Winters Express 10/12/2022

Richard Casavecchia for Winters City Council

Trustees approve Boonchouy as new Superintendent

By Angela Underwood Express staff writer

And the new Win ters Joint Unified School District Super intendent is Dr. Rody Boonchouy.

After months of seeking out a stellar superintendent that included a nation wide search spear headed by McPherson & Jacobson, LLC., the Winters JUSD board and staff welcomed the new district lead er, who was chosen with great precision, including communi ty input provided by an online survey and in-person engage ment sessions offered in English or Spanish.

See LEADER, Page 5

City awarded for transparent financial reporting, again

By Angela Underwood Express staff writer

Winning awards for financial transparen cy is par for the course in Winters.

For nearly 20 years, Winters has walked away with the Govern ment Finance Officers Association Certifi cate of Achievement for Excellence in Fi nancial Reporting.

“We want to be com pletely transparent and open about where our taxpayer dollars are being spent and

why,” Mayor Cowan said.

The mayor added he believes local govern ment is the only level of government that currently provides an honest account ing of where dollars are spent. Winters is proud to receive the accolade, according to Cowan, who said the 20-year winning streak speaks to the city’s limited staff’s tremendous hard work and dedication.

Winter’s financial reports are judged by an impartial panel that looks for a con structive “spirit of full disclosure” to commu nicate its economic story and motivate po tential users and us

ers to read the report.

Police Chief John P. Miller credits Win ters retired and cur rent Finance Officers Shelly Gunby and Cathy Matthews for excellent financial reporting.

“Municipal financ es are difficult to ful ly grasp and digest, even in a small city like Winters,” Chief Miller said. “These audits and reports as sure our city’s finan cial information is accessible and we are accountable, thereby maintaining public trust.”

Sometimes main taining that public trust with limited

Residents to gain knowledge about Council Candidates at Oct. 13 forum

Winters voters have an opportuni ty to ask questions about the issues they think are important at the upcoming Winters City Council Candidates Forum on Thursday, Oct. 13 from 6–8 p.m. in the Margaret Parsons Room at the Win ters Community Li brary (708 Railroad Ave.). The non-par tison, in-person forum will also be live streamed and is hosted in collabora tion by the Winters Express and Democ racy Winters.

The Forum’s plan ning committee of Winters Express Edi tor-in-Chief Crystal Apilado, and De mocracy Winters’ Kate Laddish and Shep Harper, have been working dili gently to create an

unbiased, commu nity-focused forum that will bring valu able information to residents.

Apilado and Lad dish are teaming up to moderate the twopart event. All five City Council candi dates will respond to questions on topics of interest submit ted by community members. Winters residents will also have a chance to submit additional questions during the event for all of the candidates to answer during the Community Q&A session.

“The planning committee’s goal is to provide voters with an opportunity to learn more about the candidates so voters can make in formed decisions

about which candi dates they will chose to support,” said Laddish.

The five City Coun cil candidates vying for three open seats in the November election to repre sent Winters resi dents include Albert Vallecillo, Lisa Bak er, Carol Scianna, Michael Olivas and Richard Casavec chia. Candidates will be given equal opportunity to share their stances on lo cal issues and ap proaches to City-re lated tasks.

“The goal of the forum is for the community to learn new and valuable information about each candidate to help voters make a well-rounded

Students’ efforts to narrow achievement gaps under review

By Angela Underwood Express staff writer

The Winters Unified School District dis cussed student test ing assessments and hiring an education specialist at the Oct. 6 meeting.

Acting Superinten dent Phoebe Girimon te broke down pre cisely what i-Ready testing is, informing officials about the online English Lan guage Arts and Math program with tools for screening and place ment, intervention, classroom assess ment, instruction and effectiveness metrics.

“This year, we have invested at all sites in the teacher tool box, and that toolbox allows teachers to look at student groups based on performance in different standard strains and then to implement lessons that differentiate and respond to those stu dent needs,” Girimon te said.

Board Trustee Kris tin Trott wanted to know if the testing program success fully served Span

ish-speaking students.

While there is no for mal mechanism for Spanish-speaking stu dents to break down mathematical formu las in English into their native language, the district is working on making that possi ble, according to edu cator Delia Espinoza.

“As of now, the re sults will represent the mathematical thinking and not the language area, and that’s why we have begun talking to the representatives about how they can help us support the English language learners whether they are in a bilingual classroom or not,” Espinoza said.

Board Clerk Joedy Michael wanted to know how the i-Ready ratios compared to the pre-pandemic num bers of 2019. While testing scores “are not great still,” Michael said he hopes learn ing loss from COVID did not make numbers worse.

Girimonte said teachers are still reinforcing “prior grade-level stan

dards and embedding them into grade-lev el instruction” while closely monitoring students during test ing to ensure the best possible concentra tion.

“While we want to present the realities of student perfor mance, we also want to recognize that our students are showing up and striving every single day, and the teachers that are serv ing them are doing their very best to help close these gaps that widened during the pandemic,” Girmonte said.

Board President Carrie Green agrees.

“You have a group of students who don’t take the test quite se riously enough or are just not in the mood because they are that age group where it could be a little more challenging,” Green said.

Girimonte said there is a lot of vulner ability in sharing the data, but the school district recognizes

Crystal Apilado/Winters Express

Dr. Rody Boonchouy officially steps into his role as the new Winters JUSD Superintendent on Nov. 30.

Football brings in homecoming win over Live Oak

By Sydney Andrade Express staff writer

On Friday, Oct. 7 the Winters High School varsity football team won their home con ference game against Live Oak High School by a score of 41–0. Af ter an exciting Home coming ceremony the Warriors took to the field ready to make their peers proud.

“As we get deeper in the league we are go

ing to have to be bal anced offensively so It’s nice to see our im provement throwing the ball throughout the year,” said head coach Daniel Ward.

The Warriors dom inated the game.

Diego Casillas, Jus tice Madsen and Gio Jimenez led the team with the most rushing yards. Casillas ran 73, Justice Madsen 58 and Jimenez pushed

hard and ended the game with 106 rushing yards.

Justice Madsen was also on the lea derboard in receiv ing yards, racking up 79 yards, followed closely by his brother Jesse Madsen with 60 receiving yards and Ethan Judd with 61 re ceiving yards.

“Justice is a special player and we use him in so many different ways that it really makes it fun to coach,” said Ward.

Quarterback Colton Brown, played an ex cellent passing game with over 230 yards earned for his team, largely due to his strong offensive line.

“We played really well against a Live Oak team who was very physical upfront. We were forced to throw the ball a lot more than normal and Colton had his best game of the year,” said Ward.

Everytime Live Oak attempted to make a move the Warriors shut them down. Ju lian Herrera, Danny Sanchez and Ethan Demment each broke through Live Oaks offensive line, sack ing the quarterback.

Marcus Lopez, who played his first game of the season, had an amazing interception with a 15-yard return. Ashton Baylor also shut down Live Oaks’ attempt to gain yard age sticking with their receivers and deflect ing a pass attempt.

“Defensively, it was one of the better games we have played in a couple years. I thought our young guys Gio, Sebastian and Danny all played amazing,” commented Ward.

Defensively Sebas

tian Valadez and San chez led their team in tackles, with 10 each. Jimenez and Sanders Clark were also on the leaderboard, Jimenez had nine tackles and Clark had eight. While these four players had the most recorded tackles the entire War rior defense played an excellent game, which is reflected in the score.

“We have struggled defensively so far so I am hoping we are fi nally starting to figure out what works best for us both personnel

Boat

Bill

and schemes wise and hope we are hitting our stride at the right time,” added Ward when talking about his defensive team.

This week, on Fri day, Oct. 14 the War riors will face the big gest test of the year as they go head to head against East Nicolaus High School — who is one of the best teams in the league averag ing 46 point a game. Join the Warriors and wear Pink to honor those who have fought and who are currently fighting breast cancer.

Swim team splashes in a victory

By Aaron Geerts Express staff writer

The Winters High School swim team hosted a number of other schools in the season’s first home swim meet last Wednesday, Oct 5. Not only was it the first home meet, but the team’s first official win of the season. Things kicked off

with the women’s 200yard medley relay and the squad of Mikaila Anello, Kalyssa Grin bergs, Mahalia Lan franco and Madeline MacMahon clocked in a 2:14.06 which was good enough for sec ond.

In the men’s 200yard individual med ley, Trevor Grinbergs took home second with a time of 2:21.60.

Meanwhile, in the women’s 50-yard freestyle, MacMahon scorched the com petition with a time of 25.07. Which, of course, got her the gold.

In the women’s 100yard butterfly, Kalyssa Grinbergs was edged out of first by hun dredths of a second clocking in a 1:18.20 with the first place time being 1:18.05.

Kenleigh Kratzer, however, would take home gold for the War riors in a the 100-yard freestyle finishing with a time of 1:09.91 with Ava Skinner hot on her tail at second with a time of 1:10.03.

Keeping up with the first-place trend, Trevor Grinbergs fin ished with a time of 56.46 in the men’s 100-

yard freestyle.

In the women’s 500yard freestyle, Kalys sa Grinbergs would take home third for the Warriors clocking in a time of 6:46.06.

Then came the wom en’s 200-yard freestyle relay where the War riors would win yet again as the squad of Mikaila Anello, Char lie Baugh, Lanfranco and Rachel Rominger clocked in a blazing time of 2:03.21.

Meanwhile in the men’s 200-yard free style relay, Jack Bry ant, Kenneth Mathe son, Gavin Pisani and John Rominger took third with a time of 2:07.22.

MacMahon show cased her first-place caliber swim skills in the women’s 100-yard backstroke taking first with a time of 1:03.42.

The Warriors domi nated in the women’s 100-yard breaststroke as well with Mikaila Anello taking first with a time of 1:25.68 and Lanfranco taking second with a 1:28.60.

Meanwhile in the men’s 100-yard breast stroke, Matheson came in first with a time of 1:14.83.

In the women’s 400-

yard freestyle relay, Kalyssa Grinbergs, Kratzer, MacMahon and Skinner won first place a full 19 seconds ahead of the second place team with an other blazing time of 4:21.19.

The men’s team took care of business in their end of the 400yard freestyle relay as well with Logan Anel lo, Trevor Grinbergs, Pisani and John Rom inger scoring first place with a time of 4:33.63.

“Our swimmers were pumped to have a cheering section at home this meet. They were all smiles and put forth their best efforts, resulting in a well-earned win for us,” raved head coach Melanie Ellison. “We have the nicest pool facility in the league, and it was great to wel come the other swim teams to Winters. I’m so grateful to our doz ens of volunteers who timed, officiated, set up, cleaned up and do nated food for the con cession stand. It was an incredible com munity effort and our swimmers felt loved and supported.”

Sarah

Linn

Michael

Jeff

Rosa

Miguel

Steve

John Rominger

John Rominger, a Winters High School senior, is the Pisani’s Athlete of the Week. A veritable human-torpedo in the water, Rominger has also proven to be a swim team leader all-season long. Not just with his spirit, but with his speed that keeps that team in contention in every meet. “John rarely misses a swim practice. At the pool, John sets himself ambitions goals and works very hard to meet them.

