. Rates and Fees: This is thelast on the list for a reason. Thelender should offer you excep-tionally low rates, but that is notthe criterion buyers shouldweigh most heavily. Rateschange every day, sometimesseveral times. In addition,lenders can quote almost any-thing before a buyer is actuallyin contract. Buyers need tofocus on the above four criteriato ensure their offers get accept-ed and closed without frustra-tion or costly delays. The lender

should always ensure that bor-rowers get the lowest possiblerate, but trying to time the mar-ket and focusing solely on ratesoften proves more costly thanbuyers realize.

Q. What are buyers cur-rently wanting in their homesthese days?

A. The home gym is comingback in style. Of course they aregreat for avoiding driving to aclub and paying membershipdues. But there is another moti-vation behind converting extraspace into a home fitness center:They have become a gatheringplace for family members toenjoy healthy activity together.

Some people are going all

out, influenced by upscale hotelswith gyms. They are includingareas for equipment, separateyoga and boxing areas, as well ascreating a place for a sauna,massage and a shower. Theyalso have plenty of wall mirrorsand flat screen TVs wall-mount-ed in several locations.

These can run a range ofprices. There are websites tohelp you design the gym thatworks for your family.

Send your question and look for youranswer in a future column. [email protected]. French is thebroker/owner of Windermere LynneFrench & Associates. Contact her at672-878 7or stop in at 6200 CenterSt., Clayton.

LYNNE FRENCH

REAL ANSWERS

Five tips for picking the best lender

As toddlers, children arelearning to bite, chew, managefood in their mouths and swal-low a variety of differently tex-tured foods. They are also learn-ing to sit at the table, handle andload utensils and get the food in

their mouths. There is a lot tolearn. Having clear informationcan help parents hold appropri-ate expectations regarding theirtoddler and eating. Appropriateexpectations can also lead tohappier mealtimes.

Many parents report that, atabout two years of age, theirchildren become “picky” eaters.They are beginning to becomemore independent and they liketo make their own choices. Mosttoddlers only eat between oneand two “meals” per day andthose are typically breakfast andlunch. Dinner is the meal that ismost often not eaten by toddlers.

Remember the recommend-ed serving size for a toddler is 1tablespoon per year of age.

When you are introducing a newfood put several types of foodon your child’s plate and make atleast one of them a food thatyour child usually prefers. Evenif they don’t eat it, they are get-ting used to the sight and smellof new foods.

TIPS FOR LEARNING TO EAT

Try to be patient. Learningto eat is a very messy process!

When “planning” for messesyou can put a sheet or paintcloth under your child’s chair ortry having your child eat outsideand then wipe them off after-ward. Practicing eating in thebathtub makes it easy to rinseoff when you’re done.

Practicing scooping andpouring in different texturessuch as dirt and sand helps yourchild learn these skills. Whenyour child is in the bathtub havethem practice pouring waterusing differently sized contain-ers. This teaches them aboutsize relationships as well asaccuracy in pouring.

When children use their fin-gers to feel the textures offoods, they learn about the dif-ferent properties of those foods(smooth, lumpy, chewy, crunchy,etc.) and can then prepare tomanage them in their mouth.

To encourage children tointeract with a variety of tex-tures, try drawing in pudding or

syrup in the sink then rinse itaway, or use warm, thick oat-meal and squeeze and shape it.Be creative.

Eat together. Children learnmany things when their care-givers sit at the table and eatwith them. In addition to nutri-tion, children watch adultsmodel the mechanics of eating.Meal time sets the stage forfuture family habits of eatingtogether, discussing the eventsof the day, modeling table man-ners, and passing on cultural andsocial expectations through lan-guage and conversation.

RED FLAGS

If you notice some behav-iors such as poor weight gain,ongoing choking, gagging orvomiting, avoidance of all foodsin a certain texture group(smooth, lumpy, crunchy) oronly eating two or three foodsfor long periods of time (food“jags”), or if your child is notweaned off of baby food by 16months, you may want to con-sult your pediatrician.

For more information aboutnutritional needs and amountsas well as many “kid-friendly”recipes, visit wholesometoddler-food.com.

Your body is yourtoughest task-master

WILL CLANEY

TECH TALK

William Claney is an independenttech writer and former owner ofComputers USA in the ClaytonStation. Email questions or commentsto [email protected].

Newer models, desktopcomputers are built for speed

Ilima Heuerman holds multiple fit-ness certifications. She trains at LevityFitness studio in Clayton. Email Ilimaat [email protected]

ILIMA HEUERMAN

FIT WITH LEVITY

Darcie Azzolini is Director ofDevelopmental Services at We CareServices in Concord.

DARCIE AZZOLINI PAIVA

POCKET PARENTING

What’s for lunch? Help your toddler learn to eat

theupsstorelocal.com/0190

We shred your past toprotect your future.

Stop by and try our newdocument shredding service.

The UPS StoreIndependently owned and operated

Clayton/Concord Location:Vineyard Shopping Center

5100 Clayton RoadConcord, CA 94523

ph: 925-689-6245

Notary, Packaging, Fax and Copy Services are available too!

Store Hours

M-F 8-7

Sat 9-5

Ralph Waldo Emerson oncesaid “passion rebuilds the worldfor the youth. It makes thingssignificant and alive.” One youth,Northgate senior Byron James,has wasted no time in finding apassion which requires all his cre-ativity while setting him a stepahead on the career path: art.

How big is his passion? Thelength of a football field. Literal-ly. James has created a drawing ofa fictional, complex and detailedfreeway system out of 645 indexcards taped together, which now

spans more than 100 yards. Thetheme of the freeway is “LionKing”

An activity Byron has enjoyedhis entire life has now becomeperhaps a vital tool as the end ofhigh school nears and the nextstep in life appears. While mostNorthgate students are still seek-ing a profession they’d like topursue, Byron is set on the futurehe wants.

“It’s as if I was born with apencil in my hand, I can’tremember not drawing,” he says.

Many of his drawingsincludes trains, buses and allforms of public transit. He com-

bines well-known animals fea-tured in popular children’s filmsand incorporates them within theworld’s most beloved cities.Drawn in fine detail, they mimicarchitectural blueprints met withimagination.

“There are many jobs I cango for,” Byron says. “I could be acartoonist or an architect, but thedream job I have is to be a sub-way operator in New York or aBART operator here in Califor-nia. I love public transportation.”

James says that he has highfunctioning autism, a form ofAsperger syndrome, which cre-ates disorders in social interac-

tion and non-verbal communica-tion.

“That doesn’t get in the wayfor me,” Byron says. “I think itgives me a unique talent.”

Byron pours life into his art,and instead of spending time onuseless video games, he dedicatesit to his spectacular displays ofhis imagination. Many studentsaround the school have seen hisdrawings, and the teachersaround Northgate have noticedhis creativity.

“There is a lesson to belearned from Byron’s piece,” saysart teacher David Hevel. “Hispersistence and dedication to one

project is truly unique and hiswillingness to show his work isspecial. It’s a testament to thecharacter of Byron.”

Byron hasn’t figured out whathe will do with his personal mas-terpiece, but he says he wants tokeep expanding the index carddrawing in the mean time.

“I might sell it to a museumor store it for generations tocome,” he says.

Northgate will have to waitand see what he will do with it,but like the architecture Byronglorifies, consider this to be abridge to his future.

The music is still in the airafter the second annual ClaytonValley Charter High SchoolMusic-a-Thon, in which instru-mental students from the schoolparaded through Clayton in aneffort to earn money for theirprogram.

The generous residents ofClayton came out in force tohear the students play andordered lots of lawn concerts.The Clayton Police departmentescorted the band throughoutthe entire event, keeping the stu-dents safe.

Many residents at DiamondTerrace came out to hear theband as well.

Ed of Ed’s Mudville Grill

invited the entire band to playthrough his restaurant to endthe event. It was a great sight tosee more than 120 students and

chaperones snake through Ed’sand out to cross the street andend at the park gazebo.

Students sought “pledges”

from family and friends tomarch the three-and-a-half mileroute. The count is still out onthe amount raised for the eventsince students are still turning intheir pledge forms, but it is esti-mated to be more than a couplethousand dollars.

The money will be used topurchase new sheet music for allof the ensembles, repair instru-ments and to purchase greatlyneeded new instruments. Thestudents’ pledge money is alsofor them to use on their musicfees, concert dresses or trips.

For instance, the musicdepartment is going to Hawaiithis spring to participate in thePacific Basin Music Festival.

At Clayton Valley CharterHigh School our motto is todevelop “first-class citizens witha world-class education.” This isa noteworthy task and one thatdepends on robust and rigorousacademic preparation but also adynamic character educationprogram. It is important to notethat these two goals are equallyimportant.

Producing quality individualswith a strong sense of civicresponsibility has been at theforefront of our work to trans-form this institution since dayone. While we are firing on allcylinders during the school day,what happens when students gohome? We can put hours oftime and energy into a fabulousChallenge Day program herefrom 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. but that

hard work can quickly be erasedif the student is exposed to poorexamples of character once theyleave the grounds of CVCHS.

In many communities acrossAmerica this mixed messagephenomenon is often what pre-vents character education fromtruly taking root. However, inthe Clayton Valley community,

Bruce & Holly LinsenmeyerClayton residents

Office: (925) 672-2700Cell: (925) 956-8605

State of California B.E.A.R l license #A44842

http://ApplianceRepairsbyBruce.com

36 years ExperienceWe repair all major appliances, most majorbrands, andwe’re local

Halloween is a time of yearfor people to dress up, trick-or-treat, party and celebrate thedead. Tweens do various activi-ties for Halloween. Most dressup in costumes and go trick-or-treating with their friends, go toparties, and carve pumpkins.Many ‘Tweens still dress up andgo trick-or-treating, but somepeople might have other opin-ions.

Some people say that 13 istoo old to dress up and go trick-or-treating, but I think that onceyou are a freshman in highschool, you should stop goingtrick-or-treating. At that agemost kids still dress up, butdon’t trick-or-treat.

Kelsey Turner, a Pine Hol-low student, says “I still go trickor treating but for girls, the mostpopular Halloween costumes

are short and don’t cover muchskin. Most girls won’t dress upas anything scary or gory. OnHalloween, most tweens gotrick-or-treating with theirfriends or stay home and watchscary movies. As for dressing upand trick-or-treating, I think thatyou are never too old.”

Leke Fashola, a seventhgrader at Pine Hollow, says “themost popular costumes for boysare vampires, zombies, andwerewolves. I believe that onceyou are the age of 14, you aretoo old to go trick-or-treatingand to dress up. During Hal-loween, we go over to eachother’s houses, have fun, and gotrick-or-treating together.”

Each year as you get older,Halloween is a little different.The costumes change, you dodifferent things with yourfriends and eventually stoptrick-or-treating altogether. Buthaving fun with our friends andbeing safe is the most importantthing to us. So if you see sometaller “kids” at your door, don’tbe scared, just remember it maybe their last chance to have yougive them candy.

I’m pretty sure that everyteenage girl in the United Statesknows who Sarah Dessen is andis familiar with her work. In caseyou don’t know, Sarah Dessen isa widely renowned author whowrites novels about many differ-ent topics such as young love,heartbreak and forgiveness.“Lock and Key,” “This Lullaby”and “The Truth About Forever”are just a few of her bestsellingbooks, but my all-time favoriteis “Keeping the Moon.”In “Keeping the Moon” (Speak;May, 2004), Nicole Sparks (nick-named Colie) is just an averageteenage girl who was expectingthe worst summer of her life

since she wasn’t going to bespending it with her singlemother, Kiki, who is travelingthe world supporting herfamous “FlyKiki” fitness pro-gram. Instead on going with hermother, Colie was sent to Colbyto spend the summer with heraunt Mira –who does nothingbut stays in her hoarded houseand watches wrestling.

