Winters Express Wednesday, February 15, 2023

School district discusses state metrics, accountability measures

By Jacob Hoffman Express staff writer

During the Feb. 2 Winters Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting, Assistant Superintendent Phoebe Girimonte presented two recent state accountability measures for California school districts.

The first of these measures was the School Accountability Report Card (SARC).

City hires new fire chief, approves Main Street seasonal road closure

By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief

The Winters City Council welcomed new staff members and approved a seasonal road closure at the Feb. 7 City Council meeting.

New city staff

After months of searching, City Manager Kathleen Salguero Trepa announced that a new fire chief and senior accountant had been identified.

“We are thrilled to announce the arrival of two new staff members; our Fire Chief Jack Snyder and Senior Accountant Shery Enos. Both will be valuable additions

to the team,” Trepa told the Express Trepa swore in Snyder and Enos. Snyder previously served as the Fire Chief in Elko, Nev. He was hired as Elko’s Deputy Chief in 2017 and promoted to the role of Fire Chief in 2021. Prior to his position in Elki, Snyder worked for the City of Vacaville. Enos also comes to Winters with experience working for the City of Vacaville.

Seasonal road closure

Chris Turkovich, Downtown Business Association President and owner of Turkovich Family Wines, was on site to answer questions councilmembers had regarding the WDBA’s request for the seasonal Main Street closure, and for an extension to Close down Railroad Avenue for its Spring

Festival at the end of March.

Trepa informed Councilmembers the staff recommendation was to approve the schedule just for 2023, since the City is in the process of the Downtown Visioning Project. The WDBA’s request had asked for Councilmembers to consider a rolling annual seasonal closure to determine a consistent closure to communicate to the community.

One of the bigger discussions in the street closure request revolved around whether to close down Railroad Avenue at Main Street. Turkovich said WDBA was looking into utilizing a crossing guard program out of Vacaville to help control traffic for

See ROAD, Page 3

As described by Girimonte’s presentation, the SARC “provides comparability data for the community and for educators, includ[ing] student achievement outcomes” and “communicates a school’s progress in achieving its goals.”

Girimonte briefly reviewed the information included in the Winters schools’

SARCs, including “demographic data… school safety and climate for learning… academic data and outcomes,” and a number of other metrics related to education metrics and logistics.

This information was submitted to the state on Feb. 1, and Girimonte asked Trustees to approve the SARCs. Trustee Everardo Zaragoza, having reviewed the SARCs, asked Girimonte about suspension rates at Winters Middle School, noting “the state average is three percent, our other sites are around two to five percent, but the middle school is at 15 percent, so are we doing anything to improve that?”

Girimonte said the school district shares this concern, saying “I

would agree that our suspension rate does demonstrate that we are excluding students from school too frequently” as it causes “students leaving the school space (and) not being included in instruction because of suspension” and that the district is looking into solutions both for the remaining school year and in the long term. She expounded on this later, saying the district will use “other lower-tiered interventions and ways to reengage students before (a) suspension.”

The next presentation focused on the California School Dashboard. As summarized by Girimonte “the California School Dashboard provides parents and educators See METRICS, Page 3

Art installation honors love for Winters

By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief

Winters students partnered with local nonprofits and businesses to create a Valentine for the Winters community.

Valerie Whitworth, Winters Participation Gallery chair, and Rotary Club of Winters members worked to gather and hang up hand-crafted valentines from local children sharing why they love Winters and what they would like to see Winters bring to the community that isn’t

currently available.

The hearts are hanging from PVC pipes along the side of the Cradwick Building in Paseo Park along

downtown Main Street.

“It will be up at least through February. It is a photo op wall as well as an art installation” Whitworth said.

Police confiscate altered replica gun at high school, make drug-related arrest

By Lauren Keene McNaughton Media

A 16-year-old boy got some unwanted police attention Monday after he allegedly brandished a replica pistol near a local business.

Shortly before 1:30 p.m., dispatchers received a call about a male seen pointing a handgun at the AM/ PM convenience store on Matsumoto Lane

from his vehicle, according to a Winters Police Department Facebook post.

“Officers located the vehicle parked at Winters High School and contacted school administration,” the post said. “The driver of the vehicle was identified and school administration had the student exit their classroom with the Police Department

standing by for safety.”

The student reportedly admitted to having an Airsoft pistol, which officers retrieved from under his vehicle’s front seat, police said. Designed to resemble a Colt handgun, the pistol had its orange replica markings covered with black electrical

See CRIME, Page 3

Crystal Apilado/Winters Express

Senior Accountant Shery Enos and Fire Chief Jack Snyder were sworn into office at the Feb. 7 City Council meeting. Their official first day was Feb. 6

Crystal Apilado/Winters Express Student love notes to the community hang along the Cradwick Building downtown in Paseo Park.

WHS basketball finishes season

By Aaron Geerts Express sta writer

Women’s varsity

The Winters High School Warriors laced up for the last dose of their regular season last week, which started off with a home game for the women’s varsity team on Tuesday, Feb. 7. Not only was it their Warriors’ last home game against Durham High School, but Senior Night as well.

It was a close, well-rounded game on both sides of the ball; however, the Trojans cashed in on clutch shots in the home stretch to beat the Warriors 42–39.

Later that week, on Friday, Feb. 10, the Warriors traveled up to East Nicolaus High School for their last

game of the season. The squad struggled midway through the game, but fought back to give themselves a shot at winning. Unfortunately, the Spartans weren’t willing to concede the lead and would send the Warriors home with a 40–34 loss.

“We had a close one at home last Tuesday, and the girls put themselves in a position to try and get a win. They just couldn’t knock down a shot when we needed it,” said head coach, Jeff Christian.

“We played our last game at East Nic, and the same thing happened. We started the game strong, then had a third quarter that wasn’t good and went down big. Then the girls came all the way back and put themselves in a position

Trotter

to win again. We just weren’t able to get a stop or knock down a shot, but they tried to battle back to win against a good team on the road. That’s kind of been the theme this season, but at some point, we learned the lessons we needed to,

Yarethzy Sanchez

Yarethzy Sanchez, a Winters High School senior, is Pisani’s Athlete of the Week. Sanchez has played on the WHS women’s soccer squad for four years and has been captain for the past two years. “Yar has been a persistent goal-scoring threat all season but last week she seemed to step up a notch,” said head coach Chip McKenna. Sanchez plays as a forward and always seems to be right where her team needs her to be. “Her ball control this week has been superb and her movement off the ball by dropping into the midfield has helped the entire team increase our scoring chances,” said McKenna.

’95

CLÍNICA DE CIUDADANÍA CITIZENSHIP CLINIC

¿ Tiene una mica y desea convertirse en ciudadano estadounidense?

¡ Acompáñenos en nuestra clínica gratuita!

Dónde: Centro Comunitario de

Winters ( 201 Railroad Ave)

Cuándo: 11 de marzo ( 9- 11 AM)

Cómo: Los abogados presentarán los requisitos de ciudadanía y programarán citas para el 25 de marzo y el 8 de abril

Quién: Para los residentes de Yolo County que tienen bajos ingresos y/ o tienen más de 60 años

Do you have a green card and want to become a U S citizen?

Join us for our free citizenship clinic!

Where: Winters Community Center ( 201 Railroad Ave)

When: March 11 ( 9- 11 AM)

How: Attorneys will present on citizenship requirements and schedule appointments for March 25 and April 8

Who: For Yolo County residents who are low- income and/ or over the age of 60 years old

and we started to receive the dividends of going through those growing pains. I’m confident when the majority of the team is back, the girls will put themselves in a position to make the school, community and themselves proud of the actions they take on the court.”

Men’s varsity

The men’s varsity team also took to the court to finish off their regular season with some wins starting last Tuesday, Feb. 7. They traveled up to Durham, but the Warriors ran headfirst into the Trojans’ shield wall and lose 58–37.

The squad rebounded mightily later on Friday, which was also Senior Night. An unwitting East Nicolaus team stepped onto the court with a group of ravenous Warriors. Surly, the Spartans had intentions of winning the game but proceeded to be systematically dismantled by the Warriors who sealed off their regular season with a 76–48 win.

