Winters Express: Wednesday, May 29, 2024

A walk through time

By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief

The Winters High School Class of 2024 embarked on their Senior Walk around the schools where their education first took root.

Waggoner Elementary School Principal

Chris Marcoux invited seniors to dance the Cha-Cha-Slide with primary-aged students during their Movement Monday — on a Tuesday — on the playground. From there, the Warriors took buses to Shirley Rominger Intermediate School and Winters Middle School

before their return to the WHS campus where they walked the hallways in their caps and gowns.

Jack Tuel is the Class of 2024’s valedictorian and Kenneth Matheson is the salutatorian.

This year’s WHS commencement ceremony is on Thursday, May 30 at 7 p.m. on Dr. Sellers Field.

The Wolfskill Career Readiness Academy celebrated 11 graduates at a commencement ceremony on Wednesday, May 22 outside the WHS administration building. Teachers and staff

acknowledged each of the graduates’ educational journeys leading up to the finale of their high school career. Three additional graduates were celebrated at a ceremony in January.

The Howlers were decked out in dark blue caps and gowns. This is one of the changes made since Wolfskill CRA moved to the WHS campus this school year and a sign of students taking ownership of their school. Earlier this year students gave input on what they would like to see as their school colors.

Council begins discussions on outdoor cannabis, city budget

By Amelia Biscardi Express staff writer

With a scattering of topics, on Tuesday, May 21, the Winters City Council pushed back an ordinance on outdoor cannabis growth for personal use, gave short updates on Paseo Park and the Senior Center, and began discussing this year’s city budget.

Outdoor cannabis pushed back

In a 4–1 vote, the city council decided to ask city staff for more details on the outdoor personal cannabis ordinance. This ordinance was brought forward to the Winters Planning Commission at their last meeting where it was approved. City Manager Jeremy Craig noted that this agenda item will be brought up later this month or early next month.

The sole dissension on the council was Mayor Bill Biasi who

said he believes that there should be a ban on outdoor cannabis growth, not an ordinance allowing and outlining personal growth.

One of the main discussion points was scent, specifically the scent of a strain of cannabis commonly referred to as skunk. Council member Richard Casavecchia requested for the city staff to look into an addition to the ordinance banning cannabis with a more pungent odor.

The council also

See CITY, Page 5

Weather

Community honors those who gave all at Memorial Day event

By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief

Flags were at halfstaff and smaller ones identified the graves of local veterans who were laid to rest at the Winters Cemetery on Monday.

The Winters Cemetery District hosted the Winters Memorial Day event on Monday, May 27. The event was the second since they ceased in 2019 before the pandemic.

Joe Bristow, WCD chair, opened the event by sharing the traditional Memorial Day flag etiquette of raising the flag to full staff at sunrise and immediately lowering it to half staff, before raising it to full staff again at Noon.

Rev. George Elrod gave the invocation and served as the featured speaker later in the event.

Elrod is a decorated combat veteran hav-

ing received a Bronze Star and Purple Heart while serving in Vietnam. He has also authored a book about his experience there and is working on a second book.

This year, he paid homage to the men, women, children, first responders and US military personnel who perished in the 2001 September 11 attacks. Elrod said

See MEMORIAL, Page 2

Rev. George Elrod asked attendees to stand if they recognized one of the 26 names of veterans buried in the Winters Cemetery who were killed in combat.

Crystal Apilado/Winters Express

LEFT: Colton Brown gives a high five to Sue Bridge at Winters Middle School.

BELOW: Salutatorian

Kenneth Matheson and Valedictorian Jack Tuel get ready to walk around Waggoner Elementary School — where their educational career began.

Crystal Apilado/Winters Express

Retiring school district staff collectively served more than 17 decades

Winters Joint Unified School District acknowledged and celebrated staff retiring at the end of the 2023-24 school year.

Between the retirees, the group represented over 17 decades of service to students at Winters JUSD.

“We are thankful – is an understatement –for their dedication to the students, staff and community of Winters JUSD,” said Human Resources Director Lisa Dennis.

For 18 years, Cathleen Olsen has served as the Director of Food Service, leading her team through challenges, creating opportunities and ensuring students and the greater community had nutritious meals.

“Her work to source local food, to ensure all students have access to healthy food, and to develop school gardens will not be forgotten,” Dennis said. “It’s estimated that over the years, Cathy has served over 5 million meals in her time here...”

Leonila Fernandez has spent 23 years car-

MEMORIAL

Continued from Page 1 Express staff

attack “was a new kind of war. We were well accustomed to sending our soldiers — our young men into battle on foreign soil. But this time this time the war came to us.”

“What had come under attack on that day was the freedom that we as Americans have come to take for granted. We were jerk-

ing for Winters JUSD’s youngest learners at the Winters State Preschool Center. Dennis said Fernandez’s “passion for teaching and dedication to students has created a safe and loving environment where children thrive.”

“Leonila keeps class interesting, validates what each child brings to the table, and keeps students engaged – which we all know for three and four years old, is a mighty task,” Dennis said. “Her knowledge, kind deeds, and tenderness have left an indelible mark on the preschool that no one can ever remove.”

Katie Aunan has taught students at Shirley Rominger Intermediate School for 27 years.

Dennis said Aunan “has been an instrumental part” of the elementary school community.

“Her warm and welcoming spirit is contagious. She has positively impacted the lives of countless students with her unwavering dedication and endless kindness,” Dennis said. “She instilled a sense

ed as a nation from our slumber that day,” Elrod said in his speech.

“And we were reminded of something we had long known, but had forgotten freedom is never free. Freedom is never free. Memorial Day is a time for Americans to reconnect with their history and core values by honoring those who gave their lives for the ideals we cherish.”

Elrod said many Americans have lost

of wonder, curiosity, and a love of learning that will stay with students long after they leave her classroom.”

Sandy Donaldson has been a beloved custodian for 30 years at Waggoner Elementary School.

“Sandy has made sure that our young learners have a clean safe place to begin their education journey. The Waggoner team said that Sandy is a ray of sunshine. No matter the day,

the connection with their history of how their freedoms were established including wars from colonial times to the present.

“There are many reasons for the disconnect. We have fewer and fewer veterans to share their stories and many of the older veterans, especially those from World War Two, Korea and Vietnam tend to be reticent. They don’t often talk about their service,” Elrod said.

He shared part of his experience in the Vietnam War where he was tasked to identify the remains of those who had died in combat, noting that he watched friends that he went to Vietnam with come home in body bags.

Elrod read off the names of the 26 veter-

the weather, or the challenge, she greets everyone she encounters with a warm smile and a fun attitude,” Dennis said.

Sue Bridge has taught physical education – and other classes – at Winters Middle School for 37 years.

“Sue has built relationships and cared for thousands of students – some of who are now teachers, administrators and parents in our district,”

Dennis said. “Whether challenging them to move their bodies and be active, to make healthy choices, or to be aware of their social emotional well-being, she has deeply cared for each student and staff member that has crossed her path.”

Meredith Reinhart has taught English at Winters Middle School for 38 years.

Dennis said Reinhardt “is passionate, patient and consistent

with her students.”

“Meredith has been a dedicated champion for students, inspiring a love of reading and writing in Winters for 38 years. Meredith –I’m told – has a unique talent for recommending books. She is known to pay keen attention to students and colleagues and make excellent book recommendations. These recommendations usually caused readers to think, consider and grow.”

ans buried in Winters Cemetery who were killed in action. This year, he asked folks to stand up if they knew the person, and at the end of the list encouraged attendees to look around at the number of folks who were standing.

He also quoted US Army member Charles M. Province’s list of statements including, “It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press. It’s the soldier, not the poet who has given us freedom of speech. It’s the soldier, not the campus

organizer who has given us the freedom to demonstrate. It’s a soldier, not the lawyer who has given us the right to a fair trial. And it’s the soldier who salutes the flag, who serves the flag. Whose coffin draped by the flag who allows the protester to burn the flag.”

Winters Girl Scouts from Troops 1225, 1933 and 2744 (and this editor) led attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance and in a singalong to My County Tis of Thee.

