Winters Express Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Winters’ top citizens chosen

Calverts selflessly serve community, offer youth agricultural career experience

By Aaron Geerts

For years, Chris and Pat Calvert have supported Winters from behind the scenes, giving its youth hands-on learning opportunities, and — of course — want zero recognition for any of it. However, the Calverts have done far too much for Winters to not be recognized and they were nominated by community members and selected as 2022 Citizens of the Year.

Although they’re owners and operators of their business Ciarlo Fruit and Nuts, the Calverts are also avid volunteers in Winters. From helping facilitate countless town events

like the Earthquake festival and Youth Day to employing high school students and teaching them valuable life skills, their resume of helpfulness is well deserving of the Citizens of the Year accolade.

“I’m just honored and humbled,” said Pat when asked about how it felt to receive the award.

Chris said he was happy when Joe Martinez, a friend and past citizen of the year, called to tell them they had been chosen for thes award.

Beyond the volunteering efforts, they both spend a lot of time with the youngsters from Winters they bring on to work at Ciarlo

Local News Briefs

Top small-town food scene

Over the weekend, TheTravel.com, a website dedicated to proving travel trends and travel guides to destinations across the United States and the world, recently named Winters as the top small-town that a foodie enthusiast should consider visiting, in the article

“Gastronomic Delights: 10 California Towns That Will Satisfy Your Taste Buds” by Jaimee Terese. Terese wrote: “Named as one of the most charming small towns in California, it prides itself on its farm-to-table food scene that stems from its rich agricultural heritage. As with many other towns mentioned on the list, the restaurants in Winters base their menu offerings off of fresh, seasonal ingredients that are locally sourced.”

Winters beat out Carmel-by-the-Sea at No. Two and

Fruit and Nuts. Whether they’re from WHS or Wolfskill, teens are immersed in an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of food processing, dealing with the public at farmer’s markets and developing some good old-fashioned work ethic to bring with them into the next phase of life.

“I’ve had a great time with this and used to teach food preparation in high school. I miss teaching high school kids and want them to have an enjoyable experience here,” said Pat. “It’s very rewarding watching them learn and grow. And it’s not just making the product, they

Eureka in the No. Three spots. See the entire list at https://tinyurl.com/ yc77352y.

Planning Commission meeting

The City of Winters announced the March 28 Planning Commission meeting has been canceled.

The next Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m. in the Council chambers at City Hall or the public can view the meeting online.

The meeting information, agenda and packet will be posted on the City

See LOCAL, Page 8

Loren advocates for Hispanic community inclusion, brings a voice for Winters residents

By Jacob Hoffman Express staff writer

Describing the moment when she found out she was named one of the Toast of Winters 2022 Citizens of the Year — teacher, community member, and city councilmember — Jesse Loren said, “Paul and Linn Myer gave me the news at my front door in a surprise visit. I was flabbergasted, shocked and then really proud to even be considered!”

But Loren’s nomination letters for the award leave little surprise as to the reason for her selection.

The nomination details her extensive work in and around Winters since she arrived here including that as a teacher, during “her 18year teaching career…she was involved in bringing a dual immersion program to Winters as a best practice model to promote bilingual education.”

Loren was also lauded by the nomination letters for “work(ing) tirelessly to be a voice for our Hispanic community members” noting her tenure on the Winters Hispanic Advisory Committee (Winters HAC),

Council, Planning Commission hear Downtown Vision update

By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief

Just under a dozen community members joined the Winters City Council and Planning Commission for a joint meeting to hear a presentation from consultants for a Downtown Visioning Workshop on March 2. Present City Councilmembers included Mayor Bill Biasi, Mayor Pro Tempore Albert Vallecillo and Councilmember

Jesse Loren and Richard Casavecchia. Planning Commissioners included Vice Chair Lisa Baker, Ramon Altamirano, Judith Arce and Chris Rose. Ben Weber and Chrissy Chrissy Mancini Nichols of Walker Consultants, the firm hired to conduct the research and community feedback sessions, presented an interactive session focusing on seven key points including the Weekend Main Street

Closure program, outdoor gathering and dining, the collection of waste and organics from local businesses, downtown alley usage, downtown business destination signage, parking and the Winters Community Center.

For each topic, the consultants shared data from the community and business stakeholder surveys. Weber clarified for

See VISION, Page 3

Youth Day seeks Grand Marshal nominations

By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief

The Youth Day Committee is seeking community nominations for the 2023 Youth Day Grand Marshal.

The chosen Grand Marshal honoree will lead the 85th annual Winters Youth Day Parade on Saturday, April 29 through historic downtown Winters. The nominee must be a person(s) who has dedicated time to the community and the youth of

Winters.

Nominations can be mailed to Winters Youth Day, PO Box 652, Winters, CA 95694. They can also be submitted online at www.wintersyouthday.com or by email to mjsebast63@gmail. com. The deadline to send in nominations is April 1.

Volunteers and Ducks

Volunteers are still needed to help with the 85th Winters Youth Day Parade. People are still need-

ed to check in Parade entries, staff the barricades along the route and help line up Parade divisions. To sign up as a volunteer, see the “Unfilled 2023 Roles” at Linktr.ee/ wintersyouthday.

The 9th annual Duck Derby is scheduled for Friday, April 28. A Duck Sale booth will be at the Downtown Winters Spring Open on Saturday, March 25. Duck Sales booth dates will only be happening in person this year, dates to come.

The hometown paper of Bob Murphy

Express staff writer

Courtesy photo

Pat and Chris Calvert (left) and Jesse Loren (right) will formally be recognized as the 2022 Citizens of the Year honorees at the Toast of Winters event on March 31.

Baseball club defeats Esparto, St. Helena

By Aaron Geerts Express staff writer

The men's varsity baseball club laced up its cleats for a week of competition starting last Monday, March 13 against Winters High School’s age-old rival, the Esparto High School Spartans.

The game itself was more of a showcase of the Warriors’ arsenal of skills from base-running and lockdown defense to Anthony Duran’s dominant pitching which included 11 strikeouts and five hitless innings. After putting up 17 runs, the Warriors defeated the Spartans 17–0.

A few days later, on Wednesday, March 15, the rain eased up enough for the varsity club to travel up to St. Helena High School to take on the Saints. It was a far more competitive game with the Warriors handling business putting up six runs in the first four innings. Things got a little dicey in the fifth inning, however, as the Saints took advantage of the Warriors’ multiple errors and score three runs with another run coming

in the sixth. The Warriors were able to hang on to win 6–4.

On Friday, March 17, the Warriors traveled to Woodland to take on the Woodland Christian Cardinals. The difference in play is the game was played on the astroturf field of the Woodland Community Center — not the Woodland Christian home field. According to head coach Austin Calvert, the Cardinals made an agreement with the community center staff that they’d play at their fields due to the weather’s impact on the Cardinal’s home field.

Despite a smaller playing field, the Cardinals bat in multiple home runs — the Warriors did not, resulting in a loss of 12–5.

“Both teams played on the same field. We got beat fair and square,” said WHS Athletic Director Daniel Ward.

“Then Friday we got punched in the mouth — like all good heavyweights do eventually," Calvert said who also noted they played on the same field but couldn't get the bats going.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Lilianna Rodriguez, a Winters High School senior, is Pisani’s Athlete of the Week. Rodriguez is the starting offensive midfielder for the WHS women’s soccer team. “She has been a key player for us all season and especially during our runup to the league championship and the playoffs,” said head coach Chip McKenna. “It would be easy for a player with her talents to hold the ball and try to make all the plays herself, but she happens to be one of our most unselfish teammates,” said McKenna.

WHS softball gains win over Vacaville Christian

By Sydney Andrade Express staff writer

On Thursday, March 16 the Winters High School varsity softball team won their home game against Vacaville Christian's high school by a score of 11–7.

The Warriors put up a good fight against the Vacaville Falcons behind the plate with impressive batting. Kalyssa Grinbergs led the Warriors batting .500 for the game and bringing in two RBIs. Jayle Jimenez also had a great day behind the plate with one hit, one RBI and two runs scored. K Cabrera took advantage of the bases she was given by Vacaville’s pitcher with two runs for the Warriors.

Dani Johnson played a great offensive and defensive game with a double hit, three runs, and 10 putouts. Elena Herrera also had a good day on both sides of the ball with one hit, one RBI, two runs and four putouts at shortstop.

While the Warriors were getting the numbers they needed batting they knew they

would need to change things up defensively if they wanted to come out with a win. Head coach Garrett Garcia decided to switch their pitcher in the middle of the fourth inning in an attempt to pull ahead and stop

the Vacaville Falcons from getting on base.

Sophomore Bayla Garcia entered the circle and essentially stopped the game. Garcia struck out seven of the 12 Vacaville batters, only giving up one hit. No runs were made on Garcia’s watch and her excellent gameplay gave her team the momentum they needed to score six more runs in the sixth inning, winning the game.

The Warriors will play their next home game against Durham High School on Friday, March 24 at the Shirley Rominger Intermediate School softball fields at 4 p.m.

No runs were made on Garcia’s watch and her excellent gameplay gave her team the momentum they needed to score six more runs in the sixth inning, winning the game.

Lilianna Rodriguez

KS Winters Photography

Sophomore Bayla Garcia struck out seven of the 12 Vacaville Falcons on March 16.

her central role in the Festival De La Comunidad, her work in helping create a Día de los Muertos celebration.

