July 12 clayton pioneer 2013

Twenty-five is a significantnumber for Robin Cutter thesedays.

She recently celebrated her25th wedding anniversary, and it isone-half her age – and her hus-band’s. And her daughter will turn25 this year.

It’s also the number of half-marathons the Clayton womanplans to complete in just one year.

Cutter is well on her way toher goal, the finish line being thePomona Half Marathon on Dec.15 – the event she kicked off herpersonal journey with last Dec. 9.And she’s doing all to bringawareness and support for her petcauses, the American StrokeAssociation and American Heart

Association.“I just want to give back,”

Cutter says.She is no stranger to elite run-

ning, having trained for and ranher first half-marathon back in2008 – just after her father diedafter a heart attack. She is current-ly a coach for the Start! programfor the AHA, a charity-based racetraining plan whose motto is “Weget you from the couch to the fin-ish line.”

Heart disease and strokes areprevalent in Cutter’s family, shesays. She saw her father experiencetwo heart attacks and her motherand grandparents suffer strokes. Aneighbor’s stroke at age 46 wokeher up to her own threat, so shetook matters into her own hands –or more appropriately, legs.

“I want to bring awareness to

the fact that women suffer strokesas often or more often than men,and even at younger ages,” shesays. “We believe it’s becausemany of us shrug off the symp-toms, and are especially vulnera-ble to stress,” she says.

In just five short years she hascompleted 50 half-marathons,and has 15 more to go this year toreach her goal.

As a freelance bookkeeper,Cutter didn’t have much time torun races in the early part of 2013,during the busy tax season. Butfrom the first week in May she hasupped her pace, and has run six13-milers in the past seven weeks.

Although most of the races areheld in northern California, Cuttersays she is using her mission to doa little traveling. Besides severalraces in southern California, she

will travel to Chicago and Idahofor events there, and will competein three consecutive half-marathons in three days aroundLake Tahoe in September, as partof the Lake Tahoe Marathon.

“The main thing we want tostress is that it doesn’t matter howfast you go,” she says, “but justthat you get up and go. We are notconcerned about times as muchas just finishing the race.”

She herself says that she willoften stop to help other runnersduring races who may be havingdifficulties, mainly because she

remembers how hard it was whenshe was starting out.

“I love the community of theraces, especially when we’re allworking for a cause,” Cutter says.“That’s the part of racing that I’maddicted to.”

While she says she is “not aFacebook person,” Cutter has setup a Facebook page for friendsand family to follow her journey.It can be found athttp://www.facebook.com/pages/START-Training-American-Heart-Association-Donation-Page-for-Robin-Cutter.

A 51-year-old Brent-wood motorcyclistremains in the hospital incritical condition and a 21-year-old Clayton womanfaces criminal DUIcharges after a head-oncollision on Clayton Roadon June 27.

Mark Tomaszewskiwas headed home afterwork about 5:40. He wastraveling in the southbound lanewhen a northbound ToyotaCorolla driven by Jessica Mercu-

rio, 21, jumped themedian into oncomingtraffic and hitTomaszewski head-on.She continued on afterthe collision, finally hit-ting a pole in the centerdivide in front of theClayton City Hall.

She failed the fieldsobriety test at thescene and was arrested

for DUI. Witnesses at the scenesay they heard her tell officersshe was texting when she lost

control.According to Clayton Police

Chief Chris Thorsen, criminalcharges are pending final toxicol-ogy reports.

Tomaszewski sustained lifethreatening injuries and remainsin critical condition at John MuirMedical Center.

According to his brother,Tomaszewski is “improvingsome every day.” He is respon-sive to voice commands and rec-ognizes family during the brieftimes he is awake.

Tomaszewski is an operatingroom technician at the SequoiaSurgical Center in Walnut Creek.“Mark is going to need ongoingcare and support for a longtime,” said Sequoia administra-tor, Tina Hadaway. His co-work-ers have donated their unusedtime off to him and a website hasbeen set up to raise funds to helpoffset mounting medical bills.

For information, go tohttp://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/teammarkt/70184.

Creating – and sticking with– a municipal budget is tough inthe best of times, but add inuncertain pension costs, an still-rocky economy and trouble-some implementation of newfinancial software, and you get aperfect storm of monetary woesfor the cities of Concord andClayton.

As the fiscal year 2013-14dawned on July 1, both ContraCosta's largest city and its much

What a scorcher of a Fourthof July we had! Clayton’s Fourthis always the best, but this time itwas one of the hottest, too. Butno matter the heat, we canalways count on our Claytonfolks to make it a great day.

Speaking of great local folks,I want to take this opportunityto thank and congratulate Clay-ton’s own Emma Hall, 15, on theoutstanding job she did organiz-ing and running our ClaytonFamily Fair and Picnic on Satur-day, June 29. You’ll see some ofthe pictures of the fun eventsposted here in the Pioneer (page3). For the hardy people whovolunteered to help and thosewho came to participate on one

Even blistering tempera-tures couldn’t keep Claytoniansaway from the annual Fourth ofJuly Celebration.

Tradition holds strong andfor the 40th year, Main Street,awash with red, white and blue,was lined with crowds cheeringon and waving as the parademade its short, but important,way from one end of town tothe other.

The first “official” ClaytonJuly 4 celebration was in 1896when “A Cordial Invitation”was extended to all for a “1776-4th of July Grand Celebration.”

In 1973, a group of resi-dents resurrected the traditionwith a July 4 celebration in theeucalyptus grove at the east endof Main Street – what is nowThe Grove park. Those cele-brations were all day familyevents that included old-fash-ioned games and food suppliedby local eateries. Senator JohnNejedly was Grand Marshall inthe 1973 event and the paradekicked off with a bicycle

IT’S YOUR PAPER

www.claytonpioneer.com July 12, 2013

Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

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

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

Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Community Calendar . . . . .12

Directory of Advertisers . . . . .5

Fashion Over 50 . . . . . . . . .14

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

Hiker’s Haven . . . . . . . . . . .15

Mind Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

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

Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Speaking of Sports . . . . . . .11

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

Sports Shorts . . . . . . . . . . .10

Teen Reads . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Weather Words . . . . . . . . . . .4

What’s Inside

JULIE PIERCE

MAYOR’S CORNER

See Mayor, page 3

Family Fair provesto be a hot attraction

PEGGY SPEAR

Clayton Pioneer

PEGGY SPEAR

Clayton Pioneer

CONGRATULATIONS TO TIFFANY WELKER WHOSE PHOTO OF THE VIET NAM ERA HUEY HELICOPTER FLYOVER was the winningphoto in the Clayton Pioneer July 4 Photo Contest. With Clayton’s streetlamp and flag in the foreground and the hel-icopter above, the photo best captured this year’s theme of “Community and Country.” Tiffany wins $100. For theother winners, see page 4.

Revelers brave blazing heat for 40thanniversary of Clayton’s July 4 parade

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Clayton woman at full speed to complete 25 half-marathons

Crash victim still critical but improving

Clayton andConcordwrestle withnew budgets

MARKTOMASZEWSKI

ROBIN CUTTER RUNS TO SUPPORT heart and stroke charities.

See Budgets, page 6

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Diablo View Middle Schoolstudents Sarah Cook, Lissa Stew-art and Cassie Bizicki got a crashcourse in college life while learn-ing that math and science can be

fun at Tech Trek Math and Sci-ence Camp, a summer programat Sonoma State for girls enteringthe eighth grade.

Teachers nominated the stu-

dents to attend the camp, and thegirls were sponsored by the localbranch of American Associationof University Women with helpfrom the Clayton Business andCommunity Association.

The students lived on thecampus of Sonoma State andattended classes taught by middleschool teachers that featuredhands-on experiments, core classwork in math, science and tech-nology, lab work and field trips,such as hiking, kayaking andastronomy night. Women whoare professionals in these fieldswere guest presenters. AAUWvolunteers served as camp direc-tors, health aides and chaper-ones, and past Tech Trekcampers served as guides andassistants to the campers.

For more information onAAUW, visit the organization’s web-site at ClaytonAAUW.org.

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com July 12, 2013

Around Town

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Lauren Osborn, 2009 grad-uate of Clayton Valley HighSchool, graduated magna cumlaude from the University ofOregon. Lauren was also vale-dictorian in both her public rela-tions and advertising majors.She has minors in business andcommunications. Laurenintends to pursue a career inpublic relations.

Edwin Macasero’s, dutiesare varied and includes fre-quently dusting the doors ofthe Clayton post office. But,you won’t find him using afeather duster. All ofEdwin’s feathers are in hishat.

Edwin says “A very nicelady with a lot of birds”brings him a feather whenev-er she comes to get her mail.And each time, Edwin addsthe feather with a new pieceof tape to his hat.

So, next time you’re at thepost office, tip your hat toEdwin.

Hats off to Edwin

Local girls take a Tech Trek

LISSA STEWART, SARAH COOK AND CASSIE BIZICKI

of the hottest days of the year,thank you!

Emma created this event asher Girl Scout Gold Award proj-ect and did it all with a smile onher face every minute – what aninspiration she is. If she’s anexample of our future leaders,we’re in great shape.

This event was created as asubstitute for the New Year’sEve Clayton Counts Down,which had been experiencingdwindling attendance due tounpredictable winter weatherand lower numbers of youngchildren living in Clayton.

Lots of youngsters had funwith the games and activities –how many times can you hula-hoop? How big a bubble can youmake? The scouts of Troop 262had an orienteering course.There was also musical enter-tainment and numerous gameand activity booths. The starattraction was the Clayton BikesStunt Team, who put on athrilling show.

Our Clayton CERT wasthere, too, and trained 24 peoplein hands-only CPR and how touse an AED (defibrillator). Weare well on our way to being des-ignated a Heart-Safe community.For those of you who wouldprefer to learn these skills in anair-conditioned room, CERT isoffering another training sessionnext Wednesday, July 17 at 7 p.m.at the Clayton Library. Come ondown – it’s free!

INJURY UPDATE

Many of you have sharedyour concern and asked aboutthe condition of the local manbadly injured in a motorcycleaccident two weeks ago. Mark T.was in critical condition forsome time, but is now stable. Hewill need a lot of rehab and it’sgoing to take time, so many ofhis co-workers are donating their

vacation time to him. It’s alsogoing to be expensive, so hisfamily has set up a website wherefolks can send Mark and hisfamily messages of hope ormake a donation to help himwith his recovery. That website isy o u c a r i n g . c o m / m e d i c a l -fundraiser/teammarkt/70184.

Let’s rally some big supportfrom our generous Claytoncommunity.

I hope you are having a fabu-lous summer. I’ll see you at theconcerts, and please be safe outthere!

As always, you can contact me byemail at [email protected]. Letme know what you think!

MONTENEGRO

On June 2, we took an East-ern Mediterranean vacation onboard the Seabourn Odysseywith Roger and Donna Franz.

We stopped in Kotor, Mon-tenegro and huffed and puffedthe 1,350 steps up St. JohnFortress to see a panoramicview of the city.

Donna says, “We broughtalong our beloved Clayton Pio-neer to show everyone wherewe have traveled.”

(Awww, she called us‘beloved.’)

PARIS

What we learned in Paris …Je t’adore does not mean “shutthe door” in French.

But, we did learn that weadore traveling with the Yorkfamily in Europe, especiallywhen it included a stop at theEiffel Tower.

Pictured, from left, Emily York,Kevin York, Madison York, ToddYork and Lisa York.

The Pallotta and Banderasfamilies, both of Clayton, justreturned from a vacationtogether in Belize and

Guatemala. We went along withthem to such amazing locationsas Actun Tunichil Muknal (Caveof the Stone Maiden) and Tikal,in Guatemala.