Musician Bruce Chapman provided

music for singalongs to multiple patriotic songs including God Bless the USA, America the Beautiful and the Star Spangled Banner.

The Service Veterans of Northern California Volunteer Honor Guard fired a 21-gun salute in honor of the 26 veterans who were killed in action and 468 veterans who are laid to rest in the Winters Cemetery.

Trumpeter Michael Haviland performed Taps to conclude the ceremony. Many local veterans and their families, community members, Winters city councilmembers, and Yolo County Supervisor Lucas Freirichs, were in attendance. Bristow thanked the volunteers for helping to place flags in downtown Winters and the 494 flags on all of the veterans’ graves on Friday morning.

Crystal Apilado/Winters Express

The Service Veterans of Northern California Volunteer Honor Guard fired a 21-gun salute in honore of the veterans laid to rest in the Winters Cemetery on Monday afternoon.

Crystal Apilado/Winters Express

Sue Bridge, Meredith Reinhart, Leonila Fernandez, Cathleen Olsen and Katie Aunan were celebrated at the May 16, Winters Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees Meeting. Retiree Sandy Donaldson was not in attendance.

Winters JUSD serving free meals for youths this summer

By Patty Jimenez Special to the Express

The Winters Joint Unified School District is participating in the Seamless Summer Option and will provid free meals to all children 18 and younger without charge.

Acceptance and participation requirements for the program and all activities are the same for all regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.

Meals will be pro-

vided at the sites on Monday thru Friday from June 10 to July 26. The program is closed on June 19, July 4 and July 5. All children 18 years of age and under can access free breakfast and lunch meals at no charge at the following locations:

Waggoner Elementary School, 500 Edwards St.

• Breakfast 8:15 to 8:45 a.m.

• Lunch 11 a.m. to Noon Winters High School, 101 Grant Ave.

• Breakfast 8:15 to 8:30 a.m.

• Lunch 10 to 10:15

a.m. For additional information, contact Patty Jimenez, Director of Nutrition Services, at Winters Joint Unified School District, 909 West Grant Ave., call 530795-6100 Ext. 8004 or email pjimenez@wintersjusd.org. To file a complaint of discrimination, call 800-795-3272 or 202-720-6382 (TTY) or write to: USDA; Director, Office of Civil Rights; 1400 Independence Ave., SW; Washington, D.C. 20250-9410. Winters JUSD is an equal opportunity provider.

Thriving Pink hosts t-shirt design contest

Special to the Express

Local nonprof-

it Thriving Pink is looking for creative minds to help design a t-shirt to help spread awareness about breast cancer and the educational programs it offers.

“The t-shirt contest is a fun way for us to engage the community while increasing awareness of breast cancer and the programs and services we offer. And, we hope to come up with a creative new t-shirt

design that embodies our mission and values,” said Joni Rubin, Thriving Pink Board of Directors chair. “We know there are lots of creative people in Yolo County and we are looking forward to seeing design submissions.”

Rubin said the organization crafts a unique Thriving Pink t-shirt as a token of gratitude for donors and dedicated volunteers. This year, they’re shaking things up with a design contest, and

they hope Yolo residents will be motivated and inspired to design something that will make a meaningful impact through their creativity.

The design contest is open to all. Designers who are under 18 years old can submit designs with parental or legal guardian consent. All information about the contest, including rules and judging criteria, is available online at www.thrivingpink. org/t-shirt-contest.

Yolo County Local Mental Health Board presents on 5150 hold process

Express staff

The Yolo County Local Mental Health Board will host a presentation on the 5150 involuntary psychiatric hold process at its meeting on Wednesday, June 5 at 6 p.m. in the Gonzales Building, Community Room, 25 N. Cottonwood Street, Woodland.

Guests from Sutter Health, the Davis Police Department and Yolo County Health & Human Services Agency will describe the process and answer board members’ questions.

The meeting will be open to the pub-

lic and will also be available for the public to watch virtually on Zoom via https:// yolocounty.zoom. us/j/84960787627, Meeting ID 849 6078 7627.

Any questions can be directed via email to LMHB@yolocounty. org.

Yolo Basin Foundation seeks volunteers for Bat Talk, tours

Special to the Express

Join Yolo Basin Foundation for its

summertime Bat Talk & Tours to learn all about these amazing and beneficial mammals The foundation seeks volunteers to assist with Bat Talk & Tour presentations and special bat-themed events, including Bats and Crafts, Bat House Building, and more!

The foundation asks that volunteers commit to assisting with at least three Bat Talk & Tour programs between late June and the end of September. Volunteer shifts typically begin around 5 p.m. and conclude between 9 and 10 p.m., depending on the time of sunset.

Volunteer training for the Bat Talk and Tours will be on Tuesday, June 4, starting at 6:30 p.m. The training will cover volunteer tasks, including set-up, guest checkin, T-shirt sales, and frequently asked

questions about bats. Volunteers will also caravan out to the viewing location to learn about logistics and experience the bat fly-out.

Join bat tour

Following a presentation on bat natural history, where you will have the opportunity to see live ambassador bats up close, the group will carpool out to the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area for a brief tour of the wetlands and rice fields. Then we get in position to watch the “flyout” of the largest urban colony of Mexican free-tailed bats in

California. The bats emerge in long ribbons as they head out to hunt for insects for the night.

The whole experience takes about three hours and is a family-friendly event. There is a small amount of walking. Those in wheelchairs or unable to walk may view the bats by car. Please let us know if you have special needs. Bat Talk and Tour events begin in late June and run through September. For information about the Bat Talk & Tour program, visit yolobasin.org/battalkandtour.

Martín es nombrada finalista del Concurso de Arte del Congreso del Condado Yolo

Por Crystal Apilado

Traducido por Carol Alfonso

Una estudiante del tercer año de Winters High School (WHS) fue nombrada como finalista del Condado Yolo para el Concurso de Arte del Congreso del Cuarto Distrito 2024 a principios de este mes. El congresista Mike Thompson, demócrata por St. Helena, anunció que Taylor Webster del Condado Napa fue elegida como la ganadora del Cuarto Distrito de California del Concurso de Arte del Congreso del 2024 y que Luzangely Martín, estudiante de WHS, fue nombrada finalista del Condado Yolo.

“Siempre espero con ansias el Concurso de Arte del Congreso, ya que nos brinda a mis colegas, a los visitantes del Capitolio y a mí la oportunidad de apreciar los increíbles talentos de los artistas de las escuelas secundarias de nuestro distrito,” dijo Thompson. “Felicitaciones a Taylor Webster del Condado Napa por ser nombrada ganadora de este año del Cuarto Distrito de California y felicitaciones a Luzangely Martin por ser nombrada finalista del Condado Yolo de este año.

“Año tras año, quedo impresionado por la habilidad y creatividad de estos jóvenes artistas, y este año no fue la excepción. Gracias a cada uno de nuestros estudiantes artistas que enviaron su trabajo, a sus familias y maestros por brindar tutoría, y a nuestros jueces por

evaluar cuidadosamente las presentaciones. Espero ver la pieza de la señorita Webster en exhibición en el Capitolio de los Estados Unidos.”

Martín dijo que su obra de arte “In the Fields (En los Campos)” es una creación de medios mixtos de lápiz, lápiz de color y pintura acrílica. Representa un par de manos de color apagado y rodeadas de bayas de colores vibrantes.

“Esta pieza muestra un par de manos embotadas que representan el sacrificio y el trabajo físicamente duro que experimentan muchos trabajadores de campo en nuestra región,” dijo Martín sobre su arte.

“El contrato entre las frutas brillantes y las manos grises demuestra los sentimientos que nosotros, como consumidores, sentimos cuando comemos la fruta, que incluyen felicidad y disfrute, versus los sentimientos de los trabajadores que la recogen, que son la fatiga y el agotamiento.”

