After hearing arguments from concerned residents and input from a city employee, the Winters Planning Commission suggested revisions last Tuesday evening to a home in the up-and-coming Heartland Division housing developments pushing it to comply with some typical attributes of other nearby houses.
Four out of the five members of the planning commission, contracted City Planner Dave Dowswell and neighborhood residents attended the public hearing to discuss if the development, owned by Crowne Community, would accommodate a two-story, single-family home with a façade made up of horizontal siding and a garage with a unique orientation— a stark contrast to other nearby corner lot homes.
Neighbors didn’t support that the proposed home at 980 Degener St. would build the garage facing Graf Way and the second story would reduce the surrounding homes’ privacy. Dowswell considered public comments along with his review of the plan. Ultimately, he granted conditional approval of property owner Shelly Duen-
as’s plans as long recommended changes were made such as enlarging some windows with shutters and, the most pressing decision, allowing the planning commission to decide if horizontal siding would be used on the front of the house.
“I do think that moving to stucco rather than horizontal siding and either using siding or stone as the accent piece makes sense, given that very many elements are not going to look the same as other communities and the homes in the community and help tie it together,” Vice Chair Lisa Baker said before she motioned for the unanimous vote only to allow the siding on the front of the home.
While disseminating his report, Dowswell told the commission, “The only issue that we need to decide if we’ll make it happen is: do you change the façade from fully wrapped horizontal siding to a combination of stucco and accent material?”
He added that three other Crowne Community homes under development on Vasey and Main Streets use horizontal siding like the design proposes.
At the end of the 50-minute meeting, the
Cause of Hay Kingdom fire under investigation
By Crystal Apilado
Editor-in-Chief
The cause behind the fire at a local hay storage facility on Saturday is still under investigation, according to Winters Fire Department officials.
Winters Fire Chief Jack S. Snyder III said the Saturday, Aug. 17 fire came in as a grass fire call at the Hay Kingdom facility in the 26000 block of County Road 90 around 11:57 a.m.
The Winters Fire crew observed the smoke stack from the station, and upon arrival at the location bumped the alert up to a second-alarm status after discovering a haystack near the edge of the field
City to apply for grant to fund
Senior Center construction
By Crystal Apilado and Logan Chrisp Express staff
was on fire. According to Snyder, the fire crew wanted to prevent the fire from spreading to surrounding stacks on either side.
The second alarm elevation brought in assistance from mutual-aid agencies Zamora, Esparto, UC Davis, Madison, West Plainfield, Yocha Dehe, Dixon, the city of Vacaville fire departments, the Vacaville Fire Protection District, and an AMR crew as a precaution.
Snyder said 18 units and 34 people were active on the site and they kept the fire contained to the one hay pile.
“We kept the damage just to that pile. No equipment was damaged and no one was hurt,” Snyder
said. “The winds were in our favor — we were fortunate that we didn’t have to worry about (flames) pushing back into the other hay piles.”
Woodland Fire Department’s Engine 3 worked to cover calls and provide service to the city during the incident.
Snyder said the fire was contained at 5:21 p.m., and Hay Kingdom staff took over maintenance from there. Staff members worked over the weekend to manage the smoldering hay area, while Winters Fire crews checked on the site in the morning and evening, and responded to multiple smoke reports at the area.
Brock.
The Winters City Council approved a grant application to fund the Winters Senior Center and an amendment to the city’s encampment ordinance at the Aug. 6 city council meeting. The Community Development Block Grant would provide $3.25 million for the construction of the senior center.
The Winters Senior Center is estimated to cost a total of $5.5 million, and if the grant is awarded, additional funds will be needed to complete the project, which is currently planned to be 7,500 square feet.
“Some of it will be coming from the grant and some of it is allowed to come in from program income,” said Grants Manager Colleen
The city previously attempted to construct the senior center in 2022, through a combined project with Domus Development Corporation to construct the Blue Mountain Terrace senior apartments and the senior center building. However, due to insufficient funding and other COVID-related woes, the city had difficulties acquiring rights to the previously approved Senior Center
Trustees give direction on Waggoner Elementary design proposals
By Logan Chrisp Express staff writer
Program Manager Jennifer Gibb, of Van Pelt Construction Services, presented two design options for future Waggoner Elementary School construction projects to the Winters Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees at the Thursday, Aug. 15, meeting.
The presentation included two phases for adding a parking lot, restructuring the current drop-off areas, maintenance and sewer upgrades, and two designs for a multipurpose room and kitchen upgrades at Waggoner. Phase 1, already approved by trustees in December includes construction of four transitional kindergarten classrooms and designated play area, upgrades to Waggoner’s sewage system and other maintenance projects, a parking lot to be utilized by school staff and families of TK students and a new TK drop-off area. In response to the design, trustees Sterling Davis and See WAGGONER, Page 5
Fire crews worked to extingush a hay stack on fire on Saturday, Aug. 17, at the Hay Kingdom facility.
Courtesy photo
WTC presents The Shakespeare Pivot
Special to the Express Winters Theatre Company regrets to announce that they were unable to cast the scheduled production of Catsplay. It’s a difficult play to cast, and while there are great actors in our community who would do it wonderfully, it didn’t work out this time. WTC still intends to develop the Catsplay project at a later time.
In the space where Catsplay would have gone up, WTC will instead offer a project called The Shakespeare Pivot, a variety of great scenes from William Shake-
speare’s works. Under the direction of Andrew Fridae (Circle Mirror Transformation, Art), the emphasis will bring the text to life.
Many people are intimidated by Shakespeare’s verse or feel it separates them from their dramatic instincts. The goal of this workshop is to demonstrate the opposite, that the verse is a guide that will help actors to unlock a more natural connection to their character and the story they tell. The project will culminate in two weekends of performances in a looser, more casual evening
of fun. Performances are scheduled from Oct. 4 through 16, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Rehearsals for The Shakespeare Pivot will be from Aug. 27 to Oct. 3 at the Winters Opera House, at 7 p.m. Scenes will be chosen according to participants.
Community members (age 16 and older) who are seasoned Shakespeare performers or who are new to the verse are invited to join in. Send an email to winterstheatre@ gmail.com or call 530304-1511 by Aug. 23, to indicate an interest and your availability.
Register for September Winters community blood drive
Special to the Express
The Winters Fortnightly Club is seeking local community members to register to donate blood at the upcoming September Winters Community Blood Drive, to help them reach the goal of 24 appointments.
The Fortnightly Club and Vitalant are hosting a Winters community blood drive on Monday, Sept. 9, from 2 to 5:45 p.m. at the Winters Community Center (201 Railroad Ave., Winters).
Fortnightly member Karen Neil said it’s important more now than ever to donate blood as the number of blood donations is decreasing, and patient usage is increasing. Although walk-ins are welcome, blood donors are highly encouraged to make an appointment and will be given priority at the blood drive. To make an appointment, visit https://bit.ly/3Svm7jz or donors.vitalant. org and choose “Advanced Search” then “Blood Drive Code.” To register for the Winters blood drive,
use blood drive code SMFM164 or call Vitalant at 877-258-4825 and mention the blood drive code.
Blood donations stats According to a Vitalant media release, The COVID-19 pandemic is over however, the impact continues with 20 percent fewer donors donating. High school and college blood drive collections have been slow to return to pre-pandemic levels. A key time for educating our future donors was lost and is being re-established.
Many older, dedicated donors stopped donating during the pandemic due to retirement, relocation, business changes, including closures, and more.
Eligibility
Whole blood donors must be at least 16 years old (with a signed Vitalant parental consent form available online at Vitalant.org; at the bottom of the page, find Resources/Donor Forms), weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, be
Festival de la Comunidad returns on Sept. 28
Special to the Express Winters Community Corazón is proud to announce the annual return of the Festival de la Comunidad, aka Winters Carnitas Festival. Bring the whole family out for the 18th annual community festival at Winters Community Center and Rotary Park on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 4:30 to 10:30 p.m., for live music, Folklorico, Mariachi, dancing, booths, large children’s area, and other activities. There is no cost to attend the event. Bring the whole family and chairs for outdoor seating.
Buckhorn Steakhouse, El Pueblo Meat Market & Taqueria, Chuy’s Taqueria, Preserve, Carboni’s Ristorante and Putah Creek Cafe are providing specialty carnitas inspired by regions all over México. Each of the carnitas plates will include carnitas from selected restaurants and El Pueblo’s famous beans, rice, tortillas, and salsa for $20 a plate.
Carnitas presale ticket purchasers arrive between 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. to for the carnitas presale dinners. Limited tickets will be sold at the door until 7
p.m. There will be multiple community resource booths with carnival activities for children and adults. All proceeds from the sale of the carnitas plates support this event, programs and scholarships that support our community. Beer, sangria, soda, and snack booth items will also be for sale.
The limited sale of carnitas dinner tickets is available at https:// www.eventbrite. com/e/festival-carnitas-tickets-tickets-980684272057 For more information, contact Jesse@ winterscorazon.org.
Harmful algal blooms prompt health advisory for Cache Creek, Lake Washington areas
Special to the Express
The Yolo County Department of Community Services’ Environmental Health Division, in collaboration with the Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) and Yolo County Parks, has issued a health and safety advisory for portions of Cache Creek and Lake Washington.
in general good health and bring a photo I.D. that displays their first and last names. Other donation types have specific eligibility criteria. Visit vitalant.org/Donate/Donate-Blood-Overview for more information. Things to know:
• Donors should arrive well-nourished and hydrated.
• The donation process is one hour long (add an additional 20 minutes for a double red cell donation).
• Power Red Cell Donation – Power up your donation with an automated Power Red Cell donation.
• Donors can complete the Fast Track health questionnaire online prior to arriving to the drive. The questionnaire must be completed the same day as the donation and the barcode needs to be presented at the drive or can be completed at the drive. Fill out the Fast Track questionnaire at https://www. vitalant.org/donate/ health-history-questionnaire/fast-track. For general questions about this blood drive or to make an appointment, call Vitalant at 877-258-4825.
Recent testing revealed concerning levels of cyanotoxins, a byproduct of harmful algal blooms (HABs). This advisory is crucial to safeguard the health of residents and recreational users of the creek and lake.
April Meneghetti, Director of Environmental Health, emphasized the importance of the advisory: “The well-being of our community is our highest priority. We strongly encourage everyone to adhere to the advisory recommendations to protect yourself, your family, and your pets from potential harm. By following these guidelines, you play a crucial role in managing this issue.”
Cyanobacteria can produce toxins that pose serious health risks. These toxins may cause skin irritation, gastrointestinal issues, headaches, and more severe health problems if ingested. Children and pets are particularly vulnerable due to their smaller size and greater likelihood of coming into contact with or ingesting contaminated water.
Recent sampling results from Aug. 2, 2024, identified two advisory levels for Cache Creek. At Cache Creek Regional Park Lower Site, a significant microcystin level of 74.09
µg/L was detected, prompting a Danger Advisory. In response to this finding, all water contact activities, including the use of watercraft, are prohibited. Pets and livestock must be kept away from the water, and any visible algae or scum should be avoided. The water is unsafe for drinking or cooking, and boiling or filtering will not make it safe. Consumption of fish and shellfish from this area is strongly discouraged. Yolo County Parks offers alternative recreational activities and has posted signage at locations of concern. At Camp Haswell, microcystin levels were recorded at 4.85 µg/L, leading to a Caution Advisory. Residents are advised to avoid swimming and stay clear of any visible algae or scum. Pets and livestock should be kept away from the water and must not drink or come into contact with it. If a pet or livestock does come into contact with the water, rinse them immediately with fresh water. Additionally, water from this area should not be used for drinking or cooking, and fishermen should avoid consuming shellfish from this location.
Lake Washington, near the Sailing Club, which also had conditions warranting a Danger Advisory for microcystin, is experiencing rapidly changing conditions due to tidal flows, and has been downgraded to a Caution Advisory. The public should follow the same health and safety precautions recommended for Camp Haswell. Cyanobacterial blooms often occur when water conditions are warm, stagnant, and enriched with nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen, typically from fertilizer runoff. These blooms can vary in color, including blue-green, red, or brown, and may emit a foul odor as they decompose. While not all blooms are harmful, testing is necessary to confirm the presence of dangerous toxins.