He’s also one of the first ones to offer help,” said head coach Melanie Ellison. “John, a man of few words, leads our team’s chants with gusto and spirit.”

Ashton Baylor shuts down Live Oaks’ attempt to gain yardage.

KS Winters Photography/ Courtesy photo

decision on who they want to represent them this Novem ber,” Apilado said. “With three council seats available and a candidate slate of impactful communi ty leaders and doers, getting out to vote on Election Day will be a vital task for each res ident. Every vote will count, and we want to make sure everyone has the information they need to make a confident selection of their candidates of choice.”

In addition to select ing new Councilmem bers, traditionally, the member who receives the most votes in the primary election is appointed Mayor Pro

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the importance of transparency and ac countability.

Addressing staffing shortage

After testing talks, Human Resources Di rector Lisa Dennis in formed officials that employees who work outside their classi fications and beyond their usual detail would be offered fi nancial compensation due to ongoing staffing shortages.

AWARD Continued from Page 1

funding means get ting “pretty creative,” according to the po lice chief.

That creativity con tinues to win Winters the certificate that is the highest form of recognition in govern mental accounting and financial report ing, representing a significant accom plishment by the gov ernments that receive it.

Winters keeps it transparent by post ing the annual budget document and other financial information on the city website.

Tempore and will move up to the posi tion of City of Winters Mayor after two years.

The dual format of the forum gives candi dates an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities to prepare insightful discus sion and to respond to questions from the floor.

“Because Council members are able to prepare for much of what goes before them in meetings but also have to consider new information on the fly, the planning committee hopes that attendees will find candidates’ answers and their approaches to the two halves of the forum informative,” Laddish said.

The live stream will be broadcast through

Green was glad to make the motion to approve the measure, stating it is “a proac tive way to address staffing shortages and maintain services.”

Dennis also shared the need for an ed ucational services specialist who will provide districtwide support and service in the planning and improving of instruc tional programs for all district students.

According to Den nis, the position will entail coordinating and managing the ac ademic and enrich

Miller said the budget document is a “snap shot,” but “rest as sured; we keep those detailed records — even the receipts for the paper clips.”

“All these records are maintained by our Finance Department and are available to the public via Public Records Act,” Miller said.

To further increase accessibility, account ability, and efficiency, Miller said Winters is getting OpenGov. com. The cloud-based program improves in ternal budgeting pro cesses, making infor mation more readily available to the public via the web.

the Winters Express (@WintersExpress) and the Democracy Winters (@Democ racyWinters) Face book pages. A record ing of the event will be uploaded to the Winters Express You Tube channel follow ing the event at https:// tinyurl.com/2s4beb8j.

This open, public forum is not spon sored by Yolo Coun ty Library, and Yolo County Library does not endorse any of the candidates, the cohosts or their policies or beliefs.

The public is en couraged to arrive at 5:45 p.m. The event will begin at 6 p.m. The community will be able to submit new question during the first half of the Discus sion Session.

ment elements for the kindergarten through sixth grade Expanded Learning Opportunity Program (ELO-P) and Universal Pre-Kin dergarten.

“The candidate will provide profession al development and on-site mentoring support to staff to en sure high-quality pro gramming, alignment amongst programs, as well as compliance with programming components and doc umentation required by state and federal funding,” Dennis said.

“Like many new techs, there have been some hiccups along the way implementing the program and all its potential functional ity, but the City is still working diligently to bring that program to full fruition,” Miller said.

Bottom-line, an in dependent third-par ty audit review and a continuous award win result from honesty, according to the po lice chief.

“Hopefully, this re assures the public that Winters is operating properly, efficiently, and always with fidel ity to the public trust,” Miller said.

LISA BAKER For Our Town

Qualified, Solutions Driven, Respect for Our Past, Focused on Our Future

Candidates

which include:

• Participate fully in the work of the board, which includes attending all board meetings and key college events, studying and discussing policy issues, and participating in trustee education programs.

Knowledge of the communities served by the college and willing to act on behalf and for the benefit of those communities.

• Commitment to community colleges and their missions; understand educational, social, and economic policy issues.

Engaging in balancing the needs of many diverse groups; be able to contribute to and build consensus.

Participate in effective board functioning and support the authority of the board as a whole.

The Board of Trustees meets on the first and third Wednesdays of every month, except for January and July when the Board meets only on the third Wednesday. Regularly scheduled Board meetings begin at 6:30pm.

Applications for appointment are due no later than Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at 5:00pm . The board will interview candidates at a special Board meeting to be held on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 beginning at 6:30pm and make the provisional appointment and administer the oath of office at the November 9th Board meeting.

For more information, application materials, or to indicate your interest or to suggest a possible candidate, please contact Dr. Celia Esposito-Noy, Superintendent-President by email at celia.esposito-noy@solano. edu. Information and application materials are available from the Superintendent-President’s Office at 4000 Suisun Valley Road, Bldg. 600, Fairfield, CA 94534 or can be sent by email.

Endorsed By:

Natasha Ackley Steve Ackley

Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, Assemblymember, District 4

Leticia Alejandrez Dirci Altamirano, retired law enforcement

Ramon Altamirano

Marlene Bell Brian Bellamy

Ed and Jake Clemens

Debra DeAngelo Lucas Frerichs, County Supervisor-Elect, District 2 Rebecca Fridae Woody Fridae

Susan Hamilton

Debbie Hemenway

Gar House

Valerie Whitworth

Elliot Landes

Mary Lou Linville

Jesse Loren

Linn Myer

Paul Myer

Nancy Northrup

Xochitl Rodriguez-Murillo

Chris Rose

Don Saylor, County Supervisor, District 2 Lynn Secrist

Johannes Troost

Bapu Vaitla

Tico Zendejas

facebook.com/elect.lisabaker

Committee

Elect

Council

Baker

Public Safety Report

City of Winters

Police Arrest Log

Sept. 27: Vender, Chad Allen (Age 32), Charges: Violation of a Criminal Protective Order, Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail Sept. 28: Gardea, Norberto (Age 42), Charges: Violation of Domestic Violence Restraining Order, Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail Sept. 29: Soria, Crescencio (Age 38), Charges: Solano County Misdemeanor Warrant, Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail ~Winters Juvenile (Age Unk.); Charges: Possession of controlled substance, possession of marijuana under 21 years old, violation of probation, stop sign violation; Disposition: Released on Notice to Appear ~Pena, Alejandro (Age 30), Charges:

Yolo SO Felony Warrant, Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail Oct. 2: Campos, Keenan Ricardo (Age 26), Charges: Vandalism, Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail Case Log

Sept. 25: 12:50 a.m., Third Street/ Grant Avenue, Towed Vehicle Sept. 28: 9:08 p.m., 100th block of E. Baker Street, Vandalism Sept. 29: 10:23 a.m., 700th block of Matsumoto Lane, Petty Theft Oct. 1: 4 p.m., Anderson Avenue/Carrion Circle, Traffic collision ~10 p.m., Hoover Street/Eisenhower Way, Traffic collision Oct. 2: 1:10 p.m., 200th block of Toyon Lane, Missing person-located Oct. 3: 10:48 a.m., 200th block of Grant Avenue, Fraudulent use of credit card

Correction

In the article “Land use battle continues at Planning Commission” from the Oct. 5 edition of the  Express, a quotation regarding an “equal treatment” statement was incorrectly attributed to City Attorney Ethan Walsh, when it was stated by Rhonda Pope Flores’ attorney Gregory Thatch. Thatch also was the one who sent an invitation to commissioners to tour the building, not Pope Flores. We regret the error.

Years Ago

Dispatches from the Express archives.

120 Years Ago

October 17, 1902

Contractor Moser and a gang of men and teams are here this week putting the second coat of oil upon the roads.

Fred Boles finished his labors here with the Earl Fruit Company for the season, and started for Oroville Thursday morning where he will be in the employ of the company this winter.

Judge Sims went to San Francisco Tuesday morning to attend the annual session of the Masonic grand lodge representing Buckeye lodge.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Whitman left Wednesday for San Francisco where they will locate.

Dr. Bonham, the new dentist, is kept busy all the time. The doctor has the reputation of being one of the most skillful dentists on the coast.

Mrs. Betty Sinclair went to Woodland to attend the closing session of the teacher’s institute. George Anderson accompanied her.

George Freeman and daughter, Hattie E. Judy Freeman, of Oat Hill, are visiting Mrs. D. O. Judy.

Alex Ritchie is home again for a short visit previous to his departure for Oroville, where he will be engaged in the fruit shipping business for the Earl Fruit Company.

The last subdivision of unimproved land in the Wolfskill Grant, the Goodyear ranch, is now being offered for sale in lots of 20 acres or more.

Archie Cooper

Enjoy Life. Make it Last.

The rice fields of Knights Landing country are reported full of fish.

reached his 14th birthday Wednesday, the 15th, and was treated to a surprise party. Those present were Coloma and Ouida Gibson, Sadie Wurth, Mary Eyerly, Mary Brattin, Sarah Bentley, Wray Gibson, John Brattin, Allen Doll, Henry Bentley, Archie Cooper, G. D. Cooper and Mrs. E. E. Bentley.

105 Years Ago

October 12, 1917

A new grammar school is about the next improvement scheduled for Winters

The heavy yield of grain in this vicinity this year has filled the warehouses to overflowing.

Forty-three more soldiers from Yolo County are answering the draft.

The Sky High Ranch next year will be run by Lester Hartman, who has taken a lease on it.

The contest of the High School Agricultural Club has closed with William Reasoner the best farmer in the bunch.

Arthur Myklecost was given a farewell party at the E. J. Wyatt home before leaving for army training.

Mrs. Conger and

daughter Hazel left the first of the week for their new home in Oakland.

The rice fields of Knights Landing country are reported full of fish.

The 1916 and 1917 officers and past matrons of Yosolano Chapter, Eastern Star, were entertained by Mrs. W. S. Baker and Mrs. I. A. Morris at the Mrs. Baker home Saturday afternoon.

70 Years Ago

October 17, 1952

A total of about $3,000 has been raised towards the Youth Center Building Fund, according to Wayne Ireland, drive chairman.

Mrs. Sarah Hoy, whose 90th birthday anniversary falls on Saturday, will be honored this evening when local Rebekahs pay their annual birthday visit.

Warren Cecil, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Cecil, has recently completed an eightweek basic submarine course at the U. S. submarine course at the U. S. Naval Submarine School at New London, Connecticut.

Mr. and Mrs. Earl Womack of Fallbrook spent last week here visiting old friends and were guests of his sister, Mrs. Carrie Fisher.

Mrs. Rose Partain and Mrs. Eva Duncan were Woodland visitors on Tuesday.

Mr. and Mrs. William Baker of Los Angeles were weekend guests with the former’s brother and sister-inlaw, Mr. and Mrs. Orval Baker.