Martín se inspiró en “In the Strawberry Fields (En Los Campos De Fresa)” de Eric

Schlosser después de leerlo en su clase de Inglés. Dijo que la experiencia de sus padres al emigrar a los Estados Unidos trabajando en el campo y compartiendo sus historias con ella le sirvió de inspiración personal. Martín dijo que quería hacer una declaración a través de su arte. Se sintió especialmente motivada cuando descubrió que algunos de sus compañeros de su escuela conocían el arduo trabajo que experimentaban los trabajadores del campo. “Esto es parte de mí, podría mostrarle a la gente mi perspectiva,” dijo Martín. “Toda esta información en el fondo se me quedó grabada. Lo primero que pensé fue: “Necesito hacer una declaración con mi arte.”

Ganadores del concurso

La pieza ganadora general fue creada por la artista del Condado Napa, Taylor Webster. Cada primavera, los miembros del Congreso organizan el Concurso de Arte del Congreso para

Foto de cortesía

Luzangely Martín junto a su padre Oswaldo Martín (derecha) con el representante Mike Thompson aceptó su reconocimiento como finalista del Condado Yolo en el Concurso de Arte del Congreso del Cuarto Distrito del 2024.

Vea ARTE, Página 5

Obituary

April 12, 1940 – May 16, 2024

Albert Joseph Obermueller Jr., a longtime Esparto resident, died at his home on May 16, 2024, after a nine-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 84.

Obie, as most people called him, was born April 12, 1940, in Hudson, Wis., the second of Albert and Rosella (Strehlo) Obermueller’s three children that also included his older sister LaVonne and younger sister Eileen.

At age 3, Obie moved with his family to a farm in Glenwood City, Wis., where they raised dairy cows and grew hay oats and corn. He attended Pine Heights Elementary School, a oneroom schoolhouse, from the first through eighth grades.

From there he went to Glenwood City High School and was active with the Future Farmers of America, drama club, yearbook club and several intramural sports teams before graduating in 1958.

Obie attended the University of Wisconsin at River Falls, the first in his family to go to college. He grad-

uated in 1962 with a double major in agriculture and chemistry, and joined the U.S. Air Force officer training school in San Antonio, Texas, the following year. He spent nine months in training to become a navigator, which he completed in 1965. From there, he was stationed in Westover, Mass., learning to fly B-52s. He navigated the aircraft for 13 months, six of which he spent flying 84 Vietnam War combat missions while stationed in Guam, Okinawa and Thailand.

During his time in Guam, Obie met his future wife, Judith Brady, whom he married on Sept. 13, 1969,

Save The Date for the next Express Coffeehouse Chat on June 21 at 8:30 a.m. Join the Express Editor for a meet and greet with the Winters City Manager and school district Superintendent. Ask questions about something specific or come out and get to know them better.

PO Box 520, Winters, CA 95694 530-795-4551

Se habla español. news@wintersexpress.com

Content

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Crystal Apilado, Editor-in-Chief

Sydney Andrade, Staff Writer

Amelia Biscardi, Staff Writer Logan Chrisp, Staff Writer

David DeLeon, Advertising Director

T. Burt McNaughton, Co-Publisher Taylor Buley, Publisher-at-Large Charles R. Wallace, Publisher Emeritus

YESTERYEAR

in San Diego. Although the marriage ended in divorce, the couple welcomed two children, Lauren and Kurt. After completing his active duty, Obie spent 15 years in the Air Force reserves. During that time, he and Judy moved to Davis so Albert could pursue his graduate degree in agronomy at UC Davis. He graduated in 1972, and a year later the family purchased and moved to a 20-acre almond ranch in Esparto.

Obie retired from the Air Force reserves as a lieutenant colonel in 1984 after a total of 22 years of military service. In 1990, he became a self-employed crop

insurance adjustor, investigating claims throughout northern California in addition to his farming work. His retirement in 2008 allowed Obie to more fully enjoy his favorite pastimes such as travel (he visited all seven continents during his lifetime), bicycling, camping, hiking and other active pursuits. He also gave freely of his time to numerous community service organizations, including the Esparto Lions Club (serving three terms as its president), Western Yolo Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7143, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Yolo County Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Future Farmers of America and the Mustard Seed School, among others. A Parkinson’s disease diagnosis in 2015 slowed Obie down physically, but he remained mentally sharp and never lost the dry sense of humor that many considered among his best qualities.

Obie is survived by his longtime partner, Rebecca Tauzer of Esparto; children Lauren (Obermueller) Keene of Davis and Kurt Obermueller of Esparto;

Lake Berryessa water levels down

The water level of Lake Berryessa went down during the past week by 0.36 feet, with a decrease in the storage of 6,761 acre-feet of water, according to Ken Emigh of the Solano Irrigation District. On the morning of Tuesday, May 28, the lake level was 438.82 feet above sea level, with storage computed at 1,529,083 acre-feet of water. Evaporation on the lake averaged 233 acre-feet of water per day. The SID is diverting 473 cubic feet per second of water in the Putah South Canal, with 55 cubic feet per second flowing at the Diversion Dam.

Learn more about the Solano Irrigation District services or news updates online at www.sidwater.org.

grandsons Ethan Keene and Aidan Keene of Sacramento; sisters LaVonne McCombie of Hudson, Wis., and Eileen Wheeler of Jacksonville, Ark.; along with many cousins, nieces and nephews. The family is grateful for the compassionate care Obie received from Sutter Hospice and Comfort Keepers of Yolo County, who along with Becky helped him live out his final months in the comfort of his own home.

A funeral Mass is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday, June 6, at St. Martin’s Catholic Church, 26533 Grafton St. in Esparto, followed by burial at Capay Cemetery, 25065 County Road 22 in Esparto. Afterward, please join Obie’s family for a reception at one of his favorite hangouts, the Road Trip Bar & Grill, 24989 Highway 16 in Capay. In lieu of flowers, Obie’s friends are invited to make a contribution in his name toward a Parkinson’s disease research organization, then raise a cold beer to celebrate his memory.

Public Safety Report

The Winters Fire Log will return soon. Check for updates at https://cityofwinters. org/157/Fire.

Police Arrest Log

May 16: Winters Juvenile (Age Unk.); Charges: Trespassing, Obstruct/Resist Peace Officer; Disposition: Released on Notice to Appear

May 21: Sanchez, Jose Maria (Age 32); Charges: Yolo SO Warrant, Two Woodland PD Warrants; Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail Report Log

May 15: 11:47 a.m., 200th block of Creekside Way, APS Referral

~1:33 p.m., 400th block of Village Circle, Vandalism

~6:34 p.m., 400th block of Niemann

Street, Vehicle Tow May 16: 12:23 p.m., 100th block of Main Street, Audible Alarm

~6:38 p.m., 100th block of E. Grant Avenue, Audible Alarm

May 19: 9:28 a.m., 30th block of Main Street, Vehicle Tow ~7:45 p.m., 100th block of Grant Avenue, Obscene Matter

May 20: 7:47 a.m., 900th block of Railroad Avenue, Theft May 21: 8:41 a.m., 300th block of Railroad Avenue, Audible Alarm

~10:20 a.m., 20th block of Main Street, Theft

~1:19 p.m., 500th block of Third Street, Audible Alarm

~2:46 p.m., 100th block of Grant Avenue, Domestic Violence ~8:25 p.m., 700th block of Dutton Street, Audible Alarm

Picked by Charley Wallace

Albert Joseph Obermueller Jr.

Courtesy photo Courtesy photo Express staff

Californians will see lower electricity rates and a new fee that won’t vary with power use

By Ben Christopher CalMatters

State utility regulators decided today to let California’s largest power providers stick their customers with a new monthly flat fee in exchange for a reduction in the overall price of electricity, a controversial change to the way that millions of households pay their utility bills with weighty implications for state climate change policy.

Under the new policy, utilities will be required to reduce the price households pay for the electricity they use every time they charge a phone or run an air conditioner.

That rate cut will vary from between 8 percent and 18 percent , depending on the utility, season and time of day, according to the commission’s analysis.

To make up for the lost revenue, regulators have introduced the concept of a “fixed charge,” a break from California electric billing tradition. For decades electric bills from Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric have been

considered adding to the ordinance, brought up by Biasi, to ensure a radius from sensitive sites such as schools.

