Winters Express Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Trustees approve new high school principal

By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief

Winters Joint Unified School District filled the final piece of the administrative leadership puzzle for the upcoming school year when the Board of Trustees approved a new principal for Winters High School at its June 22 meeting.

Council approves monument to honor lost Japanese community, Japantown

By Crystal Apilado and Jacob Hoffman Express staff

On June 20, Woody Fridae and Floyd Shimomura presented to the Winters City Council and asked for permission to install a monument commemorating the city’s Japanese community that existed before World War II.

Fridae, on behalf of the Historical Society of Winters, presented council members with information about the proposed monument that would be placed in Rotary Park to recognize the Japantown that once existed at that location.

The proposed monument would have a black granite base, with a black marble, ceramic tile top showing a 1930 Japantown photograph of the community gathered for a funeral. The monument would face the Winters Community Center — the same perspective as the 1930 photograph — with the trestle bridge visible in the background on the right side. On this base, the

proposed text would recognize the Japanese community with the following inscription, “Japanese immigrants first came to Winters in 1888 to provide a better life for their families. This first generation, the Issei, came as farmers, laborers, and horticulturists.

A few homes remain on Elliot Street and at the dead end of the street, the cottages that face the Nature Park trail. These are all that remain following the fire on V-J Day which burned most of the Japantown area down.

The historical society raised sufficient funds to manufacture and install the monument, as well as to clean up the proposed site (where a hazardous tree was cut down), including new landscaping in the proposed location.

Resident Kate Laddish spoke on how the monument will help the community to address the tragic events that attempted to erase the Japanese community from the city’s historical timeline.  Laddish noted “this is people coming together and documenting a community that was here” and that it will bring the current community together.

“I think that it’s fantastic to have a picture Because when it’s a picture of a lot of people it makes it clear that....we’re all people. And these are people who lived here and that their real roots here and I think it brings even more than if it were words,” Laddish said.

Council members all showed full support of the project, as well as support of how it will help to build community.

Councilwoman Jesse Loren spoke on how all levels of government “can do a lot of harm to communities” by making decisions that divide and

exclude people.

“Government is just made of people and people could make mistakes. I see it as a beautiful thing that we can have a monument that actually shows the vast, beautiful Japantown that was here and that maybe we can recommit to community and to accepting one another,” Loren said.

Loren also said that she would like to see the city work with the historical society to discover and officially acknowledge findings of the past or present in the city’s Affirmation

See MONUMENT, Page 5

Lisa Dennis, human resources director, presented the details of the search at the Winters Joint Unified School Board meeting, noting that of the 23 applications received, three candidates were selected to interview in front of a panel of WHS teachers, parents, and Winters JUSD classified staff and leadership as well as with the Winters JUSD Cabinet Team.

Of the finalists, Justin Young was selected. Young is not a stranger at WHS as he previously served as the assistant principal for two years from

2017–2019.

He has six years of administrative experience — including his time at WHS — as well as experience as an instructional coach and a teacher.

“Mr. Young leads through a lens of equity, is passionate about student success, and is dedicated to building relationships with students, staff and the Winters community,” Dennis said. “Winters High School staff

See YOUNG, Page 5

City announces July 3 fireworks show details

By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief

The city of Winters will host its annual fireworks show on Monday, July 3 at Dr. Sellers Football Field.

Gates open to the public beginning at 5 p.m. Three entrance gates are available to the public. Gate One is on Grant Avenue. Gate Two (near the stadium bleachers) and Gate Three (closer to the baseball field) are along Hemenway Street. Gate Two is the designated ADA drop-off location. Access to the field is not available through the Winters High School campus.

Music, food trucks and vendor tents will be available to the community at the

event. Food trucks will be located on Hemenway Street. Vendor booths will be set up behind the stadium bleachers. The fireworks show is anticipated to begin at 9:15 p.m. and can be viewed from multiple points across the city. The public may also set up and picnic on the football field. Guests will not be permitted to sit on the track or in the “Safe Zone” which is designated on the baseball field. The WHS varsity baseball field will be closed to the public during the event.

Parking

Attendees will not be able to park along either side of Hemenway Street from See SHOW, Page 8

Council disbands Senior Commission

By Crystal Apilado and Jacob Hoffman Express staff

The Winters City Council reluctantly voted to disband the Winters Senior Commission on Aging due to the imminent vacancy among its commissioners that would leave it without enough members to hold a quorum. However, the council also directed city staff to

begin the creation of a new parks and recreation type commission whose central — and broader focus — will include senior issues.

Established on April 19, 2019, City Manager Kathleen Salguero

Trepa said the City Council approved the Senior Commission on Aging with the mission “to help advocate for the needs of the seniors in Winters, to be a bridge from City

Hall to the community, and to work on various projects to move forward activities and programs to advance the quality of life for seniors within the city of Winters.”

The commission was created with seven commissioner seats, which meant that at least four were needed to have a majority, or “quorum,” which

See SENIOR, Page 5

A concept drawing of Rotary Park where the Japanease community monument is proposed to be placed.

Courtesy photo Floyd Shimomura shares about his family’s experience living in the Winters’ Japanese community.

Express file photo Justin Young is the new high school principal.

Teens begin rehearsals in the park

Save the date

Public ‘fire insurance’ program encourages private insurers

McNaughton Media staff

Last Monday, the state introduced a $20 million, a five-year pilot program with multiple goals — the first being to reimburse residents or businesses in the event that a prescribed or cultural burn escapes control.

Backers of the first-of-its-kind project called the “Prescribed Fire Liability Claims Fund Pilot,” also said the program is designed to show the effectiveness of using controlled fires to prevent bigger wildfires and to convince private insurance companies to once again support agencies and tribes that use the prevention strategy.

Christine McMorrow, information officer for Cal Fire (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection), said in a phone interview that the expectation of the program is to show that the program really isn’t needed and that it is a low risk for private insurers.

At the same time, it creates a reimbursement safety net.

“Prescribed fire is a cost-effective way to minimize the scope and severity of wildfires,” state Sen Bill Dodd, D-Napa, said in a joint statement released in conjunction with the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Nature Conservancy and the University of California Cooperative Extension.

Dodd authored the 2022 legislation that created the fund.

“It’s a tool that has been used for millennia by Native American tribes and one that will continue to play a big role in wildfire prevention. The rollout of this fund is a big step toward keeping California communities safe,” Dodd added.

Cal Fire Director Joe Tyler said the pilot project “removes a significant barrier to obtaining insurance for potential damages from a prescribed fire or cultural burn conducted by a certified prescribed fire burn boss or a cultural fire practitioner. As we continue to focus on increasing the resiliency of the state’s forests, creating a pathway for private burn bosses to have the

significant protection this claims fund provides is a critical step toward reaching the goals of the governor’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan.”

Prescribed fires are viewed by many in the fire industry as beneficial because they reduce hazardous fuels. Other proponents argue they also restore “ecological and cultural values.”

Liability insurance, however, has become more and more difficult to get, and therefore using controlled burns to improve fire protection has been reduced.

The fund will provide up to $2 million in coverage for prescribed fire projects led by a qualified burn boss or cultural practitioner.

“The fund is meant to demonstrate that prescribed fire, when carefully planned, resourced and implemented, is a low-risk land management tool that mitigates the larger, more damaging risks of high-severity wildfires,” the statement said.

It marks the culmination of several years of collaboration with groups such as The Nature Conservancy, Cal Fire, the University of California Cooperative Extension, the California Department of Insurance, tribal representatives, and many others.

“Launching this program is a key step in scaling ecologically based forest management to reduce the risk of megafires,” said Dan Porter, The Nature Conservancy’s Forest Program director.

Don Hankins, professor of Geography and Planning at Chico State University and co-founder of the Indigenous Stewardship Network, added, “Cultural burning is an essential practice to meet diverse objectives, including biodiversity stewardship, ecological health, and community safety. The availability of this pilot fund provides cultural fire practitioners a safeguard against financial risk in the unlikely event of an escaped burn. This is a significant incentive to support revitalization of burning traditions following the legacy of policies banning such practices.”

Winters Shakespeare Workshop Special to the Express

Teen actors with the Winters Shakespeare Workshop have started rehearsals on the Wooden Park Playground Stage to prepare for their upcoming performance of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night in July. During rehearsals, the stage area and overhead walkway above it will be closed off from 6:30–9:30 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays (excluding July 3–4 when actors

take a break for the Independence Day holiday). This will help to keep our actors and other children playing at the park safe during rehearsals.

The rest of the wooden park play area is opened and signs will indicate the entrance areas near the stage.

Everybody is welcome to watch as the cast and directing team craft the play.

Parents are also available on hand to help answer any questions the public may have about the play or the WSW program.

The official production of WSW's Twelfth Night is on Friday, July 21, and Saturday, July 22 starting at 8 p.m. both nights. The show is free to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to sit on to watch the show.

The 5-week summer acting camp for Winters’ teens is sponsored by the Winters Friends of the Library. For more information about the WSW program or updates, visit wfol.org.

Lake Berryessa water levels down

The water level of Lake Berryessa went down during the past week by 0.38 feet, with a decrease in the storage of 6,784 acre-feet of water, according to Ken Emigh of the Solano Irrigation District. On the morning of Tuesday, June 27 the lake

level was 428.90 feet above sea level, with storage computed at 1,348,082 acre-feet of water. Evaporation on the lake averaged 298 acre-feet of water per day. The SID is diverting 404 cubic feet per second of water in the Putah South Canal, with 44 cubic feet per second flowing at the Diversion Dam.

Author George Elrod hosts book signing event on June 30

Special to the Express

In his book “In It’s Not All Bad: A Lighter Look at Vietnam,” Yolo County author George Elrod shares his often-humorous experiences as a young man draftee. While many books focus on the horrors of Vietnam, Elrod delivers readers an opportunity to experience a side of the war where laughter is necessary for healing.

Elrod invites you to join him on Friday, June 30 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Steady Eddy’s Coffee House (5 E. Main St., Suite A, Winters) for a book signing event as he re-introduces “It’s Not All Bad: A Lighter Look at Vietnam” to the literary community.

Laugh your way from boot camp to battle zone compliments of the US Army. Get a book signed and hear plenty of stories straight from Elrod over a freshly brewed cup of Steady Eddy’s coffee. Books will be available to purchase at the event.

Elrod is a decorated combat veteran having received a Bronze Star and Purple Heart while serving in Viet Nam. He currently lives in Yolo County with his wife and serves as a reverend in Solano County. Elrod has a heart for the hurting in the community and is always

available to minister to those in need of emotional support. and co-founder of the Indigenous Steward-

ship Network, added, “Cultural burning is an essential practice to meet diverse objectives, including biodiversity stewardship, ecological health, and community safety. The availability of this pilot fund provides cultural fire practitioners a safeguard against financial risk in the unlikely event of an escaped burn. This is a significant incentive to support revitalization of burning traditions following the legacy of policies banning such practices.”

Nominate an Athlete of the Week this summer

Winters Express School is out and summer is here, but that doesn’t mean the Express is done with sports.

The Express is looking to the Winters community to reach out and nominate an Athlete of the Week or to tell us about an exciting happening in the world of sports.

Cheer, swim, horse competitions, travel teams — if they are rocking it, we want to hear about it.

To be considered for the Pisani’s Ath lete of the Week, nominations and supporting content must be submitted by Monday at noon.

How to nominate

Nominate a local athlete for consideration for Pisani’s

Athlete of the Week at tinyurl. com/4f78a6y2.

Include as many details and points of contact so our staff can reach out to coaches for comments about the athlete.

Community members are also encouraged to draft their own Athlete of the Week write-up and submit them through the same form.

If including a hi-resolution photo of the athlete, make sure it is a profile photo of the individual facing the camera from at least the waist up. Individuals should not be too far away or the photo may not print clearly.

Courtesy photo

Steady Eddy’s Coffee House will host author George Elrod on Friday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Elrod is re-introducing his book, “It’s Not All Bad: A Lighter Look at Vietnam”

Firefighters head out to search for hot spots in Quail Canyon in 2020.

Groundwater issues surface in Golden Bear

By Aaron Geerts Express staff writer

Even with an abundance of rainfall this year, the Yolo Subbasin Groundwater Agency (YSGA) has highlighted different areas of special concern regarding the depletion of groundwater around Yolo County — with the Golden Bear area being one of them. While there are numerous factors contributing to this issue, many small farms and rural community members around Yolo County are fighting tooth and nail to help establish sustainable underground water use policies and practices so all in the area can continue to farm and thrive together for years to come.

