FEBRUARY 2015 CLAYTON GAZETTE

Story on Page 9

2015I believe we are finding our groove

You may notice that each issue has been slightly different than the one before This issue has a logo we like

As our distribution has increased we have diversified our content You can see tags above stories that give you a sense of which city it serves or even the county itself Hopefully this simplifies things a bit

We were planning on printing twice a month but after the last issue with the expanded distribution we found more people were interested in that issue At this stage of our growth it made more sense to stick with a monthly issue until we are able to grow into a second issue

Thank you for the many emails

and compliments I am delighted that you are enjoying the paper

I would love to get your feedback of items you would like to see in future issue You can email me and let me know

Happy Valentinersquos Day

Warmly

Tiffany GTiffany GensburgerPublishertiffanyclaytongazettecom

PS Tell your friends to LIKE and Follow us on Facebook wwwFBcomClaytonGazette

A Fine February

A Word from the Publisherby Tiffany Gensburger

WHERE TO FIND YOUR NEWSbull If you want current news fresh timely and relevant

then forget print you need ClaycordcomClaycord often beats out on-air news and is cited as their news source

bull If you want feature stories without crime and violence read

The Clayton Gazette Clayton Valley Section- for local Clayton features

The Diablo Valley Section - for feature stories from Clayton Concord Martinez Pleasant Hill Walnut Creek

Lafayette and Danville

Itrsquos like getting THE BEST OF MANY newspapersall in one COLOR publication

And with Advertising Rates you canrsquot beat

The Clayton Gazette ldquoThe Peoplersquos Paperrdquo

(925) 303-4779wwwclaytongazettecom

The Clayton Gazette of the Diablo Valley bull FEBRUARY 2015 bull Page 2 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom | wwwfbcomclaytongazette bull (925) 303-4779

Index of StoriesClayton Valley Village 3Dan Ashleyrsquos ldquoWhat Really Mattersrdquo 4Toxic Creeks 7Bonilla Bills 8Blossoms for Barbara 9Film amp Book Reviews 10Time for the Arts 12CALENDAR OF EVENTS 13Classified Ads 14Arts amp Entertainment 15Jamesrsquo Games 15FoodFarmerrsquos Market 16Claytonrsquos Barbara Halperin 17Socially Yours 18A Veteranrsquos Musical Tale 19Book Excerpt ldquoLehi Columbusrdquo 20Answers to Jamesrsquo Games 20

Valentinersquos Day

ContestEnter to win a $50 Gift Card to the Cheesecake

Factory in Walnut Creek

Rules Email a special message to YOUR Valentine no later than Friday February 6th that we can publish on our Facebook page at wwwFbcomClaytonGazette

One entry will be picked by the Clayton Gazettersquos Media Maven Jill Mahoney-Banks to win the Gift Card She will want to know about the dinner at the Cheesecake Factory though Winner will be announced on our Facebook page on Saturday February 7th

If you have a scenic or fun photograph yoursquod like to see in this paper or on our Facebook page submit it by email to infoclaytongazettecom And be sure to read our Online edition at wwwclaytongazettecom

COVER PHOTO Linda Karp Chairperson for the Clayton Valley Garden Clubrsquos ldquoBlossoms for Barbarardquo project See story on page 9 Photo by CSKPhotographynet for The Clayton Gazette

See an excerpt from the book Lehi Columbus Reclamation on page 20

Around 1904 The Eagle saloon on main street in Clayton became the local miners favorite saloon After the proprietor ( possibly Manuel B Nunez) rescued a group of men trapped in the mines

The Eagles saloon was patronized daily by ranchers from Clayton miners from the Mt Diablo coal field towns and surrounding areas Residents of Nortonville would travel by spring wagon to dance at Jake Rhine dance hall and socialize at the Eagle saloon

Pioneering family member Enroy Gomez wrote this account of the Eagle saloon

ldquoEagle Saloon building was used into the 1950rsquos Proprietors used it as a grocery store The proprietors were a man whose last name was ldquoHenryrdquo He operated the store with his sister (name unknown)

Later the Silva family ran the grocery store for several years It was later replaced by a new concrete block buildingrdquo

A Walk Through Time

with Misty Bruns Docent at the Clayton Museum

The Eagle Saloon-111 years ago

Information and photo from the Cowell Historical Society

One of the first acts by the founders of Clayton Valley Village was to join the national Village-to-Village network ldquoVTVrdquo is a national resource organization serving nearly 200 ongoing villages and over 100 in development like CVV VTV is the main source of information for village organizers across the nation

Their mission is identical to CVVrsquos - to help villages develop grassroots community driven services to help people remain active and independent as they age

The VTV menu of organizational services helps keep new villages like CVV from ldquoreinventing the wheelrdquo VTV provides members with an online portal for setting up a network of volunteer services along with a system to track which volunteers go to which homes when and what they do

CVV has already used the networkrsquos Tool Kit and Development Stage Checklist to guide us in setting priorities Perhaps most useful is the

Online ldquochat roomrdquo where member villages can post questions that other village members can answer from their own experience

The Clayton Valley Village president is a member of the VTV Long-term Planning Committee and participates in BRAVO (Bay Region Area Village Organization) the local Regional Planning Committee BRAVO meets quarterly and provides a forum for exchanging information and ideas with other Bay Area villages like Lamorinda and Berkeley

A CVV volunteer will organize the details including schedule and refreshments

Invitations to play the games are seen solely by those on this mailing list which

consists of residents who participated in one of our CVV community meetings or otherwise have shown an interest in CVV

Interested Contact Sonja Wilkin sonjawilkingmailcom

~Gary Carr

CVV Renews Membership in Village-to-Village Network

Clayton Clayton

Follow us on FacebookhttpwwwfacebookcomClaytonGazette

Photo courtesy of Spalding AshleySpalding and Dan Ashley keeping love real

WhatReallyMattersby Dan Ashley ABC-7 News Anchor

Watch Danrsquos live newscasts at httpabclocalgocomkgolive

Since Valentinersquos Day is in February this monthrsquos Clayton Gazette is framed around the theme of romance

To that end I thought I might take a swing at a subject that one might otherwise defer to someone else on television who is much more qualified on the subject Dr Phil Hersquos unavailable so allow me to ldquoget realrdquo

This summer my wife and I will celebrate our twenty-eighth wedding anniversary We met in college and were married shortly afterward When I look back at our wedding photos as we did recently while helping our youngest son with a family history project it is a bit stunning to realize just how young we really were at the time People often change a great deal over the course of a quarter of a century so there is no guarantee how things will work out when you make such a big decision at such a young age Happily my wife and I are basically the same people that we were then and we seem to have changed and grown in the same direction over the years Sometimes that is impossible because of internal and external forces on a relationship but sometimes it is a decision a commitment to stay connected and to work at a marriage We are fortunate while we have certainly worked at keeping our relationship viable and strong over the years it has not been particularly hard for us to do so

Admittedly I am hopelessly biased but believe me it is hard to meet my wife without instantly liking her She is a beautiful unique and wonderful woman and I am grateful on a daily basis to have her in my life I still look at her with the same puppy dog eyes that I had for her when we first started dating after meeting in that communications class at Bingham Hall on the campus of the University of North Carolina She would say the same in return ndash at least I would like to think she would

My mother describes Spalding as a ldquosparklingrdquo person who is ldquoone in a millionrdquo and she is surely that Bear with me Irsquoll stop gushing about her in just a moment before you need a motion sickness bag

But the above illustrates a key component of our relationship that has

honestly been a guiding force in our marriage since day one That is a sense of appreciation We appreciate one another for who we are as individuals what we are as a couple and what we have created together I have watched so many friends struggle in their marriages for a variety of reasons but so often a component of their trouble is that they have stopped appreciating their spouse for their good qualities They have forgotten why they fell in love with that person in the

first place and once you allow that to happen it is very hard sometimes undoable to find your way back to romance

Part of the problem to I suspect is that we live in a disposable society We are selfish impatient and unwilling to compromise Too often when the going gets tough in a marriage we throw in the towel give up in big ways and small ones Some walk away from their marriage through divorce others walk away through disinterest We all know friends who are now doing nothing more

than cohabitating with a man or a woman who at one point was the love of their lives But like drops of water wearing down a stone the little disappointments frustrations and challenges of life and of marriage have etched away at a relationship that seemed so impervious at the outset

There is no easy path obviously and it is a simple fact that many marriages are doomed to fail and probably should not have been entered into in the first place But What Really Matters for those who wish to make it work is that one tries every day to keep your marriage alive and fresh Find fun new things to do together re-open doors of communication that may have been stuck closed for a while and above all appreciate the person who is sharing life with you Choose whenever possible to walk on the sunny side of the street and look for the best in your partner Remember at one time in your life that was all you saw

Keeping Love Real

Dan Ashley is an anchor at ABC-7 News and can be seen weeknights at 5 6 and 11 pm on ABC-7 and at 9 pm on KOFY TV20

Contact him at danmyconcordiancom Visit httpwwwrockwithpushcom for more on the band

THE CLAYTON GAZETTEof the DIABLO VALLEY

Your Voice Your Stories About Your Community Because We Care

wwwClaytonGazettecom

Everyone has experienced an embarrassing moment one in which you wanted the ground to open and swallow you up

My mother never tired of relating her embarrassing moment and even though we heard the story many times we never failed to enjoy it

My mom was eight months pregnant with her first baby and was feeling clumsy and most unattractive

There were no such things as maternity clothes one made do with whatever was in the closet that could fit over what is now called a ldquobaby bumprdquo

She was going downtown to meet her sister for lunch and selected a white linen jacket that her mother-in-law had made for her birthday

It had a pocket on one side which was beautifully embroidered in a floral motif Mother boarded the streetcar and pulled the jacket over her enormous stomach

Some passengers sitting across from her took a long look and then burst into convulsive laughter

My mother couldnrsquot figure out why she was so funny unless it was the fact that she was a large pregnant woman in ill-fitting clothes When more people got on the car and also started laughing she decided to get off the streetcar a few blocks early

As she walked to the restaurant people passed her pointed and began the familiar laughter By this time she was in tears When she reached her sister she didnrsquot expect the reaction she received from her Her sister raised her hands in the air and asked what my mother was thinking when she got dressed that morning

Through her tears my mother said she didnrsquot have a clue what was causing everyone to find her so funny My Aunt Gen pulled her into a store found a mirror and showed her what she was wearing

The beautiful embroidered pocket contained momrsquos initials which were not evident when the garment hung loose By pulling it across her middle she pulled the initials so that they were readable

Mom was Gertrude Agnes She married a man whose last name began with ldquoSrdquo Therefore GAS was there for all to see

Pregnant and Embarrassed By Ruth Dwyer Sponsored by the Diamond Terrace 55+ Retirement Community Clayton

resident tales

wwwdiamondterracenet

The Clayton Gazette of the Diablo Valley bull FEBRUARY 2015 bull Page 5 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom | wwwfbcomclaytongazette bull (925) 303-4779 Clayton

Stress-FREE Real Estate by Jennifer StojanovichBetter Homes Realty

FIVE Things You Must Do to Prepare for your Home SaleOften when I meet with sellers the first

question they ask is what they should do to prepare their home for sale Here are a few ideas to help in organizing your home before a stager arrives or before going on the market

bullPick one thing Each day or week pick one thing or room to organize For example go through your closet and donate old shoes or clothes Or clean out your medicine cabinet of old medications that are expired This will help later when itrsquos time to move

bullGo paperless With smart phones and scanners you can now scan and organize bills receipts and other paperwork There are some papers that yoursquoll need to still keep but most can be digitally saved to conserve space

bullLess is more Declutter your pantry amp cupboards Most buyers will look in your pantry and cupboards to assess space and if itrsquos packed full of food and kitchen appliances itrsquos hard for them to gauge how their own items will fit

bullYard clean up Curb appeal is important because often itrsquos the first

impression of your home from a buyerrsquos perspective Make sure your grass is trimmed and shrubs well maintained If you have a lot of personal property in your backyard work on minimizing so a buyer can picture their own items in this space

bullDonate items you arenrsquot using Ask yourself when was the last time

I used this kitchen appliance or wore this shirt Every week charities send cards that their trucks will be in your neighborhood on a specific day so itrsquos easy to donate items you

donrsquot use You donrsquot want to move those items into

your new home and then have to get rid of them Do it

early so once your house is sold there is less to move

I can help walk through your home to show you what items to consider repairing or updating and what items including furniture you might want to keep or store to prepare your home for staging Contact me today to get startedEmail me at jenstojanovichyahoocom or SEE OUR AD BELOW