Colie didn’t have any friendsback in her hometown so shewasn’t expecting to make any inColby. But while working at TheLast Chance Cafe in Colby,Colie meets Morgan and Isabel(two best friends who sharetheir own house). Together thethree get to know each other.Not only do Isabel and Morganshow Colie a new perspective onlife, they also help her discoverthe “real” Colie and help hersee herself in an all new way.

I really enjoyed reading thisbook because it showed me howpowerful friendship can be andhow something good can comeout of any situation.

Clayton Jr. Troop 32700 iscurrently gathering names ofinterested fourth and fifth gradegirls to join the newly formingtroop.

Troop 32700 is open to alland the meetings are tentativelyscheduled to meet at Mt. DiabloElementary School.

For more information on the GirlScouts or to register as a leader, go togirlscoutsnorcal.org. For more infor-mation on Troop 32700, [email protected].


See Citizenship, page 12

Emily York is a freshman atCVCHS.

EMILY YORK

TEEN READS

CARLIE BEESON

PINE HOLLOWREPORTER

‘Keeping the Moon’ is anout-of-this-world story

New GirlScout Troopfor Clayton

How old is too oldfor trick-or-treating?

Carlie Beeson is an 8th grader atPine Hollow Middle School. Sheenjoys reading, playing soccer, andsinging. Questions or comments?Email her [email protected]

“Let Us Light Up Your Life” Residential � Commercial � Industrial

Serving Contra Costa since 1991More than 35 years experience

All Work Done by Owner

Professional Installation of:

www.BurkinElectr ic .net

Bonded & Insured

Lic.#C10-631523

James Burkin

Sole Proprietor

� Ceiling Fans, Recessed & Track Lighting � Kitchen or Bath Remodel � Exterior/Security/Landscape Lighting � Electrical Service Upgrade � Complete Home Wiring - Old & New � Spa Installation

The Law Office ofDaniel L. DuRee

Estate Planning Attorney

Please call today for a complimentary consultation

(925) 210-14001535 N. Main St., Walnut Creek

• Wills • Trusts • Healthcare Directives• Powers of Attorney • Probate

Good citizenship doesn’tend when the bell rings

CVCHS bands find out it pays to play

CVCHS MUSIC STUDENTS TAKE TO THE STREETS to raise money formusic, instruments and travel costs.

DAVID LINZEY

VOYAGE OF THE EAGLE

IVAR LAANEN

Northgate Student Reporter

Young artist doesn’t let autism slow him down

Byron James displays his artwork.

Dig Pink was started as avolleyball-specific fundraiserbut Side-Out has expanded itto include volleyball and otherevents at 500 colleges and1,500 high school and middleschools this year with a goal ofraising $2 million. Side-Outawards grants to medicalresearch organizations andentities dedicated to providingcompassionate support tobreast cancer patients and theirfamilies.

In tune with this month’stheme, CVCHS players wereall outfitted in pink uniformshirts while meet announcerBrandon Enriquez was

resplendent in pink tie andvest. There was unprecedentedstudent support leading up tothe match and in the stands atDan Della Gym.

Each CVCHS coach andplayer dedicated their partici-pation to a person close tothem – living or dead –touched by cancer. The list onhonorees included moms,dads, aunts and uncles,cousins, grandmas and grand-pas, great-grandmas, grandpasand aunts, teachers andfriends. Hobson recognizedhis wife Lisa’s sister, BarbaraBarbieri Lowell.

Event coordinator Rosa

Sanchez-Yokoyama publisheda 20-page program for thegame and her committee gotdonated raffle prizes andsponsors from the communityto help in the fund-raisingeffort.

THE FINAL SCORE

As for the game, ClaytonValley won 25-16, 24-26, 24-26, 25-21, 15-12 to improve itsDiablo Valley Athletic Leaguerecord to 6-3 and overall to 13-9. With the College Park buslate getting to Clayton Valley, alengthy break due to the injuryand the contest going five sets,the match lasted until 10 p.m.Kayla Taylor had 20 kills andsix aces, Hailey Pascoe had 19kills, three blocks and five digs

while Jessica Stratton added 16digs and Ariana Bermudezseven aces.

SENIOR NIGHT

CVCHS volleyball SeniorNight is this Thursday at 6:30p.m. against Northgate. TheDVAL league schedule con-cludes next week and then theteam enters the DVAL tourna-ment Nov. 5 and 7 at YgnacioValley High as the Eagles hopeto make it to the North CoastSection playoffs.

“I am tremendously proudto have been able to be a partof the night,” a pink-hairedHobson said at the end of theevening. “The girls, and all ofus really, are learning a life les-son in giving.”

Local competitive soccerclub Diablo FC was selected thisyear to join the new UnitedStates Soccer DevelopmentAcademy program run by USSoccer. Coach Cody Worden’steam is now in the midst of theinaugural season for under13/14 boys that runs throughnext June.

Diablo FC Academy is oneof 12 Development Academyteams in Northern Californiaand the only one in ContraCosta County. The 19-playerroster includes players fromClayton, Concord and 11 othercounty cities.

The U13/14 Academy pro-gram is an extension of theUSSDA Academy for U16 andU18 teams that began a fewyears ago as United States Soc-cer attempts to develop playersfor the highest levels of play.Full-time players in the USSDAAcademy do not take part in anyother sports or soccer programsincluding high school teams.

The Diablo FC team generallytrains four times a week (includ-ing futsal during parts of theyear) and plays a single game onthe weekend and never morethan one game per day.

Diablo FC Academy is 4-2-1in fall league. They play in theNorthwest Division of theUSSDA West Conference withBallistic United (Pleasanton),Cal Odyssey (Clovis), De AnzaForce (Saratoga), Juventus SC(Redwood City), Marin FC,Merced Atlas, Placer United(Rocklin), San Jose Earthquakes,San Juan Soccer Club (Sacra-mento), San Mateo County StarFC and Santa Cruz BreakersAcademy. The fall schedule willconclude Nov. 16-17 against SanDiego Surf and Los AngelesGalaxy Academy at the Stub-Hub Center in Carson.

Birthdays of the Diablo FCplayers range from March 1999

Quincy Winship might justbe a modern day Annie Oakley.The Clayton Valley CharterHigh School senior earned theTriple Distinguished ExpertAward from the National RifleAssociation of America thismonth, only the 122nd personin the United States to be sohonored.

In order to achieve this high-est rating in the NRA’s Marks-manship Qualification Program,Winship had to channel theskills Oakley demonstrated acentury ago while becomingAmerica’s first female superstar.

The 18-year-old Clayton res-ident had to qualify as a distin-guished expert in all threefirearm disciplines — rifle, pis-tol and shotgun — to get thedesignation. She began fouryears ago with the rifle and thenthe pistol. She took up the shot-gun for trap and skeet shootingabout a year ago, according toher mom April, and that’s whenthe people at Diablo Marksmansaw her as “a natural.”

The Winship family belongsto the Diablo Rod and GunClub and Quincy is their firstmember to achieve this level ofexpertise from the NRA. Quin-cy receives instruction fromDiablo Marksman coaches RudyMillan and Tim Sickler.

At Clayton Valley Chartershe is a member of the PublicService Academy and competeson the CVCHS water polo andlacrosse teams. She’s also on the

CVCHS Trap team when sched-uling conflicts with lacrosseallow. Winship is a scholar ath-lete and member of the Califor-nia Scholastic Federation.

Outside of school she isinvolved in the Civil Air Patrol, a

United States Air Force Auxil-iary youth program where shehas earned the rank of chiefmaster sergeant. The seniorplans to attend college that hasan Air Force ROTC Programand is hoping to earn a clay tar-

get scholarship and pursue herlove of the sport in college,although there are few such col-leges this side of the Rockies.

Last summer Quincy com-peted with the Diablo Marks-man skeet team in the US Open

Youth Clay Shooting Champi-onships in Las Vegas and earnedthird place in individual skeetand second in the team skeetdivision with teammates fromLas Lomas and Alhambra highschools.

Her dad Bruce retired earlyand the family spent 10 years ona 33-foot sailboat Chewbacca inCentral and South America.While in Panama the US NavySEAL’s used a nearby militarybase to conduct jungle warfaretraining. They took 10-year-oldQuincy under their wing, teach-ing her survival skills and alsoteaching her how to safely oper-ate and shoot a variety offirearms. Her mother April says,“The Navy SEAL’s profession-alism, high moral character andesprit de corps left a lastingimpression on her.”

Older sister Kendall andQuincy were home schooledwhile the family was on the sail-boat but both wanted to attendhigh school in the United States.So four years ago the family soldthe sailboat in Panama andreturned to the Clayton homethey had rented out for 10 years.Kendall began as a sophomoreat Clayton Valley and Quincy asan eighth grader at Diablo View.Kendall is now at University ofNevada Reno.

When the family returned tothe United States, they joinedthe Diablo Rod and Gun Clubin Concord where Quincybecame involved in their Youth“Musketeer” program. AprilWinship says skeet and trapshooting is “cool since it’s some-thing we can do as a family.”Bruce Winship just completedearning his NRA Triple Distin-guished Expert Award (five peo-ple after his daughter) whileApril and Kendall are both dou-ble experts.

See Soccer, page 12

Dig Pink, from page 1

Sports

JAY BEDECARRÉ

Clayton Pioneer


Eagle-eyed CV senior earns marksmanship honor

Photo courtesy Winship family

QUINCY WINSHIP EARNED THE TRIPLE DISTINGUISHED EXPERT AWARD from the National Rifle Association of America this month for herprowess with the pistol, rifle and shotgun while representing the Diablo Rod and Gun Club of Concord. The Clayton ValleyCharter High School senior is hoping to continue her marksmanship for a college team next fall.

Photo courtesy Diablo FC

DIABLO FC IS ONE OF 12 PREMIER YOUTH SOCCER CLUBS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA that is part of the US Soccer Development Academyprogram. The U13/14 team coached by Cody Worden is taking part in the brand program run by US Soccer. The Diablo FCAcademy team includes, front row from left, Tyler Hanson, Mitchell Bryson, Enrique Guzman, Jose Ramirez, Carlos Armendariz,Cameron Cilley, James Person, Pedro Hernandez; back row, Ross Gruen, Eduardo Garcia, Alex Berumen, Tim van der Waart vanGulik, Kluivert Akubuo-Onwuemeka, Ian Moore Nicolas, Kellen Dresdow, Jason Stockwell, Jacob Bauer and Bayron Oliveros.Not pictured, David Rosas and Casey Wortham.

Diablo FC Academy team part of new US Soccer program

Clayton Pioneer wants tohear your sports story

We get plenty of information from local high schools,sports leagues and clubs. What we don’t hear about sooften are from our neighbors who are competing belowthat radar screen. There are Claytonians who are partici-pating in sports and recreational endeavors that we don’tnormally hear about but we’d like to tell their stories too.If you know of someone — or even if you are that some-one — let us know what you’re doing and perhaps we’llfind it something our readers would love to read about!

If you’re running, jumping, hiking, biking, swimming,skydiving, bowling, golfing or participating in any ofdozens of other sports and recreational activities let usknow. Give us a brief rundown and your contact informa-tion and we might be in touch with you. It’s as simple assending an email to [email protected].