YSGA designated, special areas of concern include areas in Zamora, Plainfield Ridge, Hungry Hollow and northwestern Winters (Golden Bear). Although there was plentiful rainfall to help pry California away from its relationship with droughts, groundwater takes far more time to recharge, especially in these areas.

As aforementioned, there are numerous factors contributing to the depletion of groundwater in these areas, however, many small-scale farmers and rural residents in these areas of concern are singing the same, anecdotal song of having to lower or replace wells. Coincidentally, they also happen to live next to large-scale agriculture operations which include the expansion of perennial acreage and the coinciding drilling of irrigation wells needed to meet that water demand.

“It’s a very complex issue. There’s uncertainty in the subsurface conditions, the localized concentration of having many domestic wells in a small radius, it’s poor upper watershed health and it’s also an expansion

of irrigated acreage. It’s similar to the Hungry Hollow area in that respect, but there’s also a nuance to it that the city of Winters is nearby and that uses groundwater, too,” said Kristin Sicke,

this drought emergency, a county, city or other public agency shall not: issue a permit for a new groundwater well or for alteration of an existing well without first determining that extraction

“Golden Bear is an area of about 520 acres with about 40 landowners.

I’d say 19 of the 40 have wells that have gone dry and most of that has occurred since 2014.”

Grant Davids, resident

YSGA Executive Officer. “We’re re-running our land-use analysis for the northwestern part of Winters. We want to know, ‘OK, what is the 2021 land use data showing us, and how much perennial acreage has been extended or expanded?’ There’s been a hardening of demand when there’s property out there that was potentially not irrigated or was irrigated in a row crop.”

Sicke said there is flexibility with row crops “because if there’s not surface water available, you don’t have to plant it.” However, trees present a different need.

“But if you have trees, you have to irrigate all the time and that hardens the demand that’s needed and makes it so there’s additional, nonstop demand on the aquifer and groundwater. So that’s definitely something that makes us want to reexamine the water budget. We need to look at how much water is really is underneath these properties and evaluate whether the hardened demand can be managed and ask ourselves whether or not it’s sustainable,” said Sicke.

On Feb 13, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued executive order N-323 which — in part — states, “To protect health, safety and the environment during

of groundwater from the proposed well is (1) not likely to interfere with the production and functioning of existing nearby wells, and (2) not likely to cause subsidence that would adversely impact or damage nearby infrastructure.”

The full executive order can be found at https://tinyurl. com/4n9x4z9z.

Golden Bear water levels

Golden Bear resident Grant Davids who — although retired — is a registered civil engineer and agriculture engineer, is registered with the state on the professional engineers licensing board and spent his entire career in agricultural water management for surface and groundwater.

“Golden Bear is an area of about 520 acres with about 40 landowners. I’d say 19 of the 40 have wells that have gone dry and most of that has occurred since 2014.

In 2013, there was a significant conversion of these previously non-irrigated areas to irrigated agriculture converted primarily to almonds and some grapevines, but almost all permanent crops.

In addition to that, there’s land that converted annual crops to these permanent crops, so when a dry year comes around, you can’t leave that

Due to the Independence Day holiday falling on a Tuesday, the editorial content deadline for the July 5 edition is being moved to 3 p.m. on Friday, June 29. Content can be submitted to news@wintersexpress.com.

land idle and have to keep pumping water,” said Davids. Davids said in the first 12 to 13 years of living in the Golden Bear area, they saw water levels drop “modestly at about one foot per year.” And in 2013, they saw the “rate of decline” accelerate “by a factor of four” — and have “lost about another 40 feet of groundwater elevation in the past 10 years.”

“Drought is a compounding factor, but when we have drought conditions and Yolo County flood control doesn’t have surface water from Clear Lake and Indian Valley reservoirs to provide to farmers, they have no choice but to pump groundwater. We don’t have the local recharge we usually have when it’s dry and don’t have the surface level supply, and it’s that later fac-

to permanent crops. That’s when the steep decline began.”

According to Davids, the YSGA is charged to have the legal mandate to manage the groundwater conditions in Yolo County sustainably. In his view, the organization has not done its job calling out serious data gaps and not understanding the water system well enough in these areas of concern as more water is being pumped out than is being recharged beneath the surface.

Countywide issue

YSGA held a board of directors meeting on Monday, June 19. There, local farmer Annie Main of Good Humus Produce in Capay gave her two cents.

“There are only a few monitoring wells in this area, and the YSDA does not have enough data to be able

has insufficient data while guaranteeing that the aquifer will not be affected, I believe approving new wells on historically non-irrigated land is not consistent with the sustainable groundwater management program,” said Main.

“In my neighborhood, two new ag well applications were recently submitted. I have spoken to 14 of the 23 landowners in the area near those proposed wells. Of those that I have spoken with, 12 have either had to lower or replace their wells in the last 20 years since Investment Ag began changing the landscape. I ask for a pause to new well permitting especially on historically non-irrigated land and in these special concern areas until we completely understand the consequences of your decisions. If you don’t pause now, the many landowners of Yolo County may see a waterless future and have no land value left or ability to continue to farm and live here in the not-too-far-off future.”

tor which is the key thing,” said Davids. “We also can’t ignore the fact that the acceleration of the decline in groundwater corresponds almost exactly with the conversion of those previously unirrigated lands and the annual croplands

to make decisions on groundwater extraction. For the first time, we have an overseeing agency that has the job of investigating new well applications and if they are consistent with the Governor’s Executive Order. If the YSGA

As of now, more data is needed to verify whether or not further drilling in these areas of concern around Yolo County is sustainable. If one is willing to provide well information (such as if one has had to drill deeper or drill a new well), one can reach out to the YSGA by calling 530-662-3211, visiting 34274 CA-16 in Woodland or by visiting the YSGA website at www. yologroundwater.org.

“If you don’t pause now, the many landowners of Yolo County may see a waterless future and have no land value left or ability to continue to farm and live here in the not-toofar-off future.”

Annie Main, Capay farmer

City of Winters

Fire

Jun. 14: 2:04 a.m., Kennedy Drive, EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury

~2:19 a.m., Main Street, EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury

~8:04 a.m., Baker Street, EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury

~7:17 p.m., Jackson Street, Good intent call, other Jun. 15: 3:27 p.m., Morgan Street, False alarm or false call, other

Jun. 16: 1:51 a.m., Kennedy Drive, EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury

~9:24 a.m., Main Street, EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury ~11:18 a.m., Morgan Street, EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury

~12:30 p.m., Main Street, EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury

~4:20 p.m., Main Street, EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury

Jun. 17: 7:19 a.m., Grant, EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury

~8:14 p.m., Main Street, False alarm or false call, other

Jun. 18: 12:45 a.m., Railroad, EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury

~6:12 a.m., Red Bud Lane, EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury

~6:33 a.m., Morgan Street, EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury

~8:13 a.m., Baker Street, Good intent call, other

~3:11 p.m., Myrtle Drive, Outside rubbish fire, other

Jun. 20: 2:34 a.m., Kennedy Drive, False alarm or false call, other

~3:38 a.m., Main Street, Good intent call, other

~9:07 a.m., Main Street, EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury

Police Arrest Log

Jun. 17: Christopher Benton Roberts (Age 38), Charges: Davis Police Department Felony bench warrant, Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail

Jun. 22: Eduardo Jimenez (Age 37); Charges: Driving under the influence of alcohol, driving with a blood alcohol level over .08 percent, driving on a suspended license, possession of a controlled substance, failure to stop at a limit line; Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail

Report Log

Jun. 13: 5:31 p.m., 900 block of Kennedy Drive, Audible Alarm

Jun. 15: 3:11 p.m., 100 block of Second Street, Towed Vehicle

~4:18 p.m., 900 block of Kennedy Drive, Audible Alarm

Jun. 16: 7:52 a.m., 500 block of Manzanita Way, Burglary from vehicle

~7:45 p.m., 20 block of Main Street, Audible Alarm

Jun. 17: 11:34 p.m., 200 block of Lenis Avenue, Harassing Phone Calls

Jun. 19: 7:57 a.m., 100 block of Orchard Lane, Stolen Vehicle

~2:45 p.m., 100 block of Main Street, Forgery

Jun. 20: 3:22 a.m., 700 block of Main Street, Mental Health Investigation

Jun. 21: 9:41 a.m., 1000 block of Kennedy Drive, Towed Vehicle

For our editorial policy on crime log entries, see winters express.com/unpub lishing-policy.

The Winters Senior Center is seeking funding for equipment and programming. Mail checks payable to Winter Senior Center Fund to: Yolo Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1264, Woodland, CA 95776

145 Years Ago

June 29, 1878

(From the files of the Winters Advocate)

Owing to the crowded state of our advertising columns, we have been compelled to omit a large portion of reading matter prepared for this day’s Advocate Abram Clark, the great farmer, was in town yesterday. He will commence harvesting in Colusa County next week, where he has 7,000 acres of wheat. He also has 3,000 acres in Berryessa Valley.

A steam threshing machine came up from Solano County this week to be used in the grain fields in this vicinity, commencing on C.W. Ish’s ranch. The Hill Brothers’ steam thresher is operating on Baker Brothers ranch.

Mr. Pleasants, erected a substantial grist mill on his ranch, which will start up early in August, in grinding wheat, barley and feed, an enterprise which will largely benefit the residents of the valley.

An election will be held at the school house, Winters, this day, Saturday, between the hours of 1 and 5 o’clock p.m., for the election of a trustee in place of the late Daniel Robinson.

Pools on the great race between Mollie McCarty and Ten Broeck will be sold on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings next proceeding the race, at Sweitzer’s saloon.

130 Years Ago

July 1, 1893

Bertholet made a flying trip to San Francisco on Tuesday last.

J.R. Wolfskill and wife came up from below on Wednesday morning’s train.

The blacksmith shop on the corner of Railroad Avenue and Edwards Street has been rebuilt since

Far from ordinary. Close to you.

Years Ago

Dispatches from the Express archives.

blacksmith shop on the corner of Railroad Avenue and Edwards Street has been rebuilt since the fire of two weeks ago, and Uncle Jim is pounding iron as merrily as if there had been no fire. 1893

the fire of two weeks ago, and Uncle Jim is pounding iron as merrily as if there had been no fire.

M.R. Hammond has sold his house and lots on Edwards Street to H.C. Settle for $1100.

A gentleman has been in town this week buying horses for the United States government. A number of horses were sold to him by farmers hereabouts.

The Union Ice Company is having an ice house built on the east side of the railroad track and will ice cars and supply the town, also. J.Jeans will be the agent here.

95 Years Ago

June 29, 1928

Mrs. M. Chulick left Sacramento Tuesday evening for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she will attend to business interests, and visit a son and two daughters. She will remain until October.

At Monday night’s meeting of the Exchange Club, Charles A. Graf was elected president to succeed F.C. Hemenway whose term expires July 1.

K.O. Hunter who has been the efficient athletic and manual training instructor in the local high school for the past three years has resigned to fill a similar position in the College City high school.

The explosion of an oil burner Tuesday morning in the rear of Dr. King’s residence started a blaze which was promptly extinguished by the arrival of the fire men.

The following local boys are going to Y.M.C.A. camp: Wayne Ireland, John and Bill Fredericks, Harry Sackett, William Poppe, William Sale, Charles Pearse, Ralph Taylor, John Dutton and Jack Bigelow.

Considerable carpentry and repair work is going on this week. Frank Portnell’s cottage on East street is nearing completion.

J.O. Smith, late arrival from Kansas is erecting a commodious cottage on west Main street, on the lots adjoining those of his brother, Levi Smith.

Five cabins for the proposed auto camp have been built this

week at Railroad and Grant Avenues. H.G. Ritchie and Ray Murray are the constructors of the latter.

Leo Haze, recently signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates, pitched his first game for that team Wednesday in Decatur, Illinois when the Pirates stopped there to play the Decatur Three-Eye League club en route from Chicago to St. Louis. The Pirates won 3 to 2, with Lloyd Waner getting four hits.

80 Years Ago

July 2, 1943

Farmers, who were organized after Pearl Harbor into emergency fire fighting units, are ready to serve if and when they are needed. The district fire wardens for the area south of Putah creek are: Norman Gaddini, Harvey Hemenway. Carl D. Richey, Fred Roseberry, E.C. Crum, Wm.C. McNeill, Justin Snyder and Wm. Roeber.