Loren herself echoed a number of these stated accomplishments as being points of particular pride for her work in Winters, including her work in the 90s researching dual language immersion programs and the formation of Winters Community Corazón (a nonprofit organization to financial support efforts of the Winters HAC) and the organization of the Festival de la Comunidad.

“Planning a party for 4,000 with an all-volunteer crew” Loren

CALVERTS

Continued from Page 1

also work my stand at the Woodland Farmers Market. Watching them interact with the public and grow their confidence to be able to answer questions and talk about the products has been great. So, I’m hoping I’m giving them some math skills, food prep skills and helping develop their confidence/people skills so that they go on to the next job and have more than just cooking skills to take with them. I’m just grateful and honored that I get to work with young people still.”

The Calverts are

Continued from Page 1

attendees that “downtown” was in reference to six specific blocks of Main Street of the three blocks north and south (the Rotary Park/Winters Community Center area to Second Street).

He also shared the Vision and Policy Plan the City gave them to keep in mind of:

• Keep supporting downtown as an attractive, exciting place to live work and visit

• Improve community amenities and manage public assets

• Help businesses and properties improve operations

• Consider how circulation and parking influence downtown vibrancy and access

Of the Street Closure program, the opinions of the community, business stakeholders, and workshop participants were split and City Manager Kathleen Salguero

Trepa said “It’s clear to us there’s a diversity of opinion.”

Comments shared from earlier engage-

explained, “and feeling filled with love, joy and friendship after the event, is the absolute greatest thing.”

Loren said she still wished to bring more festivals like this to Winters, but de-

pioning more Affordable and Inclusionary housing.” Future projects she wished to be seen completed include the renewal of the Community Center and Rotary Park, the establishment of

community and those in need of food support” and who “modeled public service above self.” She also expressed her gratitude for the Winters community which has been “kind, friendly and has always had a strong history of volunteering” as well as her family, including her husband, Brian Bellamy, and her children.

KITCHEN &

scribed her main priorities as “completely dedicated to serving those who have historically been excluded from the decision-making process, having more citizenship workshops, working with the Latinx community, and cham-

also huge advocates for the Winters FFA chapter. In fact, Chris and Pat were instrumental in aiding the

a sports park, and the completion of a senior center.

When asked about the path to this award, Loren credits her parents “who were great examples of serving the community, especially the primarily Spanish-speaking

Cortina Olive Oil competition. A feat that is rather unheard of for first-time entrants.

“There’s a boatload

Loren ended her statement with a call for volunteers, saying “Winters needs more opportunities to gather, share food, slow down and build more friendships” giving her contact information at Jesse.Loren@ cityofwinters.org for any readers looking to volunteer, but concluding that she is confident that — for Winters “the future is bright and caring.”

tural educators Kayla Mederos and Donnie Whitworth.  “At the end of the day, Winters is just a good town. It’s had a tough time with COVID, but the town’s doing better and people are going back to work. I just hope that more, young people start to volunteer and take over some of the events in town because a lot of the folks running them are getting too old.”

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Winters FFA students in processing and bottling their olive oil. With the Calverts’ help, the olive oil was submitted to the California State Fair and won gold in the 2022

ment sessions with business and Property owners included a desire to consider outdoor dining options during closures and that the closures are inconvenient for businesses that aren’t restaurants. Some of those attendees requested the closures be considered for events and special programming only.

Weber recommended that city councilmembers should consider if the street closure should happen every week or fewer times during the months the closure occurs.

In terms of outdoor dining and gathering, Weber gave Councilmembers and Commissioners three overall program recommendations to:

• Pergolas: Keep the current pergolas as a public gathering space program and not have them linked to a specific business (no table service).

• Update and simplify the current Sidewalk Cafes program, and revisit the Permit system.

• Add a new official

of people out there in Winters who do more behind-the-scenes stuff than we do (and) who don’t get recognized,” said Chris who gave credit to Winters High School agricul-

program for Parklets, which are private instreet spaces tied to a specific business. Parklets are privately owned, built and operated.

Weber told Councilmembers the pergolas need to have safety upgrades including ADA access and protection from traffic, and they need to consider what they do for the downtown area year-round.

“Of the pergolas — it’s time to think about their future in a postCOVID world,” Weber said.

Of the Sidewalk Cafe program, Weber advised both groups to start with the current application and regulations and make adjustments from there.

He also said the City should be more rigorous with fee collections on them and consider an appropriate fee collection amount.

Currently, the City of Winters only charges $1 per square-foot a year and they should consider bumping it up to $2–$6 per square foot a year like other cities. Weber said some cities charge a

Although the Calverts did not grow up in Winters, the town has enjoyed the fruits of their labor. With any luck, community members will learn from their example and opt to volunteer so the events that make Winters, Winters can continue.

$12–$20 fee per linear foot a year.

Trepa said the issue with current Sidewalk Cafes (like those in front of Putah Creek Cafe, Preserve and the Turkovich Family Wines Tasting Room is “because they are permanent changes to the right-of-way, it’s hard to take it back if the business changes.” City staff does not recommend removing the current installations and does not recommend allowing that type of construction to happen for future Sidewalk Cafes.

“We can’t easily return that to parking because we’d have to remove the permanent asphalt that’s been installed,” Trepa said.

The Express will continue coverage of Downtown Vision workshop in a second article. The workshop’s presentation slides are available at https://tinyurl.com/ msv2ahxb.

Hello City of Winters —

My name is Adriana Arias-Morales. I am a senior at Winters High School and for my Senior capstone I will be setting up a donation drive that consists of donations such as blankets, socks, toiletries, feminine products and any new or gently used clothing. Drop off location is in front of the Winters Library. All donations will be given to Fourth & Hope homeless shelter and Empower Yolo homeless shelter. Drop off location is in front of the Winters Library every day from 8am-8pm. Any and all donations will be greatly appreciated.

shelters: Hand sanitizer

Toilet paper

Paper towels

Disinfecting cleaning supplies (Clorox wipes; Lysol spray)

Trash bags (30 gallon size)

Dish soap

Antibacterial liquid hand soap (pumps & refill size)

Laundry soap

Hygiene items (deodorant, body wash, lotion, toothpaste, chapstick) Snacks and drinks for kids at the shelter

Sunglasses & hats for survivors at the shelter

Food store gift cards (grocery stores, Walmart, Target, local restaurants)

Gift cards (gas cards, CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens) Art supplies, craft sets & educational materials for children

Travel size foot powder

Cotton underwear for ladies (S – XXL)

Socks for men, women, and children

The following items may be lightly used:

Bath towels

Pillows

Twin bed sheet sets/ blankets

LIKE A GOOD NEIGHBOR, STATE FARM IS THERE.®

“Winters needs more opportunities to gather, share food, slow down and build more friendships.”

Jesse Loren, 2022 Citizen of the Year

“Watching (teens) interact with the public and grow their confidence to be able to answer questions and talk about the products has been great.”

Pat Calvert, 2022 Citizen of the Year

Ag students plant trees, restore local creek habitat

By Aaron Geerts Express staff writer

The Winters FFA organization is known for its hands-on, outsidethe-book educational experiences. One of which included a SLEWS (Student Landowner Education Watershed Stewardship) field day where Winters High School students were immersed not only in the waters of the Putah Creek Nature Park, but also a lesson in local ecology, wildlife and habitat restoration.

How it works is the Center For LandBased Learning identifies a landowner who could use some habitat restoration. Next, the Center For Land-Based Learning gets ahold of grant money and funding, identifies an agricultural program to work with — in this case the Winters FFA — and a SLEWS Day ensues.

The first field day was held in December on the former Four Winds nursery which is now owned by Putah Creek Council. WHS Agriculture teacher and FFA advisor Kayla Mederos said students planted over 1,200 plugs and called it a “hugely successful first field day.”

“It was so successful, in fact, that the

second field day they said, ‘you guys did too much, we need to find another location for you to work on because, holy moly, you got a lot done,’” said Mederos. “Our second site was the Putah Creek Nature Park. There, we were able to plant over 300 trees which was much harder than planting plugs of native grasses. But we got to hang out in the creek and look at the native watershed, aquatic species like the fish, crawdads and

the different wildlife and how they interact with each other and the ecosystem.”

Guiding and educating the students in this ecological enterprise was Allie Dumas, Center For Land-Based Learning SLEWS coordinator Alongside her dishing out knowledge and know-how were other mentors including industry professionals from Yolo County Resource Conservation, UC Davis as well as doctorate students from UC Davis. All of these are walking, talking examples of potential career paths the students can take later in life.

“Students learn how to put irrigation lines together and the importance of proper placement and planting. Then they also bring in somebody who’s an expert in the local watershed we’re working in and they give a presentation to the students

about the watershed they’re working in. So, they’re giving back to their local ecosystem and their community, which is really important,” said Mederos. “I get really excited seeing how hard the students work and how proud they are of the work they did at the end of the day.”

Mederos took about 30 students between her Introduction to Agriculture and Agriculture Biology classes. She said it was exciting to see all of the work they accomplished and that it was “really fun to watch them forge relationships with the mentors and get excited about what they do for a living”

“They learn a lot more about non-traditional agricultural careers they can get into. A lot of these students don’t know there are people that are professionals in rangeland conservation. They don’t understand there are people who study fish and wildlife all day So, they get excited

and their eyes are open to possibilities in their future,” said Mederos.

With such a unique learning opportunity that weaves seamlessly into the mission of the FFA, Mederos is eager for the next SLEWS field day later

this month.

