Winters in action: A year of change, community spirit sparks in 2024
Express staff
Winters has proven itself a town of resilience and vibrant community spirit.
From the heartfelt farewell to cherished family-owned businesses and pivotal ballot measures shaping our future, to the unexpected resignation of the police chief and earnest efforts to right historical wrongs, this year has been anything but idle.
Celebrating and honoring our lost Japanese community, revitalizing youth civic engagement, and strengthening our
See REVIEW, Page 5
Yolo County launches bridge initiative for public sector apprenticeship programs
On Dec. 13, Yolo County announced its participation as the first pilot jurisdiction in the Bridge initiative, a new program launched by the Institute for Local Government.
This initiative aims to strengthen California’s local govern-
ment workforce by creating Registered Apprenticeship Programs in nontraditional fields, including human resources, accounting, information technology, health and human services and more.
“I’m thrilled that Yolo County will serve as an inaugural participant in ILG’s Bridge Public Sector Registered Apprenticeship program,” said Yolo County Board of Supervisors Chair Lucas Frerichs. “Ap-
prenticeships have a long history of success in the construction trades, and I’m excited to bring this innovative model to support our broader local government workforce in Yolo County.”
Like many local governments across the state, Yolo County is facing significant workforce challenges, with recruitment and retention issues affecting nearly 70 percent of
See PROGRAM, Page 5
Winters JUSD launches new board management platform
Appoints first assistant superintendent of business services
By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief
This month, Winters Joint Unified School District introduced a new board management system to streamline the organization and accessibility of school board meeting resources.
On Dec. 16, the school district officially launched the GAMUT board management solution to host agendas and packets for its Board of Trustees meetings.
GAMUT is a comprehensive platform offering integrated modules designed to boost productivity, improve communication, and simplify routine processes. The system provides secure, paperless access to meeting materials and allows multiple contributors to collaborate on the same platform. With features that enable easy searching and sorting of archived meetings by type and date, the software is set to save time and enhance efficiency in the management of board meetings.
The public can now access Board Agendas and Packets by clicking on the “Meetings” tab on the district’s Board Agenda page at https://bit.ly/4fwmfHK. A link to resources from meetings before Dec. 16 is also available through this page.
In addition to meeting materials, the platform offers a complete listing of board policies under the “Policies” tab, along with contact information for all trustees.
Organizational meeting updates
At the Dec. 19 organizational meeting, the Board of Trustees approved its officers for the upcoming term and finalized the 2025 meeting calendar. Joedy Michael will continue to serve as board president, with Everardo Zaragoza remaining as board clerk.
Trustees Kristin Trott (Trustee Area 1) and Everardo Zaragoza (Trustee Area 5) took their oaths of office for another term, having run unopposed in the Nov. 5 general election. The schedule for 2025 board meetings is now available on the Winters JUSD website at wintersjusd.org. Meetings are generally held on
See TRUSTEES, Page 5
Esparto restaurant targeted in early morning burglary
By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief
The Ravine on Sixteen restaurant in Esparto was the target of a burglary in the early hours of Dec. 21, leaving the business temporarily closed.
According to the owner, James Kinter, the incident occurred around 4 a.m. when thieves forced their way through the restaurant’s front door and accessed the office, stealing multiple items.
“Essentially, (the burglary is) shutting
us down for a time undetermined,” Kinter said.
Surveillance footage captured three male suspects involved in the crime. They were seen driving a white Jeep Grand Cherokee, model year 2021–23, identifiable by its black rims and black antenna.
The Yolo County Sheriff’s Department is actively investigating the incident. Authorities are urging anyone with information about the suspects or the vehicle to come forward.
Tips can be reported by calling the Yolo Tip Hotline at 530668-5248, emailing YoloCoSheriffTips@ yolocounty.org, or submitting information via the Yolo County Sheriff’s Anonymous Crime Tip Form at yolocountysheriff.com/ services/investigations.
As the investigation unfolds, The Ravine on Sixteen remains closed. Kinter is posting updates on The Ravine on Sixteen Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ theravineon16.
Courtesy photo Winters High School students teamed up with younger students to paint the Spirit of Winters mural at Waggoner Elementary.
Courtesy image
Video footage showed three male suspects driving in a white Jeep Grand Cherokee, model year 2021–23. Contact the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office with any tips.
Crystal Apilado/Winters Express
Harumi March (left) and Tammy Hamakawa-Iseri, the granddaughter of Mojiro Hamakawa, share joy in finding a family member in a photo at the Japantown Monument unveiling ceremony in Rotary Park.
School bond review: A look at Measures D, R
This two-part article series breaks down a decade of school bond measures — four total — providing taxpayers a transparent look at what voting ‘yes’ meant for students and the community at Winters Joint Unified School District.
By Angela Underwood Express correspondent
The success of a local school bond measure is highly related to preceding years.
If school districts do what they promise, taxpayers will continue to vote yes for local school upgrades. Between each measure, bond oversight committees, often composed of staff and members of the public, assure taxpayers that school officials remain above board.
Above all, public and private sector relationships must always remain in check to ensure the most efficient and transparent use of funds.
It begins with Winters JUSD’s long-term relationship with Van Pelt Construction Services regarding school bond measures. In 2014, officials including Jennifer Gibb, vice president of business development for the construction firm, labor biennially for school bond measures to remain on the ballot.
Since 2014, taxpay-
By Denise Cottrell
U C Master Gardener – Yolo
Join the UC Master Gardeners – Yolo and Putah Creek Council for Mulch Madness on Jan. 11 from 9 a.m. to Noon at the Winters Community Library Teaching Garden to add fresh mulch to the library landscaping. Meet at the library located at 708 Railroad Ave. in Winters, where you will find all the necessary equipment, water, and snacks provided. No previous experience is necessary, and all community members are welcome! Children under the age of 12 are required to have an adult accompany them.
ers have made dozens of projects possible to secure safety and growth at Winters JUSD. Long before COVID-19, Winters JUSD’s Measure D in 2014 provided $15K in funds for a six-classroom addition to Winters High School, accommodating growing student numbers.
The high school also saw the development of a student union building, providing a space for an on-site cafeteria, student activities and gatherings, and the administration building saw renovations, improving the operational facilities for school staff.
“The successful passage and implementation of these bond measures represent a significant commitment to improving our community’s educational facilities,” Gibb said.
Superintendent Rody Boonchouy concurs.
“The passage of four school district facilities bonds since 2014 is nothing short of remarkable,” Boonchouy said. “Our community has sent a clear message that we’re committed to the quality of our classrooms and buildings.”
Two years later, Measure R, which had $17K in funds, made possible a district-wide telephone
and intercom system when passed in November 2016.
Renovations began with Waggoneer Elementary School. Along with floor replacement, the elementary school also got new gates and fences. Additional security and aesthetic upgrades were made at Waggoneer, which also required site drainage adjustments.
The elementary school also received new window coverings, grass repair, and a ramp installation. A Tuff shed was also installed on site.
Winters Middle School had floor replacements and security upgrades that year, including new cameras with district-wide hardware modifications. The middle school also received new turf for the site’s amphitheater.
In 2016, Shirley Rominger Intermediate School received site drainage adjustments while Winters High School and the Wolfskill High Schools (now Wolfskill Career Readiness Academy) both had roof repairs at their school sites.
The WHS Agriculture Shop received a new fire alarm system, and the high school’s athletic facility saw upgrades, including new bleachers, stadium lighting, and gym floor replacement. The Career and Tech-
All volunteers must sign a waiver, and those under the age of 18 will need a guardians’ signature. You can print Putah Creek Council’s liability and photo release waiver at
nical Education (CTE) was also constructed that year.
Bring your signed copy on the day of the event and or arrive a bit early so you can sign the waiver before joining the “madness” of mulching the Winters Community Library Teaching Garden.
If
Lastly, that year’s funds were used to paint Wolfskill and demolish outdated structures on school district sites.
“These investments are not just about
“By investing in modernizing schools, enhancing safety, and expanding learning spaces, we are not only bolstering the quality of education but also fostering a supportive environment for our students to thrive,” Gibb said.
bricks and mortar— they’re about creating safe, modern, and inspiring learning environments where our students can thrive,” Boonchouy said.
In the second report, the Winters Express will report on Measures P and W.
Volunteer Firefighters Association hosts annual shrimp feed fundraiser
Special to the Express
Tickets are still available for the Winters Volunteer Firefighters Association’s annual Shrimp Feed Fundraiser, scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 25, at the Winters Fire Department, 700 Main. St. Doors open at 5 p.m. for a drink and cocktail hour, and dinner will be served at 6 p.m.