Word from Harry Willard is that he is on his way overseas.

“Toby” Scott, in the Merchant Marine service at San Mateo, was a Sunday visitor with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Scott.

Miss Beverly Merchant, visiting her sister, Mrs. Ralph McMurray in San Francisco.

Alfred Graf has returned from a vacation visit spent with his grandmother, Mrs. C. Stirn, in Sacramento.

Misses Betty and Myra Duncan, high school graduates this year, have accepted employment in defense work in Vallejo.

Miss Genevie Dexter who is a teacher at Bellflower is home on vacation.

“Bill” Cody reports the loss of 75 fryers and his dog. The dog apparently was poisoned so that the fryers could be taken.

Death notice

Alejandro “Alex”

Crystal Apilado, Editor-in-Chief

Fred Gladdis, Special Editor

Sydney Andrade, Staff Writer

Aaron Geerts, Staff Writer

Jacob Hoffman, Staff Writer

David DeLeon, Advertising Director

Taylor Buley, Publisher-at-Large

Charles R. Wallace, Publisher Emeritus

You don’t have to travel far for extraordinary service. All the attributes you expect of a good neighbor – personal consideration, understanding, and consistent support – you can expect from us.

Cruz Luna (born May 3, 1933) of Winters, died June 16, 2023. He worked as a local farm laborer. A memorial service will be held at Pioneer Church on

Saturday, July 22, 2023, at 2 p.m. Refreshments to follow immediately after the service at the church fellowship hall. The church is located at 205 Russell St. in Winters.

Alejandro “Alex” Cruz Luna

This group of young men were fierce competors on the hardwood during 1996-7 JV basketball season. Pictured (from left) back row: Coach Jason Davis, Jason Molina, David Callison, John Platt, Eric Anderson, Aaron Yarborough and Kevin Singh. Front row: Dan Schrupp, Cullen Koepsell, J. Oehler, Andrew Bothwell and Chuck Carrion.

The

of Community Values. Council member Carol Scianna the monument will help to make the current community aware of “this past that most folks don’t really know about.”

“This was a really ugly part of our past and having it come out there and having people be aware of it always makes things better. You don’t repeat the past, hopefully, when you are made aware of those types of mistakes and how it damages people’s lives,” Scianna said. The council unanimously approved the placement of the Japanese monument in Rotary Park as presented by the historical society.

Monument origin

Fridae and Shi-

could make decisions and hold meetings.

But this proved a difficult threshold to meet, with Trepa explaining, “one of the things the committee struggled with was maintaining steady attendance” as “several members left for health reasons, others came on and decided to leave to pursue other community interests.” Trepa also noted that the Winters Senior Foundation (WSF) has “filled the void in the community” by creating and bringing back regular programs for older adults.

While attendance has long been an issue, one of its four members said she would not be renewing her term, which means that, as Trepa described, “we have found ourselves in the unfortunate situation where ... now the commission only has three members, which is not a quorum, so they are unable to meet until or unless there are additional commissioners.”

Since recruitment was already a challenge, this functionally meant the commission would cease to function. But a solution brought forward by the remaining commissioners would see the creation of a new broader commission that will represent senior issues along with other groups in town and responsibilities.

As part of this, Trepa suggested to council  members that “the work of the Senior

momura spoke with the Winters Express about the origin of this project and what it means for the community. From June 2021 to March 2022, the historical society hosted an exhibit in the Winters Museum called the Lost Japanese Community of Winters, which detailed the around 300 people of Japanese descent who lived in Winters, with the first arriving as early as 1888. But after the beginning of World War II, the U.S. government forcibly interned Japanese Americans from across the west coast in internment camps. Many of Winters’ Japanese families didn’t elect to return following the burning of Japantown on V-J Day. Fridae described how the exhibit detailing this lost community originated and grew

until “it had taken on a life of its own.” What began as a push by Gloria Lopez to track her own family’s ancestry in Winters grew into a larger project at the historical society delving into the history of Winters’ different communities, culminating in the Lost Japanese Community of Winters exhibit.

“There were a number of Japanese and non-Japanese people that came to see it, and they ended up making connections there at the museum. Some families hadn’t seen each other in many years, and it was kind of a reunion of sorts,” Fridae said. “There were a number of specific people who came to it and saw pictures of either their relatives, or in some cases themselves, in the displays, and it was a great opportunity to celebrate the Japa-

nese community.”

Two of these community members included Shimomura’s father Ben and his aunt Harumi, both of whom were alive when Japantown existed. Though his father has passed, Shimomura said he hopes he can show the monument to his aunt, as she, “may be the only person who is still living who was in that photograph.”

The photograph was taken in 1930, depicting many of Japantown’s residents gathered for the wake of a member of the Nishida family, and Fridae says that it “gives an idea of how big the Japanese community was here in Winters.” The photo also serves as a guide for the monument sign, which will be placed, “in approximately where the camera might have been when that pho-

to was taken, which gives people an idea of where the Japanese community was as well as its size and a sense of togetherness among the community.”

“When you look at that picture,” Shimomura continued, “you can see the Railroad Bridge, which hasn’t changed at all, and Japantown was basically where the community center is now.”

At that time of the exhibit, the historical society began raising funds for a commemoration of some kind that would lead directly into this current project, with Shimomura saying, “I think it was something that we talked about in general, but it wasn’t until after the exhibit was over that we started talking about it more concretely.”

These donations

raised during the exhibit are the primary funding behind the new project. Shimomura said, “The monument is going to be totally paid for by private donations” and won’t cost the city anything to install.

Shimomura described how important the community’s support has been in making it a reality.

“It’s easy to have an idea, and even to get a couple of people interested in it, but this is one of those projects where the more we’ve worked on it, the more interest and participation we’ve gotten from more people, it’s kind of like something that turned into a movement, which is kind of a feeding thing that starts out small and grows organically,” Shimomura said The monument is expected to be installed next spring.

Commission

on

Aging be incorporated into a new, broader Parks and Recreation Commission” of which “senior programming typically falls within the profession of Parks and Recreation.” With a broader focus, the city hopes this commission will be easier to recruit for, and Trepa recommended making it an advisory committee where the city brings work to the commission to make it more structured vs a working committee where the members create their own work and tasks.

During a special meeting on June 14, the senior commissioners unanimously voted to recommend to City Council that the senior commission be incorporated into a parks and recreation commission to more broadly represent the interest of the community, including seniors.

At the special meeting, senior commissioners had in-depth discussions about the challenges of commissioner turnover, as well as accomplishments they have achieved including a survey to gauge the interest of programs and needs in the older adult community, updating the senior resources guide as well the creation of a volunteer program so the WSF can utilize the Winters Community Center for its programming.

Senior commissioners Mark Rowan, Marianne Boyer, Tina Lowden and chair Cheryl Sandoval engaged in conversations about what

the new commission could accomplish.

desperate circumstances,” Whitworth

“My perception is that if we had a commission with a broader purpose … it will be easier to recruit a working critical mass of commissioners,” Rowan said.

Boyer said it is essential that representatives from the older adult community have a seat at the table at the city and county levels, and that those representatives make sure to bring information back to the community.

Resident and former senior commission Valerie Whitworth was present and said that she didn’t believe the senior commission had the right support and that she’d like to see local programs and support for caretakers.

Whitworth commended the senior commissioners for all their work to address the needs of the older adult community through the pandemic and the challenges of commissioner overturn.

“I appreciate the fact that you’ve continued under some

said. “It’s a thankless task these days.”

At Tuesday’s meeting, Trepa brought the recommendation to council members.

Lowden and Rowan spoke to the council about the necessity of this change.

Lowden, who has sat on the commission since its inception, described the initial mood of the commissioners, saying, “we were so excited when this committee came on board in 2019.”

“But we really didn’t know what we were doing,” she continued. “Then, COVID hit, then illnesses on our part hit, and then economics hit for some people to move away.”

On ‘disbanding’ Lowden said “I hate that word, I’m going to call it transitioning.”

Lowden concluded that “it was a good ride, but now it’s time to move on to something else.”

Rowan wanted to reassure older adults in the community that this new commission and the city council will do their best to address senior issues.

DAVIS GLASS

Mayor Bill Biasi weighed in saying, “It’s unfortunate that we need to ‘disband’ this commission, but it does make sense given the lack of volunteers who want to serve on it…but I think that having staff come back with some recommendations at a later date on Parks and Recs…it can help with programming on the Senior Center” and saying of the senior commissioners, “I thank them for all the work they’ve done on this.”

Resident Kate Laddish voiced a recommendation that

YOUNG

Continued from Page 1

wanted someone who will support and empower staff, lead rigorous instructional practices, is experienced with (professional learning communities), and has a behavior management approach based in respect, accountability, and relationship building.

Justin Young is just the person for this position and we look forward to Justin coming back home to Winters JUSD.”

The fiscal impact of the hire is an annual compensation

city staff and council members put mindful thought into the name and function of the new commission — that it could engage the whole of the community’s needs by including the word “intergenerational” to cover both older adults, youth and everyone in-between.

Council members voted unanimously to accept the recommendation to officially disband the Senior Commission on Aging and directed city staff to begin the creation of its successor commission.

of $154,511. Trustees approved Young’s placement unanimously.

Young was unable to attend the meeting but had recorded a video message for Trustees where he shared his excitement about the opportunity.

“I am so excited to be coming home to winter as the next principal of Winters High School,” Young said.

Young is stepping in for John Barsotti who retired after 15 years working at Winters JUSD. Barsotti served as the principal at both WHS and Winters Middle School.

SENIOR Continued from Page XX

“It’s unfortunate that we need to ‘disband’ this commission, but it does make sense given the lack of volunteers who want to serve on it.”

Bill Biasi, mayor

La ciudad anuncia detalles del espectáculo de fuegos artificiales del 3 de Julio

La ciudad de Winters presentará su espectáculo anual de fuegos artificiales el Lunes 3 de Julio en el campo de fútbol Dr. Sellers.

Las puertas se abren al público a partir de las 5 p.m. Tres puertas de entrada están disponibles para el público. La puerta uno está en Grant Avenue. La puerta dos (cerca de las gradas del estadio) y la puerta tres (más cerca del campo de béisbol) se encuentran a lo largo de la calle Hemenway Street. La puerta dos es el lugar de entrada designado por la ley ADA (Personas con discapacidad física).

El acceso al campo no está disponible a través del recinto de Winters High School.

Música, camiones de comida y carpas de vendedores estarán disponibles para la comunidad en el evento. Los camiones de comida estarán ubicados en la calle Hemenway Street. Se instalarán puestos de vendedores detrás de las gradas del estadio.

Se prevé que el espectáculo de fuegos artificiales comience a las 9:15 p.m. y se puede ver desde varios puntos de la ciudad. El público también podrá instalarse y hacer un picnic en el campo de fútbol. No se permitirá a los invitados sentarse en la pista o en la “Zona Segura” designada en el campo de béisbol. El campo de béisbol

escolar del WHS estará cerrado al público durante el evento.

Estacionamiento

Los asistentes no podrán estacionarse a lo largo de ninguno de los lados de Hemenway Street desde Grant Avenue hasta la curva (718 Hemenway St.), para dejar espacio para camiones de vendedores, estacionamiento de vendedores y el lugar de entrada de ADA.

Estacionamientos pagados estarán disponibles a lo largo de Railroad Avenue tanto en las áreas de estacionamiento de Mariani Nut Co. como en el estacionamiento de la Biblioteca Comunitaria de Winters (Winters Community Library). La tarifa de estacionamiento es de $10 en los cinco lotes designados. El lote uno y el lote dos son pagos con tarjeta de crédito solamente. Los lotes tres, cuatro y cinco son pagos en efectivo solamente. El dinero del estacionamiento se destinará a apoyar el fondo del espectáculo de fuegos artificiales. Los siguientes estacionamientos pagos están designados en:

• Lote uno: Estacionamiento para estudiantes de WHS (no se permiten bebidad alcohólicas si hacen Reunión/Tailgating)

• Lote dos: Estacionamiento de la biblioteca (no se permiten bebidad alcohólicas si hacen Reunión/ Tailgating)

• Lote tres: lote terrenal en las avenidas

calles E. Baker y E. Edwards

• Lote cinco: Lote terrenal entre las calles E. Edwards y E. Abbey Los asistentes de estacionamiento abrirán el estacionamiento a las 5 p.m. en los lotes uno, tres, cuatro y cinco. El lote dos en la biblioteca está abierto para estacionamiento de eventos a partir de las 6 p.m. La biblioteca está abierta al público ese día y solo los visitantes de la biblioteca podrán estacionarse allí hasta las 6 p.m. La administradora de la ciudad, Kathleen Salguero Trepa, pide a los asistentes que respeten la propiedad

Reglas de eventos

En su actualización del pasado Viernes, Trepa le recordó a la comunidad las reglas y pautas para el evento de este año: No se permite alcohol, vidrio, tabaco o barbacoas personales en el lugar del evento. Cualquier botella de alcohol o vidrio deberá desecharse para poder ingresar. Las maletas se revisarán en la puerta de entrada.