“The three-circle model of agriculture education is the hand, the heart and the brain. In the classroom we utilize the brain and teach them these agricultural and scientific concepts, but one can only learn so much seated in a classroom,” said Mederos. “That’s why I think it’s important to provide these hands-on, learning opportunities so they can use the hand part of ag education and see these concepts in action. The heart part comes into this activity because they’re in their local community and I saw kids get excited planting trees and say, ‘I’m going to come back in 30 years and show my kids I planted this tree.’ They’re giving back to their community and being servant leaders and activity learning by applying concepts from the classroom. It’s a perfect example of why agriculture education is so successful because it brings in every circle.”

Courtesy photo

Jackson Bronson preps a hole to plant an arroyo willow tree.

Courtesy photo

Luke Felsen, Angel Mora and Skyler Neal plant a native oak tree next to a mule fat bush.

“The heart part comes into this activity because they’re in their local community and I saw kids get excited planting trees and say, ‘I’m going to come back in 30 years and show my kids I planted this tree.’”

Kayla Mederos, FFA advisor

Growing A Climate for Tomorrow

Students explore bounty of ag opportunity

By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief

In March, the agricultural industry celebrates National Agriculture Week to acknowledge and recognize the industry for being a source of food, providing stable jobs and careers, and valuing and appreciating the efforts made by those who work in a variety of agriculture careers for providing the world with necessities that many people take for granted.

Winters High School’s agricultural program hits upon all of these points by providing students with hands-on projects, educational classroom curriculums and the opportunity to take on student-led projects.

WHS students are able to take the information they learn in their initial freshman introductory agriculture class and flip it into an SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experiences) project, Senior Capstone Project or as a potential career path.

WHS agricultural educators Donnie Whitworth and Kayla Mederos provide students with knowledge and experience in all

things agriculture so they learn not just about agriculture, but about how diverse the agriculture industry is.

The WHS ag site has room for students to dive into growing tree crops, row crops, vine crops and work with animal commodities. Currently, the ag site has olive and mandarine orchards, grape vines, an area to grow crops like pumpkins or sunflowers, a greenhouse, and a barn area with pens for livestock.

“We try really hard to expose them to all of the different possibilities of agricultural production in California,” Mederos said. Sophomore Jordan Wojan is working with a classmate to grow tomatoes and Anaheim chili peppers as part of his Introduction to Agriculture class.

He noted he’s come to realize there’s an importance in knowing how “plants work” and knowing where the food you’re eating comes from.

One lesson Wojan said was impactful was a class about all of the different agricultural roles that go into producing a cheeseburger from

seed to being plated.

According to Mederos, there are 40 different agricultural careers required to put a cheeseburger on your plate.

“Telling students if you want to be involved in production agriculture, you don’t have to just be a farmer, you can be involved in a lot of things,”  Mederos said.

Mederos said she and Whitworth put effort into creating the Introduction to Agriculture class to be a unique experience for Winters students. According to Mederos, some agriculture programs “pigeon-hole” students into one specialized direction like animals, leadership or mechanics. However, in the WHS’s introductory program students are exposed to a little bit of everything including pub-

lic speaking, welding and woodworking, the science behind plants and how to grow them successfully, animal science, how to operate basic tools and information about California agriculture to name a few.

“We work to create Introduction to Ag a class that any student can take and be successful in,” Mederos said. “Donnie and I

have tried very hard to ensure every student is well-rounded in our program.”

Some students have been given the experience of seeing a project go from start to finish with the second harvest of their olive orchard.

Whitworth said the vision behind initially planting the olive trees in 2018 was to align the student farm

with the local area agriculture and to have a product to sell to the community.

“It was extremely rewarding to see that the olive orchard has actually produced something on the student farm through plant science,” said Whitworth. “We get to put our label on it and it’s recognizable in the community.”

Sophomore Allison Aguiar said they spent many days pruning the olive trees.

“We’d walk around to each and every tree and prune it by hand. We asked ourselves, ‘Why am I spending this much time cutting off branches?’” Aguiar said.

In early November, Ciarlo Fruit and Nut Chris Calvert brought some workers to help

See CAREER, Page 8

Miles Mariani bottles the olive oil with Chris Calvert assisting. Courtesy photo

Winters agriculture students place labels on the Winters FFA olive oil. Courtesy photo

Crystal Apilado/Winters Express

Jordan Wojan checks on Anaheim pepper and tomato plants that he and his classmate planted.

City of Winters

Fire

Mar. 10: 12:26 a.m., medical aid, Encina Drive ~1:40 p.m., medical aid, 310 block of Peach Place

Mar. 11: 11:16 a.m., hazmat incident, Anderson Avenue/ Cottage Circle

~8:53 p.m., medical aid, Putah Creek Road/Johnston Road ~10:13 p.m., mutual aid, Gum Grove Lane

Mar. 12: 7:30 a.m., carbon monoxide alarm, 310 block of Baker Street

~12:09 p.m., fire alarm, 700 block of Dutton Street

~5:30 p.m., medical aid, 700 block of Main Street

Mar. 13: 12:24 p.m., medical aid, 950 block of Railroad Avenue

~5:11 p.m., medical aid, 800 block of Apricot Avenue

~5:35 p.m., medical aid, 1000 block of Kennedy Drive ~5:49 p.m., medical aid, 10 block of Russell Street Mar. 14: 3:50 a.m., medical aid, 110 block of E. Baker Street

Mar. 15: 11:09 a.m., medical aid, 800 block of Dutton Street ~12:17 p.m., vehicle accident, Abbey Street/First Street

Mar. 16: 9:15 a.m., medical aid, Gateway Drive ~12:54 p.m., medical aid, 800 block of Dutton Street

Police

Arrest Log

Mar. 8: Ramos, David Allen (Age 58),

Charges: Winter PD Warrant, Disposi-

tion: Released on Notice to Appear

Mar. 12: Jara, Miguel Jr (Age 58),

Charges: Winters PD Warrant, Disposition: Released on Notice to Appear ~Garcia, Rigoberto Jr (Age 37);

Charges: Driving Under the Influence of alcohol, BAC .08 percent plus, Failure to yield; Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail

Mar. 13: Duran Garcia, Salvador (Age 35); Charges: Attempted Burglary, Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Misappropriation of found property; Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail

Case Log

Mar. 7: 10:58 p.m.,

E. Grant Avenue/ Morgan Street, Stolen Plate Recovery

Mar. 8: 12:58 a.m., 100th block of E. Baker Street, Domestic Dispute

~11:59 a.m., 900th

block of Railroad Avenue, Prowling

~5:36 p.m., 100th

block of E. Baker Street, Audible Alarm

Mar. 9: 10:13 a.m., E. Abbey Street, Towed Vehicle ~11:50 a.m., 100th

block of Lauren Court, Towed Vehicle ~6:03 p.m., 400th

block of Anderson Avenue, Phone Ha-

rassment

Mar. 10: 2:45 a.m., 700th block of Matsumoto Lane, Audible Alarm

~12 p.m., 200th

block of Grant Avenue, Outside Agency Assist

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

145 Years Ago

March 23, 1878

(From the files of the Winters Advocate)

On Wednesday week, Theo. Winters sustained a loss in the death of his favorite breeding mare, Hannah Farrell, mother of the famous Mollie McCarty. The mare was with foal at the time of her death.

Mollie McCarty goes to Louisville, in charge of Budd Doble, who has secured her racing service until June next.

A new butcher shop is being fitted up in town, by Northcutt, of Dixon. Jas. Laycock will attend the shop.

The Winters Livery and Feed Stable building, on First Street and Abbay, recently purchased by the Bowen Brothers, is to be moved to the north side of Main street, between First and Railroad streets.

Samuel Bachman is contractor for the removal of the building.

Years Ago

Dispatches from the Express archives.

The citizens of Washington are agitating for the annexation of their town and a strip of Yolo county, six miles above and below it on the river, to Sacramento county.

130 Years Ago

March 25, 1893

John Thissell sent us in the finest fowl last Saturday we ever saw. It was a Plymouth Rock hen, and was as large as a hen turkey, weighing, before being dressed, ten pounds. It was fat and tender and made a substantial meal for the Express family.

Miss Vansteenbergh of Winters will preach

in the Pleasant Valley school house tomorrow at 3 o’clock p. m. There will also be Japanese preaching at 9 o’clock a. m. Rev. Dr. Harris of the Japanese Mission will be present and baptize three Japanese.  Abbay street, from Railroad avenue to First street, has been treated to a coat of gravel during the week. ’Twould be well if Railroad Avenue and First Street were treated in a like manner.

95 Years Ago

March 23, 1928

A. L. Reignierd has been selected by the

Obituary

Rosalie Constant Myers of Sacramento. peacefully went to her heavenly home at the age of 82 on March 11, surrounded by loved ones. She was born on March 30, 1940, to the late Rev. George H. and Della Mae Constant of Winters. Rosalie cherished her life filled with so much family, so many close friends, and always laughter.

If you asked Rosalie to tell you about her greatest achievement in life, she would proudly and undoubtedly say it was her children. Rosalie was an amazing mother, someone who always volunteered for any activity with her kids as they were growing

up. Becoming a grandmother next was just the cherry on top for her. Family meant more to Rosalie than anything else, and this clearly showed as she was always her happiest when she was with them.

Many words could be used to describe Rosalie, and perhaps “fun-loving” should be at the top of the list. She had a variety of hobbies and passions, including sewing, crocheting, bowling, trips to see “Doctor Cache” (Cache Creek Casino), and of course, shopping. She also loved to travel, and was always up for an adventure. Oh, the stories and memories that Rosalie loved to share! Even until her

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.

final moments, Rosalie regaled visitors with her lifetime of experiences. Her smile, vivacious spirit, and contagious laughter were stronger than any ailment that had ever slowed her down.