This highly anticipated event brings the community together for an evening of delicious food, drinks, and entertainment while supporting the Winters Fire volunteer program. Get tickets at https://bit.ly/winters2025shrimpfeed. Space is limited, and VIP tables are nearly sold out, so don’t miss the opportunity to secure your spot. Tickets are
available in different tiers including general admission (with or without an unlimited drink wristband), a VIP table, and child admission for ages 6 to 13. Children age 5 and younger are free. Proceeds from the event will directly benefit the Winters Volunteer Firefighters Association, enabling volunteers to be supported in their service to the community.
“The funds from this event will allow us to support our community through local events and to sponsor Winters High School students through our Fire Explorers program,” Winters Volunteer Firefighters Association President Tyler Hagy said. “This event is the main fundraiser for our association. The department has paid staff to run with two personnel on
the engine only onethird of the week, the rest of the staffing is normally covered by volunteers.”
With volunteers stepping in to create a full crew during the remaining hours, this fundraiser is essential to maintaining the fire department’s operations. The event features raffles and games throughout the evening. Community members unable to attend but wishing to contribute can donate by dropping off cash or checks payable to “Winters Volunteer Firefighters Association” at the fire department, at 700 Main St, Winters, CA 95694. Donations of products or services for raffle prizes are also welcome, and tax ID numbers are available for donors.
For more information, call 530-795-4131.
Crystal Apilado/ Winters Express
Crystal Apilado/Winters Express
Courtesy photo
The UC Master Gardeners – Yolo are teaming up with Putah Creek Coiuncil to add fresh mulch to the landscaping in the library teaching garden.
It’s Mulch Madness in the Winters Library teaching garden
Eventos hispanos
Nominate local businesses for Best of Yolo awards
Express staff
The Winters Express and The Davis Enterprise are accepting nominations for the Readers’ Choice 2025: The Best of Yolo County. Winters community members and all Yolo County residents have the opportunity to write in their favorite business nominations for several categories under the main themes of:
• Shopping and Retail
• Food and Drink
• Home Services
• Professional Ser-
vices
• Automotive
• Things To Do
• Health, Wellness, Beauty and Fitness
• Hospitals and Doctors
• Education, Tutoring and More
• Pet Services
• Housing Communities
Nominating, voting A handful of Winters businesses and professionals have already been nominated. However, voting has just begun and there is still time to write in your local favorite businesses, profession-
als and volunteers. To nominate and vote, visit https://bit. ly/3RPSTLG. Adding an entry is considered the first vote for it. New businesses and professional nominations can be added throughout the voting period.
Voting is live now through Jan. 14. Residents can vote daily for their favorite entries. A minimum of 15 votes must be made per session for them to be counted.
Voting on the form is automatic, there is no need to submit it.
Beer for a Butterfly contest is back
By Kathy Keatley Garvey Special to
the Express
Suds for a bug? A bug for some suds?
The annual “Beer for a Butterfly” contest, launched in 1972 by butterfly guru Art Shapiro, now a UC Davis distinguished professor emeritus, gets underway Jan. 1.
The first person to find the first live cabbage white butterfly, Pieris rapae, of the year in the three-county area of Sacramento, Yolo and Solano — and is declared the winner — will receive a pitcher of beer or its equivalent.
Shapiro, who has monitored butterfly populations in Central California since 1972, and maintains a research website at http://butterfly.ucdavis.edu/, says the point of the contest “is to get the earliest possible flight date for statistical purposes.” It’s all part of his scientific research involving long-term studies of butterfly life cycles and climate change.
Assisting with the 2025 contest will be the Bohart Museum of Entomology, directed by Professor Jason Bond, who is the Evert and Marion Schlinger Endowed Chair, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, and associate dean, UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
The 2025 contest rules stipulate that contestants must collect a live butterfly in the wild, video it, and email the entry to the Bohart Museum at bmuseum@ucdavis.edu, listing the time, date and place. The insect must be an adult—no caterpillars or pupae—and must be captured out-
doors, Shapiro said.
The professor also participates in the contest. In fact, Shapiro has been defeated only four times and those were by UC Davis graduate students. Adam Porter won in 1983; Sherri Graves and Rick VanBuskirk each won in the late 1990s; and Jacob Montgomery in 2016. The first three were his own graduate students.
Shapiro won the 2024 contest, spotting a cabbage white on Monday, Jan. 29 at 11:30 a.m. in West Sacramento, Yolo County, and saw the same one again at 11:40. He didn’t capture it, but recorded it in his notebook. No one else came forth to claim the prize.
The butterfly inhabits vacant lots, fields and gardens where its host plants, weedy mustards, grow. What does it look like? It’s a white butterfly with black dots on the upperside (which may be faint or not visible in the early season). It inhabits vacant lots, fields and gardens where its host plants, weedy mustards, grow. The male is white. The female is often slightly buffy; the “underside of the hindwing and apex of the forewing may be distinctly yellow and normally have a gray cast,” Shapiro said. “The black dots and apical spot on the
upperside tend to be faint or even to disappear really early in the season.”
P. rapae is emerging earlier and earlier as the regional climate has warmed, Shapiro says. “Since 1972, the first flight of the cabbage white butterfly has varied from Jan. 1 to Feb. 22, averaging about Jan. 20.”
In its caterpillar stage, P. rapae is a pest. (See cabbageworm on the UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program website.)
Matthew Forister, the Foundation Professor, Trevor J. McMinn Endowed Research Professor in Biology at the University of Nevada, Reno, collaborates with Shapiro and annually creates a graph, using statistics from 1972 to the current year. Forister received his PhD in ecology from UC Davis in 2004, studying with Shapiro.
In its larval stage, the cabbage white butterfly is a pest of cole crops, including cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli.
Most of the first-ofthe-year butterflies were found in Yolo County, either in West Sacramento, UC Davis campus or nearby. The last winner from Solano County was near the Suisun Yacht Club, Suisun City, at 1:12 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 25, 2019.
Por Angela Underwood Traducido por Carol Alfonso Dos madres estaban decididas a demostrar que la conducta de sus hijos esquizofrénicos no eran culpa suya, por lo que fundaron la Alianza Nacional de Enfermedades Mentales (NAMI, por sus siglas en inglés).
En lugar de aceptar el diagnóstico de “mala crianza” de los médicos, la directora ejecutiva de NAMI en el Condado Yolo, Jen Boschee-Danzer, dijo que el dúo “compartió sus experiencias con otras familias que se vieron afectadas por enfermedades mentales, y el movimiento creció” en todo Estados Unidos.
La directora ejecutiva de NAMI, que ahora es la organización de salud mental de base más grande dedicada a construir mejores vidas para las personas que viven con enfermedades mentales, cita a las 600 filiales de NAMI en todo Estados Unidos, incluida la filial del Condado Yolo creada en el 1978.
Por primera vez, la filial local dedica dos meses a las familias hispanas con Familia de NAMI, el programa educativo gratuito en español de 8 semanas de duración para los seres queridos de adultos que viven con enfermedades mentales.
“Esta clase ofrece una oportunidad para que los miembros de nuestra comunidad hispano-hablante aprendan, compartan recursos y construyan una comunidad con otras personas que pueden estar pasando por un proceso similar, y lo hagan en su lengua materna,” dijo Boschee-Danzer sobre la clase del Lunes por la noche que comienza el 6 de Enero.
Los grupos dirigidos por pares voluntarios de 6 a 8 p.m. no requieren un diagnóstico formal para participar, según la directora ejecutiva, y agregó que los familiares capacitados por NAMI tienen experiencia de primera mano en el cuidado de un ser querido con una enfermedad mental.
“No brindamos servicios de crisis ni servicios terapéuticos; brindamos apoyo y educación entre pares,” dijo Boschee-Danzer. “Esto permite que los líderes de nuestro programa tengan una mejor idea de lo que están
pasando otras personas y pueden inspirar esperanza a través de sus historias compartidas de resiliencia y recuperación.”
Boschee-Danzer dijo que la “perspectiva igualitaria” es clave para la cultura de la clase.
“De Familia a Familia de NAMI no solo brinda información y estrategias para cuidar a la persona que amas, sino que el entorno grupal brinda apoyo mutuo y un impacto positivo compartido,” dijo Boschee Danzer.