The Feb 10 membership drive meeting of the Clayton Valley Womanrsquos Club will offer a presentation about the Rosie the RiveterWorld War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond

Several ldquoRosiesrdquo will talk about their experiences and the visit to the White House last year The meeting starts at 1000 am with the presentation at 1100 am at the Holy Cross Lutheran Church 1092 Alberta Way in Concord at Ygnacio Valley Road and Alberta Way

The Clayton Valley Womanrsquos Club is a non-profit organization of women

who provide community service through volunteering and fundraising that benefits local charities and a womanrsquos scholarship at Diablo Valley College

More information about this event is available on their website at wwwclaytonvalleywomanscluborg

Rosie the Riveter Presentations at Clayton Valley Womanrsquos Club Feb 10

Stop by our office today and pick up a copy of The Clayton Gazette

Clayton Clayton

by Robert H Waldman DDSA LifeTIME of SmilesA Sparkling Smile

Ask Robert H Waldman DDS your questions at 925-682-6940 DrRobRobertHWaldmanDDScom or wwwroberthwaldmanddscom SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 6

Are your teeth stained discolored or dull-looking Yoursquoll want to call your dentist to find out about the options your dentist offers for teeth whitening Teeth whiteningbleaching is one of the easiest safest and most satis-fying procedures you can undergo to improve your smile Whether your teeth are discolored due to staining foods or beverages tobacco use or as a result of the natural aging process your dentist has simple options that will whiten and brighten your smile The guards used for teeth whitening can be multi-purpose and very helpful if you suffer from bruxism (teeth grinding) and may even be covered by your insurance If there are gaps chips or slightly crooked teeth in your mouth that yoursquove always wanted to get fixed give yourself the gift of a new smile by asking your dentist about porcelain veneers Porcelain veneers are wafer-thin porcelain shells that are bonded onto the front side of individual teeth to cosmetically correct a number of different tooth imperfections

They can smooth over most smile flaws in just two or three visits Again your insurance may cover your veneers as well From the color of your teeth to their shape to anything standing in the way of your optimum smile your dentist can offer options to fit any dental needs In many cases fixing the problem will be easier than you expected Call your dentist to schedule your ap-pointment and use those benefits which you have already paid forhellipDonrsquot let your insurance company profit from your pro-crastination Call your dentist today Please remember to always swish floss brush and swish again and con-tinue to see your dentist at least every six months or as often as your dentist prescribes

Pulse of Concord Fall 2014 Survey Results by Edi BirsanDisclaimer This article is not intended or represented to be the viewpoint of the Concord City Council the City of Concord or City staff or officials (Living Dead or Undecided)

On Feb 10 and 11 three firms interest-ed in being considered to serve as master developer for the former Concord Naval Weapons Station will make presen-tations in public meetings before the Concord City Council

On Nov 20 2014 the Con-cord Local Reuse Authority received proposals from the three firms for ini-tial phases of the reuse of the former Concord Naval Weap-ons Station Proposals were received from Catellus Development Company Lennar Urban and SunCal Development Company Staff has completed an initial review of the proposals and sought clari-fications from each of the firms regarding their submittals

C atellus will make its presentation at the regular City Council meeting on Feb 10 starting at 630 pm Lennar Urban and SunCal will present at a special City Council meeting on Feb 11 beginning at 6 pm The presentations will provide a public introduction to the concept and vision that each firm proposes for imple-mentation of the adopted Concord Reuse Project Area Plan

This is the beginning of the formal selection process no decisions or staff recommendations will occur at these

meetings Both meetings will be

held in the City Council Chambers at Civic Cen-ter 1950 Parkside Drive The meetings will also be televised live on Concord Cable TV channels 28 (Comcast) 29 (Astound) and 99 (ATampT) and streamed on the Cityrsquos website wwwcityofcon-cordorg Videos of the

meetings will also be available for viewing the next day from the website

Copies of the proposals can be down-loaded from the project library after Feb 2 at wwwconcordreuseprojectorg

The summary of staff clarifications and written answers to questions raised at the February 10 and 11 presentations will be available to download on or about Feb-ruary 18 Electronic copies of the various materials can be picked up at the Concord Civic Center in Building A within the same time frames noted above A printed copy of all materials can be viewed at the Concord Public Library 2900 Salvio St

For more information contact the Concord Reuse Project office (925) 671-3001

Possible Master Developers for Naval Weapon Station Reuse Project to

Make Presentations

You can change a life English need not be your first lan-guage No teaching experience is requiredWe will teach you how to be a tutorVOLUNTEER to help adults in your neighborhood to read write and speak ENGLISH well enough to function in our society Working one-one-one you can help people to get a better job apply for citizenship read to their childrenthe possibilities are endless The next workshop will be held on

Saturday February 28 2015 from 900 am to 130 pm and Saturday March 7 2015 from 9 am to 130 pm at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church located at 4000 Clayton Road in Concord You must attend both sessions There is a nominal fee to cover the training amp mate-rial costs Adult volunteers typically give one or two hours per week For more information visit our web-site at dvlctripodcom To register call our hotline and leave a message at (925) 685-3881 or mail us at DVLC4ESLgmailcom

Diablo Valley Literacy Councilrsquos Spring Workshop

Grayson Creek and Dry Creek contain toxic amounts of pyrethroid pesticides according to a new water-monitoring study by the Contra Costa Clean Water Program

The Contra Costa Clean Water Program conducted StressorSource Identification Studies (SSID) in 2014 to determine the causes of toxicity in the two local creeks The study found that pyrethroid levels in Dry Creek are two to four times higher than the amount considered safe In Grayson Creek the levels are more than three times the acceptable levels

Pyrethroids are a class of synthetic pesticides used widely to control ants fleas and roaches in homes businesses and agriculture Studies have found that pyrethroids are the primary cause of toxicity in urban water bodies throughout California Researchers suspect the source of the pesticide pollution in Contra Costa County is lawns gardens buildings and homes

ldquoPyrethroids applied to impervious surfaces like driveways sidewalks foundations or any asphalt or concrete surface are a particular problemrdquo says environmental scientist Armand Ruby who contributed to the study ldquoWhen it rains the pesticides run directly into the storm drains and out into the creeksrdquo

The study also found increased levels of other pesticides and compounds including fipronil which is commonly used to control ants beetles cockroaches fleas and termites as well as DDT The United States banned the use of DDT in 1972 however the insecticide remains highly persistent in the environment today

In the study researchers sampled creek water during wet weather and sediment during dry weather months from both upstream and downstream in the creeks Across the board pesticide concentrations were higher in Grayson Creek than in Dry Creek but pesticides were found in high amounts in both creeks

bull Six different pyrethroids (bifenthrin

cyfluthrin cypermethrin deltamethrin lambds-cyhalothrin permethrin) as well as fipronil and four DDT breakdown products were found

bull Pyrethroid content in water samples taken from Dry Creek was 14 ndash 19 times higher than acceptable levels

bull Pyrethroid content in water samples from Grayson Creek was 20 ndash 35 times higher than acceptable levels

bull Pyrethroids in Dry Creekrsquos sediment were 43 times higher than acceptable levels while Grayson Creekrsquos sediment was not acutely toxic

ldquoPyrethroids are creating a serious environmental

problem in Contra Costa County and throughout Californiardquo says Tom Dalziel program manager at Contra Costa County Clean Water ldquoIt doesnrsquot stop with Dry Creek or Grayson Creek The impact of these pesticides spreads downstream to the San Joaquin Delta and out into the San Francisco Bay The only way to turn this around is to curb pesticide use at the sourcemdashin our homes and on our lawns and gardensrdquo

The Contra Costa Clean Water Program is running three public education campaigns to educate residents on the dangers of toxic pesticides and offer effective alternatives

The three campaigns aim to address all residents whether they tackle pest control on their own hire pest control operators or are gardeners tending their own garden The first campaign helps do-it-yourself folks consider less toxic options when shopping for pest control (wwwcccleanwaterorgpestircides) The second promotes hiring local eco-certified pest control operators (wwwpesticideslingerorg) and the third focuses on sharing ways to combat pests naturally in the garden (wwwmygreengardenorg)

The Contra Costa Clean Water Program is a coalition of 19 cities in Contra Costa dedicated to keeping harmful pollutants from entering local creeks rivers the Delta and the Bay

Toxic Creeks in Contra Costa County

There was no significant difference between the Concord residents and non-residents Total responses were under 200 To participate in the Winter 201415 survey go to wwwPulseOfConcordcom

1 Our representatives in the state legislature are going a good job for the City of Concord

The same question was asked in the Summer of 2013 and this is the comparison

2013 201465 61 Agree Strongl139 215 Agree Somewhat209 117 Disagree Somewhat296 270 Disagree Strongly

2 The police are doing a good job in keeping the city safe

606 agree (218 strongly) and 255 disagree (61 Strongly)

Statistically the city is pretty safe though going through a spike in car thefts and 40 of our crimes are related to Domestic Violence and the city leading the charge on a Family Justice system that may address that in the long run

3 When considering who to vote for in a City Council race I am very influenced by the ballot pamphlet candidate statements

423 agree and equal number disagree

4 The number of homeless and street beggars in Concord has increased significantly over the past six months

158 Agree Strongly267 Agree Somewhat188 Disagree Somewhat61 Disagree Completely327 Neutral

There should be a new homeless count coming up in January As an aside the Concord Small Business Association has made clearing out homeless camps and reducing homeless a high priority

5 People are influenced to vote for candidates with large signs

110 Agree Strongly301 Agree Somewhat141 Disagree Somewhat239 Disagree Strongly

Continued on next page

Concord

CoUNTY

Martinez PAGE 8 BWThe Clayton Gazette of the Diablo Valley bull FEBRUARY 2015 bull Page 8 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom | wwwfbcomclaytongazette bull (925) 303-4779

Assemblywoman Susan A Bonilla (D-Concord) recently introduced legis-lation to ensure beginning teachers have access to teacher induction programs and do not have to pay out of their own pock-ets to participate Induction programs are designed to provide a strong support structure for new teachers and help them transition to becoming high-quality career educators ldquoInduction programs are instru-mental in the development and retention of recently credentialed teachersrdquo said Assemblywoman Bonilla ldquoThe entire burden of identifying accessing and financing a quality induction program is now being placed on many new teach-ers The additional barriers are making it extremely difficult for some to receive the training necessary for their career developmentrdquo Beginning teachers are required to complete an induction program within their first five years of teaching in order

to earn a full credential Previously the Teacher Credentialing Block Grant funded induction programs across the state but since the shift to the Local Control Funding Formula the funding of induction programs is now determined locally by school districts As a result some school districts have dismantled their induction programs while others are now charging teachers up to $5000 to complete induction Assemblywoman Bonillarsquos bill AB 141 would address this issue by requiring schools to provide an induction program while also prohibiting them from charging a fee for participa-tion ldquoWe have seen a sharp decline in the issuance of new teacher credentialsrdquo said Assemblywoman Bonilla ldquoAB 141 will improve teacher recruitment and retention by removing further financial burdens and keeping high quality induc-tion programs accessible for all beginning teachersrdquo

Assemblywoman Bonilla Introduces Bill to

Support and Retain More Teachers

Pulse of Concord continued from page 7

6 The City of Concord is business friendly

134 Agree Strongly342 Agree Somewhat159 Disagree Somewhat177 Disagree Strongly189 In betweenundecided

With the entire City Council bringing up the importance of supporting economic development and new business it is interesting to see what develops

7 The Concord City Council is doing a good job

134 Agree Strongly256 Agree Somewhat268 Disagree Somewhat152 Disagree Completely189 Undecided

8 There should be term limits on City

Council390 Agree Strongly256 Agree Somewhat110 Disagree Somewhat122 Disagree Completely122 Undecided

9 Developers have too much influence on the Council

10 The Concord Police Officersrsquo Union has too much influence on the Council

Bonilla Authored Bill - Over 200 Schools Awarded Funding for Broadband Infrastructure Upgrades

The list of the 227 schools who will receive a Broadband Infrastructure Improvement Grant was released yesterday