Mr. and Mrs. Lester Ireland left on Friday for Santa Monica planning to spend a week with their son and daughter-in-law, Dr. and Mrs. Eugene Ireland.

Mrs. William Singleton, her two small daughters and Mrs. Frances Smith left on Monday for Santa Barbara where they plan

to spend a week or so visiting with Mrs. Singleton’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Herron.

Mrs. John Graf, Barbara and Alfred Graf visited on Sunday with the former’s mother, Mrs. Sophie Stirn of Sacramento.

55 Years Ago

October 19, 1967

The Winters Business and Professional Women’s Club presented Mrs. Barbara Greenwood with the Woman of the Year Award last Thursday.  Releases of water to Putah South Canal have been stepped up for the past two weeks (535 second feet last week and 500 second feet this week) in order to freshen the water in Suisun Bay in a state experiment in water control.

Approval of the development of a course of study in family life and sex education to be taught in grades kindergarten through high school was given by the Winters Joint Unified board of trustees when they met at the superintendent’s office Monday evening.

At its Tuesday night’s meeting the Winters City Council accepted the low bid of Krisor Chevrolet Buick for a new police car. The bid on a 1968 Chevrolet Biscayne 4 door sedan was $2,444.92, less allowance for the present 1966 police car, $1,150, the purchase price to the city then being $1,294.92.

Bormolini Anderson Company of Novato, Calif., was low bidder yesterday on the Yolo County project to construct new concrete bridges across Dry Slough and Chickahominy Slough on County Road 93-A. The bid was $69,875.

Floyd W. Fenocchio, local grammar school principal, was granted a life diploma this week by the Yolo County Board of Education.

Picked by Charley Wallace

File photo

Soccer players (L to R) Simon Overland, Francisco Soloria, Humberto Hernandez and Oscar Aguirre display their all-league certi cates at the 1992 awards banquet.

Free community flu clinic coming to Winters Oct. 25

By Angela Underwood

staff

As the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is preparing 2022-23 vaccine strains, the Winters Joint Unified School District and Yolo County are col laborating for the up coming free communi ty flu clinic.

Officials will set up shop on Oct. 25 from 3–7 p.m. in the district office board room at 909 W. Grant Ave., where free vaccina tions will be available for all students, staff, families and commu nity members. The no appointment vaccine makes the annual in oculation more func tional.

Jenny Pinedo, Win ters JUSD special ed ucation and student services director, says convenient health care opportunities such as vaccines close to home create healthy families.

“As the cold and flu season approaches, offering parents the chance to be proactive in their child’s health helps to ensure the student’s ability to participate in school

LEADER

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After starting the search in July, the decision came down to 23 applicants vy ing for the position in September, when the board reviewed the best eight before nar rowing down to three candidates who were interviewed by the board of trustees and panel of community education partners.

On Sept. 16, Boon chouy’s annual con tract negotiations of $190,000 began for his three-year term starting Nov. 30. Boon chouy is contracted to receive a 3 percent yearly increase along with a $3,000 Ph.D. stipend. He will also get a monthly $400 car and $100 cell phone al lowance and a health benefit contribution aligned with the ad ministrative team.

But before the for mal announcement at the Oct. 6 Winters JUSD meeting, Trust ees thanked all who were part of the pro cess.

“I think I speak for all of the board when I say thank you to all of the staff,” Board Clerk Joedy Michael said, adding their dedica tion through the tran sition was remark able and appreciated. “Thank you even more so for the community engagement, I know that was huge, and I think the community appreciated it.” Board President Carrie Green shared her excitement to share the district’s work with Boonchouy, who recently served as the Associate Su perintendent of In structional Services for Davis Joint Uni fied School District. Green called out

by remaining well and healthy,” Pinedo said.

Having a free clinic available to students, staff, and all locals removes community health hurdles, Pine do said, adding, too of ten, insurance, trans portation, or knowl edge of the healthcare system, keep local families from travel ing to Woodland or Da vis for vaccinations.

That’s the same reason Yolo County Health and Human Service Administra tion Program Coor dinator Ada Barrios said the agency’s im munization program partnered with Win ters JUSD. But it’s not just about the stu dents and staff, Barri os added.

“We strive to remove as many barriers as possible that keep people from getting their flu vaccine,” Barrios said, adding the California Depart ment of Public Health (CDPH) provides the flu vaccine at no cost.

“Making them free and offering them at multiple sites in Yolo County increases our community’s access to these vaccines.”

Boonchouy as a pas sionate instructional leader with “charac ter, confidence, and compassion” that will add to Winters JUSD’s strengths. According to Green, Boonchouy’s vast educational ex perience, including work as a teacher, instructional coach, and principal, are just some of his attributes.

“He also brings years of experience in the educational non profit sector with a focus on professional development for stu dent-centered teach ing,” Green said.

Boonchouy’s first public statement from the podium acknowl edged the district’s vetting process that came down to him.

“It was thoughtful, it was thorough, it was rigorous,” Boonchouy said. “It was so en lightening to hear the voice of the communi ty, and I am also grate ful for the participa tion of so many mem bers of the community during that process as well.”

After thanking the students, parents, and staff involved, Boon chouy noted the board of trustee’s “outstand ing work” that kept the district “ship a sail through this tran sition while juggling all kinds of roles.”

“And a particular shout out to Acting Superintendent Phoe be Girimonte for your leadership, much re spect,” Boonchouy said.

The new leader was not the only one to ac knowledge Girimon te’s role, with Board Trustee Everardo Zaragoza noting her guidance.

“I want to give Phoe be a shout-out for leading us this whole time: thank you so much, you do great,”

While the CDC re ports a low 2021–22 peak percentage of positive influenza test results as the weakest in at least 25 years before the COVID-19 pandemic, it also notes two waves of

ing adults is why Yolo County partnered with the school dis tricts.

“We can reach ex actly these popula tions with this import ant public health ser vice,” Barrios said.

public health nurses, gaining invaluable experience for their future careers, Barri os said.

Post-pandemic flu vaccines are essen tial, according to Bar rios and Pinedo. How ever, Pinedo points out inoculations min imize sick days, which though needed, can cause further stress.

the last few years left students’ academic, social, and emotional needs at an all-time high. Keeping up on all immunizations, in cluding the seasonal flu vaccine, will help students prevent se vere illness and will hopefully decrease missed days due to a vaccine-preventable disease, Barrios add ed.

novel influenza A ac tivity last year, which lasted from October 2021 to mid-June.

“Novel influenza viruses are influenza A virus subtypes that are different from cur rently circulating hu man seasonal influen za H1 and H3 viruses,” reports the CDC.

Barrios said pre vious year’s low flu vaccination rates in children and work

Zaragoza said. “What a two-star team lead ership we will have with you two.”

“I would like to think it will be a fivestar experience,” Gi rimonte said, compli menting the five-mem ber Board of Trustees right back.

Boonchouy said he recognizes the impor tance of the leader ship transition, pri marily since it deals directly with “the care and well-being of the children of this com munity.”

“Leadership mat ters so that the com munity has confi dence in trusting their students to us so that staff feels supported as professionals, and so that we can get to that core business of quality teaching and learning for our stu dents,” Boonchouy said.

The new district leader said he is ready to get down to business now that the unanimous motion has been made.

“I have some weeks before I get started, but I will be hitting the ground running with you because you are all running,” Boon chouy said. “When I hit the ground, I will engage in intensive outreach to listen, learn, and build new relationships.”

Board Trustee Kris tin Trott said Boon chouy came to the table listening to the district’s concerns and goals.

“That was one thing that struck me as that

The Yolo County Im munization Program partnered with the California State Uni versity of Sacramento (CSUS) Nursing Pro gram to provide com munity experience for their nursing students who will administer the vaccines. The stu dent nurses will help staff the clinic with much-needed vac cinators, and work alongside seasoned

you are really about being part of a team,” Trott said.

“This is a people business, and the quality of our work is often the quality of our relationships,” Boonchouy said.

The new leader said he would come to work with a lens for equity and innovation that will propel the dis trict forward along with community in volvement and collab oration.

Girimonte will con tinue to serve as act ing superintendent in the interim. Meet and greet gatherings with Boonchouy will be an nounced soon.

“When students miss school, they miss out on crucial oppor tunities for quality first instruction, so cial-emotional learn ing opportunities, and the opportunity to gain the founda tional skills needed for success in school,” Pinedo said, adding students will attend ill not to miss out, but they can spread the flu. “By receiving vaccines, students can be protected from serious illness if ex posed.”

Barrios said the importance of chil dren being able to at tend school in person was evident during COVID-19 school clos ings. Pinedo agrees, noting COVID’s tre mendous impact on district students in

Winters JUSD will have English and Spanish-speaking staff at the event to en sure that anyone who wants a vaccination can have questions answered. Addition ally, Yolo County will provide COVID vac cines for those who wish to receive them.

CDPH and Yolo County HHSA recom mend the annual flu vaccination for any one six months of age and older; seniors over 65 years old; preg nant women, individ uals with underlying medical conditions and weak immune systems; caregivers and residents in longterm care facilities; and essential workers who interact with the general public.

“We strive to remove as many barriers as possible that keep people from getting their flu vaccine. Making them free and offering them at multiple sites in Yolo County increases our communitiy’s access to these vaccines”

Ada Barrios, Program Coordinator

Clínica comunitaria gratuita contra la gripe llegará a Winters el 25 de Octubre

Mientras los Cen tros para el Control y la Prevención de En fermedades de EE. UU. (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — CDC) están preparando ce pas de vacunas 202223, el Distrito Escolar Unificado de Winters (Winters Joint Uni fied School District — Winters JUSD) y el Condado Yolo están colaborando para la próxima clínica co munitaria gratuita contra la influenza.

Los funcionarios se instalarán el 25 de Oc tubre de 3 a 7 p.m. en la sala de juntas de la oficina del distrito en el 909 W. Grant Ave., donde habrá vacunas gratuitas disponibles para todos los estudi antes, el personal, las familias y los miem bros de la comuni dad. La vacuna sin cita previa hace más funcional la inocu lación anual.

Jenny Pinedo, di rectora de educación especial y servicios estudiantiles de Winters JUSD, dice que las oportuni dades convenientes de atención médica, como las vacunas cer ca del hogar, crean fa milias saludables.

“A medida que se

acerca la temporada de resfriados y gripe, ofrecer a los padres la oportunidad de ser proactivos en la salud de sus hijos ayuda a garantizar la capaci dad del estudiante para participar en la escuela mantenién dose bien y salud able,” dijo Pinedo.

Tener una clínica gratuita disponible

Health and Human Service Administra tion — HHSA), Ada Barrios, dijo que el programa de inmuni zación de la agencia se asoció con Winters JUSD. Pero no se tra ta solo de los estudi antes y el personal, agregó Barrios.

“Nos esforzamos por eliminar tantas barreras como sea

trabajarán junto con enfermeras de salud pública experimen tadas, adquiriendo una experiencia in valuable para sus fu turas carreras, dijo Barrios.