The A’s season has come toan end, halted short by theDetroit Tigers in the AmericanLeague Divisional Series. Thisseries was a battle from start tofinish, going the distance withfive games and a final matchupbetween superstar pitcher JustinVerlander and up-and-comingpitcher Sonny Gray. The A’splayed well in the game, but Ver-lander’s fastball was simply todominant, and the A’s lost the

series three games to two. It wasa successful regular season forthe A’s, but the overall seasonshould be considered somewhatof a failure.

For the first time in a while,the A’s were not only earninglocal attention for their team,but also national attention. Theywere being considered a WorldSeries favorite; that is how muchthey were feared and respectedby the rest of the league. Wheretheir journey stopped this sea-son was much too soon, though,not even making it past the divi-sional series. The Tigers are agreat team, no doubt about it,but what is frustrating is that theA’s are even better. They couldhave beaten the Tigers; theyhave the talent to do so, andGame Four was where the A’sneeded to buckle down andclose out the series.

With a two-games-to-onelead in the divisional series overthe Tigers, it seemed that the A’s,

as well as their manager BobMelvin, took their foot off thegas knowing that they had atwo-game cushion. In baseball,you never give teams extrachances, one extra swing of thebat; one extra pitch can be all ittakes to make the outcome of agame completely different.

The A’s continuously gavethe Tigers second chances inGame Four of the ALDS. Start-ing pitcher Dan Straily for theA’s was pitching an absolute gemuntil he allowed a three-runbomb to Jhonny Peralta. Thistied the game up at 3-3. Afterthis for the next few innings thegame was in a stalemate until theA’s normally reliable bullpenunraveled in the late innings ofthe game, giving the Tigers afour-run advantage. This leadultimately proved too much forthe A’s to overcome, and then inGame Five they were not able towin either.

The Oakland A’s have a

great team, and, to some, thisseason could be considered asuccess. When looking at theA’s franchise as a whole, theydon’t have the time to not beadvancing into the playoffs fur-ther, to be competing for aWorld Series.

With the low budget that theA’s have, many of their youngsuperstars will want bigger con-tracts soon, which they simplycan’t afford. Unlike most teams,the A’s only have a small windowof opportunity to take advan-tage of the players they have,and with as much talent as theA’s had this year, there was noreason they should not have atleast gotten to the World Series.

It may be old hat to somebut “De Long” is once againetched on the Diablo ValleyAthletic League girls golf MostValuable Player award. This fallthe first name is Rachel, whohas followed older sisterMcKenna as winner of MVPlaurels. McKenna De Long wasMVP the past two seasons forClayton Valley Charter HighSchool.

The award came with a tingeof disappointment as the Eaglesweren’t able to win the teamchampionship for the thirdstraight year. They surrenderedthe title to Concord High, whichfinished 10 strokes underCVCHS at the DVAL Champi-onships last week at BoundaryOak Golf Course in WalnutCreek.

De Long and Concordgolfer Erica Berg shared medal-ist honors at the league champi-onships as each shot 86. DeLong won the MVP awardbased on season-league DVALresults.

Behind De Long CVCHS’line-up at DVAL includedRebecca Walsh (103), DannieleBiala (107) and Fatima Opeyanyand Annie Park, who both shot117. The best four scores perteam are used. The Eagles fin-ished with 413 strokes.

Northgate was third at the

league meet shooting 448. AlexBaker led the Broncos and wastied for third overall with a 93

while Cara Van Uden, KylieTamura, Sophia Hecht and Jen-nifer Lee completed the 448

team score.Berg headed the first team

all-DVAL squad repeating herall-league position from twoyears ago. Milena Kren andHannah Welker of Concord,Eagles Walsh, Baker and HaileeEspinoza rounded out the team.Van Uden, Biala, Park andOpeyany were second-team all-DVAL.

McKenna De Long was the2011 and 2012 DVAL MVPwhile younger sister Rachel wasfirst-team all-league as they ledthe Eagles to back-to-backchampionships.

Clayton Valley won the lastthree weekly league meets thisfall after Concord won the firsttwo. The DVAL Championshipscounted as two meets and thusthe Minutemen’s 10-stroke vic-tory gave them the final edge.

CVCHS played in the NorthCoast Section qualifier on Mon-day for a shot at the NorthCoast Section Tournament ofChampions. The top 12 teamsand top eight individuals (notfrom the 12 teams) at the NCSqualifier earn spots in the TOCnext Monday at Peacock Gap inSan Rafael.

Already qualified for TOC isEast Bay Athletic League cham-pion Carondelet, which includesClayton’s Lauren Ipsen, whotied for eighth at the EBALChampionship at Los Positas inLivermore.

Design • InstallationMaintenance

Commercial & Residential

Spend time enjoying your landscape…not working on it!

License # 958849

JAY BEDECARRÉ

Clayton Pioneer


Tyler Lehman is a sophomore atDiablo Valley College and a 2012CVHS graduate. He plans to majorin journalism and wants to be a sportswriter. Email your comments or ques-tions to [email protected].

TYLER LEHMAN

SPORTS TALK

Clayton Valley off to fast start in DVAL football

Postseason a bitter pill for A’s fans to swallow

Senior Zach Dominguez (4)has been a key two-way playerthis season for Clayton ValleyCharter High School as a run-ning back and defensive back.The Eagles have won their lastsix games by a combined 291points while facing runningclocks in the second half. Theseresults include Diablo ValleyAthletic League victories overCollege Park and Ygnacio Val-ley. Things should be muchmore competitive in their finaltwo DVAL games against con-tenders Concord and Northgatenext month as the team seeks torepeat as North Coast SectionDivision 2 champions.

Jason Rogers photo

Sports

Call for free estimate or advice

(925) 914-0497

“Preservation Award”

2012 winner

for this

Arts & Crafts kitchen!

“Preservation Award”

2012 winner

for this

Arts & Crafts kitchen!

License #B801149

General contractorwith 25 years hands-on experience

Clayton resident

�� Residential Remodeling and Renovation �� Specializing in Kitchens and Bathrooms

Your remodeling job is our priority from start to finish

Steffan Smith Construction

(925) 457-5423

www.belfastplumbing.comLLiicceennssee.. 990066221111

Installations – RepairsToilets � Faucets � Water heatersGarbage disposals � Clogged drains

�elfast�lumbing

Credit Cards accepted: Visa, MasterCard, Discover

1026 Oak Street, Suite 200Clayton, CA 94517 • (925) 672-7700

www.ProsperitasWM.comWe are committed to serving the Clayton Community.

Securities offered through Investors Capital Corp. Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory Services offered through Investors Capital Advisory, 6 Kimball Lane, Lynnfield, MA 01940 • (800) 949-1422

Are you ready for

retirement?

De Long named DVAL golf MVP once again — this time it’s Rachel

Photo courtesy Clayton Valley Charter High School

JUNIOR RACHEL DE LONG (left) is presented the Diablo ValleyAthletic League most valuable player award by her ClaytonValley Charter High School coach Jennifer Moore (center) andleague commissioner Craig Lee after the recent DVAL GolfChampionships at Boundary Oak Golf Course in Walnut Creek.

this is not the case. The rolemodels here are abundant andthey show love and support forour school and our students.Here is a great example fromour Girls Golf Coach, Ms.Jennifer Moore:

“I want to share with you avery awesome act of generositythat happened at Oakhurst yes-terday. I was working with twoof my girls at the top rangeshowing them how to chip andhit out of the sand. A clubmember approached us andasked my player if the shoes shewas wearing were golf shoes.She innocently replied, “No.”

At first I thought ‘Oh no, wemust be out of compliance withsome new rule.’ The gentlemansmiled and handed Katie a giftcard for the pro shop. He said,“Here let me give you this giftcard. There’s about $90 on it.You can get a pair of golfshoes.” Katie and I were blownaway by this man’s generosity.He then asked my other player ifshe had golf shoes. Her replywas also no and to that he gaveme his member number and

said it was okay to get Annie apair of shoes also! We allthanked him and I introducedmyself and shook his hand. Iasked if he had kids at CVCHS.He told me he has two kids, butthey are in college in Oregon. Ifeel so honored to be a part ofthis community and this school!This generous offering made ahuge impact on my two players,one they will probably neverforget.”

I want to take a moment toexpress my sincerest apprecia-tion for this community. It isheartwarming to see what shin-ing examples of character andcitizenship our students have tolook up to. CVCHS is so luckyto have amazing parent volun-teers, business and communitypartnerships and political sup-port – it feel like a wonderfulfamily. Let’s keep paying it for-ward and making this the great-est community in America toraise a “first-class citizen.”

Politics was the last thingthis custom dressmaker want-ed, but it has paid off well forPierce, the city of Clayton andnow the entire Bay Area, as shewill take over the presidency ofthe prestigious Association ofBay Area Governments(ABAG) in January.

With representative from allthe local and regional governingbodies of the nine Bay Areacounties, ABAG is a regionalvoice for planning, housing andeconomic growth.

“It’s a great honor, and veryexciting,” Pierce says. “Plus, it’sgreat for Contra Costa Countythat we are getting more voiceson regional organizations likeABAG.”

Currently its vice president,Pierce says that she will contin-ue to focus on Plan Bay Area,the ABAG-driven initiative thatis helping determine growthpatterns in the Bay Area.

PUBLIC TRANSIT HUBS

“We are seeing that moreyoung people want smallerhouses, closer to work, trans-portation and shopping,” she

says. “Plus, with the aging of theBaby Boomers, who want todownsize, we’re not going to seethe big suburban sprawl of thelast 20 years or so. There won’tbe as much a demand for single-family homes in the suburbs.”

She says that developmentslike The Mercer in Walnut Creekand mixed-use developments atthe Pleasant Hill and WalnutCreek BART stations are justthe sort of projects she expectsto see more of in the comingdecades.

“Our demographic projec-tions show a huge shift in themake-up of who lives in thesuburbs,” she says. “There is a‘silver tsunami’ of BabyBoomers who want to be free ofthe constraints of big homes,and who want more flexibility totravel. Add that with a youngworkforce who doesn’t need orwant a car, and these projectsmake a lot of sense.”

She also wants to focus onhelping bridge wage gaps ofworkers, offering more voca-tional and specialized educationto those without four-year col-lege degrees.

“I’d like to see more partner-ships with big corporationscoming into schools and col-leges and helping train this nextgeneration of workers. If we doit on a regional level, we’ll have alot more success.”

‘STRONG AND EFFECTIVE

LEADERSHIP’With her quiet enthusiasm,

Pierce seems like a logical choiceto bring disparate sides to agree-ment, something her friends andpolitical colleagues recognize.

“I cannot think of anothercandidate to be ABAG presi-dent who could exhibit as muchleadership that Julie offers,” saysformer Clayton Mayor BobHoyer, who served with Pierceon the Clayton City Council. “That organization needs strongand effective leadership thatJulie can provide.”

He says that “Clayton andContra Costa County can beproud to provide such an intelli-gent and dedicated citizen. Overthe years she has worked tire-lessly for our city. She is knownas a leader by the Contra CostaCounty Mayors conference andwas elected chair of that groupseveral years ago. Julie alwaysdoes her ‘homework’ by study-

ing the issues and convincingothers of the right ones to putinto action.”

That’s a sentiment shared byContra Costa Supervisor KarenMichoff. “Julie is a skilled listen-er and an excellent communica-tor,” she says. “She has the lead-ership, knowledge base andorganizational skills to leadABAG for the next two years.”