Here we are at MayflowerBocawina National Park, wherewe rode along with them on azipline adventure in the junglesof the Maya Mountains. Wesoared through the jungle withthe birds on the longest zip linecourse in Belize and CentralAmerica, approximately 2.5miles. What a trip!

Pictured: Derek Banderas, NoahBanderas, Domenic Pallotta andDoug Pallotta.

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Dana Ridge – Spacious & updated 3BD/2BA w/fireplacesin both living & family rooms. Well main-tained home affords sweeping views of Mt.Diablo, ridge & valley. Covered patio in theyard includes a ceiling fan. Kitchen/FamilyRoom combo ideal for entertaining.

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July 12, 2013 Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com

Mayor, from page 1

Saturdays6 to 8:30 p.m.

At the Gazebo inThe Grove

Set up chairs and blanketson the lawn after 4 p.m.

Concerts

in The Grovein The Grove

July 20Mixed Nuts

Dance music from the 50s to today.

August 3Live by the GrooveEnjoy the sounds of yourfavorite music from the

70s, 80s and 90s.

August 17Flashback

Six-piece band featuringhits from big band/swing,

early rock 'n' roll,Motown/soul, R&B/funk,

classic rock, disco andcountry.

August 31The Chicago Tribute

AuthorityThis upbeat tribute band

plays the music of thegreatest hit bands of the

last 45 years.

Sept. 14East Bay Mudd

This 10-piece cover danceband with a powerful 4-

man horn section, willkeep you on your feet

asking for more.

For more band info, go to

www.cityofclayton.org.

Chairs and blankets

may be set out

after 4 p.m.

on concert days.

Pioneer TravelsBELIZE AND GUATEMALA

Around Town

Photos by Ted Hall

Clayton Family Fun Fair and Picnic: (Top) CERT volunteerSue Elliott trains CPR; (Bottom) The TGC Action Sports Teamstunt riders were the highlight of the June 29 Fair.

When the calendar turns fromone month to another, I tend toreflect on extreme or unusualweather events that have affectedthe Clayton area. This July beganwith a series of days when after-noon temperatures exceeded 100degrees. I immediately recalledthe historical heat wave of July2006.

In many ways the 2006 heatwave was a perfect storm of

atmospheric conditions. Like allCalifornia heat events, the mainingredient was an abnormallystrong upper atmosphere highpressure system that built over thewestern United States.

One unusual feature of the2006 heat wave was its duration.Bay Area coastal valley locationslike Clayton usually cool off aftertwo or three days of a heat wave.Excessive heat in the CaliforniaCentral Valley strengthens coast-to-inland pressure gradientsallowing a cooling sea breeze topenetrate the coastal valleys.

That natural air conditioningeffect did not occur in 2006.Review of temperature data atBuchanana Airport in Concordshows that afternoon maximumsof 95 degrees or greater were

recorded for 12 consecutive days.Even more impressive was the

fact that maximums of 105degrees or greater were recordedfor six consecutive days. At thepeak of the heat wave on July 23and 24 the maximum temperatureat Concord was 112. Unofficialreports from the Clayton areashowed maximum temperaturesabove 115 both days!

Strong California heat wavesalso tend to be very dry eventswith extremely low relativehumidity values. Dry air allowsnighttime temperatures to cooldown and provide some relieffrom the excessive heat.

This was not the case duringthe two hottest days of the 2006heat wave. The jet stream circula-tion around the heat-producing

high pressure system became per-fectly aligned to deliver a surge ofsubtropical moisture from west-ern Mexico.

This band of moisture settled

over northern and central Califor-nia resulting in record high mini-mum temperatures. Many BayArea and Central Valley weatherstations reported record all-time

high minimum temperatures onJuly 23 and 24.

Will July continue with historical heat?

contingent followed by the localhorsemen, 4-H clubs, scouttroops and other local clubs.

“The parade was so short,”writes Elaine Evans in the histo-ry of the event, “that somethought participants should turnaround and come around a sec-ond time.”

The only thing that has real-ly changed over the years is thelength. Food is still a big part ofthe day, starting early with theClayton Valley Sunrise RotaryClub’s pancake breakfast atEndeavor Hall.

Kids on bikes and trikes, onscooters and in strollers alongwith their dressed up familydogs lead the parade as usual.But this year, they were followedby 42 more entries that includedlocal dignitaries in convertibles,a collection of mouth-wateringCorvettes, veterans groups,scout troops, clubs and mer-chants all waving flags andcelebrating “Community andCountry.”

Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com June 28, 2013

4th of July, from page 1WOODY WHITLATCH

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Contra Costa County. Must have

experience in Windows and Mac

OS, network repair and trou-

bleshooting. ComputersUSA!

672-9989.

Construction

Diablo View Construction is look-

ing for a full-time employee.

Requirements: Basic construction

knowledge, driver’s license and

car, hard working and depend-

able. Room for advancement.

822-5144.

Come join Mazzei Realty!

Currently interviewing and hiring

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

NEEDED Help 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.

Hospice of the East Bay

Help needed at Hospice of the

East Bay Concord Thrift Shoppe

located at 5350 Clayton Road,

Concord. 674-9072. For informa-

tion contact Carmen Siems, vol-

unteer coordinator at 887-5678 or

[email protected].

Clayton Historical

Society Museum

Greeter for two hours per month

from 2-4 p.m. Wednesdays or

Sundays. Summer volunteers

needed 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. on

Saturdays and 6 – 8 p.m.

Wednesdays, June through

August; 4 – 6 p.m. on concert

Saturdays. 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 provided.

Contact: Arlene at 673-9777 or

[email protected].

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

Auto

Clayton Valley Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-3900

Beauty and Pampering

Bella Mia Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .680-7792

Business Services

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

Village Oaks Building . . . . . . . . . . . .408-371-8770, ext. 21

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .595-3951

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

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

Dining and Entertainment

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

Oakhurst Country Club . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9737, ext. 205

Events

City of Clayton – Concerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-7300

Clayton Community Church – Movies . . . . . . . . .673-9060

Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .825-9090

Financial, Insurance and Legal Services

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

Held, Chris – Morgan Stanley Smith Barney . . . .930-3815

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

Mingham, Pete – Guild Mortgage Company . . . .906-8166

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

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

Funerals

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

Groceries

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

Home and Garden

Clayton Furniture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .686-2299

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

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

Just Floors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .681-4747

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

Son Bright Window Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .674-9455

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

Cat Hospital of Clayton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2287

Monte Vista Veterinary Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-1100

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

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

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

All Out Sports League . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203-5626

Anytime Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6700

Clayton Valley Bowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-4631

Doodleton Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .510-207-7467

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

Senior Services

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

Diablo Senior Homes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .360-2936

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

Services, Other

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

Net Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6029

Recycling Center & Transfer Station . . . . . . . . . .473-0180

Travel

Celebrity Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .888-456-7887

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

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]. LettersMUST be 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 stopindividual 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 not pro-rated formid-year stops.


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Long-time Clayton resi-dent, Ronald Munk passedaway after a short illness onAugust 11. He was 74.

Ron was born in Gallup,New Mexico, but spent mostof his life in California. Rongraduated from Napa HighSchool and attended the Uni-versity of Nevada, and was aveteran of the United StatesArmy.

Ron spent many yearsworking in the tire businessand enjoyed his time workingfor Loard’s Ice Cream.

He was an active memberof the community, coachingLittle League for many years.He was a member of the Clay-ton Business and CommunityAssociation, volunteering for

events and serving on thescholarship committee. He wasalso a member of the Clayton

Historical Society. He enjoyedgolfing and cheering on the SFGiants and 49ers.

His wife of 34 years, DeeMunk, died in 2008. He is sur-vived by his sons Darren andDale (Kristin); daughter DawnEwen (Bob); grandchildrenTaylor, Kori and Robbie Munkand Travis, Courtney, Caitlinand Blake Risden.Friends and family are invitedto celebrate Ron’s life on July12, 2013 at 11 a.m. at the Con-cord Mt. Diablo Trail RideAssoc. 1600 Trail Ride Rd.Clayton.

In lieu of flowers, dona-tions can be made to the Clay-ton Historical Society.

With summer upon us,many residents will be makingplans for family vacations. Asyou travel to places far away,there are things you can do tosafeguard things at home. Bytaking some simple steps, youreduce the chances of return-ing home to the unpleasantexperience of discoveringyou’ve been a victim.

Consider the steps to safe-guard your home while away:• If you have an alarm, be sure

it’s in working order andyour emergency contacts thealarm company has are cur-rent. Be sure to teach thosecontacts how to turn thealarm off and how to resetit. Most importantly, set thealarm prior to leaving.

• Be sure to arrange for pickupof your newspaper and mail.It’s best to have these itemspicked up by a neighbor orfriend rather than stoppingservice.

• If you leave a pet behind, besure they are adequatelycared for. Dogs tend to barkwhen their owners don’treturn home for several days.This can be very frustratingfor your neighbors.

• Let your neighbors knowyou will be away, when youwill return and how you canbe reached in the event of aproblem at the house.

• Contact the police depart-ment and arrange for a vaca-tion house watch. We havevolunteers who check yourresidence while you’re gone.

• Technology today allowssome folks to monitor theirhome while away. Some letyour turn lights on and offfrom a distance via the Inter-net. If you have such a sys-tem, turn different lights onduring the evening to make itappear as though somebodyis home. Be sure to share thisplan with your neighborswho are watching yourhouse.In reality, your home and

belongings are very safe here inClayton. By taking these simplesteps, you reduce the chances ofhaving an unpleasant end to awonderful vacation.

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ObituaryRonald Robert Munk

Aug. 11, 1938 - May 29, 2013

CHRIS THORSEN

BEHIND THE BADGE

Chris Thorsen is Clayton’s chiefof police. For questions and com-ments, call him at (925) 673-7350.

Keep yourhome safewhile onvacation

smaller neighbor moved toimplement new sp• endingplans, but it hasn’t been easy.

For Clayton, the city councilin June agreed to “keep payingthe bills,” according to CityManager Gary Napper, until thecity could catch up with a back-log of financial statements and anew budget could be proposed.He hopes to have a 2013-14budget in the city council’shands by its July 16 meeting.

“I have never had to do thisin my professional career,”Napper said, citing a string ofset-backs that made it impossiblefor the city to prepare a budget,while at the same time fixingsome internal problems thatrequired auditing of the lastthree years.

CLAYTON TACKLES BACKLOG

The problems started back in2010, when the city converted tonew financial software. However,Napper says that city staff didnot receive adequate training onthe software. “It set us backward,and we got behind.”

Adding to the problem,Clayton Finance Director MerryPelletier became injured fromusing a computer mouse andrequired surgery – and in a citythe size of Clayton, that loss wassignificant. The result is that the2010-11, 2011-12, and 2012-13budgets all needed auditing,while at the same time staffneeded to put together correctnumbers for this year’s budget.

To get the accounting backon track, the city hired formerOakley executive Rick Sanders –who has expert knowledge ofthe computer platform andsmall city budgets – to catch upon the past years’ audits, whilePelletier focused on this year’sbudget – hence the unprece-dented delay.

“We’re doing well now, inthat we’re getting caught up,”Napper says. “By divvying up

the duties, we can get back ontrack.”

“The ship wasn’t sinking,” hesays. “It’s just that it’s taking uslonger to row to where we needto go.”

The total Clayton budget isabout $3.7 million – about thesize of a city department inneighboring Concord. Andmuch like household budgetsthese days, the city must figureout how to generate more rev-enue with increasing expensesand a fairly stagnant propertytax base.