Assemblywoman Susan A Bonilla (D-Concord) authored legislation last year which led to the inclusion of $267 million in the 2014-2015 Budget for the Broadband Infrastructure Improvement Grant The grant program supports Internet connectivity upgrades at California public schools so they are capable of administering the statersquos new computer-based assessments aligned with the Common Core State Standards

ldquoThis past year while most California students successfully took the new computer-based assessments at their school sites more than 60000 students were unable to participate due to inadequate or inexistent Internet connectivityrdquo said Assemblywoman Bonilla ldquoToday is an exciting step forward We are ensuring that these students not only have the ability to take the Online assessment but that they are able to utilize learning tools that will equip them with the skills necessary for the 21st Century economyrdquo

This past year public schools across

the state administered the Smarter Balanced Field Test to determine whether their existing infrastructure was able to support the new computer-based assessments The field test revealed that approximately 300 California schools had insufficient network connectivity While the $27 million in one-time funding secured in last yearrsquos budget will certainly enable many schools to successfully transition to the Online assessments the funds will not bring all schools up to speed Assemblywoman Bonilla is committed to sustaining efforts to ensure that every student has access to educational resources integral for their long-term success

ldquoI want to thank Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla for her advocacy in helping to secure critical funding for this grantrdquo said State Superintendent Tom Torlakson ldquoThis funding will go a long way in helping students in the far reaches of our state connect to an education network that will give them access to technologyrdquo

For a full list of the grant recipients please visit httpwwwk12hsnorgfilesbiigawardeespdf

Assemblywoman Susan A Bonilla (D-Concord) was elected in November 2010 and represents Californiarsquos 14th Assembly District which includes Contra Costa County and Solano County

Bonilla Introduces Bill to Prevent Violence and Bullying in California Schools

Assemblywoman Susan A Bonilla (D-Concord) introduced legislation that will provide additional funding for safety and violence prevention programs in California public schools The new bill AB 63 will authorize the production and sale of a specialized license plate through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) that will bring attention to the problem of youth violence and bullying while creating supplemental monies to re-establish integral programs that were eliminated due to a lack of funding

ldquoNo child should attend school in fear of being a victim of violence or bullyingrdquo said Assemblywoman Bonilla ldquoOver the years funding for programs that prevent acts of violence bullying or any other school crisis has severely diminished leaving our kids at greater risk of dangerrdquo

AB 63 not only draws necessary attention to school violence and bullying with a uniquely designed license plate but more importantly all revenue generated from the sale of the license

plates will support programs such as school community policing bullying and cyberbullying intervention school personnel training crisis preparedness safe school planning gang risk reduction and other safety and violence prevention programs approved by the California Department of Education

ldquoAs a mother it breaks my heart to learn of the recent tragedy of a young boy in Folsom who committed suicide after being bullied at schoolrdquo continued Assemblywoman Bonilla ldquoWe must do all we can to prevent incidences like this from happening Developing creative ways to restore programs that have proven to be effective at protecting our children and increasing student safety is a significant step in the right directionrdquo

Bonilla BillsNews from Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla

Long after school has ended at Concord High you will often find the parking lot still overflowing with cars as athletic teams hold practice alongside musical groups auxiliaries and spirit squads All these after-hoursrsquo activities are facilitated by an experienced staff of custodians who in addition to trying to get a handle on the clutter generated by 1600 students provide access and support to all these groups on campus

The supervising custodian is Mr Lon Givens who is the last to leave at 1130pm making sure the school is secured and ready for the next day But Mr Givens or Lon is much more than just a custodian As I recently learned he is also a talented artist demonstrating a skill in metalworking that is earning him a reputation among the CHS staff and in East County communities

Though born in South Dakota Lon grew up in Anaheim In his middle-school years he discovered a love for art and a natural talent for metalworking Through high school and some years beyond he took advanced metals classes and worked at a hobby shop making metal sculptures But when children started to arrive he felt the need to get

a ldquorealrdquo job and began a pool service business His blowtorch and tanks were sold to help finance some unforeseen costs Then in 1995 Lon quit the pool service business and came to work for the MDUSD as a sub-custodian He has worked at Clayton Valley Mt Diablo and Northgate high schools before securing a Lead Worker II position at CHS in 2007

About nine years ago at the urging of his oldest daughter Lon acquired a new

blowtorch and began creating again

He is a member of the Art Guild of the Delta and participates in many East County art fairs and festivals where he has won several 1st Place awards Of his work Lon says ldquoMy inspirations are people nature and lifersquos experiences In my pieces I use copper brass and steel

The colors are created by applying heat with my torch and dipping the metal into water This is my favorite step because not every piece will turn out the samerdquo

View Lonrsquos work at metalmorphisisartcom Once there click on the ldquoFan me on Facebookrdquo to see even more creations by Concord Highrsquos artistic custodian Yoursquoll be swept away

CHS School Reportby Rebecca Jensen

The Artistic Custodian

The Giants World Series Tour reached Concord on Jan 12 at Salvio Pacheco Square where fans lined up to get their photo taken with the World Series Trophy and Giants Players This is the third time the Giants have come to Concord with the appearance funds benefiting the local Concord Junior Giants organization Photo Micah NunezCGazette

Giants Tour Reaches Concord

Concord

CoUNTY

Clayton Cooks - Holiday Recipes

A Record Year for KindnessLinda Karp and the CVGCrsquos

ldquoBlossoms For Barbarardquo to top

1000 deliveries for this Valentinersquos Day

Photos by Micah NunezClayton GazetteLinda Karp knows that this yearrsquos goal of over 1000 flowering plants delivered will be both a challenge and a joy It is all in memory of her mother Barbara Manss

The 4th Annual Blossoms for Barbara 2015 will be held the week of February 9 Thatrsquos when 1000 festively decorated flowering plants are delivered to residents of convalescent care Hospice Veterans Centers Battered Womenrsquos Shelters and to those shut-ins receiving Meals on Wheels in the greater Clayton Concord and Diablo Valley area just a small reminder that people really do care

ldquoA little over three years ago my mother was in hospice care and the support given by Hospice was very helpfulrdquo said Linda Karp of her mother Barbara Manss who passed away in Nov 2011 ldquoAfter the loss of my mother I thought that maybe the Garden Club would like to deliver little flowering plants to Hospice to give their patients and the families maybe to take a few minutes away from what they are dealing with to know that people still carerdquo

At first it was just a little idea She presented it to the Clayton Valley Garden Club where she is a member and now the chair of the annual ldquoBlossoms for Barbarardquo event that has grown to substantial proportions The first year with the help of local businesses and individuals 350 flowering plants were delivered The Clayton Business amp Community Association (CBCA) jumped on the idea and supported the growth of the program ldquoThe second year we had 720 flowering plantsrdquo Karp said

ldquoand last year we had 850rdquoOver forty companies and

individuals help donate to this cause including the many volunteers from the recipient organizations who make the actual deliveries to patients

ldquoThe event fills the need of the local hospice patientsrdquo Karp added ldquoand wersquove even branched out to include two local battered womenrsquos sheltersrdquo

Karp is the first to point out that it is not all one way She has received much joy from knowing what these gifts mean From the letters emails messages that she gets she knows that something as simple as a small flowering plant can mean the world to patients and family members ldquoThey just know that someone caresrdquo

Learn more at the Clayton Valley Garden Clubrsquos Website at httpwwwclaytonvalleygardencluborg

Photos courtesy CVGCLinda Karher mother Barbara Manss after whom the program is named

Happy Valentinersquos Day from The Clayton Gazette

httpwwwfacebookcomClaytonGazette

CoUNTY

by Jason Rugaard wwwmoviemaverickscomthemoviemaverick

John Wick34 StarsIf esteemed

director Michael Mann dropped his high fluent act and decided to make a pumped up action picture the result would look a lot like John Wick Keanu Reeves is back in Matrix fighting shape he doesnrsquot look a day aged and appears to be as nimble as before Instead of the jumbled mythology and long-winded story developments of that earlier franchise Wick is a straightforward action flick that sets out with a goal and single-mindedness to completely entertain at all costs This is a story about a dislikable man avenging the murder of his dog and cleansing himself of the grief over his wifersquos untimely death

John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is recently widowed after his wife succumbs to a short battle with cancer He is a retired contract killerassassin with deep roots in the criminal underworld The name is legendary amongst the elder members of a Russian organized crime syndicate including the head of the family Viggo Tarasov (Michael Nyqvist) Unfortunately Tarasovrsquos son isnrsquot familiar with the notorious man and during a tense standoff at a gas station Wick becomes the mark for these aspiring hoodlums

The young men enter Wickrsquos home beating him senseless and killing his puppy The animal was a posthumous gift from his wife sent to keep him company after her departure This activates all the suppressed rage that had been bottled

up through years of domesticity So with intent and anger John Wick sets out to avenge the line that was crossed by the unsuspecting children of Kingpin Tarasov

There are a number of off-beat elements to the story Including a hotel that caters to world-renowned assassins but enforces strict penalties for violence on the premises It is here Wick has his most dangerous encounter with a lovely former associate Ms Perkins (Adrianne Palicki) now working as a counter-operator to intercept the killing machine before he reaches Tarasovrsquos son

John Wick is highly imaginative in its stunt department This should come as little surprise due to the fact the picture was directed by two former professional in the arena Chad Stahelski and David Leitch The action is brilliantly executed and the pacing is thunderous For those weary of the genre after the god-awful The November Man can rest easy that B-Movie cinema with A-list talent can still result in a genuine guilty pleasure

Director Chad Stahelski David LeitchStars Keanu Reeves John Leguizamo

Michael Nyqvist

Last God Standingby Michael Boatman

Yahweh the Abrahamic God of the Hebrews Christians Muslims and Mormons has grown tired of doing the job he was created to do and declares the Age of the Deity to be over He then abdicates his throne and becomes a mere mortal It seems that what the now former God really wants to do is try his hand at being a stand-up comic

Some of you just read that last sentence twice admit it

Now an asthmatic mortal man named Lando Calrissian Darnell Cooper Yahweh is a stand-up comedian poised to make a leap onto the national stage and gain fame and fortune What better time is there for him to propose to his girlfriend and One True Love of his life Surabhi Moloke

Unfortunately this is also the time numerous gods of defunct and vanquished pantheons have decided to get some payback for the vicious and violent ways in which Yahweh pushed them off their thrones so that he could ascend and take charge

If that were not bad enough there are malevolent warnings that something very bad is coming to take the throne Yahweh declared unnecessary and descended

fromWorst of all though is that Lando

has to meet Surabhirsquos overprotective and disapproving father and ask (beg) for

permission to marry herEvents quickly go from bad

to worse to flat out abysmal of course Some maybe even quite a few disapproving souls might say the same applies to Michael Boatmanrsquos sporadically funny novel about gods behaving badly But I will not be one of them though

Despite the novelrsquos getting off to a start so uneven it was almost discouraging and its featuring a lead character that

is far too passive for far too long and Boatmanrsquos disappointing penchant for leaving the weighty theological issues in his story unexamined Last God Standing still managed to win me over with its snarky humor and apocalyptic action set pieces

Could the book have been better Undoubtedly But it also could have been so much worse I had enough fun reading it that I am more than willing to give the next book in the series a try

Who Wants to be The Prince of Darkness will hit shelves this September just in time for Halloween

Read more of Chadrsquorsquos book reviews at httpbitlyMcHguP

bookends

by Chadwick H Saxelid

Martinez

Money Matters

Fraud AlertTax Scammer Tricks

by Kristin Peterson Pacific Service Credit Union

With tax season fast approaching scammers and thieves are working hard to file fraudulent tax returns The IRS re-ported 236000 cases of tax identity theft in 2014 Sadly the burden falls on you to protect yourself Typically tax scammers commit fraud in two ways A tax scammer can steal your social security number and file a completely bogus tax return before you have a chance to file your own legitimate return They request that the refund is sent to them often in the form of a pre-paid debit card which can be used just like cash Or they can steal tax returns being sent by mail and use the extensive personal information included to commit identity theft and open credit in your name Herersquos how to avoid becoming a victim Expect your tax forms W-2s and tax forms must be sent by January 31st each year however they could arrive anytime in January If you donrsquot receive your forms contact your employer and financial institutions to find out when they were mailed Many institutions offer an electronic tax form option which may be safer than mail If you suspect fraud call the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at (800) 908-4490 ext 245 Expect your tax refund Typically the IRS will issue your refund in less than 21 calendar days of receiving your return Knowing when

to expect your refund is a good way to combat theft The IRS offers a ldquoWherersquos My Refundrdquo Online tool at wwwirsgov and mobile app so that you can track your return Information is updated daily The IRS does NOT email or text Donrsquot fall prey to fraudulent IRS emails or text scams Attachments and website links contained within IRS emails could contain viruses or fraudulent meth-ods to collect your personal information If you receive an email from the IRS forward it to phishingirsgov They will pursue the source if possible Choose direct deposit Avoid the risk of lost or stolen checks by opting for direct deposit Get the RoutingABA number from your financial institution so that your refund can be sent directly to the account of your choice Carefully choose your return method Filing Online is a safer option than by mail If you choose to file by mail do not put your tax return in an unsecured mailbox a community mail drop or an outgoing mail bin at work Instead take the return to a post office For extra pro-tection you may opt for certified mail Beware of suspicious pop-ups If you are filing taxes Online be aware of out-of-the-ordinary pop-ups asking for personal or financial informa-tion This could be an attempt to steal your information For more information visit the IRSrsquo web-site at wwwirsgovSEE OUR AD ON PAGE 4