“I have an issue with a farming town banning personal farming of an otherwise legal crop personally,” Casavecchia said.

Winters resident Paul Myer who has been vocal against allowing any outdoor personal cannabis growth asked the council to not allow three plants to be grown under the ordinance.

“I hope one of you will make a motion to reduce the number of three plants outdoors to zero, I hope you’ll get a second and I’d love to see the vote,” Myer said.

City talks budget Craig, armed with numbers and a general breakdown of the city’s General Fund, explained a bit of the fiscal year’s revenue specifically in terms of tax types. Craig noted that the Winters

the “pay as you go” variety, with households only paying for the electricity they use. Starting in late 2025 for SCE and SDG&E customers and in early 2026 for those with PG&E, the state’s investor-owned utilities will be able to charge customers a monthly fee regardless of how much power the customer draws from the grid. So-called fixed charges are a mainstay of electric billing across most of the country, with an average fee of roughly $11.

The new California charge will be $24 for most customers, but lower income households, who already qualify for discounted electric rates, will see fees of either $6 or $12.

The unanimous vote by the California Public Utilities Commission comes after months of heated debate that pitted Assembly and Senate Democrats and Republicans against legislative leadership and the governor’s office, advocates of rooftop solar against labor unions representing utility workers and environmental advocates against one another.

Backers of the bill-

community is purchasing many items from nearby towns which for the city is a loss of that sales tax revenue.

“It’s hard because people don’t shop the way they used to,” Biasi said. “When growing up (in town) we had car dealerships, we had four grocery stores, we had probably five gas stations. We had everything locally. People didn’t just jump in their car and run out of town to the big box stores.”

Going forward, the council and Craig voiced a want to add more commercial businesses, diversifying the sales tax so the majority of that revenue comes from more businesses.

With Grocery Outlet in the works, Craig hopes that will begin to fill leakage gaps that Winters by adding another grocery store as well as some household items.

Craig also added that as well the Transient Occupancy Tax, which charges 12 percent for hotel or motel guests, is newer to city staff and they are still

ing change say it’s a necessary step to bring down electricity rates in California, which are among the highest in the country. California regulators want all new cars sold to be electric by 2035 and are taking steps to discourage gas-powered indoor appliances. Those goals are hard to square with sky-high electric prices.

The state’s planned “transition to all electric homes, cars and trucks is truly transformative,” said CPUC President Alice Reynolds at today’s hearing. Under the proposed change all customers “will be better off financially if they electrify — whether that’s purchasing an electric vehicle or switching out a gas appliance with an electric one.”

Opponents argue that the change in billing policy won’t move the needle for most households considering dumping their gas-powered cars and appliances, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars, but will instead needlessly discourage energy conservation efforts while punishing rooftop solar customers.

learning more about this tax and what to expect.

“Most hotel activity came along the tail end of COVID,” Craig said. “I think that last year (...) really reflected a normal travel year. So we’re going to really track that in the next few years until we build up some historic information.”

Paseo Park design

Mayor Pro Tempore Albert Vallecillo gave a succinct update on the Paseo Park plan, explaining that consultant Extra Fancy LLC is working towards the beginning of the design phase.

Winters resident Corinne Martinez voiced her concerns about downtown visioning not being completed and how that would affect Paseo Park.

“Just wondering how we (can) move forward without the whole being considered,” Martinez said.

Vallecillo said that there have been around nine or 10 iterations of potential

The policy is a departure from 50 years of regulatory precedent in California, which is “if you use more you pay more and that encourages conservation,“ said Loretta Lynch, a former CPUC president and critic of what she sees as a “pro-utility” bias on the current body. Reducing the penalty on high energy use will also have “huge cost consequences down the road” for a grid that already struggles to keep up with summer-time demand, she said.

The ultimate impact of the policy change may be more muted than either side wants to admit, said Merideth Fowlie, a UC Berkeley economist and one of a handful of researchers to initially float the idea in 2021 of an income-graduated fixed charge as one way to pay for reduced electricity rates.

The three-tiered CPUC-approved change doesn’t vary much by income and its promised rate reductions are relatively modest, said Fowlie.

“Clearly, I’m disappointed, because I don’t think it comes

park design and some of the most important elements from previous designs have made their way onto current designs.

“Paseo Park is a part of the downtown and it’s a part of the vision,” Vallecillo said. “But the Paseo Park itself is an independent design project. And the design elements that are being incorporated into it have been spoken about for 17 years.”

Senior Center gains momentum

Craig said that the city has been making progress on the Senior Center project and Public Works Operations Manager, Eric Lucero has been taking questions on that project from the city’s side of things.

“We actually did a walk-through with a group of architects last week,” Craig said. “If all goes well we should have that back to you probably the second meeting of June, maybe the first meeting of July at the latest.”

close to where I think we should be in terms of reductions,” she said. “If this forces another conversation — which is, ‘Why are we paying for wildfire risk mitigation, which is essentially climate change adaptation, or some of these major investments in decarbonisation, on bills?’ — I think that’s an important conversation to have.”

Winner and losers in new utility fee

Though utilities won’t earn any more revenue or profit as a direct result of the change, there will be winners and losers under the new billing program.

The reduced price of electricity will likely save money for people who use a lot of electricity, such as a large household in an AC-dependent part of the state or the owner of an electric SUV, a heat pump and an induction stove. That reduction will be more than enough to offset the cost of the new fee. Many, if not most, low-income households who qualify for the discounted fixed charge will also emerge as financial winners.

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reconocer y fomentar el talento artístico en sus distritos y en nuestra nación. Desde que comenzó el Concurso de Descubrimiento Artístico en 1982, han participado más de 650,000 estudiantes de escuela secundaria. Las obras ganadoras se exhiben durante un año en los

But there are sure to be plenty of losers, too. Smaller households, Californians living along the temperate coast, energy conscious customers and people with solar panels on their rooftops are all more likely to see their total utility bills rise.

That group makes for a powerful political bloc that has fiercely rallied against the regulatory change for months.

Many showed up or called in at the commission hearing.

“The big utility tax will increase monthly utility bills on four million households while doing nothing to encourage electrification,” said Yvette DeCarlo, speaking on behalf of a coalition of environmental nonprofits, tenant rights groups, liberal advocacy organizations and anti-tax activists.

Severin Borenstein, another Berkeley economist who co-authored the 2021 study with Fowlie, said modeling suggests that the lower electricity rates under the policy will only increase electric vehicle purchases by roughly

See RATES, Page 6

pasillos del Capitolio de los Estados Unidos. La lista completa de artistas reconocidos incluye:

• Taylor Webster, Condado Napa, ganadora general.

• Luzangely Martín, Condado Yolo, finalista.

• Gavin DuBois, Condado Lake, finalista.

• Lilly Bertlin, Condado Solano, finalista.

• Ziqi Zheng, Condado Sonoma, finalista.

Senior News

Elder Day Council announces listing of 2024 honorees

By Wally Pearce Winters Elder Day Council

Elder Day recognizes the achievements of the more mature representatives of the city of Winters community. Elder Day provides an opportunity to show our appreciation for their dedication, accomplishments, and services they give throughout their lives. The 2024 honorees include:

• Darlene Barnett

• Barbra Cody

• Marg Graf

• Dick Holdstock

• Danielle Lares

• Lola Morgan

It’s time to celebrate our Winters Elders! Are you a Winters resident who’s 90 years old or older or turning 90 this year? Do you know someone who is? The annual Elder Day Celebration will be held on Saturday, June 29, at St. Anthony’s Parish Hall, 511 West Main St. in Winters, from 2 to 4 p.m. The committee is looking for honorees for this year’s event. Everyone in the city of Winters community is invited to attend this free event. Your help in locating others is greatly

needed for the success of the 2024 Elder Day festivity and is greatly appreciated. If you know of anyone 90 years of age or older or will be 90 this year, please contact the following Winters Elder Day Council members Wally Pearce at 707249-7975 or email denropro@gmail.com and for the Spanish-speaking community, contact Ramon Altamirano at 916-600-6707 or email ramon.altamirano@aol.com.