“We had a tough road game against Durham. They came out on fire for their Senior Night and we were down early. I give our guys a lot of credit because they

didn’t throw in the towel and I thought Fernando Herrera came off the bench with good energy and Colton Brown really found a rhythm in the second half to keep us playing hard to the end,” said head coach Brendan McShea. “We hit the ground running on Friday for our final home game. The fans were lions and the guys were excited to compete. Logan Crabtree

had 21 points and 10 boards, Marcus Lopez was getting steals and AJ Pignataro knocked down big shots and played great defense against their best players. It was great to get Nathan Vigil, Jack Bryant and Luca Navarrete some minutes in front of the crowd, too. Those three have worked hard all year and we wouldn’t have success without all six of those seniors.”

Soccer secures top playoff seed

By Sydney Andrade Express sta writer

It was a big week for the Winters High School women’s soccer team as the results would determine Championship placement.

On Tuesday, Feb. 7, the Warriors traveled approximately two hours to Los Molinos High School where they dominated the game with a final score of 8–0.

“This is the first year that they have fielded a girls team in many years and they made a spirited effort,” said head coach Chip McKenna.

The Warriors scored two goals in the first half. McKenna Clifford was the first to score for her team with an assist from Yarethzy Sanchez. Sanchez turned around and scored her own goal with an assist from Violet Tuel.

“By the second half we began to find the back of the net more consistently, scoring six goals off shots by Lilianna Rodriguez, Ava Muir-Vickrey, (Yarethzy) Sanchez, Marta Silva, Diana Sanchez (her first as a Warrior) and Anahi Garcia,” said McKenna.

The Warriors took 42 shots at goal during the game against Los Molinos, this shooting practice would help them during their next game against Live Oak High School and tied 1–1.

On Thursday, Feb. 9 the Warriors found themselves up against Live Oak once again. This game was especially important because the final score would ultimately decide the League Championship.

“All of our available players contributed to a massive defensive effort to maintain the tie and secure sole possession of the League Championship.”

Chip McKenna, head coach

“A win or a tie would make us sole champions while a loss would leave us co-champions with Live Oak,” said McKenna.

Live Oak started off strong and opened the game scoring with a quick give-and-go between their two top scorers who have combined for 158 goals and 124 assists. They were hungry for a win after their recent loss against Winters. The Warriors responded within 10 minutes with a goal by Yarethzy Sanchez who was assisted by Muir-Vickrey to tie the game.

“All of our available players contributed to a massive defensive effort to maintain the tie and secure sole possession of the League Championship,” said McKenna.

The Warriors are now the number one seed in the Northern Section Division III playoffs and start by hosting Maxwell High School on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 3:15 p.m.

KS Winters Photography/Courtesy photos Logan Crabtree faces an East Nicolaus defense, scoring 21 points against the Spartans on Senior Night.

KS Winters Photography/Courtesy photo Senior Mickayla Passantino goes up for a three-point shot.

with meaningful information on school and district progress so they can participate in decisions to improve student learning.”

In the presentation, Girimonte briefed Trustees on changes made to the Dashboard for 2022, including a metric that took absent data or data affected by the pandemic into account, as well as the Dashboard’s indicators for success, which includes an academic performance indicator, a graduation rate indicator and a suspension rate indicator.

On a graph including all Yolo County districts, Winters scored similarly to regional averages, with identical scores as

ROAD

Continued from Page 1

pedestrians across Railroad Avenue, Police Chief John P. Miller told Councilmembers there had not been many traffic collisions during events, but closing the Railroad Avenue intersection would lend to a safety event.

Sighting the 2016 Earthquake Festival as an example, Miller said only having crossing guards at the intersection “was potential for disaster. Closing Railroad lowered the tension level.” Trepa said closing Railroad to traffic would guarantee a more safe environment.

Councilmember Jesse Loren mentioned that many residents on Russel Avenue are impacted by the closing of Railroad Avenue and surrounding street closures saying “I think we need to value the resident.”

Loren followed up by saying she does support the street closure but suggested having a later close date to account for the Sunday breakfast crowd.

Turkovich told

CRIME

Continued from Page 1

tape, making it look more realistic. According to the witness, however, the teen hadn’t pointed the pistol in a rude or threatening manner, as the Penal Code requires for charging, police said. Instead, officers released the boy to his parents and seized the Airsoft gun for destruction.

“We thank the alert citizen who notified us of the possible weapon and the Winters High School administration and faculty for their assistance in safely resolving this issue,” police said. “We cannot emphasize how dangerous and ill-advised this behavior was and hope the juvenile learns from this mis-

Woodland and Wash-

ington. For Winters, this meant low to very low English and Math, very high chronic absenteeism, medium progress in English learner performance, high suspension rate, and a high graduation rate. Winters’ scores make it eligible for the second category of state assistance, “Differentiated Assistance” of which 63 percent of all California districts and five out of six of Yolo County school districts are in.

Going forward, Girimonte said the Winters JUSD will be meeting with accountability partners in the school district to review the results and plan new paths ahead for each school, including identifying actions and services that led to these results, discussing root causes, and identify-

Councilmembers that WDBA put intentional thought into the request to close Railroad and expand to East Main Street in front of Steady Eddy’s and Hooby’s Brewing.

“We recognize closing Railroad is a big deal and we don’t take it lightly,” Turkovich said. “We should expect growth” in the event as they continue to host more of them in alignment with the traditional Fourth Friday celebrations.

After discussion surrounding street closures, a desire to create a plan for events like Spring Festival and unanimous agreement across Council, City staff and DBA representatives that safety is of the utmost importance, a 2023 seasonal closure plan was approved.

Councilmembers detailed:

Main Street would be closed from the Railroad Avenue intersection to the cross-

take.”

In a statement to the Express, Winters Joint Unified School District Superintendent Rody Boonchouy said the school district takes all threats of harm seriously.

“Keeping our students, staff and the surrounding community safe is our top priority. We also believe that timely and accurate communication with families regarding events that pose a potential threat is of the utmost importance,” Boonchouy said. “We are grateful for our ongoing collaboration with the Winters Police Department, which enabled us to swiftly initiate our safety protocols, which includes communication to families.”

Winters JUSD families are encouraged

DAVIS GLASS & SCREEN

ing areas where additional support may be needed for students at risk of falling behind. Girimonte also noted that because of con-

tinuing inconsistencies and changes still being corrected from pandemic-related adjustments, some of the actions taken to fix these issues may not be reflected in state data for a few years. As a result, Winters will “really have to be thinking proactive-

walk at Paseo Park from the last weekend in March through the last weekend in October from Friday to Sunday afternoon (before Noon). Trepa said the city has staff scheduled to work until Noon on Sundays and the reopening of the street would need to be aligned with the schedule.

The WDBA’s Spring Festival details include:

• Friday, March 24: Main Street will be closed from Main to First Street);

• Saturday, March 25: Main Street will be closed from Second to Elliot Street, including the intersection for a craft show);

• Sunday, March 26: details for the event and closure will be shared once they have been finalized.

Councilmembers required that signage for a detour from Russell Street to Abbey Street be noted and communicated

to register on ParentSquare to ensure that they receive timely updates from Winters JUSD. For questions regarding the ParentSquare communication app, contact Raena Lavelle at Rlavelle@wintersjusd.org.

Drug arrest

Four people wanted on multiple warrants in Glenn and Tehama counties now face fresh charges out of Yolo County following their arrests in Winters early last Thursday morning.

The foursome garnered police attention at about 3 a.m. as officers patrolling Matsumoto Lane spotted their vehicle parked in the back lot of the Taco Bell building,

ly: what worked this year, what didn’t work this year, what are we going to do differently to re-engage students and make sure that they are able to attend school.”  Girimonte emphasized the importance of communication with students and the community in determining the causes behind these findings, stressing “the importance of having the conversations and

through marketing efforts on behalf of DBA and Holden Events (who was hired to run the event).

Councilmembers

Richard Casavecchia asked staff to bring data back from the event in May to help determine what types of limits would need to be created for future events.

Meeting recording

The audio feed of the Feb. 7 City Council meeting did not record.

Trepa confirmed the City was unable to retriece the audio from the recording.