I was recently reading about ldquoreadingrdquo More specifically about how reading can change the way we think Reading is designed to influence us and sometimes change the way we think or feel about something This might seem obvious when reading a political commentary but maybe not so obvious when reading a novel other work of fiction or something else entirely

A different kind of influence writers have over its audience is getting the reader to become a more natural version of themselves Or getting the reader to think of themselves in a whole new light There have been several studies on the subject showing evidence to support this theory and associated with work considered to be ldquoliterary artrdquo One experiment published in 2009 in the Creativity Research Journal studied two random groups of people The first group of participants was assigned to read a work of fiction and the second group was assigned to read a ldquonon-fictionalizedrdquo version of the same story that read more like a report than a novel

Both publications were the same length contained the same content and read with the same ease The group reading the non-fiction version described the text as not very artistic

while the fiction-reading group reported the opposite Both groups took personality tests before and after reading their texts The participants who read the non-fiction text had unchanged personality tests after reading the essays Those who read the actual work of fiction had a different test result after reading the book The fiction readers had responses that were characterized by the intensity

of emotions the readers felt as they read the story

Another experiment in 2012 and published in the Journal Scientific Study of Literature also had two groups of people where the participants read either one of eight short stories or one of eight essays They again took personality tests before and after reading their texts It was expected that the participants who read the fiction would have the greatest fluctuation in their personalities but fiction or non-fiction didnrsquot matter What was significant to the readers was the degree of perceived artistry of the writing The scores of those who read what they considered ldquoartisticrdquo registered a greater fluctuation in personality and emotion after reading the material while the ones who read what they considered ldquonot artisticrdquo had

no personality changeUnlike the visual and performing

arts which are written about all the time not much has been written about how different kinds of writing can alter our personalities or influence our brains enough to change our personalities even minimally The topic is fascinating and thought-provoking and it will be interesting to see how this idea continues to be studied and explored in the future

Giving Thought to Reading

by Deborah AshleyTime for the Arts

Deborah Ashley has 20 years of teaching experience in piano violin and art and teaches ages 5 through adult She offers private piano and violin lessons as well as private and group art classes Contact Deborah at deblovesartaolcom or 925 588-5226

Read my column ldquoWhat Really Mattersrdquo exclusively in every issue of The Clayton Gazette

And follow my on-air edition of ldquoWhat Really Mattersrdquo on ABC-7 News and Facebook at wwwfbcomDanAshleyABC7 ~ Dan Ashley ABC-7 News

What Really Matters

continues on page 14

Calendar of EventsFEBRUARY 2015

HOLIDAYSbullLincolnrsquos Birthday Thurs-day 21215bullValentines Day Saturday 21415 bullPresidents Day Monday 21615 bullChinese New Year Thurs-day 21915

FAIRSSHOWSbullPLEASANT HILL 129 Pleasant Hill Community Awards The 44th Annual Community Awards will be held on January 29 2015 at the Pleas-ant Hill Community Center on Civic Drive The event includes awards for Citizen of the Year Business of the Year Teen of the Year Educator of the Year and Green Awards If you would like to nominate a Pleasant Hill resident business or organiza-tion for one of these awards please select the form from the links below All nominations are due no later than Monday January 12th httpwwwcipleasant-hillcausindexaspx-NID=836bullCONCORD Best in Show Contra Costa Humane Society February 17 600 pm to 830 pm Hilton Concord 1970 Diamond Blvd Con-cord California $75pp (925) 279-2247 httpswwwcchumaneorgbullCLAYTON Wedding Show Weekend - Oakhurst Country Club Sunday March 1 12pmndash3pm 1001 Peacock Creek Drive Clay-ton888514-1346 wwwwedding-showweekendcombullLAFAYETTE Luxury Bridal Event At The 5-Star Lafayette Park Hotel Sunday March 8 11amndash4pm 3287 Mount Diablo Boulevard Lafayette 510886-1317 urlocalbridecomeast-baybridal-events

VALENTINErsquoS DAYbullOAKLAND Valentinersquos Day Love Mission Sat Feb 14 930 -1130 pm Already have dinner plans elsewhere Bring you sweetheart up to Chabot for a post-dinner journey through the cosmos The adventure includes romantic music hands on assignments beer and wine and sweets for your sweet Take a simu-lated space mission and role-play in mission control and the space craft $45 pp httpwwwchabotspaceorgbullPITTSBURGHSongs in the Key of LOVE A Valentinersquos Day musical tribute of love songs from Ella Fitz-geraldNat King Cole Natalie Cole Dinah Washington Billie Holiday Sarah Vaughan Etta James Carmen McCrea and Peggy Lee More infor-mation wwwpittsburgcaliforniathe-atrecom

FUNDRAISERSbullPLEASANT HILL 131 5 - 9 pm St Andrewrsquos Presbyterian Church 11th Annual Crab Feed 1601 Mary DrPleasant Hill httpwwwsoncorgeventsour-fundraisers11th-annu-al-crab-feedbullWALNUT CREEK Feb 6 - Viva Arts Gala Fundraiser lsquoNashville Nightsrsquo a fantastic night of fun and fundraising benefiting Civic Arts students and programs Tickets are now on sale for lsquoNashville Nightsrsquo

this yearrsquos exciting gala hosted by the Friends of Civic Arts Education Foundation Mix and mingle with civic leaders local artists and arts supporters while enjoying gourmet dinner and drinks live and silent auction and moreShadelands Auditorium 111 N Wiget Lane Walnut Creek Call (925) 943-5846bullWALNUT CREEK Swing into Spring Big Band Dance in Walnut Creek Las Lomas Performing Arts Foundation Fundraiser Friday March 6th 7 pm BLU42 Lounge 1251 Arroyo Way Walnut Creek Tickets may be purchased at httpwwwbrownpaperticketscomevent1065092 or by contacting LL-PAF at (925) 330-0518bullPLEASANT HILL 40th Annual Crab Feed benefiting Mt Diablo Center February 21 600 PM - 1000 PM Pleasant Hill Senior Center 233 Gregory Lane Pleasant Hill httpwwwrsnc-centersorg

OUTDOORSbullMARTINEZ I (heart) Martinez Wine Stroll - See AD PAGE 10DANVILLE First Sunday of every bullMonth Cars lsquon Coffee On the First Sunday of every month automotive enthusiasts gather in the parking lots of the Blackhawk Automotive Museum to share their vehicles and admire the other fabulous classics exotics rods and anything else with wheels and a motor There is no fee for Cars amp Coffee Come when you want leave when you want but know that early arrivals do get the parking space they prefer Also the Museum opens at 9am on Cars amp Coffee Sundays 8am-10am Black-hawk Museum bull 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle bull Danville CA 94506p9257362280 bull f9257364818 bull museumblackhawkmuseumorg httpwwwblackhawkmuseumorgcarsncoffeehtmlbullOAKLAND March for Real Climate Leadership Sat Feb 7th Californians from across the state are gathering in Governor Jerry Brownrsquos longtime home of Oakland to say that we need real climate leadership in the face of the drought httpmarchforclimateleadershiporgbullSAN FRANCISCO Chinese New Year Events Several other events are also held to celebrate the Chinese New Year in Chinatown The Year of the Ram bullFlower Market Fair Sat-Sun 214 amp 21515 bullChinese New Year Day Thursday 21915 (no public events are scheduled) bullMiss Chinatown Pag-eant Saturday 22815 700 pm (admission) bullChinese New Year Pa-rade Saturday 3715 515 pm-800 pm bullChinatown Community Street Fair Sat-Sun 37 amp 3815 10 am-430 pm httpwwwchineseparadecomcal-endaraspbullLAFAYETTE 3815 41215 51015 Family Day at Sienna Ranch Each Fall and Spring Sienna

Ranch opens its doors for special family and community open house days Come enjoy our lovable ani-mals fun activities good company and wholesome environment Bring your own picnic lunch or pre-order a healthy lunch to eat on the day Family Day Passes are $85 Admis-sion to Sienna Ranch Family Day for up to 5 people 3 pony or horse ride tickets3 archery tickets 5 tractor-pulled hayride tickets Participation in the hands-on activityOpportunity to go on a guided nature hike to our Tree Fort Unlimited animal visits to goats sheep and chickens during open pen timeshttpbitly1FOtrdc to register Sienna Ranch 3232 Deer Hill Rd LafayettebullSAN FRANCISCO Gray Whale Migration Season Numerous loca-tions along the Pacific coast Thru ndash 53115 Paid boat tours or Free from shore Watch some 20000 gray whales migrating from the Arctic to Baja Mexico Tour boats leave San Francisco Half Moon Bay Moss Landing and Monterey during this season Or watch them from on shore httpwwwhiddensfcomgray-whale-migration-californiahtml

CLUB EVENTSbullCLAYTON The Clayton His-torical Society Camellia Tea and Open House on Sunday February 8th from 1 - 4 pm at the Clayton Museum 6101 Main Street There is no charge Cookies and tea will be served Veterans from WWII will be honored by pouring tea wwwClaytonHistoryorg 672-0240bullCONCORD 4th Friday Concord Ducati Bike Night 600 pm to 1000 pm on the fourth Friday of each month at Lazy Dog Cafeacute 1961 Diamond Blvd Concord 925849-1221 httpnorcaldoccombullCLAYTON Clayton Valley Garden Club - 7pm February 11 Nicole Hackett our local published ldquoGarden Girlrdquo and past CVGC will discuss ldquoYour Garden in February - Mainte-nance Planting and Fertilizing Ad-vicerdquo Diamond Terrace 6401 Center St Clayton wwwclaytonvalleygardencluborg

KIDFAMILY EVENTSbullOAKLAND Lego Laboratory - Chabot Space and Science Sun-day Feb 01 8 15 22 Mar 08 15 22 1200pm-400pm $7 Think build test destroy do it all over again and again Wersquore hosting open LEGO Laboratories every Sunday with an engineering challenge focus httpwwwchabotspaceorg

HOME amp GARDENFARMERSrsquo MARKETSbullPacific Coast Farmers Market As-sociation bullConcord Tuesdays 10am to 2pm year-round rain or shine Todos San-tos Plaza bullConcord Thursdays 4pm to 8pm Todos Santos PlazabullClayton Saturdays 10am - 2pm bullMartinez Sundays 10am to 2pm year-round Main St and Estudillo

bullPleasant Hill Saturday May 3rd through November 15th 9 am to 1 pm Downtown Plaza (in front of Jackrsquos Restaurant) httpwwwpcfmacom httpwwwpcfmaorg bullContra Costa Certified Farmers Market Sundays 9 am - 1 pm Year Round WalnutCreek North Locust St between Giamona and Lacassie St (925) 431-8361 httpwwwcccfmorg

SENIOR EVENTSCITY EVENTSbullPLEASANT HILL State of the City Mayorrsquos Breakfast February 20 730 AM - 900 AM Each year the Pleasant Hill Chamber hosts the Annual Mayorrsquos State of the City Breakfast $30 per person $300 Table of Ten Chateau Room at the Pleasant Hill Senior Center 233 Gregory Lane Pleasant Hill wwwbusinesspleas-anthillchambercom