Dr. Aimee Sisson, Yolo County Public Health Officer, underscored the significance of the advisory: “During the summer, people and pets alike love to cool off in natural bodies of water. Some of these waters may be temporarily unsafe. Check conditions on the online portal before you go, heed posted signs, and learn to recognize algal blooms in order to stay healthy.” Yolo County is actively monitoring the situation and will provide updates as needed. For the most current information on Cache Creek, Lake Washington, and other local water bodies, please visit the California Harmful Algal Blooms Portal. To report a harmful algal bloom, complete the bloom report form by visiting the HABs Portal at MyWaterQuality.ca.gov/HABs/ do/BloomReport. html, emailing CyanoHAB.Reports@ WaterBoards.ca.gov, or calling the HABs toll-free hotline at 1-844-729-6466. For additional information about harmful algal blooms and related health risks, please visit the California Harmful Algal Blooms Portal at MyWaterQuality. ca.gov/HABs/. For guidance on preventing exposure and managing affected waters, refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at www. CDC.gov/Harmful-Algal-Blooms.
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Winters Theatre Company invites the community to participate in The Shakespeare Pivot project to explore some of Shakespeare’s greatest scenes.
Eventos hispanos
La cuidad aprobó la Propuesta 218
El pasado Martes 6 de Agosto, el Ayuntamiento del Winters City Council aprobó la Propuesta 218 después de que la mayoría de las papeletas recibidas votaran a favor de la resolución. La Propuesta 218 ha sido una resolución polémica desde su propuesta en Enero pasado. El Jefe de Bomberos del Winters Fire, Jack S Snyder III, había organizado reuniones en el Ayuntamiento y presentaciones de las partes interesadas locales con la comunidad y los propietarios para abordar las inquietudes y responder preguntas sobre la resolución.
Las papeletas fueron “ponderadas según la obligación financiera proporcional de la propiedad para la que se envían las papeletas,” según el informe del ingeniero. Se enviaron un total de 2,196 papeletas y se devolvieron 641, lo que significa que aproximadamente el 29 por ciento de las papeletas enviadas por correo a los propietarios fueron recibidas por la ciudad a tiempo para ser incluidas en el recuento del Martes por la noche. Para que los miembros del consejo pudieran proceder con una votación final sobre el asunto, el 50 por ciento más uno de los votos ponderados tenían que ser a favor de la Propuesta 218. De los 641 votos contados, 292 votos que representan $96,987 fueron emitidos a favor de la Propuesta 218, mientras que 345 votos que representan $91,478 fueron emitidos en contra. Los miembros del consejo votaron 4–1 a favor de aprobar la medida, que aprobó la recaudación de impuestos a la propiedad como se detalla en la evaluación. El miembro del consejo Richard Casevecchia expresó su vacilación para votar a favor, y fue el único voto en contra. “No estoy seguro de cómo me siento sobre esto. No me di cuenta de que estaba ponderado por el valor de la propiedad antes de esta noche”, dijo Casevecchia cuando el alcalde Bill Biasi solicitó comentarios del consejo antes de su votación.
Comentarios del público
Varios miembros de la comunidad que asistieron a la reunión dejaron en claro que estaban en contra de aprobar la medida por varias razones. Muchos de ellos mencionaron la compra aprobada de un nuevo camión escalera, así como la forma en que el departamento de bomberos ha utilizado el personal que tiene. “La dotación de personal es apremiante y entiendo que el jefe necesita más personal porque hemos estado hablando de esto durante 10 años, pero la ciudad lo ha ignorado durante los últimos 10 años; no se puede decir que tenemos un problema de personal hoy y luego enviar un camión a Chico con cuatro personas para proteger a su comu-
nidad de un incendio forestal,” dijo el residente Ron Karlen. Karlen continuó, “Vas a comprar un camión escalera; podría haber sido la peor decisión que hayas tomado. Ahora tienes una deuda de $2 millones durante 12 años y no tienes los fondos para pagarla a menos que aprobemos el impuesto para darte ingresos adicionales para ayudar a pagar ese camión escalera porque solo tienes un millón de dólares en el banco hoy.” Snyder le dijo al Express que el camión escalera mencionado fue aprobado originalmente por el Ayuntamiento en Diciembre del 2023. Los miembros del Ayuntamiento aprobaron utilizar las tarifas de impacto de la ciudad para la compra del camión escalera. Si bien la financiación de la Propuesta 218 está diseñada para incluir el reemplazo de la flota, Snyder dijo que el camión escalera no se incluyó en la evaluación de equipos y la evaluación de reemplazo de la flota propuesta en Enero. Snyder dijo que el objetivo principal de los fondos de la Propuesta 218 es contratar a tres personas a tiempo completo y reemplazar equipos como radios y paquetes de aparatos de respiración autónomos de los bomberos sin tener que pedirle a la ciudad la aprobación para usar el dinero de los fondos generales. El jefe de bomberos dijo que a medida que se completaran las reparaciones de los vehículos de la flota, el departamento de bomberos continuaría evaluando la flota de Winters Fire y consideraría qué necesidades futuras implicarían. La residente Tina Lowden expresó su apoyo a la Propuesta 218 y compartió una historia personal sobre cómo el departamento de bomberos la transportó a Kaiser durante una emergencia médica que experimentó. “Somos una comunidad en crecimiento. “Cuando mi esposo Jerry y yo llegamos aquí por primera vez, éramos alrededor de 6,500 personas, y ahora somos 8,000 y he oído que vamos a crecer hasta llegar a 10,000,” dijo Lowden. “Tenemos que mirar hacia el futuro. Somos una comunidad en crecimiento. Somos una comunidad de personas mayores en Vea CUIDAD, Página 8
plans. Although the Blue Terrace senior apartments were completed in June 2022, the senior center was removed from the project and the grant designated to fund the project expired in March 2024.
“As you know this has been an ongoing request and a high community want and need for over 10 years,” Brock said.
Now, with newly drawn-up plans, the city hopes that a “shovel-ready project” will speed the approval process along.
During the public hearing session, Sandy Vickrey, resident and member of the Senior Center Fundraising Committee, gave kudos to City Manager Jeremy Craig, Brock and Public Works Director Eric Lucero for the amount of progress they have been able to initiate this year.
“We have made more progress in the last two months than we probably have in the last two years,” Vickrey said.
Craig told council members that part of the city’s contract with the architect is to provide a preliminary estimate of costs, and the amount presented was based on previous estimates grossed up based on inflation-related costs.
“Preliminarily they’ve indicated that they don’t think that we’re out of line, they think it might be a little less in fact -- but they think that we’re somewhere in the ballpark. But that process will come in the next few weeks and we’ll get a better sense of what it is.”
According to Craig, the city is still waiting for the architects to finish their review process to provide the final total amount.
City council members voiced concerns about the increase in price since they last saw the senior center on the agenda on April 16. Since that meeting, the estimated cost to complete the center has increased by $500,000.
“I see the damage that its done, not only to our use of Putah Creek Nature Park but also to other areas of town, where we’ve heard from business owners being harassed by homeless people who are just needing help from mental health services.”
Bill Biasi, mayor
Mayor Bill Biasi asked if some of the other costs like project management and administration were included, to which the city manager confirmed as true.
Council member Carol Scianna asked for clarification on which different funding sources were contributing. Brock identified that some would come from the grant and some from the programming fund.
Biasi said that as a public agency, the city is required to follow specific guidelines and processes that can drive up the costs.
Council member Richard Casavecchia shared concerns about where the city would obtain the funds to pay for the remaining cost and asked that city staff have a plan for how the m money by the time they have to say yes or no.
“I’m concerned that we’ll get to the point where we have to spend the money and we don’t know how we’re going to find another million dollars,” said Casavecchia.
Craig said they can begin exploring other funding options once they get the final estimate total.
“We can’t begin that conversation yet because I don’t have a number to ask for,” Craig said.
Encampment ordinance amendment
City council members unanimously passed an amendment to the city of Winters’ encampment ordinance.
The city council passed the new ordinance unanimously.
The ordinance, based on a Supreme Court ruling, dictates that camping on public property is prohibited at any time. It also states that it’s
unlawful to camp on private property without the written permission of the owner.
The previous city ordinance aligned with the then-current case law, which stated that as long as the number of homeless individuals in a jurisdiction exceeded the number of available shelter beds, the local jurisdiction could not prosecute homeless individuals for sitting or lying in a public place. In June of this year, the United States Supreme Court reversed the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision that this ordinance was based on.
Police Chief John P. Miller said the amendment cut out unnecessary language and allowed enforcement of the camping ordinance on all city property without regard to shelter bed status to streamline the enforcement process.
The city and the police chief hope to prevent homeless encampments within the city of Winters limits, particularly along Putah Creek, where both share concerns about the environmental impacts previous encampments have had on the waterway.
“I see the damage that its done, not only to our use of Putah Creek Nature Park but also to other areas of town, where we’ve heard from business owners being harassed by homeless people who are just needing help from mental health services,” said Biasi.
While this amendment may help keep encampments off public and private property in Winters, the police chief doesn’t believe it’s a permanent solution
to the homelessness issues that cities across California are facing.
“We will continue with our HOPE approach, which is Homeless Outreach and Police Engagement. We’ll continue to offer resources or information to our homeless population as we engage with them,” said Miller.
Craig and Miller said the city is continuing to meet with Solano County officials for handling the opposite side of Putah Creek.
“I think it’s important that we have this on the books. It’s costing us money to clean up the debris that’s left down there. They’re breaking into our electrical systems and tapping into our power. We’re having to go out there and repair that.”
Biasi said that while they all want to do all they can to help people in these situations, the city needs to be able to hold them accountable for their actions because police can’t make people accept the help.
Miller said it is a matter of not being a weak link, and Winters police will continue to engage as they’re able when crimes are committed. The police chief said that Winters police do make arrests “within our powers” but the people who are arrested are often transported back to the city once they are released.
“No community is immune from this whatsoever. Every community will be affected and is being affected, and will be affected — but it’s important for the quality of life for the residents that we are not the weak link,” Miller said.
Por Logan Chrisp Traducido por Carol Alfonso
Lake water levels drop by 0.53
Express staff
The water level of Lake Berryessa dropped by 0.53 of a foot during the past week, with a decrease in the storage of 9,595 acre-feet of water, according to Ken Emigh, Solano Project Technician with the Solano Irrigation District. On the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 20, he reported the lake elevation was 432.19 feet above sea level, with water storage behind the Monticello Dam computed at 1,407,178 acre-feet of water. The SID is releasing 409 cubic feet per second of water in the Putah South Canal, with 58 cubic feet flowing into Putah Creek at the Diversion Dam. Evaporation on the lake averaged 269 acre-feet of water per day.
Public Safety Report
City of Winters
Fire
Aug. 7: 10:42 a.m., Hillview Lane, False alarm or false call –other
~4:18 p.m., E. Baker Street, EMS call – excluding vehicle accident with injury
~6:32 p.m., E. Baker Street, EMS call – excluding vehicle accident with injury
~9:36 p.m., Morgan Street, EMS call – excluding vehicle accident with injury
Aug. 13: 9:23 a.m., Hemenway Street, EMS call – excluding vehicle accident with injury
~3:15 p.m., Morgan Street, EMS call – excluding vehicle accident with injury
~9:38 p.m., E. Main Street, EMS call – excluding vehicle accident with injury Police Arrest Log
Aug. 8: Bandy, William Christopher (Age 61); Charges: DUI, DUI with BAC over .08 percent, Expired registration, Broken taillight; Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail
Aug. 9: McNeil, Charlie Ross (Age 64); Charges: One Winters PD warrant, Four Yolo County SO warrant, Four Woodland PD warrants; Disposition: Released on Notice to Appear
Aug. 10: McKim, Devin Kael (Age 24); Charges: DUI, DUI with BAC over .08 percent, Operating motor scooter under the
influence of alcohol/ drugs; Disposition: Released on Notice to Appear
Aug. 11: Perez, Benjamin Anthony (Age 20), Charges: Solano County SO Warrant, Disposition: Released on Notice to Appear
Aug. 12: Chavez, Michael Anthony (Age 52), Charges: Possession of a Narcotic Controlled Substance, Disposition: Released on Notice to Appear Report Log
Aug. 7: 7:22 a.m., Russell Boulevard/I-505, Vehicle Tow
~9:53 a.m., Washington Avenue/ Lincoln Street, Vehicle Tow
Aug. 8: 2:32 p.m., First block of Main Street, Lost/Stolen Property
~7:39 p.m., 700th block of Main Street, Property Report
Aug. 9: 5:41 a.m., 700th block of Dutton Street, Audible Alarm
~2:55 p.m., 700th block of Railroad Avenue, Lost/Stolen property
Aug. 10: 7:47 a.m., 40th block of Main Street, Audible Alarm
Aug. 11: 3:22 a.m., 700th block of Main Street, Traffic Collision
Aug. 12: 12:21 a.m., 700th block of Dutton Street, Audible Alarm
~5:36 p.m., 100th block of Almond Drive, Found Property
~7:33 p.m., 20th block of Main Street, Audible Alarm
Aug. 13: 10:04 p.m., 100th block of E. Grant Avenue, Arson Investigation
Aug. 14: 3:52 a.m., 400th block of Abbey Street, Verbal dispute
For our editorial policy on crime log entries, see winters express.com/unpub lishing-policy.