The meeting packet is available on the City Council page on the City of Winters website, https://www. cityofwinters.org.

Upcoming meetings

Trepa confirmd the City Council Goal-Setting workshop date was rescheduled for Wednesday, March 22 from 9 a.m. –2 p.m. in the City Hall large conference room (Abbey Street entrance).

The meeting is in-person only and will not be recorded.

The goal of the public meeting is for Councilmembers to establish project priorities.

according to a Winters PD Facebook post.

“Seeing as how Taco Bell was closed at this hour, it was evident they were not there for their ‘Fourthmeal’,” the post said, using the slang term for a late-night snack.

“Officers made contact and immediately noticed the occupants were ‘on the nod’ from apparent drug use. They also saw a meth pipe on the center console.”

The officers detained the four, all residents of Los Molinos in Tehama County, on what the Facebook post called “a laundry list” of outstanding warrants, along with the new charges.

Crystal Apilado contributed to this article

asking the why, and the need to broaden the scope of the conversation so that we are speaking directly with students, their

Rody Boonchouy agreed, adding “to have those conversations is critical in order to get real clear, as a staff, what is our strategy to address this…how do we adjust our strategy to show improvement.”

The next Winters JUSD Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 16 at 6 p.m. at the Winters JUSD office building board room. Trustees are expected to take action on:

• The approval of the agreement for Facilities Master Planning

families, understanding what the lived experience is” as well as the importance of staff engagement to create “collaborative solutions, to brainstorm, and to start looking at these problems in dynamic and different ways.”

Superintendent

• The comprehensive school site safety plans

• Salary agreements for Site Administrators Trustees will also hear an informational update on school bond Measures R, D, P and W.

“We recognize closing Railroad is a big deal and we don’t take it lightly.”

Chris Turkovich, businessowner

“(Winters JUSD will) really have to be thinking proactively: what worked this year, what didn’t work this year, what are we going to do differently to re-engage students and make sure that they are able to attend school.”

Phoebe Girimonte, assistant superintendent

File photo

Apricot packing was in full swing in 1973 — or ’74, or ’75 — at the Maggio Packing Company on Railroad Avenue. Tom Martin is shown keeping boxes moving along the belt. The Express photo les are a little confused about the date of this photo. Tom will know. It is hard to nd an apricot orchard in our area.

145 Years Ago

February 16, 1878

(From the files of the Winters Advocate)

The V. V. R.R. bridge across Putah Creek, carried away by the recent freshet, was completed on Saturday last and the trains commenced running on time, as heretofore.

Thos. Keefe has added to his drug store a dental apartment for the pulling of teeth. He will also keep on hand a generous assortment of the best brands of cigars.

R. W. Royce, of Dixon, is about to leave that place for Washoe Valley, Nevada, to take charge of the extensive ranch of Theodore Winters, in that valley.  Sabbath Services — Rev. Mr. Culton, pastor, will preach at the C. P. Church every Sunday, morning and evening, at the usual hours. Services at the M. E. Church South, Rev. J. K. Price, pastor, first and third Sundays of the month,

YESTERYEAR

Public Safety Report

City of Winters

Fire

Jan. 27: 11:26 a.m., misc. outdoor fire, 50 block of Myrtle Drive

~11:51 a.m., fire alarm 420 block of Anderson Avenue

~1:39 p.m., medical aid, 300 block of Peach Place

~4:03 p.m., elevator rescue, 140 block of E. Baker Street

~11:41 p.m., medical aid, 410 block of Luis Place

Jan. 28: 1:03 a.m., vehicle accident, SB

I-505/CR 31

~10:53 a.m., medical aid, 210 block of Almond Street

Jan. 29: 7:21 a.m., medical aid, 110 block of E. Baker Street

~10:36 a.m., medical aid, 400 block of Morgan Street

~9:09 p.m., mutual aid (Vacaville), Clement Road/Udell Road

Jan. 30: 8:22 a.m., medical aid, 400 block of Morgan Street

Jan. 31: 7:31 a.m., medical aid, first block of Fredericks Drive

~7:33 a.m., public assist, 200 block of Main Street

~9:38 a.m., medi-

cal aid, 1100 block of Washington Avenue

Feb. 1: 11:09 a.m., medical aid, 830 block of W. Main Street

~11:58 a.m., medical aid, 400 block of Morgan Street

~2:06 p.m., medical aid, 430 block of Main Street

~3:36 p.m., medical aid, 750 block of Richie Way

Feb. 2: 1:40 p.m., medical aid, 170 block of E. Grant Avenue

Feb. 4: 7:47 p.m., investigation, 140 block of E. Baker Street

Feb. 5: 12:05 a.m., medical aid, 400 block of Morgan Street

Feb. 6: 9:40 p.m., medical aid, CR 29

~11:11 p.m., public assistance, 710 block of Hemenway Street

Feb. 8: 2:27 a.m., medical aid, 1000 block of Hemenway Street ~7:58 a.m., lift assist, 950 block of Wyatt Lane ~5:34 p.m., structure fire, CR 34 ~6:09 p.m., medical aid, 110 block of E. Baker Street

Police

Arrest Log

Feb. 2: Canchola, Victor Manuel (Age

40), Charges: Possession of Stolen Property, Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail

Feb. 3: Winters

Juvenile, Charges: Misd Domestic Battery, Disposition: Released on Notice to Appear

Feb. 4: Ripley, Gift (Age 21), Charges: Corporal Punishment of a Domestic Partner, Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail

Case Log

Feb. 1: 3:35 p.m., 700th block of Richie Way, Death Investigation

~5:11 p.m., 100th block of E. Baker Street, Audible Alarm

Feb. 2: 12:26 a.m., 100th block of E. Grant Avenue, Audible Alarm ~9:38 a.m., Malaga/ Martinez Way, Vehicle Towed ~5:21 p.m., 100th block of E. Baker Street, Audible Alarm

Feb. 6: 1:12 p.m., 100th block of E. Baker Street, Vehicle towed

Feb. 7: 6:30 p.m., 800th block of Jefferson Street, Child Endangerment

Feb. 8: 9:57 a.m., Red Bud Lane/Manzanita Way, Vehicle Towed

95 Years Ago

February 17, 1928

Dispatches from the Express archives.

Years Ago

morning and evening. Services at Davisville second and fourth Sundays of the month. Services at the Christian Church, second and fourth Sundays by Elder Dunton, and third Sunday of the month by Elder Smith of the Baptist Church.

130 Years Ago

February 18, 1893

Peter Jensen, brother-in-law of A. H. Anderson of this place, arrived from Iowa yesterday morning. Mr. Jensen had purchased some land in the Wolfskill tract, and came out to look after planting it.

PO Box 520, Winters, CA 95694 530-795-4551 Se habla español. news@wintersexpress.com

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Crystal Apilado, Editor-in-Chief

Fred Gladdis, Special Editor

Sydney Andrade, Staff Writer

Aaron Geerts, Staff Writer

Jacob Hoffman, Staff Writer

David DeLeon, Advertising Director

Taylor Buley, Publisher-at-Large

Charles R. Wallace, Publisher Emeritus

George North went to Sacramento on Thursday to meet his daughter Miss Maude, on her return from the east.  Walter Hemenway is fixing up the room next door to the office of this paper as a photograph gallery, and when he has it ready for opening, it will be one of the cosiest and neatest little galleries in the country.  Alex Ritchie is putting up a windmill and tank at his residence on Grant avenue.

F. W. Archer was kicked in the abdomen by one of his mules on

Tuesday morning, but fortunately he was so close to the animal that he was not hurt much.  The following rates for water have been decided upon by J. A. Lechleiter: For each water trough $3; private residences, 25 cents for each person in family, and 25 cents for each head of stock a month; public buildings $1.50 per month. No one will be allowed to furnish his neighbors with water, and anyone caught so doing will have his supply cut off.

Things just aren’t the way they used to be. Whatever happened to businesses that were eager to please? Well, there is one right here in our town. We offer the same outstanding service offered decades ago.

Are we hopelessly out-of-style?

We certainly hope so.