Come and join in to honor this year’s elders.

Thursday afternoon WSF social activity

By Tina Lowden Winters Senior Foundation

The Winters Senior Foundation hosts a weekly social hour on Thursday afternoons. During our “social activity” first hour, we share the answer to a question with each other — favorite fall fruit or a deeper question about life. The Thursday before Mother’s Day we shared our Mother’s name and places of birth:

• Maria dePizzol –Italy

• Betty Laubengerey – Kansas

• Marie Genevio Schwab – Wisconsin (nickname Mary Jane Jessica)

• Hohsah Elizabeth

– NewYork (nickname Axie)

• Evelyn Mary Sutcliffe – California (nickname Pat)

• Mariann Lucille Kloster – Minnesota (nickname Marlene D.)

• Julia Alta Brooks – Wyoming (nickname Berkie)

• Dorothy Matilda Miranda – Philippines

• Eva June Smith -Illinois

These ladies came from far and near. We lifted their names up, had some refreshments and played dominoes or cards.

Come and join us on Thursday afternoons from 1 to 4 p.m. at St. Anthony’s.

• Emily Violet Benites – California

How families can share caregiving responsibilities

Family caregivers are unsung heroes. Such individuals typically provide vital services to their loved ones who cannot fully care for themselves, and they often do so without compensation.

Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates the prevalence of family caregivers across the country. According to the BLS, 14 percent of the population, which equates to roughly 37 million people, provide unpaid eldercare across the nation. Unpaid caregivers also provide vital services in Canada, where the

Canadian Institute for Health Information reports such individuals provide an average of 17 hours of unpaid care each week (26 hours for those who care for seniors with dementia). Caregiving for a family member can take a toll that affects caregivers’ physical and mental health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, caregivers are at increased risk for developing multiple chronic diseases since many neglect their own health needs while caring for others. In addition, roughly 15 percent of caregivers who participated in a CDC survey reported experienc-

ing 14 or more mentally unhealthy days in the past month.

The physical and mental toll of caregiving underscores how important it can be for families to find ways to share caregiving duties. Though each situation is unique, the National Institute on Aging offers the following advice to families as they seek to share the responsibility of caring for a loved one in need.

• Identify the care required. The NIA recommends families discuss caregiving needs as early as possible and ideally before an emergency situation arises. If possible, the person in need can partici-

pate in this conversation and help to calmly discuss which services are wanted and needed. If a loved one is diagnosed with a condition in its early stages, such as dementia, families can then work together to identify the level of care required in the immediate future and potentially down the road should the condition worsen.

• Choose a primary caregiver. The primary caregiver will be the individual who accepts the bulk of the daily responsibilities of caregiving. Identifying this person early, ideally before a primary caregiver is even needed, can limit confusion should

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Continued from Page 5

5 percent above what they would otherwise be.

“It’s in the right direction, though, and I think that we can’t get to where we need to go unless we start,” he said.

The fixed charge policy was included in a budget proposal by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration in 2022, but it wasn’t until last year that many state legislators woke up to it. Twenty-one coastal Democrats, led by Thousand Oaks Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, introduced a bill ordering the CPUC to reverse course. So too did Senate Republican

the day come when the individual needs daily care.

• Determine each caregiver’s contribution. The caregiving team can discuss each person’s skills and how they can be used to take care of the individual in need. This can be particularly useful when assigning specific tasks. For example, a caregiver who works in the medical field may be most qualified to speak to medical staff about their loved one’s condition, while another who works in the financial sector may be tasked with managing a loved one’s bank accounts and ensuring bills are paid on time.

• Recognize every-

leader Brian Jones. Both efforts were quietly put on ice at the behest of legislative leadership.

For California’s residential solar industry, the vote is just the latest regulatory broadside.

Over the last two years, the CPUC has slashed the payments that utilities are required to give to single family homeowners, apartment buildings, schools and businesses that install solar panels.

That’s based on the argument, advanced by the commission, the regulated utilities and many energy economists, that relatively well-to-do solar customers have been overcompensated in

one has limits. A caregiving team is just that: a team. As noted, caregiving can take both a physical and emotional toll, so it’s important that everyone, and particularly the individual chosen as the primary caregiver, receive routine breaks to ensure everyone can take care of themselves. It’s important that a caregiving team maintain a degree of flexibility to account for the physical and mental challenges caregivers may encounter as they tend to a loved one in need. More information about caregiving can be found at nia.nih. gov.

California since the early 2000s, which has had the effect of off-loading the costs of running the grid onto non-solar households. Advocates for the fixed charge say assigning solar customers an unavoidable monthly charge is yet another way to balance out who pays for major utility line items like wildfire prevention, subsidies for low income households, EV charging networks and distribution system upkeep. Outraged homeowners with solar panels were well represented among those who called in to give public comment.

—Ben Christopher covers housing policy for CalMatters.

If you need medical supplies or have questions about how to navigate difficult conversations regarding them, we would be happy to help you

FEATURES

Wednesday, May 29

WMS Eigth Grade Promotion Event, 6 p.m., Winters High School – Dr. Sellers Field

Wednesdays

Eat Well Yolo Drive – Through Food Distribution

Wednesdays, 3:30 p.m. As supplies last, Winters High student parking lot, off Railroad Avenue

Thursday, May 30

WHS Graduation Ceremony, 7 p.m., Winters High School – Dr. Sellers Field

Thursdays

Eat Well Yolo Food Distribution, first and third Thursdays, 10 a.m. As supplies last, RISE, Inc., 417 Haven St., 530-668-0690

Sunday, June 2

Winters Farmers Market, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Downtown Main Street, discoverwinters.com/farmers-market

Tuesday, June 4

Winters City Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Council chamber (318 First St.), Zoom Meeting info, check www.cityofwinters.org/ city-council-meetings_/

Upcoming Events

Thursday, June 6

Winters JUSD School Board Meeting, 6 p.m., City Hall Council Chambers (318 First St.), Zoom Meeting info, check https://wintersjusd.diligent.community

Library Services

Winters Library Public Hours (School in Session)

Mon/Wed: 8 a.m.–6 p.m., Tue/Thu: 8 a.m.–8 p.m., Fri: 8 a.m.–5 p.m. , 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, 1 p.m., St. Anthony Parish Hall (511 W. Main St.) Rotary Club of Winters meeting, Thursdays, Noon, The Buckhorn

Winters Museum public hours, Thursday thru Sunday, 1-5 p.m., 13 Russell St.

Winters Open Mic, third Thursday of the month (January thru March), 6 p.m. (sign-ups begin at 5:30 p.m.), Winters Opera House, 13 Main St.

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.

Students capture local spirit in mural

By Amelia Biscardi Express staff writer

With bright colors and familiar landmarks, a mural project at Waggoner Elementary School is in what should be its final week of being completed. The mural represents important parts of Winters. More than 100 students from elementary school and high school have worked together to create these colorful images.

The mural is a collaboration between Winters Joint Unified School District, Winters Participation Gallery and The Spirit of Winters Committee. With an elephant, a rainbow representing Putah Creek, the Winters gazebo, the water tower and more, elementary students’ voices are shown alongside the building.

To create the design, students read a book, “My Papi Has a Motorcycle,” and from there wrote or drew what they loved about Winters. Jill Aguiar,

Expanding Learning Opportunity Program coordinator and Liz Coman, Career and College coordinator, tallied up the responses to find the trends.

Winters High School students were hired by the school district to create sketches and presented them to stake holders at Winters JUSD and the Spirit of Winters Committee on March 7.

The WHS are also working alongside the younger students to help complete the mural. These students took a field trip to Waggoner to get inspiration from the grounds.

Once the design was approved, it was time to get the elementary students involved, but not without a couple of small hurdles.

Muralist Jamie Montiel said the younger students hadn’t had art classes just yet, as well most of them only had an attention span of 5 to 20 minutes, usually depending on their age.