VISUAL ARTSBOOK SIGNINGSbullWALNUT CREEK Thru 21 The Jealous Curator from Blog to Book to Gallery The Bedford brings the blogosphere into the gallery with a show by the internationally re-nowned art blogger The Jealous Curator The exhibition is designed to enlighten inspire and chase away creative blocks that inhibit the artist in all of us using The Jealous Cura-torrsquos newly released book Creative Block Advice and Projects from 50 Successful Artist as a launch pad the exhibition features art in a variety of media and ldquounblockingrdquo art-mak-ing stations designed by artists Check out The Jealous Curator blog at wwwthejealouscuratorcom The Bedford Gallery 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek wwwbedfordgalleryorgbullWALNUT CREEK Thru 42015 Artist Deborah Ashley -Twenty of Deborahrsquos paintings will be on exhibit until April 2015 at Kanishkarsquos Restaurant 1518 Bonanza St (near Locust Avenue) Walnut CreekbullWALNUT CREEK Feb 7 10 am-4 pm - Master Potter Workshop with Jeff Oestreich lsquoThe Potterrsquos Wheel and Beyondrsquo Studio E in Civic Park Lecture on inspirational artists such as Warren MacKenzie and Bernard Leach and demo of techniques $93 general public$53 CAG members Call (925) 943-5846 for detailsbullWALNUT CREEK Art Exhibitions Around Town Discover local Civic Arts Education artistsUntil March 15 Rita Sklar mixed media abstracts City Hall 1st FloorUntil March 15 Leslie Wilson water-colors City Hall 3rd FloorUntil March 15 Fumiyo Yoshikawa ink paintings City Hall 2nd FloorUntil March 20 Linhai Cao realist paintings Heather FarmUntil March 1 Leslie Wilson wa-tercolor landscapes Shadelands Art Center Civic Arts Education 9259435846 111 N Wiget Lane Walnut Creek

BWThe Clayton Gazette of the Diablo Valley bull FEBRUARY 2015 bull Page 14 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom | wwwfbcomclaytongazette bull (925) 303-4779

CLASSIFIEDS amp ServiceDirectory

bullTHE MT DIABLO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT IS SEEKING CANDIDATES for the position of Fire Systems Technician in our Maintenance Department Applicants are required to possess the following National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies II certification Edwards Systems Technology III Programming certification 8 hoursday 40 hoursweek To apply please visit our website wwwmdusdorg or wwwedjoinorg bullAPM 1YR ANNIVERSARYNetworking Event on 4215 Wersquore looking for a local business to host If you are interested please email adminayalapmcom In exchange our marketing materials will include information about your business and you may address the audience

Classified and Service Directory rates are $25 per 50 words per issue Submit yours to infoclaytongazettecom You will be emailed a link for payment prior to the issue

bullADVERTISING SALES PERSON for The Clayton Gazette Easy presentation No hard selling 25 commission plus bonuses Send resume infoclaytongazetecom

CALENDAR continued

THEATREFILMbullPLEASANT HILL Thru 215 The Taming of the Shrew Sweet-tem-pered daddyrsquos girl Bianca can have her pick of suitors but not until her sister the fiery-tongued Kate is married off Rising to the challenge is fortune-seeking Petruchio httpdvcdramanetbullWALNUT CREEK Thru 228 - The Book Club Play What if your book club was being filmed for a documentary by a famous Danish filmmaker How would you behave Thatrsquos the scintillating set up of The Book Club Play in which secrets are not only revealed theyrsquore caught on tape in this hilarious new comedy about books the people who love them and what can happen when friends start reading between the lines CenterRep Lesher Center for the Arts 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creekwwwlesherartscenterorg bullWALNUT CREEK 26 - 27 CS Lewisrsquos The Great Divorce In this dantesque celestial journey lost souls take a bus ride to Heaven Will they choose to stay Or will they return to a life divorced from it This is C S Lewis at his imaginative best Fellowship for the Performing Arts Lesher Center for the Arts 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek httpwwwlesherartscenterorg bullWALNUT CREEK 26 - 27 Diablo Balletrsquos ldquoEnticing Beautyrdquo Del Valle Theatre 1963 Tice Valley Boulevard Walnut Creek httpwwwlesher-artscenterorg bullWALNUT CREEK Candide Feb 13 14 15 (times vary) Come along for the ride on this madcap odyssey around the world set to the sublime music of that quintessential modern American master Leonard Bernstein as classic in the realm of operetta as West Side Story is in the realm of American musical theatreJoin young Candide his beloved Cunegonde the absurdly optimistic philosopher Pangloss and a virtual clown car of other eccentric charac-ters on their picaresque journey in search of the meaning of life Lamp-lighters Lesher Center for the Arts Walnut Creek 925-943-7469 httpwwwlamplightersorgseasonsea-sonhtml MUSICBANDSDANCECOMEDYbullWALNUT CREEK Free Come-dy amp Beer Night | Walnut Creek The Sports Basement Walnut Creek store hosts a free comedy night on (most) fourth Fridays of the month from 630-8 pm1881 Ygnacio Valley Road Walnut Creek

SPORTSbullSAN FRANCISCO SF Giants FREE Annual Fanfest ATampT Park amp Pier 48 Sat 2715 10 am-3 pm Free Get a picture with the World Series trophies play catch on the ball field take a self-guided tour of the clubhouse amp press box see the players answer questions up close and more Autographs are available too if you get there early and are willing to wait in long long lines Another fun free thing to do at the Ball Park year-round when there are no games is the SF Giants Childrenrsquos Play Area httpsanfranciscogiants

mlbcomsffan_forumfanfestjspbullSUPER BOWL XLIX Sun-day 2115 330 pm httpwwwcbssportscomnflsuperbowl

GOVERNMENTbullConcord City Council 1st 2nd and 4th Tuesdays 630 pm Council Chambers 1950 Parkside Dr Con-cord Or watch online at httpwwwciconcordcauscitygovagendascouncilbullClayton City Council 1st and 3rd Tuesdays 7pm Hoyer Hall Clayton Library 6125 Clayton Rd Clayton httpciclaytoncausbullMartinez City Council 1st and 3rd Wednesdays City Hall 7 pm 525 Henrietta Street Martinez Or Listen online at httpwwwgranicuscomstreamingMediaHelpminimumSys-temhtm httpwwwcityofmartinezorgbullWalnut Creek City Council 1st and 3rd Tuesdays 7 pm Or watch online at httpwwwwalnut-creekorgser-vicescitizengranicusasp bullPleasant Hill City Council 1st and 3rd Wednesdays 730 pm Council Chambers of the Pleasant Hill City Hall 100 Gregory Lane Pleasant Hill Or follow online at httpwwwcipleasant-hillcausmedia CLUBSbullAmerican Association of University Women - Concord Branch wwwaauw-concordorgbullAmerican Legion Post 171 - 5 pm third Tuesdays Veterans Memorial Hall Concord 687-1427bullB2F Business Networking Group - noon first and third Thursdays 998-8844bullBeachcomber Singles - Social and service activities for active adults age 45 and above For more information call (510) 799-2207 Or visit our web-site wwwbeachcombersinglesorgbullBritish Club - 1130 am first Wednesdays Zio Fraedorsquos Pleasant Hill 682-7978bullCircle of Friends - second Mondays Walnut Country Club Concord 998-8844bullClayton Valley Garden Club- 7pm second Wednesdays February-No-vember Diamond Terrace 6401 Center St Clayton Contact wwwclaytonvalleygardencluborgbullClutch Busters Square Dance Club - 730 pm-930 pm Thursdays New dancers and those wanting brush-up are welcome Willow Pass Communi-ty Center 2748 E Olivera Rd Con-cord 686-3774bullConcord Art Association - 1250 pm second Tuesdays Concord Library 646-5455bullConcord Diablo Rotary - 1215 pm Wednesdays Crowne Plaza Hotel Concord dirkwentlingstudiocom 6857760bullClayton ValleyConcord Sunrise Rotary Club- 7 am Thursdays Oakhurst Country Club Clayton 689-7640 or wwwclaytonvalley-rota-ryorgbullClayton Valley Womanrsquos Club For meeting times call Aleta at 925-672-9448 wwwclaytonvalleywomans-cluborgbullConcord Garden Club - 930 am third Tuesdays Bethel Baptist Church Concord 687-2334bullConcord Lions Club - 7 pm third Tuesdays La Tapatia Mexican Restaurant Concord 687-3594bullConcord Mystery Book Club - 230 pm second Sundays Concord Li-brary 646-5455bullConcord Senior Club - ballroom dancing 1 pm Tuesdays 730 pm

Wednesdays and 8 pm second Saturdays 2727 Parkside Circle Con-cord 798-4557bullContra Costa Genealogical Society - 7 pm second Thursdays Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Concord wwwrootswebcom~cacccgsbullContra Costa Mineral amp Gem Society - 730 pm second Mondays Centre Concord 429-2748 or wwwccmgsorgbullCreekside Artists Guild Meets 2nd Wed each month 7-830pm Clayton Library Story Room 6125 Clayton Rd Clayton Arlene 673-9777 akiksenaolcombullConcord United Methodist Wom-en Monthly Meeting 510-758-4837bullDiablo Numismatic Society - 7 pm third Thursdays Veterans Memorial Hall Concord 825-0649 or xsteamerxaolcombullDiablo Toastmasters every Thurs-day 7 ndash 9 pm Sizzler Rest Con-cord httpwwwdiablotoastmas-tersorg bullDiablo Valley Democratic Club - 7 pm third Wednesdays Ygnacio Valley Library Walnut Creek 946-0469 or httpwwwdvdemsorg bullDiablo Valley Macintosh Users Group - 630 pm third Tuesdays Bancroft Elementary School Walnut Creek 689-1155 or wwwdvmugorgbullDiablo Valley Mustang Assoc meets 700 pm second Wednesdays each month at Fuddruckers Con-cord All Mustang afficiados invit-ed Nancy Russell 925-825-5994 wwwdvmaorgbullDiablo Valley Wings Chapter P of the Gold Wing Touring Association - 1215 pm third Tuesdays Sizzler Concord 686-3774 or httpwwwGWTA-CA-DVWorgbullEast Bay Prospectors Club - 7 pm fourth Wednesday 1021 Detroit Ave Unit D Concord 672-1863 or wwweastbaygpaawebscombullEllenrsquos Guild - 10 am second Tues-days Family Stress Center Concord 672-5409 or wwwfamilystresscenterorgbullHope Academy Concord Open House Third Thursday of each month 9 ndash 945 am Reservations re-quired Judy Davies 687-7555 5353 Concord Blvd wwwhopeacademyconcordorgbullKiwanis Club of Greater Concord - 815 am Wednesdays Buttercup Grill and Bar 4301 Clayton Rd Con-cord 372-5348bullKnife Throwing ClubDiablo Impalement Arts GroupWe throw anything with a point on our 40 foot multiple target range Wed Thurs Sat amp Sun-part of the Diablo Rod and Gun Club 4700 Evora RdConcord(925)709-9199 wwwthrowzinicomeventshtmlbullKnitting Group - 2 pm first Sun-days Concord Library 646-5455bullKnights Of Columbus Concord Council 6038Meets 730 pm first Tuesday of the month StBonaventure Church 5562 Clayton Road Contact Rayce at 683-9717 or rayceaolcombullMt Diablo Metal Detecting Club - 730 pm second Tuesdays Contra Costa Water District Offices Con-cord 682-7428 or wwwmdmdctreasurehuntingcombullMt Diablo Branch California Writ-ers Club 611 Gregory Lane Pleasant Hill $35 for CWC members Contact jeaniegpopscomcastnet or 934-5677 for more informationbullSoroptimist International Diablo Vista - 1215 pm first second and third Wednesdays Sizzler Concord 672-2727

bullNational Marine Corps Business Network wwwnmcbncom We normally meet the second Tuesday of each month Contact 925-680-8714bullOdd Fellows - 3 pm second and fourth Tuesdays Pacheco Lodge 117 Concord 682-7358bullPleasant Hill Walnut Creek Moth-ersrsquo Club httpwwwphwcmother-scluborgbullRebekahrsquos Lodge - 8 pm first and third Thursdays Mt Diablo Lodge Concord 672-Shipmates Singles - social activities for active adults age 50+ 933-3644 or wwwshipmatessin-glescombullRising Stars ToastmastersThis group was created for job seek-ers For more information contact Derrick Smith at (925) 381-4551 or go to risingstarstmtoastmastersclubsorgbullSnowchasers Ski Club - Snow skiing and Snowboarding- First and Third Wednesdays of each month Snowchasers meets 730 pm Sizzlers ConcordContact iSteve and Rosalie Rhodes925-228-8145wwwsnowchasersorgbullToastmasters International - 7 pm Mondays Montecito of Concord 682-7211 Also 715 pm Tuesdays John Muir Concord Campus Toast-masters can help Our local club Word Weavers meets Mondays 700 to 815 pm at 4756 Clayton Road Concord 686-1818 wwwtoastmas-tersorg bullVeterans of Foreign Wars Post 1525 - 9 am second Saturdays Veterans Memorial Hall ConcordbullWidowsWidowers Club - meets for dinner brunch theater etc 998-8844