Pierce joins friend and Orin-da City Council member AmyWorth – who is president of theMetropolitan TransportationCommission – as another Con-tra Costa leader heading up amajor regional body.

“I don’t want to interferewith local cities, but rather,enhance their ability to getthings done, by working togeth-er on common goals.”

In the past ABAG has beencriticized by focusing more ofits resources on San Franciscoand other large cities in the area,but lately there has been moreof a focus to outlying suburbanareas, since that’s where most ofthe growth occurs.

“I am thrilled to be part ofthis planning process,” Piercesays. “It’s all about quality of life,and how we want our region to befor our kids and grandchildren.”

Although Clayton Valley hashad some excellent cross coun-try runners and teams in recentyears it’s been a task for theEagles boys or girls to defeatCollege Park in league dualmeets, which made a recent

sweep of the Falcons an espe-cially satisfying day for newcoach Anthony Munch.

“Clayton Valley CharterHigh experienced a pretty spe-cial day two weeks ago, beatingtwo excellent College Park varsi-

ty cross country teams for thefirst time in many years in leaguecompetition. The boys race wasthe closest contest I have seenor been part of in 19 years ofrunning,” Munch said.

The CV boys tied in scoring

28-28 with College Park butwon the tiebreaker 11-15. Onthe girls side the Eagles edgedthe Falcons 25-30. CVCHS girlswere 4-0 in DVAL after beatingBerean Christian and YgnacioValley last week. The boys losttheir first meet 23-32 to YgnacioValley last week to fall to 3-1 inleague.

This Wednesday the finalleague matchups were held withClayton Valley running againstNorthgate and Mt. Diablo. TheDVAL championships are slatedfor Saturday, Nov. 2, at CastleRock Park in Walnut Creekhosted by Northgate.

Senior Danny Condon hasposted the best overall timeboth weeks for Clayton Valleywith Sayed Opeyany second forthe Eagles and Quinton McLanethird. Northgate boys are 3-2with Isaac Schick the top Bron-cos runner both weeks. Lau-rence Seabrook has been top sixeach time.

On the girls side senior KyraOrtiz was the top Eagles finish-er the first week and freshmanNatalie Ruzicka took top honorsthe second week. LindsayMondbloch has been solid bothweeks for CV.

Northgate girls have won allfive dual meets with CatilynMundrane, Megan Coyle, JessicaBoucher, Aino Tanaka andKelsey Blough have been in thetop seven both weeks.

Photo by Helga Wardle courtesy Clayton Valley Charter High School

CLAYTON VALLEY CHARTER CROSS COUNTRY has always enjoyed participating in the fund-raisingUnited Mt. Diablo Athletic Foundation 5K run at Newhall Park each fall. This year the team’scostume theme was Zombies (coach Anthony Munch says there are lots of Walking Dead fansat the school). Among the runners for CVCHS were, from left, Blake Crahan, Claire Olson,Lauren Wardle, Lynette Cox, Sarah Carrico and Jonathan Gibby.

Pierce, from page 1 Citizenship, from page 9

Soccer, from page 10


Clayton Valley cross countryteam beat nemesis College Park

Photo courtesy Diablo FC

COACH MIGUEL GONZALEZ’S UNDER 11 DIABLO FC 02 GIRLS willbe playing in the Halloween Kick or Treat Classic this weekendin Concord. For the past two years the team has made it tothe championship game but fell short of winning a title so thisis their last chance for taking first place. Diablo FC 02 has alsobeen runner-up at the Pleasanton Rage and Santa CruzBreakers tournaments this year. The team includes, front rowfrom left, Vanessa Hawley, Alexis Canas, Lauren Utne, AlexaAvelar, Clarissa Granados; back row, Evelyn Martinez, LucyGoller, Ryan McNevin, coach Gonzalez, Olivia Kreamer, HaleyFanner, Rylie Velez and Jenny Linderman.

through April 2001, spanningmore than two years. Older boysage out of the program eachseason.

All Academy teams play astandardized 4-3-3 formationand the style of play is consis-tent (build from the back, pos-session-based attack) so thatplayers progressing up the lad-der and joining national teamswill have trained in the samestyle of play. Games are playedwith international substitutionrules (five substitutions pergame with no re-entry) and full-

time players must average 25%starts. Halves are 40 minutes.

US Soccer sends representa-tives to training and games toaccess the players and clubs.

In addition to the leaguegames, Diablo FC Academy willparticipate in two or three show-case tournaments per year,including a regional event at theend of the fall season, a nation-al event at the end of spring sea-son and one optional Academy-approved tournament. The teamplayed in the prestigious SurfCup last July in San Diego.

Sports

5TH ANNUAL MDSA WORLD CUP

CONCLUDES NEXT WEEKENDNearly five dozen teams are taking part in the fifth annual MDSA

World Cup in Concord and Clayton to conclude the fall recreationsoccer season for the local AYSO Region 223. Under 10 throughU14 MDSA girls and boys teams finish bracket play this Saturday,Oct. 26, followed by elimination rounds Nov. 2 and the champi-onship finals Nov. 3.

For complete World Cup schedule and more information visit mdsoccer.org.

HALLOWEEN KICK OR TREAT CLASSIC THIS WEEKENDA large field of 70 teams will be playing this weekend in the 15th

annual Halloween Kick or Treat Classic hosted by Diablo FC inConcord. Boys and girls under 9, 10 and 11 teams will be playingsoccer for two days and also participating in the annual Halloween

Costume Contest which brings out some very creative and scarylooks.

For more information and the schedule visit diablofc.org.

2 CLAYTON VALLEY BASEBALL PLAYERS

MAKING COLLEGE PLANSTwo senior stalwarts for coach Casey Coakley’s Clayton Valley

Charter High School baseball team have verbally committed to collegeprograms for fall 2014. Grant Meylan, a first team all-DVAL outfield-er and pitcher, has committed to Santa Clara while firstbaseman/pitcher Garrett Nelson, a two-time all-league selection,plans on going to Long Beach State. The duo played a big role in theEagles 2013 DVAL championship (the school’s fourth in five seasons)and a NCS semi-final berth. High school baseball players can sign anational letter of intent from Nov. 13-20 or starting next April 16.

FALL YOUTH, ADULT PROGRAMS COMING TO CLAYTON GYMA variety of programs at Clayton Community Gym are taking

signups now through All Out Sports League. Winter youth basket-

ball league Dec. 28-Feb. 15 is now taking signups for players 4-16.Youth hip hop and jazz classes are every Monday for 5-16 year-olds.Zumba classes are Wednesday and Friday at 6 p.m. Blaze AAU bas-ketball (Dec. 21) and girls club volleyball tryouts (Nov. 9) are com-ing up. Registration for 2014 spring basketball academy and t-ball isopen. And there will be an adult coed softball tournament Nov. 3.

For complete information, visit alloutsportsleague.com.

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES SOCCER ACADEMY

RETURNS IN JANUARYSan Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer and Diablo FC are

holding the 13th annual Winter Soccer Academy on Mondays andThursdays under the lights at Willow Pass Park in Concord. Girlsand boys 5-10 years of age and all skill levels are eligible for theAcademy, which brings professional coaching experience headed bySt. Mary’s College men’s head coach Adam Cooper and BrazilianWorld Cup and Olympic player Tafa.

For more information visit the Earthquakes Youth Alliance Partner’s web-site at diablofc.org.

Sports Shorts

David Linzey is executive directorof CVCHS. Contact [email protected]

Award winning English nov-elist Jim Crace has written in“Harvest” (Nan A.Talese/Doubleday; February,2013) a novel whose story iseerily familiar, although it takesplace in a faraway English vil-lage long ago. The villagers,farmers who plow and reap forthemselves and the lord of themanor house, whose land theytill as if their own, live a simplelife with clarity of purpose,unchanged for generations untilone eventful evening before thefeast of the barley harvest.

Lord Kent is recently wid-owed and the once robust vil-lage is losing its young peopleand its vigor. The forebodingsense of change comes not just

from the distant, dense hearthsmoke of a newly settling familyor the nearby smoke from theburning of Lord Kent’s stable,but in the presence of a strangerwho wanders through the villageand its farmlands, “brushes andquills” in hand, “recording us,he said, or more exactly markingdown our land, at Master Kent’srequest.”

The stranger is given thename Mr. Quill and as he plotsand maps out every bog, burrowand field, the reader senses thelimitation and comfort suchboundaries might give to itsinhabitants. Crace has created amost attractive narrator inWalter Thirsk, a widower whoserelationship with Lord Kent ismore personal than that of anyother villager and who is, there-fore, able to tell the story withsome evenhandedness. It isThirsk, while accompanying Mr.Quill at his task, who tells uswhat Quill is taking note of:“From the lane, looking down

on the tracery of the willows onthe brook, the top end of ourbarley meadow, bristling andshivering on the breeze, showedus at last its ochers and its cad-miums, its ambers and itschromes. They promised winterales and porridges.”

What is Lord Kent up to?Why are the newcomers whosesmoke announces their residen-cy so quickly blamed for theburning of the stable? Themorning after the stable fire isput out, “The air was swarmingwith anxieties.” Accusations leadto death, the villagers take a pathfrom which they cannot returnand visits from the outsideworld continue; the changes areas feared and unpredictable asweather. In this case, the weath-er is economics. Sheep willreplace barley. A legal glitch willreplace Lord Kent. The futurewill always replace the present.

Crace has written an idyllic

leaving, and for how long. Tell itthat you will see it when youreturn. Then, calmly leave. Doeverything in a calm, this is nobig deal, manner. You cannotshow any anxiety. Your dogshould feel that it doesn’t reallymatter that you are leaving. Gothrough this routine every timethat you practice leaving yourdog, and continue it once youdog is comfortable with yourleaving.

SET UP A RETURNING

ROUTINE

Make your returning no bigdeal. If you act too happy whenyou return to your dog, it caninterpret your excitement tomean that your prior separationfrom it was something to beconcerned about. So, when youreturn to your dog, you need tobe calm. Begin doing routinethings that you would do uponyour return home before greet-

ing your dog in practice ses-sions. Get something to drink,check your mail, go to the bath-room, put groceries away, etc.

Consistent practice overyour long weekend can pay off.Good luck!

When a dog cannot handlebeing left alone, it may expressits anxiety through incessantvocalizing, destructiveness,and/or inappropriate elimina-tion. If your dog suffers fromseparation anxiety, you may beable to help it by yourself, ifyou have the time and willing-ness to do the work needed.However, be prepared to seekprofessional help if need be.

Try the following:

SET ASIDE A LONG WEEKEND

Every time that you leaveyour dog, it will practice beinganxious until you return. There-fore, when you begin helpingyour dog with its separationanxiety, you’ll need a big blockof time, like a whole three-dayweekend, during which you donot need to leave your dog.

WORK GRADUALLY

You need to build your dog’sconfidence. This requires con-sistent, step-by-step work, so beprepared to go slowly. You needto start by leaving your dog in aconfined space, just for a secondor two, before returning to it,and reinforcing it for beingcalm. From there, graduallywork up to leaving it for longerand longer periods of time, and

then starting to go outside whenyou leave it.

DON’T GO TOO FAR AWAY

You want to be able to knowwhether or not your dog is stay-ing calm while you are awayfrom it, because, if it is gettinganxious when you are leaving it,then it is practicing the wrongbehavior. If you do find thatyour dog is getting anxious atany point in this training, thenyou will need to shorten theamount of time you leave it toone it is comfortable with, andgradually work up from there.