Las vacunas contra la gripe pospandémi ca son esenciales, según Barrios y Pine do. Sin embargo, Pinedo señala que las vacunas minimizan los días de enferme dad que, aunque son necesarios, pueden causar más estrés.

La ciudad y el condado discuten proyecto peatonal multimillonario

Doce millones de dólares en mejoras para la seguridad de los peatones en la ruta estatal 128 y el cruce de la carretera inter estatal 505 fueron un tema de discusión en la reunión 2x2 de la Ciudad de Winters y el Condado Yolo el pasado 14 de Septi embre.

Saylor dijo que es especialmente preocupante para los residentes que inten tan acceder a los ser vicios en la oficina de Salud y Servicios Humanos del Winters Health and Human Services en Grant Av enue, donde existen aceras intermitentes y falta de cruces se guros.

para los estudiantes, el personal y todos los lugareños elimina los obstáculos de salud de la comunidad, dijo Pinedo, y agregó que con demasiada fre cuencia, el seguro, el transporte o el cono cimiento del sistema de atención médica impiden que las fa milias locales viajen a Woodland o Davis para vacunarse.

Esa es la misma razón por la que la Coordinadora del Programa de la Ad ministración de Ser vicios Humanos y de la Salud del Conda do Yolo (Yolo County

posible que impiden que las personas se vacunen contra la gripe,” dijo Barrios, y agregó que el De partamento de Salud Pública de California (California Depart ment of Public Health — CDPH) proporcio na la vacuna contra la gripe sin costo al guno. “Hacerlas gra tuitas y ofrecerlas en múltiples sitios en el Condado Yolo aumen ta el acceso de nues tra comunidad a estas vacunas.”

Si bien los CDC in forman un bajo por centaje máximo de resultados positivos de pruebas de influ enza en 2021-22 como el más débil en al menos 25 años antes de la pandemia de COVID-19, también señalan dos oleadas de actividad de la nueva influenza A el año pasado, que duró desde Octubre del 2021 hasta a me diados de Junio.

“Los nuevos virus de influenza son subtipos de virus de influenza A que son diferentes de los vi rus de influenza H1 y H3 de temporada humana que circu lan actualmente,” informa el CDC.

Barrios dijo que las bajas tasas de vacunación con tra la gripe del año anterior en niños y adultos que traba jan es la razón por la que el Condado Yolo se asoció con los dis tritos escolares.

“Podemos llegar exactamente a es tas poblaciones con este importante ser vicio de salud públi ca,” dijo Barrios.

El Programa de Vacunación del Con dado Yolo se asoció con el Programa de Enfermería de la Universidad Estatal de California de Sacramento (Cali fornia State Univer sity of Sacramento — CSUS) para brindar experiencia comu nitaria a los estudi antes de enfermería que administrarán las vacunas. Los es tudiantes de enfer mería ayudarán a dotar a la clínica de los vacunadores que tanto se necesitan y

“Cuando los estudi antes faltan a la es cuela, pierden opor tunidades cruciales para una primera instrucción de cali dad, oportunidades de aprendizaje socio emocional y la opor tunidad de adquirir las habilidades fun damentales necesar ias para tener éxito en la escuela,” dijo Pinedo, y agregó que los estudiantes asistirán enfermos para no perderse las clases, pero pueden propagar la gripe. “Al recibir vacunas, los estudiantes pueden protegerse de enfer medades graves si se exponen.”

Barrios dijo que la importancia de que los niños puedan asistir a la escuela en persona fue eviden te durante el cierre de las escuelas por el COVID-19. Pine do está de acuerdo y señala que el tremen do impacto de COVID en los estudiantes del distrito en los últimos años dejó las necesi dades académicas, sociales y emociona les de los estudiantes en su punto más alto. Mantenerse al día con todas las vacu nas, incluida la va cuna contra la gripe estacional, ayudará a los estudiantes a pre venir enfermedades graves y, con suerte, disminuirá los días perdidos debido a una enfermedad pre venible con vacunas, agregó Barrios.

Winters JUSD con tará con personal que hablará Inglés y Español en el evento para garantizar que cualquier persona que desee vacunarse pueda obtener re spuestas a sus pre guntas. Además, el Condado Yolo pro porcionará vacunas COVID para quienes deseen recibirlas.

El CDPH y la HHSA del Condado Yolo recomiendan la vacunación an ual contra la gripe para cualquier per sona de seis meses de edad en adelante; mayores de 65 años; mujeres embaraz adas, personas con condiciones médicas subyacentes y siste mas inmunológicos débiles; cuidadores y residentes en centros de atención a largo plazo; y trabajadores esenciales que inter actúan con el público en general.

El proyecto de segu ridad crítica cuenta con la estrecha colab oración del Departa mento de Transporte de California (Cali fornia Department of TransportationCaltrans), el Condado Yolo y Winters. Pero hay un desvío en el proyecto: los 12 mil lones de dólares de financiación.

Hace varios años, las tres agencias identificaron este proyecto como una prioridad, con Win ters asumiendo el papel de líder del proyecto para la fase de diseño inicial. El supervisor del Con dado Yolo, Don Say lor, ayudó a Winters y Caltrans a obtener los fondos necesarios durante años.

“Recientemente se envió una solicitud de Subvención de Transporte Activo a la Comisión de Trans porte de California (California Transpor tation Commission), y existe potencial para fondos federales en el ciclo presupuestario actual.” dijo Saylor.

“Estamos esperan do la última palabra sobre estas posibles fuentes de financia ción y seguimos bus cando oportunidades adicionales.”

La comunidad de Winters, especial mente el desarrollo habitacional de El Rio Villa, seguirá en peligro si no se hace nada, agregó.

“El paso elevado de la I-505 es actual mente muy peligroso para los peatones, ci clistas y conductores, ya que no hay separa ciones entre el tráfico vehicular y los pea tones, no hay arcenes, aceras mínimas y ba randas deficientes,” dijo Saylor.

Si bien los resi dentes de El Rio Villa “pidieron constante mente un camino se guro” para caminar o andar en bicicleta hacia Winters, según Saylor, la concejal Jesse Loren enfatizó sus problemas en el 2020. Según Loren, el cruce del puente I-505 construido en el 1959 representa el singular enfoque del período, agregando que los ciudadanos no pueden cruzar el puente de manera se gura a pie, en bicicle ta o en dispositivos de movilidad.

“El mundo ha cam biado desde el 1959, y ahora este puente di vide un pueblo y sep ara a la buena gente de los buenos recur sos necesarios,” dijo ella en una carta de proyecto firmada por el alcalde y los conce jales hace dos años.

Pero crear un cami no protegido no es tan simple, según Saylor, quien dijo que los grandes proyectos de infraestructura como el cruce peatonal se guro I-505 son com plicados con muchas fases. Winters está liderando la fase del documento ambien tal; sin embargo, el Condado Yolo ayudó en una solicitud con junta para asegurar la financiación del esce nario del Consejo de Gobiernos del Área de Sacramento (Sac ramento Area Coun cil of Governments).

Winters es respons able del liderazgo del proyecto porque el proyecto I-505 es un subconjunto de un proyecto más grande como “Calles Com pletas de Winters” (Winters Complete Streets), que abarca la ruta estatal 128 al oeste hasta Railroad Avenue. Sin embargo, el alcalde interino (Pro Tempore) Bill Bi asi dijo que el tamaño y el alcance de este proyecto son mucho más grandes de lo que Winters puede admin istrar de manera efec tiva.

Si bien el proyec to está ubicado justo fuera de los límites de la ciudad y “técni camente fuera del control de Winters,” Biasi dijo que los resi dentes de El Rio Villa asisten a las escuelas de Winters, compran en la ciudad y partic ipan en programas lo cales.

“Requerirá super visión técnica y re visión de muchas dis ciplinas diferentes, que la ciudad no tiene los recursos para pro porcionar,” dijo Biasi. “A los residentes no les preocupa en cuál de las tres jurisdic ciones gobernantes se encuentran cuan do usan este cruce; simplemente desean y merecen un camino seguro para cruzar la Interestatal 505.”

Al igual que Loren, Biasi está de acuerdo en que el puente con struido antes de la Ley de Derechos Civiles del 1964 (Civil Rights Act of 1964) y la Ley de Discapacidades Estadounidenses del 1990 (Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990), estaba obsoleto y se construyó cuando se ignoraron los prob lemas de accesibili dad y justicia social.

Si bien Biasi dijo, “es hora de que cor rijamos esta injusti cia y le brindemos a nuestra comunidad un cruce seguro,” Lo ren señala que El Rio Villa alberga aproxi madamente a 440 per sonas, algunas de las

“Nos esforzamos por eliminar tantas barreras como sea posible que impiden que las personas se vacunen contra la gripe.”

Ada Barrios, Programa de la Administración

Pick up milkweed for monarchs on Oct. 15

By Denise Cottrell

to

Butterflies bring a sense of joy and won der. As soon as one comes into view, most people tend to point and watch them as they fly. One butterfly that used to be a fre quent visitor to our gardens, the Western Monarch butterfly, is endangered and requires help from communities in Cali fornia.

The UCCE Master Gardeners of Yolo County and members of Winters Friends of the Library have part nered with the State wide Monarch Fel lowship Call to Action to provide milkweed and yarrow seedlings to Winters’ residents for fall planning to support the Monarch’s breeding and nectar habitat.

On Oct. 15 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Mas ter Gardeners with the Winters Friends of the Library will hold a plant sale at

the Winters Commu nity Library Teaching Garden (708 Railroad Ave.) While supplies last, two types of na tive milkweed, Nar row Leaf (Asclepias fas cicularis) and Showy (Asclepias speciosa), and common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) will be free as long as they last to those who want to participate in increasing Monarch butterfly habitat.

The California De partment of Fish and Wildlife reported that the western popula tion of Monarch has experienced dramatic swings in population, with a low of less than 2,000 in 2020-2021, to over 200,000 in 202122.

These dramatic swings demonstrate that the population is not stable when you consider that the pop ulation in the 1980’s numbered from one to four million.

Scientists report the butterflies are at crit ically low levels due

to the destruction of their milkweed habi tat along their migra tory route in addition to increased develop ment, climate change, and the use of pesti cides and herbicides.

California is an im portant habitat for the Monarch as they mi grate from west of the Rockies. Some fly over 1,000 miles to reach the coast of California where they shelter in the winter.

Creating a corridor of native milkweed along their migratory route in California is a critical part of the sur vival of the Monarch. Native milkweed is the only host plant on which they lay their eggs. Providing milk weed as a larval host in addition to yarrow or another native nec tar source for feeding creates a supportive garden environment which will aid to in crease the Monarch population.

If you decide to plant milkweed, be

WPNS hosting 24th Annual Children’s Festival event

By Prestlie Hagar Special to the Express

Winters Parent Nursery School (WPNS) is hosting its 24th annual Chil dren’s Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 23, at the Green River Venue, 4513 Putah Creek Rd. in Winters, Calif. Ad mission to the event is free, but there are additional costs to play games. Food and refreshments will be available for pur chase at the event pro vided by Green River Brewing & Taproom.

