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Volume 137, Number 26 — Locally owned since 1884
The hometown paper of Alberto Ramos
Winters, Yolo County, California, Wednesday, July 22, 2020
Trustees approve distance learning framework for fall By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief At a special school board meeting on Monday, July 20 the Winters Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees unanimously approved a distance learning framework. The move gives Winters school administrators, teachers and staff the go-ahead to start making more solid plans for the upcoming 2020-21 school year which will open in a distance learning atmosphere. Despite mixed discussion and a presentation of three different re-
opening options at the regular July 16 school board meeting, Winters students will start with 100 percent virtual lessons in the fall. In a statewide news conference on Friday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state will now require California counties on the coronavirus county watch list to begin the new school year with distance learning. Yolo County was placed on the monitoring list on July 8. “In California, health data will determine when a school can be physically opened–and when it
Yolo County announces new testing sites for July Yolo County Press Release In partnership with Avellino Labs, Yolo County Public Health is offering free Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing at various locations in Yolo County through the end of July that provide greater community accessibility to testing. The specific testing site dates and locations are as follows: ~July 23: Davis Senior Center (646 A St., Davis), 3-7 p.m. ~July 28: Club West (1125 Riverbank Rd., West Sacramento), 3-7 p.m. ~July 30: Davis Senior Center (646 A St. Davis), 3-7 p.m. Testing is offered at these locations on a first come, first served basis. Each site will provide 400 tests and will close once tests are gone. Participants must be residents of Yolo County and will need to bring proof in the form of a document displaying their name and address; such as a driver’s license, ID card, utility bill, or rental agreement. All ages are accepted.
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Registration is recommended in order to speed up the process but is not required and does not guarantee a test. When residents register online, they will not be able to select a time slot and will not receive a confirmation of receipt. Register at: https://www. avellinocoronatest. com/patient. The County will announce new testing site locations for the month of August at a later date. These sites will test if residents currently have COVID-19, not antibodies. Residents must wear a face covering and practice social distancing. These are not drive-thru testing sites, so residents will need to park their car and walk a short distance to the testing building. Spanish translation will be available at most, if not all, of the sites. Results will be emailed 3-5 days after the lab has received the sample. There may be some delays. Due to high demand for tests, we apologize in advance if there are long lines or not enough tests.
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must close–but learning should never stop,” Newsom said in a press release. Winters Superintendent Diana Jiménez, who officially began work on July 1, presented the distance learning requirements laid out by the state. Assembly Bill 77 what must be included in the general education and special population participating in distance learning. This includes the number of instructional minutes and the number of school days. She also went over requirements from Senate Bill 98 that include: teach-
About 50 Winters residents and those of neighboring cities gathered collectively outside of Winters City Hall on Saturday, July 18 at noon to show support for police officers and public safety officials. Event organizer Roger Keenan said he was inspired while browsing through social media on the evening of Tuesday, July 14. Keenan said he discovered the Bridge The Blue #SilentNoMore campaign where American citizens across the country were gathering specifically on July 18 to rally in support of police officers. Bridge the Blue also works to provide outreach to unite communities with their local agencies and officers, and to provide education on what defunding the police actually does. He said the “defund the police” movement was the final straw for him. And when it started happening in Minneapolis and other larger US cities he wanted to do
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McNaughton Media
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A coronavirus outbreak at a residential facility for the developmentally disabled in Woodland has taken three lives in recent days. They include the only Yolo County resident under the age of 55 to have died of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. That
Athlete of the Week..... A-6
Winters rainfall season began 7/1/20. Weather readings are taken at 9 a.m.
Crystal Apilado/Winters Express
Above: Reed Kvilhaug (left) presented Winters Police Chief John Miller with a drawing he created especially for WPD officers. Left: Community members created signs in support of police officers and displayed a Thin Blue Line flag. Far right sign reads ““Proud Police daughter.” something. With quick planning, a conversation with Winters Police Chief John P. Miller and word of mouth marketing on Facebook, he was able to pull together a small gathering. At the Winters rally
Keenan called law enforcement a selfless profession and noted how law enforcement officers and anyone who puts on a uniform (from correctional officers to first responders) sacrifices many important things from
person, whose death was reported Sunday, was between the ages of 45 and 55. A total of six residents and four staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 at Woodland Residential Services, an intermediate care facility that serves vulnerable and high-risk individuals who are developmentally disabled,
need nursing or rehabilitative care and live in a congregate setting. The family-owned company, in operation since 2002, operates seven intermediate care facilities and a day program, according to its website. The facility has been working closely with county health officials to stem the outbreak, Brian Vaughn,
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time with their own families to put their lives on the line while serving the community and tending to potentially dangerous situations on call. He said the point
See RALLY, Page 4
Family gatherings believed to be source of recent rise in COVID cases
July 16
Rain for week: 0.00 in. Season’s total: 0.00 in. Last sn. to date: 0.00 in.
See SCHOOL, Page 5
Editor-in-Chief
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stretch opportunities for those who need them. Winters schools will remain in a distance learning program up to Thanksgiving Break. Jiménez said the district will begin to review the state requirements and county COVID-related stats in November to determine if they are able to reopen in a hybrid model or full in-person learning model after the break. Staff will continue to have conversations regarding both opening models so that when they are able to welcome
By Crystal Apilado
July 15
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struction. Winters JUSD is also working on providing more support and outreach for parents, as well as continued support and training for staff. Unlike in the spring, students will be held accountable for engagement, attendance and will have their progress monitored to earn grades based on their participation and efforts. Jiménez said using programs like i-Ready, in-house methods and a multitiered system of support teachers will be able to monitor student progress and provide interventions or
Community supports law enforcement at local #silentnomore gathering
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er-student engagement, connectivity and devices provided to students, academic supports, daily live interaction with students and ensuring there is rigorous instruction on par with face-to-face instruction. A challenge that was started during the spring is ensuring all students have access to the internet and are provided with the technology to do so. One of the differences in the fall is students from the Winters State Preschool Center will be provided with a Chromebook to allow distance learning in-
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the county’s public health director, told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. Meanwhile, an outbreak at 4th & Hope in Woodland has taken a life as well. The homeless shelter has seen 13 residents test positive for COVID-19 as well as one staff member. Efforts are now un-
See UPDATE, Page 4
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