No se permiten fuegos artificiales personales en la pista, en el estacionamiento de Mariani o en el evento.

Se pide a los asistentes que tiren la basura en los botes de basura que se colocarán alrededor del campo y en las salidas del campo.

Los baños están disponibles en el campo de fútbol y en el Parque Rotary Park. Trepa dijo que la ciudad duplicó la cantidad de baños portátiles en el campo de fútbol este año y agregará baños portátiles y botes de basura en Railroad Avenue junto a los estacionamientos terrenales.

Control de trafico

El jefe de policía John P. Miller dijo que tan pronto como comience el espectáculo de fuegos artificiales, se dará prioridad al tráfico en dirección este desde Grant Avenue:

Los semáforos de control de tráfico en las avenidas Grant y Railroad se colocarán en luces rojas intermitentes y se establecerá el control de tráfico. Todos los carriles de giro en esta intersección están restringidos

nut está restringida al tráfico en dirección este y oeste solo para evitar el tráfico cruzado. Los semáforos de control en Grant Avenue/PG&E Way y Grant Avenue/Matsumoto Lane se colocarán en luces rojas intermitentes y se establecerá el control del tráfico.

Todo el resto del tráfico cruzado, giros y fusiones están bajo las “reglas de tránsito,” dijo Miller.

Las rutas alternativas incluyen Railroad Avenue en dirección norte (County Road 89) hasta County Road 29A, que tiene rampas de acceso a la I-505, y Carretera (Highway) 128 en dirección oeste, hacia Pleasants Valley Road.

Reportar fuegos

artificiales ilegales

Miller le dijo al Winters Express que el Departamento de Policía de Winters depende de los residentes para ayudar a denunciar el uso ilegal de fuegos artificiales.

En Mayo del 2022, el Ayuntamiento Municipal de Winters aprobó una ordenanza de resolución y agregó un código municipal que daría a los funcionarios encargados de hacer cumplir la ley la capacidad de emitir citaciones administrativas a los residentes por el uso de fuegos artificiales ilegales en su propiedad.

Según la ordenanza, la policía podría emitir una citación administrativa a los propietarios en un momento posterior y no estaría obligada a ver el incidente.

En la ciudad de Winters, se permit-

Estacionamientos pagados estarán disponibles a lo largo de Railroad Avenue tanto en las áreas de estacionamiento de Mariani Nut Co. como en el estacionamiento de la Biblioteca Comunitaria de Winters (Winters Community Library).

Gráfico de cortesía

en fuegos artificiales “seguros y cuerdos.” Miller dijo que están tratando de atacar los fuegos artificiales ilegales y peligrosos y, en particular, los fuegos artificiales aéreos que a menudo se ven en el cielo sobre los vecindarios.

Los fuegos artificiales seguros y cuerdos no son explosivos, no se lanzan desde el aire y son probados y aprobados por la Oficina del Jefe de Bomberos del Estado.

Según la adición de la ordenanza, los propietarios pueden ser considerados responsables de los fuegos artificiales ilegales que se activan en una reunión o fiesta que organizan en su propiedad. Esto es similar a otras ordenanzas de acogida social, incluyendo el alcohol y el ruido. La citación administrativa puede ser otorgada por oficiales de policía, bomberos y oficiales de cumplimiento del código de la ciudad en una fecha posterior al dueño de la propiedad. Miller dijo que la aplicación de la ley será capaz de utilizar pruebas en forma de vídeo, fotografías u otras pruebas presentadas en forma de informe de un ciudadano. El uso ilegal de fuegos artificiales se puede enviar a la policía de Winter a través de consejos por correo electrónico o llamando a la línea de despacho regular (no de emergencia) al 530795-4561. Al informar, Miller dijo que es importante proporcionar una identificación precisa de las personas, una dirección y una fecha y hora en las fotos que muestran evidencia de uso ilegal de fuegos artificiales.

YoloCares hosts free dementia care workshops

YoloCares

Special to the Express

YoloCares, the Sacramento Valley’s leading provider of end-of-life care and caregiver resources, is offering a free workshop series focused on dementia care during July and August. Hosted in partnership with Positive Approach to Care (PAC), the four-session workshop series will be offered at the Davis Senior Center on July 26 and the Woodland Senior Center on Aug. 8 and will be free of charge to attendees. The Alzheimer’s Association and Del Oro Caregiver Resource Center will be in attendance to offer additional support to participants.

YoloCares, in partnership with Your Home Assistant, will offer free inhome respite care for participants who are primary caregivers to dependent seniors during workshops, free of charge. Availability is limited to 14 families and will be offered on a first come, first served basis.

PAC is a nonprofit advocacy and educational organization led by Teepa Snow, one of the world’s

leading experts in dementia and other forms of brain change. The mission of PAC is to destigmatize dementia and other forms of brain change through public education and workshops for caregivers and clinicians.

Beth A.D. Nolan, Ph.D. will lead each session and serves as the Director of Research and Policy for PAC. Formerly an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health, Nolan received her Ph.D. in applied gerontology. She has worked with a variety of human service agencies to implement evidence-based programs for behavioral health, criminal justice, medicine and senior living, and now works to help move caregivers to become care partners.

The workshop series, A Positive Approach to Dementia Care, will offer four unique sessions which will explore the intricacies of dementia, how the disease progresses, and will offer insights and strategies to help caregivers improve daily interactions with their loved ones.

“Caregivers of loved ones living with dementia often find themselves unsure of how to respond to their loved one as their moods and behavior changes — it can feel bewildering if you don’t understand how dementia affects the brain. This workshop will give caregivers a great set of tools and will help them develop empathy and understanding for their loved one’s journey with dementia,” says Louise Joyce, Director of Community Programs.

This workshop series is funded through the generous support of the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation.

Wednesday, July 26 Davis Senior Center

Lunch will be sponsored by Carlton Plaza Davis.

10 a.m. to 12 p.m. — Using a Positive Approach to Dementia Care

The goal of this session is to help attendees manage their own attitude and behavior for improved outcomes and interactions. This session will provide learners with practical strategies and methods of providing assistance

to individuals living with dementia using their retained abilities to promote positive outcomes in interactions.

1 to 3 p.m. — End-of-Life Care and Dementia

This session will help learners recognize signs of progression into the final stages of dementia, use effective strategies for helping care, adopt techniques for reducing resistance to care, and develop better observational skills to recognize and intervene effectively when behavioral challenges occur later in the disease process.

Tuesday, Aug. 8 Woodland Senior Center

Lunch will be sponsored by The Californian.

10 a.m. to 12 p.m. —

Developing Activities that have Meaning for Those Living with Dementia

This session will help mental health professionals and caregivers develop and offer activity programs that are appropriate and effective when residents have various degrees of cognitive impairment. The session will help the learn-

ers to better understand activities regarding their skill demands and value for the person.

1 p.m. to 3 p.m. — Sorting Out the Three D’s: Delirium, Depression and Dementia

Recognizing the differences among changes that signal an acute illness or medical emergency, symptoms of a mood or emotional condition, or a chronic, progressive, and terminal condition is vital in providing the best possible care and responding effectively when changes are noted. Each of the three ‘D’s’ of dementia, delirium, and depression/anxiety has a unique onset, duration, impact on alertness and arousal, possible causes, and treatment recommendations.

This session will help learners recognize and respond more accurately to reduce ‘non-helpful’ hospitalizations, delays in medical attention for acute illness, non-treatment of treatable conditions, and premature discharge of residents who might be able to stay in the community.

Physical activity lowers mortality risk in seniors

Seniors may have to think about injury prevention and ways to improve their endurance prior to lacing up their sneakers. For most, that may boil down to taking various pre-workout steps.

Adobe/Stock photo

Pre-workout tips for seniors

Metro

Special to the Express

As physically active individuals age, they typically must change how they approach exercise. For example, rather than jumping two feet first into new activities like they might have done when they were younger, seniors may have to think about injury prevention and ways to improve their endurance prior to lacing up their sneakers. For most, that may boil down to taking various pre-workout steps.

• Get enough rest

The body requires adequate sleep and other rest during the day to stimulate muscle growth and repair. Exercise may not be as effective and it may be more dangerous if seniors are engaging without enough sleep.

In addition, sleep deprivation can reduce reaction times, which can adversely affect workouts.

• Emphasize stretching. Stretching can improve flexibility and reduce the risk of muscle injuries. It also can improve range of motion in the joints. Stretching before and after a workout prepares the body for exercise and helps it recover.

• Wear the proper footwear and clothing. Sturdy, supportive athletic shoes and well-fitting workout wear can make working out more comfortable and safer. The

National Institute on Aging recommends finding footwear designed for the specific activity you’ll be engaging in. Footwear that offers sufficient heel support and nonslip soles is beneficial as well.

• Warm up. Give the body an opportunity to acclimate during a warm-up period that will facilitate healthy breathing. Warming up also loosens up the joints and muscles for the exercise ahead.

After a workout, seniors should cool down to reduce their heart rates and prepare for recovery.

• Carefully consider pre-workout supplements. Pre-workout powders and pills have become quite popular for exercise enthusiasts. Manufacturers may advertise that their products are loaded with vitamins and minerals that will help energize the body for a workout. However, they

Gifts That Sparkle!

also may be fortified with caffeine. Do not take a pre-workout supplement without first consulting your physician, as certain products may adversely interact with medications you’re taking for preexisting conditions.

Pre-workout steps can keep seniors safe and reduce injury risk from exercise.

Metro Special to the Express

A 2022 study led by researchers at the National Cancer Institute found that recreational pursuits that incorporate physical activity, including walking, swimming and playing tennis, may lower older adults’ risk of death from any cause.

That includes cardiovascular disease and cancer, which the World Health Organization notes are two of the leading causes of death across the globe. Running, cycling, swimming, other aerobic exercise, racquet sports, golf, and walking for exercise encompassed the seven different exercise and recreational activ-

ities researchers examined as part of the study, which utilized data from more than 272,000 adults between the ages of 59 and 82. The researchers found that achieving the recommended weekly amount of physical activity through any combination of these activities was associated with a 13 percent lower risk of death from any cause compared to people who did not participate in such activities. Though all activities were associated with lower risks of death, racquet sports seemingly provided the most bang for seniors’ proverbial bucks, as those activities were associated with a 16 percent lower risk of death.

Grant Avenue to the bend (718 Hemenway St.), to allow space for vendor trucks, vendor parking and the ADA drop-off location.

Paid parking lots will be available along Railroad Avenue at both Mariani Nut Co. parking areas and the Winters Community Library parking lot. The parking fee is $10 at all five designated lots. Lot One and Lot Two are credit card payments only. Lots Three, Four and Five are cash payments only.

Monies from parking will go toward supporting the fireworks show fund. The following paid parking lots are designated at:

• Lot One: WHS student parking lot (no alcohol allowed if tailgating)

• Lot Two: Library parking lot (no alcohol allowed if tailgating)

• Lot Three: Dirt lot at Railroad and Grant Avenues

• Lot Four: Dirt lot between E. Baker and E. Edwards Streets

• Lot Five: Dirt lot between E. Edwards and E. Abbey Streets

Parking attendants will open parking at 5 p.m. in Lots One, Three, Four and Five. Lot Two at the library is open for event parking beginning at 6 p.m. The library is open to the public that day and only library visitors will be allowed to park there until 6 p.m.

City manager Kathleen Salguero Trepa asks attendees to respect private property and not block driveways or litter in the areas.

Event rules

In her Friday update, Trepa reminded the community update about the rules and guidelines for this year’s event:

• Alcohol, glass, tobacco or personal barbecues are not permitted at the event location. Any alcohol or glass bottles will need to be disposed of in order to enter. Bags will be checked at the gate entrance.