There are fun, fam ily-friendly activities planned this year including children’s carnival games and prizes, jump hous es, a silent auction, and food and drinks. Three “Chance Only” ticket holders, who do

not need to be pres ent, will win one of three prizes for $1,000, $750 and $250. Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased at the school or from the family of any students currently enrolled at WPNS.

The WPNS Board is still accepting prize donations for the si lent auction and seek ing individuals or businesses who would like to be a WPNS/ Children’s Festival Sponsor. This annual Children’s Festival is a community-based event and the main fundraiser for the year. WPNS uses the proceeds to bring in special art and sci ence programs, pur chase playground equipment, general upkeep and supplies necessary for the chil

dren’s education.

Donations are being accepted until Oct.14. Contact WPNS at 530795-4659 if you have any questions about donating or becoming a sponsor.

Winters Parent Nursery School is a nonprofit, parent par ticipation preschool composed of families who understand the importance of pre school and their in volvement in their child’s education. WPNS is an educa tional program for children and par ents alike. Parental involvement ranges from working in the classroom to facili ty maintenance and cleaning. WPNS has been serving the fam ilies of Winters and surrounding areas for 47 years.

prepared for it to be

eaten by Monarch cat erpillars. A bonus for the caterpillars is the alkaloids inside the plant are picked up by the caterpillars and give them protection by making them taste awful to predators. So, if you find the milk weed in your garden has been devoured, remember, the cater pillars will undergo metamorphosis to be come beautiful Mon arch Butterflies.

Narrow leaf milk weed grows 1 foot wide by one to three feet tall. It blooms summer-fall in clus ters of lavender or

lavender-tinted white flowers.

This deciduous plant will die back to the ground before re viving in the spring.

This plant is often covered with aphids, so you may not want to plant it in a promi nent space in your gar den. Plant narrow leaf milkweed in full sun in an area with good drainage. Plant in full sun with low, moder ate to high moisture, however once estab lished it will thrive with summer irriga tion at a maximum of two times a month.

Showy Milkweed (APlanting milkweed is just a beginning. You can help all but terflies, birds, and bees too by planting

a native garden. The cash or check only Plant sale will feature plants from Morn ingsun Herb Farm of Vacaville. The plants offered for sale pro vide habitat for bees, butterflies, and hum mingbirds including a variety of dwarf butterfly bushes, lav enders, ornamental sages, succulents, culinary herbs, and various California na tive plants plus many more.

Those unable to at tend the plant sale or who have a gar dening question, call the Master Gardener hotline at 530 6668736 or email mgyolo @ucdavis.edu.

cuales son marginadas sin vehículo motoriza do.

“El paso elevado está oscuro por la noche,” dijo Loren. “Da miedo ver a una madre con un cochecito navegar a cualquier hora del día o a un niño en bicicleta regresando a casa de la escuela.”

Loren dijo que el proyecto se alinea con muchos otros manda tos de Winters, inclu ido el plan general de la ciudad, el programa completo de calles, la reducción de las millas recorridas por vehículos y el plan de acción climática. Pero sobre todo, ella agregó, el proyecto “mejorará nuestra equidad y co hesión social.”

“Necesitamos un nuevo puente que re fleje los valores del mundo moderno,” dijo Loren.

En resumen, las reglas de seguridad y los funcionarios deben hacer todo lo posible para mejorar los viajes de peatones y bicicle tas en Winters, según Biasi.

“Un carril exclusivo para bicicletas tam bién brindaría una opción para ir en bici cleta a la ciudad,” dijo Biasi. “Hay numero sos entusiastas de la bicicleta que regular mente

bicicleta

vis a través de Putah Creek Road, y un cruce con carriles para bici cletas les daría otra opción para ingresar a Winters.”

Biasi dijo que los funcionarios continu arán trabajando juntos para proporcionar una ruta segura para los residentes de Winters y El Rio Villa, lo cual es “muy importante

tanto para el condado y la ciudad,” “Se necesitarán sub venciones del conda do, estatales y federa les para completar el proyecto,” el dijo. “En este momento, no estoy al tanto de una fecha de finalización pre vista, ya que depende mucho de cuándo se proporcionen los fon dos necesarios.”

Two candidateMichael Olivas: City Council candidate

By Jacob Ho mann Express sta writer

In part of the 2022 Election coverage, the Express is featuring Meet the Candidate articles to share information about the candidates with the community. Each week it will feature two candidates.

When asked to describe himself, City Council Candidate Michael Olivas said, “I’m very simple, I’m very pragmatic…I’m not one to meddle.” When approached about problems in the city by residents, he says the first thing he asks is, “Have you gone through the process?” and directs them to the city manager. “There’s a process that people have to follow,” and that, “a lot of things can get accomplished that way,” a belief he hopes to bring to the Winters City Council as a Council member.

Olivas said the City Council should do its best to defer to the city manager, overseeing but not interfering with her work.

“What we want to do, I believe, is to stay at the 30,000 ft. level, just overseeing what the city manager is doing,” Olivas said. He spoke highly of the current state of Winters’ city plans. “We have some great plans,” Olivas said. “We have the Downtown Master Plan that’s fantastic, we have a Grant Avenue plan that I think is going to be great.” Olivas perspective on the purpose of the City Council is to observe and make sure the existing plans come into action, with “no micromanagement…just let the city manager do her job.”

Olivas spent 10 years on the Winters Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees, as well as being involved in the development of many of Winters’ existing city plans as a developer and overseer of construction, including a number of affordable housing areas, residential lots, and commercial developments. Looking to the future of Winters, Olivas says, “we have to know our constraints physically, and (of) our infrastructure,” and that updates to the General Plan

will be necessary as the city expands and as aging infrastructure requires maintenance.

When describing his priorities for Winters, Olivas said, “my biggest desire is to ensure we have adequate, well-funded police,” that can respond to problems related to drugs among the city’s youth. Olivas cited his position as a high school football coach, and the danger that drugs like fentanyl pose to many young people. He hopes that a stronger police presence can, “help keep that to a minimum.”

Olivas also stressed the importance of Winters’ services, of making sure its residents have access to, “adequate water, adequate roads, adequate schools.”

He summarized these two priorities as safety, which he called, “job number one of the city.”

An example he shared was citizen complaints of unsafe street crossings. “We have to do everything to protect our citizens,” Olivas said, and that as a City Council member he would work with the city manager to address safety issues like this and find a solution along with her.

A key aspect to accomplishing these goals, Olivas says, is creating a safer environment for productive discourse, describing Winters as “very polarized right now.”

“If you have a different opinion, that’s fine,” Olivas noted, “but what we can’t have is people getting upset,” saying of the discord, “that stuff’s got to end.”

Robert Warren: Trustee

By Jacob Ho mann Express sta writer

Trustee Area Two candidate Robert Warren put to words the aspirations he brings to the Winters Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees, saying, “the children of our community are important,” and that, “their education is really important.”

“They only get one shot at an education,” Warren said, “and we need to give them their best opportunities to be successful in life.”

Warren said he served for 10 years on the Winters JUSD Board of Trustees, with “five being board president and five as board clerk,” before resigning in 2020. He is running to sit amongst the Board members again.

When describing qualities he saw as potentially useful for a Board of Trustee member, Warren noted, “I don’t have any kids in the district … I’m not there to champion for my kids, or have special interests,” allowing him to represent all the students of the school district.

Warren further expounded on himself that, “I’m pretty honest

and open, and transparent — everyone knows what I’m thinking and how I’m thinking,” and that he, “researches everything,” before he comes to a conclusion.

For Winters JUSD priorities, Warren argued the two most important issues are staff retention and improving grade level proficiency.

“Winters is hard to recruit people to,” Warren said, and that “right now, we need to figure out why we’re losing top quality staff,” and to do what they can to keep the employees they have.

Warren also emphasized the importance of making sure students are measuring up with academic standards.

“We need to be grade level proficient,” Warren said, adding that,

“kids need a good foundation…we need to get back to working on being grade level proficient at an early age.”

When asked about family engagement in schools, Warren said of his previous time on the Board that, “family engagement was really important to me.” He hopes to find ways to keep parents engaged with their students’ education, because, “parents that are engaged… their kids are going to do good.”

This importance also extends to special education, about which Warren said, “I believe special education is part of the education process, all students should be educated at whatever means they need,” relating his own experience as a parent of a child with anxiety.

PSA: Winters Open Mic Night is happening on Oct. 15 in Downtown Winters on Main Street from 6–10 p.m.

Participants can begin signing up at 5 p.m. Come support the musicians and poets while enjoying free entertainment.

“We have to do everything to protect our citizens .... my biggest desire is to ensure we have adequate, well-funded police.”

Michael Olivas, Winters City Council candidate

“I believe special education is part of the education process, all students should be educated at whatever means they need.”

Robert Warren, Winters JUSD Trustee Area Two candidate

FEATURES

Warriors bring spirit to Homecoming

Winters Express

Wednesday, October 12

Winters Senior Commission on Aging Meeting, 5:30 p.m.,Zoom Meeting info, check www.cityofwinters.org/ winters-senior-commission-on-aging/

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, October 13

Winters City Council Candidates Forum 6-8 p.m., Margaret Parsons Room, Winters Community Library (708 Railroad Ave.)

Thursdays

Eat Well Yolo Food Distribution, first and third Thursdays, 10 a.m.-as supplies last, RISE, Inc., 200 Baker St. - Rooms 4 & 5, 530-668-0690

Saturday, October 15

Winters Open Mic, 6-10 p.m., (Sign up at 5 p.m.) Downtown Main Street, wintersopenmic.com/

Monday, October 17

Winters Natural Resources Commission Meeting, 6 p.m., Zoom Meeting info, check www.cityofwinters. org/natural-resources-commission/

Tuesday, October 18

Winters City Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Zoom Meeting info, check www.cityofwinters.org/city-council-meetings_/

Upcoming

Wednesday, October 19

Yolo County/Winters City 2x2 Meeting, 4 p.m., Zoom Meeting info, check www.cityofwinters.org/2x2/

Thursday, October 20

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

Tuesday, October 25

Winters Planning Commission Meeting, 6:30 p.m.,Zoom Meeting info, check www.cityofwinters.org/planning-commission/

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., Mon/Wed: Mask Only 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Winters Storytime with Friends, first and third Wednesdays, 10:30-11 a.m., https://yolocounty.zoom. us/j/87905414092

Virtual English Conversation Group Tuesday, 2-3 p.m.,

One time registration required: Contact Nancy Pacheco 530-666-8019 or nancy.pacheco@yolocounty.org

Outdoor Storytime in the Garden, Second Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., Winters Library Teaching Garden (Weather permitting)

Bilingual Storytime in the Garden, Fourth Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m., Winters Library Teaching Garden (Weather permitting)

Winters High School stu dents went full-swing into their homecoming celebra tion last week. In addition to a week full of spirit events in preparation for the big home coming game and Homecom ing queen and king coronation, the traditional downtown rally was revived.