“One of the things we’re actually going over is some of the lines because we told them just try to paint

See MURAL, Page 5

Hotel Winters receives Travelers’ Choice Award

By Angela Underwood Express correspondent

When you Google “Best Hotel in Yolo County, California,”

Hotel Winters is the top listing.

Hotel Winters is officially recognized as a 2024 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Award recipient. General Manager Guysell Geter details the moment he found out through his email inbox.

“I was just thrilled,” Geter said, adding the notable award goes beyond just being a top spot. “It’s not only good just for Hotel Winters, but it’s good for Winters to be put on a map as a top 10 percent hotel in the world is awesome.”

VisitYolo.com Executive Director Terry Selk said the Tripadvisor award “reinforces and elevates awareness of the caliber and quality of the destination stay by having Hotel Winters recognized for (its) product experience.”

That product experience includes the ZenTerra and Eight Six Zero Salons on site and Kristine Provenza’s fine art of Northern California rolling hills in each oversized room, which offers bathrobes and slippers. Not to mention the clawfoot tubs, living rooms and executive desks in re-

spective rooms. Hotel Winters is so lush that couples come from far and wide to wed on the grounds.

“Winters has excelled due to (its) innovativeness, creativity, and hospitality — which continually creates an excellent customer experience,” Selk said.

Consistently high reviews gained the local resort high ratings from the user-generated content, according to the website, reporting “Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommoda-

tions, attractions, and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10 percent of properties on Tripadvisor.”

Selk said that when you associate a hotel product at a distinguishing level, it helps elevate the recognition of the whole town as a destination experience.

“Visitors seek the whole destination experience, which includes where to stay and the experiences and things to do that

the visitor can partake in,” Selk said. “This is a huge win for Hotel Winters, the city of Winters, and the county of Yolo.”

Long before the national accolade and the COVID-19 pandemic, Geter worked with Selk when opening Hotel Winters in 2019, holding job fairs and events introducing the community to the new contemporary resort.

“People were so excited about working, and in March of 2020, See AWARD, Page 6

Courtesy photo

Courtesy photo

Winters High School students are teaming up with elementary-aged students to provide support, guidance and to cheer them on in their creative endeaver on the project.

Courtesy photo

Despite a rough start due to the pandemic, Hotel Winters has earned a spot in the top 10 percent of hotels worldwide on TripAdvisor.com.

The newest student-designed mural can be viewed along Grant Avenue on the side or a portable unit at Waggoner Elementary School. This details the status of the mural as of Wednesday, May 22.

Spring homebuying season kicks off with encouraging start

California median home price sets

new all-time high

California Association of Realtors

Special to the Express

California’s housing market rebounded in April as sales rose on both a monthly and yearly basis, while the statewide median home price exceeded $900,000 for the first time ever, setting a new record high, the CALIFORNIA ASSO-

CIATION OF REAL-

TORS® (C.A.R.) said today. Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California totaled a seasonally adjusted annual-

ized rate of 275,540 in April, according to information collected by C.A.R. from more than 90 local REALTOR® associations and MLSs statewide. The statewide annualized sales figure represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2024 if sales maintained the April pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales. April’s sales pace rose 3.0 percent from the revised 267,470 homes sold in March and increased 4.4 percent from a year ago when a revised 263,960 homes were sold on an annualized basis. The sales pace remained

below the 300,000 threshold for the 19th consecutive month. Year-to-date home sales grew 1.6 percent.

semite REALTOR®. “Market fundamentals are showing signs of improvement, and competition is on the rise again; homes are selling faster and nearly half the share of homes is selling above asking price — the highest in nine months.”

$811,510 in April 2023 to $904,210 in April 2024, exceeding the $900,000-benchmark for the first time in history. California’s median home price was 5.8 percent higher than March’s $854,490. The year-over-year gain was the 10th straight month of annual price increases for the Golden State. Seasonal factors and tight housing supply conditions will continue to put upward pressure on home prices in the coming months.

homes priced above $1 million made up more than a third (36.4 percent) of all sales — the largest share in at least the last five years. The growth in sales of higher-priced homes continued to provide upward support to the statewide median price and was partly responsible for the solid increase in year-over-year growth rate at the start of the second quarter.

“April’s rebound in both home sales and price shows the resilience of California’s housing market and is a signal that buyers and sellers are beginning to adjust to the higher interest rate environment,” said C.A.R. President Melanie Barker, a Yo-

The statewide median price recorded a new all-time high in April, jumping 11.4 percent from

Sales of homes priced at or above $1 million dollars in California continued to hold up better than their more affordable counterparts in the state in the last few months. Sales in the $1 million-and-higher market segment surged 39.8 year-overyear in April, while the sub-$500,000 segment declined again moderately (-8.0 percent). The change in the mix of sales of

“While the market performed solidly in April, we don’t expect to see a rapid recovery as long as inflation remains sticky and mortgage rates continue to fluctuate despite recent dips,” said C.A.R. Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Jordan Levine. “However, housing inventory has also started to increase, which will provide much-needed supply to the market and facilitate a higher level of home sales in the second half of the year.”

Express Yourself

Junk mail is driving me crazy

The general election isn’t for six more months but political parties are already flooding my mailbox with solicitations for money. The political post cards are bad enough but the ones that really get me going are the letters asking for money for “Local Police Departments.”

The last one wanted money to buy bulletproof vests for local police departments. If I sent them $100, how much do you think the Winters Police Department would see of that donation? Zero is a good bet. I’m hoping that no one sends them a dime.

If the Winters Police Department wants a donation, Chief Miller can stop by my office and we’ll discuss how much he needs. Not that he will get much, but he has a better chance than a save our police letter.

I haven’t seen the final ballot measure, but our Fire Departments, both local and district, will be asking for a tax increase in an upcoming election. Watch the Express for more information as the election nears.

I don’t want to call all mail solicitations scams, but most are. Most politicians feed on our fears or our need to be part of a winning team. Red vs. blue, north vs. south,

“It is our team against theirs, even if the players aren’t the best available.”

east vs. west, take your pick. It is our team against theirs, even if the players aren’t the best available. If you bring up the presidential election, it is mind-numbing how we ended up with Trump and Biden, again.

Steve Garvey, ex-baseball great, is running for U.S. Senate. If he hadn’t played for the Dodgers I might have voted for him, but he is the enemy of the San Francisco Giants, so he won’t be getting my vote. How did we get to this place in history?

An almost equally divided country; just pick a topic, poll the population, and it will be close to 50-50. If the Democrats say the sky is blue, the Republicans will say not true. If the Republicans say the sky is blue, the Democrats will vote for any other color. There are good points to be made

See QUICK, Page 5

Horoscopes

ARIES (Mar 21/Apr 20) You may have a chance to get to know someone better this week, Aries. Trust your instincts rather than listening to what is running through the rumor mill.

TAURUS (Apr 21/May 21) Taurus, you may be ready to shake things up in regard to your social life or even with a professional pursuit. Work out the path you want to take.

GEMINI (May 22/Jun 21) Following your curiosity may lead you down some interesting paths, Gemini. Things can change on a moment’s notice, so be prepared to respond.

CANCER (Jun 22/Jul 22) An intellectual debate could grow somewhat tiresome this week, Cancer. You need to know when to pull out of the conversation to help maintain your mental well-being.

LEO (Jul 23/Aug 23) Have an important conversation with a loved one, Leo. You need to clear up a misunderstanding that has been growing more significant. Once you take care of this, smooth sailing awaits.

VIRGO (Aug 24/Sept 22) You may want to rely on someone else to bring some stability and comfort to your life, Virgo. Now may be the time to seek out a new relationship.

LIBRA (Sept 23/Oct 23) Libra, have a good time over the next couple of weeks. You deserve it. Recognize that fun interactions do not necessarily have to be shallow experiences. You can learn something new even while being entertained.

SCORPIO (Oct 24/Nov 22) It might feel like your peer group has shifted in a way that no longer gels with you, Scorpio. It may be time to find some new friends who share your current interests.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23/Dec 21) You may seek validation from peers or even people on social media if you feel like you are being inhibited by current insecurities, Sagittarius. Others can corroborate your value.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22/Jan 20) Proactive changes you make this week may improve your love life, Capricorn. That can be a good thing if you have encountered relationship issues lately.