95 Years Ago
August 23, 1929
Fire in west of Capay Valley has been burning quite consistently all week, with some 50,000 acres of brushland burned over.
Wayne Ireland put a notch in his deer rifle last week when he brought a fine 3-point buck into camp. The deer was shot near Buford Spring.
Robert Niemann, of Sacramento, who has spent the summer vacation at the Sanborn ranch leaves tomorrow, with his mother. Mrs. Dorothy Niemann, for Los Angeles where they will make their future home.
Bernard “Snooky” Walters is back again in Vasey Bros. stores after an absence of two months at his home in Pope Valley.
Enrollments at the State Ag. College at Davis for the fall term numbered 425 on the second day. The total enrollment is expected to reach 450 or 460 before the term ceases. This is the highest enrollment yet at the Ag. farm.
80 Years Ago
August 25, 1944
According to Dr. A. M. Herron the following new members have been added to the high school faculty: English, Mrs. Margaret Matthison, San Jose; Coach, Owen W. Col-
Years Ago
Dispatches from the Express archives.
lins, San Jose; Commercial, Mrs. Alice Kunze, Davis; Home Economics, Miss Mae Holmes, Winters. Other faculty members are Miss Bernice Blaettler, Wm. R. Pugh, Gunnard Johnson and W. L. Adams.
Corporal John C. Collado wrote his sister, Mrs. P. Salido stating that he had spent a day in Rome. Collado has been in North Africa and Italy the past eleven months and has been in the service two years.
A. G. Anderson of the Bank of America force, Mrs. Anderson and children are having a two-week vacation with relatives in Sonoma. Miss Wanda Cecil has accepted the position with the local Pacific Gas and Electric Company vacated by Miss Clara Salaverria.
45 Years Ago
August 23, 1979
The movie industry has discovered Winters. A crew from Star Cinema Productions out of Los Angeles is filming scenes for a movie tentatively titled “Speed Birds” in the Winters-Woodland area, with shooting scheduled to continue for the next two to three weeks. The shooting is not merely figurative. The story, according to producer Stan Isaacs, concerns the discovery of oil in a community in the Sacramento Valley (Winters, renamed
Libertyville). Aldo Ray, who is Regina Ogando’s brother, will be one of the bad guys in the film — he’s the corrupt sheriff. Manuel and Josie Madrid, of San Carlos, and their daughter, Mrs. Carol Trowbridge and children, Kim and Bruce, of San Jose, visited for a few days last week at the home of Joe and Carmen Rubio and family. They also visited with Manuel’s sisters, Mrs. Amalia Martin, Mrs. Carmen Cuberos and Miss Josephine Madrid and nieces and nephews in the area.
Wednesday, Rev. and Mrs. John L. Reimers returned the first of this month from a week’s vacation in British Columbia. The couple spent five days sailing on a 40-foot cabin cruiser with Clarence Dunn, whom they met on Vancouver Island at Port McNeil. Clarence is the father of Randy Dunn, a former Winters resident.
Brad and Stephani Rojo, of Claremoor, Oklahoma, visited for a few days this month with their grandparents, Dick and Isabel Rojo. They also visited with their father and stepmother, the Fred Rojos, of Elk Grove, and took trips with them to San Francisco and Yosemite National Park. On August 10, they all gathered together with other members of the family to celebrate Isabel’s birthday.
Picked by Charley Wallace
File photo
Denise Ehnat, 9 years old, caught a 35-pound salmon while fishing with her grandfather, Vernon Bruhn, out of Sausalito, in August 1977. She is pictured with her father, Tom Ehnat, who is there to help hold up the fish. Vernon caught a 34-pound halibut on the trip.
Carrie Green shared concerns regarding the additional traffic onto Edwards Street during pick-up and drop-off times. The new design creates three points of entry onto Edwards Street, which already experiences some congestion with one drop-off area.
Superintendent Rody Boonchoy told the Express on Tuesday that Winters JUSD staff have already begun discussions to address the concerns and fine-tune the details around the drop off areas and parking lot.
Boonchouy said Phase 1 also includes the design of the multipurpose room and kitchen. However, approval for Phase 2 would not come to trustees for approval until additional resources are identified and confirmed.
Phase 2 design proposal
Phase 2 options A and B differed in how the kitchen portion of the nutritional facilities would be integrated. Option A proposed upgrading and remodeling the existing kitchen in its current building, while Option B suggested incorporating a new kitchen facility into the multipurpose building. The multipurpose room would serve as a space for food service and presentations, featuring a stage with both indoor and outdoor configurations.
Option A involves remodeling the existing kitchen and costs $3,678,520. This option is more expensive because upgrading an existing building requires it be Division of the State Architect (DSA) approved, and more than 50 percent of the replacement cost would require seismic upgrades.
These seismic upgrades would necessitate removing the finishes inside and outside, as well as the floors of the current kitchen build-
“Option
the past.”
Chris Marcoux, principal
ing, to reinforce the structure for the new kitchen equipment. Additionally, Waggoner’s nutritional staff would have to vacate the kitchen during the upgrades and designate other sites to host nutritional services.
Waggoner has served as the hub of all nutritional services efforts to provide food to other school sites.
Option B integrates the kitchen into the new multipurpose room and costs $3,462,400. With the construction of a new kitchen, no upgrades would be required for the existing building, and the kitchen staff wouldn’t need to vacate the facilities, allowing them to continue meal preparation during construction.
Construction of a new kitchen would also cost less in the long run when compared to upgrading the current facility.
Concerns were raised by the board about where the nutritional staff would prepare meals for students during construction.
“Do we need a nice, fancy kitchen or do we need something that is going to be efficient for the students? In my opinion, we should go with Option B,” said Director of Nutritional Services Patricia Jimenez. “That would be more efficient for us. I feel we would have better service.”
“For me, it’s also
about the impact on the school culture and what it could mean for the community,” said Waggoner Principal Chris Marcoux.
Marcoux emphasized the importance of maintaining the current experience where families gather on campus for breakfast in the mornings. He noted that separating the kitchen from the multipurpose room could remove that experience from the students’ mornings.
“Of course, we have to be mindful of working within our means, but as we think 60plus years down the road when considering these kinds of big changes, Option B looks like it’s where we’re growing, rather than trying to retrofit something from the past,” Marcoux added.
Trustees agreed that Option B was the best choice, but concerns were raised about the cost and how the new facilities would be funded. The last time the board reviewed the plans for the multipurpose room, the cost was estimated at $6.9 million and has now risen to $11 million.
With the direction confirmed, Gibb and her team from Studio W and VPCS will integrate and address the board’s concerns in the next design, which will be presented for approval on Sept. 5.
& SCREEN
commission voted to revise the design to horizontal siding in the front of the home with stucco on the sides. Another change Dowswell outlined in his conditional approval was that the applicant provide a front yard irrigation plan. Duenas must resubmit the design plans with the added revisions before she can apply for building permits.
However, some nearby residents argued for conformity in many aspects.
The residents within a 600-foot radius of the home were mailed an invitation to the hearing and some also emailed their comments.
James and Kathyrn Charbonneau of Winters emailed their comments to the commission and were not pleased with the home’s garage being uniquely oriented toward Graf Way — different from other homes — privacy concerns stemming from the home being two floors, and the proposed building material for the façade.
During the hearing, Dowswell said some of the Charbonneaus’ concerns “are beyond the purview
“The goal of the owners and, especially, the planning commission should be to ensure a home that blends in well to the existing location.”
Margaret Holm,
of the planning commission.” One is the second story of the home being able to see the backyard of an adjacent property. The commission determined that the two homeowners can agree to apply for city permits that would add 2 feet of lattice work to a 6-foot fence in between their properties.
However, the home’s façade was within their power to determine.
Another resident, Margaret Holm, also shared comments via email after the first hearing was rescheduled from July 25 to Aug. 13, due to technical difficulties with the video platform.
“The goal of the owners and, especially, the planning commission should be to ensure a home that blends in well to the existing location,” Holm wrote.
Duenas told the panel she preferred horizontal siding on the front because it’s
resident
easier to clean than stucco, but was fine with compromising. Other aspects of the property owner’s plans, such as the garage and second floor were allowed to move forward.
While the design application was submitted to the Planning Commission this May, this home is a part of the larger, drawn-out effort to expand housing in the city.
The Heartland Subdivision, a housing project that includes the Degener Street parcel and over 100 other single-family units, was approved by the city in 2006. Multiple extensions have been granted on design plans. Eight model home designs were accepted in 2017, and three more in 2020. The lot was originally supposed to be a small park, but the city council decided there were already enough parks in the area.
The Nickelson Family’s Good Without God Scholarship has been offered at Winters High School since 2018. Due to lack of response or poor quality submissions, no scholarships were awarded the past three years. This year the Scholarship was available statewide for Public High School and College students. The Nickelsons are very proud to award Danielle Jones $5000 dollars.
Danielle is a San Francisco native residing in Fairfield, CA. She is 30 years old. She graduated from Solano Community College with English and Film And Television degrees. She is currently attending New York University for Film and Television Production. Her career goal is to be a writer/director. Interests include singing/music, film, drawing/painting, writing, photography, and science.
THE WINNING ESSAY:
I grew up in the Christian faith (Baptist). My family has been heavily indoctrinated to Christianity for generations. I broke free of this mental slavery and haven’t looked back since. Here’s my story and how my views on life have changed.
I genuinely believed in Christ, prayer, missioning, anti abortion, anti-LGBT, and many other Christian beliefs. During puberty, I noticed an attraction to the same sex but was in denial, thinking something was mentally wrong with me. I feared disappointing God and my family, thinking they wouldn’t love or care about me. I believed in indoctrinating others into the Christian faith, “leading them to God,” and saving their souls. I thought begging God to wipe all my pain away, solve my problems, leave it all up to “him,” and surrender my mind, heart, body, and soul was the right thing to do. At 18, I came out to myself, realizing I liked men and women, but I was tortured inside. New neighbors then introduced me to the truth about religion. I learned it was manufactured, not real, and borrowed from ancient beliefs and legends. I discovered contradictions in the Bible, mistranslations, and missing books. The letter “J” didn’t exist when the Bible was written, making the power of the name Jesus a belief rather than fact. The sexist origins of the Bible and the strategic removal of Goddess from religion also came to light. My world was shattered. Do I pray before meals? Who do I call on during tough times? Without a higher power, how do I navigate life? I started recognizing the poison of organized religion and its influence on the psyche and American culture. It was used to brainwash slaves into submission with the threat of hell, preventing them from resisting their oppressors. It also controls the average person, lining the pockets of the rich, priming us to obey authority, and keeping us submissive and compliant. It brainwashes people to vote against their needs, distracting us from those harming us. Women vote against their bodily autonomy, families against LGBT rights, and vile acts are forgiven in the name of Jesus Christ, raising questions about accountability. I once argued with a Christian man who couldn’t fathom that I could have morals without being Christian. He insisted that God was necessary to be good. This made me realize the depth of his mental constraints. I often wonder why we can’t respect each other’s differences and live peacefully without interfering in others’ lives. Without proper education and with hidden histories of organized religions, we live in a state of madness. Cognitive dissonance activates and critical thinking is abandoned regarding organized religion. People wait for someone to save them instead of fighting for what’s right, but we must save ourselves. Why wait for a hero who may not come in our lifetime or at all? What if they perpetuate evil to give their God something to do when he arrives? Wouldn’t it be better if he came and discovered that we solved our problems? This realization sparked my dream to create a better world. I dream of becoming an author, film director, writer, humanitarian, and philanthropist. I want to change the world, fostering dreamers like me who refuse to wait for heroes. I want to open a foundation that educates, decolonizes minds, provides scholarships, and nurtures the next generation of real-life heroes. I want my stories to inspire people to believe in themselves, take back their power, and fight for what’s right. This dream didn’t come from religion; instead, despite it. While brainwashed, I waited for a hero, but instead, I became my hero. I believe in people doing the work God is supposed to do. I see the atrocities committed in the name of religion and won’t wait for the God who allowed it to fix it. Instead of relying on the Holy Spirit to guide my moral compass, I believe in the spirit within and the spirit of others. It’s called compassion and empathy — a genuine human emotion that transcends any made-up belief system.