Algunos de los temas que se tratan en el curso incluyen la comunicación eficaz, el autocuidado, la utilización de los apoyos y servicios locales y los tratamientos y terapias actuales.
¿Por qué es importante para los residentes del Condado Yolo y de Winters?
“Uno de cada cinco adultos estadounidenses padece una enfermedad mental cada año, por lo que la enfermedad mental nos afecta a la mayoría de nosotros de alguna manera: a nosotros mismos, a un familiar, a un vecino, a un compañero de trabajo, a un amigo,” dijo Boschee Danzer. “A menudo, las personas no saben a quién recurrir cuando alguien que les importa presenta síntomas de una enfermedad mental, y puede ser aterrador y aislante. Si bien la directora ejecutiva dijo que “no hay estadísticas específicas de Winters u otras comunidades del Condado Yolo,” cita datos compilados a nivel nacional que incluyen que solo el 36.1 por ciento de los adultos hispanos o latinos de EE. UU. con enfermedades mentales recibieron tratamiento en el 2021.
Boschee-Danzer anticipa una respuesta positiva de la comunidad para el primer programa en español. “Esperamos que al presentar este curso podamos llegar a más personas y aumentar nuestra capacidad de difusión para brindar programación a la comunidad de habla hispana en Winters y en todo el Condado Yolo,” dijo. “A medida que continuamos recuperándonos de la pandemia de COVID, NAMI Yolo County se esfuerza por aumentar nuestros programas en persona en las áreas rurales del condado.” Ese alcance incluye aumentar los roles de liderazgo y la organización está buscando voluntarios de Winters, Esparto y otras comunidades rurales en el Condado Yolo para convertirse en líderes de programas capacitados.
Boschee-Danzer dijo que, si bien podría haber desafíos de transporte para estas comunidades, el resultado positivo supera con creces la distancia.
“Cuando un ser querido está experimentando problemas de salud mental, puede ser aislante, confuso y aterrador para los miembros de la familia,” dijo. Sin embargo, los números pueden disipar ese miedo.
“Las personas a menudo no son conscientes de que hay otras personas en su comunidad que están lidiando con desafíos similares, y el estigma que rodea a las enfermedades mentales puede dificultar hablar sobre ellas,” dijo Boschee-Danzer. La inscripción al programa es requerida y se puede acceder en https://forms.gle/ u7jJghEiABFW6ZBy8 o https://bit.ly/3VRt53i.
Kathy Keatley Garvey/Courtesy photo
Find the first cabbage white butterfly of 2025 and win a pitcher of beer.
Lake levels up 1.34 feet
Express staff
The water level of Lake Berryessa went up during the past week by 1.34 feet, with an increase in the storage of 24,542 acre-feet of water, according to Ken Emigh, Solano Project Technician with the Solano Irrigation District. On the morning of Monday, Dec. 30, he reported the lake elevation
was 435.98 feet above sea level, with water storage behind the Monticello Dam computed at 1,476,243 acre-feet of water. The SID released 57 cubic feet per second of water in the Putah South Canal, with 40 cubic feet flowing into Putah Creek at the Diversion Dam. Evaporation on the lake averaged 34 acre-feet of water per day.
Public Safety Report
City of Winters
Fire
The Winters Fire Log will return soon. Check for updates at https://cityofwinters. org/157/Fire.
Police Arrest Log
Dec. 20: Bermudez, Gustavo Jr (Age 19); Charges: Vandalism, Battery on Spouse/Ex/Date/ etc; Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail
Dec. 22: Sanchez, Rafael Daniel (Age 24); Charges: Inflict corporal injury on spouse/cohabitant/ dating, False Imprisonment w/violence, Criminal Threats, Damage/ destroy wireless communication device; Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail
Dec. 24: Moreno, Rafael (Age 57); Charges: Driving while license suspended for DUI,
Display of Unlawful registration; Disposition: Released on Notice to Appear ~Galvan, Raul Jesse (Age 36), Charges: Violation of Court Order, Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail Report Log
Dec. 18: 8:14 p.m., 100th block of Grant Avenue, Miscellaneous Incident Report
Dec. 19: 12:48 p.m., 1000th block of Rojo Street, Violation of Court Order
Dec. 23: 6:05 p.m., 900th block of Railroad Avenue, Violation of Court Order ~7:33 p.m., 100th block of Main Street, Littering/Illegal Dumping
For our editorial policy on crime log entries, see www.winters express.com/unpub lishing-policy.
YESTERYEAR
Picked by Charley
Wallace
John and Lucretia Chulick, left, celebrated their 50th year in the business of Chulick’s Market with a family dinner party in February 1977 at the Buckhorn dining room. In the picture with them are their son Karl and granddaughter Kristine. Also celebrating were Karl’s wife, Julie, her mother, Mrs. Mina Clark and John’s brother-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Emery of Lodi. Chulick’s Market was located where the Berryessa Gap Vineyards tasting room on Main Street is now operating. Berryessa Gap just celebrated20 years in business. They have a ways to go to catch up with the Chulicks.
Don’t miss out on important local news in in 2025! Yolo County residents can get a WE print and digital subscription combo for $30.
130 Years Ago
January 5, 1895
The Guinda Independent. with its issue of last Saturday, closed its third year of publication in that town. The Independent has done considerable toward the development of Capay Valley and is deserving of the liberal support of the citizens of that region.
The Winters Fruit Exchange at a regular meeting the other day passed resolutions calling upon the government to procure, by some means or other a double transcontinental track.
Miss Dollie Melvin, teacher in the Union District. returned from her holiday vacation Tuesday morning.
George North and sons. Hart and Arthur went to Sacramento Thursday. Hart North went to be at the opening of the Legislature next Monday, he being the Representative from the 50th Assembly district in Alameda County.
R. L. Briggs and wife went to San Francisco last Wednesday afternoon.
E. A. Cook has moved his family to town, from the Slade Ranch, and will occupy his own cottage on Baker Street between Railroad Avenue and First Street.
While Parson Harriman was standing on the bank of the creek, yesterday, the earth suddenly gave way beneath him, precip-
Years Ago
Dispatches from the Express archives.
itating him into the water, but owing to the timely assistance of the bystanders he was quickly brought back to land, apparently non the worse for his fall.
89 Years Ago
January 3, 1936
With a vote of 34 to 3 the West residents of the Plainfield district Monday voted favorably on the issue of organizing the county fire protection district, giving the county a total of five rural districts organized.
Laurence Parker, for two years assistant to E. L. Bryan at the S. P. Depot has been transferred to Davis temporarily.
The Rev. and Mrs. Donald Reasoner and two daughters, missionaries in the interior of Brazil for the past four and a half years arrived at New Orleans on Dec. 27 and are on their way to Winters.
The Winters Tigers defeated Esparto’s team Monday night in Esparto by a score of 56 to 33. Each man on the Tigers did some scoring: Judy 2, Forden 3, Haze 18, Demaree 18 and Perkins
16. Mr. and Mrs. A. Bagge of San Francisco, were hosts to their employees at their new summer home in Pleasants Valley New Year’s Day.
Among the local people who witnessed the Stanford-Army game were Miss Patty Baker, Lloyde and Belva Brinck, Miss Clemence Stirn, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Vasey, Jonah Graf.
45 Years Ago
January 3, 1980
The Winters Planning Commission meeting on Dec. 26, accepted a negative environmental impact report for the Walnut Tree subdivision (the former William Carrion property). The initial study done by the staff at City Hall indicated that the proposed construction of 20 units per year for two years would not conflict with the general plan. All comply with R-6000 zoning of the area.
Mary (Vasey) Walters retired last Friday with an appropriate celebration at Vasey Brothers Store where she has worked for the past 45 years. Mary was 92 years old on Dec. 1. She said she’d been planning to retire this past summer but just never got around to it.
Julia and Marion West hosted some
45 people at ar New Year’s eve pot luck dinner and evening of games on New Year’s eve.
Frank Pignataro, principal of Winters High School, had a faculty luncheon at his home on the last day of school (Dec. 14) before the Christmas recess.
The Robert Youngs entertained some 20 family members during the holidays, including their son, Joe, and his wife Dorothy and children Lisa and Lori of Tempe, Arizona. The Joe Youngs were here for a week, and during that time were entertained on Dec. 27 by Gaylene and Harold Anderson and on another occasion by Mary Liz Graf. Other guests included the Robert Young family of Davis, the Bill Young family of Stockton, Tom and Claudia Reynolds of Columbus, Ohio, Mina Reynolds of Monterey, and Dutch and Evelyn Meyer.