Importantly, Rosalie was always there for others: with love, support, and wisdom for any family member or friend who needed her. She will be greatly missed by all who loved her, and her spirit will forever live on in all of our hearts.

Rosalie was preceded in death by her 11 older siblings, her partner of 18 years, James Mulhern, and

City of Orland to conduct their Municipal Band. This is an aggregation of 27 pieces and is maintained by a city tax just as the Winters band is supported.

Charles Erb, head football coach for the University of Idaho has signed to direct the destinies of the Vandals next year.

Leo Haze, in company with Coach K. O. Hunter of the high school and Coach Kantlehner of Esparto high school spent the week-end in San Francisco on a try-out for a place in the National League as a player on the Pittsburgh team.

Manager Donny Bush of the Pirates was so well pleased with Haze’s showing that he gave him a contract which puts him on the Pirates’ roster in June. The arrangement with the Pirates is such that Haze’s amateur standing is not impaired. He will pitch through his senior year for Winters High School and after graduation will take his place with the Pirate crew.

her stepchild Stephen Mulhern (Joyce). She is survived by her children Cyndy Mulhern (Mike) and Joe Garcia; her stepchildren Wendy Gray (Phil), Nancy Cazares (Robert); 19 grandchildren and their spouses, 16 great-grandchildren, one great-great-granddaughter, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Funeral Services are Friday, March 31, at 11 a.m. at Pioneer Presbyterian Church, 205 Russell St. in Winters. Celebration of Life following at Hotel Winters, 12 Abbey St. in Winters.

Picked by Charley Wallace

Charley Wallace/Express file photo

This picture was taken after the funeral services for Robert Chapman, in 2005, at the Irish Pub. Pictured (left to right) Walt Little, Wilson “Polk” Wallace, Bob Graf, Harold Anderson and Kay Thomas. Only Bob Graf is still with us.

Rosalie Constant Myers

Courtesy photo

Rosalie Constant Myers

School district shares PASS survey results

By Jacob Hoffman Express staff writer

Jenny Pinedo, Director of Special Education & Student Services, presented the results of the Fall 2022 Pupil Attitude towards Self and School (PASS) survey results for Winters Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees at the March 2 school board meeting.

Pinedo began with a summary of what PASS is and what the survey entails. “This universal SEL (social and emotional learning) screener helps identify fragile learners who are held back by factors such as a lack of confidence, motivation or a connection to the school.

“PASS focuses on three broad areas,” Pinedo said continuing, “connectedness, self-efficacy and motivation. The PASS Assessment allows districts to break down students’ feelings towards schools into nine different areas to better target supports and interventions.”

Some of the nine areas measure student perception of them-

selves in relation to their academic career, including, “perceived learning capability,” which measures how students feel towards their own academic abilities and towards assessments, and “self-regard,” which seeks to measure how

either high, within the 31st to 100th percentile of all respondents, moderate, within the 21 to 30 percentile, low moderate, sixth to 20 percentile, or low, lowest five percent of responses, satisfaction with school experience.

“The PASS Assessment allows (school) districts to break down students’ feelings toward schools into nine different areas to better target supports and interventions.”

Jenny Pinedo, student services director

each student views their ability to succeed and how they define success in school in the first place. Others, like “attitude towards teachers” and “feelings about school” gauge the student’s feelings towards their learning environment, including of their educators and their level of inclusion in the school community.  Each area is individually measured as

For Waggoner Elementary School, Pinedo noted that these students are only measured on four of the nine given their age, with the results showing high satisfaction for all students regarding learner selfworth and response to learning, with first through second grades having high satisfaction in feelings about school and preparedness for learning, and only kindergarteners

Eventos hispanos

feeling moderate satisfaction for these latter two areas.

For Shirley Rominger Intermediate school students, of the nine categories for third through fifth grades, only grades three and five’s feelings about school and fifth grade attitudes to attendance and response to curriculum demands were not high satisfaction, which Pinedo said are areas for improvement.

At Winters Middle School, moderate results were reported for five of the nine areas for sixth graders and three for eighth graders, though Pinedo noted that “since this assessment was given, we’ve seen some really positive changes as a result of student friendship and social skills groups being conducted by RISE clinician as well as our behaviorist, and we’ve seen our student satisfaction appear to rise.”

Finally, Pinedo presented the results for Winters High School. Though grade nine’s

See PASS, Page 8

La comunidad de Winters celebra a los ciudadanos y negocio

Por Crystal Apilado

Traducido por Carol Alfonso

La comunidad de Winters se reunirá el 31 de Marzo para celebrar a los residentes locales y un negocio local que sean reconocidos como homenajeados para el evento anual Toast of Winters.

Este año, la Cámara de Comercio del Distrito de Winters (Winters District Chamber of Commerce) reconocerá a los beneficiarios del Negocio del Año 2022, el Homenajeado del Premio Theodore Winters, El Ciudadano Mayor (Senior Citizen) del año y los ciudadanos del año.

El Winters Collective ha sido nombrado Empresa del Año 2022.

El Winters Collective es una colaboración de ocho empresarias diferentes que trabajan para satisfacer un amplio espectro de clientes a través de sus diferentes negocios.

Las cartas de nominación elogiaron al Winters Collective por sus esfuerzos para traer muchos artículos minoristas a Winters que solo se encontraron fuera de los límites de la ciudad. Otra carta de nominación declaró

que el negocio era un “modelo a seguir” para “mejorar la relación entre la comunidad empresarial, las organizaciones sin fines de lucro y los residentes locales.”

Carla Wroten es la ganadora del Premio Theodore Winters del 2022 por sus esfuerzos para apoyar a las pequeñas empresas locales y sus esfuerzos para ayudar a construir una comunidad sólida a través de eventos colaborativos y voluntariado. Como co-propietaria de Steady Eddy’s con su esposo Jamell Wroten, también apoyan múltiples eventos y campañas comunitarias. Rob Coman es el homenajeado como Ciudadano Mayor (Senior Citizen) del Año 2022. El historiador de Winters y el curador del museo es descrito por sus colegas como “el guardián de la historia de Winters” y fue nominado por sus esfuerzos para preservar la historia de Winters. Los nominados también destacaron su trabajo con la Galería de

participación de Winters (Winters Participation Gallery) para trabajar con estudiantes, para realizar investigaciones para los proyectos de verano anual del mural historico de Winters (Winters History Mural).

Hay un empate bi-direccional para nombrar a los Ciudadanos del Año 2022. Los homenajeados de este año son Jesse Loren y Pat y Chris Calvert. Jesse Loren, una concejal de la ciudad de Winters, está siendo honrada como uno de los Ciudadanos del Año 2022. Cartas de nominación dijeron que, como residente de Winters desde hace mucho tiempo, Loren ha “mantenido un compromiso profesional y voluntario de ayudar a hacer de nuestra ciudad el lugar especial que todos amamos,” y “ha trabajado incansablemente para ser una voz para los miembros de nuestra comunidad hispana.”

El poderoso dúo de Pat y Chris Calvert están siendo honrados

como los otros receptores de Ciudadanos del Año. Las cartas de nominación dijeron que los Calverts trabajan en silencio “tras bastidores para apoyar a toda la ciudad de Winters a lo largo de los años” y los elogiaron por emplear “estudiantes de secundaria en su negocio Ciarlo Fruits and Nuts para trabajar en su cocina para enseñarles sobre el mundo del procesamiento de alimentos.”

Todos los homenajeados del 2022 serán reconocidos formalmente en el evento anual Toast to Winters planeado para el Viernes 31 de Marzo en el Fairfield Inn & Suites By Marriott Sacramento-Winters. Obtenga más información sobre el evento y compre boletos en el sitio web de la Cámara de Comercio de Winters en www. winterschamber.com.

website at https://tinyurl.com/3md97esc.

School board approvals

At the Winters Joint Unified School District  March 16 Board of Trustees meeting, the board unanimously approved switching the Winters High School to an eight-period block schedule and moving the Wolfskill Career Readiness Academy to the WHS site. Both items were proposed as information items at the March 2 school board meeting and were reported on in the March 8 edition of the Express

The approved WHS AB eight-period model would extend the block period for class-

es to all five days of the week, which is one more day from the current schedule model that only hosts block periods four days a week. The CRA site relocation will proved staff with two classrooms to utilize, allowing both CRA teachers to teach the entire time, increase the periods to give students more educational value for students and provide opportunities for intervention and college career readiness time into the schedule. The move will give CRA students closer proximity to WHS counselors, nurses and WHS courses if they qualify. The changes will officially happen for the 2023–2024 school year.

Poetry Jam/Slam

The 13th Annual Poetry Jam/Slam is

officially scheduled at the WHS Gym on Thursday, April 13 starting at 5:30 p.m. for the Transitional Kindergarten through fifth-grade performances, with the middle school and high school student performances immediately to follow. The Winters Combined PTA is providing Kona Ice gift card prizes for individual or small group poem performances. Kona Ice Truck will be on site from 6:15–8 p.m. so students can redeem their prize or save for later. The deadline to sign up is April 1. Google SignUp Form links have been distributed through the Parent Square app. Families who have questions can send an email to orodriguez@wintersjusd.org.

Lake Levels: The water level of Lake Berryessa is up by 4.39 feet during the past week, with an increase in storage of 75,415 acre-feet of water, according to Ken Emigh of the Solano Irrigation District. On Tuesday, the lake level was 429.69 feet above sea level, with storage computed at 1,273,748 acre-feet of water.