• No personal fireworks are allowed on the track, in the Mariani parking lot or at the event.

• Attendees are asked to throw out trash in garbage cans that will be staged around the field and at the field exits.

Restrooms are available at the football field and in Rotary Park. Trepa said the city doubled the number of portable toilets at the football field this year and will add portable toilets and garbage cans on Railroad Avenue next to the dirt parking lots.

Trepa said the city is looking for volunteers to help staff the paid parking lots on Railroad Avenue — both the school district lots and the dirt Mariani Nut lots).

Residents who would like to volunteer should contact Mayor Pro Tempore Albert Vallecillo at albert.valle cillo@cityofwinters.org.

Traffic control

Police Chief John P. Miller said as soon as the fireworks show begins, eastbound Grant Avenue traffic will be prioritized:

• The traffic control signal lights at Grant and Railroad Avenues will be placed on flashing red lights, and traffic control will be established. All turn lanes in this intersection are restricted to avoid cross traffic.

• The roundabout at Grant and Walnut Avenues is restricted to eastbound and westbound traffic only to avoid cross traffic.

• Control signal lights at Grant Avenue/PG&E Way and Grant Avenue/Matsumoto Lane will be placed on flashing red lights and traffic control will be established.

All other cross traffic, turns, and merges are under the “rules of the road” Miller said. Alternate routes include northbound Railroad Avenue (County Road 89) to County Road 29A — which has onramps to I-505 — and westbound Hwy. 128 to Pleasants Valley Road.

Reporting illegal fireworks

Miller told the Express that Winters Police Department is relying on residents to help report illegal firework usage. In May 2022, Winters City Council approved a resolution ordinance and added a municipal code that would give law-enforcement officials the ability to issue administrative citations to residents for the use of illegal fireworks on their property. Under the ordinance, law enforcement would be able to issue an administrative citation to property owners at a later time and not be required to view the incident.

In the city of Winters, “Safe and Sane” fireworks are allowed. Miller said they are trying to target illegal and dangerous fireworks and, in particular, aerial fireworks that are often seen in the sky over neighborhoods.

Safe and Sane fireworks are not explosives, not aerially launched, and are

shal.

Under the ordinance addition, property owners can be held liable for illegal fireworks that are set off at a gathering or party they are hosting on their property. This is similar to other social host ordinances including alcohol and noise.

The administrative citation can be given by police officers, firefighters and city code enforcement officers at a later date to the property owner. Miller noted there have been challenges in attempting to address the issue face-to-face at a gathering when attendees have been consuming intoxicating materials.

Miller said law enforcement will be able to utilize evidence in the form of video, photographs or other evidence presented in the form of a citizen’s report. Residents do not need to sign a citizen’s arrest.

ter PD via the tips email or called into the regular dispatch (non-emergency) line at 530-795-4561. When reporting, Miller said it’s important to provide accurate identification of people, an address and a date timestamp on photos that show evidence of illegal firework usage.

“The more information they are able to provide, the more likely we’ll be able to follow up,” Miller said.

Under the ordinance, property owners can get “an out” of the $1,000 fine if they themselves call to report the use of illegal fireworks on their property or attempt to take action to put a stop to it, according to Miller.

Miller said the community should be aware that under the ordinance, although the threshold of required evidence has been lowered (officers do not have to view it in action).

Recommended

Courtesy graphic

Paid parking will be available along Railroad Avenue in both the Mariani Nut Co. parking areas and the Winters Community Library parking lot.

Monday, July 3

City of Winters Fireworks Show, 5 p.m. gates open to public, 9:15 p.m. Fireworks expected to start, Public viewing set up at Dr. Sellers Field, Show can be viewed from across the city

Wednesdays

Eat Well Yolo Drive – Through Food Distribution, Wednesdays, 3:30 p.m. As supplies last, Winters High student parking lot, off Railroad Avenue

Thursday, July 6

Winters Hispanic Advisory Committee, 6:30 p.m., City Hall Large Conference Room (Abbey Street entrance)

Thursdays

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

Upcoming

Monday, July 10

Winters Climate Action Commission Meeting, 6:30 p.m., City Hall Large Conference Room (Abbey Street entrance), Check cityofwinters.org/climate-action-commission

Tuesday, July 18

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

Thursday, July 20

Winters JUSD School Board Meeting, 6 p.m., School District Office, Zoom Meeting info, check https://bit.ly/ WintersJUSDBoardAgendaCommunitySite

Library Services

Winters Library Open to Public (No School in Session)

Winters Community Library, Mon/Wed: 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Tue/Thu: 12–8 p.m., Fri/Sat: 1–5 p.m.

Teen Tuesday (ages 12-18), Second Tuesdays, 2 p.m., Winters Community Library

Bilingual Storytime (ages 0-5), Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m., Winters Community Library

Virtual English Conversation Group Tuesdays, 2-3 p.m., One time registration required: Contact Nancy Pacheco 530-666-8019 or nancy.pacheco@ yolocounty.org

Mangonada Monday (ages 6-12), fourth Monday, 3:30 p.m.

Maestro behind the Farmers Market

By Aaron Geerts Express staff writer

The ag-savvy town of Winters is taking another go at having a farmers market. Thanks to the efforts of Ahmad “Simba” Baratti along with the Winters Downtown Business Association, every Sunday till Sept. 24 will be an opportunity for Winters to taste the products of its local farmers’ (and creators’) labor.

Baratti was originally born in Singapore but was raised in Davis since he was 12. In high school, Baratti worked at the Davis Food Co-Op before switching employment to Capay Organics. Learning more in the real world’s classroom than in school, Baratti dropped out of high school to work in agriculture full-time — which included 10 years at Capay Organics. There, he developed not only the knowledge of how to organize farmers markets, but the grassroots work ethic needed to do the job.

“I fell in love with agriculture because of the community aspect of it and just being able to feed people — the actual purpose of farming. Then I got into the farmers market aspect of it via seeing a niche in it. I saw that farmers markets were being organized by large associations and large nonprofits and I had noticed a lot of them charge an exorbitant amount of money. They don’t always have the farmer and vendor’s best needs at heart,” said Baratti. “So, I saw a gap that needed to be filled by an actual person in the

agriculture world and thought why not fill it?”

Baratti has also begun his own, small farming enterprise known as Simba’s Heirloom Farm. His main focus, however, is still operating farmers markets which include the one happening now in Winters.

“People should come out because it’s supporting local

community agriculture. It’s agriculture supporting agriculture and it’s not just supporting the community but supporting our local farmers and small businesspeople. For everybody who attends, your dollar goes so much farther with every single one of us and

Celebrating Esperanza Santana

By Wally Pearce Winters Elder Day Council

Esperanza Santana was born on Saturday, June 4, 1921, in Mexico. She talks about her age and said that she never thought she would live to be 102 years of age. But she’s OK with it.

Esperanza has one sister and one brother. She is the oldest living person in the Santana family. All of the others have passed away.

Tech

Thursdays, Second Thursday, 2-7:30 p.m., call 530-666-8005 to schedule an appointment

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.) **No yoga July 5**

Winters Senior Foundation Social Gathering

Thurdays, 1-3:30 p.m., St. Anthony Parish Hall (511 W. Main St.)

Ongoing

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

Winters Wide World of Sports exhibit Thursday thru Sunday, 1-5 p.m., Winters Museum, 13 Russell St.

Winters Friends of the Library meeting, first Monday, 7 p.m., Winters Community Library, Margaret Parsons Room, wfol.org

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 Saturday of the month, 6 p.m. (sign-ups begin at 5 p.m.), Downtown Main Street. Kiwanis Club of Winters meeting, fourth Thursdays, 6 p.m., Hooby's Brewing

Democracy Winters meeting, third Saturdays, 10 a.m.Noon, Meeting details in newsletter, contact info@ democracywinters.org

Alcoholics Anonymous meetings: » St. Anthony Parish Hall, 511 Main St. (back entrance) Tuesdays, 7-8 a.m. and Fridays, 7-8 a.m.

» Yolo Housing office building, 62 Shams Way: Thursdays, 7-8 p.m. and Sundays, 9 a.m.

Growing up in Puerto Vallarta, Esperanza recalls that her grandparents had a large ranch filled with chickens and cows, including a dairy.

When she was 5 years old, Esperanza, along with her parents and 12 children, immigrated by ship to the United States from Puerto Vallarta, settling in San Francisco. Later, she would travel back to Mexico to live for a time and then subsequently return to the United States.

During her life, she has traveled many times back and forth to Mexico, where she once owned land, and where she still has a large family. Esperanza also traveled to Puerto Vallarta Mexico this year for a very large family reunion.

Growing up Esperanza liked sports but loved baseball. She said she recalled that she was a flirt and that at age 11, she and many other girls her age liked one specific boy in the community.

Esperanza said there was a time in Mexico when some of the young girls would throw rocks at her and her sister because they could speak English and the other girls couldn’t.

Esperanza is very talented and selftaught in much of what she has achieved in life. She

said that when she was 16 years old she was a self-taught seamstress who made clothes for men only. She made her own patterns and then assembled the fabric.

Esperanza lived through the Cristero War, also known as the Cristero Rebellion, which was a widespread struggle in central and western Mexico from Aug. 1, 1926, to June 21, 1929. The event was in response to the implementation of secularist and anticlerical articles of the 1917 Constitution.

Esperanza recalled that her grandparents took her to the hills to hide her from the military, who wanted to kill all the children. Esperanza was

hidden in a large basket. All the dogs were also killed so they wouldn’t make any noise that might lead the military to find the children’s hiding place. Once the situation was cleared and the children were able to exit their hiding place, they could see all the hanging bodies of those killed by the military.

In 1942, Esperanza married her husband in Puerto Vallarta.

Esperanza said that her first big purchase was a plot of land in Puerto Vallarta.

From a small town in Mexico to 102 years later, Esperanza is a person with only a fourth-grade education and yet has an exceptional legacy from an ocean of knowl-

edge that can instill others to follow. What Esperanza may lack in formal education is overshadowed by her inherent intelligence from fostering and sharing her natural talents. Her obvious intellect is not dependent upon having been a participant in any formal educational system. Esperanza’s master’s degree came from her very proficient life experience and was quietly demonstrated by her unique heritage.

Esperanza had two sons, one was a firefighter and the other was a postal worker. Esperanza has six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

From love and tenderness, Esperanza has instilled in her family her life values and it shows in the respect her family bestows upon her and what they also have achieved at the highest levels of both career and family success.

Today, Esperanza resides in a care facility. She continues her loving tenderness amongst those residing around her. She’s forever vigilant and when she notices someone in need of help, she’s the 1st one to be there for them. All the residents love her and consider Esperanza a member of their families. She is highly respected and, for good reasons, adored by those around her.

Esperanza would like to be remembered as a loving and caring person who never met a stranger. Esperanza is now an official member of the growing Elder Day family and will forever be remembered for all she has shared and accomplished. She is a gracious and loving person.

Courtesy photo

Lynda Hinds and Ahmad “Simba” Baratti celebrate at the first Winters Farmers Market on June 11.

Woody Fridae/Courtesy photo Esperanza Santana

What Esperanza may lack in formal education is overshadowed by her inherent intelligence from fostering and sharing her natural talents.

The value of curb appeal

Special to the Express

Landscaping plays a crucial role in creating a positive first impression for potential home buyers.

Sellers have the opportunity to significantly enhance their property’s allure and increase its market value by incorporating certain landscaping features. Most real estate agents, according to the National Association of Realtors, rank curb appeal as a significant factor for buyers.

Consider sprucing up some of the following areas to make your home more attractive.

Well-groomed lawns

Lawns and gardens are often the first thing potential buyers notice. A lush, well-manicured lawn exudes a sense of care and attention to detail. Regular mowing, weeding and fertilizing are essential for maintaining a healthy lawn.

The NAR estimates that a well-groomed lawn can add $1,000 to the value of a home.

Consider planting colorful flowers and adding mulch or decorative stones to garden beds for an extra touch of vibrancy. Stick with just a few color palettes that

complement your home colors.

Hardscaping elements

Integrating hardscaping elements such as pathways, patios and decks can greatly enhance a property’s functionality and visual appeal. These features provide defined spaces for outdoor living, entertaining and dining. Consider using quality materials like natural stone or pavers to create durable and visually appealing surfaces.

Adding seating areas, fire pits or water features can create a focal point and increase the desirability of the outdoor space.

A well-designed hardscape complements the overall home architecture and creates a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor living.