Betty and Eugene Gale were down with daughter Wendy from Lake Almanor to celebrate Christmas with his mother, Mary Gale, and other members of the Gale family. Fariba Fazeli of San Diego visited over the New Year’s holiday with the Newton Wallace family.
Bert and Betty Coman entertained some 17 family members on the occasion of Evelyn Roseberry’s birthday anniversary Dec. 26. Those present at the birthday dinner were the hosts and honoree, Marge and Charley Pearse, Frances and Mary Walters, Gregory and Fay Vasey, Marian and Gene Caselli, Steve Caselli, John, Dan and Phillip Coman.
100 children in the El Rio Villas community had no play structure to climb on.
public safety teams highlight the collective dedication of Winters’ residents and leaders. As we step into a new year, we reflect on the impactful stories that shaped our city and showcased our community in 2024.
Japanese monument
Following the success and awareness of the Winters Museum exhibit “The Lost Japanese Community of Winters,” the Historical Society of Winters and the exhibit committee members doubled down to continue the importance of commemorating the Winters Japanese community. There was standing room the Winters Community Center where community members and descendants of local Japanese families and beyond gathered for the Japantown Monument Dedication on Saturday, May 4.
On April 16, Winters City Council rescinded a 1942 resolution that urged the “removal of all Japanese from California” and demanded that “immediate steps be taken by the constituted authorities to see that all such enemy aliens be placed in concentration camps and that the land and/or property owned or operated by such aliens be placed under government supervision for the duration of the war.”
The monument was unveiled after the vent and showcases a picture of around 150 people at the Nishida funeral in 1930. Floyd Shimomura invited his 98-year-old aunt Harumi March, who was featured in the photograph in the arms of her mother at 3 years old and is the last person in the photo who is still alive today, to take the cover off of the monument with the assistance of some of the family’s children in the crowd. El Rio Villa community Community members made big things happen for Winters residents who live in the El Rio Villas housing community.
On Wednesday, July 10, officials from the Yolo County Housing Authority, Yolo County Board of Supervisors, city of Winters, Winters Joint Unified School District and PG&E gathered to cut the ribbon in celebration of the newly constructed playground at El Rio Villa.
The new playground sits on the same site as the previous playground, which was torn down for safety reasons. For the past five years, the nearly
Winters JUSD Trustee Everado Zaragoza, who grew up in the El Rio Villas community, contacted Supervisor Lucas Freichs and alerted him to what was happening in the area. Through partnership and collaboration, children who live in El Rio Villas now have a playground.
El Rio Villas was also experienced it’s first National Night Out event in August where residents met with Yolo County organizations and agencies. It was also the location for the Kiwanis Reading Jamboree. The Kiwanis Club of Winters and Yolo County Library teamed up with additional nonprofits to bring a community storytime and bring free books and activities for families who live in the housing community.
Winters Fire
The Winters Fire Department had major gains this year both in the community and in-house.
Winters Fire Captain Matt Schechla was recognized at the Nov. 5 City Council meeting for his achievement in graduating from the National Fire Academy’s Managing Officer Program which only has only 27 graduates from the state of California, and just more than 600 altogether nationwide. Schechla is the first for Winters Fire.
Effective January 2024, Winters Fire Department entered a Joint Operating Agreement with the Willow Oak Fire Protection District and West Plainfield Fire District. Winters Fire Chief Jack S. Snyder III said by bringing together the resources, expertise, and capabilities, the JOA enables the three entities to leverage each other’s strengths and address shared challenges more effectively within their communities and at joint incident scenes.
In addition, voters approved Proposition 218 after a majority of the weighted ballots received voted in favor of the resolution. Prop 218 approved the collection of property taxes as detailed in the assessment to provide temporary funds for Winters Fire to hire more full-time firefighters and to help replace equipment nearing its life expectancy. Prop 218 continues to provide mixed feelings from the community, many of whom voiced frustration with the weight ballot system. With Prop 218 now in action, Snyder said
community members who have questions about it should continue to contact him directly.
Winters Fire also received a grant for cutting-edge extrication equipment and helped to roll out the “Know Your Zone” emergency alert system in Winters.
Spirit of Winters
The Spirit of Winters community group put action behind their wishes this year with the creation of a community-wide events calendar and collaborating with the Winters Participation Gallery and Winters JUSD for the student-led creation of the Spirit of Winters mural at Waggoner Elementry School. High school-aged students and elementary-aged students worked together to bring the mural to life in vibrant bright colors to welcome motorists as they enter town from the Lake Solano side on Grant Avenue.
The group also worked to support resident Kellie Villanueva in her ambitous venture to restore the Rotary Park Gazebo. With help from the Rotary Club of Winters and Matt Balogh and his MB Construction crew, the revamped gazebo was ready in time for the annual Tractor Parade.
Youth council
The 2024 Winter Youth Day event is a pivotal point in its history. Student apathy was at an all-time high regarding running for the Youth Council or riding in the parade in the royal court. Youth Day President Mike Sebastian had big goals to revive student involvement.
Unfortunately, Sebastian died in December 2023 and the group worked to keep the momentum going.
Winters High School students formed a Youth Day Club and began taking over some of the tasks from the WHS student leadership class including the Youth City Council and royalty elections. Working with Winters Express Editor-in-Chief Crystal Apilado, they reimagined the Youth City Council and Royalty and included Winters Middle School leadership students.
The inaugural Youth Civic Engagement Day at City Hall was on Thursday, April 18.
The Youth Council learned about the interworkings and roles of city staff members, observed some demonstrations at the City Corporation Yard, and conducted a Youth City Council meeting in the Winters City Council chamber.
The Youth Day committee has new goals for 2025.
California’s cities, counties, and special districts. These challenges can lead to vacancies in essential roles, potentially disrupting services such as social services, permitting, and more. The Bridge initiative is designed to address this issue by providing innovative, community-based solutions to hire for high-demand, difficult-to-fill positions, while expanding career opportunities for underserved and underrepresented populations.
As the first confirmed pilot jurisdiction for the Bridge initiative, Yolo County will help test and implement non-traditional RAPs over the next year. The program will focus on training and hiring individuals for a wide range of roles in local government, including positions in IT, human resources, and health services. ILG will provide crucial support to Yolo County, including capacity building, grant writing, marketing assistance, and technical guidance throughout the pro-
TRUSTEES
Continued from Page 1
the first and third Thursdays of the month at 6 p.m. in the Winters JUSD boardroom, with exceptions in June and other months as noted on the calendar.
New staff appointed At the Dec. 9 special board of trustee meeting, trustees approved the appointment of Russell Barrington as Winters JUSD’s new assistant superintendent of business services.
Human Resources Director Lisa Dennis presented the details following an extensive recruitment process.
The new position was advertised
gram’s development. Through this pilot, Yolo County will work closely with local education agencies, community-based organizations and other partners to ensure the successful implementation of apprenticeship programs that align with the county’s workforce needs.
Yolo County’s participation in the Bridge initiative is a crucial step toward building a sustainable, skilled workforce capable of meeting the challenges of the future. As part of the pilot program, the county will lead the way in developing a scalable model for apprenticeships that can be adopted by other local governments across California.
“Apprenticeships are a proven strategy to develop a resilient workforce while opening doors for underserved communities,” states Erica Manuel, CEO and Executive Director of the Institute for Local Government.
“The Bridge initiative brings this model to the public sector, ensuring local governments have the talent they need
through multiple channels, including EdJoin, CASBO, ACSA, School Services of California, CALSA, and LinkedIn, from Oct. 7 to Nov. 4. The school district received nine applications, from which three candidates were selected for an initial interview with a panel of Winters JUSD staff and representatives from employee unions and organizations. Two finalists were advanced to a second round of interviews with the school district’s cabinet team. Barrington was selected as the final choice, with reference checks confirming his qualifications and suitability for the role.
Dennis said that
to meet the challenges of tomorrow. With Yolo County leading the way, we’re building a blueprint for other jurisdictions across California to follow.”
The Institute for Local Government is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that supports local governments with tackling their most pressing and evolving issues related to workforce development, climate action, leadership, ethics, and public engagement.
Since 1955, ILG has provided conscious counsel, training, resources, and technical assistance to empower and educate local agency leaders and deliver real-world expertise to help them navigate complex issues, increase their capacity, and build trust in their communities.
As the nonprofit affiliate of the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties, and the California Special Districts Association, ILG proudly serves municipalities large and small, urban and rural throughout California. Find out more at www.CA-ILG.org.