CAREER

Continued from Page 5

students harvest olives. Aguiar said they learned they had to process the olives as quickly as possible because too much exposure to the elements could impact the quality of the olive oil. Spending fourfive hours picking olives put things into perspective for the students who had put in days of pruning the trees.

After harvesting, students attended a field trip to process

the olives into bottles of olive oil.

“I sat that the machine, and then you have a bottle of olive oil that came from all the house of pruning those trees,” Aguiar said. “It’s good for us as a chapter and provides to the community.” “I think it’s really rewarding. I don’t think any of us would have been able to do that when we started this program,” said sophomore Riley Hurst.

Mederos called the experience “a labor of love” and “seeing

it come to life in those bottles is one of the coolest things.”

Whitworth said the next step is to launch the farm store with the products they’re growing. While two seniors are working on the soft launch, Whitworth said he hopes students will be able to construct a structure or stand area to shelve the produce and to sell out of.

“The kids are engaged in building, growing and developing everything around the school farm,” Whitworth said.

results showed high satisfaction in all but response to curriculum demands, which was moderate, and Grade 10 showed high satisfaction in all but general work ethic, also moderate, Grades 11 and 12 showed what Pindeo called “areas for growth.”

“The biggest (areas) include feelings about school, self-regard, general work ethic, and response to curriculum demands; these needs are most seen in 11th and 12th grade students,” Pinedo explained.

Pindo noted that students in these grades began high school during the pandemic, likely only recently having consistent in-person schooling, which could affect both perceptions towards academics and their connectedness to their school community.

Regarding the next steps for the results, Pindeo said

the data is going to be reviewed by leaders and educators at each school along with their teachers, and will implement the provided PASS workbook that details how to analyze and make use of the data, “in a way that supports the development for interventions and planning for supports,” Pinedo said and noted that the Spring PASS survey will allow the district and each school to see their progress.

Trustee Sterling Davis expressed her appreciation for the survey as a means of gauging student welfare outside of academic measurements, saying, “I really appreciate that

this survey looks deeply at a student’s emotional well-being, as that is a huge indicator for their academic success.”

Pinedo emphasized the utility of this assessment in determining how the district can best help all its students, allowing them to “really dive in and see what this particular group of students…this is the support that’s needed in order to help them have a greater satisfaction with school and provide the support they need to be successful.”

The next Winters JUSD school board meeting is Thursday, April

DAVIS

Crystal Apilado/Winters Express Mandarine trees are the other type of tree crop available at the Winters High School ag site farm.

“I really appreciate that this survey looks deeply at a student’s emotional well-being, as that is a huge indicator for their academic success.”

Sterling Davis, Trustee

Wednesday, March 22

Winters City Council Goal Setting Workshop, 9 a.m.– 2 p.m, City Hall Large Conference Room (Abbey Street entrance)

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, March 23

Winters Senior Foundation: Community Meeting, 2 – 4 p.m, Winters Community Center (201 Railroad Ave.), Questions: 530-794-6067

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

Sunday, March 26

Be Thankful Banquet Turkey Soup Luncheon, 1 – 3 p.m. (as food supplies last), 511 W. Main St., RSVP to 707-208-5861

Tuesday, March 28

Winters Planning Commission Meeting, Canceled

Upcoming

Monday, April 3

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

Tuesday, April 4 Winters City Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Council chamber (318 First St.), Zoom Meeting info, check www.cityofwinters.org/ city-council-meetings_/

Thursday, April 6

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

Library Services

Winters Library Open to Public (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 March 23

Ongoing

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

Winters Friends of the Library meeting, first Monday, 7 p.m., 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., Hooby's Brewing

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

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

Corinne Martinez shared about her childhood growing up in Winters saying, “I’m half Spanish and half Rominger” which drew chuckles from the audience.

Locals share ‘our stories’ for Women’s History Month

By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief

Yolo County residents gathered at the Gibson House grounds in Woodland to celebrate the annual Women’s History Month event on March 18. This year, the Yolo County Women’s History Month planning committee hosted a community luncheon themed “Celebrating women who tell our stories” and invited two Winters women to speak.

Gloria Lopez

Gloria Lopez read an excerpt from her book An American Paella — A century of memories and experiences of becoming American and staying Spanish in Winters, California and shared part of her experience in researching for the book as well as her own story of growing up in the town of Winters while living (and working) as an immigrant family from Spain.

Lopez noted her story was shared by many families who

immigrated from Spain in 1907 to Hawaii to the Bay Area and finally found a home in Winters and was “quite a generational story” that she was going to share.

“Today I’m going to tell you not only my story, but the story of hundreds of descendants from Spain that are just like me. These families immigrated from Spain about 100 years ago and settled in Winters. And this is our story about becoming American while staying Spanish,” Lopez said.

Lopez had been waiting for someone in the area to share the story of local Spanish immigrants as women in Rocklin and Vacaville had done. However, when no one had she began the book project which took her three years to complete. She also hired a videographer to help record her interviews. With the help of local historian Rob Coman, the footage was used to create a documentary that was

published on YouTube.

She read the introduction to An American Paella that talked about the stories of immigrants and their descendants that explored the challenges and rewards of becoming a citizen of a new country while retaining the identity and culture of their home country.

“(Immigrants and their descendants from Spain) had an important part not only in the history of the community Winters but also (in) the history of America. These Spanish immigrants have been hard-working people with strong family ties and have achieved the American dream. They came with nothing and have prospered,” Lopez said.

One of the highlights Lopez included was about her family’s tradition of cultivating heirloom pepper strains (that are over 100 years old) they brought with them from Spain and how she continues the tradition today. Lopez said she was gifted the nickname “La Señora de los Pemientos” for planting thousands of pepper seeds each year and sharing the peppers with the community.

She said some of the families who immigrated have lost their families’ pepper string over the years as some descendants did not keep up with the tradition of saving seeds and cultivating them.

Corinne Martinez

Corinne Martinez was also invited to share her story of growing up in a household where both Spanish and English were dominant languages. Marinez family members

See STORIES, Page 7

Winters residents can apply to be trauma support volunteers

By Jacob Hoffman Express staff writer

Winters Public Safety agencies are reaching out to the community in search of volunteers for their trauma and grief assistance program.

According to the Winters Police Department website, Winters PD officers “routinely respond to emergency or crisis situations where community members may be afflicted with grief and/or other trauma.

“During critical periods when the first responders are attending to the emergency or crisis, community members can often be left without necessary trauma and grief support” a need that was filled in 2021 by the Winters Public Safety Trauma and Grief Support (TAGS).

Winters PD Sgt. Jose Hermosillo expounded on the work done by TAGS volunteers, explaining that TAGS “is made of volunteers who work in

conjunction with the Police and Fire Departments to assist community members who are experiencing grief and/or trauma.”

“This program is utilized by first responders to assist with death notifications, stand by with family members while the coroner is contacted, and highly traumatic cases where victims need extra support,” Hermosillo said.

The Winters PD website describes a TAGS volunteer’s duties, including both “assist(ing) on-scene community members who are experiencing grief and/or trauma” as well as being “accessible to Winters Police and Fire Department personnel” to assist with their “ constant stresses associated with critical incidents and first responder duties (that) can negatively impact public safety personnel.”

Beyond these more harrowing incidents, Hermosillo said that TAGS volunteers

provide other services, including “assistance to Winters first responders whenever they need an extra hand with a high-priority call or incident” and “can also help with community events, parades, and other volunteer opportunities.”

TAGS volunteers receive training in psychological firstaid, critical incident stress, mandatory reporting, dealing with grief, maintaining scene integrity, privacy and ethics. Volunteers will be provided with shirts, jackets and personal protective equipment, but they will need to utilize their personal vehicles for transportation.

Program origin

Chaplain Robert Duvall and K-9 Kepi officially retired from the Winters Public Safety Crisis Intervention Team on May 31, 2021. Duvall and Kepi provided support to fire and law enforcement personnel and community

members in Solano and Yolo counties. Together, they logged in over 12,000 hours providing critical incident support, debriefs and death notifications.

Following their retirement, a void was left, and to fill it Winters PD launched a program the Davis Police Department had seen success in since 2017. The Davis PD TAGS program was developed by Catherine Bernstein. Although Bernstein is a chaplain, she said she built TAGS to be a secular program based on different models to assist police, fire and coroners.

Bernstein worked with Winters PD to develop and train volunteers in Winters.

The TAGS program is currently accepting applications for volunteers. For more information, please email tips.winters@ winterspolice.org or visit our web

at

Gloria Lopez shares about the process that went into writing her book “An American Paella” and about her inspiration behind it.

Crystal Apilado/ Winters Express

Crystal Apilado/ Winters Express

Interest rates perk up California home sales in February

Existing, single-family home sales totaled 284,010 in February on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate, up 17.6 percent from January and down 33.2 percent from February 2022.

February’s statewide median home price was $735,480, down 2.1 percent from January and down 4.8 percent from February 2022.

Year-to-date statewide home sales were down 39.6 percent in February.

California Association of Realtors

Special to the Express

The lowest mortgage rates in five months helped boost California home sales to reach above the 250,000-unit annualized sales pace for the first time in four months.

Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California totaled a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 284,010 in February, according to information collected by C.A.R. from more than 90 local Realtor associations and MLSs statewide. The statewide annualized sales figure represents what would

be the total number of homes sold during 2023 if sales maintained the February pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

February’s sales pace was up 17.6 percent on a monthly basis from 241,520 in January and down 33.2 percent from a year ago, when a revised 425,120 homes were sold on an annualized basis. Despite the third straight monthly

improvement, sales of existing single-family homes in California remained below the 300,000-unit pace for the fifth consecutive month.

“A brief interest rate reprieve and softer home prices during January created a window of opportunity for homebuyers to dip their toes into the home-buying waters, which helped boost home sales to the highest level in five months,” said C.A.R. President Jennifer Branchini, a Bay Area Realtor. “A shift toward more home sales

in the lower-price segments is expected to continue to further soften home prices. However, with the availability of homes remaining extremely tight and housing supply conditions not expected to improve any time soon, prices should find bottom later this year as interest rates stabilize.”

California’s median home price retreated for the sixth straight month in February, declining 2.1 percent from January’s $751,330 to $735,480, the lowest price level in two years. Febru-

ary’s price also was lower on a year-overyear basis for the fourth consecutive month, declining 4.8 percent from the revised $772,180 recorded last February.

The median price for a typical home at the state level has declined 18.3 percent from May 2022, when it reached its recent peak of $900,170. With home prices expected to remain soft throughout the rest of 2023, the market will see larger price drops moving through the spring home-buying season.

“The recent failure of a handful of tech-focused banks caused an unexpected drop in

“A brief interest rate reprieve and softer home prices during January created a window of opportunity for homebuyers to dip their toes into the homebuying waters, which helped boost home sales to the highest level in five months.”

Jennifer Branchini, C.A.R. President

interest rates, which could offer an opportunity in the near term for homebuyers who have been waiting on the sidelines to lock in a lower rate,” said C.A.R. Vice President and Chief Economist Jordan Levine. “However, any decline in rates is not likely to be sustainable since inflation remains high, and the Federal Reserve is willing to take some calculated risks in order to keep inflation under control.”

ACRES OF INCOME PRODUCING WALNUTS! Located just East of town towards Davis off Russell Blvd. Could make for a great building site (check with the county)! Offered at $999,000.

BEAUTIFUL RANCH STYLE HOME on .4 of an acre. Completely remodeled on the inside, Blank slate on the outside. Plenty of room for an RV and all the other toys. 4 beds 2 baths .Walking distance to Walnut Park and Downtown Winters. Offered at $699,000. GREAT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY!

Metro/Stock image

Express Yourself

Charley is resting at home for a few weeks.

Preparing the Pocket Park

Quick update on where we are with Pocket Park and the next steps: The Ad Hoc committee met and mapped out the next steps to finishing Pocket Park downtown. Soon(ish) there should be a survey sent out and shared on social media to get some feedback on what will go into the park.

There will be a list of design features and elements, which have been discussed over the years, for members of the community to rank in order of preference to give us a prioritized picture of what you would like to see in the park. This will allow us to focus time and money on the features most desired while keeping with the original intent for the park. If we run into a situation where we have to eliminate features due to funding, this will also tell us what should be cut first.

My hope is the finished product is a place everyone from the community can use and enjoy, be it for art, relaxation, a place to sit, a small event, having a drink or picnic, coffee, or just a quiet space in the shade tucked around the corner from Main Street.

Once the survey is complete, the Ad Hoc committee will come back with two or three “site sketches” or, possibly, architectural renderings and ask the public and the whole City Council which one we all prefer. The goal is for this input process to be complete before our $100,000 grant application is approved in April or May.

After the grant is approved and a layout is selected, engineering plans will be completed. We will also price the park out by element. What I mean by this is each aspect will get a cost: seating, planters, a stage, pathway improvements, landscaping, art display, etc.

With those prices, we will break the park into phases of roughly $100,000 chunks. It is ambitious and possibly unrealistic, but my goal is for us to have an actionable development plan ready by the first city council meeting of July of this year. Worse case we have to be done by the end of the year before we dissolve the ad hoc committee.

Realistically we may be looking at the beginning of fall.

There is no funding for this park, this has been and will continue to be the biggest

barrier to completion. So, we have to pursue grants. The Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) has a grant program we are currently hoping to continue to use. If this grant is the only funding source we can find, every $100,000 in cost will add a year to the park’s completion.

Like everything in town that we don’t have funding for, this will require grit, spit, and a whole mess of duct tape but I think we are in good shape. More to come.

Housekeeping This is a thought/ philosophy that has been in my head for a while even before the election, and I suppose now is as good a time as any to slide it into a column. If you have issues with how the city is being run, a project being completed, or any dayto-day operational thing, you shouldn’t be taking it out on the city employees because it is not their fault.

Ultimate accountability for problems and issues goes to the City Council. If you are upset with the City Manager (the usual target of public ire), then you’re really upset with City Council and your concerns should be directed to us since the City Manager is executing the guidance from the council. Issues with how city staff is discharging their duties should be expressed respectfully through the appropriate grievance or appeal process, or directly to the City Manager if you can’t resolve it through a complaint process.

I know I am happy to hear your concerns while you work the process, but City Council does not micro-manage staff issues nor get involved in personnel matters. However, feedback is necessary to frame the big picture in determining if guidance is appropriate and effective to help the community work toward our goals. One complaint likely won’t move the needle, but five separate ones on the same issue may indicate a need for adjusted guidance.

I see part of my role as being the punching bag for the city — I expect some abuse from you all, some anger over things, and some frustration at times. The people we hire to keep the city in good working order as a place we all want to continue living in do not and should not have that same expectation.

NOTICE INVITING BIDS

Project Owner: City of Winters

Project: 22-23 STREET REHABILITATION PROJECT

(PROJECT NO. 030-22)

Location of Work: Various streets within the City of Winters as shown in specifications and the Contract Documents

Date Release: March 22, 2023

Non-Mandatory Pre-Bid Conference: Winters City HallDownstairs Conference Room, 318 First Street, Winters, CA 95694 on March 28, 2023 at 2:00 pm Pacific Time.

Final Questions Due: March 30, 2023 at 2:00 pm Pacific

Time. Bid Due Date: April 20, 2023 at 2:00 pm Pacific Time.

The Scope of Work will consist of type II slurry seal (approximately 229,160 sq. ft.) and grinding and paving with a 2” overlay with a 1/2” PG64-10 mix (approximately 191,780 sq. ft) of various streets within the Project; Edge widening on Moody Slough section (see detail Exhibit “B”), off haul all grindings to the Cities Wastewater Treatment Plant located at 27999 County Rd 32A, the restriping of existing striping of crosswalks (approximately 750 LF x 12”), 20 Stop bars (approximately 216’), 22 Stop legends, restripe center lines and fog lines (approximately 10,500 LF x 6”), restripe parking stalls (17 stalls approximately 306 LF x 4”) restripe 2 ADA van accessible parking stalls, raise utility lids where needed on various streets within the Project; traffic control; and any related requirements specified elsewhere in the Contract Documents. Labor Code Compliance: It shall be mandatory upon the bidder to whom the contract is awarded, and upon any subcontractors, to comply with all Labor Code provisions, which include but are not limited to the payment of not less than the said specified prevailing wage rates to all workers employed by them in the execution of the contract, employment of apprentices, hours of labor, certified payroll records, contractor and subcontractor registration, and debarment of contractors and subcontractors.

Location to pick up bid information: Bidders are required to review the contract documents (including the more detailed Notice Inviting Bids included therein) for more complete information regarding the Project and submission of bids. The full set of contract documents is available electronically via the City of Winters website at www.cityofwinters.org/bids-and-rfps or by contacting Eric Lucero at (530) 681-1529.

Bid Security: Each bid shall be accompanied by cash, a certified or cashier’s check, or bid bond secured from a surety company satisfactory to the City, the amount of which shall not be less than ten percent (10%) of the submitted total bid price, made payable to City of Winters as bid security.

Contractor License: Each bidder shall be a licensed contractor pursuant to Section 7000 et seq. of the Business and Professions Code in the following classification(s) throughout the time it submits its bid and for the duration of the contract: Class A. For further information, contact Eric Lucero at eric.lucero@cityofwinters.org or (530) 681-1529.

Published March 22, 29, 2023 #336

Signs a home exterior needs updating

Metro Special to the Express

Renovations are a great way for homeowners to reshape their homes. Some may aspire to renovate so their home is more reflective of their personal taste, while others may do so in an effort to make their homes better align with modern styles and sensibilities.

Regardless of why a homeowner chooses to renovate, the need to do so is often evident to the naked eye, especially when the time comes to update home exteriors.

Curb appeal is often discussed in regard to the effects it can have when selling a home. But curb appeal is equally important for homeowners who aren’t putting their homes on the market. A well-maintained, aesthetically appealing home is a source of pride, while a home with fading curb appeal can make homeowners feel a little sheepish. Homeowners who want their homes to maintain their curb appeal can look for signs that it’s time to update their home exteriors.

• Curling shingles: The roof may not be the first thing people think of when pondering curb appeal, but a damaged roof can contribute to problems that ultimately affect the exterior and interior of the home. Multiple curling shingles indicate it’s time to replace the roof. The sight of curling shingles is not pretty, but the larger issue in such

instances is the potential for costly water damage when water gets in through the affected shingles.

• Dated entry door: Many home improvement experts insist they can determine when a home was built or most recently renovated simply by looking at the front door. Steel and glass doors are popular in modern homes, so homeowners with front doors with ornate designs and oval glass inserts can likely benefit from an upgrade to their entryway. A modern front door can make a statement and real estate experts note how popular updated front doors are among buyers.