At the meeting of the Exchange Club Monday evening, J. W. Ely, program chairman, had secured Ed Leake of Woodland, editor of the Democrat as speaker. Leake discussed the modern newspaper, the operation of the shop from editor to devil and traced the work of getting out the sheet from rolls to mailer.

The Vacaville Exchange Club went on record last week as favoring construction of a highway paralleling the railroad track from Allendale to Vacaville.

The Winters Legion basketball team defeated the Davis Athletic Club team Wednesday by a score of 38 to 13. Freeman, as usual, was high man with 13 points. Graf had 8, Demaree 8, E. Scott 2, Judy 2, Briggs

5.

Saturday evening, Sarah Thurber entertained 16 of her schoolmates at a Valentine Party. Those enjoying the affair were Adeline Meyer, Betty Waggoner, Marcia Sanders, Merrill Riesbeck, Evelyn Niemann, Gwendolyn Dexter, Virginia Reid, Farrell Forden, John Fulton, Albert Ichtertz, Albert Jacobs, Francis Jacobs, Edward Riesbeck, Elmore Pearse, Karl Berg and Vernon Duren.

A large representation from the Christian church attended a banquet and Northern District rally of the denomination in Sacramento, Wednesday evening. Among those attending were Rev. John Young, Harry Rice, Wilfred Bigelow, Misses Olive Fordden, Mabel Haven, Edith

Sale, Mildred Covell, Dorothy Shreeve, Genevie and Alice Dexter, Patty Baker and Mrs. W. A. Sale.

Among Yolo county land deals effected by realty firms recently, was the sale of the 181 acre ranch of R. F. Schmeiser on the Davis road to the former lessee, E. C. Gwartney, for approximately $35,000.

80 Years Ago

February 19, 1943

Mrs. William Duncan, recent bride, was honoree at a miscellaneous bridal shower Saturday p.m. at the home of Miss Elda Button, Buckeye district.

The low water bridge Yolo approach was repaired last week, following the washout caused by high water of the recent heavy storm.

Bill Singleton in Air Corps, stationed at Victorville, had a few days at home last week, returning Sunday a.m.

Mrs. W. A. Armstrong attended the meeting of the Solano County Rural Teachers Association Wednesday evening in Vacaville.

The Catholic Ladies Altar Guild met Tuesday evening at the home of Mrs. H. E. Sackett. Father Joseph Madden of Davis was guest of the group.  Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Elliott of San Anselmo were visitors Wednesday at the Mrs. J. R. Johnston home.

Master Dickie Pugh entertained a group of classmates in his Main street home, Thursday, February 11, honoring host’s 8th birthday.

Mary Lou Gale was hostess to members of her eighth grade class Friday night, featuring a Valentine party.

Picked by Charley Wallace

Walter Hemenway is fixing up the room next door to the office of this paper as a photograph gallery, and when he has it ready for opening, it will be one of the cosiest and neatest little galleries in the country.

WTC presents “Art” by Yasmina Reza

By Linda Glick

The Winters Theater Company is excited to announce its upcoming production of “Art” by award-winning playwright Yasmina Reza.

This thought-provoking play centers around three friends, Serge, Marc and Yvan. Serge has bought a painting; big, white and expensive. Is it beautiful? Is it garbage? Is it even art?

Marc loathes it. Yvan just wants his friends to get along. Serge’s passion for his painting threatens to destroy their friendships.

“Art” is a witty and insightful play that explores the complexities of friendship, the nature of art, and the

human condition. The production promises to be a thought-provoking evening of theater that will leave audiences questioning their own perceptions of art and its value.

The show is directed by Andrew Fridae. “Art” will run for a limited engagement at the Winters Community Center Fridays through Sunday, March 17–26. Tickets are on sale now at Eventbrite or can be purchased through the theater’s website, www.winterstheatre. org. For more information, call 530-7954014.

Don’t miss this opportunity to see a powerful and thought-provoking play that will leave a lasting impression.

Capstone Basketball Tournament jumps off March 3

By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief

Winters Life Skills class students and Team Davis members will shoot hoops on Friday, March 3 to raise funds for their programs.

Ernesto Villalobos is hosting a Special Olympics Basketball Tournament for his Winters High School Senior Capstone project. Winters Life Skills class students and Team Davis members go head-to-head on the court on Friday, March 3. Doors at the WHS gymnasium open

to spectators at 5 p.m., players take to the court to play at 6 p.m. Admission to the event is free. Donations will be accepted

Eventos hispanos

Clínica de Ciudadanía

Gratuita

Winters Community

Corazón

Especial para el Express

11 de Marzo

Winters Community Corazón, Comité Asesor Hispano de Winters, y Legal Services of Northern California están uniendo fuerzas para ofrecer a los residentes del condado de Yolo (que tienen una mica) asistencia gratuita para convertirse en ciudadanos estadounidenses.

La reunión clínica inicial es el 11 de marzo de 9 a 11 a. m. en el Centro Comunitario de Winters (201 Railroad Ave.). A esta reunión inicial le se-

guirán citas individuales con un abogado para ayudar a organizar y facilitar el papeleo de ciudadanía, el 25 de marzo o el 8 de abril. Los residentes interesados deben asistir a la reunión inicial para obtener una cita de seguimiento.

La clínica es para los residentes del condado de Yolo que tienen bajos ingresos y/o tienen más de 60 años.

Para mas informacion contacte info@ winterscorazon.org or Rob Keele at 435-6691043.

Lake levels up slightly

during the event. All proceeds and cash donations will be shared to support programs for Team Davis and the WHS Life Skills

Class.

DJ Barnett Entertainment will be live at the event to give a play-by-play, and to help bring the Warrior spirit.

Students in the Life Skills classes who have a disability on some level an opportunity to develop age-appropriate skills for functioning outside the school environment and help prepare them to communicate, engage and work independently, or to the best level of independence possible as their disability allows.

Community Corazon hosts Citizenship Clinic March 11

Community Corazón

Special to the Express

Winters Community Corazón, Winters Hispanic Advisory Committee and Legal Services of Northern California are joining forces to offer Yolo County resident green-card holders free assistance on to become US citizens.

The initial clinic meeting is on March 11 from 9–11 a.m. at the Winters Community Center (201 Railroad Ave). This initial meeting will be followed by individual appoint-

the lake averaged 55 acre-feet of water

day. The SID is diverting 55 feet per second of water in the Putah South Canal, with 32 feet per second flowing at the Diversion Dam.

ments with an attorney to help organize and facilitate the citizenship paperwork, on March 25 or April 8.

Interested residents need to attend the initial meeting on March 11 in order to get a follow-up appointment scheduled.

The free clinic is for Yolo County residents who are low-income and/or over age 60. For more information, send an email to info@ winterscorazon. org or contact Rob Keele at 435-6691043.

Support the WHS Class of 2023 Fundraising efforts are underway to support end-ofyear events for the Winters High School Class of 2023.

The WHS Grad Nite Parent Group is in the homestretch in raising funds to put on a Safe & Sober Grad Nite for the Class of 2023 graduates. They are currently hosting a “Love a Senior” fundraiser where families and community members can help to send senior class members to the Grad Nite event in June.

The group’s goal is to collect donations now through the end of the month. Grad Nite Parent Group President Nancy Pignataro said it costs about $50 per student to put on the event. Donations do not need to be made in a specific student’s name as the efforts support all Class of 2023 graduates.

To learn more about the campaign, contact wintersgradnite@gmail.com or visit https://tinyurl. com/y56znnwv.

The WHS Class of 2023 is hosting a Krispy Kreme fundraiser to raise funds for the Senior Class Trip in May. Commu-

nity members can select a dozen glazed doughnuts or a dozen assorted doughnuts. Orders should be ordered online at https://tinyurl. com/2ad4zkdt. Payments should be dropped off in the Winters High School office during regular business hours. All orders and payments must be made by Feb. 17.

Men’s basketball league

The Winters Men’s Basketball League is starting up its season by registering teams. Register for a team, get more information about the league or join a team already registered contact David Callison at sdavidcallison@gmail.com.

City seeks commissioners

The City of Winters continues to seek commissioner applicants. There are four open seats across three City commissions.

The openings are:

• One seat on Winters Senior Commission on Aging, expires June 1.