Barrington brings a wealth of experience in finance to Winters JUSD. He has served as a Tax Compliance Officer for the U.S. Department of Treasury, a Fiscal Analyst for the Solano County SELPA, and most recently, as the Director of Fiscal Services for Davis Joint Unified School District. He holds an MBA in Business Administration and is certified as a Chief Business Official (CBO) through the California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO).
“His kind nature, tremendous work ethic, and high ethical standards will make him an excellent addition to the Winters JUSD team,” Dennis said.
Crystal Apilado/Winters Express
Winters Joint Unified School District Trustee Everado Zaragoza, who grew up in the El Rio Villas housing, spoke to the importance of having a playground for the children who live in the housing community on the other side of Interstate 505.
FEATURES
Thursdays
Eat Well Yolo Food Distribution, first and third Thursdays, 10 a.m. As supplies last, RISE, Inc., 417 Haven St., 530-668-0690
Wednesdays
Eat Well Yolo Drive – Through Food Distribution, Wednesdays, 3:30 p.m. As supplies last, Winters High student parking lot, off Railroad Avenue
Tuesday, Dec. 24 to Friday, Jan. 3
Winters City Hall Closed, For info, check cityofwinters.org
Monday, Dec. 23-Monday, Jan. 6
Winters Library Public Hours (No School in Session)
Winters JUSD School Board Meeting, 6 p.m., School District Office, Zoom Meeting info, check https://bit.ly/4fwmfHK or www.wintersjusd.org
Tuesday, January 21
Winters City Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Council chamber (318 First St.), Zoom Meeting info, check www.cityofwinters.org/ city-council-meetings_/
Library Services
Winters Library Open to Public (No School in Session) Dec. 23 to Jan. 6, Winters Community Library, Mon/Wed: 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Tue/Thu: 12–8 p.m., Fri/Sat: 1–5 p.m.
Teen Tuesday (ages 12-18), Second Tuesdays, 2 p.m., Winters Community Library
Bilingual Storytime (ages 0-5), Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m., Winters Community Library
Virtual English Conversation Group, Tuesdays, 2-3 p.m., One time registration required: Contact Nancy Pacheco 530-666-8019 or nancy.pacheco@ yolocounty.org
Mangonada Monday (ages 6-12), fourth Monday, 3:30 p.m. Tech Thursdays, Thursdays, 2-7:30 p.m., call 530-6668005 to schedule an appointment. Bilingual sessions available upon request.
Saturday Matinee, First Saturday, 2 p.m., Winters Community Library
All You Need is Love Romance Book Club, Second Saturday, 4 p.m., Hooby’s Brewing
Older Adult Programs
Winters Senior Foundation Chair Yoga Class for Seniors, Wednesdays, 9:30-11 a.m., St. Anthony Parish Hall (511 W. Main St.)
Winters Senior Foundation Social Gathering Thurdays, 1-3:30 p.m., St. Anthony Parish Hall (511 W. Main St.)
Ongoing
Winters Friends of the Library meeting, first Monday, 7 p.m., Winters Community Library, Margaret Parsons Room, wfol.org
Winters Fortnightly meeting, second Tuesdays (September through April), 1 p.m., St. Anthony Parish Hall (511 W. Main St.)
Rotary Club of Winters meeting, Thursdays, Noon, The Buckhorn
Winters Museum public hours, Closed to the public from Dec. 23 to Jan. 8, 13 Russell St., Visit www. historicalsocietyofwinters.org
Winters Open Mic, third Thursday of the month, 6 p.m. (sign-ups begin at 5:30 p.m.), Winters Opera House (13 Main St.).
Metaphysical Book Club, Fridays at 5 p.m., 212 Grant Ave., Sign up at dixiesbookclub@gmail.com or call 530212-5026
12-Step Bonfire meeting, third Friday, 6:30 p.m. fellowship, 7 p.m. meeting, LuNita Ranch, 8189 Olive School Ln, Winters, Bring a camp chair.
Kiwanis Club of Winters meeting, fourth Wednesday, 6 p.m., Turkovich Family Wines - Boss Lounge, kiwanisclubofwinters@gmail.com
Democracy Winters meeting, third Saturdays, 10 a.m.Noon, Meeting details in newsletter, contact info@ democracywinters.org
Walking Meditation, third Sunday, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., Meet behind the Winters Community Center, 201 Railroad Ave.
Alcoholics Anonymous meetings:
» St. Anthony Parish Hall, 511 Main St. (back entrance) Tuesdays, 7-8 a.m. and Fridays, 7-8 a.m. » Yolo Housing office building, 62 Shams Way: Thursdays, 7-8 p.m. and Sundays, 9 a.m.
Should you invest in real estate?
HOMES, Page 2
Charley wraps up another year OPINION, Page 3
physical activities and social interactions can help seniors to better manage their mental wellness during their last year of high school.
Prioritizing mental wellness vital for graduates’ bright futures
By Angela Underwood Express correspondent
There is mental health and there is student mental health — two very different experiences.
In the Winters Express’ final and fourth report of the Winters Joint Unified School District student mental health series, the school district’s newest psychologist, Serine Ayache, discusses the physical aspects of mental health for graduates.
The last and 12th year of any student’s academic career creates new obstacles as one stage of life closes and another begins. Senior year can make or break any graduate, prompting Winters JUSD to address student mental health in all age groups, as detailed in the series.
“Senior year can incite an array of feelings for students. It’s a year of excitement, stress and reflection for many students,” Ayache said. “Often, the senior year feels like a wake-up call or a timer for some students.”
The aforementioned can cause anxiety, making some seniors ignore the near future of adulthood. To stay healthy and focused, senior students must have a disciplined lifestyle.
“Mental wellness is affected by a plethora of internal and external factors, so it would make sense that lifestyle has a great impact on mental wellness as well,” Ayache said. “Sleep, nutrition, physical ac-
tivity, social interactions, and leisure activities are some of the basic universal building blocks of lifestyle choices.”
When it comes to sleep, the school psychologist said it’s “crucial for processing and retention of information.”
“Without sleep, the brain cannot thoroughly process the experiences of the day,” Ayache said. “A good night’s sleep not only helps students rest, but it allows them to place newly taught information into long-term memory.”
Long-term memory is vital for long-term consequences. Without proper nutrition and rest, the less likely seniors can succeed in one-time academic
tests, including the Standard Aptitude Tests (SATs) and final exams, which determine the overall grades.
“In cases like that, now our students are no longer worrying about what they need to study for but whether or not they will even be successful or happy in life,” Ayache said. “Yes, performing well on exams is important, but many factors can affect that performance.”
The school psychologists said students’ futures aren’t set in stone based on their senior year, although most may feel that way.
Which ground clover is best, insight on pruning citrus trees
Special to the Express
This column is written by the UC Master Gardeners of Yolo County each month. It provides answers to selected questions that recently came into the UC Master Gardener – Yolo County Help Desk. Considering ground clover
Q: I would like to plant a drought-tolerant, low-maintenance ground cover and am considering clover. Is that a good option?
A: Several different clovers (Trifolium var.) can provide a good ground cover option. Compared to most lawn grasses, they are less thirsty and lower maintenance. However, there are several considerations, depending on the type of use the area will receive, the amount of sun it receives and whether you want a ground cover that is extremely drought tolerant or satisfied with one that is just moderately so. In addition,
you should consider whether you want to plant clover solely in the area or as one of several different species.
White clover (Trifolium repens) is the most common clover used as a ground cover in our area. Also common is micro-clover (Trifolium repens var. Pipolina) which has much smaller more dense leaves for a look closer to lawn. Both are dwarf, prostrate, mat-forming perennials which typically grow to 4-6 inches tall and spread to 12 inches or more by stems that freely root. Because of this,
they can be invasive and spread into unwanted areas unless confined. Both can be mowed to 3 inches if preferred. Common white clover blooms in late spring. Since it attracts bees when flowering, it may not be a good choice for an area where people frequently walk barefoot. Micro-clover does not flower which may make it preferable for those with allergies or an aversion to stepping on bees. Both are drought-resistant although will need some irrigation during extended periods of hot, dry weather. They are tolerant
of some foot traffic although not of high use. So, they would not be a good choice for a playfield. Clover should receive at least six hours of sun each day and does not tolerate dense shade. Because clover is a short-lived perennial, it should be overseeded every 3-4 years. Another less common option is red clover (Trifolium pratense). It grows taller than the white varieties, between 12 and 24 inches depending on the variety. It is not as amenable to mowing and less accommodating to regular foot traffic. But the red flowers can be very attractive and if a less formal look for a lightly used area seems right, it is worth considering.