• Unsightly landscaping: It’s not only the physical components of the home that may suggest an update is necessary. Homeowners without a green thumb may have exterior landscaping that has seen better days.

Make a backyard safe for dogs

full

Channeling that energy into exercise with long walks or play sessions can help stem dogs’ propensity to get

trouble around the house as they burn off extra adrenaline. Pets who don’t have an energy outlet may chew off-limits objects or get into other mischief.

or intestinal upset. Switching to native grasses can reduce the need to use chemicals to get lush lawns. When supplementation is needed, homeowners can switch to organic products or natural compost as safer alternatives than chemical-based products. Fence off the yard

If a spring or summer day spent tending to your landscaping is not your ideal weekend pastime, then consider replacing unsightly landscaping with low-maintenance plants or hardscaping. These alternatives to more needy plants can create curb appeal without requiring any extra work for homeowners. • Cracked driveways/walkways: If the driveway looks like a busy road at the end of snow plowing season, chances are that’s adversely affecting the impression people have of your home. In addition, cracked walkways indicate a need for renovations, as these areas are front and center when welcoming guests. Updating a home’s exterior can restore curb appeal and help homeowners feel better about their properties.

According to the American Kennel Club, the amount of exercise a dog needs depends on the animal’s age and breed. Pet owners with large backyards often find those outdoor spots are ideal for when their dogs get the “zoomies,” something that tends to be a daily occurrence. Letting their dogs run around yards, whether on their own or chasing tossed tennis balls, is an ideal way to provide exercise and tire out pups. In such scenarios, it’s vital that pups have a dog-friendly yard in which to play. Use safe lawn care products

An expanse of grass is the perfect place to frolic or enjoy some sunbathing — for people or pets. But contact with chemically treated lawns can cause a number of health issues for dogs, such as allergies

Home

Off-leash running and bounding through the yard will make any dog smile. However, a fence is a must-have to ensure a dog doesn’t become an escape artist. Be sure the fence is high enough so that the pup cannot jump over it. Burying chicken wire in the dirt beneath the lower edge of the fence also can help prevent dogs who like to dig from exiting by crawling underneath the fence. Consider installing a lock on the fence gate so that no one can wander in and surprise the dog, which may startle the animal and prompt it to defend the property. A lock also helps prevent dog theft.

It’s vital that pups have a dogfriendly yard in which to play.

starts at the curb!

Metro/Stock photo

Metro/Stock photo

Upgrading a driveway and walkway is one way to update a home’s exterior and restore its curb appeal.

Home Improvement

Patio projects to enhance outdoor living

Metro

Special to the Express

Warm weather paves the way to more opportunities to enjoy fresh air. For homeowners who have the luxury of outdoor spaces, including private patios, now is the time to start thinking about projects to enhance these gathering spots.

A patio can be considered a transitional area that links the outdoors to the inside of a home. According to the home and lifestyle resource The Spruce, a patio is often an oasis for lounging and entertaining. And depending on homeowners’ budgets and preferences, a patio can be just as comfortable and stylish as interior spaces. The following are five patio projects that can transform

these valuable spaces.

Pretty pergola

A pergola is an open-air (traditionally wood) structure that adds a measure of shade and privacy without completely blocking views of Mother Nature. Installing a pergola over the patio helps define the seating area. Hanging plants can add to the ambiance and string lights can make this a great spot to gather when the sun sets.

Patio fire pit

Build a fire pit right into the design with the same materials used to create the patio. For example, if the patio is brick or flagstone, build up to create an eye-catching fire pit. Fire pits not only look good,

they also expand the time frame that the patio can be enjoyed, offering cozy spots to sit even when the weather chills.

Frame it in

Make the patio a true extension of the inside by putting up walls around three sides of the patio if it connects to the home. Leave the last open to the yard, or consider installing screens to mimic the look of popular lanais. The walls will offer more weather protection, meaning you can invest in high-quality patio furniture to make this a fully functioning outdoor living room. Hang a television that is rated for outdoor use for movie-watching under the sun or stars.

Ooh la la Vintage bistro tables and chairs can turn a drab patio into one that calls to mind a Parisian courtyard. Whimsical lighting and accents that you would normally think to see indoors, like a gilded mirror, can add extra appeal. Soften wrought iron and other metals on the furniture by including plenty of flowers and

greenery. Don’t forget the candles and a place to stash a bottle of chilling wine.

Farmhouse chic

Transform a patio into an entertaining space that caters to guests A large farmhouse style table flanked by benches and some upholstered chairs sets the scene for a dinner amid the fresh air. Watering cans

filled with wildflowers and mismatched flatware establish a casual feel for gatherings in the space. For those who plan to cook and serve outside with frequency, invest in outdoor appliances so you’ll never have to miss a beat with guests. The options for transforming patios into stylish gathering spots is only limited by the imagination.

The options for transforming patios into stylish gathering spots are only limited by the imagination.

Metro/Stock photo

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Express Yourself

A proposal for an Almogía Park

Gramps Says

Sometimes a great opportunity stares you in the face and you just don’t see it. On one of her walks downtown, Sophie came up with an inspiration that is too good to ignore. As it is her idea, I will let her do the talking.

Sophie Says

There have been a lot of discussions recently about how to develop the Paseo Park or ‘pocket park’ as it is sometimes called. Both of these names are incorrect.

The name of the park should recognize our Sister City in Spain, Almogía. After all, they honored their Sister City by naming a street ‘Winters.’

I envision this park as a beautiful garden retreat, designed after the Spanish style. Most likely it would be enclosed within a white stucco wall with a broad and inviting entry arch. The existing and newly installed walkway would be paved with Spanish tile but ex-

panded in shape to include an open plaza. Sitting benches and planting pots could be copied from styles used in Almogía. Trees, shrubbery, perennials and annuals that are part of the landscaping in Almogía would be incorporated here. Excepting for frost-tender plants such as bougainvillea, most of what grows in Almogía will thrive here. Now, the naysayers might say, wait a minute, all of our downtown buildings are brick, how does stucco tie into this motif?

In fact, there is nothing more Californian. The old Spanish Missions that were built in the late 18th century far precede the later advent of brick and wood structures and they have cohabitated

were interviewed by Lopez for her book and appeared in the documentary.

“I feel like Gloria just told half of my life story — it’s the same story. But I’ll talk more about my story and the Spanish side of my family. I’m half Spanish and half Rominger,” Martinez said.

Martinez passed around a photo of her dad’s family (when he was a child) and a poem that her cousin’s husband wrote mounted together.

She also shared the business side of her story that started in the local region known as the Berryessa gap and how it developed into the rootstock and eventually wine production of her family’s business Berryessa Gap Vineyards. The land had deep farming roots for both her Spanish and German ancestors.

She said her grandfather returned to America with his family.

“I see perseverance in the face of adversity in every part of my grandparent’s story, but somehow they didn’t necessarily see it that way. When my dad asked about the challenges my grandparents faced, he had a hard time recalling the specifics,” Martinez said.

When he talked about the hard work, it was just what you

next to each other for generations. In fact, there is a Spanish Mission not far from us located in Sonoma. What can we do with the $100,000 grant money that must be used primarily for infrastructure this year? Well, what we don’t do is spend the money to screen a transformer with an arbitrarily selected wall. In fact, we don’t spend a dime on any above-ground infrastructure until we have a design and everything that is installed is compatible with the design. It would be OK to install an underground water turnout and electric service. It would be OK, for instance, to purchase and stockpile Spanish pavers or to build a wall and entry arch should we

decide on the Spanish theme.

It has been voiced that design and engineering could cost $100,000. Gramps has a few suggestions that could soften that blow, but the design should be the immediate priority with a mid-year deadline.

Gramps let his original California landscape contractors license expire when he didn’t pay a yearly license fee while he was managing wholesale growing grounds in Texas. That license number dated back to the 1970s; however, his name is on a current corporate license. Not wanting to speak for Gramps, but maybe his years of experience could come in handy as a member of the proposed ad-hoc committee to determine how the grant money could be used.

I only request that when a drinking fountain is installed, it will include a drinking bowl for pets.

No to fireworks — 10 reasons

If you’re enjoying the fresh ocean air these days, read on. July 4 will be here in no time. Here are 10 reasons to outlaw all fireworks.

Which reasons carry weight with you?

1. They’re noxious. They pollute the air and our streets. See the photo of the gutter on my street taken July 5, 2022.

2. They terrorize every pet in town.

3. They’re dangerous. Perhaps the greatest danger is fire. After this spring’s rains, the Putah Creek Nature Park will be ripe for fire. Yet the folks on Creekside Way block off large portions of the street to send fireworks into the sky every July 4. If sparks were to land in the adjacent Nature Park, this whole neighborhood would be in danger.

4. They’re expensive. Families with children can feel obligated to shell out big money. They’re even more expensive for our city. In her weekly update of July 1, 2022, our city manager announced that the city fireworks show “will cost approximately $20,000.” She then appealed for donations.

5. Our police and fire personnel must be extra vigilant. Last year, we brought in extra police officers: two from Woodland and one from Davis.

6. Legal fireworks provide a cover for illegal fireworks. The dividing line between “legal” and “illegal” is a fine one; our current practice enables criminal behavior. Last year, Chief Miller issued six citations for illegal fireworks, though there were many other lawbreaking families.

7. Here’s the lesson we’re teaching our children: Blowing things up is great fun. Are we sure we want to endorse this message?

