Winters Express Wednesday, April 5, 2023

City budget in black, Council approves keeping extra revenue in reserve

By Jacob Hoffman Express staff writer

During its March 21 meeting, the Winters City Council heard a mid-year budget report from the City Manager Kathleen Salguero Trepa regarding the closing of the 2021–2022 fiscal year and the current 2022–2023 operating budgets, including a rare positive balance for the former.

Trepa presented to the council several tables and findings about the budgets for the 2021–22 fiscal year, which staff recently completed, as well as projections for the remaining fiscal year of 2022–23. The item on the table was approving the extra $168,000

By Jacob Hoffman Express staff writer

The Winters City Council adopted a resolution to accept irrevocable offers of dedication for

Phases One and Two of Three Oaks Park, and authorized the City to officially accept the property at its March 21 meeting.

The staff report attached to the meeting agenda provided some background on the park project, saying the city and developer Homes By Towne (HBT) agreed to a Development Agreement, entered into in 2006 and restated in 2007, which “identifies HBT’s requirement to improve and construct the linear park within the development, to be called Three

General Fund revenue remaining in the accumulated fund balance as part of the operating reserve.

Referring to the 2021–22 positive budget, Trepa said “We’ve been able to close this last fiscal year in a positive balance primarily due to some staff vacancies that we had on the books… that was partly due to just difficulty recruiting staff” as well as the repurposing of grants for covering expenses.

Trepa noted some early difficulties with inflation as well as the departure of some employees that the city cashed out leading to the city not filling its HR technician

Oaks Park.”

“There are three phases to the park, identified as Lots X, W and V in the approved subdivision map,” the report continues “This acceptance relates to the first two phases of the park, identified as Lots X and W.” Construction began in 2020, and in 2022 staff worked with HBT and their contractor to remedy some “landscape deficiencies,” before entering the 90-day maintenance period on Dec. 16, which expired on March 13.

With this process completed, staff recommended the council “accept the Irrevocable Offers of Dedication for the park property and accept the land and associated improvements for ownership by the City of Winters.”

Following a presentation by City

See PARK, Page 3

School district hosting ‘Community Engagement’ meetings next week

opening and limiting its building tech employees to one. Inflation also led to some developers on city projects “not building at the rate they were previously” and “not having the same amount of discretionary spending.”

For 2022–23, the staff report said “This year has proven to be another year of significant transition for the organization” owing to staff changes and economic difficulties from lingering pandemic-related issues like inflation and personnel shortage. One of the means the City is looking to maintain the budget

See BUDGET, Page 3

By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief

Winters Joint Unified School District invites Winters residents to attend one of two Winters JUSD Community Engagement Meetings planned for next week.

There are two opportunities for community members to attend and share feedback on April 11 or April 12 from 6–8 p.m. Both meetings will be held in the Margaret Parsons Room at the Winters Community Library, 708 Railroad Ave. A translator will be available at both meetings.

The purpose of the meetings is to discuss the facility improvement needs in Winters JUSD. The Board of Trustees ap-

proved a process to review and revise the outdated existing Facilities Master Plan (FMP) at the Feb. 16 meeting. Since then, the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee has worked to identify pressing facility needs and explore additional state funding sources to augment Measure W proceeds.

The goal is to create a plan that will address long-term facility needs for Winters JUSD students, while responsibly utilizing taxpayer dollars through Measure W funds. Part of the approved process is to gather input from the Winters community about what they believe is vital to address and what they think will impact the success of students.

“These meetings

are an opportunity for the community to advocate and provide ideas or suggestions on how we use bond dollars to improve our facilities. We will use these insights to make sure we’re meeting the needs of our students, now and into the future,” said Superintendent Rody Boonchouy. The City of Winters is currently growing through the addition of housing developments and has approved other projects in various stages of production. Trustees and Winters JUSD staff have expressed it is essential to create a plan that accounts for the future growth of the city and that provides a learning environment in which students will thrive.

Fairfield Inn celebrates ribbon cutting ceremony

By Crystal Apilado

The Fairfield Inn and Suites Sacramento Winters by Marriott had its ribbon-cutting ceremony, officially opening the hotel to the public on March 16. The event followed the soft opening of the hotel in December.