On Wednesday, the Senior Class was victorious in the an nual Powderpuff game. The Powderpuff cheer squads also brought their A-games with their halftime performances. The final score was 26–14.

Students filled the intersec tion of Main and First Streets on Friday afternoon to partic ipate in friendly class com petitions. From spirit cheers to limbo techniques, WHS

students were in full Warrior spirit.

Sophia Cortez (Class of 2023 nominee) and Justice Madsen (Class of 2024 nominee) were officially crowned the Home coming queen and king during the Homecoming game vs. Live Oak on Friday, Oct. 7.

The other queen and king nominees included Alfredo Junez (Class of 2023), Pricila Gonzalez (Class of 2024), Mak ena Driver and Diego Rodri guez (Class of 2025), and Esai Garcia and Mickayla Passanti no (Class of 2026).

This year’s royal court in cluded princes and princess es: Ashton Baylor and Miken zie Hapworth-Eldridge (Class of 2024), Diego Segura and Lu zangely Martin (Class of 2025) and Gavyn Moore and Alani Lopez (Class of 2026).

ARC Guitar celebrates 16 years

By Aaron Geerts Express staff writer

Just because Main Street is the veritable golden child of the town doesn’t make Rail road Avenue any less loved. In fact, the avenue’s business es are just as deserving of the public limelight as any town business, and shining bright is ARC Guitar that is celebrating 16 years of service.

Owner and acoustic guru Al Calderone was first smitten by the guitar when he was just six years old living in New York. His neighbor owned a beau tiful, blue Stratocaster and just the sight of it was enough to make his soul yearn to play. That mixed with a heavy in fluence from a bowl-cut band known as The Beetles mixed in perfect harmony to set Cal derone skipping down a life long road of music.

“I first got some toy guitars until I was about nine, then I taught myself how to play. I’m pretty much self-taught on ev erything, like I taught myself how to build guitars, too — so it’s been a fun journey,” ex plained Calderone. “When I moved to Winters in 1999, I had a very expensive guitar I took to someone to set up for me and the guy messed it up terribly.

Then I told myself, ‘No one will ever touch my guitars again but me.’”

When Calderone arrived in Winters he was the pastor for New Life Church. Then, in 2005 he launched his guitar repair business on Craigslist. It im mediately took off. Calderone got his business license in 2006 and that’s when ARC Guitar of ficially began.

“I called my business ‘Don’t Fret’ at first because frets are in guitars. That was corny so I just changed it to my initials, ‘ARC.’ They’re not only my ini

tials, but they were my father’s initials and my grandfather’s too,” said Calderone. “Around 2008, John Pickerel caught wind I was building guitars and repairing them and we had a conversation. He helped me get into the spot I’m in now by bringing me before the City Council. He endorsed me be cause at the time there was a redevelopment grant for busi nesses trying to get started in vacant buildings. I made it by one vote and the state gave me a $20,000 grant and after some

Al Calderone, ARC Guitar owner and self-taught luthier, holds up one of his guitars in his shop.

Aaron Geerts/ Winters Express

KS Winters Photography/Courtesy photo

ABOVE: Homecoming Queen Sophia Cortez and King Justice Madsen.

BELOW: Homecoming Court (from left) Cortez and Alfredo Junez (Class of 2023), Pricila Gonzalez and Madsen (Class of 2024), Makena Driver and Diego Rodriguez (Class of 2025), and Mickayla Passantino and Esai Garcia (Class of 2026).

Existing-home sales slipped 0.4% in August

National Association of Realtors

Existing-home sales experienced a slight dip in August, marking the seventh consecutive month of declines, according to the National Association of Realtors. Month-overmonth sales varied across the four major U.S. regions as two regions recorded increases, one was unchanged and the other posted a drop. On a year-over-year basis, however, sales fell in all regions.

Total existing-home

sales,1 https://www. nar.realtor/existinghome-sales, completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and coops, notched a minor contraction of 0.4% from July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.80 million in August. Year-overyear, sales faded by 19.9% (5.99 million in August 2021).

“The housing sector is the most sensitive to and experiences the most immediate impacts from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy changes,” said

NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “The softness in home sales reflects this year’s escalating mortgage rates. Nonetheless, homeowners are doing well with near nonexistent distressed property sales and home prices still higher than a year ago.”

Total housing inventory registered at the end of August was

1,280,000 units, a decrease of 1.5% from July and unchanged from the previous year. Unsold inventory sits at a 3.2-month supply at the current sales pace – identical to July and up from 2.6 months in August 2021.

“Inventory will remain tight in the coming months and even for the next couple of years,” Yun added. “Some homeowners are unwilling to trade up or trade down after locking in historically-low mortgage rates in recent years, increasing the need for more new-home construction to boost supply.”

The median existing-home price3 for

all housing types in August was $389,500, a 7.7% jump from August 2021 ($361,500), as prices ascended in all regions. This marks 126 consecutive months of year-overyear increases, the longest-running streak on record. However, it was the second month in a row that the median sales price retracted after reaching a record high of $413,800 in June, the usual seasonal trend of prices declining after peaking in the early summer.

Properties typically remained on the market for 16 days in August, up from 14 days in July and down from 17 days in August 2021.

Eighty-one percent of homes sold in August 2022 were on the market for less than a month.

First-time buyers were responsible for 29% of sales in August, consistent with July 2022 and August 2021.

NAR’s 2021 Profile of Home Buyers and

Sellers – released in late 20214 – reported that the annual share of first-time buyers was 34%.

All-cash sales accounted for 24% of transactions in August, the same share as in July, but up from 22% in August 2021.

Individual investors or second-home buyers, who make up many cash sales, purchased 16% of homes in August, up from 14% in July and 15% in August 2021.

Distressed sales5 –foreclosures and short sales – represented approximately 1% of sales in August, essentially unchanged from July 2022 and August 2021.

According to Freddie Mac, the average commitment rate(link is external) for a 30year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage was 5.22% in August, down from 5.41% in July. The average commitment rate across all of 2021 was 2.96%.

inside.

CA. Remodeled

new

Court

as a

in LR and one in FR, a formal dining area and

fireplaces

in kitchen area. Master bedroom bath has dual vanities, separate shower, and a jacuzzi tub, 2nd bath upstairs also has dual vanities.

Covered patio, nicely landscaped yards with automatic sprinkler system, several fruit trees, 8 person jacuzzi, RV parking, plumbed for soft water, Telsa Solar equipment lease. $775,000.

New Listing in Winters! HARD TO FIND CUSTOM 3 BEDROOM, 3 BATHROOM, 3200 sq. ft. home. In ground pool, new paint, new flooring throughout, large shop, stalls and fenced paddocks for horses, goats, etc.. all on 6 ac Putah Ridge Trails. Call for more details.

5 ACRES ZONED INDUSTRIAL. Commercial water and PG&E at lot.

Great location on Airport Road close to new housing tract and Trilogy housing tract. Call for details.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS IN NORTH VACAVILLE! 6 approved lots with separate APN numbers. Final map approved project is ready to move forward. Lots located in area of million-dollar(+) homes. Seller owns 31 water rights. Call today for more details! Priced at $1,199,999.

5 ACRES IN WINTERS!

Olive School area.

SALE

bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1600 sq ft

A cheesecake love song, pumpernickel is good too

After my ordeal with the hospital, I’m supposed to not only be taking it easy but also eating healthy-ish. I’ve held off on slathering my broccoli and beef with hot chili oil, passed on burgers and greasy foods, and limited myself on enjoying not too many deepfried french fries. However, as soon as I was able to really move about again — I found myself walking through the doors of Upper Crust Baking.

Since my last food column, I am not ashamed to say I have gone in at least three to four times. I had impatiently scrolled through the Davis location’s Instagram feed, dreaming of the day I’d be able to get my hands on those fancy, delicious looking pastries.

I know a lot of you are all about the doughnuts, but I am all about the cheesecake. I have talked non-stop about how much I wanted to try a taste of Upper Crust’s cheesecake, and the moment finally came when I was at my friend Brittny’s house. Her mom brought some in. I’m not one to ever be impolite and turn down a slice of cheesecake.

I’m not claiming

to be a cheesecake connoisseur, but between baking my own versions, partaking in frozen cheesecake on a stick at the fair, experiencing cheesecake-tasting classes, and eating some not great cheesecakes — I believe I have a well-rounded opinion of what delicious cheesecake tastes like. Upper Crust Baking’s cheesecake is where it’s at.

It was so tasty that when I walked into the bakery for my first visit, I shamelessly walked out with an entire cheesecake topped with fresh blueberries and peach slices. It was beautiful, and the fresh fruit only added to the experience. It’s worth the purchase.

The cheesecake is a New York style recipe. It is dense, creamy, and silky on your tongue. It’s the perfect balance of richness and sweetness baked in a flaky, pie pastry crust. I have yet to confirm if that’s what it really is, but the flaky texture is what it reminded

me of. And, I don’t know if I can truly enjoy it with a plain, boring graham cracker crust again.

I can also tout that the pumpkin spice cheesecake is delicious. I’m not much of a pumpkin spice gal. I’m brazen enough to claim that apples are the ultimate fall flavor. But I was open-minded enough to snag a piece of pumpkin cheesecake on my most recent visit — It was a wise choice.

It’s their creamy, decadent cheesecake with pumpkin folded in. And it doesn’t taste fake or processed.

It doesn’t taste like the trendy “pumpkin spice” that gets created around this time of year. It tastes clean, sweet, and just like a pumpkin cheesecake should. I’m fairly certain that it is seasonal, so do not wait to go in and get yourself a slice or three.

I also let my oldest daughter pick out a slice of cheesecake for her birthday last week. She opted for the slice with choco-

late on top. She was so gracious, she allowed me to have a bite. It was delicious, again. I feel compelled to try every type of cheesecake they craft and offer in their display case.

I foresee a slice of cheesecake and a glass of Albariño or Roussanne wine in my future. The thought of pairing a crisp, white wine with a creamy bite of cheesecake makes my mouth water at the thought. (Those are also the options on my wine shelf right now. Work smarter, not harder.)

I am also a fan of the bakers’ homemade bread. I’ll be transparent, though, and tell you I’ve only brought home the Raisin Pumpernickel so far. It’s not that I don’t want to try anything else, it’s more that I have enjoyed it so much that I cannot help but grab a new one when I go in to get some cheesecake. That, and I’m married to a bread guy — I have to support what literally puts the bread on my table.

Pumpernickel is not for everyone. But it’s one of my favorite breads (along with a good marbled rye). The taste is homey, earthy, and flavorful. Upper Crust Baking’s

Raisin Pumpernickel

does not disappoint.

Each slice is jampacked with juicy, sweet raisins and plump, golden raisins.

I toast it and spread on butter or cream cheese, depending on my preference at the moment. I’ve even added some boysenberry jam on top. It’s delicious as I’m running out the door to drop my children off at school. It’s an easy

snack to bring back to my work desk. It’s also satisfying when I know I’m one of the few people in my house who will enjoy it.