SET UP A LEAVING ROUTINE

Get your dog comfortablebeing in a crate, or other con-fined space, where it can’t doany damage to your property.Then, set up a routine like thefollowing for your leaving:

Start by calmly sending yourdog to its space. Then, give itsomething that it likes to chewon. Calmly tell it that you‘re

Three-year-old Shasta is asweet, quiet dog who respondsbest to gentle, low-key atten-tion. She can be shy in new sit-uations, and will need anadopter who can encourage herto explore the world at her owncautious pace. Shasta is verygentle and friendly, and willmake a wonderfully mellowcompanion.

The adoption fee for adultdogs is $225 and includes 60percent off one 7-week dogtraining session.

Ginger is a 7-month oldsweetheart who loves to beloved. She enjoys gentle petsaround her ears and chinscratches. Ginger also likes toplay with kitty wands with herpeople.

Ginger’s adoption fee hasbeen prepaid by a generousdonor.

Meet your forever friend atTony La Russa’s Animal RescueFoundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive,Walnut Creek, during adoptionhours: Noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday,

3 to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday,Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sun-day. The primary caretaker mustbe present to adopt. ARF alsoencourages kids 16 and youngerand canine family members (dogadoptions only) to be present dur-ing the adoption process.

Would you like to be part of theheroic team that saves the lives of rescueddogs and cats? Can you share your talentsto connect people and animals? ARF vol-unteers are making a difference! For moreinformation see our website, www.arf.net,or call 925.256.1ARF.

Josie Van Fleet, Owner and Operator

(925) 432-PETS (7387)

671 Willow Pass Road #6, Pittsburg

PittsburgPetResort.com

Extraordinary Care for your Pet

Exotic PetsWelcome!

� FREE pickup & delivery � Open 7 days a week

� Fully staffed & monitored 24/7

10% off Boarding & Grooming serviceswith this ad

Resort,

Spa, Salon

• Licensed • Bonded• Insured • Pet CPR Certified• National Association of Professional Pet Sitters

Lisa Hertz, Owner/Operator

925-332-8856www.allpawsdogwalking.com

QQuuaalliittyy &&RReelliiaabbllee CCaarree

wwhheenn yyoouu ccaann''tt bbee tthheerree

Schedule yourHoliday Vacation

Pet Sitting now.

UTOPIC GARDENS

Creative, Inviting, Year Round Appeal

925-524-0055www.UtopicGardens.com

LIC. NO. 898331 Fully Insured Clayton ResidentSee Book Review, page 18


Shasta and Ginger are ARF’sadoption stars this week

SHASTA GINGER

Help your dog get over separation anxiety

SUE SKIFF

PET PALS

Sue Skiff is the author of “Howto Have a Well-Behaved Dog,” andthe owner/operator of Silver LiningPet Services, a company which pro-vides dog training and pet sitting serv-ices. Learn more at www.silverlining-dogtrain.com or www.silverliningpet-sitting.com. Email her at [email protected].

Does your dog behave badlyor suffer from anxiety? On Sun-day Nov. 10, Rodie’s Pet andFeed will offer a Dog BehaviorWorkshop by local caninebehavior consultant and animaltrainer Barbara Dwyer. Theseminar focuses on increasingstimulation to both improve adog’s quality of life and reducebehavior problems and anxiety.

Stimulation – both mentaland physical – are essential forgood behavioral health.Research shows that behaviorproblems are the number onereason why dog-owner relation-ships fail and consequently dogssuffer rehoming or euthanasia.

Owners will learn fun andeasy techniques using readilyavailable toys, games, tricks andtraining to increase stimulationand decrease stress for their dog.Tickets for the seminar are avail-able at Rodie’s for $25 andinclude coffee, pastries andgoodie bags.

Barbara Dwyer holds adegree in Animal BehaviorTherapy from the EthologyInstitute in the U.K. and is agraduate of the San FranciscoSPCA Dog Trainers Academywith an internship in canineaggression. She is the principaltrainer for the Vallejo DogTraining Club.

Rodie’s, located at 8863Marsh Creek Road, is also spon-soring a raffle with the proceedsto benefit the Clayton Dog Park.Tickets can be purchased atRodie’s beginning on Nov. 1.The drawing will be held follow-ing the seminar at 12:30 p.m.Individuals who would like todonate items to the raffle shouldcontact Rodie’s at 925-672-4600.

Rodie’soffers dogtrainingworkshop

‘Harvest’ reaps lessonsfor today from history

SUNNY SOLOMON

FOR THE BOOKS

Book Review

IN CLAYTONOOcctt.. 2266FFaarrmmeerrss’’ MMaarrkkeett8 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturdays. Diablo Street between Main and Centerstreets, downtown Clayton. Music: Oct. 26, Vintage. pcfma.com/clayton.

OOcctt.. 3311GGhhoosstt WWaallkkWalking tour of local downtown haunted folklore sites. Narrated by RichardTaylor. Rain or shine. Bring flashlight/umbrella, if needed; costumes optional.Starts at 8 p.m. from Endeavor Hall, 6008 Center St., Clayton. Free.

FFiirrsstt TThhuurrssddaayyssOOaakkhhuurrsstt BBuussiinneessss NNeettwwoorrkkMeets first Thursday of the month for social hour. Hosted hors d’oeuvres,cash bar. 5 – 7 p.m. Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Drive,Clayton. oakhurstcc.com.

IN CONCORDTTuueessddaayyss FFaarrmmeerrss’’ MMaarrkkeettTuesdays year round, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Todos Santos Plaza, downtownConcord. cityofconcord.org.

TThhrruu OOcctt.. 3311SSccaarreeccrrooww CCoonntteessttVisit downtown Concord and vote for your favorite scarecrow at partici-pating businesses. Sponsored by the Todos Santos Business Association.Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. cityofconcord.org. Call DarrenWalters at 685-4221.

OOcctt.. 3311TTrriicckk oorr TTrreeaattCostumed children and parents are invited to trick or treat around theplaza. Look for participating businesses with orange and black balloons.Bring your own goody bag. Sponsored by the Todos Santos BusinessAssociation. 3 – 5 p.m. Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. cityof-concord.org. Call Darren Walters at 685-4221.

NNoovv.. 22 –– 33GGeemm aanndd RRoocckk SShhoowwGems, jewelry, fossils, gold, exhibits, activities, demonstrations and more.10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Road, Concord. $6;Scouts in uniform and kids under 16, free with adult. ccmgs.org or [email protected].

ON THE MOUNTAINMount Diablo Interpretive Association programs listed are free with theexception of park entrance fee. Go to mdia.org and click on EventsCalendar for more information.

OOcctt.. 2277TTaarraannttuullaa TTrreekkLearn about the hairy spiders that roam the mountain at this time ofyear. Then take a walk to see if you can find any. Reservations required.3 – 5 p.m. Meet at Mitchell Canyon Picnic Area. Check the website formore tarantula hikes. Reservations are required and fill up fast.

NNoovv.. 1100FFiirree IInntteerrpprreettaattiioonn WWaallkkTraverse the Mary Bowerman Trail to see how things are progressing inthe burned area. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meet at Mary Bowerman Trailheadnear Lower Summit Parking Lot. Reservations required.

Save Mount Diablo programs listed are free unless otherwise noted. Goto savemountdiablo.org and click on Activities/Guided Hikes for moreinformation. 947-3535.

NNoovv.. 33TTrraaiill AAddvveennttuurreeHalf-marathon, 5K run, 10K run and family hike. Registration at 6:30a.m.; races at 8 a.m. Begins at Castle Rock Park, 1700 Castle RockRoad, Walnut Creek. Registration/fee required. Go to savemountdia-blo.org and click on Trail Adventure.

EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENTTThhrruu OOcctt.. 2266““TThhee RRoobbbbeerr BBrriiddeeggrroooomm””The Clayton Theatre Company presents its first production, a rousing,bawdy Southern fairy tale. Endeavor Hall, 6008 Center St., Clayton.$12-$18 at brownpapertickets.com. Claytontheatrecompany.com.

TThhrruu NNoovv.. 1100““TTaarrzzaann””“Tarzan” tells the story of an infant boy orphaned on the shores of WestAfrica and raised by gorillas. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr.,Walnut Creek. $44-$54. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

OOcctt.. 2255 –– 2266GGaasslliigghhtt aanndd GGhhoossttssA staged reading of Victorian and Edwardian tales of the macabre.Butterfield 8 Theatre at Cue Productions Live, 1835 Colfax St., Concord.$20-$25. b8company.com.

OOcctt.. 2255 –– NNoovv.. 2233““DDoonn’’tt DDrreessss ffoorr DDiinnnneerr””Here comes the brilliant sequel to Center REP’s hilarious and stylish sold-out hit, “Boeing-Boeing.” Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr.,Walnut Creek. $33-$52. centerrep.org. 943-7469.

OOcctt.. 2266 –– 2277““WWaaggoonn WWhheeeellss AA--RRoolllliinn””Fast-paced spoof of the Old West by The Vagabond Players. El CampanilTheatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $12-$15. elcampaniltheatre.com.

OOcctt.. 2266,, 2277,, 3300,, 3311NNoott--SSoo--SSccaarryy AAnniimmaallss ffoorr HHaalllloowweeeennMeet live animals like a bat, owl, spider, snake or vulture in family-friendly presentations. Part of Bay Area Science Festival events. LindsayWildlife Museum, 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. wildlife-museum.org.935-1978.

OOcctt.. 2288MMiinnii MMoonnddaayyDiscover animals of the night. Ages 2 – 5 with adult. 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.Lindsay Wildlife Museum, 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. $15 first child;$5 each additional child. wildlife-museum.org. 935-1978.

OOcctt.. 2288 –– 2299““TThhrriillll MMee:: TThhee LLeeooppoolldd aanndd LLooeebb SSttoorryy””“OMG, I Love that Show!” Productions recounts the chilling, true story ofthe legendary “thrill killers.” Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr.,Walnut Creek. $17.75. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

NNoovv.. 11CCoommeeddyy SSlliiddeerrssTrapped in a Rumor Improv creates a live theatre experience that is neverthe same twice. 7:45 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr.,Walnut Creek. $12-$15. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

NNoovv.. 22AA NNiigghhtt ooff UUpplliiffttiinngg 7700’’ss FFaavvoorriitteessClayton J. Foor sings an evening of pop music favorites at the piano.7:15 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek.$15-$21. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

NNoovv.. 22EErriicc KKuunnzzeeKunze shares the highlights, songs and behind-the-scenes stories of hiscelebrated musical theatre career. 8 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W.Second St., Antioch. $25-$27. elcampaniltheatre.com.

NNoovv.. 33““FFeeeell tthhee RRhhyytthhmm””A sparkling, Las Vegas-style revue featuring the senior performers of TheGolden Follies. 2 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch.$12-$25. elcampaniltheatre.com.

NNoovv.. 99““IIrreennee””A musical Cinderella story. 2:15 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $30. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

NNoovv.. 1111VVeetteerraann’’ss DDaayy CCiivviicc CCeerreemmoonnyyPerformed by the Walnut Creek Concert Band. 11 a.m. Lesher Center forthe Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

NNoovv.. 1144MMaarrkk TTwwaaiinnA reading of select works by Mark Twain. 8 p.m. Butterfield 8 Theatre atCue Productions Live, 1835 Colfax St., Concord. No admission fee;donations accepted. b8company.com.

NNoovv.. 1155TTaappeessttrryyVocal and handbell ensemble celebrating the holidays and our Americanheritage. 7 p.m. First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 4000 Concord Blvd.,Concord. Free. Contact Cindy Krausgrill at 672-7751 or go to tapes-tryringersandsingers.org.