“We don’t have big-ticketbusinesses like Concord’s cardealerships to bring in a lot ofsales tax, so most of our revenuecomes from property taxes,”Napper says. “And they are notgrowing as quickly as we wouldlike them to.”

Meanwhile, expenses contin-ue to rise, including increases inwater rates, workers compensa-tion and general increases thathe sees every year, Napper says.

Over half of the Claytonbudget goes to police services,Napper says.

“It’s a challenge to puttogether a budget each year, butthis year, because we got behind,it was even tougher,” Nappersays. “The loss of one personcan have a huge impact.”

FEES INCREASE IN CONCORD

Next door in Concord, thecity council in June approved a$121 million budget for 2013-2014 as well as a 10-year financialplan, but the big question mark iswhat is known as “unfunded lia-bilities” – such as the massivepension costs to a city its size.

Both City Manager ValerieBarone and Budget OfficerJovan Grogan said that it is diffi-cult to do long-range financialplanning when they don’t have allthe information – in Concord’scase, its predictions on howmuch the city will spend on pen-

sions for city employees, infor-mation that has not yet been pro-vided by CalPERS, the publicemployees retirement system.

Grogan told the council thathis staff is hoping to get thatinformation from CalPERS bythe end of the year, but thedelay has been disconcerting tothe city leaders like councilmanEdi Birsan.

“I am tired of being scaredof the unfunded liability in thecloset,” Birsan told the council atan earlier budget review meetingin May.

Birsan was also concernedabout the many fees that wereapproved as part of this year’sbudget.

The budget calls for a newbusiness application fee of $72,a home business administrationfee of $90, and an annual busi-ness license renewal of $48.Birsan wants to get rid of theapplication and home businessfees, and consider offering mul-tiple-year business licenses if itcan be done without sacrificingother city services.

Barone said that eliminatingthe $72 new business applicationfee could cost Concord $100,000annually.

But Birsan said that it wasn’tjust the cost of the fees. “It isthe message we send throughthe Bay Area. It is worth$100,000 to get those business-es,” he said.

At the June 25 meeting, healso asked the council to loweror eliminate some fees altogeth-er, besides the business licenses,including proposing that lapswimmers who are age 65 andabove get a 20 percent discountat public pools, as Concord pro-vides for golfers at city courses.All motions went down todefeat.

Still, the other members ofthe city council were not ready toshut the door on examining cityfees altogether, but didn’t want itto be a “knee-jerk” reaction.“Maybe it is a good idea,” saidCouncilman Ron Leone, “but wejust need to study it further.”

Budget, from page 1

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A piece of land off MarshCreek Road where Miwok Indianchildren once congregated willonce again be home to a childcarecenter.

Longtime Clayton residentJulie Gilchrest, owner of the landof a recently vacated Kindercarecenter, announced that she willreopen the Clayton Children’sCenter on the site, the latest chap-ter in a saga that has pitted localparents against a national corpo-ration.

In May, Kindercareannounced it was shuttering itsMarsh Creek location on June 14,suggesting that families enrolltheir children in the other ClaytonKindercare center on Main Street.

The closure was the result ofdeclining enrollment at the site,and Kindercare officials said thatthe four-week notice was theusual timeline in closing a center.

“This allows families time toadjust to the news and to lookinto the options we are providingfor their children,” said Kinder-care spokesperson ColleenMoran.

However, the move shockedand angered parents, who felt thatfour weeks was not enough timeto find new childcare, and whoworried about losing teachers andstaff.

But to Gilchrest, it also meantmuch more: Having operated achildcare center on the site from1980 to 1997, she felt that thecommunity was losing a valuableresource.

“We offered something spe-cial,” she said. “And we will do soagain.”

So Gilchrest decided to revivethe Clayton Children’s Center.“How could I not?” she says.

As of last week, all the teach-ers from the closed Kindercarehave agreed to stay on at the newClayton Children’s Center. Sandy

McCracken will serve as director,and Kara Frederickson – “Mrs.Freddie” to parents and students– will stay on as assistant directorand a teacher.

Although Gilchrest wasunable to say exactly how manyfamilies – including formerKindercare students – haveenrolled, she says that it is “morethan halfway” full.

The center is licensed to hold60 students at a given time, shesaid. She will offer daily childcare,a Monday-Wednesday-Friday pre-kindergarten program, a Tuesday-Thursday preschool program, anddaily after-school care.

Gilchrest, who now lives inLincoln but whose son Terry islocal, says she has been astoundedby the amount of communitysupport she’s received in herefforts to reopen the center. “I’vehad incredible offers from thecommunity to help us get up andrunning.”

There is a lot of work to dobefore she can officially reopen,she says, including putting a newroof on the building, re-landscap-ing the play yard and finishing thelicensing. But she says she will beopen when public schools resumeon Aug. 26.

“When I bought this propertyback in 1980, everything just fellinto place,” she said, in regards toopening a childcare center. “Andit’s happening again.”

She says she harbors no ill willtoward Kindercare, and allowsthat the community needs morethan one option for childcare.

“[Kindercare] is a differentprogram – they offer differentthings than we will, includingthe fact that they care forinfants, which we do not,” shesays. “But it’s not ‘one-size-fits-all’ when it comes to caring forchildren. I hope we can workside-by-side for the children inthe community.”

Q. I am planning to put myhome on the market soon. Iam very uncomfortable withthe security issues especiallyduring open houses and hav-ing a lock box with my key in iton or near the home. How dopeople deal with these issues?I am a single woman, by theway.

A. Your concerns are valid forsure but I want to preface myanswer. I have been selling realestate for nearly 18 years and havenever had a theft at one of mylistings and have never beenrobbed. I say this so you don’tworry too much, just be prepared.Don’t tempt a possible thief. Hereare some common sense tips:

Before having your houseshown remove all valuablesincluding jewelry, money, bankstatements, credit cards and keys.Don’t ever leave them in a drawerwith easy access.

Prescription drugs should belocked away in a cabinet orremoved.

Before an open house discusswith your realtor their securitytechniques while people are walk-ing through. Be sure that they aregoing to engage with the peoplecoming through, not just let themhave free rein of your home. Ifthey expect it to be especially busyask for two realtors to be there.

Before having a showing, alllights should be turned on and allblinds, shades and curtains

opened. Homes are safer forshowing when someone outsidecan see in.

If a real estate agent or poten-tial buyer shows up without prop-er notification do not let them in.Tell them to call your agent if theyhave interest.

When I list a home for a sin-gle, especially female, seller, Idon’t put the lockbox on the door.She keeps control of the lockboxand only puts it our when she isexpecting a showing.

Most of all, trust yourinstincts. If you feel uncomfort-able with someone or a situationbe very alert and perhaps contactsomeone nearby.

Q. My family is thinkingabout installing a pool in ourback yard. We have plenty ofroom in our yard and we allwater activities. We are won-dering about the cost andwhether or not it’s a goodinvestment.

A. A pool as a financial invest-ment? No. But as an investmentto your quality of life? Absolutely.You need to do as much researchas possible on the expenses itentails for installation and upkeep.In an area like ours where you willget many months use, it can be anattractive feature when selling ahome. Some buyers only want ahome with a pool, and somewon’t consider it at all. These areoften people who have had a pool

and don’t want the upkeep anylonger.

The first thing you shouldconsider will be installation costs.On the very low end they couldbe $25,000 to $50,000 and upfrom that depending on options.Experts estimate that pools canhave from $3,000 to $5,000 worthof maintenance a year. If some-thing goes wrong, say with the fil-ters or pump, costs can add upquickly. These items cost morethan $500 at least. When a poolneeds resurfaced it could costmore than $10,000; if you wantedto upgrade the tile, decking orplaster that could cost you up to$20,000. If at some point youwant to remove the pool it cancost over $15,000. Knowing all ofthis, pools are still in demand.They may be costly but the quali-ty of life and enjoyment you get ispriceless.

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5 Bedroom, 3 BathImmaculate tri-level with over 2,100 sq. ft. of living space. Updatedkitchen and breakfast area plus living/dining room and spacious fam-ily room with wet bar. Special features include a 3 car garage, spaciousrooms, dual pane windows and doors and a huge backyard with tiledpatio, large Trex deck, fruit trees and a spot for a family garden.

Linda LandgrafA Clayton resident for over 30 years

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Send your question and look for youranswer in a future column. [email protected]. French is thebroker/owner of Windermere LynneFrench & Associates and a Clayton res-ident. For any real estate needs or ques-tions, contact her at 672-878 7or stop inat 6200 Center St., Clayton.

Clayton Children’s Center toreopen on Marsh Creek Road

PEGGY SPEAR

Clayton Pioneer

Keys to safety whileshowing your home

LYNNE FRENCH

REAL ANSWERS

California set a record forelectricity consumption duringthis heat wave. Outages alsowere at record summertime lev-els as transformers failed underthe stress of the heat and airconditioning related electricload.

More devastating was theloss of human life. Over 125confirmed heat-related fatalitieswere recorded in the state dur-ing the 2006 heat wave. Live-stock were also adverselyaffected, with an estimated25,000 cattle succumbing to theheat.

July is a month when heatwaves can affect our area. Eventhough last week was ascorcher, we hope no heatwaves will be as strong as theheat storm we experienced in2006.

Woody Whitlatch, a retiredPG&E meteorologist, regularlywrites the Pioneer’s Weather Wordscolumn in addition to contributingfrequent travel articles.

Weather, from page 4

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Our 13-month-old has areally hard time when eitherhis mother or I leave thehouse; sometime even whenwe leave the room. Is there away to help him outgrowthis?

First, it’s normal. It’s separa-

tion anxiety and to one degreeor another, most kids have it atsome point. Around six monthsof age, babies begin to realizethat things exist even if theycan’t see them (it’s why they love“peek-a-boo”). The downside isbabies begin to realize thatthey’re separate from their par-ents and that thus they could beabandoned. What they don’t yethave the capacity for, however,is figuring out that you’re likelyto come back. It can be prettyscary for them. I’m actually sur-prised that so many kids just sailthrough this period, but manydo. For those who don’t the fol-lowing can help:

When you leave…don’t sneakout. It’s tempting, and a lot ofpeople do it to save themselves

the hassle, but it reinforces theidea that your presence is unde-pendable and you could just dis-appear at any time – which iswhat your child’s afraid of. Wavegoodbye. Say you’re leaving.

Prepare him in advance. He maynot understand everything, butdoes more than you realize. Talkabout your plans. Where. When.

If possible, create some consisten-cy in your leaving. Though it’s notalways possible with those rarenights out, with work and otherpredictable partings, try to cre-ate a similar scenario so he canhelp himself prepare throughthe familiar things that lead upto you heading out the door.

Set up a fun activity with the sit-ter that he can be engrossed in whenit’s time to leave. Still follow the

above steps, but make yourgoodbyes brief… hopefully he’llbe back to the game quickly.

And lastly, remember that learn-ing how to cope is one of the maintasks of childhood. There are timeshe will be unhappy and greatparenting doesn’t – and should-n’t – prevent that. Helping himname his feelings, and havingempathy for his unhappiness,isn’t the same as teaching himthat being miserable will changewhat other people do, or that itis always a tragedy.

Pete Caldwell, MS, MFT is theMental Health Director for We CareServices for Children. He teachescounseling courses at CSUEB inaddition to maintaining a privatepractice.

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Community members areinvited to Todos Santos Plaza inConcord on July 13 and 14 toCelebrate, Remember and FightBack.

Concord’s 2013 Relay forLife begins at 10 a.m. on July 13through 10 a.m. on July 14. Thisyear’s event starts with openingceremonies at 10 a.m. ASurvivor Walk immediately fol-lows. The Luminaria Ceremo-ny is at 9 p.m. The Fight Backceremony closes the Relay at9:45 a.m. on Sunday morning.