• One seat on Winters Planning Commission, expires July 1, 2025.

• Two seats on Climate Action Commission, expires June, 30, 2024.

Courtesy photo

Cameron Toney and Robert Payawal both observe — with curiosity — a very expensive white painting their mutual friend recently purchased

Express File Photo

Alyvia Baylor dribbles the ball down the court during the 2020 Basketball Tournament Capstone project.

Senior News

Senior Commission appoints new leadership, seeks one more

By Crystal Apilado

Editor-in-Chief

The Winters Senior Commission on Aging appointed a new secretary following months of rotating in new commissioners; however, the Senior Commission is still in need of one

more commissioner.

Mark Rowan, the newest commissioner, appointed by the City Council on Jan. 10, was unanimously approved to serve as Secretary.

City Manager Kathleen Salguero Trepa confirmed the City is still accepting

How seniors can engage with their communities

Though a significant percentage of individuals report desires to retire later in life, many people stop working around the age of 62. The desire for a later retirement may stem from financial concerns or because some people wonder just what they will do when they’re no longer working.

Retirement is a time for hardworking individuals to enjoy themselves and their newfound free time. Interacting with the community can keep the brain engaged and foster beneficial social connections.

In recognition of the value of staying engaged, the following are a few ways for seniors to become more involved in their communities.

• Join a club or group. Identify an activity you find interesting and determine if there is a way to get involved with it in your community. Senior centers or adult activity providers may sponsor local programs.

• Participate in worship. Many older adults find they want to reconnect with their faith at this point in their lives, even if attending services hadn’t been a top priority earlier in life. Reach out to your local house of worship and find out when services take place and which activities they offer.

• Read to children. Volunteer your services at the library by reading to youngsters. Interacting with other generations can be inspiring.

• Volunteer at a soup kitchen or food pantry

Times continue to be challenging for many people who may find it hard to cover their expenses. Soup kitchens and food pantries can be a saving grace for those who might otherwise miss meals. Volunteering some hours at these organizations can do worlds of good and help you make a difference.

• Befriend neighbors. A passing “hi and bye” wave may have been the norm when you were busy working a job. Now that you have free time, you can get to know neighbors better and even take turns hosting get-togethers. Moving to a retirement or active adult community with others in similar positions may facilitate such friendships.

• Volunteer with local government. Find out ways you can become involved civically. Perhaps you can run in a local school board election or try to become a member of the town council?

• Become a substitute teacher or paraprofessional. Many schools are experiencing shortages of qualified staff. You may find your place helping to shape the minds of youngsters by volunteering at schools or taking on part-time jobs in the classroom.

Seniors can be more engaged in their communities, thus strengthening their “social capital,” the term scientists often use to describe the strength of their social relationships, and the extent to which people feel physically and emotionally supported by their communities.

applications to fill the last commissioner seat. The term of the vacant seat is scheduled to expire on June 1. The application of interest is available on the City of Winters website at https:// tinyurl.com/2s3t53mx. Applications can be submitted in person or mailed

to the City Clerk at City Hall, 318 1st St., Winters, CA 95694. Applications can also be sent via email to cityclerk@cityofwinters. org. Under Community Liaison Reports, Commissioner Tina Lowden reported the planned Winters Senior

Foundation social gatherings on Feb. 18 and March 23 were being canceled due to WSF events.

The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 8 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Large Conference Room (Abbey Street entrance).

Use diet to combat age-related bodily changes

Metro Special to the Express

The human body is a marvel. How the body transforms over the course of an individual’s life is one of its more remarkable qualities, and those changes never cease, even as individuals near retirement age.

The changes associated with aging include physical transformations but also more subtle shifts the naked eye cannot see. For example, metabolism slows as individuals grow older, and aging also can lead to a decrease in bone density and muscle mass. These changes affect how men and women at or nearing retirement age should approach their diets in recognition of the various ways their nutritional needs change at this point in their lives. Any modifications to a diet should first be discussed with a physician, but the following are some ways aging adults can use diet to combat age-related changes to their bodies.

• Prioritize protein. The authors of a 2010 study published in the journal Current Opinion in Nutrition and Metabolic Care recommended that older adults consume be-

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

tween 25 and 30 grams of protein with each meal. The researchers behind the study concluded that such consumption could limit inactivity-mediated losses of muscle mass and function.

• Overcome reduced production of vitamin D. WebMD notes that people over 65 typically experience a decrease in natural production of vitamin D. Vitamin D is not naturally found in many foods, so aging men and women may need to rely on supplementation to ensure their bodies get enough of it. Vitamin D helps with anti-inflammation, immune system support and muscle function, among other benefits. So it’s vital that aging men and women find ways to get sufficient vitamin D.

• Consume ample dietary fiber. The National Resource Center on Nutrition & Aging notes that fiber plays an important role in the health of older adults. Fiber has been linked with

heart health, healthy digestion, feeling full, and preventing constipation, which the online medical resource Healthline notes is a common health problem among the elderly. Though the NRCNA notes that older adults need slightly less fiber than their younger counterparts, it’s still a vital component of a nutritious diet. The feeling of fullness that fiber consumption can provide also is significant, as it can ensure adults who aren’t burning as many calories as they used to aren’t overeating in order to feel satisfied. That can make it easier for such adults to maintain a healthy weight.

• Monitor intake of vitamin B12. The

NRCNA notes that vitamin B12 is involved in a host of important functions in the body, including nerve function and the formation of red blood cells. Vitamin B12 is most easily found in animal products, which many aging men and women must largely avoid due to other health concerns. In such instances, men and women can discuss supplementation with their physicians as well as alternative food sources of B12, such as fortified cereals, salmon and other items. Bodily changes related to aging increase the likelihood that men and women will need to alter their diets in order to maintain their overall health.

Aging adults can use diet to combat agerelated changes to their bodies. Adobe/Stock photo

Bodily changes related to aging increase the likelihood that men and women will need to alter their diets in order to maintain their overall health.

Thursday, February 15

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

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

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

Tuesday, February 21

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

Wednesday, February 22

Winters JUSD/Winters City 2x2 Meeting, 5 p.m., Zoom Meeting info, check www.cityofwinters.org/2x2/

Wednesdays

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

Upcoming

Tuesday, February 28

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

Thursday, March 2

Joint Winters City Council/Planning Commission Meeting - Downtown Visioning Project Community Workshop, 6-9 p.m., Public Safety Facility’s Community Room

Library Services

Winters Library Open to Public (School in Session)

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

Teen Tuesday (ages 12-18), Second Tuesdays, 13:30 p.m., Winters Community Library

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

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

Mangonada Monday (ages 6-12), fourth Monday, 3:30 p.m. Tech Thursdays, Second Thursday, 2-7:30 p.m., call 530-666-8005 to schedule an appointment

Afterschool Adventure (ages 6-12), Third Thursday, 3:30 p.m., Winters Community Library

Saturday Matinee, First Saturday, 2 p.m., Winters Community Library

All You Need is Love Romance Book Club, Second Saturday, 4 p.m., Hooby’s Brewing

Older Adult Programs

Winters Senior Foundation Chair Yoga Class for Seniors, Wednesdays, 9:30-11 a.m., St. Anthony Parish Hall (511 W. Main St.)

Winters Senior Foundation Social Gathering

Thurdays, 1-3:30 p.m., St. Anthony Parish Hall (511 W. Main St.) CANCELED Feb. 18 and March 23

Ongoing

Winters Friends of the Library meeting, first Monday, 7 p.m., Meeting details: https://wfol.org/ Rotary Club of Winters meeting, Thursdays, Noon,

The Buckhorn

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

Winters Open Mic, third Thursday of the month, 6 p.m. (sign-ups begin at 5 p.m.), 13 Main St. Kiwanis Club of Winters meeting, fourth Thursdays, 6 p.m., Yolo Federal Credit Union Community Room

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

Alcoholics Anonymous meetings: » St. Anthony Parish Hall, 511 Main St. (back entrance) Tuesdays, 7-8 a.m. and Fridays, 7-8 a.m. » Yolo Housing office building, 62 Shams Way: Thursdays, 7-8 p.m. and Sundays, 9 a.m.