The pros and cons of irrigation systems
Metro Special to the Express
Maintaining a lush, green lawn and thriving landscape that includes shrubbery, flowers and trees requires time, money and often some sweat equity. However, the beauty that results from such effort compels many homeowners to take on the landscaping challenge.
Forgetting to water the greenery or getting hit with a drought can cause a lawn to deteriorate rapidly. An irrigation system may seem like a smart investment, but homeowners should weigh the pros and cons of such systems before having one installed.
Irrigation systems are installed to protect landscaping so plants can thrive year-round. Irrigation systems come in various forms, from sprinkler to drip to surface irrigation systems. No system is necessarily better than another. That’s because each is designed to address specific watering
needs. Here’s a look at various irrigation systems and the pros and cons of each.
Sprinkler system
Sprinklers are popular because they tend to be very affordable and easy to set up. Manual sprinkler systems utilize a hose and sprinkler head, while automatic systems are programmed and do all the work once they’re installed.
Sprinklers cover a lot of ground and can irrigate large spaces quickly. However, that same benefit can be a disadvantage as well. Sprinklers are indiscriminate in their watering, sometimes hitting pavement or driveways. Also, the Gardening Channel says that water from sprinklers is lost due to evaporation on hot, windy days. In fact, as much as 80 percent of the water used may not make it onto the grass or plants.
Surface irrigation system
gravity irrigation, these systems use channels or furrows throughout the cultivation area. Once the water runs through these channels, gravity distributes it accordingly. Surface irrigation systems require minimal effort but are best suited for farms and commercial enterprises because they require a large reservoir or pond to accumulate water. Also, uneven terrains could divert the water.
Drip irrigation system
This type of irrigation system is used primarily in arid regions. It is made up of lateral lines of flexible or rigid polyethylene pipe. Drip irrigation allows homeowners to focus watering on a particular garden area. It provides moisture directly to the soil. Therefore, there is no water waste from runoff or evaporation. Drip irrigation waters plants slowly and can cause less
A beginner’s guide to fall planting and maintenance
Special to the Express
Spring and summer are perhaps the busiest times of year for gardeners. However, fall also is a prime time to tend to gardens.
Sometimes called
See LAWN, Page 7
The tree and bare root retailer Bower & Branch advises that soil temperatures in many regions of the country may still be warm enough to encourage root growth well into the start of winter. Furthermore, fall is often the ideal time to plant, fertilize and keep a garden going or to get a head start on next year’s bounty.
Here are some tips to make the most of the fall gardening season.
Fall annuals, bulb planting
Near the end of September, start planting cool-weather-loving pansies and violas for pops of color as summer flowers fade. Also, it’s a good idea to stock up on bulbs that will bloom in the months to come before they sell out in stores. Wait until the temperatures really cool down before planting them in desired spots for spring sprouts.
Sow salad seeds
Lettuce, spinach, radishes, and arugula tolerate cooler temperatures. Try new and interesting lettuce varieties and enjoy salads well into the fall season.
Inventory the sun
Positioning a garden carefully means maximizing hours of
sunlight, which begin to dwindle in the fall. Experts say gardens grow best in sunny locations that receive six hours of direct sunlight each day. This is where container gardens can be helpful, as they allow gardeners to move plants into spots that will get ample sunlight.
Fill in landscaping gaps
Some fall plants can add color around the landscape and brighten up homes to add curb appeal. In addition to pansies and violas, asters, kale and chrysanthemums are fall blooms. Keep in mind that mums can come back year after year. So take them out of those flower pots and get them into the ground. They can be enjoyed next year as well, sprouting in early spring and developing leaves and buds through late summer.
Clean unwanted growth
Fall is an ideal time to cut back spent vegetable plants and get rid of errant weeds. Rather than bagging
leaves, mow them with a grass catcher and then add the mix to a vegetable garden as an excellent soil insulator. The nitrogen and carbon will fertilize the soil, enhancing growing possibilities and limiting weed growth.
Propagate plants
As temperatures gradually begin to cool, start taking cuttings from perennials, gathering seed pods from azaleas and rhododendrons and dividing hardwood cuttings, says the resource Gardening
Know How. Consult with a garden center or horticulturist on the proper ways to propagate stems using rooting hormone and other techniques.
Water plants
Water is essential in the fall and winter as roots can still be growing. Gradually reduce watering duration as plants go dormant. Fall planting and maintenance can extend gardening season and improve the chances of growing a healthy spring garden.
Courtesy photo
The end of summer is a prime time to prepare for garden planning by selecting seasonal plants and identifying fall garden projects.
Courtesy photo
Pansies are a good flower to plant near the end of summer for pops of color in a fall garden.
Projected timelines for popular renovation projects
Metro
Special to the Express
Renovations help homeowners customize their homes to align with their needs and wants. Remodeling may be necessary to replace outdated fixtures and features, address mistakes previous homeowners may have made, or to make a home more functional.
Homeowners often find it beneficial to hire professional contractors when they have work to be done around the house to ensure the job gets done to code and to their satisfaction. Timelines for home remodeling projects vary depending on a number of variables, including the size of a crew as well as the scope of the project.
The following are estimates of time-
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soil erosion and reduce nutrient leeching.
While easier and more effective than some other irrigation methods over the long haul, a drip irrigation system has a substantial start-
lines for top remodeling projects to give homeowners an idea of how long their renovation projects may last, courtesy of Renofi, a company that provides a lending platform leveraged by credit unions nationwide to offer loans to consumers.
Kitchen: There are a lot of moving parts to a kitchen renovation, involving the services of electricians, plumbers, structural experts, and even interior design professionals. Not to mention the needs of craftspeople who can make custom cabinetry and countertops. Kitchen remodels can take anywhere from six to 12 weeks.
Bathroom: The process of a bathroom renovation typically involves demolishing the old bathroom, removing old fixtures
up cost. In addition, the system can get clogged at times. When gardening season is finished, a drip irrigation system will need to be drained and dismantled.
Irrigation systems can help care for plants and lawns. However, they can be costly and some require significant
and starting from the ground up. As with a kitchen remodel, bathroom jobs require the services of different professionals. That is why homeowners can expect three to 10 weeks for a bathroom, depending on the scope of the project.
Finishing a basement: Finishing a basement can add valuable living space to a home. Establishing the space may require installing framing, insulation, utilities, drywall, flooring, and any additional needs if the area will have a bathroom or additional plumbing. A finished basement project can last one to two months. But the good news is that typically the rest of the house is livable while the work is being done, so residents will not be disrupted.
maintenance. Weather and pests also can reduce the effectiveness of yard irrigation systems by damaging equipment or directing water in directions homeowners did not intend.
Customers are urged to do their research regarding which system, if any, is best for their properties.
What to know about replacing gutters
Metro Special to the Express
Certain home renovation projects are more glamorous than others. A remodeled kitchen is sure to garner its share of “oohs and aahs,” while a newly paved driveway is much less likely to dazzle guests.
A gutter replacement is another job that might not have the wow factor. But fully functioning gutters are a must and can help to prevent potentially expensive roof damage. Gutters rarely draw attention, but homeowners can keep an eye out for signs that indicate gutters need to be replaced.
Signs gutters should be replaced
Various signs indicate it’s time to replace existing gutters. Homeowners should act promptly if any of the following signs arise, as poorly functioning gutters can make it hard for water to get into the downspouts, ultimately pushing it backward and likely underneath roof shingles, where the result can be costly water damage:
• Peeling paint
• Cracks
• Pooling water in the gutter
• Mildew in the gutter, which can some-
times be seen even from the ground
• Water damage: Water damage on the gutter can be limited to certain spots and will be noticeable on the underside of the gutter
• Soffit damage
• Sagging gutters
• Detached gutters, which can be detached from other pieces or the house
• Rust Who should replace gutters?
Many home improvements can be completed successfully by skilled doit-yourselfers, but a gutter replacement is best left to the professionals. Homeowners who live in single-story homes may be able to replace gutters on their own, but the issues that can arise when gutters are not functioning at optimal capacity make this a job best suited to professionals, even in residences without high roofs.
Some gutters may be under a manufacturer’s warranty,
so homeowners can check to see if their gutters qualify for a free upgrade.
Experienced professionals can identify which gutters are the best fit based on a host of factors, including the pitch of the roof, local conditions and the size of the house. In addition, gutter installation requires the use of various tools that many DIYers may not have on hand, which can cut into the cost savings of doing the project yourself.
Homeowners also should not underestimate the challenges of working on ladders that are high up off the ground. Professionals are accustomed to such challenges, while DIYers may not be comfortable or used to climbing ladders with materials and tools in hand.
A gutter replacement is a worthwhile investment that can ensure rain water efficiently and effectively runs through gutters and away from the roof.
•
Courtesy photo
Research is a vital tool when it comes to selecting
By Angela Underwood Express correspondent
James Stirton, head chiropractor at Winters Family Chiropractic, wants you to question his credentials.
If you don’t, and they harm you rather than help you, that’s on you.
Coming off a series on longevity and healing, the chiropractor said there is “something to be said about being choosy with doctors.”
“In general and chiropractors,” Stirton said, adding tenure matters. “It takes a number of years to really become experienced with the wide variety of conditions that you’re required to know.”
Statistics show most mistakes are made by practicing doctors in their five years in the field.
“Insurance carriers, mine specifically, say most malpractice happens in the first five years,” Stirton said. “You can only say you’re a fullfledged doctor after five years in practice because there’s such a falloff in the first five years. “
Don’t get Stirton wrong — this is not to say junior practitioners can’t be trusted.
“I always recom-
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crecimiento. Tenemos que pensar si tenemos suficiente personal para ayudarnos a nosotros, los mayores.”
La sesión de comentarios públicos terminó con Biasi pidiéndole al público que mantuviera la reunión civilizada cuando un miembro de la comunidad le gritó a Snyder mientras se alejaba del podio. “Creo que este es un proceso del que todos hablamos. Acordamos pasar por este proceso. Lo pusimos a disposición de la gen
the right doctor
mend that if you’re gonna take on AAA junior practitioner that they’re in a group of senior practitioners present, overseeing their work,” Stirton said.
Double-digit experience saves lives, according to Stirton.
“I’ve saved a hand-
“Look at health grades online, and Google and Yelp reviews if they have them,” Stirton said, adding it is essential to pay attention to the time of the patient’s opinion. “They might generate a bunch of reviews, but are they all in just this tight
“A good doctor will be very open with his growing experiences and as much as his successes.”
James Stirton, chiropractor
ful of patients’ lives by being able to recognize heart attacks even though it’s not in my scope,” Stirton said. “I’ve caught uh neurological conditions which many junior practitioners would have missed.”
One near-death experience comes to mind.
“I ended up saving his life,” Stirton said. The ER doc said if he would have been two more hours, he could have been dead.”
So how do you know if your doctor is good? Do your research.
te para que decidiera, y la gente tuvo la oportunidad de votar. Sé que habrá gente que estará contenta y habrá mucha gente que no lo estará. Pero este fue el proceso. Seguimos todas las reglas que se establecieron. Todos tuvieron la oportunidad de venir y reunirse y hacer preguntas de antemano y solicitar más información,” dijo Biasi. “Está claro que la mayoría está a favor, según la votación ponderada, pero también está muy claro que se nos pide que seamos extremadamente cautelosos en nuestra administración del dine-
space of space-oftime versus over the breadth of their career.”
After researching, research more.
Stirton said to seek out the doctor’s license number and any possible complaints against them. Stirton said oldschool reviews are the best way to learn about your doctor.