Visit our Website for Full Printable-Calendar and Support Group List-ings at wwwClaytonGazettecom

The Object amp the Void features four West Coast sculptors whose work reveals how both a sculpture and the void that surrounds it need one another to communicate ideas and concepts On view from February 17 to April 12 the exhibition assembles sculpture and installations by renowned artists Clay Jensen Linda Fleming Yoshitomo Saito and Bella Feldman

The artists work with metal media ranging from cast bronze to cut steel to explore weight balance and how it can be used to portray a broad reach of visual imagery and ideas ndash including narrative poetic and abstract concepts Some works weigh thousands of pounds while others can fit in the palm of your hand

Each of the exhibiting artists is well known for their masterful command of their media and inventive style Clay Jensen forges austere structures in bronze inspired by his home state of Utah and the Bay Arearsquos dwindling urban environments Linda Fleming and her ldquodiagrams of thoughtrdquo are colorful patterned structures that suggest the presence of two realities existing at once Yoshitomo Saitorsquos installation 1000 Prayers is a poignant installation of one thousand pine cones that comment on the series of natural disasters that

have battered Japan in recent years And Bella Feldmanrsquos poetic work brings together metal glass and found objectsTheir opening reception will be held Thursday February 19 600 ndash 800pm at the Bedford Gallery located in the Lesher Center for the Arts at 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek four blocks south of the Walnut Creek BART station wwwbedfordgalleryorg

Even the most ardent film buffs have a hard time seeing the short films that are nominated for Academy Awards On Feb 13 and 14 Mountain Shadow Film Society will present the nominees at the Walnut Creek Libraryrsquos Oak View Room at 730 The short documentaries range from ldquoJoannardquo about a woman with a terminal illness who writes a blog for her young son to a film about a veteransrsquo crisis hot line The animated shorts include ldquoFeastrdquo about a boy and his dog and ldquoThe Bigger

Picturerdquo that explores two brothers caring for their aging mother A complete list of nominees trailers and descriptions may be found at httposcargocomnominees The non-profit volunteer organization asks for a $12 donation at the door More information about the film as well as Mountain Shadow Film Society is available at httpmountainshadoworg or by contacting

Mountain Shadowrsquos director John Bennison at jbmountainshadoworg

Mountain Shadow Film Society Oscar Nominated Shorts at Walnut Creek Library

Bedford Gallery The Object amp the Void - Four Sculptors

Walnut Creek Walnut Creek

by Debra Morris Pacific Coast Farmers Markethttpwwwpcfmacomconcord

Farmerrsquos Market Fresh

Honey Glazed Root Vegetables

1 14 pounds parsnips peeled and sliced 12 inch thick 1 14 pounds carrots peeled and sliced 12 inch thick One 1 14 pound celery rootmdashpeeled quartered and sliced 12 inch thick 1 14 pounds golden beets peeled and sliced 12 inch thick 12 cup extra-virgin olive oil 12 cup honey 6 thyme sprigs Salt and freshly ground pepper 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

Preheat the oven to 425deg In a large bowl toss the root vegetables with the oil honey and thyme and season with salt and pepper Divide between 2 large sturdy rimmed baking sheets Cover with foil and roast for 40 minutes shifting the pans once until the vegetables are tender Remove the foil and roast for 10 minutes longer until glazed Return them to the bowl and stir in the vinegar then season with salt and pepper Serve right away Recipe amp photo wwwfoodandwine

Sweeten Your Day with Local Honey

Honey bees are responsible for pollinating most fruits vegetables legumes and more In fact to produce a pound of honey bees must visit some 2 million flowers Those floral blossoms help create more than 300 varieties of honey ranging from clover and sage to blueberry and buckwheat

Floral source location and climate factors all affect the taste color and texture (viscosity) of honey

Honey is a wonderful source of quick energy and is also valued for its antioxidant properties It is composed primarily of carbohydrates and water and also contains small amounts of a wide array of vitamins and minerals including niacin riboflavin pantothenic acid calcium copper iron magnesium manganese phosphorus potassium and zinc Add it to your diet for a healthier alternative to other sweeteners

Cooking with Honey For best results use recipes developed for using honey When substituting honey for granulated sugar in recipes begin by substituting honey for up to half of the sugar called for in the recipe With a little experimentation honey can replace all the sugar in some recipes

When baking with honey remember the followingbullReduce any liquid called for by 14 cup for each cup of honey

usedbullAdd 12 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey usedbullReduce oven temperature by 25degF to prevent over-browning

Because of its high fructose content honey has a higher sweetening power than sugar This means you can use less honey than sugar to achieve the desired sweetness When measuring honey coat the measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray or vegetable oil before adding the honey The honey will slide right out A 12-ounce jar of honey equals a standard measuring cup

Note Honey should never be fed to infants under one year of age Honey is otherwise a safe and wholesome food for children and adults

Make sure you are buying pure unadulterated honey by checking labels and buying local honey from the farmersrsquo market

Scenic Contra Costa Photos by Barbara Halperin

Trees at Borges Ranch amidst the lush green grass - photo byBarbara Halperin

Real estate sales has the image of being easy fast money Shows like Bravorsquos Million Dollar Listing fuel that myth In reality fewer than 1 percent of Realtors earn that level of income In fact the average Realtor earns closer to $40000 a year and incurs heavy overhead But with the right techniques and hard work an income comparable to that of corporate executives and advanced-degree professionals is possible

In this real deal account of the real estate sales profession Cathy Turney channels Dave Barry channeling Erma Bombeck with entertaining

instructive yet very humorous true life stories recounted in a tell-it-like-it-is fashion

As managing partner at Better Homes Realty in the San Francisco Bay Area with 25-plus years as a real estate broker and ranking in the top 10 percent of all Realtors in sales production nationwide Turney shares lessons from the trenches in chapters like

bull Therersquos Pro and Therersquos Pro Bonbull Letrsquos Do Real Estate Clinch Buyer

and Seller Loyaltybull LawyersmdashFriendly and Otherwise

Litigation Avoidancebull The Competition Excellence is an

Attitudebull Love Me Love My Dog Cat

Iguanahellip

Cathy is the real estate expert on Emmy-winning Judd McIlvainrsquos Trouble Shooter talk show and a state certified appraiser (emeritus) Half the bookrsquos proceeds will be donated to the Alameda County Food Bank Farm Sanctuary and Poodle Rescue

John Robinson best-selling author and master business coach says ldquoThis is itmdashgolden lessons on getting to the top and staying thererdquo And Chuck Lamb past president of California Association of Realtors agrees ldquoA lot of sound advice and a lot of laughsrdquo

Get a sneak preview of the book at httpcathyturneywritescomnew-book-sneak-peek The book is available on Amazoncom

Laugh Your Way to Real Estate Sales Success

For Real Estate Agents WannaBes UsedToBes and

Those Who Love Them

Book Review

Avenue of the Giants - photo byBarbara Halperin

Barbara Halperin a longtime Clayton resident has visited five continents had a successful career at the University of California acted for 15 years in local community theatres and started directing theatre last year This year she was nominated for Best Director and also Best Play at the Shellie Awards held on Jan 17 at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek Halperin also coaches drama students is a partner in a professional photography business and has developed a new business helping sellers economically self-stage their homes for open houses ldquoIrsquove acted for 15 years and just recently jumped into directingrdquo Halperin said ldquoIrsquove been fortunate in learning from other people with vast experience who have preceded me The late Jim Kirkwood at DVC - I took several drama classes from himrdquo She has also worked with many local theatre producers including Helen Means who founded Onstage Theatre taking the spot left by the former Willows Theatre Company as well as many other people ldquoThe very first full length play I was in 15 years ago I received a Shellie Award nominationrdquo Halperin explained ldquoThat was at the Pittsburg Community Theatre I always try to improve my performance When I started taking classes at DVC I really learned a lot Every experience has been a learning experiencerdquo As for her transition from acting to directing Halperin explained the process as being almost a natural one ldquoI was asked to be an assistant director and I would direct on Thursday nights It turned out to be wonderful I learned a lot from directing on those Thursday nights and watching the director on the other nightsrdquo After she was eligible to direct a play at Pittsburg Community Theatre Halperin was asked to do so ldquoThe first play in their new venue the California Theatre I was invited to direct lsquoThe Odd Couplersquo It was one

of the best experiences Irsquove ever had This was such an interior fulfilling experience and I felt really proud of what we achieved as a teamrdquo She is also a partner in photography business which stemmed from an interest to a passion ldquoI met a photographer at my churchrdquo Halperin said ldquoHe offered to show me some things and loaned me a camera and invited me

to go on a professional shoot with himrdquo From there she improved enough to have her photographs shown at art exhibits ldquoI even sold a picturerdquo Halperin said ldquoI was really thrilledrdquo Almost three years later and they have a thriving photography business Her latest venture offers a service for home sellers Itrsquos called self-staging ldquoWe show sellers how to self stage for a very economical cost they donrsquot have to spend a lot of money on a professional stager which can be costlyrdquo Halperin explained ldquoI help people bring their house up to the level of a beautiful open houserdquo As with her other experience she had brought her skills and experiences to new levels ldquo I just had an idea that I could do thisrdquo she said ldquoWith the theatre I had a lot of experience with set design Also the photography business we did dozens of real estate photos shoots You can enhance a home without spending a big amount of moneyrdquo Still her passion remains directing and with an invitation to direct a comedy ldquoa play called Moon over Buffalordquo for the Pittsburg Community Theatre in October she is looking forward to getting back to the California Theatre where it will be performed

Clayton Resident Reaches New Heights

Photos by Micah NunezClayton GazetteBarbara Halperin A rare moment sitting still

36th Shellie Awards Winners AnnouncedThe 36th Annual Shellie Awards

gala celebration honoring outstanding achievement in the performing arts in Central Contra Costa County was held Saturday January 17th at 730pm at the Lesher Center for the Arts

The black-tie event featured production numbers from each of the nominated musicals along with scenes from each of the nominated plays Ken Bergmann conducted the Shellie Awards Orchestra and the MCrsquos for the evening were Jerry Motta Joel Roster Kerri Shawn and Michael White

Shellie Awards innovator Scott Denison says ldquoThe Shellie Awards were founded thirty six years ago in order to recognize outstanding achievement in the performing arts in Central Contra Costa This is an evening to honor the nominees as well as the winnersrdquo

Patterned after Broadwayrsquos Tony awards this yearrsquos Shellie Awards honored over 100 individuals and their work in musical and non-musical theatrical productions which took place between September 1 2012 and August 31 2014 The 11 regional companies participating were Brentwood Theater Company Butterfield 8 Theatre Company Center REPertory Company Contra Costa Musical Theatre Diablo Theatre Company OMG I Love that Show Productions Onstage Theatre Pittsburg Community Theatre San Ramon Community Theater Town Hall Theatre Company and the Vagabond Players

Also Shellies for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts were awarded to Jack Gaughan by Brentwood Theater Company Jerry and Judy Potter by Butterfield 8 Theatre Company Marty Bach by Diablo Theatre Company Cherie Persing by Pittsburg Community Theatre and Allena Behnke by Vagabond Players

Guest presenters for the evening included the presidents and artistic directors from each of the participating theatres along with Mayor Bob Simmons from Walnut Creek Mayor Brandt Andersson from Lafayette Mayor Ken Carlson from Pleasant Hill Mayor Tim Grayson from Concord Mayor Wade Harper from Antioch Councilman David Hudson from San Ramon Mayor Robert Taylor from Brentwood and Angie Coffee and Peggy White from the Diablo Regional Arts Association

All proceeds from ticket sales will go towards the continued support of the Shellie Awards program and the participating performing arts companies This yearrsquos Shellie Awards were also underwritten by generous donations from the Diablo Regional Arts Association and the City of Walnut Creek

For more information visit wwwlesherartscenterorg

Clayton

Reader Submission

Valentinersquos Day is coming Are you looking for something fun and different that wonrsquot leave your wallet broken-hearted Whether yoursquove got the whole family just you and your sweetie or if you are off on an adventure of your own