By Woody and Rebecca Fridae Special to the Express

“Sister cities,” “twin cities,” call it what you like. Winters and Almogía now have a 30-years association as related cities. This connection happened as a result of several families who immigrated and found their way from southern Spain to the small town of Winters in the early 1900s.

Years later, when Miguel Ruiz (a native of Winters) inherited some land from his father in Los Nuñez in the province of Almogía, he began an endeavor to unite the land of his ancestors with the town of his birth. In April 1993, that dream became a reality when he raised the Almogía flag at City Hall in Winters, marking the beginning of a declaration of sisterhood with the town not only of his origin but that of many Winters families from Spain.

That 30-year anniversary of our “hermandad” (sisterhood) with the rural town of Almogía was celebrated this week when we (Rebecca and Woody Fridae) delivered a proclamation from the City of Winters to the Mayor and two of the Almogía Councilors, or members of the “Ayuntamiento de Almogía,” their City Council. Woody had been on the City Council when it gave Mr. Ruiz a green light to move forward with his quest, and he had asked the Council to acknowledge the relationship by passing a proclamation renewing our historic connection.

The following is the account of our trip when we visited Almogía in January to deliver the proclamation and greetings to Almogía.

Driving north from Málaga, Spain in our tiny rental car, we encountered terrain much like the land that early settlers, who crossed the pass from Napa to the Sacramento Valley, might have seen. The scrub brush and pines that you see driving around Lake Berryessa look very much like the terrain we observed as we approached Almogía. Just after following a set of switch-back turns, we drove around a nearly-dry reservoir, reminding us of the decade-long drought

that Northern California has suffered.

Below us in the lower lands were orchards of almonds, olives, and a few wine-grape vineyards. Almogía is one of the many white villages that appear to be propped up on the side of the steep mountains that share the same name as our Sierra Nevada (snowy sawtooth mountains). These snowcapped mountains protect the Costa del Sol, the southern coast of Spain. We ascended several hundred feet to the entrance of the

town. As we entered the small city, a roundabout or “glorieta” greeted us, much like the one at the entrance of Winters. But as we entered Almogía, all similarities to Winters disappeared. We were thrown back in time to another century as we entered a treeless city of white-washed houses, stone walls and narrow, winding streets.

Here, most streets are cobbled, built long before cars or buses had to squeeze through

See ALMOGIA, Page 6

Winters PD brings on new Community Services Officer

By Aaron Geerts Express sta writer

Shelly Duenas is living proof that volunteering for one’s community does pay off. Beyond the rush of happiness a person gets from bolstering the community, Duenas has managed to transition her volunteering efforts at the Winters Police Department (Winters PD) into a full-time, paid position as the new Community Services Officer (CSO).

Originally from Sacramento, Duenas and her family moved to Winters in 2019. Although new to town, she came eager to get involved with the community and reach out to people. That earnestness eventually led her to volunteer at Winters PD.

“I would often talk to officers around here out of curiosity, and they told me they’re always looking for volunteers. So, I volunteered, and when a position opened I applied for it,” said Duenas. “I started as a part-time CSO, and now I’m full-time.”

Duenas’ opportunity came about when municipal code compliance enforcement functions were added to the Winters PD’s todo list in November 2022. Duenas applied

and not only got the full-time position, but became a CSO in the police department’s newly formed Code Compliance Unit.

“I do a lot of the parking enforcement, vehicle abatement and I also do code compliance. A lot of that is building the code compliance system. Its steps and making sure we follow through with all those steps and enforcing most of what is called ‘Chapter 19’ of our municipal code here in Winters,” said Duenas. “I look for abandoned vehicles, trash on people’s properties and things that kind of tear down Winters. We want Winters to be a very pretty place, that’s why people move here. So, I try to help clean up individual homes, and even do weed abatement

as well, making sure everyone is safe from fires. The Building Department still does building permits and makes sure they’re up-to-date. However, if they cannot get the homeowner into compliance, they come to me and I send out the official notifications from them.”

Essentially, Duenas maintains the charm and visual appeal of Winters. In her position, she also does a lot of the background work for fire notices and weed abatement, as well as background

work for building notices that aren’t upto-code. She seeks out eye sores such as cars parked on front lawns that haven’t moved in a while, trash and unused items on porches and other blights to the town’s good looks.

“I like to be able to go out and see the community and engage with people. Sometimes I’m able to talk to them about code compliance things and issues we’re seeing. Nothing huge, but smaller things and to educate people in case they didn’t know about our policies here in Winters,” said Duenas. “For example, let’s say there’s an abandoned vehicle or a boat that’s unattached, my job is to educate residents and let them know they’re

See OFFICER, Page 3

Woody and Rebecca Fridae/Courtesy photo

A view of City Hall in Almogía, Winters’ sister city.

Understanding the complexities of escrow

This critical account ensures your property doesn’t accidentally go into foreclosure Escrow companies collect the funds needed to cover the cost of property taxes and insurance and then make the payments, so property owners don’t have to worry.

This can give peace of mind to borrowers of any experience level, from first-time buyers to those who’ve sold a series of homes.

The Real Estate Settlement Procedure Act was established under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Urban Development to standardize this process of handling and distributing client funds. Property taxes and insurance fees are managed over the life of your loan, whether they are a mandatory part of the sale or not.

Insurance

Escrow accounts are often put in place to manage regular insurance payments.

This important policy protects the homeowner in the event of

every-day mishaps both small and large. In some cases, however, additional insurance may be required by the mortgage company as a condition of your loan. These policies may cover fire, flood or storm damages. Then it becomes even more essential that the payments are

made on time, month after month, in order to avoid default.

Taxes

You can, of course, pay homeowner taxes yourself, but escrow experts relieve us of the need to become an expert on local, state and federal laws — to say nothing of making sure the bill is paid when were distract-

ed by our busy daily lives. Getting behind on your property taxes is one of the fastest pathways to home confiscation. A property seized by the government for nonpayment is very difficult to reclaim, since the taxes owed are often required to be paid in a lump sum. Should you fail to do so, the home becomes government

property and is then put on auction in order to address the outstanding debt.

Why it’s important

An escrow company will pay your insurance premiums and taxes through a monthly stipend that’s out of sight and out of mind. This allows the homeowner to move forward with

An escrow company will pay your insurance premiums and taxes through a monthly stipend that’s out of sight and out of mind.

Adobe/Stock photo

confidence, while also keeping all debts paid in full. Explore your options with an experienced local escrow professional before buying, since they can discuss the system advantages in more detail. They may also have additional recommendations or services that make sense for your particular home purchase.

INTERESTED IN SELLING?

New Listing in Vacaville! 5 ACRE, 3 BEDROOMS, 2 BATHROOMS with a nice horse set 3 stall barn with tack room, outdoor sand arena, fenced and cross fenced, 2/2 bath modular home along with a

COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS MASTERS CLUB SINCE 2012

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

38 ACRES! Beautiful Chandler Walnut orchard.

Located just outside of Winters off Putah creek road.

Very well taken care of. Great producer, Excellent soil, solid set sprinkler system with an ag well. Would make for an awesome building

SOLD

Offered at $699,000.

GREAT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY! Located right across the street from the Winters Hotel. Currently being used as a smog/mechanic shop. 9600 square foot lot! $995,000.

SOLD

SUPER NICE HOME located on a very quiet cul-desac. Huge backyard with an amazing covered patio for entertaining. 3 beds and 2.5 baths. Remodeled kitchen and Master Bedroom. Appointment only. Offered at $659,000.

SOLD

GREAT CURB APPEAL! 4 beds, 3 full baths. Just over 2100 square feet. Centrally located close to all schools. Offered at $599,000. 3 BED, 2 BATH ON A CORNER LOT. Established neighborhood. Offered at $445,000. Call 530-383-1185. Call for details!

SOLD SOLD

(530) 795-3834

127 Carrion Court, Winters

OFFICER

Continued from Page 1

let them know they’re violating a municipal code before we even start any paperwork or anything. Just a friendly warning. I just like being able to educate people and let them know what, why, how and ways to fix things.”

With her background in education, Duenas is able to deploy that past passion for teaching into her current occupation. In doing so, she’s been able to bring her desire of getting involved in the community to fruition — and make a career out of it no less.