Privacy enhancements

The truism “good fences make good neighbors” continues to be true for many home buyers who are concerned about privacy. A survey by YouGov found that 60% of high-end home buyers listed privacy as a top concern. Sustainable features Buyers often appreciate properties that incorporate sustainable landscaping features. Consider installing a rainwater harvesting system or a drip irrigation system to conserve water. Use native plants that are adapted to the local

AC maintenance tips

Metro Special to the Express

There is no denying the relief cool air provides when the temperatures outdoors are particularly steamy. In fact, having a place to cool off is a necessity for those who have succumbed to heat exhaustion or have difficulty regulating their body temperatures.

Even though air conditioning can provide relief, some people are reluctant to turn it on because of the drain on electricity and the subsequent high energy bills that come with it. Certainly running the air conditioning can be costly, but regular maintenance helps a system to work more efficiently. It also enables homeowners to recognize issues that can lead to expensive repairs if left unchecked.

Here are some air conditioning maintenance tips to keep a system in top condition.

Change the filters

climate and require less maintenance and water.

Incorporating permeable surfaces such as gravel or permeable pavers can help with stormwater management. Highlighting these sustainable features can attract eco-conscious buyers and potentially increase the value of the property.

Outdoor lighting

Outdoor lighting can enhance the safety and security of the property while providing an inviting ambiance. Illuminating pathways, highlighting architectural features and showcasing landscape elements can create a visually stunning effect. Consider installing energy-efficient LED lighting fixtures that reduce energy consumption.

•

INTERESTED IN SELLING?

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Dirty, clogged filters can cause a system to work harder to cool down rooms, compromising efficiency. Check the HVAC system’s manufacturer recommendation for how frequently to change the filters. Some may benefit from monthly replacement if the air is running constantly.

Consider the MERV rating

The filter will have a minimum efficiency reporting value, or MERV, according to This Old House. The higher the number, the better the filtration. But a higher MERV rating requires more energy to pull air through the filter. Therefore, choose a balance of filtration and energy cost requirements.

Maintain the outdoor unit

Clean the AC unit with a soft-bristle brush and vacuum the fins at the start of the season and if the unit becomes dirty from weather, pollen and other elements. Bent condenser or evaporator fins can restrict air flow that would normally pass through the air conditioning system. Gently straighten them to improve air flow. Check and repair leaks

Airflow leaks through ductwork and with window AC units can reduce efficiency. Hold an incense stick or another smoldering item to check for leaks. If the

See TIPS, Page 3

CARRION PROPERTIES

Residential, Commercial & Agricultural Real Estate

John M. Carrion, Owner/Broker CA DRE #: 00970701

RECIPIENT OF THE YOLO COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS MASTERS CLUB SINCE 2012

SUPER CLEAN custom home just east of Winters on 6.5 acres. HUGE shop. A piece of paradise. Call for more info. Offered at $1,295,000.

SMALL COTTAGE STYLE HOME on 55+/- acres of English walnuts. Great location and great soil. $1,399,000.

SUPER CLEAN & FRESHLY PAINTED. 5 bed, 3 bath home, walking distance to beautiful downtown Winters. Low maintenance front and backyards. Seller offering $15,000 in closing cost credits. Offered at $759,000. Call for details.

AN ABSOLUTE PIECE OF PARADISE ON 3.26 ACRES! Just outside the Winters City limits. This home has it all. Tastefully remodeled great room, includes your own personal bar, and an amazing wood burning fireplace. The outdoor pool area is like a private retreat.Beautiful outdoor kitchen with all the amenities, as well as a full outdoor bathroom and shower. Oh ya, there’s more. The shop is 50X90 and has its own gym area. Plenty of room for the motor home, and or boat. Offered at $2,095,000

5.85 ACRES OF WALNUTS in between Winters and Davis off Russell Blvd. County says you can build on it! Offered at $550,000. Call for details.

38 ACRES! Beautiful Chandler Walnut orchard. Located just outside of Winters off Putah creek road. Very well taken care of. Great producer, Excellent soil, solid set sprinkler system with an ag well. Would make for an awesome building site! Offered at $1,095,000.

(530) 795-3834

127 Carrion Court, Winters

Adobe/Stock photo

Sellers have the opportunity to significantly enhance their property’s allure and increase its market value by incorporating certain landscaping features.

Express Yourself

Maybe we do live in the country

Aturkey showed up in our front yard a few weeks ago. It is not unusual to see turkeys when you drive around the county or around Lake Solano, but this is the first turkey I have seen one in my neighborhood. I watched a hen walking up to our front door, so I took a few pictures and didn’t think much about it. The dogs didn’t seem to notice her, so she hung around awhile before disappearing into my neighbor’s ivy.

Fast forward a few weeks and Sherri sees the turkey, followed by nine chicks. Willy took chase and she flew across Anderson to land on David Pisani’s house.

The chicks scattered and Sherri was worried that the mom would abandon her young. I chuckled but reassured her that everyone would be fine.

I haven’t seen it for myself, but Sherri says that the turkey was living in the agapanthus in our front yard, popping her head up like a periscope. I tried to find the mother and babies, but no such luck. What I did find was a pile of eggshells under a tree in the agapanthus, and some empty, broken, snail shells on the lawn. The agapanthus were a housewarming gift from Ray Massei, Sherri’s father, the master gardener, when he lived in Palo Alto 45 years ago. They have flourished and are pretty thick.

After a call to animal control, we are still waiting for a

I’m still waiting to see the chicks for myself. I thought of putting Willy on a long leash and throwing his ball into the plants and see if he is a good bird dog or not.

response; I’m still waiting to see the chicks for myself. I thought of putting Willy on a long leash and throwing his ball into the plants and see if he is a good bird dog or not. We housesat a German shorthair once that pointed out a pheasant just past the cemetery. I had walked all of our dogs through the same field for years, and nothing. But Joe the hunting dog was on point, and when the pheasant flew away, looked back over his shoulder and gave me a dirty look. I don’t think is legal to shoot inside the city limits, but I’ll have to ask ex-officer Larry Justus about that.

When we had a swimming pool, we had a few geese fly in, but they also flew out. I would guess that this brood, or rafter of turkeys will soon be gone. There is only so much food in my front yard and they will eventually need to find a new home. Or, Thanksgiving isn’t that far away. Enjoy this weather and have a good week.

Adobe/Stock photo

Air conditioning systems need routine maintenance to operate efficiently and at the lowest cost possible.

TIPS

Continued from Page 2

smoke blows around, there is leakage. Use foil tape to seal small gaps and duct mastic for large ones. Stuff foam around a window unit and use taping as necessary.

Supplement with a whole-house fan

The Family Handyman says an attic-mounted fan pushes hot air out through the attic vents and draws cooler, outside air through open windows and doors. The whole-house fan can be used to draw out most of the hot air before turning on the AC, or as a substitute

on cooler days when having the AC on may not be crucial.

Schedule annual maintenance

Homeowners may be able to handle various maintenance tasks, or they may want to have an HVAC technician come out and do the following: clean and inspect coils; adjust and replace fan belts; lubricate motors and bearings; inspect controls and safeties, check refrigerant; and determine if the unit is large enough for the home.

Air conditioning systems need routine maintenance to operate efficiently and at the lowest cost possible.

Express Yourself

Caring for an aging population

By Wally Pearce Winters Elder Day Council

Finding the silver lining

Gramps Says

Because I have been duped a few times, it is surprising and always refreshing when an opportunity for someone to reap a golden harvest is passed up in favor of honesty and integrity. On one occasion while driving home from a vacation at Padre Island in Texas, the transmission in our Buick misbehaved and could not shift out of low gear.

My youngest daughter Amy, then about 9 years of age, had a sunburn across her rump from floating on a tube in the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, she was kneeling on the floor next to her older sister. She was anxious to get home.

As fortune would have it, my wife spotted an AMCO transmission shop and we pulled in thinking, here goes at least $800 bucks plus a car rental, etc. After a short while a transmission technician came out and gave us a bill for $35.

“All we had to do was straighten a small pipe,” he said.

After we moved to Winters and when I owned a Ford F150, the throttle refused to speed up the engine and it would only idle. My son recommended that I take it to Jim Hanson automotive repair in Vacaville. His bill was $2 for a small spring and about half an hour of shop time.

I now take my routine auto service to Pisani’s Service gas station and auto repair on the corner of Railroad and Grant. They know about “magic.” The AC on my Toyota Sedan was losing coolant, and after several tries, Jim Hanson couldn’t find the leak. Pisani’s also did some inconclusive testing and after buttoning everything

up it has worked perfectly ever since.

In addition to magic, the good thing about Pisani's is they don’t try to sell you what you don’t need. Not wanting to mention names, but a certain place in Vacaville that sells and services Toyotas will usually try to add an additional $350 of service to your routine oil change service. The latest example was, “The rubber axle boots need to be replaced.” Pisani’s took a look and pronounced them to be in good condition. That was more than 60,000 miles ago.

Sophie prefers to end our stories on a high note, and Sophie Says it’s OK to use names when the stories are complementary. Our air conditioner is more than 30 years old and when it stopped pumping cool air I figured it was finally a goner. I gave Pearce Heating and Air Conditioning a call and after running some tests, their technician explained that the coolant level was good but the motor would run awhile and then malfunction, and it did malfunction just as he was explaining what would happen.

He said, “You’re not going to like this, but it will cost $1,100 to replace it.” I was actually relieved, as I had visions of an air conditioning company informing me that the unit was too old and the entire system, inside and out would have to be replaced costing many thousands of dollars more.

Sophie Says Gramps is right about happy endings. No story is worth reading that doesn’t end with, “And they lived happily ever after.”

According to some 2022 statistical estimates, the United States Census Bureau (USCB), Yolo County indicates that total population appraisals are nearly 223,000 residents, with persons 65 years of age and older being approximately 14 percent of these total residents. The same USCB approximations show that by the end of 2020, there was a growth rate of 2,032 more individuals (224,472) which is approaching a 0.91 percent increase.

Living in Yolo County today is a wonderful experience to treasure. Yet, we’re witnessing a dramatic and unprecedented increase in our older adult population. Some experts have determined that by 2040, over 70,000 people aged 60 and older are projected to be living in Yolo County. That figure is well over three times the number of older adults in 2000; and it represents a growth rate of 235 percent for

Continued from Page 1

know exactly where your dollar is going,” said Baratti. “There’s no better connection you can have to your small businesspeople and small farmers and community than this. The first two farmers markets we’ve had in Winters were amazing and there was a ton of community support.

It’s been nothing but appreciation from everyone who’s come out. I also wanted to call out that working with the city has been phenomenal. (Bill Biasi) and Kathleen Trepa, the city manager, have been nothing but supportive and encouraging to make this happen. They pushed every effort to make this happen on the timeline we made.”

The Winters Farmers Market is comprised of more than just local farms, but vendors featuring arts, crafts, foods and other specialty items

that period. California’s expected older adult growth rate over those four decades is 170 percent. Additionally, the population over age 60 will have an overall increase of 166 percent during the period 2010 to 2060. For Yolo County, that’s a 173 percent growth rate.

Within California, people 85 and older are of serious concern, because they represent the most frail and vulnerable age group, and … they utilize a sizeable share of healthcare services.

Chronic health conditions — heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes — impact our healthcare system. Aging also allows the loss of muscle tissue which causes a forfeiture of strength, bones begin to weaken, we tend to lose eyesight and hearing, frequently our balance is compromised, injuries and hospital admissions increase from falls, and our overall mobility often become limited to nonexistent.

from small businesses. For anyone interested in being a vendor at the farmers market, the application is quite arduous. One must call Baratti at 415-996-8179 and have a conversation — and that’s it. Baratti prides himself in the personal, one-on-one relationship not only with the community members who show up to support, but the vendors he works with.

“The best way to stay up to date and support is just coming to visit. The downtown business association (DBA) has been incredible as well in making the farmers market happen. I want to give another shoutout to Chris Turkovich and the DBA,” said Baratti. “They’re handling all the social media and creating the swag at the market. We’re going to have tote bags, shirts and other things for the community to represent their own farmers market.”

Legal Advertising

While old age may not be a reason to stop driving, age-related physical and cognitive challenges such as slower reflexes or vision troubles can make driving difficult.

Some older adults might suffer from the illness of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, which affects about 10 percent of people over age 65.