Check out the Library

YeahI DID just said ldquothe Libraryrdquo

Now hold onthis is good stuff

On the Contra Costa County Libraryrsquos website yoursquoll find the ldquoDiscover and Gordquo program which is ldquo a nationally recognized partnership between libraries and museums offering library cardholdersfree and low-cost tickets to world-class museums theaters aquariums zoos and science centersrdquo

This is how it worksGo to wwwcccliborg and click on

ldquoDiscover and Gordquo and enter your library card number to reserve FREE passes to places like

bullBerkeley Botanical GardensbullCalifornia Academy of Sciences

bullCal Shakes-- Outdoor Shakespeare Theater

bullChabot Space and Science Center

bullExploratoriumbullFreight and Salvage

Coffee House and Concert Venue

bullLawrence Hall of Science

bullLindsay Wildlife Museum

bullOakland ZoobullSafari WestbullTech Museum in

San Joseand many many

moreIf you donrsquot have a

library card itrsquos easy to get one Just stop in any branch it takes less than five minutes

While yoursquore on their website be sure to browse all the online audiobooks ebooks podcasts and more There are so many things toDiscover

When that old computer dies I hope you take it to a certified e-waste recycler for proper disposal

Of course before you do that you need to make sure they are legit Did you know that there are bad guys out there offering free e-waste recycling (theyrsquoll even pick it up for free) that are nothing more than scammers looking to get their hands on your hard drive And yes just deleting your files isnrsquot enough

How do you know the good guys from the bad

You can start by looking at this Map of Certified Electronics Refurbishing and Recycling Facilities

Personally before I recycle any computer the first thing I do is pull the Hard Drive out myself and drill holes in it Donrsquot have a drill press I know Shred-It has a Hard Drive destruction program

Itrsquos not being paranoid just protective We can all understand why this is important

Today your phone handles a bunch of sensitive data as well Think of all the apps you have All the usernames and passwords How about all the cloud based services Is it all encrypted Is it all on your SIM card How do you even know

These days therersquos an active (legit and not so legit) market for used phones There are sites like Gazellecom that buy refurbish and sell all sorts of electronics All the phone carriers do so now too But no matter

how sweet talking that sales rep is at the Verizon counter no matter how many times they say theyrsquoll wipe the phonersquos memory ndash therersquos no way Irsquom going to willingly hand in my old phone (and itrsquos hard drive) with or without a SIM card Itrsquos just not going to happen

As for mailing my phone in to a service like

Gazelle they say theyrsquoll remove all my personal data remaining on the device

I just take my sim card out first

And they are legit with certifications from

the Better Business Bureau and Trustwave But thatrsquos only after it

getrsquos safely to their system and Irsquom just not willing to take that chance

How about you What do you do with your old phones

A former professional hand model Mike now builds the custom Apps that create the Tabs that make Custom Facebook Pages specialHe also builds WordPress Blogs

Hersquos an avid hockey fan rides a mountain bike and a motorcycle (a really fast one) loves strong beer and good red wine You can contact him at wwwareweconnectedcom or Mikeareweconnectedcom

[Editor note One option is to keep your old phones charged especially smartphones They are useful for your teens or kids going out since the 911 service still operates even without a plan In addition the wifi component is still useable which means that online VOIP services like Viber Skype can still be used]

What to Do With Your Old Phone

California Writers Club Mt Diablo Branch NEWS

Susan C Shea will present ldquoWriting What We KnowmdashWhat Does That Meanrdquo at the next luncheon meeting of the Mt Diablo Branch of the California Writers Club (CWC) on Saturday February 14 2015 at Zio Fraedorsquos Restaurant 611 Gregory Lane Pleasant Hill

Ms Shea is a mystery writer who will discuss what it means to write what you know as well as the role of perception truth and emotion She will discuss elements of history and fiction the role of imagination and humor as a tool

Ms Shea spent more than two decades as a non-profit executive before beginning her best-selling mystery series featuring a professional fundraiser for a fictional museum in San Francisco Murder in the Abstract Mixed Up with Murder and The Kingrsquos Jar are in eBook and print formats She is currently the President of the Northern California chapter of Sisters in Crime and a member of Mystery Writers of America

Sign-in is from 1115 to 1200 Writers Table is from 1130 to 1200 Buffet luncheon from 12-100 pm including a short business meeting Speaker from 100-200 pm

Cost is $20 for members $25 for guests Reservations are required and must be received no later than noon on Wednesday February 11 Contact Robin Gigoux at ragigaolcom or phone 925-933-9670 Expect confirmation only if you e-mail your reservation

The California Writers Club Mt Diablo Branch web address is httpcwcmtdiablowriterswordpresscom

Martinez

Socially Yoursby Jill Mahoney Banks jillclaytongazettecom

The Library Valentine

CoUNTY

ldquoHere is the photo taken Jan 21 at 730 am from my front porch on Peacock Creek Dr in Clayton The hills are peaking through the layer of fog It I didnrsquot know it was fog it looks like we have a lake in Claytonrdquo ~Kim Herrera

Submit YOUR stories and photographs to infoclaytongazettecom

Clayton

The Clayton Gazette of the Diablo Valley bull FEBRUARY 2015 bull Page 19 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom | wwwfbcomclaytongazette bull (925) 303-4779 Danville

A Veteranrsquos Musical Tale and How the Music Helps Other Veterans and PTSD Victims

Iraqi War Veteran and singersongwriter John Preston has released a veteransrsquo tribute EP on November 11th titled ldquoYour War is Overrdquo partnering with the established 501c3 ldquoBoot Campaignrdquo (bootcampaignorg) to give a portion of all sales to promote awareness and assistance to the struggles faced by veterans and their families

ldquoThere is a coalition of veterans from all over the Nation that are stepping up to help one anotherrdquo Preston said ldquoWe are no longer waiting to be helped we have taken matters into our own handsrdquo

Preston made a splash in the music industry and the political world with his first single ldquoThis IS Warrdquo The songs powerful lyrics and catchy beat brings a strong focus on modern combat

Raised on a farm in Kentucky John exemplifies a true American born for service John was highly decorated as a Marine during his tour in Operation Iraqi Freedom and working as a Firefighter afterwards Through all of his travels of the world and growth in life he has used music as his platform to navigate his journey

In 2003 Preston and Shane Roberts formed a band - Hwy 42 nominated for an LA Music Award They played together until 2007 when Preston became a full-time firefighter and moved to California After sustaining a work injury Preston took it as a sign to get back to music this time adding a third military friend Justin Hize and the three veterans were quickly signed by Pacific Records

John had his first success as a musician while still in Iraq when a song and video he had written and created for his battalion titled ldquoGood Good Americardquo was covered by the Los Angeles Times and became a national sensation within days Upon his return from Iraq John played radio and television shows all over the country and recorded his first single

with Real2reel recordsHe is married with a 5 year

old son We asked Preston to sum

up his experiences This is his tale

ldquoIt was 2001 and I was assigned as the company wireman for 27 Golf Company I was just getting my bearings as a new (boot) Marine With moving across the country from Kentucky to the desert heat in southern California I had yet to find the comfort of my former home

and country lifestyle One night as I returned to my room from

chow I heard something echoing through the barracks It was the familiar tune that I had been searching for ldquo Hey I know that songrdquo I thought as I followed the tune like a child to the flute of the

pied piper I walked into the duty lounge where it was coming from and began singing along ldquoIf tomorrow never comes will she know how much I love herrdquo to the surprise of the Marine wielding the guitar - I could sing

ldquoTo the lyrics of Garth Brooks we both sang and played for hours that night It was obvious that this was a connection that would be shared for the rest of our lives His name is Justin Hize and he was from a small town in Pennsylvania He grew up studying music and had been playing and singing in church since he was a little kid

ldquoWe spent every off-hour over the next several months playing and writing music I could barely strum a guitar when I met Justin but I soon developed my own style Then something happened

We were on a field op and away from the world when our company formed us up and announced the news ldquo Our country has been attackedrdquo the captain told us as he stared into the shocked faces of several hundred Marines

ldquoIrsquom not sure what I though about when we were given the news Most of us didnrsquot believe it was true and thought it was just to get us pumped up for the range It was not until I stared at the empty sky that night attempting to sleep that I realized that 9112001 was a day that was going to change my life forever

ldquoWe knew there would be war We knew being a Marine Corps infantry unit that we were going to go We had already begun packing connex boxes in preparation

I quickly booked a trip back to see my family knowing that this might be my last chance to get home Justin decided to come with me

ldquoIt was that flight that ultimately gave me my first taste of music success I was on that flight when I began to think of my mother and how she had once fought my father to keep me from joining the corps She had already seen two sons through the corps and couldnrsquot bear sending her baby I remembered my feelings and her feelings as I jotted lyrics onto an air sickness bag I tossed my ideas to Justin and within 30 to 40 minutes we had completed the country tune ldquoNo Matter Where I Amrdquo

ldquoThere was something different about this song It was like no other song I had ever written It was the first song I had ever written with a purpose I didnrsquot just want to sing this song to my mother when I got home I wanted everyone to

know what every mother or father was feeling for their children of the armed forces in this time of war This was a song for us by us A purpose It was only months later through fate hard work and a lot of luck that Justin and I had recorded the song and had managed to have it played on local radio in Kentucky I had even done an interview with the radio station and felt like a superstar For at least the 100 miles that radio station reached and for the listeners that heard it played for the next several weeks we had accomplished our purpose It was on a small scale but damn it felt good I burst into tears at the sound of our music on the radio This was only my second dream

ever to have been accomplished The first being a Marine

ldquoJustin and I played music together until he was discharged from the Marine Corps but we never lost touch Through many of my recording endeavors over the years you can hear Justinrsquos guitar and piano work It was music that brought us together and it is music that brings us together again

ldquoI met Shane Roberts in 2003 after I had transferred to Headquarters BN Base Telephone It was field day on a blazing TwentyNine Palms Thursday night and our rooms were stripped of furniture and scrubbed to a glossy finish

ldquoI was sitting on the catwalk waiting for my floors to dry when I heard the sounds of a beautiful guitar humming through the barracks Almost exactly like my meeting with Justin I was drawn to this music The song ldquoHangrdquo by Matchbox Twenty I ran up and down the catwalks floor by floor until I found a tall lanky curly headed guy holding an ovation guitar I had reacted in such haste that I hadnrsquot even realized that I was also now holding my own guitar I panted for a moment caught my breath and I said to him ldquoHey I know that songrdquo Without any other words the curly headed Marine started the song from the top We played music for several hours that night ldquoShanersquos from a small town outside Denver and was raised in a musical family He would only sing if forced to but he could play lead guitar like he was born to be in an 80rsquos hair band

ldquoShane and I spent the next six months playing and writing music Then I got the call to come back to the infantry and go to war

ldquoShane was there when I returned from Iraq and has been at my side through every music endeavor since

From signing with a record label to recording in studios and playing shows up and down the California coast Now

wersquove accomplished what we sought out to do 10 years ago and record our first album

ldquoldquoYour War is Overrdquo is a song inspired and written about my former Marine roommate and close friend As a Platoon Sergeant for 27 Echo Company FOB Hit Iraq my friend watched as several of his marines were lost while standing on an improvised exploding device (IED)

ldquoThe emotional impact on him was not at first present I watched him fall into the arms of addiction Battling my own issues it was hard for me to attempt to get him back on track His addictions grew more as he continued to suppress his feelings of the war Addicted to Meth he passed out for several hours on the floor of his home too weak to move as his 3 year old son lay over him crying He was arrested and finally got treatment for PTSD and addiction

ldquoI could not be his helping hand I had failed my brother and his family as well Though I was unable to stop his downward spiral I never wanted to feel that way again I wrote ldquoYour War is Overrdquo for him but with the hope that other fellow warriors will hear its message and seek help This song had given me that overwhelming feeling of purpose I know the reality is that his war may never truly be over but I want him and the others to know that we the ones who fought the ones who served understand and are here for them

ldquoFor many veterans self medication is definitely prevalent when dealing with PTSD There are 22 veterans a day that commit suicide There must be more that we can do

ldquoI have known Brian Witkin of Pacific Records for over 10 years Brian and what was then Real2Reel records signed me in 2004 and we released my single ldquoGood Good Americardquo which had received attention from all over the country with a video we had made in Iraq

ldquoThe media coverage is amazing Just seven months ago this was an idea I knew that it would take drive and determination to turn it into a reality I will not stop pushing until we have reached the billboard charts It is only through that outlet that I can assure that my voice will be loud enough to give our veterans the recognition they deserve

ldquoWe (the band members) are all pretty humble and none of us consider ourselves masters of our trade so there is always pressure to be better We are on a mission and I hope to make enough noise for the country to hear our mission and support those that sacrificed it all for usrdquo