After only a handful of years as a community member of Winters, Duenas has embodied the selfless, neighborliness the town is known for. Of course, she encourages anyone wanting to get more involved in the town to volunteer at the police department.

For any code compliance questions or to file a report on one, visit the Winters PD’s Code Compliance page at  https://tinyurl. com/3rtvnxc7. There, one will see the foundation of the Code Compliance Unit which is comprised of partnership, collaboration, information and community concerns.

NOTICE

Discussion on ‘Because

Our Fathers Lied’ on Feb. 18

By Kate Laddish Special to the Express

Winters resident and author Craig McNamara will speak at Democracy Winters’ online meeting on Saturday, Feb. 18. He is now known as a leader in sustainable agriculture, but McNamara grew up in a world far removed from farming. His father was Robert

McNamara, secretary of defense in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations and the architect of the Vietnam War.

In his 2022 memoir, “Because Our Fathers Lied: A Memoir of Truth and Family, from Vietnam to Today,” McNamara recounts childhood visits to the White House, his profound opposition to the Vietnam

War, and how balancing love for and strenuous disagreement with his father affected his life.

While his father was secretary of defense and then president of the World Bank, McNamara decorated his childhood bedroom with an upside American flag, led anti-war

See FATHERS, Page 5

Legal Advertising

Please

square foot onestory home and to reduce the side yard setback on the garage (East) side from 10 to 7 feet The Planning Commission will take final action on the project unless appealed to City Council The purpose of the public hearing will be to provide citizens an opportunity to make their comments on the project known If you are unable to attend the public hearing you may direct written comments to the City of Winters Community Development Department 318 First Street Winters CA 95694 or to dave dowswell@cityofwinters org In addition the staff report will be available on the City s website on 2/23/23 In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act if you are a disabled person and you need a disability-related modif i c a t i o n o r a c c o m m o d a t i o n t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e s e h e a r i n g s please City Clerk at cityclerk@cityofwinters org or 530-7946702 Please make your request as early as possible and at least one-full business day before the start of the hearing

The City does not transcribe its hearings

Express Yourself

Getting back to a normal routine

South America is only five time zones ahead of us, and I seemed to have adjusted to local time in just a couple of days instead of the normal week.

Having great weather has helped put my mind at ease as I wait for the almond trees to bloom. I always think of spring as the beginning of the year, and so far, we are off to a good start. Plenty of rain, warm weather, a little too much wind, but clean air and smooth putting greens.

On our trip, I was riding in the back of a farm labor vehicle through the jungle and the road was paved with broken pieces of slate. At first, I was thinking that it must rain a lot in Argentina and rock roads are cheap and easy to maintain.

Then the road reminded me of County Road 31, sometimes called Covell Boulevard.

I’ve been on Road 31 a couple of times since I’ve been back, and the condition of the road always surprises me. I’m the eternal optimist and I keep thinking that the county has to know the poor condition of the road and will re-pave it. I can’t

Share your love for Winters

We are inviting anyone who would like to celebrate the heart of Winters to join us in the installation posted on the Cradwick Building. This art piece is a compilation of what the young people of Winters love about their town and what they want for it.

You are invited to join this art display if you wish. Just go into Bella Boutique or Kona ice and ask for a heart. Write your wishes and loves of

FATHERS

Continued from Page 4

number was called, took a 6,000-mile journey to Chile, and discovered his love for sustainable agriculture while working with subsistence farmers and as part of a dairy co-operative on Easter Island in the southeastern Pacific.

After returning to the U.S., he graduated from UC Davis and co-founded Sierra Orchards on Putah Creek with Julie McNamara. He founded the Center for Land-Based Learning and has served as president of the State Board of Food and Agriculture and as a member of the UC President’s Advisory Commission and the board of the American Farmland Trust.

Awards include the California Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award, the Leopold Conservation Award,

be the only one who gets bounced around when I leave town.

Maybe we should all start using Road 32, Russell Boulevard, to Davis. The county has put an overlay on the road and it has really helped. This week, as I was waiting for a flagman to let me continue on my way to Davis, I was daydreaming and started hoping that I was waiting for a paving contractor. No such luck, it was just a crew painting crosswalks over the new overlay.

I don’t know our new supervisor, Lucas Frerichs, the ex-mayor of Davis, but I’ll try and catch him the next time he crosses into our city limits. If he can fix our roads, I’ll vote for him in four years, otherwise, I’ll remind everyone to ride around the county before the next election. Fixing roads should be at the top of the supervisor’s list of things to get done. Our downtown pocket park got a new makeover while we were gone. I guess I can’t complain about the government not fixing our infrastructure and then complain about the design, but some people seem to be upset about the straight

sidewalk. I wasn’t involved in the design or planning of the park, but I have watched numerous plans cross my desk over the years.

According to the Winters Express: in 1973, when Randy West was a Winters High School student, Bill Maier leased the property to the class for a term of one year for $1.00. Bill had plans to sell the property and wanted the school district to be responsible for the liability insurance.

There were many people and organizations that stepped in to help with the landscape and cleanup. Shrubs and trees were donated and the city supplied water to the site. The newspaper listed a host of volunteers: Al Graf drew the plot plan, Clarence Kiefer took down the redwood fence in the back of the lot, Ernie Gaddini donated a load of topsoil, the Chamber donated $100, Rotary donated $50 for a drinking fountain, the

Letters

Winters on it and give it back to the business. We will gather them and they will be posted along with the others in the H’Art of Winters Valentine Project. We will display them as long as they last or until the end of February. This is an ephemeral art installation of indefinite length. We want to thank Mark Ullrich, owner of the Cradwick Building, Rotary International of Winters, Pacific Ace Hardware, the fabulous staff and teach-

ers of the Winters Joint Unified School District, and the creative Winters Participation Gallery Board (WPG) for their support and help in making this installation happen.

May community flourish as it has always done in Winters.

VALERIE WHITWORTH, WPG Chair

Hold on, we’re coming!

It’s on — Youth Day Parade. The WFoL (Winters Friends of the Library) casual band is dusting off

As young as you feel

Gramps Says

Youth Center donated $50 and the Garden Section of the Fortnightly Club helped select and plant the shrubs and plants — donated by one of their members.

The 18 members of the class raised $180 by selling candy and benches would be made by the shop class. The park was completed by Youth Day of that year and entered into a state competition sponsored by the Ecology Council of America.

The park was planted and maintained while I was away, continuing my education, finding a job and looking for a wife. When I returned in 1977, I don’t remember the park being neglected like it was recently. But I’m glad to see that something is being done to beautify the pocket park, now owned by the City of Winters.

Randy has a better memory than most of us, so maybe the Express can report on his thoughts about “his” park.

their instruments in preparation. You are most welcome to join us. The music can be adapted for all levels. Even if you haven’t played for a million years but want to have band fun again, you can be in the parade. Naturally, great players won’t be turned away. Ukulele, washboard, tuba — we’ll make it work. Connect with me at lsecrist1@earthlink. net.

LYNNE SECRIST

Early last month, Sophie promised to give readers a report about how ‘young’ Gramps felt after returning from his ‘glorious ‘day on the Trinity River. You will recall that the fishing trip, which was a Christmas gift, had been canceled because Gramps felt suddenly old after slipping and falling the day before the scheduled trip. The fishing guide was gracious enough to rebook a few weeks later. As Sophie made the promise, here is her report.

Sophie Says

As I said before, I am intellectually limited in my understanding and appreciation of the joy of suffering to catch a fish. If the index of misery is a measure of a good time, then this outing was a baseball double. It would have been a bases-loaded home run if it had been sleeting and the wind was howling.

Gramps’ son David had a few items to drop off at the Ccabin, so they detoured to Mill Creek on the way to the fishing grounds. So that they could have more fun, they arrived after dark and found the snow to be about three feet deep. David snowshoed up to the cabin and, with great effort, he dug out the snowmobile.

Ferrying Gramps and the goods to the cabin was a blast. At 5:30 a.m. wake-up time, the outdoor temperature at the cabin was 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Now, that’s more like it: nothing more invigorating than fro-

zen fingers and toes to start the day.