In Yolo County, the number of elderly people is projected to grow exponentially, resulting in an almost five-fold increase in frail persons (to more than 9,600) by 2040. The population over age 85 will increase even at a faster rate than those over 60 years of age, having a potential overall increase of 489 percent by 2060.

Of California’s 58 counties, 55 will increase to more than 150 percent, with 45 counties sustaining increases of more than 200 percent, and 36 counties over a 300 percent increase in the number of persons aged 85 and older. In particular, the influ-

ence of the 85-andover age group on California will emerge most strongly between 2030 to 2040 as the first of the baby boomers reach 85 years of age.

The obvious elephant in the room questions is — are Yolo County elected officials and residents are prepared for this challenging evolution onslaught, and, how — will Yolo County, each city, and rural areas, meet their increased demands for older adult services, such as transportation, healthcare, food insecurity, assisted living, housing, homelessness, personal care, etc.? And…even more importantly, are Yolo County elected officials and residents, prepared to offer proactive sustenance in the following areas of needs: i.e., family support, home safety, medical needs, cognitive health, staying mobile, personal hygiene, receiving proper daily nutrition and exercise, and everyday social interaction.

Saturday, July 1

8:00 a.m. 1002/1004 Kennedy Dr.

for the AP Course 4th Edition; BFW Publishers 2023 and Integrated Introduction to Culinary Arts Management; SDC Publications 2022 These materials are on display at the Winters joint Unified School District office for public review through July 14 2023 6/14, 6/21, 6/28, 7/5 #381

MAESTRO

Dementia can take a toll on financial health

Some families learn the hard way

By Sarah Boden, WESA KFF Health News

Angela Reynolds knew her mother’s memory was slipping, but she didn’t realize how bad things had gotten until she started to untangle her mom’s finances: unpaid bills, unusual cash withdrawals, and the discovery that, oddly, the mortgage on the family home had been refinanced at a higher interest rate.

Looking back, Reynolds realizes her mother was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease: “By the time we caught on, it was too late.”

Reynolds and her mother are among a large group of Americans grappling with the financial consequences of cognitive decline.

A growing body of research shows money problems are a possible warning sign — rather than only a product — of certain neurological disorders. This includes a 2020 study from Johns Hopkins University of more than 81,000 Medicare beneficiaries that found people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias became more likely to miss bill payments up to six years before a formal diagnosis.

The reach of these conditions is enormous. One recent study found nearly 10 percent of people over age 65 have dementia; more than twice as many are living with mild cognitive impairment.

Missing the signs of declining cognition

One weekday in the spring of 2018, Reynolds sat next to her 77-year-old mother, Jonnie Lewis-Thorpe, in a courtroom in downtown New Haven, Connecticut. She listened in discomfort as strangers revealed intimate details of their own finances in a room full of people waiting their turn to come before the judge.

Then it hit her: “Wait a second. We’re going to have to go up there, and someone’s going to be listening to us.”

That’s because the family home was in foreclosure. The daughter hoped if she explained to the judge that her mother had Alzheimer’s disease, which had caused a series of financial missteps, she could stop the seizure of the property.

Reynolds can’t pinpoint when Alzheimer’s crept into her mother’s life. A widow, Lewis-Thorpe had lived alone for several years and had made arrangements for her aging, including naming Reynolds her power-of-attorney agent.

But Reynolds lived a 450-mile drive away

from New Haven, in Pittsburgh, and wasn’t there to see her mom’s incremental decline.

It wasn’t until Reynolds began reviewing her mother’s bank statements that she realized Lewis-Thorpe — once a hospital administrator — had long been in the grip of the disease.

Financial problems are a common reason family members bring their loved ones to the office of Robin Hilsabeck, a neuropsychologist at the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School who specializes in cognitive issues.

“The brain is really a network, and there are certain parts of the brain that are more involved with certain functions,” said Hilsabeck. “You can have a failure in something like financial abilities for lots of reasons caused by different parts of the brain.”

Some of the reasons are due to normal aging, as Reynolds had assumed about her mother. But when a person’s cognition begins to decline, the problems can grow exponentially.

Dementia’s causes — and sometimes ruthless impact

Dementia is a syndrome involving the loss of cognitive abilities: The cause can be one of several neurological illnesses, like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, or brain damage from a stroke or head injury.

In most cases, an older adult’s dementia is progressive. The first signs are often memory slips and changes in high-level cognitive skills related to organization, impulse control, and the ability to plan — all critical for money management. And because the causes of dementia vary, so do the financial woes it can create, said Hilsabeck.

For example, with Alzheimer’s comes a progressive shrinking of the hippocampus. That’s the catalyst for memory loss that, early in the course of the disease, can cause a person to forget to pay their bills.

Lewy body dementia is marked by fluctuating cognition: A person veers from very sharp

to extremely confused, often within short passages of time. Those with frontotemporal dementia can struggle with impulse control and problem-solving, which can lead to large, spontaneous purchases.

And people with vascular dementia often run into issues with planning, processing, and judgment, making them easier to defraud. “They answer the phone, and they talk to the scammers,” said Hilsabeck. “The alarm doesn’t go off in their head that this doesn’t make sense.”

For many people older than 65, mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, can be a precursor to dementia. But even people with MCI who don’t develop dementia are vulnerable.

“Financial decision-making is very challenging cognitively,” said Jason Karlawish, a specialist in geriatrics and memory care at the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Memory Center.

“If you have even mild cognitive impairment, you can make mistakes with finances, even though you’re otherwise doing generally OK in your daily life.”

Some mistakes are irreversible. Despite Reynolds’ best efforts on behalf of her mother, the bank foreclosed on the family home in the fall of 2018.

Property records show that Lewis-

Thorpe and her husband bought the two-bedroom Cape Cod for $20,000 in 1966. Theirs was one of the first Black families in their New Haven neighborhood. Lewis-Thorpe had planned to pass this piece of generational wealth on to her daughters.

Instead, U.S. Bank now owns the property. A 2021 tax assessment lists its value as $203,900.

Financial protections are slow to come

Though she can’t prove it, Reynolds suspects someone had been financially exploiting her mom. At the same time, she feels guilty for what happened to Lewis-Thorpe, who now lives with her: “There’s always that part of me that’s going to say, ‘At what point did it turn, where I could have had a different outcome?’”

Karlawish often sees patients who are navigating financial disasters. What he doesn’t see are changes in banking practices or regulations that would mitigate the risks that come with aging and dementia.

“A thoughtful country would begin to say we’ve got to come up with the regulatory structures and business models that can work for all,” he said, “not just for the 30-year-old.”

But the risk-averse financial industry is

hesitant to act — partly out of fear of getting sued by clients.

2018’s Senior Safe Act , the most recent major federal legislation to address elder wealth management, attempts to address this reticence. It gives immunity to financial institutions in civil and administrative proceedings stemming from employees reporting possible exploitation of a senior — provided the bank or investment firm has trained its staff to identify exploitative activity.

It’s a lackluster law, said Naomi Karp, an expert on aging and elder finances who spent eight years as a senior analyst at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Office for Older Americans.

That’s because the act makes training staff optional, and it lacks government oversight.

“There’s no federal agency that’s charged with covering it or setting standards for what that training has to look like,” Karp said.

“There’s nothing in the statute about that.”

One corner of the financial industry that has made modest progress is the brokerage sector, which concerns the buying and selling of securities, such as stocks and bonds.

Since 2018, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority — a nongovernmental organization that writes and enforces rules for brokerage firms — has required agents to make a reasonable effort to get clients to name a “trusted contact.”

A trusted contact is similar to the emergency contact health care providers request.

They’re notified by a financial institution of concerning activity on a client’s account, then receive a basic explanation of the situation.

Ron Long, a former head of Aging Client Services at Wells Fargo, gave the hypothetical of someone whose banking activity suddenly shows regular, unusual transfers to someone in Belarus.

A trusted emergency contact could then be notified of that concerning activity.

But the trusted contact has no authority.

The hope is that, once notified, the named relative or friend will talk to the account holder and prevent further harm. It’s a start, but a small one. The lowstakes effort is limited to the brokerage side of operations at Wells Fargo and most other large institutions. The

same protection is not extended to clients’ credit card, checking, or savings accounts.

A financial industry reluctant to help

When she was at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Karp and her colleagues put out a set of recommendations for companies to better protect the wealth of seniors. The 2016 report included proposals on employee training and changes to fraud detection systems to better detect warning signs, such as atypical ATM use and the addition of a new owner’s name to an existing checking account. “We would have meetings repeatedly with some of the largest banks, and they gave a lot of lip service to these issues,” Karp said. “Change is very, very slow.”

Karp has seen some smaller community banks and credit unions take proactive steps to protect older customers — such as instituting comprehensive staff training and improvements to fraud detection software. But there’s a hesitancy throughout the industry to act more decisively, which seems to stem in part from fears about liability, she said. Banks are concerned they might get sued — or at least lose business — if they intervene when no financial abuse has occurred, or a customer’s transactions were benign.

Policy solutions that address financial vulnerability also present logistical challenges.

Expanding something as straightforward as use of trusted contacts isn’t like flipping a light switch, said Long, the former Wells Fargo executive: “You have to solve all the technology issues: Where do you house it? How do you house it? How do you engage the customer to even consider it?”

Still, a trusted contact might have alerted Reynolds much sooner that her mom was developing dementia and needed help.

“I fully believe that they noticed signs,” Reynolds said of her mother’s bank. “There are many withdrawals that came out of her account where we can’t account for the money. … Like, I can see the withdrawals. I can see the bills not getting paid. So where did the money go?”

This article is from a partnership that includes WESA, NPR, and KFF Health News.

Katie Blackley/WESA/Courtesy photo Angela Reynolds and Jonnie Lewis-Thorpe look through family photos together. Reynolds says she feels guilty about what happened to Lewis-Thorpe, who now lives with her: “There’s always that part of me that’s going to say, ‘At what point did it turn, where I could have had a different outcome?’”

Katie Blackley/WESA/Courtesy photo

Jonnie Lewis-Thorpe (right) lives with daughter Angela Reynolds. Reynolds can’t pinpoint when Alzheimer’s disease crept into her mother’s life. It wasn’t until Reynolds began reviewing her mother’s bank statements that she realized Lewis-Thorpe — once a hospital administrator — had long been in the grip of the disease.

WHS athletics program seeks coaches for fall

Winters Express

The Winters High School athletics program is seeking coaching staff to fill in some key roles for some of its junior varsity sports teams, including for the upcoming fall season.

Daniel Ward, WHS Athletics Director, said he is also looking to fill coaching roles for junior varsity cheer, volleyball, and both basketball teams.

The need for junior varsity cheer and volleyball leadership is immediate since the seasons are just around the corner. “Volleyball offseason practices are already starting and we have a ton of girls interested and signed up,” Ward

said. According to Ward, all paid and volunteer coaches need to fulfill detailed coaching certifications aligned through the CIF Coaching Education Program. The certifications cover concussions, sudden cardiac arrest, heat acclimatization, first aid and CPR, as well as a Fundamentals of Coaching course. Details for the junior varsity cheer and volleyball coach positions are available on EdJoin.com under Winters Joint Unified School District. Interested individuals can also reach out to Ward for more details at dward@wintersjust.org.

The Nickel Slots play Gazebo July 6

By Diane Cary Special to the Express

The Winters Friends of the Library 2023 Summer Concerts at the Gazebo will kick off with The Nickel Slots playing Americana with attitude, on Thursday, July 6, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Rotary Park, Main Street at Railroad Avenue in

AGING

Continued from Page 4

State and local leaders who claim to improve population health must be willing to help older individuals live well with the daily challenges associated with aging. Given the rapidly rising number of elderly people, local governments, and residents, have remarkable op-

PISANI’S ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Ciena Barbosa

Ciena Barbosa, an eighth grader this fall at Winters Middle School, is Pisani’s Athlete of the Week. Barbosa has been part of Dream Xtreme Allstars competitive, year-round cheer program since 2021. Coach Ashley Newberry called Barbosa a remarkable athlete who helped her team achieve multiple top-three finishes in various championships. “Beyond the mat, Ciena shines as a leader both within and outside of the gym, as she selflessly serves as a Junior Coach. We greatly admire her determination, hard work, and the positive impact she brings to DXA,” Newberry said.

downtown Winters.

With influences from early roots Americana music as well as a touch of rebellious ‘70s punk, they have won three Sammies (Sacramento Area Music Awards) for Outstanding Americana/Alt-Country and one for Best Live Performer, and are now in the Sammies Hall of Fame. Check them out at www.

portunities to facilitate improvements in health and quality of life for elderly people living with disabilities and serious illnesses.