Clover does not need frequent mowing, fertilizing, or herbicide treatments. As a legume, it “collects” nitrogen in its roots from the air in the soil with the help of obliging bacteria, minimizing the need for chemical
Courtesy photo
Courtesy photo
White clover makes a good low water use ground cover.
Ask a Master Gardener
Courtesy photo
Senior year is a multitude of emotions as students prepare to leave high school and embark on their next journey.
Things to consider before investing in real estate
Investors look for various opportunities they hope will help them grow their
Some invest in the stock market directly by buying stocks and bonds, while others choose a more passive form of investing like index funds. Certain investors prefer to back enterprising entrepreneurs, and some people determine that real estate is the avenue to pursue. There are several different ways to invest in real estate, including buying a home. Investing in real estate can be lucrative, although the return on such investments can be affected by high interest rates. When interest rates fall, investors often come out of the woodwork.
According to a 2022 Bankrate survey, 29 percent of Americans said that real estate was their prime pick for investing money they won’t need for at least 10 years. Investors considering real estate have many options to choose from.
Become a landlord
NerdWallet says buying a property with the intention of renting it out is one of the most common ways to invest in real estate. However, this could be one of the more labor-intensive real estate investment options, as it requires property owners to field calls from renters and always be available to tackle issues that inevitably arise. Plus, if renters are not properly vetted, landlords may end up with less-than-ideal tenants. While there are
egg that homeowners can tap into at a later time, particularly when they choose to sell. Bankrate says banks treat owner-occupied properties more favorably, giving borrowers lower mortgage rates and requiring lower down payments.
Flipping properties
management services that can offset some of the work, farming out tasks comes with expenses that can cut into profits. Still, when a successful renter-landlord dynamic is established, this option can provide significant longterm income.
Buying a property and “flipping it,” which means renovating and putting it up for sale shortly after, is another real estate investment venture. Flipping requires a lot of work and perhaps even some extraordinary skills. First, it involves finding up-
and-coming neighborhoods and then renovating within a reasonable budget so that you can sell the home at a premium. Remodeling costs can run high, and the time involved in flipping may be longer than investors anticipated.
Buying your own home
Building equity in a home creates a nest
Purchase REITs REITs are real estate investment trusts that enable investors to invest in real estate without actually touching physical real estate properties, advises NerdWallet. REITs are like the mutual funds of the real estate realm, and include companies that own commercial real estate. REITs can pay out high dividends, making them popular retirement investments. Dividends can be reinvested to grow your money further. Investing in real estate can be a worthwhile option for people who want a tried-and-true vehicle for seeing their money grow.
Courtesy photo
Investing
Express Yourself
Another year in the books
Are the years slipping by faster, or is it
just me? I like the joke about life being like a roll of toilet paper: “The closer you get to the end, the faster it goes.” I’ve been buying my toilet paper at Costco so maybe I have plenty before I get to the last sheet.
I also like the slogan that we should live life like an airline pilot. They never look back, only down the runway. A Viet Nam pilot that I knew told me about flying a cargo plane out of Viet Nam to the Philippines. When he landed all kinds of emergency vehicles headed his way. After he climbed out, he saw dozens of bullet holes in the plane and the tail was hanging on by a few cables. He said the plane was flying fine and he didn’t have a rear-view mirror. I guess, that is the life of a pilot.
Working in a museum makes not looking back harder than you think. I spend a lot of time looking at old photos that I think might be interesting to our readers. There are over 68,000 scanned negatives on my computer, so you can get lost looking for a particular photo that you found in a printed Winters Express
“Working in a museum makes not looking back harder than you think.”
The photos are filed by year, which helps, but some years overlap, and some are just out of place. There are hundreds of photos showing basketball players’ armpits. Tom Crisp told me not to delete any photos, so the armpit shots are still there.
Looking forward, the Lost Japanese Community of Winters display will be downsized and a new exhibit, Winters businesses, will take its place in a few months. I’m not sure how you cover 150 years of downtown Winters in a little over 600 square feet of wall space, but it will happen. My father wrote a column (on display in the museum) about all of the businesses that were here when he bought the paper in 1947. I’m working on the logistics of listing the businesses that were here in 1977
See QUICK, Page 6
Horoscopes
ARIES (Mar 21/Apr 20),
You are likely to question information you receive this week, Aries. Investigate things further, but remain receptive to what others are saying.
TAURUS (Apr 21/May 21),
Taurus, it is time to solidify plans and any grand schemes you may have; otherwise, you may not know which path to take. For now, start outlining your ideas.
GEMINI (May 22/Jun 21),
Practice your communication skills, Gemini, as you are likely to need them this week. You may need to resolve a sticky situation and serve as a voice of reason.
CANCER (Jun 22/Jul 22),
Cancer, this week you may be looking to clean house, so to say. You are tossing away old beliefs and habits and are ready to embrace something new. It might be an exciting time.
LEO (Jul 23/Aug 23),
Leo, everything that you are going through right now is part of a cycle that has a beginning and an end. If you wait it out, you will find that patience pays off.
VIRGO (Aug 24/Sept 22),
Virgo, maintain open lines of communication. Some may offer advice, while others may seek it. Be receptive to the former and do your best to accommodate the latter.
LIBRA (Sept 23/Oct 23), Do what you can to help others in need, Libra. Offer your services and insight, and be prepared to help in other ways as well.
SCORPIO (Oct 24/Nov 22), Scorpio, you are giving off an energy lately that others might be attracted to. Don’t be surprised if your fan club increases in the next few days. Enjoy the attention.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23/Dec 21), Communication from a former friend or an old roommate may catch you by surprise this week, Sagittarius. Embrace this opportunity to reconnect.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22/Jan 20), Capricorn, you’ve been waiting patiently to say something and looking for an opportunity to share your input. You might need to interrupt if you feel it is important enough.
AQUARIUS (Jan 21/Feb 18),
Your mind feels as if it’s going in a million different directions, Aquarius. One way to alleviate distractions is to direct your energy to an assortment of small projects.
PISCES (Feb 19/Mar 20), Pisces, sometimes it seems like what you are saying is going in one ear and out the other. Don’t let your frustration get the best of you. Keep trying to be heard.
“That is why we are working to incorporate social-emotional learning practices and opportunities throughout the year to provide our seniors, and all students, with the coping skills and stress management strategies that will help them no matter where their future takes them,” Ayache said.
Bottom-line, mental health is physical health.
“Many assume that mental wellness is restricted to the mind, however, the brain connects all of the body’s functionalities,” Ayache said.
“If the body is in poor health or not receiving the nutrition it needs to support itself, the brain signals emergency measures to the rest of the body to take certain measures for survival.”
Fatigue, nausea, migraines and irritability can be signs of anxi-
Express Yourself
ety in a student.
“Students who are not fueling their bodies with the appropriate nutrition or not attending to their health cannot be expected to perform well academically or successfully participate socially with their peers,” Ayache said.
negative.”
Like physical health, consistency is vital in mental wellness. Ayache said, “Learning consistency helps students identify their baseline for mental wellness and may even help prepare them to handle those lifestyle
“Many assume that mental wellness is restricted to the mind, however, the brain connects all of the body’s functionalities.”
Serine Ayache, school psychologist
Moderation is critical for staying focused during senior year.
“Too much or too little of any of these would have a trickle-down effect on students’ mental wellness,” Ayache said. “Sudden or unforeseen changes in lifestyle can also result in a change in mental wellness, whether positive or seemingly
changes appropriately.”
“There is no secret answer or magic wand that can make students let alone adults master this,” she said.
Lastly, transparency is an essential part of mental wellness.
“The more we share our vulnerabilities as adults in regards to managing our own mental wellness and lifestyle choices with students,” Ayache said. “I believe the less pressure they will feel to have it all figured out like they assume they are supposed to.”
Academic career or not, Ayache said being an example of positive mental health is essential, even in rough times.
“To be good role models, we don’t have to be perfect in our examples to students,” Ayache said. “By giving ourselves grace, we allow them the space to provide themselves with some grace as well.”