“When you’re going to see the doctor on your first visit, there’s gonna be a pile of patients next to you in the waiting area,” Stirton. “When you’re
Históricamente siempre lo hemos sido,” dijo el miembro del consejo Jesse Loren. El administrador de la ciudad de Winters, Jeremy Craig dijo, “Los fondos se utilizarán únicamente para la prevención de incendios, y los objetivos principales serán el reemplazo de equipos y la contratación de personal adicional, lo que nos permitirá tener dos empleados profesionales en un camión locomotor la mayor parte del tiempo.”
“El ‘por qué’ detrás de la Propuesta 218, es que el departamento (Winters Fire) ha estado luchan-
elbow to elbow with someone that’s seen him already ask them what they like about them and their experience.”
More research goes beyond the waiting room, with Stirton advising first-time patients to ask nurses about their employers.
“Particularly if they’ve worked with them at any length,” Stirton said. “They can also give you a take about how they roll.”
The last research tip entails asking the doctors themselves about their careers.
“How successful have then been at different surgeries,” Stirton said. “How many procedures have you performed.”
“I happily brag that I’ve adjusted tens of thousands of spines,” Stirton added.
An honest doctor is a good doctor, he said.
“A good doctor will be very open with his growing experiences and as much as his successes,” Stirton said.
The doctor says, “If you’re not certain, ask Stirton.” To learn more about Winters Family Chiropractic and its services, visit americanriverchiropractic.com/index. php/winters-family-chiropractic.
do durante años y la dotación de personal ha sido nuestra mayor preocupación y problema,” dijo Snyder. “Actualmente tenemos un personal de carrera en dos turnos que se completan con un voluntario cada día para cumplir con la dotación mínima de personal para una compañía de locomotores de dos personas.” Snyder continuó, “Tenemos un programa de voluntarios muy sólido, no lo negaré. Nuestros voluntarios son nuestro pan de cada día, el corazón y el alma de esta agencia. Pero el voluntariado ha disminuido. Es una lucha. “No es una lucha cuando ocurren los grandes incidentes; son las cosas del día a día con las que luchamos porque nuestros voluntarios tienen trabajos y familias que mantener.”
Según el jefe de bomberos, los voluntarios tienen obligaciones fuera del departamento de bomberos de las que deben ocuparse y durante el verano muchos de los voluntarios trabajan con Cal FIRE. Los voluntarios no siempre están disponibles porque tienen obligaciones con sus trabajos para poder mantener a sus familias. Contratar personal adicional a tiempo completo ayudará al departamento a mitigar estas pérdidas. “La ciudad ha estado luchando, financieramente, y estamos
Recognizing vision problems in children
Metro Special to the Express
Although vision loss is typically associated with aging, people of all ages can experience issues that contribute to diminished vision. Sometimes parents may be unaware that their children have low vision or other issues compromising their sight, particularly when children are too young to verbalize their impairments. The Mayo Clinic notes additional symptoms, such as squinting while reading or holding reading material closely may be more apparent.
Parents, caregivers and even teachers can keep an eye out for these symptoms to determine if children are having vision problems.
• Blurriness: A child may complain of things being blurry, whether that means words in a book or on a smart screen in the classroom.
• Headaches: Straining to see better can cause headaches. If a child starts complaining of frequent headaches, an eye exam may be in order.
• Attention span: If your child quickly loses interest in games or other lengthy activities,
muy por debajo de la marca en nuestra dotación de personal. La práctica común es un bombero por cada mil personas. Brindamos servicio, entre nosotros y el distrito de bomberos, a 13,000 personas. Tenemos cuatro (bomberos a tiempo completo) en el personal, cinco incluyéndome a mí,” dijo Snyder.
Próximos pasos
Los propietarios de las propiedades verán la tasación en sus facturas de impuestos en Octubre. La tasa propuesta se basa en el tipo de residencia(s) y la cantidad de propiedad(es) que posee el residente. Por ejemplo, a una propiedad unifamiliar se le aplicará una tasa de $184.45, mientras que a una propiedad multifamiliar se le aplicará una tasa de $76.53 por unidad. Las propiedades comerciales/industriales, de oficinas, de almacenamiento, agrícolas, de campo y de espacios abiertos se tasarán en función de la cantidad de acres que posea el residente. La tasación se basa en el riesgo de incendio y el valor de reemplazo de los diferentes tipos de propiedad. Se puede encontrar un desglose completo de las tasas propuestas por tipo de propiedad en el sitio web de la ciudad de Winters o se puede obtener del Departamento de Bomberos de Winters.
it may be that poor vision is making it more difficult to fully participate.
• Losing place: Someone with vision issues may experience difficulty keeping track of words while reading.
• Eye rubbing: Prevent Blindness says rubbing tired eyes can be an indicator of a vision problem, as can tilting one’s head or thrusting the head forward.
• Feeling dizzy: Some people with vision problems feel dizzy or out of sorts at times.
• Physical symptoms: Sometimes vision problems may be apparent because you can see there is something amiss. Eyes that don’t line up, eyes that appear crossed, redness in the eyes or rims, or red, inflamed eyes can be symptomatic of a vision problem.
• Eye exam results: Eye doctors conduct a series of tests during an eye exam. During an automatic refraction test, visual acuity can be measured when an autorefractor shines light into the eye and measures the eye’s response. It’s commonly used with children who cannot communicate what they’re seeing and can help diagnose vision trouble.
La Propuesta 218 volverá al consejo el próximo año para una votación de revalidación. Snyder deberá presentar el presupuesto y cómo se utilizaron los fondos para poder presentar un caso para validar una renovación. A partir de allí, los miembros del consejo votarían para aprobarlo o rechazarlo. Si es necesario, el consejo podría votar para aprobar un aumento de la tasación del 3 por ciento, lo que daría lugar a una audiencia pública y a esfuerzos para obtener la opinión de la comunidad, con una votación de aprobación final del consejo. Snyder dijo que no prevé la necesidad de un aumento del 3 por ciento en este momento.
En Enero (2025), Snyder volverá a tratar la Propuesta 218 con la junta del Distrito de Protección contra Incendios de Winters. La junta de protección contra incendios decidió retrasar su votación para disponer de más tiempo para proponer la medida a sus electores. La medida original propuesta en Enero (2024) era para dos iniciativas de votación. Una con los propietarios de propiedades en los límites de la ciudad de Winters y otra con los propietarios de propiedades en el área del Distrito de Protección contra Incendios de Winters.
FEATURES
Wednesdays
Eat Well Yolo Drive – Through Food Distribution, Wednesdays, 3:30 p.m. As supplies last, Winters High student parking lot, off Railroad Avenue
Thursdays
Eat Well Yolo Food Distribution, first and third Thursdays, 10 a.m. As supplies last, RISE, Inc., 417 Haven St., 530-668-0690
Winters Planning Commission Meeting, 6:30 p.m.,City Hall Large Conference Room (Abbey Street entrance), Zoom Meeting info, check www.cityofwinters.org/planning-commission/
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, September 3
Winters City Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Council chamber (318 First St.), Zoom Meeting info, check www.cityofwinters.org/ city-council-meetings_/
Thursday, September 5
Winters JUSD School Board Meeting, 6 p.m., School District Office, Zoom Meeting info, check https://wintersjusd.diligent.community
Monday, September 9
Winters Community Blood Drive, 2 –5 p.m., Winters Community Center (201 Railroad Ave.), Register at Vitalant.org or call 877-258-4825 with code 'SMFM164'
Library Services
Winters Library Open to Public (School in Session), Winters Community Library, 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
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, Thursday thru Sunday, 1-5 p.m., 13 Russell St. Winters Open Mic, third Thursday of the month, 6 p.m. (sign-ups begin at 5:30 p.m.), Paseo Park, Main Street.
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.
program educates, promotes practices to reduce the risk of wildfires
The Express explores the Yolo County Resource Conservation District’s efforts to support healthy land stewardship in this multipart series.
By Angela Underwood Express correspondent
Yolo County Resource Conservation District (RCD)’s Fire Resilience Program Senior Manager, Tanya Meyer, focuses her expertise on working with the community to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire.
Meyer, who serves as the RCD’s Yolo County Fire Safe Council (YCFSC) Coordinator, said that after the 2018 County Fire, which burned 90,000 acres of western Yolo County in a few days, the RCD decided to step up to help.
In response to the 2020 LNU Lightning Complex Fire, the RCD and Yolo County Office of Emergency Services (Yolo OES) started the countywide Yolo County Fire Safe Council (YCFSC). After the notorious five-county blaze, Meyer said, the RCD secured a CAL FIRE grant to develop the first Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) for Yolo County.
“The Yolo County CWPP is a strategic
plan recognized by CAL FIRE and developed by local fire protection districts, community representatives, Yolo OES, fire prevention experts, and the YCFSC,” Meyer said. “A key part of the plan is input from residents living in the high fire severity zones on priority projects for wildfire resilience.”
The Fire Resilience Program has evolved with input from the community. Since 2021, the RCD has led monthly Yolo County Fire Safe Council meetings to discuss projects and programs that reduce wildfire risk. All of which ties back to the YCFSC’s mission of protecting the “people, property, and ecological and cultural resources in both urban and rural communities throughout the county from the risk of wildfire.”
The YCFSC is a group of dedicated landowners, community members, firefighters, and “local officials that really help guide our work and our focus.”
Meyer noted that west Winters and Capay Valley formed local Fire Safe Councils which help with outreach and priorities at a neighborhood level.
“Fire Safe Councils are grassroots, community-led organizations that mobilize
residents to protect their homes, communities, and environments from wildfire,” Meyer said. “There are Fire Safe Councils all over California, all with the common goal of community wildfire preparedness and prevention.”
Currently, the RCD is working with the community Fire Safe Councils, CAL FIRE, and local fire protection districts to implement fuels reduction projects such as shaded fuel breaks and prescribed fire.
“Both protect communities from wildfire and the landscape from intense fires that destroy habitat including important pollinator species, and the vegetation that holds soil in place, leading to erosion and potential flooding,” Meyer said.
In addition to the Fire Safe Council, Meyer said the RCD formed the Yolo Prescribed Burn Association in 2023 utilizing grant funding from CAL FIRE.
“Prescribed fire is a re-emerging land management tool, and as such, many folks that may want to use prescribed fire don’t have experience with a fire,” Meyers said.
“The goal of the PBA is to build capacity around prescribed fire so folks can safely
and effectively use prescribed fire as a land stewardship tool for fuel reduction and habitat health.”
To build capacity, the PBA is hosting an introductory prescribed fire training series. Though the two virtual training sessions for the series have passed, recordings are available on the RCD website.
On Saturday, Sept. 7, the PBA is hosting an in-person field training that builds on the topics discussed in the virtual training.
To learn more, visit www.yolorcd.org/rxfire-training-2024.
As for other ways to get involved in wildfire risk reduction, Meyer said “the RCD has funding through CAL FIRE to plan and implement prescribed fire and prescribed grazing projects on private lands in the high fire areas of Western Yolo County.”
Meyer encourages Winters resident participation.
“I encourage all residents to check it out,” Meyer said. “Our meetings are held on Zoom every fourth Wednesday at 4 p.m.”
To learn more about the Fire Resilience Program, contact Tanya Meyer, RCD Senior Program Manager, at meyer@yolorcd.org or visit the RCD website at yolorcd.org.
Climate change impacts bumblebee lifestyles
By Kathy Keatley Garvey Special to the Express
Climate change is rapidly restructuring North American bumblebee communities, according to newly published research from the laboratory of Professor Neal Williams, a pollination ecologist in the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology.
The analytical paper, “Warming Summer Temperatures Are Rapidly Restructuring North American Bumble Bee Communities” — authored by ecologist Jeremy Hemberger, a former postdoctoral fellow in the Williams lab, and Professor Williams — appears in Ecology Letters. “This is one of the first papers to show really substantial shifts in community composition in bumblebees due to climate, but also in insects more broadly,” said Hemberger, now a postdoc-
toral researcher at his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin, Madison. “We’re also able to partition the effect we found to being driven by a loss of cold-adapted species, and a rapid rise in warm-adapted species across North America, but alarmingly we see that, above 50° parallel north, even warm-adapted species are declining.”
The 50th parallel north is a circle of lati-
tude that is 50 degrees north of the Earth’s equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America and the Atlantic Ocean.
At this latitude, the sun is visible for 16 hours and 22 minutes during the summer solstice, and 8 hours, 4 minutes during the winter solstice, according to Wikipedia.
The ecologists documented “an alarm-
ing trend suggesting that above 50° N, both cool- and warm-adapted species are declining in relative abundance, indicating that warming temperatures are outpacing the capacity of bumblebee species to respond or adapt.”