“Pretty much everyoneknows somebody affected bycancer, whether they’ve had itthemselves or a family memberor friend,” event chairwomanElizabeth Cofer says. “It’s apowerful day for a lot ofpeople.”

Activities are planned forregistered kids and adultsthroughout the day and evening,including music, dance groupsand a midnight movie.

To date, the event has 22teams. As of June 27, the group

raised over $10,500, with all pro-ceeds going to the AmericanCancer Society.

“We are still receiving regis-trations for teams and partici-pants,” Cathy Guzman, teamrecruitment chair says. “Weexpect to have a lot more peopleshow up than are actually regis-tered.” Survivor and participantscan register at the event.

This is the first year for the

event to be held at Todos SantosPlaza. “We are so excited tobring the event downtown. Thecommunity has really ralliedaround recognizing how manypeople are touched by cancer,”Cofer says.

For more information about regis-tering for Relay For Life or to makedonations, go to relayforlife.org/con-cordca. Todos Santos Plaza is at2151 Salvio St., Concord.

Clayton’s Relay For Life hastwo more pre-events coming up;one to create awareness and theother is a fundraiser for the relayand the American Cancer Soci-ety.

July 13 through July 21 isPaint the Town Purple to createawareness for and encourageparticipation in the main eventon August 3 and 4. Meet at theGrove Park at 8 a.m. and helpdecorate the town in purpleitems provided. Participate athome and work by hanging pur-ple decorations and wearingpurple. Unpainting takes placeJuly 21 from 7 to 9 p.m.

Tahoe Joe’s donates 50 per-cent of tickets purchased for asteak, chicken or rib dinner onJuly 18. Vegetarian options avail-able. Dine in or takeout. 11 a.m.to 10 p.m. 999 Contra CostaBlvd., Pleasant Hill. Must pur-chase tickets in advance. $20.Contact Kathy or Rich Evon at674-1263.

For more information about Clay-ton’s Relay For Life, go to relayfor-life.org/claytonca or like them on face-book.

CANCER SURVIVORS WALK THE FIRST LAP of Relay For Life afteropening ceremonies at last year’s Relay.

Gary Romano has createdcustom stained glass for 40years, though he finds there isnot a big market for sales.

“But I have an artistic eye,”Romano says. “That’s why I’mable to do a lot of design work.This lends to success with hisbusiness, Gary’s Home Repair.

Romano does everythingfrom home repair and mainte-nance to construction. His cre-ative eye helps him solve prob-lems, large and small. Whereothers say, “I don’t know how todo that,” Romano meets thechallenge head-on.

Gail Chau of Concord hiredRomano to install a vanity thatleft at least two other trades-men stumped because of its

particular angles. “He took careof it. I was very impressed,”Chau says. She found it enter-

taining to observe as he figuredout placement of the vanity,thinking out loud. “You couldalmost hear the brain working.”She adds, “He was a handyman,but you liked the person, too.”

Virginia Cowen of Claytonagrees. “He is very personable.I was very pleased with hiswork,” she says. “We were onthe same page. You like to havea rapport with the people whowork for you.” Romanorepaired dry rot damage on theexterior of Cowen’s home.

Romano says what makeshim a unique handyman is “myability to do almost anything.”

He often does repair workdemanded by a realtor to pre-pare a house for sale, but he hasadditions and remodels underhis tool belt, as well. He learnedall the trades – painting, plumb-

ing, electrical, drywall, tile,brick, doors and windows –while operating a repair andlandscaping business in the1970s and 1980s.

Romano worked simultane-ously at construction and land-scaping during his 31 years inlaw enforcement at the Berke-ley Police Department. Heretired in 2004 and built Gary’sHome Repair. Formerly fromClayton, he lives in WalnutCreek with his wife, Dana.Dana teaches kindergartenwhile Gary measures, saws,hammers and paints the daysaway.

“I like staying busy, build-ing, designing and working withmy hands.”

Contact Gary Romano at 925-787-2500.

Romano nails it with a creative eye

AN ARTISTIC NATURE and aneye for design givesLicensed Contractor GaryRomano an edge when itcomes to problem solving.

PAMELA WIESENDANGER

Clayton Pioneer

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

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July 12, 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Desert Moon

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CBCARib Cook-OffAugust 10

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Concord Walks to Celebrate,Remember and Fight Back

Relay ForLife, Clayton

Soothing a child’s separation anxiety

Hi, my name is Stephanieand I watch “Keeping Up withthe Kardashians.”

Now, there is a reason why Irevealed my guilty television-watching pleasure. On a recentepisode, the matriarch of thefamily meets with a marriageand family therapist. The matri-arch seems to want to talk abouthow she can help her troubledadult son. But, instead of focus-

ing on what she could be doingto make or manage things bet-ter, she really wants to knowhow to get her son into therapybecause he has the problems –not her. The therapist wiselytells the matriarch that she hasno control over, or responsibili-ty for, what her son does; shecan instead concentrate on deal-ing with her own issues that getstirred up by his behaviors.

So often, I get asked thequestion, “Why do people cometo therapy?” I think the betterquestion is, “Who wants theperson to come to therapy andwhy?” I cannot tell you howmany times I been contacted bya significant other, a friend orfamily member who is lookingfor a therapist for their lovedone. Now, sometimes, theresearch is for an important rea-son as the loved one is so inca-pacitated by their mental health

issues that they would strugglemightily on their own to get themuch-needed therapy in place.But, far more often, the researchis done because the loved one,a.k.a. the “identified client,” hasall the problems and is ambiva-lent or resistant to finding atherapist on their own. Now,one might think, “Hey, thefriends or family are doing anintervention and the personshould be in therapy, darn it!”Well, yes, perhaps they shouldbe in therapy, but that is not thejob of anyone else.

People benefit most fromtherapy when they come to itwith an openness and willing-ness that is all their own. Mostof us like to take care of ourown business, solve our ownproblems, and resolve our ownissues. But sometimes we hit awall and we cannot do it on ourown. We just cannot get out of

the hole that we are in, or can-not climb over the mountainthat is in our way. We need aguide who knows the landscapeand all its obstacles and pitfallsto show us where we wentwrong and why and how to getback on track. Then it is up to usto take the brave step to admitthat we made some mistakesand are now making somechoices to do things differentlyin order to keep moving for-ward.

It rarely ends well for peopleto come to therapy becausesomeone else wants them to bein therapy. For those folks whowant their loved one to see atherapist and it is not happen-ing, I say, find your own thera-pist first because you’ll benefitfrom that support while youwait. It might be awhile.

Two-year-old Griddle is apolite, independent young dogwith a bouncy side. Griddlewould enjoy regular exercise anddaily walks to satisfy his curious,busy nature. Griddle is smart andlikes to train. We recommend a

Basic Manners class for youngGriddle so he can show off howsmart he is, learn importantdoggy skills and spend somequality time bonding with hisnew adopters.

The adoption fee for adult

dogs is $225 and includes 60 per-cent off one 7-week dog trainingsession.

Two-year-old Adam is asociable and outgoing fellow,who likes to talk to you and getlots of gentle petting and atten-

tion. It is unknown whetherAdam has previous experiencewith children. He is suitable for afirst time cat guardian.

The adoption fee for adultcats is $50.

Meet your forever friend atTony La Russa’s Animal RescueFoundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive,Walnut Creek, during adoptionhours: Noon to 5 p.m. Wednes-day, 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday andFriday, Noon to 5 p.m. Saturdayand Sunday. The primary care-taker must be present to adopt.ARF also encourages kids 16 andyounger and canine family mem-bers (dog adoptions only) to bepresent during the adoptionprocess.

Would you like to be part of theheroic team that saves the lives of res-cued dogs and cats? Can you share yourtalents to connect people and animals?ARF volunteers are making a differ-ence! For more information go towww.arf.net, or call 925.256.1ARF.


STEPHANIE HO

MIND MATTERS

Stephanie T. Ho is a licensed psy-chologist. She has a private practiceoffice in Walnut Creek and works atUC Berkeley. She can be reached [email protected].

Griddle and Adam are ARF’s Stars

GRIDDLE ADAM

Dr. Linda M. Miller 5435 Clayton Road, Ste I, Clayton 925-672-CATS (2287)

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You can’t force loved ones into therapy

The Clayton Business andCommunity Association is prep-ping for one of its tastiestevents of the year, the fourthannual Clayton Rib Cook-off onSaturday, August 10.

CBCA member and Cook-off Committee Chair DennisMitchell says it’s guaranteed tobe hot and smoky again thisyear. The food, that is.

Four lucky residents will bechosen as a People’s ChoiceJudge, a plum assignment thatallows for “all you can eat.” ThePeople’s Choice Judges will be

selected randomly from peoplewho purchase a $1 raffle ticketon the day of the event before 1p.m

The committee is expecting28 amateur barbecue teams toround out the competition thisyear, which will be held at thehistoric Clayton Saloon indowntown Clayton. If youwould like to compete, visit clay-toncbca.org for information andentry forms. The teams will becompeting not only for braggingrights, but also for first-, sec-ond- and third-place trophies

and cash prizes.The cooking begins at 8

a.m. and heats up for the firstround of judging at 1 p.m.The event opens to the publicat 10 a.m. The CBCA will alsobe providing hamburgers, hotdogs and coleslaw in additionto ribs.

The CBCA sponsors such non-profit events as the Clayton Art &Wine Festival and the Clayton Okto-berfest. All proceeds go to charity insupport of Clayton and the immediatesurrounding community.

The heat is on for the annual Rib Cook-off

Club News

ASSEMBLYWOMAN SUSAN BONILLA HOSTS

FREE GIRLS SOCCER CLINICThe California Storm women’s professional team

will present its third annual Taking the World byStorm free girls soccer clinic on Saturday, Aug. 3, athost Tesoro Golden Eagle Refinery in Concord.Each participating girl from 9-18 years gets a t-shirt,goody bag, lunch and the clinic that runs from 9 a.m.– noon. The clinic is co-sponsored by Diablo FC andSportStars magazine. There are injury preventionworkshops and a healthy living fair for parentsarranged by Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla. Freeregistration is available now at asmdc.org/mem-bers/a14/sc.

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES SUMMER

SOCCER CAMPS IN CONCORDBoatwright Youth Sports Complex in Concord

has two weeks of San Jose Earthquakes summer soc-cer camps planned. The sessions are July 29-Aug. 2and Aug. 5-9 for girls and boys ages 4-14 from 9 a.m.- noon. Beginner through elite players are invited tothe camps. Register at diablofc.org.

CLAYTON VALLEY CHARTER BOOSTERS

GOLF TOURNAMENT JULY 22The 22nd annual Clayton Valley Charter High

School Athletic Boosters Club Charity Golf Tourna-ment is coming up on Monday, July 22, at OakhurstCountry Club. The format is a four-person scramble(singles will be paired up). Shotgun start with boxlunch is at 11:30 a.m. with dinner immediately fol-lowing the tournament in the clubhouse. Interestedgolfers (21 and over) and sponsors can visit cvhs-boosters.org.

MDSA FALL LEAGUE REGISTRATIONS

ACCEPTED FOR WAIT LISTMt. Diablo Soccer is holding online signups for

the fall AYSO season. Players who register now willbe placed on a waitlist. Girls and boys 4 (by July 31)through 18 are eligible for MDSA. Parents arestrongly encouraged to also accept a volunteerassignment to assist MDSA operate. Email [email protected] or visit mdsoccer.org.