NNoovv.. 1155 –– 1166““AA SSwwiinnggiinn’’ HHoolliiddaayy””Diablo Ballet kicks off its 20th anniversary season featuring the swingin’music of the 1930s and 1940s. Nov. 16 matinee: Meet and mingle withthe dancers. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek.$26-$52. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

NNoovv.. 1166NNoo SSccrriippttss AAlloouuddPresented by Ready or Not Improv. 8:15 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts,1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $15. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

NNoovv.. 1177CCllaassssiicc((aall)) RRoocckkPerformed by Contra Costa Wind Symphony. 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center forthe Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., W.C. $10-$25. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

NNoovv.. 1177DDiiaabblloo SSyymmpphhoonnyy OOrrcchheessttrraaInspirations from Nature featuring Ellen Ruth Rose on the viola and BellaMerlin narrating. 2 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr.,Walnut Creek. $12-$28. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

NNoovv.. 2299 –– DDeecc.. 11““SSttoorryy ooff tthhee NNuuttccrraacckkeerr””Performed by Contra Costa Ballet. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 CivicDr., Walnut Creek. $23-$33. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

CHURCHES AND RELIGIONOOcctt.. 2277FFaammiillyy HHaarrvveesstt FFeessttiivvaallAll are welcome. Friendly costumes welcome. Festival from 10:10 -10:50 a.m. Diablo View Middle School, 300 Diablo View Lane, Clayton.Free. Contact [email protected] for more information.

NNoovv.. 11BBaahhaa’’ii,, Interaction, fellowship and discussion. Topic: “Reflections on theLife of the Spirit” – discussion about life after death. 7:30 p.m. Free. Fordirections, call 672-6686.

FUNDRAISERSNNoovv.. 22MMDDEE SSttaammppeeddeeOne- or three-mile walk/run race to benefit the Mt. Diablo ElementaryParent Faculty Club Education Fund. Corral opens at 9 a.m. Post raceactivities: Petting zoo, face painting, refreshments for sale. MDES, 5880Mt. Zion Drive, Clayton. $15 registration fee.mtdiabloelementary.mdusd.org or [email protected].

NNoovv.. 66DDiiaabblloo 33DD aanndd SSyymmpphhoonnyyExplore the Mount Diablo wilderness in digital 3D. All images accompaniedby an original music score performed by the Contra Costa Wind Symphony.All proceeds go to Save Mount Diablo. 6 – 9 p.m. Lesher Center for the arts,1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek, General Admission $55; VIP tickets $100.savemountdiablo.org. 947-3535.

NNoovv.. 88 –– 99SSaannttaa’’ss SSmmookkeessttaacckk BBoouuttiiqquueeLocal crafters selling handmade items. Benefit for The CrossingsHomeowners’ Association. Fri. 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sat. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.Walnut Country Clubhouse (The Crossings), 4465 South Larwin Ave.,Concord. Free admission. No strollers. For more information, call LaniPryor 672-7097.

NNoovv.. 1144HHoolliiddaayy BBoouuttiiqquueeFundraiser for Highlands Elementary Parent Teacher Association.Crafters, distributors and book signings. 2 – 8 p.m. Multi Use Room,Highlands Elementary School, 1326 Pennsylvania Blvd., Concord. Formore information, contact Erin James at [email protected] orJennifer Bulmer at [email protected].

AT THE LIBRARYThe Clayton Library is at 6125 Clayton Road. Programs are free unlessotherwise noted. claytonlibrary.org or 673-0659.

TTuueessddaayyss tthhrruu NNoovv.. 2266PPaattttyy CCaakkeessStory time for babies to 3-year-olds. Child attends with caregiver. 11a.m.

WWeeddnneessddaayyssBBooookk BBuuddddiieessA volunteer will read stories for children 3 and older. 1 - 2 p.m. Call inadvance.

TThhuurrssddaayyss tthhrruu NNoovv.. 1144PPiiccttuurree BBooookk TTiimmeeStory time for 3- to 5-yr-olds. Child may attend without caregiver. 11 a.m.

TThhrruu NNoovv.. 77CCllaayyttoonn RReeaaddssFeaturing “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury. Pick up free copy atlibrary while supplies last; return when done. Flier available with relat-ed programs and discussions.

OOcctt.. 2255 -- 2277UUsseedd BBooookk SSaalleeMost books $1. Most children’s books $.50. Fri. 4 – 7 p.m. memberspreview. Sat. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sun. 12 – 4 p.m. half price. 2 – 4 p.m.$3/bag; bag provided.

OOcctt.. 2288CCPPRRHands-only CPR training by Clayton CERT. 7:30 p.m.

OOcctt.. 2299,, NNoovv.. 55,, 1122,, 1199,, DDeecc.. 33PPaawwss ttoo RReeaaddLearn to read by reading aloud to a dog. Grades 1 – 5. Registrationrequired. 4 or 4:35 p.m.

OOcctt.. 3300FFiirreessiiddee SSttoorriieessJoin master storyteller Marian Ferrante for old-fashioned campfire storytelling. A family-friendly program aimed at teens and adults. 6:30 p.m.

NNoovv.. 33““FFaahhrreennhheeiitt 445511””Join other readers and share your thoughts about the Clayton Readsbook. 2 p.m.

NNoovv.. 77CCrraafftt PPrrooggrraammUsing art supplies, paper and your imagination, create a three-dimen-sional story in a box. Ages 5 – 9. Registration required. 4 p.m.

The Concord Library is at 2900 Salvio St. ccclib.org or 646-5455.

OOcctt.. 2266CCoommppuutteerrss aanndd TTeecchhnnoollooggyyIf you need help with your mouse, come to our house. Drop-in assis-tance to learn how to use computers, smart phones and tablets. 10a.m. – 12 p.m. Additional dates/times offered. Check library calendar.

OOcctt 2288((NNoott SSoo)) SSppooookkyy SSttoorriieessGet in the Halloween spirit with stories, a craft and shows. Children 11and under. 7 p.m.

GOVERNMENT11sstt aanndd 33rrdd TTuueessddaayyssCCllaayyttoonn CCiittyy CCoouunncciill7 p.m. Hoyer Hall, Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road. 673-7304 orci.clayton.ca.us.

22nndd aanndd 44tthh TTuueessddaayyssCCllaayyttoonn PPllaannnniinngg CCoommmmiissssiioonn7 p.m., Hoyer Hall, Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road. 673-7304 orci.clayton.ca.us.

11sstt,, 22nndd aanndd 44tthh TTuueessddaayyssCCoonnccoorrdd CCiittyy CCoouunncciill6:30 p.m., Council Chamber, Concord Civic Center, 1950 Parkside Dr.

Community CalendarPLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M. OCT. 30 FOR THE NOV. 8 ISSUE. ITEMS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY EMAIL TO [email protected]


Meeting dates and times for local clubs and organiza-tions are listed at claytonpioneer.com. Click on ‘Links’

Winter squash just one of Fall’s faves

The leaves are falling, thefields are full of pumpkins andcorn mazes, colorful autumnflowers are everywhere, andghosts and goblins will soon bemaking their appearance. Thebountiful Autumn harvest offruits and vegetables has arrived.

Right now the farmers’ mar-ket is full of big orange pump-

kins for making jack o’ lanternsand pies, gourds for decoratingyour front porch, and root veg-etables to simmer in hot soupsand stews. Persimmons colorthe fall booths with bright huesof rust and yellow; grapes,apples and pears offer every-thing from deep reds to brightgreens and purples. Artichokes,broccoli, chard, kale, spinachand other leafy veggies bring arainbow of greens. And pota-

toes arrive in red, purple, whiteand brown.

But the spotlight is on wintersquash this month. It’s a won-derfully colorful and deliciousvegetable, versatile in thekitchen, yet stores well enoughto use as a decorative display onyour front porch or tabletop forHalloween and Thanksgiving.Winter squash come in an amaz-ing array of colors, shapes, sizesand varieties.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil1 small onion, chopped1 Tbsp. ginger, peeled, chopped1 lb. butternut squash1 lb. sweet potatoes1 medium potato5 cups chicken or

vegetable broth1/4 tsp. salt, pinch

ground pepperWash and peel squash, sweet

potatoes and potato. Shred the

vegetables with a cheese grateror blender. In a pot, cookchopped onion in vegetable oiluntil soft. Add ginger and cookfor 1 minute. Add shredded veg-etables and broth. Bring to aboil and cook on low for 15

minutes, until soft. Season withsalt and pepper and eat as is, orblend with a food processor orblender.

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’With the Market Chefs.”

DEBRA J. MORRIS

Pacific Coast Farmers Market

Who says Halloween is justfor kids? Boo on that, saybusiness owners around TodosSantos Plaza in Concord!

In an effort to raise aware-ness of the many family-owned and small businessesdotting historical Todos SantosPlaza in the middle ofConcord, local business ownersare participating in what TodosSantos Business AssociationPresident - and business ownerhimself - Darrein Walters saysis scary good fun: a scarecrowcontest!

Beginning Oct. 17 andcontinuing until the 31st, 16of the shops dotting thesquare turn their creative spir-its to building scarecrows -this year’s theme is super-heroes - and display them inhopes of winning a covetedtrophy.

On Halloween itself, mer-chants up the ante by puttingballoons greeting trick-or-treaters to treats (though notricks), before the votes arecounted.

But in fact, everyone frombusiness owners to shoppersdiscovering new shops wins.Everyone from normally staidbanks, to coffee shops andbookstores gets in on the act.

“Old Spaghetti Factory isbased on family together-ness,” said restaurant managerHeather Kawalkawski.

“Concord businesses are afamily, too!”

Scarecrows range from apumpkin head balanced care-fully on a straw-filled child’sSpiderman costume tuckedbeside the entrance toRavioli’s, to a full-sized mem-ber of the team of Incrediblesat Peets Coffee.

Walters noted that compe-tition – now in its eighth year— among shop owners hasgrown fierce. “Half PriceBooks won it three years in arow. Then they were knockedoff their pedestal.”

The crew of Half PriceBooks was working hard thisyear to regain bragging rights.A doll-like scarecrow, madeentirely from recycled materi-

als sat in one window, acrossfrom another depicting a herocalled The Tick (trust us onthis one, it’s a literary thing ...).

As shoppers toured thesquare, store owners lookedon.

“It’s a good way to getmore foot traffic in the down-town,” commented Half PriceBooks manager Scott Lay, not-ing that the contest providedgood incentive for families tovisit the area once theThursday Farmers Marketclosed for the season. “Weneed all the help we can get.”

“It really gets people toexplore the little cubbyholesand gems that normally youjust drive by,” said Walters.

CAMPS INCLUDE

Horseback riding

Horsemanship

Horse games

Free Camp T-shirt

Horse Fun!

Limited camp sizes.

Covered arena for all weather riding.

www.EarthquakeArabians.com

925.360.74543141 Morgan Territory Rd.

Clayton

Holiday Horse Camp dates 3-Day Camp Nov. 25-27 . . . . .$300

2-Day Camp Dec. 26-37 . . . . . . .$200

5-Day Camp Dec. 30 - Jan. 3 . .$500


WWee ooffffeerr tthheeEEnnttiirree PPaacckkaaggeeffoorr yyoouurr HHoolliiddaayy PPaarrttyy

*Minimums and restrictions apply.

Cannot be combined with any other offer

and on any previously booked events.