“Though additional confirmation is needed, our results suggest that northern bumblebee communities may be in crisis, with significant species turnover and declines in abundance that may threaten the persistence of populations in the coming decades,” they wrote.
“Overall, our work provides strong evidence of the pervasive impacts a warming planet has for insect biodiversity, particularly for historically cool-adapted species,” they related. “It also identifies regions of concern where anthropogenic climate warming is rapidly See BEES, Page 8
Tanya Meyer (front row, far left) with the Yolo County Board of Supervisors receiving a Wildfire Preparedness Week resolution alongside Craig Hollis from the Capay Valley Fire Protection District (front row, right) in May 2024.
Courtesy photo
Kathy Keatley Garvey/Courtesy photo
A yellow-faced bumblebee, Bombus vosnesenskii, heads toward a California golden poppy. This species was one of the “big winners” in the UC Davis climate change study.
Higher home prices, elevated mortgage rates push state housing affordability to near-17-year low in second-quarter 2024
Higher prices combined with elevated mortgage rates that pushed borrowing costs to all-time highs pulled California’s housing affordability down to the lowest levels in nearly 17 years during the second quarter of 2024, the California Association of Realtors said.
Fourteen percent of the state’s homebuyers could afford to purchase a median-priced, existing single-family home in California in second-quarter 2024, down from 17 percent in the first quarter of 2024 and down from
16 percent in the second quarter of 2023, according to CAR’s Traditional Housing Affordability Index (HAI).
The second-quarter 2024 figure is less than a third of the affordability index peak of 56 percent in the second quarter of 2012. Despite elevated mortgage rates in the second quarter, recent signs of weakness in macroeconomic reports have pushed rates down in the past few weeks. As the likelihood of the Fed cutting rates at the September meeting increases, housing affordability in California is expected to improve in the next quarter.
CAR’s HAI mea-
sures the percentage of all households that can afford to purchase a median-priced, single-family home in California. CAR also reports affordability indices for regions and select counties within the state. The index is considered the most fundamental
measure of housing well-being for home buyers in the state.
A minimum annual income of $236,800 was needed to qualify for the purchase of a $906,600 statewide median-priced, existing single-family home in the second quarter of 2024. The
$200,000 for the sixth time in seven quarters, setting a new record high. The monthly PITI for a typical single-family home in California also hit a record high, rising by double digits from both the previous quarter and the same quarter last year.
On a year-overyear basis, statewide home prices jumped 9.0 percent from second-quarter 2023, as competition and low inventory applied upward pressure on home prices. As the market moves past the spring home-buying season and transitions to the off season, home prices will likely decline as market competition cools and housing inventory continues to improve.
monthly payment, including taxes and insurance (PITI) on a 30-year, fixed-rate loan, would be $5,920, assuming a 20 percent down payment and an effective composite interest rate of 7.10 percent. The effective composite interest rate was 6.68 percent in first-quarter 2024 and 6.61 percent in second-quarter 2023. In the second quarter of 2024, the minimum annual income required exceeded
A consistent drop in mortgage rates expected in the coming months will lower borrowing costs and improve affordability for the rest of the year.
See HOUSING, Page 4
California Association of Realtors/Courtesy graphic
California Housing Affordability quarter two – 2024.
Express Yourself
Winters Fire District needs to get on board
Afew of us, almost half, voted to increase our property taxes to benefit our local fire department. The turnout was low, with less than 30 percent of the ballots being returned to City Hall. It was a weighted vote, which means the more you pay in property tax the more your vote counted.
Our home property tax will go up by $184.45 per year with the money going to the Winters Fire Department. Those living outside the city will not see their taxes increased because they chose not to hold an election to raise their taxes. That can’t continue without some kind of fallout from those who live within the city limits.
Winters citizens voted to improve our fire service and if we are to continue to service those living outside of the city limits, they will need to step up and pay for the additional staff this tax was designed to supply. Who knows how much the rural customers should pay, but someone needs to
“It was a weighted vote, which means the more you pay in property tax the more your vote counted.”
sharpen their pencils and figure out what the real costs are to cover rural properties.
The way, I think, that it is set up now is the rural fire district transfers their tax revenue, minus pension obligations, to the city of Winters. If you read the fire log in the Express, most of our calls are for medical aid within the city limits. That makes sense because there are more people living in town than out.
A question for another column is why a fire truck responds to medical calls and not just an ambulance. I have asked how much of the ambulance
See QUICK, Page 4
Horoscopes
ARIES (Mar 21/Apr 20),
You are the master of leaping before looking, Aries, and this week is no different. You are not satisfied with hanging back and assessing the situation before acting. You’re right in the mix.
TAURUS (Apr 21/May 21),
Taurus, do not pretend to be a neutral party when two people come up to you seeking advice. You are too loyal to avoid taking sides, but it could affect the relationship with the other person.
GEMINI (May 22/Jun 21),
Gemini, it may be time to step in and help a loved one refocus their energies. Rather than let them dwell on a difficult situation, work to offer them a new perspective.
CANCER (Jun 22/Jul 22), Use the past as motivation to make some serious changes in your life, Cancer. This is the week to begin plotting a few ideas that can have a large impact.
LEO (Jul 23/Aug 23), Leo, there may be some room in the budget for a few splurges this week. As long as you do not go too overboard, you can snag that item that you have had your eyes on for some time.
VIRGO (Aug 24/Sept 22), Don’t be so sure that you’ve examined every detail and checked them multiple times, Virgo. Your plan has to be foolproof for it to work. Run it by another set of eyes.
LIBRA (Sept 23/Oct 23), Libra, if no one is asking for advice right now, it’s best to leave your life coach tendencies on the side. If and when someone needs your help, you can believe they’ll come calling.
SCORPIO (Oct 24/Nov 22),
Scorpio, you have big news and you’re ready to tell the world. Hold it in a little longer so that your audience will be chomping at the bit to hear what you have to say.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23/Dec 21), Sagittarius, it can be challenging for you to avoid the soap opera that is seemingly unfolding around you right now. Do your best to stay out of the fray for the time being.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22/Jan 20), Capricorn, if someone in your social circle is in need of a new perspective, you may have to speak up and help get them on a better path. Take this responsibility seriously.
AQUARIUS (Jan 21/Feb 18), You have come a long way in a short time, Aquariuss. Keep up the hard work and you will continue to see results you can be proud of.
PISCES (Feb 19/Mar 20), Pisces, you will have to try to tune out the static all around you this week and concentrate on the things you need to accomplish. There is no wiggle room for distractions right now.
Express Yourself
Letters
Unacclaimed ladies
Through the endless heat, a team of women keep the planters in town looking colorful and healthy. They plant, prune and water to make our town beautiful for locals and visitors. From all of us, thank you.
LYNNE SECRIST
Winters
Send us your letters
The Winters Express encourages readers to submit letters of general interest to the Winters community.
Express Letters to the Editor
guidelines: Letters should not exceed 350 words. Anonymous letters will not be accepted. We accept “thank you” letters naming local individuals and businesses only. We reserve the right to edit letters for brevity or clarity, or to reject any letter. Letters must be legibly signed by the writer. Submit online at https://tinyurl. com/syzevywd or visit our website wintersexpress. com for the form.
Legals
Local neighbors enjoying life together
Drive by Main and First streets a little after lunch time on any given day and it would be hard not to notice the group of elderly men gathered around the benches in front of what used to be the Eagle Drug store. They are in fact, the same group that, for many years, gathered at Main and Railroad Street until their shade tree and bench was taken out in preparation for the installation of the Japanese Memorial.
It is hard to explain but it makes me happy to see them all together, laughing and talking about whatever comes up, enjoying themselves. I can think of no other
group that deserves group enjoyment more than they do. They are our neighbors, our friends, and
our elders. Between them they have 272 years as residents of Winters. Make no mistake, they are as tough a group of men that you will ever meet but they are also friendly, respectful, polite and relaxed. Meeting them as a group makes me smile and I am honored to introduce
them to you. This is not the entire group but it is all I could gather in my allotted time.
When you see them, be a good neighbor and give them a honk and a wave. I guarantee it will make you smile all the way down to your heart.
HOUSING
Continued from Page 2
The share of California households that could afford a typical condo/townhome in second-quarter 2024 fell to 22 percent, down from 24 percent recorded in the previous quarter. An annual income of $180,000 was required to make the monthly payment of $4,500 on the $690,000 median-priced condo/ townhome in the second quarter of 2024. Nationwide affordability was down from 36 percent a year ago.
Continued from Page 3
charge (sometimes over $7,000) goes to the Winters Fire Department and was told zero.
’m not sure when our contract with the rural fire district expires, but we should have time to figure this out. If rural citizens decide not to participate in added funds for the fire department our city council will have a tough decision to make. Or, maybe not that tough, considering that for decades there were two, separate fire districts.
On a personal note; I pay property taxes on four properties in Winters, including the property tax on the Rogers Building, home of the Winters Museum, which I rent but is owned by the city of Winters. I pay on our home, my parents’ old home on Main Street and the Winters Opera House. I do have partners, so who knows what happened to the ballots, but the only ballot I received was for our home.
Rural residents like to say they live in Winters, but it isn’t cheap to live within the city limits, and this is another opportunity to be included in the family.
I’ll add that if you didn’t return your ballot, don’t complain about the new tax. Have a good week.
QUICK
Courtesy photo
Salvadore A. Alvarado (70), Francisco Guzman (85), Jose Tafoya (87), Ramiro Cardona (67), Antonio Guzman (58), and Donald Sanders’ good friend, Jose Ochoa (85).
An unexpected brotherly reunion at Germany’s border
This is one of a series of letters that my uncle, Russell Fox Taylor sent home to his wife Lillia from the battlefields in France, Belgium and Germany.
After Action Report entries in November of 1944 place Russell’s unit facing weeks of fierce resistance at the Siegfried Line on the Belgium-German Border.
After Action Report entries
“The squadron felt keenly the responsibility of holding the portion of the line entrusted to it. All ranks worked hard to develop a method to effectively defend a sector with small forces.”
(Overview of November 1944)
“There was a lot of heroic work done on the more than 150 patrols sent out during this period. Most of the patrolling was on reconnaissance to locate pill boxes and other defenses of the Siegfried Line. This part of the Siegfried Line was a vital one to the German defense scheme and was sure to be attacked sooner or later by our troops.” (A Short History of the 39th Reconnaissance Squadron).
“On November 10, 1944 the 38th Calvary Reconnaissance Squadron entered Germany to relieve the 24th Calvary Squadron.”
“(...)the Squadron began movement in a heavy snow storm to its newly assigned area in the vicinity of Monschau and Mutzenich, Germany….”
In this letter we learn that Uncle Russ met up with his brother, Captain Jesse Fox Taylor on the battle field. In a letter dated Oct. 22, 1944, Uncle
Jesse wrote of their joyful reunion, “Three days ago I found (Russ) inside the German border. He could hardly believe his eyes. It was the first time he had been off the front lines and the first rest he had since landing in France. I’m mighty proud of him and his outfit. They have been actively engaged since coming to France. Their casualties are high and thy have had as much combat if not more, than any unit over here.”
—Respectfully submitted by Winters Resident Gerald Taylor in memory of Uncle Russell and in honor of all those with him who fought so gallantly to defeat the tyranny of Nazism.
Somewhere along Germany’s border
November 2, 1944
It has been so long since I’ve written that I’m really ashamed. The fault is not mine however. There has been so little time available and the weather so bad that one does well to get warm or dry more than once a week. I’m not sure I’ll get a chance to finish this letter at one sitting, but will do my best to keep it dry between installments. By the time you receive this letter you no doubt will have heard about the reunion Jess and I enjoyed together. He had to come clear over to Germany to find me and a bloodhound couldn’t have followed my tracks but
Jess turned out to be a Junior G-man and find me he did. A few smart politics on his part — not to mention the influence of rank — and presto, the first break in many moons was in the bag. We had that evening, all the next day and a half the following day together and all away from the front lines. Even though it was brief it was genuine relief for me and I was on the verge of crying or something when I had to come back into it all again.