FINAL FOOTBALL, CHEER SIGNUP FOR

CLAYTON VALLEY FALCONSRegistration is still open for Clayton Valley Youth

football and cheer. Football is for ages 7-14 whilecheer accepts ages 5-14. The final registration day forthe CVAA Falcons is on Saturday, July 20, from 9a.m. - 3 p.m. at Clayton Valley Charter High School.Practice starts July 29. Online registration: CVAAFal-cons.com.

ST. BONAVENTURE CYO CROSS COUNTRY

STARTS TRAINING AUG. 21St Bonaventure CYO cross country begins its

third season with training Aug. 21. The program isopen to boys and girls in 2nd-8th grades in the St.Bonaventure attendance area. Cross country is ashort, family-oriented season with practices Monday,Wednesday and Friday at 5:30 p.m. Parents are high-ly encouraged to run too. Meets begin in late Septem-ber on Friday evenings with the Oakland Diocesemeet in mid-October. The team meets at NewhallPark by the big oak tree. Signups will be taken atpractice.

AYSO SUMMER SOCCER CAMPS

THIS JULY, AUGUSTUK International Soccer Camp instructors will

be hosted by MDSA at Boatwright Sports Complexfor pre-season summer camp sessions July 15-19 andAug. 5-9 in Concord. Boys and girls 5-14 years of agecan take the camp in a half day (9 a.m. - 12 noon) orfull day (9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.) format in order to honetheir skills for fall league play. For more informationor to register visit mdsoccer.org.

TENNIS CAMP THIS SUMMER AT OAKHURSTClayton Valley Charter High School tennis coach

Rick Ortega is holding the Oakhurst Grand SlamSummer Tennis Camp through Aug. 8 on weekdaysfrom 1-3 p.m. for high school players of all levels atOakhurst Country Club. Contact coach Ortega fordetails at [email protected].

DVC HALL OF FAME HONORING

1989 FOOTBALL TEAMThe Diablo Valley College Athletic Hall of Fame

will be honoring the undefeated 1989 Vikings foot-ball team early next year with induction into the DVC

CV Blue had quite a softballseason and the players on theteam who now make up theClayton Valley Little LeagueJunior All-Stars hope it keepsgoing as they enter the North-ern California playoffs in Mar-tinez. The CVLL Junior All-Stars are one of five Districtchampions in the running for aberth in the Western Regionalsin NorCal round-robin play thisFriday evening running throughthe finals July 22.

The CVLL Junior (13-14ages) All-Stars won the District4 tournament on their homefield at Clayton Valley CharterHigh School with back-to-backvictories over Martinez LL 10-8and then 18-2, setting them upfor the NorCal tourney.

CV Blue was a senior divisionteam (ages 13-16) during the reg-ular season when they wereundefeated, including winningthe mid-season Martinez SeniorClassic in early May. They then

capped the season with threeconsecutive wins at the District 4Tournament of Champions. TheBlue opened with a 10-6 winover homestanding Pittsburg fol-lowed by a 14-3 decision overEast County. In the finals at Her-cules, CV Blue defeated Antioch11-1 in a game shortened by the10-run rule.

After the Senior DivisionTOC the team managed byBrian Cohen had to drop theironly overage player, SophieEnders, to compete in theJunior (13-14 ages) All-Star divi-sion.

CVLL has more softball suc-cess in the pipeline based on theresults of the Minor (9-10) All-Stars who took third in the Dis-trict 4 Tournament. The All-Stars managed by Todd Keysplayed five games in six hot daysbut couldn’t find a way pastPinole-Hercules, which twicebeat Clayton Valley. The localgirls showed offensive muscle asthey defeated Pittsburg 14-8,East County 12-10 and Antioch18-7 in their other games.

CVLL GIRLS ALL-STARS

The Minor All-Stars areKendall Albert, Juliana Balestri-eri, Sarah Barker, Haley Brown,Samantha Childs, IsabelCollins, Emma Cuddy, LaurenFriedman, Katie Harkness, Tay-lor Keys, Emma Postlethwaite,Grace Pugh, Amanda Roach,Karlie Seastrand and KatelynWalling. Manager Keys andcoaches Mike Cuddy and JohnPostlethwaite guided the 9-10team.

Major 11-12 All-Starsinclude Madeleine Bellew,Haylie Eisele, Owyn Elento, Ali-son Harkness, Kaylie Krupa,Olivia Linkhart, TamaraMason, Maureen McSweeney,Amanda Perry, Emma Ramirez,Sarah Stahl, Jordan Steinberg,Gabriella Warnke and AllisonFosbery. Manager Joe Eisele andcoaches Steve Linkhart and JoshHarkness led the team.

Junior 13-14 All-Stars areKylie Alberts, Madison Briscoe,Cami Cohen, Haley Crookes,Lauryn Douglas, Nicole Mason,Lauren Ness, Savannah O’Con-nell, Sophia Scott, SierraSprague, Chasey Tooker andMelissa Williams. Cohen is man-aging the squad with coachesMike Ligon and Amy O’Connell.

CVLL BASEBALL ALL-STARS

The three CVLL baseball all-star teams all won games at theDistrict 4 tournament and oneteam was still going this week.

The 10-11 All-Stars of man-ager Kevin Confetti won threeconsecutive times before losinglast weekend 7-2 to South Oak-land, dropping them into a do-or-die elimination game todetermine the finalist to faceSouth Oakland for the title.CVLL showed lots of offense asthey beat rivals Concord Ameri-can 14-4, then Walnut Creek 6-4and finally East County 6-2.

Walnut Creek and Lafayetteplayed an elimination gameMonday with the winner meet-

ing CVLL Tuesday. The winnerof that game played South Oak-land Wednesday, hoping to forcea final game this Thursday in thedouble-elimination tourney.

The 9-10 All-Stars won theirfirst three games as well. Theywere rather offensive in wins 10-8 over Concord American, 11-7over Antioch and 15-5 over EastCounty. The youngest CVLLAll-Stars managed by JohnMahloch were edged 3-2 by

Martinez and then droppedfrom the competition by Conti-nental 7-4 last week.

Clayton Valley regular seasonleague champs Cardinals won theAA District 4 TOC with a 14-0win in the finals over Martinez.Earlier the team defeated WalnutCreek 6-3 and Albany 14-4.

The 11-12 All-Stars complet-ed a sweep of CVLL over Con-cord American when they wontheir opener 9-5. Manager Dave

Shuey’s boys weren’t able toenjoy the victory for long asthey fell to Antioch 12-2 andWalnut Creek 9-4 to be eliminat-ed from the District 4 tourna-ment.

District 4 play isn’t com-pletely over as the Summer Clas-sic begins Saturday for 11-12boys. Eight teams are enteredincluding Clayton Valley, Conti-nental and homestanding Con-cord American.

Former Clayton resident andConcord native Tom Candiottiwas recently selected #47 on thelist of all-time Cleveland Indiansby Let’s Go Tribe, part of theonline SB Nation. Candiotti was aknuckleballing starting pitcher forthe Indians from 1986-91 andthen in 1999 when the 41-year-oldconcluded his 18-year majorleague baseball career.

Candiotti was raised in Con-cord and first came to notice as astandout pitcher in ConcordAmerican Little League when hewas dubbed “No-No” for throw-ing so many no-hit games. Heplayed baseball at Concord HighSchool and then St. Mary’s Col-lege, where he was inducted intothe Gaels Athletic Hall of Famein 1989 and last year was alsoplaced in the West Coast Confer-ence Hall of Honor.

Undrafted after college Can-diotti played for an independentteam in Canada before gettingpurchased by the Kansas CityRoyals and then drafted by theMilwaukee Brewers. After someminor league success his career

appeared to be sidelined by amajor elbow injury. He was one ofthe first players to undergo theprocedure now called “TommyJohn surgery” before being calledup by the reigning AmericanLeague champion Brewers in1983. In an ironic twist his secondMLB start was a shutout victoryover the California Angels andtheir starting pitcher TommyJohn!

It was during a down seasonout of the majors in 1985 that hedeveloped his knuckleball andsigned with Cleveland. In 1986 heled the American League in com-plete games with 17. Candiottiwas 72-65 for the Indians, reach-

ing double digit wins four times, anumber he achieved for moretimes in his career. He was theOpening Day pitcher for the Indi-ans multiple times and was con-sidered one of the top 10 startersin the AL.

He started twice in the Amer-ican League playoffs for theToronto Blues Jays in 1991 beforesigning a lucrative free agent con-tract with the Los AngelesDodgers after that season. Hethen played for the “hometown”Oakland A’s in 1998-99 beforefinishing up with seven appear-ances for the Indians in ‘99.

Since retiring Candiotti was abroadcaster for ESPN and theBlue Jays. The past eight years he’sbeen the radio analyst for the Ari-zona Diamondbacks, for whomhe also does some televisionwork. He lives in Arizona.

Showing his versatility Can-diotti also was inducted into theProfessional Bowling Hall ofFame celebrity wing in 2007 andstill participates in PBA events inArizona.

SB Nation is the largest andfastest-growing networks of fan-centric online sports communitiesand is profiling the top 100Indians this year.See Sports Shorts, page 14

Sports Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com July 12, 2013

JAY BEDECARRÉ

Clayton Pioneer

JAY BEDECARRÉ

Clayton Pioneer

Sports Shorts

CV Little League softball wins District title

Photos courtesy Clayton Valley Little League

THERE WAS A TRAFFIC JAM AROUND FIRST BASE during an opening-round game of the District 4 Little League 11-12 All-Stargame as Clayton Valley defeated Concord American 9-5.Unfortunately CVLL lost its next two games to be eliminatedfrom the tournament. Three Clayton Valley players convergedon first base to put out the Concord American batter. Coveringon the bag were, from left, second baseman Matt Hyland,pitcher Shuichi Rountree and first baseman Teddy Conger.

PITCHER AIDAN REINWALD (left) has helped the 9-10 Clayton Valley Little League All-Stars in theDistrict 4 tournament. Max Keil was ready to field any balls from his second base position.

Candiotti named one of top 50 all-time Cleveland Indians

Both Clayton swim teams,Dana Hills and Oakhurst Coun-try Club, along with five Con-cord swim clubs will be takingpart in the 19th annual DevilMountain Pentathlon in theDana Hills pool this weekend.Nearly 1200 athletes from 15teams representing seven citiesare entered.

Livorna Dolphins, YgnacioWood, Bishop Estates, ForestHills, Springwood, LMYA, Mar-tinez Community, Walnut Coun-try, Pleasant Hill Aquatics, Pleas-ant Hill Dolfins, Sun Valley Rays,Sycamore Stingrays and Vista

Diablo Dolphins are also send-ing teams to the unique meet thatchallenges each swimmer in fiveevents on the same day.

Dana Hills is dedicating themeet to former Otters swimmerand student coach DylanMitchell, who was tragically killedin a May accident.

Saturday’s competition is for6 and under and 7-8 boys andgirls and 9-10 girls. On Sundaythe 9-10 boys plus 11-12, 13-14and 15-18 swimmers take part.Every swimmer competes infreestyle, backstroke, breast-stroke and butterfly races and the

individual medley, where theyswim a lap of each stroke. The 6and under age group swims a 50-yard freestyle in place of the IM.Times from all five races arecombined to determine whichswimmers top the A and B divi-sions in each age group.

As the host team with themost entries Dana Hills does notcompete in the team standings.

Each day’s meet begins at8:30 a.m. Admission is free and anumber of vendors will also beon hand displaying their wares.The Dana Hills pool is located at298 Mountaire Circle in Clayton.