If pumpernickel just is not your thing, Upper Crust Baking features a variety of other types of bread to try. One of these days, I’ll convince myself to give the Birdseed or the Jewish Deli Rye a chance.

Sweet and savory

I’vebeen itching to do a food review on Upper Crust Baking since they opened, and last week, I was finally able to scratch. As soon as I stepped into the bakery the smell of fresh pastries lifted me off my feet and planted me in front of the display glass. I eyed the chocolate-topped cheesecake (what Upper Crust refers to as their ‘OMG Cheesecake’), then the onion-asiago scone, pondering which I should get. Then I thought to myself, “Aaron, you penny-pinching putz, you expense these food reviews to the Express Get them both.”

After patting myself on the back for such a great idea, I ordered them both and am declaring the Upper Crust Baking’s OMG cheesecake and onion-asiago scone this week’s FLAVOR

FAVES!

I brought the tasty morsels home and poured myself a tall glass of milk. The cheesecake slice was teasing me, so I dug into it first. True to its name, the first words out of my mouth after that first bite were, ‘Oh My God,’ only with a few more expletives that aren’t fit for print. The rich, creamy flavor flooded my tastebuds and rendered me cross-eyed for a moment. Combined with the sheen of chocolate on top and the moist crust holding it together, it’ll be hard going back to lesser cheesecakes — yes, I’m looking at you Cheesecake

Factory.

Still ravenous for deliciousness, my fork plunged into the onion-asiago scone. Usually I’m not a scone guy, but this one called to me and I’m glad it did. I took a bite and tossed my fork aside to hand-feed myself the crumbly and buttery sensation. A few blinks later and it was all gone save for the crumbs. My only regret, not expensing more to the Winters Express and pigging out on everything else Upper Crust has to offer. Oh well, I guess I’ll have to go back.

But until then, I’m most satisfied with this week’s FLAVOR FAVES.

Raisin Pumpernickel bread from Upper Crust Baking.

Crystal Apilado/ Winters

LEFT: Upper Crust Baking’s cheesecake topped with peach slices and blueberries.

BELOW: Pumpkin spice cheesecake.

Crystal Apilado/ Winters Express

Express

Informational meeting Oct. 17

There will be a meeting regarding the development of 23 Main St. at 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 17 at the picnic tables outside Berryessa Gap. The meeting is an attempt to address the rumors and misinformation regarding the sale and development of the lot.

Thank you.

VALERIE WHITWORTH, Chair, Winters Participation Gallery Register for Winters Spooktacular Fun Run/Walk 2022

My name is Nathan Vigil and I’m a senior at Winters High School. I have run on the cross country and track for the past three years, and for my Senior Capstone Project I’m helping organize the Winters Spooktacular Fun Run/Walk. There is a one-mile kids run and 5K or 10K run/walk. All age groups are welcome to join. You can come in costume if you’d like. All proceeds will go to the Winters High School Athletics Department. Sign up by Oct. 13 to get a free shirt. The final day to register is Oct. 29 by 9 p.m. Register at https:// tinyurl.com/yc4bwuyf.

The 2022 Winters Spooktacular Fun Run and Costume Contest is on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022. It includes the following events: OneMile Monster Dash, 5K Run or Run/Walk, and 10K Run. Find it at runsignup.com.

NATHAN VIGIL

We need to choose carefully in November

We will elect three new City Council members in November. I want to encourage you to vote for Carol Scianna. Carol has a long track record of stepping up and getting things done in Winters. I had the pleasure of working with Carol when she was at City Hall. I watched her consistently move projects forward. She worked effectively with county and state staff. Carol knows how to get things done in Winters.

I am confident that Carol will put in the time and effort required to understand the issues that come before the Council. She will make sound, reasoned decisions that will serve Winters well.

LINN MYER

Vote Vallecillo into office

We’re writing today to register our unreserved endorsement of Albert Vallecillo’s candidacy for a seat on the Winters City Council. His wide experience as an architect and designer, drafting appropriate short-term strategies toward the practical achievement of long-term goals has certainly moved him in the direction of qualifying for such a seat at the table.

In addition to his proven capacities in the coordination of diverse inputs towards completion of complex projects, Mr. Vallecillo has worked tirelessly, pro bono, to organize and accomplish aid and assistance to under-served and at-risk populations in our community.

If you are one of the multitude of individuals in this community who has benefited from Al’s energy and support, please get out to the polls on Nov. 8 .

Albert Vallecillo is a listener, a do-er, moving things steadily forward but never “blowing his own horn,” a rare combination of attributes indeed! VOTE HIM IN! EDDY AND JANET HOOD

Three candidates you can rely on

We will soon vote to fill the places of three members of our City Council, who have worked hard for our town and have acquired much knowledge of how to keep Winters the wonderful place it is. Harold Anderson, Wade Cowan, and Pierre Neu deserve a great big thanks for all the years they have given to our community. Now our next election is coming up on the 8th of next month. We have to replace all three of them.

Before we vote, we need to know how familiar the candidates are with what it will take to keep us moving forward. Fortunately, there are three people who we can rely on to have knowledge and commitment to work to meet the needs of our lovely home town. They are:

Lisa Baker, highly respected expert in affordable housing, who has served on several Winters commissions and was the director of the Yolo County Housing Authority.

Carol Scianna, who worked as a department manager for the the City of Winters, where she worked for 17 years. Carol knows how city government operates.

Albert Vallecillo, with degrees in architecture and environmental design, has served on several commissions for the City, and presently the Winters Planning Commission and the Hispanic Advisory Committee.

With these three fine people filling the gaps, we can be assured that Winters will continue to be the unique town we all love.

I am voting for Baker, Scianna and Vallecillo for Winters City Council.

Event Center, 1661

Monte Vista Ave Vacav‐

CA 95688 Nut Tree Plaza, 1661 East Monte Vista Avenue, Vacaville. Shawna@schg.show, 707655-8439

James Webb Space Telescope: The 1st 2 Months - 10/22 1pm

1pm

State Planetarium, 6000 J Street, Sacramento

James Webb Space Telescope: The 1st 2 Months - 10/22 2:30pm

2:30pm Sacramento State Planetarium, 6000 J Street, Sacramento

Outdoor �lm screening in San Francisco Chinatown + live music from Kendo and JE of the Fresh Crew @ 5pm / $15

Rare �lm screening of 1929 martial arts silent �lm "Red Heroine" with accompanying live DJ score from Kendo and JE of the Fresh Crew in San Francisco Chinatown Chinese Historical Society of America Mu‐seum, 965 Clay Street, San Fran‐cisco. njue@chsa.org, 408-7120025

San Francisco-Marin Food Bank's One Big Table Gala @ 6pm / $2500

We are so excited to welcome you to our brand-new warehouse for our annual One Big Table dinner on October 22! 900 Pennsylvania Ave, 900 Pennsylvania Avenue, San Francisco. rbreuer@sfmfood bank.org, 4152821907 380

Galt High Reunion - 80’s alumni and friends @ 6pm / $75

Galt High School 80’s Reunion hosted by the Classes of 1986/87 look forward to an evening to‐gether on Oct 22 in downtown Sacramento. Music by DJ Eddie Edul and Raf�e Prizes too. Please join us! Holiday Inn, 300 J Street, Sacramento. Michelle@Monarch GraphicsandDesign.com

Crazy Funny Asians Comedy Show

@

The Palace Theatre, 644 Broad‐way, San Francisco

LoLGBT+ Presents: "Queens & Comedy" @ 7pm / $11 Punch Line Sacramento, 2100 Ar‐den Way, Suite 225, Sacramento

DJ Logic @ 7pm Black Cat, 400 Eddy St, San Fran‐cisco

The Trillipino Comedy Tour @ 7:30pm / $12.50

Cobb's Comedy Club, 915 Colum‐bus Ave, San Francisco

Desi Comedy Fest 2022 @ 8:30pm / $35-$55 The Palace Theatre, 644 Broad‐way, San Francisco

Michelle Wolf @ 7pm

Punch Line Comedy Club, 2100 Arden Way, Sacramento

Michelle Wolf @ 7pm / $35 Punch Line Comedy Club - Sacra‐mento, 2100 Arden Way, Sacra‐mento

Lindsey Lomis @ 8pm Brick & Mortar Music Hall, 1710 Mission St, San Francisco

Lexi Jayde @ 8pm / $18

Brick and Mortar Music Hall, 1710 Mission Street, San Francisco

MUNA @ 8pm

The Fillmore, 1805 Geary Blvd, San Francisco

TREASVRE @ 8:30pm

Bottom Of the Hill, 1233 17th St, San Francisco

BIT @ 9:30pm DNA Lounge, 375 11th St, San Francisco

Music City Entertainment SF: Civic Center Plaza Lunchtime Music Series w/Makrú

@ 12pm Civic Center Plaza, 335 McAllister St, San Francisco

Asher E Stern @ 6pm Embassy Suites by Hilton Napa Valley, 1075 California Blvd, Napa Yoga on the Labyrinth at Grace Cathedral @ 6:15pm / $15-$50

Join this weekly yoga class surrounded by the awe-inspiring architecture of Grace Cathedral. Grace Cathedral, 1100 California Street, San Francisco. yoga@gracecathedral.org, 415-749-6300

"Indecent" @ 7pm / $17.50-$70 San Francisco Playhouse, 450 Post Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco

Hans Gruber and the Die Hards @ 7pm The Colony, 3512 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento

Jagged Little Pill @ 7:30pm Golden Gate Theater, 1 Taylor St, San Francisco

Ramy Youssef @ 8pm / $43 Cobb's Comedy Club, 915 Colum‐bus Avenue, San Francisco

City

Tuesday Oct 25th

Paranormal Activity: The Ghosts of Solano Couty

Roast

"Gloria" at Capital Stage

2pm / $17.50-$18.50

Stage, 2215

Street,

Frances Ancheta: Last Saturday Live at Sunset

and Market

and Kaylee:

Candy‐

Express

Renewed and refreshed, hopefully Five fantastic fixes for Winters, Part 2

a good time to be semi-retired.

January, it will have been five years since I left the Express and became just a printer. I’ve always been the printer in the family while my father was the journalist. I think that was one reason we got alone so well. I’ve mentioned this before, I’m sure, that he didn’t like the production part of putting out the paper, while I was comfortable making sure the paper came out each week.

I’ve watched people that retire struggle to adjust to a new life. I took the easy way and kept my printing company and got the Historical Society of

Winters to open its museum in my space. It keeps me busy, but not so busy that I can’t squeeze in a couple of rounds of golf, a game of pool or two and a few motorcycle trips a month.

When my permanent tenant and I decided to go to Iceland for a couple of weeks, my first reaction was to worry about my printing customers. When you are retired you aren’t supposed to worry about anything, so I

just reminded myself that in the old days, when the newspaper was my number one priority, I never delivered a print job within two week, anyway.