FILED IN YOLO COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE Jesse Salinas Yolo County Clerk/Recorder F20240987 12/2/2024
Business is located in YOLO County
Fictitious Business: MIR JEWELRY
Physical Address: 25587 CR 89 WINTERS CA 95694
Mailing Address: Names of Registrant(s)/Owner(s) & Physical Residential Address, State, and Zip: SHANNON MARIANI 25587 CR 89 WINTERS CA 95694
Business Classification: INDIVIDUAL
Starting Date
once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county: Winters Express Date: 12/5/24 TIMOTHY L FALL Judge of the Superior Court Published DECEMBER 25 JANUARY 1 8 15 2025 #77839
FILED IN YOLO COUNTY CLERK S OFFICE Jesse Salinas, Yolo County Clerk/Recorder F20240970 11/19/2024
Business is located in YOLO County
Fictitious Business: THE RUSTIC BAR-B-Q Physical Address: 7624 STATE HIGHWAY 16 GUIDA CA 95637
Mailing Address: PO BOX 92 GUINDA CA 95637
Names of Registrant(s)/Owner(s) & Physical Residential Address, State, and Zip: JOHN ROBERT FEALY TR, 7600 STATE HIGHWAY 16 GU INDA CA 95637
Business Classification: TRUST
Starting Date of Business: 8/1/2024 /s/ JOHN ROBERT FEALY
Title of Officer Signing : TR, OF CIAO FEALY TRUST I hereby certify that this is a true copy of the original document on file in this office This certification is true as long as there are no alterations to the document, AND as long as the document is sealed with a red seal Jesse Salinas County Clerk/Recorder State of California, County of Yolo
Published DECEMBER 18 25 2024 JANUARY 1 8 2025 #77711
An ordinance amending Chapter 5 36 (Food Vendors) of the WMC relating to food vendors As proposed, the ordinance revises regulations and relating to food vendors, including specified distance requirements and administrative fines Both proposed ordinances are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines because they are covered by the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects causing a significant effect on the environment and adoption of the proposed ordinances have no potential for causing a significant effect on the environment At a public hearing of the Planning Commission on December 10 2024 the
sion recommended by
of
against the proposed ordinances At any time
Toy Drive success
On behalf of Youth of One, I would like to send my gratitude to the Winters community, the Winters Express newspaper and the Winters Police and Fire departments for coming together and donating over 200 toys for our first inaugural Toy Drive Giveaway last weekend on Dec 21. With the generosity, caring and heartwarming donors and volunteers, and Pastor Bruce and the Pioneer church, my dream and vision came to life. I cannot be
thankful enough. I’d like to say a special thank you to Crystal Apilado for covering the event weeks before and the day of the toy drive. I also would like to say a heartfelt thank you to the Moreland, Garcia, Dryer, Alvarez, Tukumoeatu, Marquez and Campbell families for all your help and efforts with the event. I want to make this happen for our kids every year. Thank you community. There is more to come from Youth of One. ART GARCIA Youth of one founder/Instructor
Save the Date: 2025 Warriors winter sports games Sports
home, Girls at 5:30 p.m./ Boys at 3:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 23: at Willows High School, Girls at 5:30 p.m./Boys at 3:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 28: vs Wil liams High School at home, Girls at 5:30 p.m./Boys at 3:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 30: vs Collusa High School at home, Girls at 3:30 p.m./Boys at 5:30 p.m.
on the WHS Athletics page at https://tinyurl. com/2cuhzx5m.
Soccer
• Monday, Jan. 6: at Vacaville High School, Girls team play at 5:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 7: at Live Oak High School, Boys at 5:15 p.m./Girls at 3:15 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 11: vs Pierce High School at home, Girls at 3:15 p.m./ Boys at 5:15 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 10: at Wheatland High School, JV Girls at 4:30 p.m./JV Boys at 6 p.m.
• Saturday, Jan. 11: vs Esparto High School, Girls at Noon/Boys at 2 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 14: at Colusa High School, Girls at 5:30 p.m./Boys at 3:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 16: vs Dixon High School at home, JV Boys at 3:30 p.m./JV Girls at 5:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 21: vs Pierce High School at
fertilizers. It naturally forms a thick map of stems and leaves that outcompetes most weeds. Flowering varieties provide nectar and pollen for bees and other beneficial insects.
Clovers can be used as part of a ground cover mix that includes grasses and wildflowers such as California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) or low-growing perennials such as sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima). Depending on the mix of plants, this may require more irrigation and maintenance than clover alone.
If you decide against clover or want to diversify, there are other drought-tolerant, low-maintenance ground covers to consider.
Dymondia (Dymondia margaretae) is a silver-green, dense ground cover that tolerates heat and foot traffic. It’s slow-growing but highly drought-resistant. Lippia (Phyla nodiflora): forms a low mat and produces small, attractive flowers.
It’s heat- and drought-tolerant. Creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) is aromatic and evergreen. Creeping
• Monday, Feb. 3: vs Hamilton High School at home, Girls at 3:30 p.m./ Boys at 5:30 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 10: at Paradise High School, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
dise High School at home, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 6: at Pierce High SchoolGirls at 3:30 p.m./Boys at 5:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Feb. 11: vs Willows High School at home, Girls at 3:30 p.m./Boys at 5:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 13: at Williams High SchoolGirls at 3:30 p.m./Boys at 5:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 20, NSCIF Round 1, TBA
• Tuesday, Feb. 20, NSCIF Round 2, TBA
• Saturday, March 1, NSCIF Championship,
TBA Girls basketball
• Friday, Jan. 3: vs Pierce High School at home, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 7: vs East Nicolas High School at home, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
thyme thrives in hot, sunny conditions and requires minimal water once established. Many species of sedum (Sedum spp.) are heatand drought-tolerant, providing visual interest with their unique textures and colors. Check with local nurseries for native plant options such as yarrow (Achillea millefolium), various native bunch grasses or sedge species, which thrive in our climate and soils.
Here are a couple of links to provide more information:
Q: I have a three-year-old navel orange tree that is about eight feet tall. Should I prune it? I would like to keep the oranges low enough for easy picking.
A: Like all citrus, orange trees retain their green foliage throughout the year (they’re evergreen), so they need less pruning than deciduous trees (those that lose their leaves at the end of the growing season).
• Tuesday, Jan. 14: at Durham High School, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, Jan. 15: vs Woodland Christian High School at home, Varsity at 6 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 17: at Willows High School, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 21: BYE week
• Friday, Jan. 24: vs Colusa High School at home, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, Jan. 24: at Willows High School, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Monday, Jan. 27: at Pierce School, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, Jan. 29: at East Nicolaus High School, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 31: vs Para-
Still, aside from general pruning to remove dead branches, for example, judicious pruning of citrus trees is necessary to produce the best quality fruit and, of course, to maintain a height that makes harvesting as easy as possible. First, keep in mind that any pruning should wait until spring, after the last freeze and before the summer heat. Also, be careful not to prune too much at once, which could damage or kill the tree. This is especially important to remember while pruning for tree height.
Orange trees usually bear fruit closer to their tops and outsides, where the fruit gets the most light, so it makes sense to want to keep the tree at a manageable height. And few gardeners relish the idea of scrambling up and down a ladder to harvest their produce.
When pruning for height, a good rule of thumb is to not remove more than a third of the tree’s height at one time. Depending on your desired tree height, you may need to space out the pruning sessions over two or three years to reduce the chance of shock to
• Tuesday, Feb. 4: vs Durham High School at home, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Friday, Feb. 7: vs Willows High School at home, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11: BYE
Friday, Feb. 14: at Colusa High School at home, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, Feb. 19:
Playoffs - Round 1, TBA
• Friday, Feb. 21: Playoffs
- Round 2, TBA
• Wednesday, Feb. 26: Playoffs - Round 3, TBA
• Saturday, March 1: Section Finals, TBA Boys basketball
• Friday, Jan. 3: at Pierce High School, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 7: at East Nicolas High School, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 10: vs Paradise High School at school, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 14: vs Durham High School at home, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 17: vs Willows High School at home,
the tree.
Along with pruning for specific tree heights, canopy thinning is important to improve light penetration so that fruit develops fully. Once your tree is at the desired height, you can perform any canopy thinning as needed, usually every few years. Cindy Fake, a Horticulture and Small Farms Advisor in Nevada and Placer Counties, has this helpful hint: “A good judge of canopy density is whether or not you can see dappled sunlight on the ground beneath the tree at midday.”
At three years old, your tree is still young, but as it matures, you’ll also want to pay attention to the center, or interior, of the tree and keep that thinned to allow sufficient air circulation and light to reach it. This, in turn, will encourage fruit to grow on the tree’s interior branches instead of just the outside edges.