It was after dark when we got back to Jess’ camp but he got their cook on the job fixing some eats while he introduced me around. I felt and looked like a bum — I hadn’t shaved or washed for over a week and my clothes were muddy also. They didn’t seem to mind too much or were too polite to say so and appeared more interested in questioning me about combat conditions and experiences. None of them have been up close as yet so they pumped me for dope for quite a spell. First thing next morning Jess took it upon himself to get me more presentable. A shave, hot shower and new clothes and incidentally — or as a result of which — a new man. I certainly felt rejuvenated. The bath was especially appreciated and none the less necessary for it had been nearly two months since the last one. Dirty, ain’t I? Just clean enough to be kept from being thrown out of the pig pen, and a little too dirty and mal-
odorous to stay with the goats. But such is life for the combat soldier. It’ just that rough that you have to fight to keep even a resemblance or a memory that you’re supposed to be a human being. It will be a marvelous experience to go through the process of
which we presented to Jess to take back to his outfit. Deer are quite plentiful in our neighborhood and we have venison every once in a while. This is the first time I’ve hunted without a license, but just let one of those Krauts try to object. There are also
“It will be a marvelous experience to go throughthe process of getting ‘house broken’ again.”
Sgt. Russell F. Taylor
getting “house broken” again. Well, so much for that. Suffice it to say that Jess and I had a wonderful time together. We took some pictures and as soon as Jess can get them finished we’ll be sending some along. Oh, and I almost forgot about the venison
herds of wild pigs roving through the thickets but as of yet we haven’t eaten any. Some of the big boars are very vicious — so they say. Where the folks back home do their hunting as a main event, it’s just a little side line with ours. Praise the post man and pass the packag-
es. Yes, they all eventually arrived. Even those mailed last July and even though three months old the cookies and everything else were still OK and tasted mighty good.
Acouple of weeks ago they brought the pay roll around to be signed and strike me pink if they didn’t have my pen along to do it with. Needless to say it didn’t get any further down the line than me. So, after two months or more it found the way back. I only hope my luck holds out the same way and that soon I’ll be returned to my rightful owner. There is so much more to tell you but feel like I had better get this much on the way now. It has taken three sessions to get this much done, but hope I can do better and oftener in the future.
—Russell
Managing dead grass patches, soil testing tips
Special to the Express
This column is written by the Master Gardeners of Yolo County each month. It provides answers to selected questions that recently came into the UCCE Master Gardener – Yolo County Help Desk.
How to handle dead grass patches
Q: We put in a new Bermuda grass lawn a couple of years ago and now have several dead patches, about 10 inches in diameter. What should we do?
A: Problems involving dead patches in lawns are often difficult to manage, because they can be the result of any number of issues. It helps to know that you have Bermuda grass specifically, because many California lawns are seeded with a mix of grasses to keep them looking green all year around.
Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) is now found throughout the world. Native to Europe (not Bermuda), it’s considered an invasive species in many places (including Bermuda). It’s a popular choice for golf courses and as turf for professional sports arenas because it’s hearty, fast-growing, and drought-tolerant
— which also makes it a good candidate for lawns in places where a warm climate and water conservation are considerations. Keep in mind that Bermuda grass goes dormant in the winter, so it will not look as good during that time as it does in other seasons. At any time of year, the problem of dead patches could stem from irrigation — in other words, watering too much, too little, or too often. Bermuda grass should be watered infrequently and deeply to develop a healthy root system, so be sure to avoid infrequent, shallow watering. In addition to improper watering, there are certain pests and diseases that could cause dead spots in Bermuda grass. However, if most of the lawn is healthy, and the problem is “dead patches, about 10 inches in diameter,” then the cause could be a fungus commonly known as spring dead spot. This appears in the lawn as circular patches of grass six to twelve inches wide, similar to your description. These
patches can merge to form larger dead areas. Because the spring dead spot fungus infects dormant plants, the damage it causes usually isn’t apparent until the healthy parts start turning green in the spring. Take a close look at a few blades of the affected grass. If you see black spots on it, then you’re likely looking at sclerotia, the hard, seedlike fungal structures that stay dormant until favorable growing conditions return. Sclerotia are a sure sign of spring dead spot. If your lawn is infected with spring dead spot, the best way to start managing the problem and preventing future infestations is to first remove the dead grass. If you
fertilize, fertilize in the summer, making sure not to fertilize too much in late summer. Also remember to water appropriately, as described above. While Bermuda grass has a high tolerance for heat and drought, it is possible that the recent extreme heat in our area has proved too much for parts of the lawn. If the fungal infection is ruled out, you could try adding another heat-tolerant grass like St. Augustine Grass and Tall Fescue to your lawn to cover the bases. Cool-season grasses like rye can keep your lawn looking healthy during the winter months when the Bermuda grass goes dormant.
Below are a couple of informative links to help you explore oth-
er potential causes for those dead patches.
Another thought: If you’ve checked those dead leaves of grass and found no evidence of sclerotia, then it’s possible the problem has another cause. Are any of the neighborhood dogs looking guilty lately?
Q: I am preparing to re-landscape my yard and was advised that I should have the soil tested so that I know what amendments to add, especially since my soil is rather heavy clay. Where can I have soil testing done?
A: You received good advice. Your soil is the soul of your garden. Healthy plants start with healthy soil. Knowing what amendments to add to make your soil as productive as possible will provide many benefits in the future. A soil test can be a good investment even if you are not doing a major landscaping project. Most soils in our area are clay loam with varying percentages of clay. Clay loam soil holds water and nutrients well, and while you can’t change your soil type, you can improve it. It will take a little time and effort but you can make a significant difference. We recommend that you have your soil tested by a commercial lab that will give you reliable information. The soil test kits available at the nursery are not accurate. A California lab, and preferably one familiar with our valley soils, will probably give you the best results. The link below will take you to a publication that lists some labs you might want to contact. Once you have a good baseline from a
Courtesy photo
This photo of Sgt. Russell F. Taylor and his brother Capt. Jesse Taylor was printed in the
Jan. 23, 1945, edition of the Deseret News. The newspaper is based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. Russell Taylor’s granddaughter Shelley Frost shared the scan of the original photo of the brothers in Hürtgen Forest in Germany in October 1944.
Courtesy photo
Dead spots in a lawn could be a sign of a possible fungal disease.
Sports
Safe summer hiking tips
By Kristie Ehrhardt Special to the Express
Technology and fastpaced living are part of our everyday world but spending time in nature can help neutralize the tension and flurry that has become commonplace for us. Heading outdoors, even during the heat of summer, is not only possible but with a little preparation it can be safe, enjoyable, and fulfilling. Here are some tips to stay safe while hiking in high temperatures.
Watch the weather
We are all painfully aware that our region gets HOT during the summer months and although the forecast doesn’t really change all that much, in certain areas it can fluctuate more than at your house so keeping an eye on the weather where you’re headed is important.
Head out early to take full advantage of the cooler morning hours. Being at the trailhead at sunrise not only avoids some of the heat of the day but it will likely also avoid crowded parking situations and traffic jams on the trail.
Some areas in our region may experience more wind than others and when the wind is from the north it is typically hot and dry which can rapidly increase the risk of dehydration while hiking. Along with the gusty north winds come “fire weather” which is often indicated by a Red Flag Warning meaning that there is an increased risk for fire danger because of high temperatures, low humidity and strong winds. If you smell smoke while you’re hiking it’s always best to immediately evacuate the area. Failing to leave not only puts you at risk, but it also puts emergency personnel who may have to come to your aid at risk as well.
Stay hydrated, fuel up
Carry and drink plenty of water during your hike, in fact, bring more than you think you’ll need. A good rule of thumb is to drink a half to a full
Tuleyome Tales
liter of water every hour depending on the temperature and your level of exertion. Be sure to drink often, sipping water helps you maintain hydration much better than chugging a bunch of water once or twice during your hike. If you get distracted by the scenery and forget to sip, set a timer to remind you to take a drink about every 20 minutes. If it’s really hot or you’ll be working really hard, pre-hydrate. Drink about 16 ounces of water two hours before you hit the trail. Remember to bring some snacks even if you’re not planning on being out on the trail all day. Having extra food with you not only keeps your energy up but also your morale. Perspiring causes your body to lose not only water but also electrolytes so packing snacks with a little extra sodium and potassium can also help keep you happy and feeling well.
Know your limits
Pay attention to your body and any aches and pains you may be experiencing. Consider fatigue, strained muscles, a cranky ankle or even blisters and how those will make you feel if you continue hiking. The trek out maybe downhill, but it’ll be hotter than when you started. Turn back or head out before your water supply is half gone and don’t hike beyond your ability.
Hiking is more fun with company! Having others with you to share the joy and experiences of the day is fabulous but having friends with you also lets you check on one another and, if necessary, help with important decisions should there be an injury or a need to call for help. Tuleyome, the Sierra Club and other “meet up” groups often offer group hikes where you can learn the terrain and meet fellow hikers.
Make a plan, be prepared
Check the weather
forecast and trail conditions before you go and bring appropriate clothing. Be sure to let someone know where you are heading and about how long you expect to be gone, especially if you are hiking alone. There’s a good possibility that your cell phone may not have service on the trail so attaching a whistle to your pack should you need to call for help is a smart idea. Stay on the trail to help avoid things like poison oak and ticks and keep in mind that snakes may also be out enjoying the day. If you encounter one, just allow it to pass, it doesn’t want to engage with you either.
Wear sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat or get a backpack umbrella to attach to your pack to ensure that you’ll always have shade. Sunscreen is an absolute must and should be reapplied often, especially after swimming or excessive sweating. Getting a sunburn can add to the risk of dehydration. Some essential items to pack include a headlamp or flashlight, a knife or multipurpose tool, and a first aid kit that includes duct tape and super glue. Bonus points for taking a first aid course before hiking season, especially if you like to hike alone. If you’re hiking with your canine pal, please be sure to take notice of their physical ability and demeanor. Dogs heat up and cool down differently than people and outdoor activity during the heat of the day can be extremely uncomfortable or even dangerous for them. Heatstroke can be life-threatening to a dog and breaks with extra water and shade are essential for them; don’t base their health level on how you’re feeling.
—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 go to www.tuleyome. org.
Express seeks citizen journalists to help provide sports coverage
Express staff
Fall sports are starting up for students. The Express is looking to the community to help gather photos of great sports moments. Small-town sports are huge at all levels in Winters, and the community has continued to uplift and support our local youth in their endeavors.
Express staff writers will be covering the Winters High School fall season, but the editor would like to know about highlights from the fall season at Winters Middle School, Winters Jr. Warriors, Winters AYSO and
more. From coach or community writeups to courtesy photos, send in sports highlights to the Express using the “Submit Content” form at www.wintersexpress.com/site/ forms. Photos should be should be high resolution, although most smartphone cameras work fine for publication needs. Do not send photos that have images, graphics, logos or social media filters. While team photos are welcomed, action shots are also coveted and can help to bring a story
to life. The community is invited to share article pitches with us about local athletes who are participating in competitions, races or making efforts to reach personal fitness goals. This goes for adults as well as youths. Tell us about it using the “Submit a News Tip” form on the same page. Community members are welcome to provide sport write ups. For information on style, news writing, how to submit, or people with any general questions should email news@ wintersexpress. com.
Help youths get ready for scholastic sports seasons
Students have plenty of reasons to participate in school sports and many of them confirm what the experts say regarding the benefits of such pursuits. The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) indicates some of the main benefits include:
• Building relationships through the team
• Developing care and empathy
• Maintaining strong physical fitness
• Understanding limitations and how to push past them
• Listening to and learning from coaches Millions of children participate in scholastic sports and recreational leagues across the country. Young athletes can take certain steps to prepare for the upcoming season.
Sports physical
Most sports programs will not enroll participants without a recent sports physical. Physicals typically must be updated every year.
Students and parents should check the date on athletes’ most recent physical examination and be sure that they schedule one prior to the start of the season. Remember to bring along any athletic forms that will need to be filled out and officially signed by health care professionals.
Digital accounts Schools now rely primarily on technology to organize the acquisition of health records and other pertinent information so that students can participate in play. Services like Student Central and GoToMySportsPhysical enable schools to aggregate forms and sports clearance information in one place. Usage of these systems typically requires setting up both parent and student accounts and then populating the information and digitally signing as needed. In addition to uploading sports physical forms, the portal may ask users to sign waivers and to confirm that they have read informa-
tion regarding injury risk.
Check gear
Student athletes should confirm which gear they may need for the upcoming season. Check last season’s gear to ensure it still fits and remains in good working order.