Pentathlon draws 15 teams, 1200competitors in two-day swimfest

Kristian Ipsen will be withthe United States diving team inBarcelona at the 15th FINAWorld Championships begin-ning next weekend. This is thelocal lad’s third World SeniorChampionships but it’s a littledifferent this time as he will becompeting in two individualevents and not as part of a syn-chro team with former partnerTroy Dumais.

Ipsen will be competing asthe No. 1 American diver inboth the one- and three-meterspringboard events in Barcelonaagainst the world-class fieldheaded by the Chinese, whohave dominated the sport forover two decades.

The Clayton diver got hisfirst taste of senior WorldChampionship competition in2009 at Rome when he andDumais burst onto the interna-tional scene with a silver medalafter only working together for afew months in the three-metersynchro. Two years later theteam missed the podium with afourth-place finish at the WorldChampionships. Making themeet even worse for Ipsen hemissed two dives in the three-meter springboard and plum-meted from fourth to 31st,missing out on the finals.

Last year Ipsen and Dumaisimproved by one place fromtheir 2011 World Championshipfinish and that earned them thebronze medal at the LondonOlympics and ensuring them aplace in diving history.

Ipsen is a three-time FINAWorld Junior champion, so he’shad success individually on theworld stage, albeit against agegroup competition.

In order to qualify forBarcelona, American diverscompeted in May at the USWorld Championship Trials.Ipsen won the one-meterspringboard and said, “I’vealways wanted to do one-meterat a world meet but I’m usuallydoing 3M and 3M synchro andthree events is a little tiring.Since I’m not diving synchrowith anyone this year, I thoughtI might as well do 1-meter. It’sfun.” Ipsen won the 1M bymore than 51 points over sec-ond-place Harrison Jones.

In the men’s 3M he was evenbetter winning by 90.7 pointsover runner up Samuel Dor-man. “I knew finals was goingto be a good event and in a com-petition like that, everyone feedsoff of each other. Everyone inthe competition was diving real-ly well, so it allowed me to stepup my game too. I’m reallyhappy with how the final went,”Ipsen said.

He added, “Going to worldswith three years until Rio [2016Summer Olympics in Brazil] isgoing to be an amazing learningexperience. I’m really lookingforward to it.”

Regardless of how he finish-es in Barcelona Ipsen willembark on a European vacationafter the meet before he returnsfor his junior year at Stanford.His college coach RickSchavone is on the WorldChampionships staff, just as hewas in London last summer.

Diablo FC has already hadan eventful summer throughearly July with four teams rack-ing up impressive honors. Apair of girls teams from thelocal club won US Club SoccerWest Regional championshipslast month while the U12 Dia-blo FC 00 boys are headed toKansas City, KS later this monthcompeting in the VW JuniorMasters Nationals during MajorLeague Soccer All-Star week.

Diablo FC 95 boys defendedtheir Western College Develop-ment Association championshipin Redmond, WA. All they hadto do to accomplish the feat wasdefeat the No. 1 teams fromColorado, Oregon and Washing-ton in the final three games.

The under 12 Diablo FC girlswent to penalty kicks but theyprevailed 1-0 in the championshipmatch of the USCS West Region-als in Davis against Tualatin HillsUnited SC Silver, a premier teamfrom Beaverton, Oregon. DiabloFC 97 team squared off with the

host David Legacy 97 Heat in theRegional U16 finals and cameaway with a 2-1 victory.

The 95 boys opened WCDAShowcase of Champions inWashington against West FCUnited 95 of Southern Califor-nia and won 2-0. They then ranthe gauntlet of top-rankedteams beating Pride FC Preda-tors 96 of Colorado 3-2 and FCPortland Academy 95 2-1 toreach the finals undefeated. Dia-blo FC edged hometown Cross-fire Premier 95 1-0 in the cham-pionship match.

Diablo FC 96 U16 boys alsoreached the WCDA finals butfinished with a 1-3 mark inWashington.

Diablo FC 00 boys arepreparing for the trip of a life-time competing with 19 otherteams from VW Jr. MastersRegionals in Dallas, Denver,Chicago, Los Angeles, KansasCity, Atlanta, Philadelphia,Houston and Massachusetts.

Diablo FC qualified from the

San Francisco Regional that thelocal club hosted in May. TheRegional was won by San DiegoSC with the top two teams fromthe 10 Regionals moving on.The winner of the Kansas CityNationals will compete nextMay in Rome for the VW JuniorMasters World Championship.Coach Chris Brown and his Dia-blo FC 00 players will attend theMajor League Soccer All-StarGame July 31 where they willsee club alumnus Chris Won-dolowski again representing theSan Jose Earthquakes for theAll-Stars against AS Roma.

Diablo FC 00 girls openedthe USCS Regionals with a 2-2draw against Tualatin Hills butnever surrendered a goal inthree subsequent games. CoachLewis Woodward’s teamblanked Briceno SC 1-0 andDavis Dynamite 2-0 to make thefinals where they had a returnmatch with Tualatin Hills. This

time the game was scorelessthrough regulation and twoovertime periods. Diablo FCgoalkeeper Ally Carroll stoppedtwo shootout shots and herteam converted enough chancesfor the win.

The U16 Diablo FC 97 girlsalso started Regional play with adraw, 1-1 with FC Sporting Spir-it 97 and followed that up with apair of 3-0 shutouts over EastValley FC Black 96 and Sacra-mento United Spitfire.

In the finals, coach Zach Sul-livan’s team, which includes sixClayton Valley Charter HighSchool players, got goals fromKarla Ramos in the 15th minuteand Spencer Wikander in the55th off a corner. The homes-tanding Davis Legacy 97 Heatthen pulled a goal back but theDiablo FC backline held strongagainst more Davis challengesto claim the crown.

It’s no secret that the SanFrancisco Giants are now an elitefranchise in baseball. After win-ning two World Series in just threeyears, they have cemented theirspot in the history books of base-ball. Considering how wellthey’ve done in recent years, jus-tifiably many fans and analystsalike had the Giants making it intothe playoffs easily this year. As thesaying goes though, “it’s a longseason” and so far at the halfwaypoint of the Major League Base-ball season, the Giants are strug-gling.

Considering the fact that theyretained almost all of the startersfrom their World Series run in

2012, it begs the question as towhy they are struggling. Two keyreasons factor into why theGiants have been very inconsis-tent this year: health and under-performance from an elite pitch-ing staff.

The Giants have a lot of keyplayers on the disabled list and itis hurting their production as ateam. Angel Pagan, by far theirbest center fielder, recently under-went surgery on his hamstring,and isn’t expected back until theend of the season. Pagan is a studat the lead-off position, with agreat on-base percentage andstealing capabilities. With him outof the line-up for a few months,naturally it is going to cause theGiants to struggle as they current-ly have aplatoon going for centerand left field. Andres Torres andGregor Blanco are decent benchplayers, but aren’t the type ofplayers you want starting in youroutfield during a championshiprun.

Health and underperfor-mance has been the Achilles’ heelof the Giants pitching staff thisseason. All of their starting pitch-

ers, except for Madison Bumgar-ner, have an earned run averageabove four. No one expectedMatt Cain to have an ERA of4.85, which is extremely unchar-acteristic of a pitcher of his cal-iber. Many fans thought TimLincecum would have a turn-around year, but instead he hascontinued to struggle just like hedid last year. Then there is RyanVogelsong, the man who cameout of nowhere for the Giantstwo years ago and pitched like anace. This season, though, he hadan ERA of 7.187 before he wenton the disabled list.

With inconsistent pitchingand lots of injuries comes a lot of

struggles for any team. TheGiants as of July 7 have 40 winsand 47 losses, which isn’t greatbut puts them in striking distanceto make a run into the playoffs.Luckily for the Giants and theirfans they are currently in theweakest division in baseball, theNL West, which only puts themthree games out of first place inthe division.

If the Giants want to get tothe playoffs again this year, theirfront office is going to have tomake a lot of trades to fill themany gaps they currently have.


JAY BEDECARRÉ

Clayton Pioneer

Sports

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SPEAKING OF SPORTSJay Bedecarre photo

CLAYTON VALLEY CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL’S SUMMER WORK PROJECTS

are going full bore this month in preparation for the start ofthe second year as a charter school when classes begin Aug.14 after student walk-throughs the previous week. Workersendured temperatures over 100 degrees last week while theymanually applied the first of three layers of the “sandwich-type” track at Gonsalves Stadium. The Measure C-fundedproject is slated to be completed about July 19.

Kristian Ipsen off to Worldsthis time as a solo for USA

2 Diablo FC girls teams Regional championsU12 boys headed to Kansas City for Nationals

Photos courtesy Diablo FC

THE LOCALLY-BASED U12 DIABLO FC 00 GIRLS won the recent USClub Soccer West Regional in Davis. The champions include, frontrow from left, Holly Gallagher, Jessie Verderame, SydneyCopeland, Carly Scharff, Carly Carpenter, Kylie Zentner, EricaTims; back row, Holly Brown, Colette Cardinale, Skylar Ramer,Julia Hagedorn, Allyson Carroll, Gabrielle Darden, MackenzieTobin, coach Lewis Woodward, Alicia Perez and Larissa Mercado.

COACH ZACH SULLIVAN SAW HIS DIABLO FC 97 GIRLS dominatedthe U16 championship game against the host Davis Legacy 97Heat to come away with a 2-1 victory and the top spot in the USClub Soccer National Cup XII West Regionals. The squad includes,front row from left, Gabrielle Brown, Madi Nortune, Karla Ramos,Kelsey Randall, Kylie Dodge, Cameron Chan, Rachel Lanfranchi;back row, Jasmine Partida, Spencer Wikander, Kaitlyn Emigh,Jacqueline Laird, Katelyn Penner, Erin Wardle, Maggie Aires, Ash-ley Scannell, Cassie Snyder, Brianne Newell and coach Zach Sulli-van. Not pictured, Maritza Grillo, Gabby Vinco, Abagail Heuschel,Rebecca Dong, Kendall Marsh and Julia Hair.

Hot weather makes hard work tougher

Champion Giants hit hard times at mid-season

Email your comments or ques-tions to [email protected].

IN CLAYTONJJuullyy 1133,, 2200,, 2277FFaarrmmeerrss MMaarrkkeett8 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturdays. Diablo Street between Main and Centerstreets, downtown Clayton. Music: July 13, Vintage; July 20, KeenanWebster; July 27, Oscar Reynolds. pcfma.com/clayton.

JJuullyy 2200CCoonncceerrttss iinn tthhee GGrroovvee6-8:30 p.m. Grove Park, downtown Clayton. Free. For a complete con-cert series list, see Page 3.

JJuullyy 1122,, 1199,, 2266,, AAuugg.. 22MMoooonnlliigghhtt MMoovviieess iinn CCllaayyttoonn Bring a lawn chair, blankets, invite friends and neighbors and join us atsunset for a surround sound spectacular evening: July 12, “Hook”; July19, “Tangled”; July 26, “The Incredibles”; Aug. 2, “We Bought a Zoo”.Movies begin at approximately 8:45 p.m. Clayton Community Church,6055 Main St. Free admission.claytoncc.com.

JJuullyy 1144,, 1155,, 1166AAuuddiittiioonnssAudition for Clayton Theatre Company’s presentation of “The RobberBridegroom.” July 14 at 12 p.m. July 15 and 16 at 7 p.m. EndeavorHall, 6008 Center St., Clayton. More info: claytontheatrecompany.com.

JJuullyy 2200BBooookk SSiiggnniinnggMeet local author, Thea Jue, and local artist, Mary Lenz, of the new chil-dren’s book, “Remember the Love.” 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. Cup O’Jo, 6054Main St., Clayton. Books available for $13. [email protected].