AQUARIUS (Jan 21/Feb 18) Aquarius, setting out on an impulsive adventure could be worth the effort right now. It can be refreshing to spend time outside your usual surroundings.

PISCES (Feb 19/Mar 20) Putting up a tough front may be a protection strategy right now, Pisces. Over time, you may need to let your guard down and ask for some help if the situation is chronic.

T.S. No.: 2023-00478-CA A.P.N.:003-380-016-000

Property Address: 129 RIVERVIEW COURT, WINTERS, CA 95694

NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE

PURSUANT TO CIVIL CODE § 2923.3(a) and (d), THE SUMMARY OF INFORMATION REFERRED TO BELOW IS NOT ATTACHED TO THE RECORDED COPY OF THIS DOCUMENT BUT ONLY TO THE COPIES PROVIDED TO THE TRUSTOR.

NOTE: THERE IS A SUMMARY OF THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT ATTACHED 注：本文件包含一个信息摘要 참고사항: 본 첨부 문서에 정보 요약서가 있습니다

NOTA: SE ADJUNTA UN RESUMEN DE LA INFORMACIÓN DE ESTE DOCUMENTO

TALA: MAYROONG BUOD NG IMPORMASYON SA DOKUMENTONG ITO NA NAKALAKIP LƯU Ý: KÈM THEO Đ Y LÀ BẢN TRÌNH BÀY TÓM LƯỢC VỀ THÔNG TIN TRONG TÀI LIỆU NÀY

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER:

YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED 08/09/2006. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER.

Trustor: TIMOTHY A BACK, A MARRIED MAN, AS HIS SOLE AND SEPARATE PROPERTY

Duly Appointed Trustee: Western Progressive, LLC

Deed of Trust Recorded 08/14/2006 as Instrument No. 2006-0031717-00 in book , page --- and further modified by that certain Modification Agreement recorded on 09/16/2010, as Instrument No. 2010-002612200 of Official Records in the office of the Recorder of Yolo County, California, Date of Sale: 07/16/2024 at 12:45 PM

Place of Sale: AT THE REAR (NORTH) ENTRANCE TO THE CITY HALL BUILDING 1110 WEST CAPITOL AVENUE, WEST SACRAMENTO, CA 95691

Estimated amount of unpaid balance, reasonably estimated costs and other charges: $ 501,641.22

NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE

THE TRUSTEE WILL SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION TO HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CASH, CASHIER’S CHECK DRAWN ON A STATE OR NATIONAL BANK, A CHECK DRAWN BY A STATE OR FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, OR A CHECK DRAWN BY A STATE OR FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, A SAVINGS ASSOCIATION OR SAVINGS BANK SPECIFIED IN SECTION 5102 OF THE FINANCIAL CODE AND AUTHORIZED TO DO BUSINESS IN THIS STATE:

All right, title, and interest conveyed to and now held by the trustee in the hereinafter described property under and pursuant to a Deed of Trust described as:

More fully described in said Deed of Trust.

Street Address or other common designation of real property: 129 RIVERVIEW COURT, WINTERS, CA 95694

A.P.N.: 003-380-016-000

The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address or other common designation, if any, shown above.

The sale will be made, but without covenant or warranty, expressed or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances, to pay the remaining principal sum of the note(s) secured by the Deed of Trust with interest thereon, as provided in said note(s), advances, under the terms of said Deed of Trust, fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust. The total amount of the unpaid balance of the obligation secured by the property to be sold and reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is: $ 501,641.22.

Note: Because the Beneficiary reserves the right to bid less than the total debt owed, it is possible that at the time of the sale the opening bid may be less than the total debt.

If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason, the successful bidder’s sole and exclusive remedy shall be the return of monies paid to the Trustee, and the successful bidder shall have no further recourse.

The beneficiary of the Deed of Trust has executed and delivered to the undersigned a written request to commence foreclosure, and the undersigned caused a Notice of Default and Election to Sell to be recorded in the county where the real property is located.

NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE

NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS: If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved in bidding at a trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not on the property itself. Placing the highest bid at a trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property. You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder’s office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same lender may hold more than one mortgage or deed of trust on this property.

NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: The sale date shown on this notice of sale may be postponed one or more times by the mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call (866)-960-8299 or visit this Internet Web site https://www.altisource.com/loginpage.aspx using the file number assigned to this case 2023-00478-CA. Information about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not immediately be reflected in the telephone information or on the Internet Web site. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale.

NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE

NOTICE TO TENANT: You may have a right to purchase this property after the trustee auction, if conducted after January 1, 2021, pursuant to Section 2924m of the California Civil Code. If you are an “eligible tenant buyer,” you can purchase the property if you match the last and highest bid placed at the trustee auction. If you are an “eligible bidder,” you may be able to purchase the property if you exceed the last and highest bid placed at the trustee auction. There are three steps to exercising this right of purchase. First, 48 hours after the date of the trustee sale, you can call (866)-960-8299, or visit this internet website https://www.altisource. com/loginpage.aspx, using the file number assigned to this case 2023-00478-CA to find the date on which the trustee’s sale was held, the amount of the last and highest bid, and the address of the trustee. Second, you must send a written notice of intent to place a bid so that the trustee receives it no more than 15 days after the trustee’s sale. Third, you must submit a bid, by remitting the funds and affidavit described in Section 2924m(c) of the Civil Code, so that the trustee receives it no more than 45 days after the trustee’s sale. If you think you may qualify as an “eligible tenant buyer” or “eligible bidder,” you should consider contacting an attorney or appropriate real estate professional immediately for advice regarding this potential right to purchase. Western Progressive, LLC, as Trustee for beneficiary C/o 1500 Palma Drive, Suite 238 Ventura, CA 93003 Sale Information Line: (866) 960-8299 https://www.altisource.com/loginpage.aspx

Date: May 15, 2024

Tuleyome Tale: The clever California Scrub-Jay

By

CEhrhard

alifornia ScrubJays are a joy to watch - they are confident, inquisitive, and animated, thoughtful, and vocal and can authentically mimic other birds. They’ve been observed imitating the calls of Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks either to deter other jays from their food stash or as a warning of danger. Their call is described as buzzy and raucous which could make them irritating neighbors.

The California Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) was once lumped with Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma woodhouseii) and together were called Western Scrub-Jays but, have since been separated into two distinct species. California Scrub-Jays are native to California and common throughout their range from southern

British Colombia south to Baja California and includes the valleys of California. They are relatively large for a songbird (the word “song” is used lightly in this case), somewhere between a crow and a robin and have a rich azure blue and gray back, head, tail and wings, a pale gray belly, white throat bordered by a streaked, broken neckband. Their cheeks are dark, and they have a long, white hairstreak above their dark eyes. Their tails are long and their stout, hooked bills are black. Their adult brain-to-body mass ratio is similar to that of dolphins and chimpanzees, placing California ScrubJays among the most intelligent animals on Earth. They are primarily permanent residents and usually don’t migrate unless food is extremely scarce. They can be found in low scrub habitats, oak woodlands, and

mixed evergreen forests but are also common inhabitants of urban backyards and parks. They can live from nine to fifteen years in the wild and pairs typically remain together for several years. Nesting begins in March and lasts through most of the summer. Both partners help select the nest location, but construction is primarily up to the female while the male oversees the job. Nests are well-hidden and made of twigs and are lined with soft plant fibers, roots and livestock or pet hair. One to five pale green or gray eggs splotched with olive or brown are laid in March or April and hatch in about 18 days. The nestlings remain in the nest for about the same amount of time and once they fledge, they hang around and mooch off their parents for a couple more months.

See JAYS, Page 6

within the lines,” Montiel said. “But some of them were a little bit eager and painted very fast, but not too accurate.”

“Other kids just had to do sky colors or grass,” Montiel said. “But it was something that was perfect for them because they have the shaky hands to do grass.”