Start conditioning
Some athletes continue with their training regimens all year long. Others may take breaks between seasons. It may be necessary to create a new exercise plan so athletes can start acclimating their bodies to the demands of the sport.
Concussion baseline test
Some schools require a concussion baseline test prior to sports participation. It is a specific questionnaire for each player that will create baseline data regarding processing speed, symptoms, pain levels, balance, and physical abilities. Should a sports injury occur, the test will be repeated and the results can be compared to assess depth of injury.
Joyce Lee: Sunset Night Market @ 8pm Irving Street & 26th Avenue, San Francisco
The Gold Souls and Ian Moore @ 9pm Torch Club, 904 15th St, Sacra‐mento
Ten @ 9:30pm Boom Boom Room, 1601 Fillmore St, San Francisco
SHIMZA @ 9:30pm Audio SF, 316 11th St, San Fran‐cisco
DJ Boom @ 9:30pm Boom Boom Room, 1601 Fillmore St, San Francisco
Re�ecting Lenses: Twenty Years of Photography at the Gorman Museum @ 12pm This exhibition presents photo‐graphic artworks by more than two dozen Indigenous artists from North America, Aotearoa, and Aus‐tralia. Gorman Museum of Native American Art, 181 Old Davis Road, Davis. 530-752-6567
"Proof" A play by David Auburn at The Stage @ 2pm / $25 "Proof" Written by David Auburn. Directed by Anthony D'Juan. Now Showing at The Stage at Burke Junction! August 3rd- September 1st The Stage at Burke Junction, 3300 Coach Lane, Cameron Park. stageatburke@gmail.com
CaringtonSwing: Twango SF @ 2pm Le Bouquet Flower Shop, 22032205 Union St, San Francisco
Mitch Woods @ 7pm Roxx On Main, 627 Main St, Martinez
"Proof" A play by David Auburn at The Stage @ 7pm / $25
"Proof" Written by David Auburn. Directed by Anthony D'Juan. Now Showing at The Stage at Burke Junction! August 3rd- September 1st The Stage at Burke Junction, 3300 Coach Lane, Cameron Park. stageatburke@gmail.com
Gürschach/ Rail Rage/ Malpractice/ Closet Monster/ Snallygaster @ 8pm / $12 Neck of the Woods, San Francisco
DJ Keyz @ 8pm Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St, Sacra‐mento
DJ Owen @ 8pm Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St, Sacra‐mento
Moon Bloom, Scott
Guberman & Friends @ 9pm / $15 Brick and Mortar Music Hall, San Francisco
Nineteen Eighty-Four live at Press Club! @ 9pm Press Club, 2030 P St, Sacramento San Francisco @ 9pm Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell St, San Francisco
Re�ecting Lenses: Twenty Years of Photography at the Gorman Museum @ 12pm
This exhibition presents photo‐graphic artworks by more than two dozen Indigenous artists from North America, Aotearoa, and Aus‐tralia. Gorman Museum of Native American Art, 181 Old Davis Road, Davis. 530-752-6567
"Proof" A play by David Auburn at The Stage @ 2pm / $25
"Proof" Written by David Auburn. Directed by Anthony D'Juan. Now Showing at The Stage at Burke Junction! August 3rd- September 1st The Stage at Burke Junction, 3300 Coach Lane, Cameron Park. stageatburke@gmail.com
Otis McDonald @ 6pm Great American Music Hall, 859 O'‐farrell St, San Francisco
Seal Party @ 6pm Great American Music Hall, 859 O'‐farrell St, San Francisco
Montgomery Gentry @ 8pm Crest Theatre, 1013 K St, Sacra‐mento
American Mile
@ 9pm Harrah's Lake Tahoe, 15 Hwy 50, Stateline
Frank Zummo @ 9:30pm Brick & Mortar Music Hall, 1710 Mission St, San Francisco
Joyce Lee: Illuminate LIVE! Civic Center Soundtrack Music Series @ 2pm Fulton Plaza, Fulton St, San Fran‐cisco
Downtown First Thursdays w/ Spencer Brown @ 5pm San Francisco, Market Street & 2nd Street San Francisco, CA 94104 The Cosmo Alleycats @ 7pm Mr. Tipple's Jazz Club, 39 Fell St, San Francisco
Foster the People @ 7pm Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell St, San Francisco
ALIAS JOHN BROWN: AJB W/ Magic School Busk Band and Special Guests @ 7:30pm Top of the Mark, 999 California St, San Francisco
Together Forever: Hillsboro x Quinine x BLOUS3 @ 7:30pm The Golden Bear, 2326 K St, Sacra‐mento
Chris Franjola @ 7:30pm Cobb's Comedy Club, 915 Colum‐bus Ave, San Francisco
Omar @ 8pm Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell St, San Francisco
Aaron Axelsen @ 8pm Rickshaw Stop, 155
Saturday Aug 31st
550 Barn‐eveld, San Francisco. info @dancesf.com, 877-3987025
ZAND @ 8pm The Independent, 628 Divisadero St, San Francisco
MS.BOAN @ 8pm Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell St, San Francisco
The
Art & Entertainment
Dinner on the Arch supports historical preservation
Express staff
The Yolo County Historical Society, in partnership with the Esparto Regional Chamber of Commerce, is thrilled to announce an exclusive event, “Dinner on the Arch,” set to take place on Saturday, Aug. 24, from 5 to 9 p.m. on the historic Rumsey Bridge.
This landmark event will be the first of its kind, offering a unique dining experience on the bridge while supporting two local treasures — Camp Haswell and the Old Boy Scout Cabin in Rumsey.
“Personally, I have watched dozens of historic structures in rural Yolo County fall to ‘progress,’ apathy and a lack of appreciation for our history. We only have two left in the Capay Valley of which one (Rumsey Bridge) is already slated for demolition in the future,” said Moira Fitzgerald, one of the event coordinators. “The Cabin is our last historically significant structure still standing and requiring minimal effort to preserve.”
The event will kick off with a pre-expo featuring wine tastings paired with delectable hors d’oeuvres, all expertly crafted by Lucila’s Farm Table from Esparto. Guests will have the opportunity to savor local flavors while enjoying the picturesque views from the Rumsey Bridge, a historic structure that has long been a symbol of the community.
“It’s a very rustic menu, 100 percent sourced from right here in the Capay Valley,” said Stephen Gordon, head chef and owner of Lucila’s Farm to Table and Esparto Regional Chamber President. “(The menu) features specialty pizzas from our 52-inch brick oven, cast iron short ribs and plenty of veggies to go around.”
In addition to the culinary delights, the evening will include a silent auction featuring a curated selection of items, with all proceeds going directly to the restoration and preservation of Camp Haswell and the Old Boy Scout Cabin. These two landmarks hold significant historical and cultural value for Yolo County, and this event offers the perfect opportunity for the community to come together in support of their preservation.
“We are incredibly excited to host this one-of-a-kind event,” said Gordon. “Dinner on the Arch is not just about enjoying a meal in a unique setting; it’s about celebrating our community’s history and ensuring that future generations can continue to experience these cherished sites.”
Tickets for “Dinner on the Arch” are limited and expected to sell out quickly. To secure your place at this historic event, visit https://www.espartoregionalchamber.com/ or contact the Lucy’s Cafe & Farm Pantry at 530-704-0924.
Orihuela seeks local artists to participate in Open Studio Festival
Special to the Express
Local artist, Rodolfo Orihuela, would like to invite Yolo and Solano County residents to participate in the Open Studio Festival (organized by the Verge Center for the Arts). The Winters branch of the Open Studio show will take place from Sept. 14 to 15, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Rodolfo Orihuela’s studio at 854 W. Main St. in Winters.
The event is free to the public. The entrance to Orihuela’s Open Studio will be through the alley off Niemann Street. Orihuela’s art will be displayed in his studio and outdoor patio. Complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served. Orihuela’s art pieces are largely inspired by the surrounding landscapes of Winters and greater Yolo County.
About the artist Rodolfo Orihuela was born in Cuernavaca, Mexico and immi-
BEES
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restructuring the communities of an ecologically important group of insects.”
They used a longterm dataset of North American bumblebee species occurrences to determine whether the community temperature index (CTI), a measure of the balance of warmand cool-adapted species in a community, has increased given warming temperatures. The database of 781,280 records from 1805 to 2020 was derived from a variety of sources, including natural history collections, research
grated to the United States in 1975. In his youth, Orihuela studied art at the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico under the tutelage of Professor Guillermo Monroy, one of Frida Kahlo’s assistants. He received his Bachelors and Bilingual Education Credential from the University of Arizona in Tucson.
Orihuela, his wife Kathy and their children moved to Sacramento in 1986. In 2010, he retired from C. K. McClatchy High School in Sacramento, where he taught Spanish for 18 years. In his retirement, Orihuela took the time to return to his passion as an artist, completing courses at Sacramento City College. Through the years he has been able to hone in on his artistic style, capturing images of landscapes, still images, and on occasion a favorite pet.
For any inquiries about the Open Studio show in Winters or to get in touch with local artist Rodolfo Orihuela, contact him at artistaorihuela@gmail. com. The Verge Center for the Arts is the leading cultural institution in the Sacramento region for contemporary art and ideas. Sac Open Studios will take place throughout the Sacramento and Yolo Counties. For more information about the Verge Center for the Arts and other participating Open Studios visit vergecontemporary.org.
studies, and citizen science programs. To match the temporal range of available climate data, they used bumblebee records collected between 1960 and 2018.
“Over the last 29 years across the continent, bumblebee communities increasingly consist of fewer cool-adapted and more warm-adapted species with resultant increases in the community temperature index, a measure of the balance of warmand cool-adapted species,” they wrote.
Their project, launched in 2020 and completed in 2023, focused on 59 species.
All California bumblebees were included in the analysis. The authors noted that the long-term, rising summer temperatures are “particularly alarming” to the Western bumblebee, Bombus occidentalis; the twoformed bumblebee, B. bifarius of Western North America; and
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commercial soil lab, you could use one of the home test kits to see if your soil is changing as you add amendments. Most of the labs have a package of tests adequate for home gardeners. Expect to pay between $100 and $150. You will want to have your soil analyzed for pH (acidity or alkalinity) and levels of the most important nutrients; nitrogen, phosphorus, potassi-
the forest bumblebee, B. sylvicola, a high-altitude specialist native to North America and widely distributed in Canada.
B. occidental is one of the cool-adapted species that is declining. The yellow-faced bumblebee, B. vosnesenskii, native to the West Coast, is one of “the biggest winners” per the analysis.
The most severe responses to climate have tended to be at high latitudes, they said. “For example, regions north of 45° have experienced rapid increases in temperature leading to pronounced phenological shifts across taxa. Our results support this trend, revealing the largest rates of bumblebee CTI change at higher latitudes and high elevations. The bumblebee species in these locations tend to have narrower geographic ranges and be cold-adapted, traits identical to other in-
um and calcium. You may also want to test for the micro nutrients, boron (B), chloride (Cl), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn); minerals that are critical for plant growth. An analysis of the percentage of organic matter in your soil will be useful as well. This is particularly important for clay soils because adding organic matter (compost) is the best way to improve clay soils. You want your soils to have at least
sect taxa that have exhibited declines due to climate.”
“Alarmingly, our results found that even warm-adapted species are struggling to respond to the pace of warming temperatures at higher latitudes: both cool- and warm-adapted bumblebee species north of 50° N have exhibited significant declines in relative abundance,” they wrote. “This result supports previous work describing the limited capacity of bumblebees to track their northern range limits in accordance with warming temperatures though additional confirmation is needed, our results suggest that northern bumblebee communities may be in crisis, with significant species turnover and declines in abundance that may threaten the persistence of populations in the coming decades.
5 percent organic matter. The lab you select will send you instructions for collecting and submitting your soil sample. The results of the soil test will tell you what nutrients your soil may be lacking and recommend which amendments to add and how much. In some instances, it may tell you whether there is an excess level of a nutrient that you should avoid adding. This information will help guide the successful selection of plants for your new landscape. Learn more at: https://ucanr. edu/sites/YCMG/ files/368061.pdf
If you have a gardening question, contact the Master Gardener Help Desk at 530666-8737. Or send an email, with information regarding watering, sun exposure, details about your problem, and photos when possible, to mgyolo@ ucdavis.edu.
SOILS
Courtesy photo
Winters artist, Rodolfo Orihuela, invites Yolo and Solano County residents to participate in the Open Studio Festival (organized by the Verge Center for the Arts).