Events must occur between November 1,

2013 and December 31, 2013.

YYOOUU’’RREE IINNVVIITTEEDDTToo hhoosstt yyoouurr hhoolliiddaayy eevveenntt aatt

OOaakkhhuurrsstt CCoouunnttrryy CClluubb

Did you know you can plan an unbelievable holiday party for about the same cost as hosting it at a hotel or restaurant?

Holiday Party CALCULATOR

www.holidaypartycalculator.com

BBooookk EEaarrllyy aanndd SSaavvee!!

Contact our Private Event Director Janan Ali at 925.672.9737 ext. 217 for more

information and to book your event.

Visit our interactive Holiday PartyCalculator to build your Holiday Event& see how affordable it is at

Call now to book your November and December holiday events and choose

from the gifts below!

((992255)) 667722--99773377 eexxtt.. 221177

Book your event between

October 1 to October 31

And choose 2 FREE ITEMS*

Book your event between

November 1 to November 15

And choose 1 FREE ITEM*

SSEELLEECCTT FFRROOMM

FREE Additional Hour

FREE Room Rental

FREE Dessert Buffet

FREE Coffee, Tea & Soda

FREE Hors d’oeuvres Limit (2)

Oakhurst Country Club1001 Peacock CreekDrive, Clayton, CAwww.oakhurstcc.com

Follow Us At Facebook or Twitter

Call for anappointment

today

www.interiorspanache.com

925-672-79206160 Center St, Clayton [email protected]

[email protected]

EarthquakeArabians

Nothing speaks “love”quite as sweetly as thatspecial bond betweenhorse and rider.Earthquake Arabianshelps the rider build con-fidence, pride and theunderstanding of theresponsibilities involvedwith horses whether it isthe rider’s first time in thesaddle or they dream ofcompeting at the Nationallevel. See ad this page.EEaarrtthhqquuaakkee AArraabbiiaannss..ccoomm

NicholsLandscape

As the owner andoperator of NicholsLandscape, established in1979, I create beautifullysculpted yards suited to ahomeowner’s taste andbudget. When we are onyour job, it is our only job.We specialize in customdesign that includespavers, night lighting,drip irrigation, decks,arbors, lawns and retain-ing walls. See ad thispage.

NNiicchhoollssLLaannddssccaappee..ccoomm

Pioneer Guideto HolidayShopping

Channel your inner scarecrowon Todos Santos Plaza

FAMILIES AND BUSINESS OWNERS ALIKE ARE WINNERS in the scare-crow contest sponsored by members of the Todos SantosBusiness Association

DENISEN HARTLOVE

Clayton Pioneer

�� Lawn & Plant Installation �� Paver Patio & Walkway�� Retaining Walls �� Drainage �� Low Voltage Lighting

925-672-9955www.nicholslandscape.com

LLiicc.. 554422881122 FFuullllyy IInnssuurreedd

Boyce Nichols - OwnerClayton Resident

FFRREEEE EESSTTIIMMAATTEESS

Holiday Special: $200 off anything over $2,000

Every December, the Contra Costa Ballet presents “The Story ofNutcracker” at the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts.The one-hour, narrated version of the Tchaikovsky ballet is theperfect way to introduce children to the ballet and start a familytradition. As the curtain goes up in this magical story narrated byMarlene Swendsen, Clara, the brave girl who embodies the spir-it of the season, leads you from a whirling party scene to a bat-tle between the King Mouse and the Nutcracker, then on to theLand of Sweets.

Performance dates are Nov. 29, 30 and Dec. 1. For show timesand ticket information, call (925) 943-SHOW or go to contra-costaballet.org.

Westringia is a wonderful,sun loving evergreen shrub,quite worthy of any ClaytonValley landscape.

This Australian native beginsto flower just as our commonlyplanted shrubs go out of bloom.Westringia produces small whiteor lavender flowers from the endof summer through early spring.It has fine-textured leaves ofgray or greenish-cream and cangrow anywhere from three- tosix-feet tall and wide dependingon the selection.

Wynyabbie Gem is one of thebetter-known varieties ofWestringia available. This selec-tion can reach heights of six feetand eventually as wide. Thefoliage is gray, and the tiny flow-

ers are light purple. The growthhabit of this shrub should beembraced. Almost ferny lookingarms reach upwards from thebase of the shrub. Install in theproper place where theWynyabbie Gem can becomewhat it wants to mature to be. Itisn’t a shrub that makes a suc-cessful installation if it needs tobe controlled. Wynyabbie Gemwill look terrible sheered orhedged. Pruning should be doneby hand if necessary.

Use the Wynyabbie GemWestringia along a fence orproperty line. It would also beuseful on a hillside or slope. Thisevergreen makes a nice compan-ion shrub for the deciduouscrape myrtle. The flower cyclescomplement each other. Use theWynyabbie Gem to contrast thereddish foliage of a smoke bush,or New Zealand Flax.

Westringia Morning Light is avariegated selection of family.Morning Light’s leaves are gray-

ish green edged in cream, and ithas a white flower. ThisWestringia has a very usefulshape; it will reach about three-feet tall and almost six-feet wide,making it a perfect middle-sizedevergreen for a large area.Morning Light Westringia addsbrightness to its location andlooks great surrounded withblack bark. Create a landscape byplanting a swath of two or threeMorning Light Westringia tocontrast the foliage of a PurplePony Flowering Plum tree.

Westringia Wynyabbie Highlightis a newer introduction to thefamily. This evergreen proveditself to be just as tough as theother members of the family.The foliage of WynyabbieHighlight is lighter than its par-ent. The undersides ofHighlight’s tiny leaves are white,yet the flowers are purple.Westringia Wynyabbie Highlighthas a low/wide growth habit.You should expect it to three- tofour-feet tall and six- to eight-feet wide at maturity. Keep inmind with all shrubs that want togrow wide: if you control thewidth, the plant has no choicebut grow tall. The growth has to

go somewhere.Planting and caring for any

Westringia is a breeze. Install awell-watered plant in a hole thatis wider than deep. Use someplanting mix or soil conditionerwhen installing. Resist the urgeto use a starter fertilizer.Australian plants are phospho-rous intolerant. Water yourinstallations to get it established.Westringia is very water-wise,doesn’t need fertilizer, loves thesun and can take frost. A perfectClayton Valley evergreen.

Fans of Robert and Bernard,you will get your wish, as CenterREPertory Company presentsthe long-awaited sequel to thehilarious “Boeing-Boeing,”“Don’t Dress for Dinner.”

Running Oct. 25 throughNov. 23 at Walnut Creek’s LesherCenter for the Arts, “Don’tDress for Dinner” is set 10 yearslater, and Robert and Bernard arehappily settled down. But ofcourse the shenanigans continuein what many consider to be themost brilliant bedroom farce ofall time.

Center REPertory Company,the resident professional theatercompany of the Lesher Centerfor the Arts (LCA), is celebrat-ing its 47th Season of high-quality theatrical productionsduring 2013-2014. The compa-ny’s mission is to celebrate thepower of the human imagina-tion by producing engaging,intellectually involving and visu-ally astonishing live theater. Italso offers outreach and educa-tion programs to enrich andadvance the cultural life of thecommunities it serves.

All performances are held at theLesher Center for the Arts, 1601Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. Formore information or to purchase tick-ets, call 925-943-SHOW orvisit.centerrep.org.

Academy Award-nomineeDavid Strathairn (“Lincoln”“Good Night, and GoodLuck,” “Scorched” at AmericanConservatory Theater) returnsto A.C.T. in the captivating solodrama, “Underneath theLintel.”

In this riveting ghost story,

an eccentric librarian finds aweather-beaten book in a returnbin – and discovers that it is 113years overdue. Sparked by amessage left in its margins, hesets off on a quest to unravelthe secrets of the book and theperson who borrowed it.

From the hallways of his

library, he follows a chain ofclues that spans the globe anddates back thousands of years.With astonishing twists andturns, “Underneath the Lintel”is a magical piece of storytellingthat draws us into an unforget-table odyssey that is both “pow-

erfully human and ultimatelysublime” (Variety).

“Underneath the Lintel” run atA.C.T.’s Geary Theater Oct. 23through Nov. 17. For tickets, visitact-sf.org or call 415-749-2228.

Featuring a lively cast ofdozens, delightful music, gor-geous costumes and a collectionof deliciously spooky ghosts, afavorite holiday tradition returnsto the Bay Area with theAmerican Conservatory Theater(A.C.T.)’s celebrated productionof the Charles Dickens classic“A Christmas Carol.”

Now in its 37th year, thisversion of “A Christmas Carol,”stays true to the spirit ofCharles Dickens’s timeless storyof redemption and brings aplayful sensibility to his richlanguage.

“A Christmas Carol” plays Dec.6-28 at the American ConservatoryTheatre on Geary St. in SanFrancisco. For showtimes and ticketscall (415) 749.2228 or purchaseonline at act-sf.org.


Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&MPool, Patio, Gifts and Garden. Contacther with questions or comments [email protected]

NICOLE HACKETT

GARDEN GIRL

Your Neighborhood Realtor

Sparkling Fresh Townhome, $419,950

Linda LandgrafA Clayton resident

for over 30 years

Cell: (925) [email protected]

The service you deserve. . .someone you can trust.

You’ll love the fresh look and feel of this2 bedroom, 2.5 bath home with approx.1308 sq. ft. of living space. Delightfuldécor, detached garage, master bedroombalcony, front garden patio and fenced,private back patio. Sunset Park is locat-ed near BART, freeway, shopping andexcellent schools. The community haslush grounds, a Clubhouse, a pool,tennis courts and is within walkingdistance to Heather Farm Park, bikingand walking trails for only $419,950.Tomorrow might be too late!

Make your plans now for

The East Bay’s Favorite Holiday Show

The 28th Annual

ChristmasRevels

Features a cast of 65, period

songs and dances, comedy,

gorgeous costumes, and

stories from many traditions

to celebrate the Season.

Dec. 13-15, 20-22

Scottish Rite Theater1547 Lakeside DriveOakland

Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays andSundays at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.,

www.californiarevels.orgor (510) 452-8800

ConcreteByIronhorse.comOOnnooffrree iiss aass pprrooffeessssiioonnaall aass yyoouu ccaann ggeett,, aallwwaayyss oonn ttiimmee,, ggrreeaatteexxppllaannaattiioonnss,, aanndd tthhee wwoorrkk ssppeeaakkss ffoorr iittsseellff.. II wwoouulldd ddeeffiinniitteellyyrreeccoommmmeenndd IIrroonn HHoorrssee CCoonnccrreettee ttoo mmyy ffaammiillyy aanndd ffrriieennddss..

-- KKiimm WWaarraanneerr,, WWaarraanneerr TTrreeee EExxppeerrttss

Onofre Gomez,owner, lic. #964834

�� HHaarrddssccaappeess �� MMaassoonnrryy�� IInntteerrlloocckkiinngg PPaavveerrss �� DDrraaiinnaaggee && GGrraaddiinngg

�� RReettaaiinniinngg WWaallllss

Performing Arts Dickens classicushers in theholiday season

Strathairn returns to A.C.T. in thrilling ghost story

Photo: Kevin Berne

DAVID STRATHAIRN

Center REP dresses up for bedroom farce

Photo: Kevin Berne

Liam Vincent will be reprisinghis role from Center REP’sprevious production of“Boeing-Boeing.”

‘Nutcracker’ adaptation issweet intoduction to ballet

WESTRINGIA WYNYABBIEMORNING LIGHT

JAMES CARPENTER returns toA.C.T. as Ebenezer Scrooge in“A Christmas Carol,” openingDec. 6.