You can listen to Johnrsquos song ldquoThis is Warrdquo on YouTube at httpbitly1EfW2ZI

If you wish to communicate with John you may do so through his Facebook page wwwfbcomjohnprestonmusic ldquoI respond to every message sent to merdquo Preston said with a smile

Photo courtesy John PrestonJohn Preston taking a break between recording sessions

Photo courtesy John PrestonJohn Preston and Shane Roberts during an interview

Photo courtesy John PrestonJustin Hize practicing

Photo courtesy John PrestonThe EP ldquoYour War Is Overrdquo is available for sale

GET YOUR AD IN THE NEXT CLAYTON GAZETTEClayton Concord Martinez Walnut CReek Lafayette Danville - wwwClaytonGazettecom

He walked out to the water pump and did his best to wash his face torso and hands using his T-shirt again as both wash cloth and towel Wetting his hair he smoothed it back from his forehead and fetched his collared shirt from the backseat where he had thrown it after he had been served the petition for divorce at the restaurant Although it had been in the back seat for the past two months it was relatively clean and felt fresh compared to the T-shirt he had worn for several days now

Even then Lehi hesitated He could effectively use his rough appearance as an excuse to procrastinate taking the step he was contemplating but unbidden an old maxim from his mom came back to him ldquoExcuses donrsquot get the job donerdquo If it was excuses he needed he could find them everywhere he turned But he needed something else right now He needed a fresh start so he threw the excuses away and gulping he carefully started his car

Lehi drove down the dirt lane and turned towards the meetinghouse he had found the day before However stepping inside the church foyer he found the doors to the chapel closed He was surprised to find that he was disappointed that he had missed the meeting he still had no idea what time it was Sitting down on the little sofa installed in the foyer he wondered

what he was going to do next Abruptly someone inside the chapel opened the doors and he realized that he hadnrsquot missed the meeting at all just the sacrament While he was a teacher in his old home ward in Boise he remembered closing chapel doors himself as the sacrament was being passed

Slipping into one of the side pews in the back of the small chapel Lehi sat next to an older couple who were holding hands He nodded to the man who smiled at Lehi and reached over and stuck out his hand Shaking Lehirsquos hand the gentleman whispered ldquoWelcome sonrdquo The small gesture warmed Lehirsquos heart and he turned his attention back to the pulpit

The three appointed speakers all talked about prayer and bore fervent testimonies about the power of fasting and prayer Lehi acknowledged to himself that he could say that he was fasting as he hadnrsquot bothered to eat anything since his little supper the evening before and he had prayed several times during his ordeal Each of the talks given and testimonies borne were heartfelt and sweet and Lehi was uplifted and inspired by the words spoken Funny he didnrsquot remember church meetings from his youth being as relevant and interesting to him as this one was this day

He had planned on slipping back

out to his car after the meeting but his newfound friend who introduced himself as Jed Clayton commandeered Lehirsquos arm and before he knew it Lehi was sitting in a Sunday School class sectioned off in part of a small gymnasium He introduced himself as Lee Columbus not wanting to reveal with his Mormon-unique name that he was actually a member of the church When he was asked to read a passage in the Book of Mormon someone passed him a paperback copy of the book already opened to the right page He held the book loosely in his hands through the rest of the class and recalled the old blue Book of Mormon that was resting on the ottoman in the cabin

Brother Clayton continued to take charge of Lehi after Sunday School and he accidentally attended Priesthood meeting as well He met other members of the Elders Quorum and enjoyed the light banter among the younger men during the lesson However towards the end of the class the brother teaching the lesson on the atonement of Christ bore a powerful testimony on the redeeming love of the Savior for every one of Godrsquos children Lehi who had cried many tears of sadness remorse and pain found tears on his face again but this time the tears were the tears of hope and recognition of the Spirit whispering to him of the truth of the words he was hearing Somehow it didnrsquot matter that he had hidden his true identity that he

was unwashed and unshaven and that his clothes looked like they had come from the Salvation Army store rejects barrel For the first time in a long time Lehi felt loved He felt accepted and cared about by God and the men who surrounded him The thought filled him with gratitude and he struggled to contain his strong emotions

Brother Clayton who had gone to the High Priest Group meeting found Lehi after Elderrsquos quorum and invited him to have dinner with him and his wife Talula that evening Lehi felt shy about going to the Claytonrsquos home but Brother Clayton pressed him and finally he consented and was given directions to their home He looked forward to a real home-cooked meal and was assailed by a wave of home-sickness as he tried to remember the last time he had tasted the results of his own motherrsquos exceptional culinary skills

Lehi Columbus Reclamation is the first book in the Eden Covenant series by MaryAnn Ball This LDS themed fiction series deals with the approaching end days and the conflicts facing several families preparing

The books are published by BYCTPublishingcom and are available in both paperback and digital ebook format from your favorite bookseller and Amazoncom For more information visit byctpublishingcom

Book Excerpt ldquoLehi ColumbusReclamationrdquo by MaryAnn Ball (LDS Fiction)

_GoBack

2015I believe we are finding our groove

You may notice that each issue has been slightly different than the one before This issue has a logo we like

As our distribution has increased we have diversified our content You can see tags above stories that give you a sense of which city it serves or even the county itself Hopefully this simplifies things a bit

We were planning on printing twice a month but after the last issue with the expanded distribution we found more people were interested in that issue At this stage of our growth it made more sense to stick with a monthly issue until we are able to grow into a second issue

Thank you for the many emails

and compliments I am delighted that you are enjoying the paper

I would love to get your feedback of items you would like to see in future issue You can email me and let me know

Happy Valentinersquos Day

Warmly

Tiffany GTiffany GensburgerPublishertiffanyclaytongazettecom

PS Tell your friends to LIKE and Follow us on Facebook wwwFBcomClaytonGazette

A Fine February

A Word from the Publisherby Tiffany Gensburger

WHERE TO FIND YOUR NEWSbull If you want current news fresh timely and relevant

then forget print you need ClaycordcomClaycord often beats out on-air news and is cited as their news source

bull If you want feature stories without crime and violence read

The Clayton Gazette Clayton Valley Section- for local Clayton features

The Diablo Valley Section - for feature stories from Clayton Concord Martinez Pleasant Hill Walnut Creek

Lafayette and Danville

Itrsquos like getting THE BEST OF MANY newspapersall in one COLOR publication

And with Advertising Rates you canrsquot beat

The Clayton Gazette ldquoThe Peoplersquos Paperrdquo

(925) 303-4779wwwclaytongazettecom

Index of StoriesClayton Valley Village 3Dan Ashleyrsquos ldquoWhat Really Mattersrdquo 4Toxic Creeks 7Bonilla Bills 8Blossoms for Barbara 9Film amp Book Reviews 10Time for the Arts 12CALENDAR OF EVENTS 13Classified Ads 14Arts amp Entertainment 15Jamesrsquo Games 15FoodFarmerrsquos Market 16Claytonrsquos Barbara Halperin 17Socially Yours 18A Veteranrsquos Musical Tale 19Book Excerpt ldquoLehi Columbusrdquo 20Answers to Jamesrsquo Games 20

Valentinersquos Day

ContestEnter to win a $50 Gift Card to the Cheesecake

Factory in Walnut Creek

Rules Email a special message to YOUR Valentine no later than Friday February 6th that we can publish on our Facebook page at wwwFbcomClaytonGazette

One entry will be picked by the Clayton Gazettersquos Media Maven Jill Mahoney-Banks to win the Gift Card She will want to know about the dinner at the Cheesecake Factory though Winner will be announced on our Facebook page on Saturday February 7th

If you have a scenic or fun photograph yoursquod like to see in this paper or on our Facebook page submit it by email to infoclaytongazettecom And be sure to read our Online edition at wwwclaytongazettecom

COVER PHOTO Linda Karp Chairperson for the Clayton Valley Garden Clubrsquos ldquoBlossoms for Barbarardquo project See story on page 9 Photo by CSKPhotographynet for The Clayton Gazette

See an excerpt from the book Lehi Columbus Reclamation on page 20

A Walk Through Time

~Gary Carr

Clayton Clayton

Keeping Love Real

resident tales

Clayton Clayton

Make Presentations

Concord

CoUNTY

Concord

CoUNTY

Michael Nyqvist

bookends

Martinez

Money Matters

What Really Matters

CALENDAR continued

Iguanahellip

Those Who Love Them

Book Review

Clayton

Reader Submission

Martinez

CoUNTY

Clayton

_GoBack

A Walk Through Time

~Gary Carr

Clayton Clayton

Keeping Love Real

resident tales

Clayton Clayton

Make Presentations

Concord

CoUNTY

Concord

CoUNTY

Michael Nyqvist

bookends

Martinez

Money Matters

What Really Matters

CALENDAR continued

Iguanahellip

Those Who Love Them

Book Review

Clayton

Reader Submission

Martinez

CoUNTY

Clayton

_GoBack

Keeping Love Real

resident tales

Clayton Clayton

Make Presentations

Concord

CoUNTY

Concord

CoUNTY

Michael Nyqvist

bookends

Martinez

Money Matters

What Really Matters

CALENDAR continued

Iguanahellip

Those Who Love Them

Book Review

Clayton

Reader Submission

Martinez

CoUNTY

Clayton

_GoBack

resident tales

Clayton Clayton

Make Presentations

Concord

CoUNTY

Concord

CoUNTY

Michael Nyqvist

bookends

Martinez

Money Matters

What Really Matters

CALENDAR continued

Iguanahellip

Those Who Love Them

Book Review

Clayton

Reader Submission

Martinez

CoUNTY

Clayton

_GoBack

Clayton Clayton

Make Presentations

Concord

CoUNTY

Concord

CoUNTY

Michael Nyqvist

bookends

Martinez

Money Matters

What Really Matters

CALENDAR continued

Iguanahellip

Those Who Love Them

Book Review

Clayton

Reader Submission

Martinez

CoUNTY

Clayton

_GoBack

Make Presentations

Concord

CoUNTY

Concord

CoUNTY

Michael Nyqvist

bookends

Martinez

Money Matters

What Really Matters

CALENDAR continued

Iguanahellip

Those Who Love Them

Book Review

Clayton

Reader Submission

Martinez

CoUNTY

Clayton

_GoBack

Concord

CoUNTY

Michael Nyqvist

bookends

Martinez

Money Matters

What Really Matters

CALENDAR continued

Iguanahellip

Those Who Love Them

Book Review

Clayton

Reader Submission

Martinez

CoUNTY

Clayton

_GoBack

CoUNTY

Michael Nyqvist

bookends

Martinez

Money Matters

What Really Matters

CALENDAR continued

Iguanahellip

Those Who Love Them

Book Review

Clayton

Reader Submission

Martinez

CoUNTY

Clayton

_GoBack

Michael Nyqvist

bookends

Martinez

Money Matters

What Really Matters

CALENDAR continued

Iguanahellip

Those Who Love Them

Book Review

Clayton

Reader Submission

Martinez

CoUNTY

Clayton

_GoBack

Money Matters

What Really Matters

CALENDAR continued

Iguanahellip

Those Who Love Them

Book Review

Clayton

Reader Submission

Martinez

CoUNTY

Clayton

_GoBack

What Really Matters

CALENDAR continued

Iguanahellip

Those Who Love Them

Book Review

Clayton

Reader Submission

Martinez

CoUNTY

Clayton

_GoBack

CALENDAR continued

Iguanahellip

Those Who Love Them

Book Review

Clayton

Reader Submission

Martinez

CoUNTY

Clayton

_GoBack

CALENDAR continued

Iguanahellip

Those Who Love Them

Book Review

Clayton

Reader Submission

Martinez

CoUNTY

Clayton

_GoBack

Iguanahellip

Those Who Love Them

Book Review

Clayton

Reader Submission

Martinez

CoUNTY

Clayton

_GoBack

Iguanahellip

Those Who Love Them

Book Review

Clayton

Reader Submission

Martinez

CoUNTY

Clayton

_GoBack

Clayton

Reader Submission

Martinez

CoUNTY

Clayton

_GoBack

Reader Submission

Martinez

CoUNTY

Clayton

_GoBack

Documents

FEBRUARY 2015 CLAYTON GAZETTE