AAuugg.. 1100RRiibb CCooookk--OOffffFourth annual rib cook-off sponsored by the Clayton Business andCommunity Association. 28 teams compete for trophies and cash prizes.Hours for competitors: 6:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Public: 11:00 a.m. toclosing. Clayton Club Saloon, 6096 Main St., Clayton. Raffle ticketsavailable for chance to be People’s Choice Judge. claytoncbca.org.

IN CONCORDTThhuurrssddaayyss tthhrroouugghh SSeepptt.. 1122MMuussiicc aanndd MMaarrkkeettThursday night live music and farmers market. Market 4-8 p.m.; music6:30-8 p.m. Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. Free. Music: July18, Hotel California; July 25, Puro Bandido. cityofconcord.org.

JJuullyy 1133,, 1144RReellaayy FFoorr LLiiffeeAmerican Cancer Society fundraiser. Activities for participants and spec-tators. 10 a.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday. Todos Santos Plaza, 2151Salvio St., Concord. relayforlife.org/concordca.

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.

JJuullyy 1133EEvveenniinngg PPoooorrwwiillll HHiikkeessJoin Denise Wight to hike White Canyon and listen to birds of theevening. Bring a flashlight, binoculars and water. Meet at MitchellCanyon trailhead. 7 p.m. [email protected].

JJuullyy 2200MMoouunntt DDiiaabblloo bbyy MMoooonnlliigghhttAn evening nature hike in the Mitchell Canyon area. 6:30-9:30 p.m.Meet at Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center. 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.

JJuullyy 2266NNiigghhtt HHiikkee aatt MMaannggiinniiExplore Mangini ranch for nighttime wildlife encounters. Moderate, four-mile hike. 7:30 – 10 p.m. Reservations required. [email protected]. 947-3535.

EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENTJJuullyy 1122 YYoouunngg AAccttoorrss SSttuuddiioo SShhoowwccaasseeFinal performance of students in Performing Arts Studio summer work-shop. Program of the Ballet School and Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble.7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek.$10. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

JJuullyy 1122 –– 1144““WWeellccoommee ttoo LLiittttllee FFoorrkk,, RReennee LLuunnddssttrroomm””Reading of new work by local playwright Harold Smith about a youngman returning home to Little Fork, Texas in the summer of 1958. CueProductions Live, 1835 Colfax St., Concord. $12-$18. b8company.com.

JJuullyy 1188GGuuiittaarr SSeerriieessSlide guitar by Chakrapani Singh. 7:15 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts,1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $25. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

JJuullyy 2200CChheevvrroonn FFaammiillyy TThheeaattrree FFeessttiivvaallA day of affordable, high-quality family entertainment. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $5. lesherarts-center.org. 943-7469.

JJuullyy 2200DDuueettssVocal showcase. 7 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St.,Antioch. $13. elcampaniltheatre.com.

JJuullyy 2233WWaallnnuutt CCrreeeekk CCoonncceerrtt BBaannddPerforming with trumpet virtuoso Allen Vizzutti for their summer popsconcert. 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., WalnutCreek. $14-$17. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

JJuullyy 2266SSuummmmeerr CCoonncceerrttMariachi San Miguel performs. 6:30 p.m. Montecito, 4756 ClaytonRoad, Concord. Free. Response required. Call Michaela at 692-5838.

JJuullyy 2266 –– 2288““TThhee MMaann iinn tthhee BBooxx””Reading of a play in two acts. Cue Productions Live, 1835 Colfax St.,Concord. $12-$18. b8company.com.

JJuullyy 2266 –– AAuugg.. 44““LLeeggaallllyy BBlloonnddee,, TThhee MMuussiiccaall””Feel good musical comedy based on the hit movie and performed byDiablo Theatre Company. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr.,Walnut Creek. $30-$53. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

JJuullyy 2277MMiirraannddaa SSiinnggssHilariously bad singing; dishing out laughs and life lessons. 8 p.m.Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $37. lesher-artscenter.org. 943-7469.

JJuullyy 2299,, AAuugg.. 2266MMiinnii MMoonnddaayyssChildren aged 2-5 discover the natural world. Children must be accom-panied by adult. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Lindsay Wildlife Museum, 1931 FirstAve., Walnut Creek. $15. wildlife-museum.org. 935-1978.

AAuugg.. 22 –– 44““QQuuaaddrriillllee””Reading of a romantic play. Cue Productions Live, 1835 Colfax St.,Concord. $12-$18. b8company.com.

FUNDRAISERSJJuullyy 1133OOppeenn MMiicc NNiigghhttCalling all singers, songwriters, musicians to perform for the community.Beverages and goodies available. Fundraiser benefits the church. Signups for performers at 6 p.m. Entertainment from 7-10 p.m. St. Michael’sEpiscopal Church, 2925 Bonifacio St., Concord. Suggested donation $5for adults; $3 for students; children under 12 are free.

JJuullyy 1199 -- 2211““IInn tthhee HHeeiigghhttss””Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award-winning musical about life in one ofManhattan’s most vibrant communities. Fundraiser for Children’sHospital and Research Center in Oakland. Diablo Valley CollegePerforming Arts Center, 321 Golf Club Road, Pleasant Hill. $12-$25.peterpanfoundation.org/heights.

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

TThhrroouugghh AAuugg.. 1133PPaattttyy CCaakkeessStory time for babies to 3-year-olds. Child attends with caregiver. Drop-in 11 a.m. Tuesdays.

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

TThhrroouugghh AAuugg.. 1155PPiiccttuurree BBooookk TTiimmeeStory time for 3- to 5-year-olds. Child may attend without caregiver.Drop-in 11 a.m. Thursdays.

JJuullyy 1155JJuugggglliinngg AAmmeerriiccaannaa“Hijinks” with Thomas John, for all ages. 7 p.m.

JJuullyy 1177CCPPRRLearn how to apply hands-only CPR and use of an Automatic ExternalDefibrillator. Training offered in partnership with the Contra CostaCounty Emergency Medical Services Agency and CERT. 7 p.m. Free.

JJuullyy 1177SSmmeenncciillss Craft for teenagers. Come find out what it is. 4 p.m. Registration required.

JJuullyy 2222CCoolllleeggee FFiinnaanncciiaall PPllaannnniinnggThe Heartland Institute of Financial Education, a non-profit that promotesfinancial literacy, will present a program on the new face of collegefinancial planning. Aimed at parents and college-bound students. 6:30-8p.m. Register at ccclib.org or 673-0659.

JJuullyy 2233,, 3300JJuuiiccyy BBooookkss aanndd CCrraaffttssEnjoy stories and crafts. Children 5 – 9. 4 – 5 p.m. Registration required.

JJuullyy 2244BBooaarrdd GGaammeessFun for teenagers. 4 – 5 p.m. Registration required.

JJuullyy 3311CCooooll CCrraaffttFun for teenagers. 4 – 5 p.m. Registration required.

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

JJuullyy 2200CCoolllleeggee PPllaannnniinnggHow to choose the best college for your student and your pocketbook.Parents and students are encouraged to come. 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

SCHOOLSJJuullyy 2277--2288CCVVHHSS CCllaassss ooff 11996633 RReeuunniioonnTwo-day event begins with a 3 p.m. tour of Clayton Valley High School,1101 Alberta Way, Concord, on July 27, followed by a no-host pizzaparty at 5 p.m. at Skipolini’s, 1033 Diablo St., Clayton. On July 28,there will be picnic 10 a.m.-7 p.m. at Clayton Community Park, 7411Marsh Creek Road. Contact Linda Amos Shelton at [email protected].

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.

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Community CalendarPLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CLAYTON COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M. JULY 17 FOR THE JULY 26 ISSUE. ITEMS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY EMAIL TO [email protected]

Meeting dates and times for local clubs andorganizations are listed atclaytonpioneer.com. Click on ‘Links’

Summer reading has officiallybegun. With B.A. Shapiro’s “TheArt Forger” (Algonquin Books,

2013), we are invited to sit backand follow the intrigue as apromising young artist crossesthe line between legit and starv-ing, to slightly shady and flushwith more cash than she canspend without calling attentionto her change of circumstance.

Claire Roth is a painter ofgreat talent and an expert ofEdgar Degas in all of his imper-meable shades of genius. By dayshe is a “legitimate” copier offamous artworks, churning outcopies for Reproductions.com.Claire feels good about her work,because it pays her enough –

barely – to sustain the moreimportant original paintings shecreates.

From the outset, Claire isplagued by a past that sent herskittering to the sidelines of theart world. Before her mentor andlover’s untimely death, she col-laborated on a painting with himwhich garnered immediate com-mercial success, and for which hetook all credit. In the shock ofbetrayal, Claire challenged theauthenticity of her mentor’swork, claiming it (rightfully) asher own. Critics and art expertsagreed that the work she claimedwas not her own, and she wasdisgraced by the elite clutch ofexperts that could make, or inher case break, a career.

Fast forward several years, and

Claire is surprised by an offerfrom the celebrated AidenMarkel, owner of the Markel Ggallery, to create a copy of afamous work. No one is moresurprised than she is to find thatthe “copy” is to be the famousAfter the Bath by Edgar Degas, amasterwork missing since a daringtheft at Boston’s Isabella StewartGardner Museum. Markel assuresRoth that the Degas is an originaland that she is doing the art worlda favor by creating an exact repli-ca so that the black-market clientswho are clamoring for the paint-ing with never get their hands onthe real one. The trouble is, whenClaire begins to painstakinglyexamine the painting, it becomesclear to her that the stolen paint-ing is itself a copy.

To muddy the waters evenfurther, Aiden Markel is smoothand seductive and when shequestions the authenticity of thework or the danger of copying amaster like Degas and trying to

pass it off as original, he assuresher he has it all worked out, thatnone of the work can be tracedback to her. It eases her


See Book Review, page 16

Book Review

The Peter Pan FoundationThe Peter Pan Foundationpresents

Four Performances only!July 19-21

Four Performances only!July 19-21

Tickets are on sale through Brown Paper Tickets:

http://ppfheights.bpt.meA fundraiser for

Children’s Hospital &Research Center-Oakland

A fundraiser for Children’s Hospital &

Research Center-Oakland

Directed by Leslie Noel

Musical Direction

Sierra Dee

ChoreographyJustin Cole

Directed by Leslie Noel

Musical Direction

Sierra Dee

ChoreographyJustin Cole

Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill

Different authors write aboutdifferent things. Some write aboutadventures and some write fairytales. Susane Colasanti writesabout young love and how lovecan cause hate from your peers.My personal favorite by Colasantiis “Keep Holding On.”

In this emotionally-satisfyingattention grabber, Noelle’s life isall about surviving high school.Even her best friend, Sherae,

doesn’t know how much she getsbullied, or the ways her mominsults and ignores her. All herlife Noelle’s kept a secret, so whenher longtime crush, Julian Porter,starts noticing her for the firsttime ever, she’s horrified. Surelyit’s safer to stay reclusive than torisk the pain of a broken heart.

But when the school’s worstbully, Carly, takes one of herschemes upon Noelle’s onlyfriend too far, she realizes justhow bad things are and how sheneeds to stand up for herself andfor what’s right. Noelle needs tokeep holding on.

Colasanti’s books inspire teenseverywhere to embrace who theyare and to not care about whatanyone else thinks.

Emily York is an eighth graderat Diablo View Middle School. Sheloves to read and hopes her reviewswill keep teens reading through thesummer.

EMILY YORK

TEEN READS

Teen learns to standup for what’s right

Intriguing look at the fine art of ethics

CYNTHIA GREGORY

FOR THE BOOKS

For any body type it’s a chal-lenge to find a style you like andthat fits properly. But plus-sizewomen often have a much small-er selection to choose from,making shopping a real chore.Thanks to the Internet, there aremore and better ways to find styl-ish plus-size fashions.