8. Fireworks are inconsistent with the ethos of our city. Many of us moved to Winters because it is a tranquil, peaceful town. In the morning, the only sound is birds chirping. We treasure the beauty of the open fields and farms. If we wanted booms, pops, and explosions, we could have stayed in the big cities we came from.

9. Other cities that are far less idyllic have already outlawed fireworks. Vacaville, for example!

10. There are alternatives! Why not a laser light show?

JOSEPH PATRICK WALL, with acknowledgment to Bob Polkinghorn

did — and that was starting at six years old because everyone in the family contributed to help support the family. She said her grandparents didn’t talk about it but her father mentioned remembering her grandmother crying when she heard the train because she missed Spain.

When I listen to Goria and I read my dad’s interview I think about my childhood and now my role as part of the next generations of these incredibly brave immigrants, pioneers, farmers and entrepreneurs — I think about my upbringing and how that experience draws me to Spain, draws me to the community of Spaniards of Winters — and all of Winters — and draws me to do my part to speak the language, engage with others and cook our food ... and it also

helps me to continue these traditions,” Martinez said.

Martinez and Lopez’s son Brett Autry worked earlier that day to cook up paella that they served to the group following the presentation. Lopez and Jenni Jacobs Garcia, Winters resident and Yolo County Women’s History Month committee board member, also worked to make Tortilla Española, a traditional Spanish dish, which is a Spanish omelet made with Lopez’ peppers, tortillas and eggs to serve to the crowd.

Learn more about the Yolo County Women’s History Month efforts online at www. ycwhm.org.

Learn more about Lopez’s book An American Paella and watch the documentary online at anamericanpaella. com.

Legal Advertising

The Solano County Water Agency is pursuing a project to restore and rehabilitate the channel, floodplain, and associated habitats of a 0.5 mile section of Putah Creek upstream of Pedrick rd. bridge to more natural, self-sustaining form and function, consistent with the current (post-Monticello Dam) hydrologic regime.

The Solano County Water Agency, as the Lead Agency, has prepared a Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration to comprehensively address near-term and long-term activities planned for the Putah Creek Restoration Project-Nishikawa Reach.

The Solano County Water Agency is opening the document to a public comment review period ending the first week of April.

The Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration can be viewed at www.scwa2.com under Environmental Permit & Compliance Documents.

The Solano County Water Agency has determined that implementation of the proposed Project, as mitigated, will not cause significant adverse impacts on th e physical and biological characteristics of the environment.

The Solano County Water Agency Board of Directors will hold a Public Hearing to consider adopting and certifying the IS/MND at their regularly scheduled meeting on April 13th at 6:30 pm at 810 Vaca Valley Parkway, Suite 203, Vacaville, California 95688.

During the hearing, oral and written comments will be received by the Solano County Water Agency before a decision is made. The presiding officer may limit oral comments to a reasonable length. Published March 15,

Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1264, Woodland, CA 95776

Volunteer for Senior Capstone Project panel

We are so excited to announce that Winters High School is looking for volunteers to help listen to presentations from our seniors as part of their Senior Capstone Projects. This is an opportunity for the community to meet our youth and hear about all the wonderful things they are doing in school. If you are interested in being on a panel to listen to students give speeches about their projects and plans after high school please consider volunteering. Capstone panel volunteers are needed on April 19 from 2–6 p.m. To sign up, please call WHS at 795-6140 or email ahurst@wintersjusd.org or ccasavecchia@ wintersjusd.org

Senior Capstone wouldn’t be possible without the support and volunteers from our amazing community.

ANDREA HURST COURTNEY CASAVECCHIA Senior Capstone Coordinators

STORIES Continued from Page 1

Corinne Martinez adds in the rice as Brett Autry prepares to help mix it into the paella.

Crystal Apilado/ Winters Express

Downtown Vision project offers few surprises

Some of you know that our City Council hired a San Francisco consulting firm to provide a Downtown Vision Plan to improve the economic outlook for the downtown area.

I am often concerned when Winters hires an outside consultant to advise us about our local problems and issues. But I find it particularly questionable that we paid a San Francisco firm — Walker Consultants — $75,000 to advise our little farm town.

Walker Consultants presented their Downtown Vision recommendations to the City Council and Planning Commission earlier this month. Sadly, only 11 people were in the audience! Eleven.

I spoke to the two consultants working on this project. Both were friendly folks, but they showed little understanding about living in a small town. Maybe that’s because they both live in the middle of densely-populated San Francisco.

The consultants identified numerous downtown issues facing Winters, including the future of the pergolas (the big structures on Main Street that offer covered seating); parking; garbage; and street closures. Yes, indeed, those consultants are really sharp — it took them only 10 months to identify the same major issues local residents have been discussing for years!

The Consultants recommended improving the look of the pergolas, removing some that are rarely used, and decreasing the size of one or two. A very good idea, often discussed in town by many of us. They also suggested adding one or two handicapped parking places downtown when Main Street is closed. Again, that’s an idea that people have suggested since the street closures began.

The consultants also recommended that we consider adding Parklets on Main Street. A

Parklet is a small part of the street leased by the City to a private business, letting that business build a covered platform on the street for their exclusive use. This idea was not favorably received. Nobody endorsed allowing a private business to control a section of the actual street, keeping everyone else from using it.

The consultants went on to recommend we install several large trash compactors downtown, instead of our current use of numerous dirty dumpsters in alleys and parking lots. But they were smart enough to avoid suggesting where to install these compactors, as they knew that no downtown business wants to be near a large, loud and odorous trash compacting machine.

The consultants then showed us photos of what several other cities have done to improve their downtowns.

But I found it perplexing that their comparison cities were San Luis Obispo, St. Helena, Healdsburg, San Francisco and San Diego. Those cities are terribly mismatched to our little town of 7,500 people.

San Luis Obispo has a population of 50,000, seven times the population of Winters. And San Francisco and San Diego are very large cities. None of these three cities is a good choice to compare to Winters.

And St. Helena and Healdsburg? While both are small cities like Winters, they’re also both well-known tourist destinations, benefiting greatly from the national reputation of the Napa/Sonoma wine region. The median price for a home in St. Helena and Healdsburg is halfway between one and two million dollars, more than double the Winters median price of $625,000.

Perhaps the consultants should have looked at Ojai (7,600 people), Loomis (6,800) or Cotati (7,500) as more appropriate cities to compare with Winters. Ojai, Loomis and Cotati are all small, lesser-known towns like Winters, that are often forgotten or missed by travelers, tourists and tour books. If a well-known wine destination comparison city must be included, Calistoga (6,500 people), might be a better choice than St. Helena and Healdsburg. Calistoga is a small wine tourist town like Winters, but even though it is in the Napa/Sonoma area, its median home price is “only” $900,000. That’s still much more than Winters, but so much closer to our median home price.

Instead of hiring the San Francisco firm, the City could have created a temporary citizens committee. I imagine a group of local people could have easily recommended that some pergolas be moved, and some made smaller. And they would have quickly said no to allowing private businesses to build Parklets on Main Street for just their own use.

I’m also certain that a local committee would have suggested adding one or two handicapped parking spots during street closures, and would have noted our obvious downtown trash collection issues. And a citizens committee would not have chosen San Luis Obispo, San Francisco or St. Helena as places to look for ideas!

It is unfortunate that Walker Consultants was paid $75,000 for this Downtown Vision report. All the Council had to do was just give 10 of us a couple of pizzas, and we would have made almost all the same recommendations, after just one or two meetings!

Read more from Richard Kleeberg at JustThePoint.com – contact him at Starbase27@gmail. com.

By Jesse Loren Special to the Express

One of the accomplishments I am most proud of as a resident of Winters, as a mom, grandmother, retired teacher, elected leader and 2022 Citizen of the Year is this Affirmation of Community Values. It originated from residents and many residents, Winters Police Department, Hispanic Advisory Committee, former Mayor Woody Fridae and others, all came together to craft a document that encompasses the best of us. “Winters is Winters because we are a place where people are welcome and accepted.” Yes, we are!

The City of Winters Proclamation regarding Community Values and Affirmations reads:

WHEREAS, Winters is a community committed to creating an environment where inclusion and diversity matter, bringing a richness to the lives of all who live, do business and visit our town;

WHEREAS, Our community is safe. We are multigenerational and multi-cultural, embracing our history, heritage, differences and the common grounds we share. Winters is a community which knows and looks out for each other

Our residents protect each others’ rights:

WHEREAS, Winters is a town which actively solicits the input and engagement of our residents because we know it makes our community stronger The ability to talk in civil tones, be hard on the issues and soft on the people is a critical part of citizen involvement. Engagement which is interest based and constructive has helped build Winters into a thriving community;

WHEREAS, Collaboration is an important value in Winters, enabling diverse interests to produce incredible results which make a difference in the lives of our residents;

WHEREAS, Our community, through education and outreach works to “cultivate and inspire” all persons to grow. The agricultural heritage of Winters serves as an essential foundation for encouraging persons of all demographics and orientations to work collectively to improve themselves and the community as a whole:

WHEREAS, Winters is a community where we stand against violence of all types including hate, theft, physical and sexual assault. Our community believes that people’s constitutional rights are important;

WHEREAS. Winters is a community which works for the benefit of ALL persons regardless of socio-economic status, religion, ethnic or national background, sexual or gender identity, clothing choices or language spoken. Winters is Winters because we are a place where people are welcome and accepted.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED by the City Council of the City of Winters that these are the values of our community; Inclusion of All. Acceptance of Diversity, and the Promotion of Safety, Community Engagement, Collaboration, and Personal and Community Growth and Improvement.

Passed and Adopted on April 18, 2017.