They met Ross, the fishing guide, in the town of Lewiston. The temperature was a balmy 27 degrees and to add to their joy an overhead layer of fog blocked the sun’s warming rays. They donned fishing waders, boots, and warm clothing, noticing that Ross was very comfortably clothed in what looked like heavy sweatpants and loose-fitting old-fashioned rubber boots. Ross informed us that there would be no wading and that all of our fishing would be from the drift boat. Good thing David and Gramps had their feet jammed into those tight neoprene socks and wading boots or they would have ruined their day by being too comfortable.

They didn’t hook any Steel Head Trout, but Gramps landed and released a goodsized German Brown which was the only fish reported caught on the river that day. A tributary to the river was discharging copious quantities of silt into the river a little way downstream from their put-in point and the guide informed them that the water was pretty much unfishable downstream of the tributary.

The German Brown Trout will become family lore and will grow considerably in size and fighting ability with each telling. Gramps’ prowess in forecasting that the fish was about to take the fly will also become a legend. As to how old he felt, at that moment he was a teenager again.

the UC Davis Award of Distinction and Outstanding Alumnus Award. His new book — named from Rudyard Kipling’s “If any question why we died/Tell them, because our fathers lied” —has received extensive praise.

Filmmaker

Ken Burns described it as “a courageous, devastating memoir, written from the inside out. While U.S. policy was conducted from an icy 30,000-foot perch, for Craig McNamara, the Vietnam War was an intimate family drama full of complex moral dilemmas, betrayal, and family self-awareness and actualization.”

The Washington Post named it one of the 50 Notable Works of Nonfiction of 2022.

McNamara’s talk is sponsored by Democracy Winters, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to preserving democracy and upholding constitution-

al freedoms through community outreach and informed engagement in local, state and national politics. His presentation and Q&A will be in the first hour of DW’s monthly meeting, from 10:30 a.m.–noon on Zoom. The meeting ID is 853 2758 2630, and the passcode is 662957. All are welcome. For more information, visit facebook. com/DemocracyWinters and craigmcnamara.org, or email info@democracywinters.org.

them. When we entered the town, following our GPS to an Airbnb house that we had rented, the app directed us down a steep, twisted and narrow path between the whitewashed stone buildings. As I approached one steep, sharp turn, I envisioned the brandnew Fiat Panda rental car wedged between those narrow white walls.

So, much to Rebecca’s relief, I managed to reverse the tiny vehicle about 50 meters to a wider spot, hoping I might be able to turn it around in a, say, 13-point turn. But just then, several cars whizzed downhill by us, some larger than the midget car assigned to us.

Rebecca and I waited to see if they, too, would see the impossibility of continuing through, and would

have to back out of the narrow street as well.  But no, somehow, they managed to get down the narrow gullet of a passage.  If that Ford Focus can make it, so can I, I thought. So, after several minutes of driving (with the rearview mirrors turned back like a scared chihuahua) later, we were past the narrowest stretch of the alley, and we found our apartment.

After unloading our luggage in the small two-bedroom house advertised as a “casa tipica” and finding a slightly wider place in the alley to park the Panda, we were off on foot.

Wandering through the small town, Rebecca said, “Come look at this.” I walked around the corner where she stood, and she pointed up to the street sign “Calle Winters.”  Brilliant find! I had heard that

the town had named a street after us. Although the street was rather short, (less than 20 meters long), I couldn’t help but feel pride about the fact that these people had honored our connection by naming a street after our city.

Almogía is a vertical town. Everything is “up” or “down” from where you are at the time. We asked where the “Ayuntamiento” (town hall) was, and the re-

sponse was “abajo, abajo, abajo. Cerca a la iglacia.”

So, we headed down, down, down, near the church.

The streets twist mostly like topographical lines on a map, following a level path around a hill. But, sometimes, a road will take a hard turn down to the right or impossibly-tight turn left, up a level, connecting one level street with another. After descending about four levels down the side of the mountain, we continued to ask directions from kindly locals for the iglesia (church) and then looked for the mayor’s office, Oficina del alcalde.

Farther down the warren of narrow streets, we came upon a small, well-maintained plaza with a slightly larger-than-life bronze statue of a Spanish dignitary holding a ceremoni-

al stick with ribbons. The base of the statue had an inscription saying he was the “alcalde,” a Spanish word meaning mayor.

“Oh, this must be some famous leader,” I told Rebecca. “We must be getting closer to the ayuntamiento. But what’s with the stick?” I wondered aloud.

We passed the imposing cathedral, then down, around one more corner, and no mistaking it, there it was, the enormous town meeting hall and the mayor’s office up above, replete with a balcony, in order to address the masses below. We had managed to arrive earlier than our appointed time, so it was no wonder the mayor was not there to greet us. But within minutes, Mayor Cristobal Torreblanca Sanchez, along with council members, Isabel Arrabal Morido and Juani Pino Godrid, came to meet us.

Ergonomic support can prevent aches after sleeping

By Aaron Geerts Express sta writer

While a good night’s sleep is foundational to one’s health and wellness, doing it improperly can lead to serious aches, pains and injury. Dr. James Stirton, the head chiropractor at Winters Family Chiropractic, breaks down how to rest the right way.

On average, humans spend over 20 years of their lives sleeping. With so much time spent counting sheep, it’s ideal to keep one’s spine and neck aligned all the while. However, people twist, turn and contort themselves like origami to find a comfortable position at the expense of their spinal alignment. “It’s all about something called ‘sleep ergonomics.’ Ergonomics, in general, is the support of the body’s natural form so that it doesn’t get fatigued and tired and has longevity in whatever you’re doing in that position. It’s really important because we spend about a third of our lives sleeping,” said Stirton. “It’s important to have ergonomic support because if you’re lying in bed, unsupported, out of position, or your pillow’s too big or not big enough, that can actually hurt you while you’re sleeping. I’ve treated patients in my office for sleeping strains.”

As popular as sleeping on one’s stomach is, Stirton advocates against doing so. One’s head is usually cocked to the side and holding that position for seven to eight hours can result in some serious ailing in the neck and spine.

“Some people lay on their stomachs with their heads turned 45 degrees to one side. Others have huge pillows and aren’t sleeping in neutral positions. That creates the body’s response to tighten certain muscles against that bad position. It will allow you to tighten up in certain areas when the spine is sagging or isn’t well supported,” said Stirton.

“Then when you try to bear weight and use that area, it can even feel like some muscle has been pulled.

have ergonomic support because if you’re lying in bed, unsupported, out of position, or your pillow’s too big or not big enough, that can actually hurt you while you’re sleeping.”

Regular complaints I get are shooting, stabbing neck pains or on the top of the shoulder. Sometimes it’s connected and they can’t even turn their head without feeling this pain on the side of their neck. It’s called spasmodic torticollis.”

Leave it to humans to find a way to hurt themselves while sleeping. Stirton advocates for ergonomic pillows, mem-

ory foam mattresses and even sleeping on one’s side with a pillow between the legs to keep oneself aligned.

“The side position is the easiest position to get your spine in a neutral, supported position to sleep.

You can adjust your pillow so it’s approximating the width of your shoulders. You can take another pillow and place it between your knees to keep the pull of your legs off of your back and it’s easier to maintain that alignment of your spine than on your back,” said Stirton. “Sleeping on your side is the best, and sleeping on your stomach actually reduces the blood flow to your brain for hours at a time. Any amount of time you’re on your stomach, you’re reducing that blood flow by greater than 50 percent depending on

how turned your head is. As for mattresses, traditional spring mattresses can wear out quickly and be a detriment to supporting your back and spine. That’s why I’d recommend memory foam mattresses.”

For more information on proper sleeping techniques or chiropractic questions in general, call the office at 530-795-4500 or email Stirton directly at jimstirtondc@ gmail.com.

It’s like the good doctor always says, “If you’re not certain, ask Dr. Stirton.”

“It’s important to have ergonomic support because if you’re lying in bed, unsupported, out of position, or your pillow’s too big or not big enough, that can actually hurt you while you’re sleeping,” states Dr. James Stirton.

Adobe/Stock photo

lifestyle.

“It’s important to

Dr. James Stirton