UTOPIC GARDENS

Creative, Inviting, Year Round Appeal

925-524-0055www.UtopicGardens.com

LIC. NO. 898331 Fully Insured Clayton Resident

This Aussie evergreen brightens winter gardens

Some of us, myself includ-ed, are obsessed with the interi-ors of our home. We’re con-stantly on the search for thatperfect piece of furniture ortable top bauble. With all thisinterior obsession, let’s not for-get about the exterior of ourhomes.

Yes, the exterior can be a lit-tle daunting, as there are quite afew elements to consider, butlet’s simplify things and focuson the front door. The frontdoor is the first impression onewill receive before enteringyour home; cracking paint andbland hardware are not verywelcoming. Instead, opt forpolished and posh with a deco-rative face-lift, or possibly, anentire replacement to bringyour front door to life.

COLOR

Depending on the colorscheme of your exterior, consid-er a color for your front doorthat will pop, add interest toyour front porch, and make awelcoming statement. Try rubyred, citrus lime green or a deeproyal blue. The design of yourexterior and the main body col-ors will dictate which way youshould go when selecting aunique door color. Select a colorthat is interesting, eye catching,but also, true to the design ofthe structure – and always, trueto your own design aesthetic.

If you have a solid wooddoor, such as oak or walnut, fin-ishing it with a tinted stain orclear coat will show off the nat-

ural grain, and protect the agingfinish as well as daily wear andtear.

DESIGN

There are many distinctivedoor designs available if yourentry door is beyond cosmeticrepair. Keep in mind that frontdoors shouldn’t be an overlycontrasting feature. Instead, afront door should be an inte-gral part of the exterior and anintroduction to what will befound inside your home.Depending on the style of yourhouse, consider traditionalraised-paneled doors with dec-orative seeded glass windows,modern doors with glass andmetal accents and unique hard-ware, or exotic and specialtythemed doors with hand-carved details, arched tops andstained glass accents.

Consider too, the space youhave to work with when replac-ing a front door. Could youintroduce a Dutch door in placeof your existing door? Ormaybe change out your existingFrench doors for a single doorwith good-sized sidelights?

Whichever direction you take,keep the design of your housein mind, and search for a doorthat adds interest and style toyour exterior.

HARDWARE

Now that you have givenyour door a new finish, ormaybe replaced it all together,you’re ready for hardware.Don’t skimp on this decorativefinishing touch. Not sure whichhardware style to purchase?Take decorative hints from theexterior architectural details ofyour house. Or, if there are nosignificant details to duplicate,bring the inside of your houseout. Maybe a traditional handleset in an oil-rubbed bronzefinish, or a more modern pro-file in polished nickel.Whichever design direction youtake, always opt for a sturdy,secure, well functioning handleset that is equally as handsome.

Clayton residents since 1959

mazzeirealty.net 6160 Center St. Suite #C, Clayton

925-693-0757 (Main) � 925-693-0752 (Fax)

� 741 Autumn Dr, Walnut Creek $834,900 (Doug Van Riper)

Commercial Lot. Approx.

2000 sq. ft. on a 5-acre lot.

Listing agent:Rula Masannat

3 bedroom, 2 bath,

1,603 sq. ft.

Listing agent:Matt Mazzei

� 1625 Buchanan Rd. $850,000

� 1602 LaVerne, Concord $425,000 (Paula Johnstone)

� 13175 Clairepointe Way, Oakland $729,000

COMING SOON

ACTIVE LISTINGS

PENDING

SOLD: Buyers Representation925-766-6745

[email protected]

Matt Mazzei, Jr.Broker/Owner

DRE# 01881269

3 bedroom, 1.5 bath, Approx. 1,780 sq. ft.

Listing agent: Rula Masannat

� 1171 Almendra Ct, Concord

� 120 Norman Ave, Concord $319,0003 Bedroom, 2 bathroom,

Approx. 1601 sq. ft.

Listing agent:Matt Mazzei

� 2332 Peyton Dr, Oakley $379,974 (Matt Mazzei)

� 5951 Glenarms Dr, Oakland $699,000 Listing agent: Doug Van Riper

Judy RuskusBroker Associate

DRE# 00775531

[email protected]

Rula MasannatBroker Associate

DRE# 01923757

[email protected]

JENNIFER LEISCHER

DESIGN & DÉCOR

Jennifer Leischer is the owner ofJ. Designs Interior Design based inClayton. Contact her with questions,comments and suggestions [email protected].

Make a statement Make a statementOctober 25, 2013 Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

with your front doorwith your front door

� Kevin Schmidt, Clayton Resident � Family Owned and Operated 925-822-5144

738 Bloching Circle, Clayton

SPECIAL

10% Off for Clayton

residents only

Remodeling Specialist

DiabloViewConstruction.com

Kitchens BathroomsWindows MouldingsDecks SidingPainting interior & exterior

license 962284

Winter Flooring Special

10% OFFall flooring materials

There’s a bumper crop ofpumpkins in the stores andfarmers’ markets this season. Ifyou want to think beyond thatfunny or scary face you plan tocarve on one, you’ll find a boun-ty of rich flavor and texturethat’s great in soups, breads anddesserts – and much more.

First, let’s take a look back atthese orange fruits.

Pumpkins are part of thegourd family that includescucumbers, melons and zucchi-

ni, and while grown around theworld, they are indigenous toCentral America, where theywere not only food but used inhealing poultices. (There wasalso a belief that pumpkinwould remove freckles and curesnake bites.)

Native Americans intro-duced pumpkins to the colonistsand showed them how to roastthe flesh and toast the seeds.Fond of sweet things, theEuropean settlers soon began toslice off the top of the pump-kin, remove the seeds and addmilk, spices and honey, thenbake in hot ashes. Making apumpkin custard to fill a piecrust came along a great manyyears later.

Pumpkins were introducedto Europe through explorersand trade with the Americas.They were quickly adopted bythe Irish, who had a long-stand-ing Celtic tradition of carvingturnips and placing a burningember in them on All-HallowsEve to ward off evil spirits.Being considerably larger andeasier to carve, pumpkins soongained prominence. Irish immi-grants to North Americabrought this new tradition withthem.

Not all pumpkins will tastegood. An eight- to 10-inch sugarpumpkin will have smoother,less stringy flesh than what adecorative pumpkin has to offer.I’ll be the first to admit that Ibuy canned, unsweetenedpumpkin for my recipes.However, if you have the timeand patience to make one fromscratch, this is the recipe foryou:

PUMPKIN PURÉE

(A 2½ lb. pumpkin will yieldabout 2 cups purée.)

Preheat the oven to 350.Hack the pumpkin into several

large pieces. Don’t remove theseeds because baking will makethem easier to remove.

Place the pieces flesh sidedown on a baking sheet (parch-ment paper or silpat lining isrecommended) and bake for 30to 60 minutes, until the fleshpierces easily with a skewer.

Let the pumpkin cool a littlethen use a large metal spoon toremove the seeds and scrape theflesh off the rind.

Purée the flesh in a blenderor food processor, or use a foodmill. Adding some water may beneeded to help it blendsmoothly.

NOTE: Do not can pumpkinyourself: the texture and pH of thepurée does not preserve safely. Freezethe purée for longer storage.

I love pepitas (pumpkinseeds) in Mexican sauces and inone salad dressing in particular:

CILANTRO PEPITA DRESSING

1 canned Anaheim chile1/3 cup roasted pepitas

1 large garlic clove, peeled¼ tsp. ground black pepper

½ tsp. salt½ c salad oil2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar2 to 4 Tbsp grated cotija

cheese (or parmesan)½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro

½ cup mayonnaise2 to 4 Tbsp. water (as needed)

1. In a blender or foodprocessor, combine chile, pepi-tas, garlic, salt and pepper, oil,vinegar and cotija cheese. Blenduntil smooth. Add cilantro inbatches, blending after eachaddition until smooth.

2. Combine mayonnaise and2 Tbsp. water in bowl. Whisk inthe blended ingredients untilsmooth, adding more water ifneeded for consistency.


Book Review,from page 13

(925) 672-4600 �� 8863 Marsh Creek Rd. in Claytonwww.rodiesfeed.com

(925) 672-4600 �� 8863 Marsh Creek Rd. in Claytonwww.rodiesfeed.com

Family owned & operated since 1981

Competitive prices

on dog and cat

vaccinations

Including rattlesnake

vaccines!

NNEEXXTTCCLLIINNIICCSSUUNNDDAAYYNNoovv.. 331100 -- 1111 aamm

Veterinary Clinic

Drop-ins OK

Open 7 days �� Mon - Fri 10 to 6 �� Sat 9 to 6 �� Sun 10 to 4

Mention this ad to get 5% off your pet supplies

with the purchase of any VIP Clinic service!

Dog Behavior Workshop by Barbara DwyerLearn how to reduce behavior

problems from a

certified dog trainer!

Call us today to register.

Space is limited.

Cost - $25

SSUUNNDDAAYYNNoovv.. 1100

1100 aamm -- nnoooonn

FEATHER FIXER40# bagHelps your flock get through

molt quicker and helps

prevent mites!

Mention this ad

to get $1 off per bag.

AMERICA'SCHOICEMedium Flake

Pine Shavings

$$2200..9999 /bale

$$55..9999 /bale$$2244..9999 /bag

Our passion is pets.

New from

Nutrena

We love dogs, but as this is an informative seminar only, please leave them at home.

Win raffle prizes! All proceeds will be donated to the

Clayton Dog Park! Participation in

the seminar is not necessary to

purchase raffle tickets.

Lifelong Clayton/Concord Resident

RE/MAX C.C. Connection Inc.

2950 Buskirk Ave., Suite 140, Walnut Creek


Lic # 01425653

3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths,2028 sq. ft. on a 10,000lot built in 1969. Don’tmiss updated kitchenwith granite counters,dual pane windows,tile roof, RV parking,

4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1917 sq. ft, 5580 lot.Open entry, separateliving, dining & familyroom. Vaulted ceilings,dual pane windows.

4407 Red Maple Ct. Concord

$589,000

4407 Red Maple Ct. Concord

$589,000

5729 Roanwood Way Concord 5729 Roanwood Way Concord

$559,000

Wonderful Dana Farms rancher

Spacious updated kitchen w/ granite counters,breakfast bar, recessed lighting.Call Christine today!

work shop out back and so much more… Call Christine today!

Helping

clients

buy & sell

since 2002

LINDA WYNER

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Linda Wyner, a local attorney andfoodie, owns Pans on Fire, a gourmetcookware store and cooking school inPleasanton.

Direct your suggestions or questionsto [email protected]

Pumpkins, more than just a pretty face

setting with an intimacy that isall the more wrenching whenThirsk understands “The placewould soon be new,” and“replaced with an upstart thornor with some plain fence beyondwhich flocks will chomp backon the past until there is notrace of it.” Thirsk, more prag-matic than assured, leaves uswith these words: “This is myheavy labor now. I have to leavebehind these common fields. Ihave to take this first step out ofbounds…until I reach whereveris awaiting me, until I gain wher-ever is awaiting us.” “Harvest” isboth a rich novel of the past anda haunting directive for today.

Sunny Solomon is a freelance writerand head of the Clayton Book Club.Visit her website at bookinwithsunny.com for her latestrecommendations or just to ‘talk books

Oct 25 clayton pioneer 2013

Documents

Transcript of Oct 25 clayton pioneer 2013