Coman said that because of the elementary students’ young age, some of them struggled with correctly holding of the paintbrushes. Which was where the high school students were able to step forward and show them the ropes.

“They do maybe lots of coloring, but they haven’t developed that fine motor skill,” Coman said. “So that was something that the mentors needed to take into consideration. How to hold the paintbrush.”

On the not-sostraight lines and little mistakes, the high school students can step in and straighten things out.

One of the other things that this mural has added to the community is an opportunity for high school

students to get both job and mural experience. These students had to be interviewed and present the plan to the district.

In addition to being paid for their twohour shifts, students

idea of working with younger children. However, she has been very impressed with how they have been working together.

“They come up with questions to ask the kids while they’re

“They come up with questions to ask the kids while they’re painting, they try to engage the kids.”

Jill Aguiar, ELOP coordinator

have also learned the value of working alongside and communicating with elementary students.

Aguiar said that one of the high school students she knows was hesitant at first at the

Continued from Page 3

about a do-nothing Congress. If they can’t pass laws, they can’t burden us with more regulations and dumb laws.

The main problem with a divided Congress is that we can’t continue to go down the same road we’ve been on for decades. It doesn’t seem to matter who is in charge, both parties keep

painting, they try to engage the kids,” Aguiar said.

“They’ve done a good job.” The mural can be seen alongside one of the portable units on the Grant Avenue side of the Waggoner site.

spending money like there is no tomorrow. Well, tomorrow is here and something needs to be done. Meet in the middle, shake hands, and get to work. Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot it was an election year and they aren’t speaking. I’m waiting for my ballot to show up in the mailbox with the hope that there is a non-ofthe-above option. Take a breath and have a good week.

Sebastian Rodriguez

Sebastian Rodriguez, a Winters High School junior, is Pisani’s Athlete of the Week. Rodriguez has proven to be a solid player this season and during the playoffs. “Sebastian stepped up big time for our team this year. He held down left field all year and was a complete player at the plate, on defense and running the bases,” said head coach Austin Calvert. “I look forward to watching him embrace (being in) a Captain role next year.” For the season, Rodriguez leads the team with a 0.552 on-base percentage.

QUICK

MURAL

Tuleyome/Courtesy photo

Kristie

Special to the Express

Outfitted in oversized painting shirts, paper plate paint palletes and brushes in hand, students began the tast of coloring in the mural over the weekend of May 11.

Courtesy photo

California Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma californica)

Courtesy photo

Winters High School artists presented their mural design sketches to stakeholders on March 7.

Community event puts art in the spotlight

Art aficionados and enthusiasts are in for a treat. A new community event featuring local and regional artists has come to town. The Winters Downtown Business Association is collaborating with local businesses to create the Winters Wine and Art Stroll. The artistic community event features art, art demos, and artist meet and greets on the second Saturday of each month, May through October, from 2 to 6 p.m.

Lynda Hinds, Yolo 365 Tours and Tastings owner/operator and one of the event coordinators said the

Almost anything is considered food and favorites change with the seasons. When the demands of a young family are at their peak during spring and summer, favorite meals include protein-rich insects, small animals such as lizards, other nestling birds and juvenile mice and voles along with fruits and nuts. In fact, adult scrub jays have been observed following other birds and then raiding their nests. Acorns are always a favorite and jays will hold them with their feet and hammer at them with their bills using the hooked tip to extract the nut from the shell. They will also drop them from up high hoping the impact will crack them and they’ve been observed wedging them in places to peck at them. They will also pillage cultivated crops like corn, almonds, walnuts, and fruit when available. If you have bird feeders you have probably noticed California Scrub-Jays can be bullies and outcompete larger birds like crows over their love of sunflow-

“Winters’ business community has always been passionate about supporting the arts both visual and performance.” And the art isn’t limited to mixed-medias on canvas.

With the Winters Theatre Company’s move to the Historic Winters Opera House, an opportunity to bring the arts center state downtown is within reach with a lineup of theatrical and musical performances.

Winters Open Mic utilizes the Opera House stage seasonally and performs on Main Street throughout the summer

er seeds and peanuts. The jays that visit me always beat the crows to the peanuts and when there’s a lot to pick from, they weigh each peanut and make off with the heavier ones - gluttons. Crows, on the other hand, can fit two peanuts in their beaks each trip so I’m not sure who the real winner is.

California ScrubJays are masters at hoarding and stashing food. They are known as “planters of acorns” because they collect and stash them by the thousands and then don’t always return to collect them. If they were hidden in a suitable place those acorns may sprout and produce additional oak trees. California ScrubJays are also sly and often shoplift from other jays or Acorn Woodpeckers’ stockpiles. These shifty birds have even been seen checking over their shoulders before raiding another bird’s inventory. California Scrub-Jays, with their big brains, also have the cognitive ability to plan ahead (metacognition). They carefully choose where to hide their food hoard and then later, with their

months, giving locals and visitors a chance to perform. Additionally, the music series in the Park plays during the summer and the Win-

highly accurate and complex memories, recall where they put it. They also check to make sure they aren’t being watched by other crafty jays before retrieving their emporium, so they don’t get swindled themselves. They’ve even been observed hiding rocks instead of food in order to discourage others from pirating from them and they will relocate their storehouse if it is discovered.

The California Scrub-Jays in my neighborhood have grown to know me and fully expect to be recognized and acknowledged. When my garage door goes up, they frantically squawk at me from across the street in case I might forget that they’re waiting. As soon as I put the peanuts down, they call to others with trills and clicks and swoop in with speed and accuracy. They’re some of my favorite neighbors.

—Kristie Ehrhardt is Tuleyome’s Land Conservation and Stewardship Program Director. Tuleyome is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization based in Woodland, California. For more information visit www.tuleyome.org.

ters History Murals around town are additional examples of art flourishing in the community.

“Art inspires people and inspired peo-

I had to close the hotel for three months and lay everyone off and furlough people,” Geter said, adding rather than let the pandemic push down a local dream, the region rose to the occasion.

“Yolo County really helped me to stay strong, and I’m not a quitter, and I just really am passionate about the vision and making Yolo County and Winter a destination,” Geter said.

Returning from a pandemic that thrives on germs made many hotels appear hazardous to the general public, especially regarding “human interactions,” according to Geter, resuming physical relationships among staff and guests did not come overnight.

ple are what make our community so special,” Hinds said.

The First Street Studio Art Gallery will continue hosting art classes and workshops, and other local businesses have also begun to offer musical and art-related workshops.

“The goal of the monthly Art Stroll is to allow visitors to connect to the art and interact directly with the artist and their work,” Hinds said.

“Many of the locations will feature different artists monthly. Art will be for sale in participating locations.”

“In the Gallery we find visitors are drawn

to the scenes of Yolo County that reflect the picturesque and unique atmosphere of our area,” artist Marti Walker added.

The art stroll will feature 8 to 10 businesses – many of those locations will offer an art stroll wine special or drink special.

The Participating art locations will display a white Art Stroll flag out in front of their business. Postcards listing the participating art stroll locations are available in the Winters Visitors Center 13 Main St.; Berryessa Gap Tasting Room, 15 Main St. or The Winters Collective, 41 Main St.

“People are now adjusting to pre-COVID expectations since there were so many themselves like we used to” before honoring the Hotel Winters team for their part in the award.

Yolo County. Selk also credits the hospitality team for their excellence, congratulating

“We have an excellent services team, an excellent housekeeping team, and, of course, a leading management team,” Geter

“everyone on the Hotel Winters team that makes it such a welcoming and unique experience for locals and visitors alike.”

“There’s always room for growth — we always have areas of opportunity,” Geter

tation and keeping a high standard while being consistent, and if we maintain a high standard in guest expectations, we’ll continue to win the

Courtesy photo

TripAdvisor reviewers rave about Hotel Winters’ lush rooms — including clawfoot tubs — to on-site servicers like ZenTerra Spa and the Eight Six Zero salon.

Courtesy photo

JAYS

White Art Stroll flags mark which businesses are participating in the monthly art stroll community event.