There were enough Yesteryears stashed away for the next few months and I told a few of my customers that I was off and that I would be back sometime after the 8th October. Everyone just nodded and luckily

In this column previously, I offered three suggestions to improve Winters. First up was to plant a long line of trees to block the razor-wire fence along Grant/128, near the intersection with Railroad Ave. The second was to add a huge art mural on the long Mariani building wall behind their parking lot, between Edwards and Abbey. And the third was to build a fence around the ring of garbage dumpsters in the parking lot across from Hotel Winters.

Today I have two more ideas to share. First, Winters needs new 505 freeway signage to tell people

there’s more here than just four fastfood restaurants. And second, let’s rebuild the historic Cupola above the Buckhorn.

When you approach the Putah Creek Road exit, driving North on 505, you’ll see the large Caltrans sign that highlights “Food” in Winters, but lists only four restaurants: Subway, Round Table, Taco Bell and Burger King. Yes, these are fine places. I enjoy

all four. But really, is this the best way to advertise all the food that Winters offers?

And it’s the same problem when you drive South towards Winters on 505; at the 128/Grant exit Caltrans has installed a similar “Food” sign, that again only lists the same four restaurants.

At the Putah Creek Road exit, the bottom part of the “Food”

Kearsarge Pass to Vermillion Valley Resort: mile 789-879

By Robert “Pitcher” Nickelson Special to the Express

Leaving Independence, I headed back over Kearsarge Pass and headed North. It was a 20 mile detour to resupply and two days (in and out) over and back a 12,000 foot summit. I used to look at an oncoming pass and dread the uphill. Now, it’s all the same. I just trend slower uphill.

The landscape was magnificent. Peaks, valleys and water everywhere. The fishing was great. I added a rainbow and a brown to my quest for my Sierra Slam. Or at least I thought I did. I met some Stanford students hiking up the trail that were doing research on the fisheries. He said the Bow could be a hybrid. I looked at him puzzled and asked him how he got into Stanford? He said he was from a small public school in Calaveras County. Maybe he was right.

I headed north on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) which is the same as the John Muir Trail (JMT) for 170 miles. I soon realized the different types of hikers for the two trails. PCT hikers were grinders, chasing miles.

The JMT hikers were there to see the great scenery of the California Sierras. I settled into the JMT mindset. What a place. I went over five passes 12,000 feet. Each ascent would follow creeks, rivers or lakes on the way to the top and the reverse on the way down.

Resupply options were easier and better on this section of trail. I had preshipped my supplies to a camping resort just off the trail called Vermillion Valley Resort. They picked me up in a boat taxi so the five mile hike off trail was not required. My daughter had booked a Yurt for two nights and upgraded to the one that had its own outhouse. Outstanding! Breakfast, lunch and dinner was served community style. The bell went off and it was time to eat. Beer and snacks were all put on your tab. There was no telling where the money went. When I checked out I didn’t care where the money went, it was worth it.

I headed north again, fired up and ready to go. My goal was to make it over Silver Pass and camp for the night on the back side. It

started to rain at the summit and I put on my rain gear. Just an afternoon thunder shower and it would clear up in a short time, I hoped. I was wrong. I set up camp and went to sleep. The next day it was still raining and continued through the day. I refused to hike. The only place I was dry and warm was in my sleeping bag in my tent. My tent didn’t leak, but much of my gear was damp and cold. I played a lot of solitaire on my phone and listened to some audiobooks. It was a long day.

The sun did return the next morning and I was off again. I dried out my gear and my life and started to enjoy my trek again. I stopped at Reds Mead-

ow in Mammoth and had a real breakfast and some daytime drinking beer for extra strength. Three more days following the John Muir Trail and I landed in Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite. I was running short of time and mental health. I decided to skip up to Echo pass and finish the last 62 miles of this year’s trek to Donner Pass. They give PCT hikers a free 40 ouncer of King Cobra beer for crossing Old Highway 40 at Donner Pass. Technically I didn’t complete the whole trail but I kept that on the down-low. The bottle is now in my trophy case.

One day on my hike, in the wilderness of Kings Canyon National Park, I

Kearsarge Pass, at Kings Canyon National Park, is 11, 760 in elevation.

heard a voice yell out, “Mr. Nickelson.” I looked ahead and saw a young lady coming towards me on the trail.

I failed to recognize her until she introduced herself — Angelica Arellano.

A fellow Winters local and friend of my daughter from high school. We spoke for a couple of minutes and continued on our journeys. It just goes to show you if you live long enough there is no telling who you will run into, and where.

Three hundred twenty-six miles completed this year.

Six hundred last year. One thousand six hundred seventy-five miles to go. I plan to complete the trail before I die. I’m still a young man in my mind.

GROVE

ELK GROVE RAM

LASHER

sweat equity, here we are.”

Although it was rough waters during the pandemic, ARC Guitar stayed afloat. In the wake of it all, Calderone still offers guitar, ukulele and bass lessons as well as repairs and restoration work on any string instrument — except violins. He also does consignment and sales, however, Calderone is most proud of his guitar building school. With 106

students to date, this school is a testament to the human touch machine-made guitars couldn’t possibly replicate.

“Keith Cary helped me get started and I owe a lot to him. He’s a great man because he taught me some things and sold me a kit to get started building guitars. It wasn’t so much tools that he gave me, but a little bit of knowledge,” said Calderone. “So, I just started building, got better at it, people found me and I wrote my own little manual. It’s turned into

a science now, but the amazing thing is my students have evolved with me, so they’re building at the same level I am.”

Beyond loving music itself, Calderone loves passing along what he’s learned and experienced to other people even more.

To get a glimpse and to experience Calderone’s passion, stop by ARC Guitar at 308 Railroad Ave, call 530-795-1795 or visit the shop’s social accounts by searching @arcguitar on Instagram and Facebook.

POINT Continued from Page 7

sign makes things even worse. After listing just those four Winters restaurants, the sign also says “Take The Second Exit,” which tells drivers to skip the Putah Creek Road exit, and instead stay on 505 until the next exit — the one that says 128 — Winters/Davis. Imagine that! Cal-Trans signage tells hungry people to skip the Putah Creek Road exit, even though it is the exit closest to downtown, and closest to more than 20 restaurants.

How about large signs that say “Winters — 30 Restaurants, and Wine Tasting, Too.”

The City and Chamber of Commerce can ask the local property owners along 505 to allow large signs to be erected on their land, just off the edge of the freeway. I think one or two of the property owners adjacent to 505 would be quite willing to give this assist to our downtown businesses.

It is time to bring back an iconic symbol of Winters — the cupola that once stood on top of the Buckhorn Building.

there were a few printing orders waiting on my desk when I got back. When I deliver the printing, or copy jobs, most of my customers will think I’m right on schedule. It pays to be known for being a little slow with deliveries.

Some people like to travel, but I know some of you don’t like leaving town. One of the best parts of visiting other countries is meeting other travelers. At our age no one says they are on vacation because that implies that you are skipping work. We are just traveling, and the other people on our tour are doing the same thing.

It is nice to compare trips with other people. This is our sixth trip with Overseas Adventure Travel, an agency that takes care of almost all of your needs. Some people have 20 or 30 trips under their belts and it is nice to hear about their travels. When

they ask if we have been to Antarctica, or some other place we haven’t been, the answer is, not yet.

Iceland was an interesting place. I was expecting trees, there aren’t many. The scenery looks like high desert. Think Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California with miles of lava flows, short grass, some irrigated pastures, and lots of horses and sheep. There is a lot of water from melting glaciers and enough waterfalls so that I don’t need another hike to a viewing area. There are also mud pots and geysers, just like you would expect.

One nice thing about tours is they take you to places that you wouldn’t see on your own. We visited a yarn/wool manufacturer, a sheep ranch, and then a goat ranch, which lead us to a horse ranch. I tasted the lamb and goat but skipped when they put out a plate with horse meat. Sherri said it tasted like

beef, and I’ll take her word for it. I don’t know why I balked at eating horse, when I’ve tasted Guinea pig in Peru. It didn’t taste like chicken.

There were geothermal fields almost everywhere we traveled on the West Coast of Iceland. Most homes and hotels get their hot water from the earth and their electricity if cheap because of steam generators. An interesting fact was that they don’t produce as much electricity from their geothermal fields as California. Maybe that is because they only have 380,000 people in the whole country.

If Winters were in Iceland, we would be the seventh largest city in the country, right behind Mosfellsbaer and Hafnarfjoerdur. This is the first trip where I didn’t pick up a single word of Icelandic.

It is always nice to be home.

Have a good week.

That’s not helping our downtown businesses. We need to tell all the people driving by on 505 that Winters has at least 10 restaurants and (three wine-tasting venues) in just a three block area of downtown. And that’s not all. Winters has 20 more places to eat within a twomile distance from downtown. Yes, there’s at least 30 places to eat in our small City. (See end of column for a complete list.)

That’s amazing. Thirty places to eat in our tiny town. We need new signs to announce this to the thousands of people who drive by on 505 every day.

There are two ways we can we fix this. First, the City could ask Caltrans to add new, accurate signs on 505. But even if they say yes, it will take a long, long time, and could be quite expensive.

The second possibility is that the City itself can build and install, on private property, new and accurate signs. This makes more sense.

And while I am on this topic, we must certainly add similar signs at the stoplight intersection of 128 and Railroad Ave. Thousands pass through that intersection daily, but there are no signs telling them to turn onto Railroad Avenue to find our multitude of restaurants and our wine tasting venues.

The second item on my list today is one that I wrote about in the Express, 13 years ago. It is time to bring back an iconic symbol of Winters — the cupola that once stood on top of the Buckhorn Building. Unfortunately, that impressive and dramatic cupola was destroyed in a fire a century ago. But you can still see the cupola on the large, colorful “Welcome to Winters” billboard that Rotary placed on Grant Avenue. And, the cupola is also shown on Buckhorn Restaurant menus, and on advertising used by the City and the Chamber of Commerce.

Think about cities that have significant architectural symbols that are instantly recognizable. Redding has its Sundial Bridge. Hollywood has the hillside Hol-

lywood sign. Auburn has their stunning old Courthouse. And Modesto has the impressive Modesto Arch.

Restoring the cupola would help identify, advertise and promote Winters. It can be built out of modern, very lightweight materials, bringing back a visual symbol of Winters, that would create effective advertising, be well remembered by visitors, and enjoyed by residents who come downtown.

Winters once had a stunningly beautiful cupola. It is time to bring it back!

Email me (starbase27@gmail.com) if you missed my column, “Five Fantastic Fixes for Winters” part one. And, here are the 30 places to eat in Winters: Pizza Factory, Ocean, Preserve, Putah Creek Cafe, Steady Eddy’s, Ficelle, El Pueblo, Carboni’s, Buckhorn, Hooby’s, Chuy’s, The 128, The Distillery, Upper Crust Bakery, Buckhorn Truck, Verdusco Truck, Kountry Kitchen, Green River, Subway, Togo’s, Burger King, Round Table, Taco Bell, Starbucks, Kona Ice, Berryessa Brew, Pizza Factory, Park Winters, Togo’s, and Lorenzo’s Deli. Did I miss any?