In a nutshell, one of the problems is, and has always been, that there will be far more demand(s) than supply placed on all of us, including our already overstressed healthcare system. This

Recognizing Schultz’s invaluable leadership

thenickelslotsmusic.com. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs or sit on the grass, sip a cool drink and enjoy some fine live music on a summer evening. The concerts are free, but donations will be gratefully accepted. All proceeds will benefit the Winters Community Library. For more information, visit wfol.org.

means that healthcare availability and costs will increase, and as always, we’ll continue to struggle to adapt. But what’s equally clear, as always, local government is tragically unprepared for the needs of the elder taxpayer, and there are no reasons to believe that elected officials are eager to take on this grow-

ing challenge. With business as usual in our faces, once again it will simply be easier to wait, and kick the can down the road until our local government system breaks even further before any type of fix is even considered for introduction. Then …. It’ll be too late, with the elderly quietly paying that price for willful inaction.

’95

Robert (Bob) Schultz, M.D., is an example of how one person can have a lasting impact. Dr. Shultz has been on the Winters Healthcare board for more than eight years and from 2019–2023 served as the President of the Board of Directors while the organization was evolving during the global pandemic. He effectively and empathetically led Winters Healthcare, allowing us to adapt to our community’s needs.

While his term has ended as President and Jenni Jacobs Garcia takes the reins, we wanted to ensure Schultz’s impact as the Board President is appreciated. In June 2023, Winters Healthcare planted a tree recognizing Robert Schultz’s invaluable leadership. This tree will serve as a reminder that adaptability, perseverance, and healthy growth are rooted in a stable support system. Thank you, Bob!

CHRISTOPHER KELSCH on behalf of the Winters Healthcare Board of Directors

Courtesy photo Bob Schultz served as President of the Winters Healthcare Board of Directors and led them through the pandemic.

Adobe/Stock photo

Express Yourself

Cleaning the gateway to Winters

By Mark Rowan Special to the Express

What is “Beautiful Winters?” As some of you may know, I obtained a Caltrans permit for an “Adopt-AHighway” litter cleanup program late in 2022 under the name, Beautiful Winters.

Caltrans put up the “Beautiful Winters” signs on Highway 128 at both east and west city limits, the rains hit, and I waited for good weather (and a break in my schedule).

“Beautiful Winters” had its first effective volunteer event on Saturday with one volunteer in addition to myself. My purpose in sending out this message is not to take already busy local volunteers from their current activities — even for a short time —

but to ask you for help in getting the word out to encourage new volunteers here in Winters who may find this a good fit for their community spirit.

On that note, I very much appreciate the tireless efforts of our City Council, staff and the many civic-minded residents who help to make Winters so pleasant, most recently the volunteer fair and Elder Day.

Saturday results

On June 24, we cleaned up “the gateway to Winters” — both sides of Grant Avenue/Highway 128

from Railroad Avenue to Co. Road 90 (“Starbucks/ARCO”). We collected nine bags of trash, one bag of recycling, 100 pounds of bulk trash and one shopping cart returned to the store. The bags are piled next to the highway for Caltrans to pick up this week per their instructions.

Part of an ongoing effort from now on.

My plan is to be back out there in late July — early August to clean up from the western city limits (around the Dry Creek bridge) to Cemetary Street. The exact eate is TBD.

Buffalo Soldiers coming to Peña Adobe on July 1

By Susan Hiland McNaughton Media

Company G of the 10th Cavalry, better known as the Buffalo Soldiers, will be riding back to Peña Adobe Park for another visit in July.

The event will be on Saturday, July 1 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Peña Adobe Park off Interstate 80, left of the Lagoon Valley Park entrance.

Since 2021, the Buffalo Soldiers have been sharing their rich history with Peña Adobe park visitors.

Master Gardeners share July gardening tips and information

By Denise Cottrell Master Gardener of Yolo County

The up-and-down temperatures of June have made for a milder summer than last year, and as we look forward to July with anticipation that the temperature will start to rise, a gardener needs to consider the importance of summer irrigation. “The Gardener’s Companion” a publication of the University of California: Agriculture and Natural Resources, provides a yearly journal, notebook, and informational guide to gardening in Yolo County.

Edited by three local Master Gardeners Linda Parsons, David Studer and Jim Fowler, the companion provides a helpful checklist for the month of July which includes many tips for summer irrigation and other tasks. This reference is a reminder to continue to deeply water young trees and shrubs. For your landscape plants, regular deep irrigation is superior to frequent top watering as it encourages deeper root growth and is better for drought-tolerant plants.

For those with vegetable gardens, the irrigation tip is to deeply water to correct bitter cucumbers and to help prevent blossom end rot of tomatoes. In addition to this publication, for those with edible gardens and those who contemplate what skills are

necessary to grow vegetables, or need help getting started, attend one of the monthly UCCE Master Gardeners Yolo free monthly workshops for edible gardening.

Attend Kitchen Garden Chat on Saturday, July 1, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Leake Room of the Woodland Public Library (located at the corner of Court and College Streets), or attend via Zoom (https://ucanr.zoom.us/ j/98028723763). Those who attend will learn what to do in the edible kitchen garden in July with experienced UCCE Master Gardener–Yolo County, Treva Valentine.

Tips will be shared on how best to store summer vegetables, and on summer fruit tree pruning. It is time to start thinking about the winter garden as well, and information on winter gardening will be included in the workshop. This workshop is the one to attend for the discussion period which will give time for answers to your edible garden questions.

For those of you who think the month of July is too late to start a vegetable garden, do not give up just yet. Travel to Davis for gardening tips at the monthly workshop Gardening For Year-Round Meals led by UCCE Master Gardener-Yolo, Loni Green. The topic for this month is “July Is Not Too Late to Plant

a Summer Vegetable Garden: Tips on Planting, Watering and Protecting Your Mid-Summer Garden.” The workshop will meet on July 8 from 11 a.m. to noon at the

See MASTER, Page 5

They will be joined by the mounted volunteers of Solano County Sheriff’s Posse and their horses at the Peña Adobe Historical Society’s open-house event.

The Buffalo Soldiers are a living-history group that was established in the Sacramento area almost 30 years ago. The group recreates the black cavalry units that served in the Old West from 1866 to 1891. Company G’s goal is to tell the story of the Buffalo Soldiers’ history visiting schools, community organizations, churches and public events. They will have artifacts of the Buffalo Soldiers’ history on display and members,

dressed in the uniforms of that time, will be on hand to talk with park visitors.

The Sheriff’s Posse has been part of the Solano County Sheriff’s Office for more than 70 years. Volunteers use their horses and equipment to help the department with search-and-rescue efforts, emergency services and as public ambassadors.

Music will be provided by the Vacaville Jammers. Under the direction of Leslie and Terry Clopper, the Jammers based at the McBride Center in Vacaville, are a group of musicians who sing and play a variety of instruments, including guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle and harmonica.

The Peña Adobe, built by pioneer Juan Felipe Peña in 1842, will be open for tours. The park is also home to the Mowers-Goheen Museum. Museum displays include items of the area’s early history and will also be open to visitors. Explore the park grounds and visit the Indian Council Grounds, the newly restored Willis Linn Jepson Memorial Garden or join a docent-led nature walk. For more information, call 707 447-0518, or visit www.penaadobe. org. This event is free.

Courtesy photo

Company G of the 10th Cavalry, better known as the Buffalo Soldiers, will be riding back to Peña Adobe Park for another visit on Saturday, July 1, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Peña Adobe Park.

Courtesy photos

Nine bags of trash, one bag of recycling and 100 pounds of bulk trash were collected by the “Beautiful Winters” Adopt-A-Highway team.

Prepare pets for festivities

Metro Special to the Express

Many people are eager for Independence Day celebrations in early summer. There is much to be excited about, as festivities often begin in the afternoon with barbecues and pool parties, and commence late at night after fireworks shows that light up the night sky. Still, not everyone enjoys the extra noise and busy nature of July 4th parties, particularly furry members of the family.

Animal control services often report an increase in lost animals between July 4th and July 6th. That’s because the excitement of the holiday puts pets out of their comfort zones.

While pet owners need not cancel their July 4th plans, they should take heed of the many ways to keep their pets safe during the festivities.

Update identification

Be sure prior to any July 4th events that pets are wearing collars with current identification information. If an address or phone number has changed since the last time you updated microchip records, be sure to check the account is current.

Be careful with alcoholic drinks

Party hosts typically serve beer, wine and cocktails. Alcoholic beverages have the potential to poison pets, says the ASPCA. Animals can become very intoxicated, severely depressed or go into co mas if they drink alcohol. Keep spirited drinks well out of reach.

Check with the vet

Many pets are prone to anxiety from loud noises, such as thunder

storms and fireworks, and lots of commotion — something that occurs in spades come July 4th. Some veterinarians recommend a small course of anti-anxiety medication or a sedative to help pets cope with the stimuli.

Create a quiet space

Allow pets to ride out the day in their comfortable, quiet and cozy retreats. If necessary, create a space in an interior room. Cover the pet crate with a blanket and offer favorite toys or bedding to create a soothing environment.

Place notes on doors and gates

While it’s best to keep pets in a locked room away from the fray, some pets like to socialize with guests and are not bothered by noises. However, alert guests with notes posted on doors and fence gates to check to make sure pets are not trying to escape behind them. All doors should be closed firmly when entering or exiting.

Pick up debris

Firework debris can rain down on properties even if you were not shooting off the fireworks. Curious pets may pick it up or eat it, which runs the risk of an upset stomach or even an intestinal blockage. Check your yard before letting pets out to play.

Keep an eye on the grill

Pets can be opportunists, and those burgers and chicken drumsticks smell delicious to pets. Pets that get too close to the grill can become injured. And if pets eat leftovers, they may end up with digestive distress or even be poisoned by foods that are toxic to cats and dogs. Pets need to be protected during summertime parties like Independence Day celebrations.

picnic table next to the hoop house at Grace Garden. Grace Garden is located behind the United Methodist Church at 1620 Anderson Rd., in Davis.

The basis for every garden is healthy soil. Learn how to analyze the soil in your garden at the July 13 UCCE Master Gardener/Yolo County Library Zoom workshop from 3 p.m. to 4 pm. (https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/ 97472768337). Wendy Rash, of the USDA/Natural Resources Conservation Service, will guide you through “Creating and Maintaining Healthy Soils.” Ms. Rash will describe the characteristics of healthy soils and how to create and maintain them in your garden.

Do you find yourself wondering, does anyone else have this problem? Find out which questions are frequently lighting up the Master Gardener helpline at “Timely Topics From the UCCE Yolo County Master Gardener Helpline.” UCCE Yolo County Master Gardener Joy Sakai, along with a panel of UCCE Master Gardeners, will discuss the most interesting topics recently presented by Yolo County gardeners.

This talk, the second monthly UCCE Master Gardener/Yolo County Library Garden Workshop, held via Zoom (https://ucanr.zoom.us/ j/91499168215), will be on July 27 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, please contact Jennifer Baumbach at

jmbaumbach@ucanr.edu or Joan Tuss at Joan.Tuss@yolocounty.org to receive Zoom links for this and future UCCE Master Gardener/Yolo County Library workshops.

What’s better than science-based answers to your questions from experienced Master Gardeners? There are three Question and Answer Tables held on Saturday in Yolo County. Master Gardeners are available on Saturday mornings at the Davis and Woodland Farmers Markets during the summer months. The Woodland Farmers Market is located on First Street across from Woodland Public Library. Master Gardeners are available from 9 a.m. till noon to answer your questions. At the Davis Farmers Market in Central Park, located at Fourth and C streets, Master Gardeners are available from 8 a.m. to noon.

In addition, you will also find a UCCE Yolo County Master Gardeners Question and Answer Desk in West Sacramento, at Lowes, 2250 Lake Washington Blvd., on the first and third Saturdays of the month, on Saturday, July 1, and July 15, from 10 a.m. to noon.

More information about the UCCE Master Gardeners of Yolo County can be found online at http://yolomg.ucanr.edu. For information about events contact Jennifer Baumbach at jmbaumbach@ucanr.edu. For a specific garden query, the Master Gardener hotline is 530666-8736 or email at mgyolo@uc davis.edu.

MASTER Continued from Page 7

Cucumbers can be planted through midsummer in the region.

Crystal Apilado/ Winters Express