You’ll also want to prune water sprouts and suckers as they appear. Water sprouts grow above the graft union, on the scion (the tree proper), usually in unwanted places, like on the tree trunk or in branch crotches. Suckers growing
JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 21: at Trinity Christian High School, Varsity at 6 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 24: at Colusa High School, JV at 5:30 p.m./ Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Monday, Jan. 27: vs Pierce School at home, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, Jan. 29: vs East Nicolaus High School at home, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 31: at Paradise High School, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, Feb. 4: at Durham High School, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Friday, Feb. 7: at Willows High School, JV at 5:30 p.m./ Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, Feb. 11: BYE week
• Friday, Feb. 14: vs Colusa High School at home, JV at 5:30 p.m./Varsity at 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, Feb. 18: Playoffs - Round 1, TBA
• Thursday, Feb. 20: Playoffs - Round 2, TBA
• Tuesday, Feb. 25: Playoffs - Round 3, TBA
• Saturday, March 1: Section Finals, TBA
Wrestling
Find updates on the WHS wrestling team on it’s Facebook page at https://bit.ly/ WintersHSWrestlingFB.
below the graft union on the rootstock can reduce the health of the tree and eventually outgrow the original tree. The fruit they produce, if any, will likely be inedible.
Any discussion about pruning should include at least a few words about tools. In addition to the essential hand pruners, you’ll also want to have loppers for branches thicker than half an inch in diameter, a pruning saw for branches too thick for the loppers, and maybe even a pole pruner. With these, plus a little patience, one tool you shouldn’t find yourself needing is that ladder. Here is a publication to give you a little more information: UCANR Publication 31-008C Pruning Citrus, https://ucanr.edu/ sites/placernevadasmallfarms/files/134946.pdf
If you have a gardening question, contact the UC Master Gardener Help Desk at 530-666-8737. Or send an email, with information regarding watering, sun exposure, details about your problem, and photos, when possible, to mgyolo@ ucdavis.edu.
Maggenti Jr., a Winters High School senior, is Pisani’s Athlete of the Week. Maggenti has been an offensive line starter for the Warriors the last three years.
varsity head coach Daniel Ward said. “He was one of the best lineman in the
and more importantly assumed a leadership role on the line that we desperately needed.”
Art & Entertainment
WTC announces 10-Minute Play Festival productions
Special to the Express Winters Theatre Company announced its play lineup for the 4th annual 10-Minute Play Festival and is hosting auditions later this month.
This year, WTC reviewed over 450 submissions from across the globe. The results are an offering of eight diverse, thoughtful, thought-provoking plays for audiencegoers. The 10-Minute Play Festival is scheduled to run from Feb. 28 to March 1, and on March 7-8, at 7:30 p.m. in the Winters Opera House.
This year’s festival doesn’t focus on a specific theme. The productions will make you laugh, cry, sigh and maybe think about things in a slightly different way. The selection of plays is the result of an international callout to authors to submit scripts according to established criteria for exceptional 10-minute plays.
Auditions for the 10-Minute Plays will be held on Jan. 21 and Jan. 22 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Winters Opera House. There is a
wide variety of roles for people who are 18 years of age and older. For more information or questions, contact winterstheatre@ gmail.com.
The lineup of selected plays for the 10-Minute Play Festival includes:
“Clipped Wings” by Mark Edward Smith. “Clipped Wings” is about a young newlywed male who feels constrained. Thanks to a chance encounter, he realizes the value in what he’s got.
Mark Edward Smith is a published playwright. His play, “The Viewing Room” recently surpassed 20 productions, including six that were international, and it was produced by the Winters Theater Company in the Fall of 2019.
“A Blast” by Paul Smith. “A Blast” features two men who meet on a park bench. With tension in the air, their conversation is stilted, strange, and maybe suspicious. What’s going on? Only time will tell.
Paul Smith is a UKbased playwright and has been involved with the theatre in some capacity for over
50 years. His plays cover a wide range of styles and genres from farce to gritty drama and beyond.
“God on the Couch” by Dan O’Day. “God on the Couch” features God, the the privacy of his therapist’s office, who grapples with an existential crisis of biblical proportions.
At the age of 25, Dan O’Day segued from being a two-time Billboard-award-winning disc jockey to publishing a monthly comedy service subscribed to by radio personalities around the world. He has personally coached radio personalities and morning shows in 37 countries. Much of his writing is done on airplanes.
“This Polar Bear Walks into a Bar” by Leo McElroy. As the story goes, “This Polar Bear Walks into a Bar”
– a tropical bar – on a blind date and meets a female penguin
“Getting It” by Leo McElroy. A wife, in conversation with her husband, is finally “Getting It.”
After a long career as a broadcast journalist in Los Angeles, Leo McElroy moved to Sacramento and returned to his early days as an actor and playwright. More than a dozen of his full-length plays and musicals have been performed, with many winning awards. He is a founding member and current director of the Sacramento Playwrights Collaborative.
“Itsy Bitsy Spider” by Tim Cahill. The play is about the childhood rhyme of the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and his ruins with the rain and his frustra-
tion.
Tim Cahill has been writing plays, short stories and other works for years. In May 2023, four of his plays were performed in the production, “Damaged Goods.”
Other plays of his have been performed in Sacramento, and his humorous fiction “Bad Omens” was published in a professional trade journal.
“A Factually Inaccurate Conversation” by Zachary Mark. The play features two candidates for a job who are waiting to be balled in by the employer for an interview. One is focused on preparing, while the other wants to discuss conspiracy theories.
Zachary Mark is an Indiana-based playwright and career firefighter. His work has
been both published and produced in the United States as well as internationally. He is a proud member of the Dramatist Guild of America and an alum of Ball State University.
“When the Mice are Away” by Chris Smith. The play features a married couple who try to decide how to spend an evening without their children.
Having grown up in Northern California with cows and guns, Chris Smith spent his early adult years in LA producing in film and TV until returning north to the ranch. He just did his first one-person show as writer/performer, started the process of readings on a film to be shot in Sacramento, produced an adaptation of Christopher Moore’s “The Stupidest Angel” as an insane Christmas show, and had a psychological horror film start the funding process with a film company. For more information on the playwrights, visit the “10-Minute Play Festival” page at www. winterstheatre.org.
DMTC takes you on down to ‘42nd Street’
Special to the Express
Davis Musical Theatre Company is excited to present everyone’s favorite Broadway musical about, Broadway, “42nd Street” (underwritten by Michael and Alice Smith), which opens on Friday, Jan. 3, and plays through Sunday, Jan. 26, at the Jean Henderson Performing Arts Center, 607 Pena Drive, No. 10, in Davis.
Come out to enjoy one of show business’s most classic and beloved musical comedies, “42nd
Street,” a celebration of Broadway, Times Square and the magic of show biz, told with wit, humor and pizzazz. At the height of the Great Depression, aspiring chorus girl, Peggy Sawyer, comes to the big city from Allentown PA, and soon lands her first big job in the ensemble of a glitzy new Broadway show. But just before opening night, the leading lady breaks her ankle. Will Peggy be able to step in and become a star? The score is chock-full of Broadway standards,
including “You’re Getting To Be A Habit With Me,” “Dames,” “We’re In the Money,” “Lullaby of Broadway,” “Shuffle Off to Buffalo” and “Forty-Second Street.”
Directed and choreographed by Kyle Jackson, with musical direction by Jacob Fennell, the cast features Eilis Donnelly as Peggy Sawyer, Steve Wilner as Julian Marsh, Chris Cay Stewart as Dorothy Brock, J. Sing as Billy Lawlor, Monica Parisi as Maggie Jones, Sean Savidge as Bert Barry,
Jessica Garver as Anytime Annie and Brian McCann as Abner Dillon. The “42nd Street”
production runs on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m., Jan. 3 through 26. All per-
formances are at the Jean Henderson Performing Arts Center.
Tickets and Reserved Seating are $20 for General and $18 for students and seniors (age 55 and up); there is a $2 facility fee added per ticket. Tickets can be purchased online at dmtc.org or by calling 530-7563682. Don’t miss out on your chance to tap your feet to the beat of “42nd Street.”
when I came back to Winters. There are only a few that are still in business today, The Ireland Agency, Lorenzo’s Market, Pisani’s
but even some of those are calling it quits. I’m looking forward to the new museum exhibit and expect to see many of you stop by and point out the businesses that we missed or left out. Happy New Year.
QUICK
Courtesy graphic
Courtesy photo
Davis Musical Theatre Company brings the classic musical “42nd Street” to life on stage.