Here are just a few sites tocheck out:

Torrid – For the fashion-for-ward shopper, this site offerssizes from 12 to 28. While youcan find a physical store as closeas Sunvalley Mall, their website isfun to peruse. You’ll find every-thing from skinny jeans to trendyshoes. Plus, they offer a flat rateof $6 shipping to anywhere inthe U.S. (Torrid.com)

Navabi – this internationalonline shop carries over onehundred brands, including suchnational recognized names likeRoberto Cavalli, Kenzo and NotYour Daughter’s Jeans. They alsooffer fashion advice on how tohandle problem areas such as fullupper arms or a “voluptuous”bottom. (Navibi.us)

Madison Plus Select –Working in the plus-size fashionindustry as both a buyer and amodel, founder Aimee Cheshiresaw firsthand some of problemsand mistakes in the design/cre-

ation of clothes for curvaceousbodies. She decided to helpbridge the gap by starting thisonline shopping option.(Madisonplusselect.com)

Before you start filling youronline shopping cart, here are afew tips:

Know your measurements. A site’ssize chart will help you find theright number – important since

those numbers car vary, depend-ing on the brand.

If you’re between two sizes,choose the larger one. You canhave it altered for a perfect fit.However, if the site offers freereturns and you don’t mind thehassle, order both.

Read customer reviews. You’lldiscover whether an item runstrue to size, the color pictured isaccurate, and more.

If there’s a video, watch it. You’llget a much better sense of apiece when you see it moving.

For even more help, there area number of inspiring plus-sizeblogs on the web. Here are just afew: gabifresh.com, thecurvy-fashionista.mariedenee.com,nicolettemason.com.

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Many current and retired lawenforcement officers are gettingteed-off about helping kids.

Teed-off on the greens,that is, as they prepare for the15th Annual Contra CostaKops for Kids Golf Classic,Sept. 16 at the OakhurstCounty Club in Clayton.

Contra Costa Kops for Kidsis made up of volunteer activeand retired law enforcement offi-cials who strive to help preventdrug abuse, gang violence, andjuvenile delinquency by mentor-ing at-risk youth. The golf classicis its primary fundraiser.

Demand for Kops for Kids’services is on the rise in ContraCosta County, says DanLawrence, former police chief

for the city of Clayton and cur-rent president of Contra CostaKops for Kids.

One of Kops for Kids mostpopular programs is the PositiveMental Attitude & Sports ClinicsProgram, which is offered at nocost to schools in Contra CostaCounty. The seminars stress theimportance of academic endeav-ors and how critical it is for stu-dents to have successful relation-ships with both adults and theirpeers.

The organization also pro-vides grants to active and retiredlaw enforcement officials whomentor at-risk youth.

Although the organizationtargets youth who come fromareas with the highest crime andpoverty rates in the county,

Hall on the 25th anniversary of its 10-0 regular sea-son. Please email Hall of Fame founder and chair-man Steve Ward at [email protected] if you were amember of the team or know any of the players sothey can be contacted about the event.

FALL YOUTH, ADULT PROGRAMS

COMING TO CLAYTON GYMFall leagues are taking signups now for All Out

Sports League programs through Clayton Commu-nity Gym. Adult softball (ages 18 and older) andleagues for youth volleyball (8-16 years-old), rec bas-ketball (4-16 year-olds) and Blaze AAU-style basket-ball will all be offered. There are different Aug. andSept. deadlines for each program. For completeinformation, visit alloutsportsleague.com.

CVCHS GIRLS VOLLEYBALL,BASKETBALL CLINICS, CAMPS OFFERED

Clayton Valley Charter High School coaches will

be offering girls basketball and volleyball camps thissummer. Volleyball coach Dave Hobson ([email protected]) will have a beginner/intermedi-ate individual skills clinic July 22-25 and an interme-diate/advanced team drills clinic July 29-Aug. 1. Newbasketball coach Paul Kommer ([email protected]) is hosting a skills camp for middle schoolplayers July 29-Aug. 1. Contact the coaches for moreinformation on the clinics and camp.

BLAZE TRAVEL BASEBALL TRYOUTSBlaze baseball is a member of USSSA offering

11U and 12U teams which play in highly competitivetournaments throughout Northern California. Thisis a fall travel team that competes in weekend tourna-ments during September, October and November.Tryouts will be held this Saturday and Sunday, July13-14, at Clayton Community Park from 2-6 p.m.These competitive teams carry only 11 players. Forquestions about the Blaze program or tryouts, con-tact Casey Copeland (510) 282-4986 or visit allout-sportsleague.com to register for tryouts.

LAURY OLSON

Special to the Pioneer


Sports Shorts, from page 10

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FORMER CLAYTON POLICE CHIEF DAN LAWRENCE (LEFT) AND CURRENT

POLICE CHIEF CHRIS THORSEN practice their putting for the 15thAnnual Contra Costa Kops for Kids Golf Classic to be heldSept. 16 at the Oakhurst Country Club in Clayton.

Cops take to the links to help kids

Judith Marshall is the author of“Husbands May Come and Go butFriends are Forever.” Send commentsto [email protected].

See Kops for Kids, pg 15

Clayton Police Chief ChrisThorsen said all youth can bene-fit regardless of their life circum-stances.

“The interaction betweenyouth and law enforcement offi-cials gives them the opportunityto see us as real human beingswho can be there in their time,”Thorsen said. “Sometimes thesemessages of hope and encour-agement can be just what is nec-

essary to improve a young per-son’s outlook and desire toexcel,” Thorsen said.

Registration for the golf classicbegins at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 16, andthe awards reception will be held at5:30 p.m. The cost is $160 per golferor $625 for a foursome. For moreinformation on the 2013 Contra CostaKops for Kids Golf Classic, visitwww.contracostakopsforkids.org or call925-827-1998.

During the heat of summerit takes a precise amount ofresearch to find a trail packed

with adventure, but immune toexposure and sun.

Buckeye Ravine and the sur-rounding trails for meet the“adventure and shade” criteria,and are easily accessible fromthe Trail Staging Area located atthe end of Castle Rock Road inWalnut Creek.

Stage Road quickly passesyou through Castle RockRecreation Area, complete with

restrooms and drinking water,and heads you due south intothe heart of this 1,060-acrepark. As I passed through thefirst cattle gate and picked upelevation, I could not help butnotice the Castle Rocks of Mt.Diablo, which look more prehis-toric than anything else.

The trail hugs the hillsideand dives into a thicket of over-growth that provided shade foralmost the entire route up to theBuckeye Ravine junction. I did-n’t see another person on thetrail and had the place to myself.

Buckeye Ravine Trail, or atleast the first section of it, is ahalf-mile of pure leg-burning-up hill. And what do you getfor all your pain? Shade – pro-vided free of charge on this

trail (and when it’s 104, thatmatters). Every time I return toBuckeye I am quickly remindedwhat a good pair of hikingboots will do for you. Poisonoak is plentiful all along thistrail and is easily spotted, as it isa striking red.

As you continue up ShellRidge, you eventually meet upwith Mokelumne Coast-to-CrestTrail for a welcomed downhillsection that gave my legs amuch-needed rest. Section Twoof the Buckeye Ravine Traildrops you back toward PineCanyon and the lush shadebelow.

Most of the trails were acombination of sandstone,sand or hard-packed dirt, all ofwhich made navigation fairly

easy during this dry season.Shell Ridge Loop Trail mademy final climb a memorableone as I reached a vantagepoint that gave me views of theentire area. There is even a per-fectly placed bench for thatextra five minutes becauseyou’ve got no place to be.

A final descent back to theTrail Staging Area was the mosttreacherous of the hike withloose rock and dirt, not to men-tion a fairly steep grade. (Easieralternative routes are available –consult the trail map).

I completed this hike in littleover an hour after work.Looking to hike longer?Consider Little Yosemite orBorges Ranch trails, as these willlengthen your trip and still allow

you to leave a car in one spot.Remember – hike with a

friend and always carry plenty ofwater!

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Steep and shady Buckeye Ravine is worth the climb

WWhheerree:: Diablo FoothillsRegional Park –Buckeye Ravine Trail

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For more information on this hikeor other outdoor experiences, contactKevin at [email protected].

KEVIN PARKER

HIKER’S HAVEN

Clayton Valley residents havebeen ooh-ing and ah-ing at thered leafed, multi-stemmed largeshrubs that are planted down thecenter of Clayton Road inConcord. This small tree thateveryone is talking about is calleda Cotinus coggyagia, or SmokeBush.

The Cotinus coggyagia shrubhas broad, reddish-purple coloredleaves and is planted betweenAyers Road and Claycord Drive.It is in rows surrounded by mass-es of Yellow Wave Phormium.The colors of the Smoke Bushand the Phormium contrastincredibly well with each other.They create a bold statement.

The Smoke Bush is easy togrow, and thrives in our ClaytonValley climate. It is tolerant of allour heat and sun. The broadleaves are tough enough to handleall the drying winds that some ofour neighborhoods have toendure. The Smoke Bush isn’tpicky about the soil, and hardlyneeds any fertilizer. It is alsodrought-tolerant once estab-lished.

When planting a Smoke Bushyou’ll need to consider its maturesize. You can expect your Cotinusto reach 10- to15-feet tall andalmost as wide.

Part of the appeal of theSmoke Bush is from its bloom.During the early days, tiny green-ish to pinkish purple flowersappear on the tops of the stems.As the flower fades, it gives way tomasses of billowy hairs that

resemble smoke. This is wherethe Smoke Bush gets its name.

As the weather of summerbegins to cool and autumnapproaches, the Smoke Bushleaves change color to a vibrantorange. Their fall color is amaz-ing, and adds interest to yourautumn landscape. Once winter ishere, your Smoke Bush will bewithout leaves until spring.

It is easy and inspirational tocreate landscapes using theSmoke Bush. Their red foliageeasily adds interest to many desir-able plants. Since the Smoke Bushis deciduous, always consider pair-ing with evergreen plants toextend the beauty of the area.Hardy, drought-tolerant ever-greens that would make goodcompanions for the Smoke Bushare Westringia, Leucadendron,Phlomis, Nandina andRhaphiolepis.

If you are craving ornamental

grasses or grass-like plants nearyour Smoke Bush, look for any ofthe attractive Carex grasses, or thegray foliaged Fescue. Blue Oatgrass would also look awesomenear a Smoke Bush.

There are many flowers toconsider when complimentingyour Smoke Bush. Daylilies comein many colors and they wouldthrive near a Smoke Bush, aswould the simple-shaped flowersof Coreopsis. Penstomen,Lavender and Euphoria wouldalso look fabulous.

Install a Smoke Bush whereyou may have considered plantinga Crape Myrtle. Plant on a slope,hillside or as a focal installation.They make the spots wherethey’re planted beautiful.


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

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GARDEN GIRL

conscience to know that she ismerely copying a copy, but still,Claire is walking the finest ofethical lines. Markel manages toseal the deal and win over Claire’smind and heart however, whenhe offers to host a show of heroriginal work at his ultra-hipuptown Markel G; offering herthe legitimacy that she so craves.Success is not without its price

however, and in the end, bothRoth and Markel pay dearly.

A fun read, “The Art Forger”is a clever whodunit that makesperfect poolside reading.

Cynthia Gregory writes bookreviews, award-winning short storiesand a blog. Visit her at www.twogirlstakeonlove.com or write [email protected]

Book Review, from page 13

July 12 clayton pioneer 2013

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