The Winters District Chamber of Commerce hosted the event. Mayor Bill Biasi joined Winters Fairfield Inn and Suites General Man-

ager Jay Mohan and Mike Ali (one of the owners) to cut the official red ribbon. Ali also owns the Chevron gas station adjacent to the hotel property. Mohan gave attendees a tour of the hotel’s amenities, and conference rooms and showed the inside of some of the types of rooms the hotel offers. Plans to begin building the facility began in 2018, but ran into various issues following the pandemic and the supply-chain

See HOTEL, Page 3

Winters JUSD, State announces COVID recommendation changes

By Anne Ternus-Bellamy McNaughton Media

The California Department of Public Health has announced changes to COVID-19 recommendations and requirements, with varying effective dates. Yolo County previously rescinded all local orders related to COVID-19 and

aligns with the updated CDPH guidance.

The changes include:

Isolation: As of March 13, individuals with COVID-19 infections are no longer asked to test negative before leaving isolation and returning to normal activities. Instead, they can return to normal activity af-

ter five days of isolation if their symptoms have improved and they have not had a fever for 24 hours.

This change applies to the general public; more stringent requirements are in place in healthcare and long-term care settings. Those with

See CHANGES, Page 3

Crystal Apilado/Winters Express

In December, the Fairfield Inn and Suites Sacramento Winters by Marriott opened its doors to the public.

and Jacob Hoffman Express staff

Crystal Apilado/Winters Express

Mayor Bill Biasi joins Winters Fairfield Inn and Suites General Manager Jay Mohan and co-owner Mike Ali to cut the official red ribbon at a ceremony on March 16.

Three Oak Park officially made City property

Lethal lefties lead Warriors in victories

By Aaron Geerts Express staff writer

The Winters High School

varsity baseball club laced up its cleats for another week of competition starting with an away game against Wheatland High School on Monday, March 27.

It was a tough start to the game, as the Warriors yielded three runs to the Pirates in the first inning. The second and third innings were scoreless for both teams, but the Warrior bats woke up in the fourth and the squad scored four runs. The Pirates answered with one of their own, in the fourth, to tie up the game. Unfortunately, the Warrior’s offense was isolated to the fourth inning while their errors allowed Wheatland to score one more run in the fifth inning and three in the sixth to win the game 8–4. Mother Nature let her presence be known yet again last week with her rain pushing the Warriors’

games against Pierce High School into a doubleheader on Friday, March 31.

Lefty, Anthony Duran was on the bump for the Warriors in the first game and pitched five glorious innings allowing only two runs in the first inning along with four strikeouts.

Offensively, the Warriors systematically dismantled the Bears scoring one run in the first inning, seven in the second, two in the fourth and five in the fifth.

Meanwhile, Arbuckle racked up eight errors in their 15–2 loss which was called in the fifth inning due to the mercy rule. As a team, the Warriors had six hits, six walks and eight stolen bases.

After a brief intermission, the Warriors were ready to roll for round two against the Bears with fellow lethal lefty, Jordan Calvert taking the mound for the Warriors. Calvert torched the Bears with seven strikeouts, allowing only

one run while going two for four at the plate with three RBI’s. Also getting the job done at the plate was Duran who went two for four with two runs scored and a stolen base, and Justice Madsen who went one for three at the plate, scoring three runs along with two stolen bases. Overall, the Warriors’ quality at-bats yielded 11 walks total and a 12–1 victory that was called again in the fifth due to the mercy rule.

“I’m very happy with the first game. Duran’s effort stood out to me. He battled through some early adversity and had some great work at the plate and on the bases as well,” said head coach Austin Calvert. “In game two of that doubleheader, I was pleased with the result and it was another fantastic outing by Jordan. The Warriors’ discipline at the plate and aggressiveness on the bases is what made all the difference in that game.”

Track takes top spots in season opener

By Sydney Andrade

Express staff writer

On Friday, March 31 the Winters High School track team was finally able to participate in its first meet of the season. Being at the mercy of mother nature, the WHS track team has had several meets canceled and has had to get creative with ways to practice.

While the Warriors haven’t had the best of luck in terms of weather conditions, they didn’t let that hold them back from achieving excellent results with two athletes placing first, two placing second, one placing third and two placing fourth.

Madeline McMahon, a senior on the varsity team, placed first

overall in the high jump with a mark of 4 feet 7 inches, almost clearing 4 feet 8 inches.

“I am very proud of Madeline getting that personal record and especially her support for other athletes she was competing against. She provided positive feedback to other competitors which is a reflection of

Kalyssa Grinbergs

Kalyssa Grinbergs, a Winters High School senior, is Pisani’s Athlete of the Week. Grinbergs has played for WHS softball since she was a freshman. Grinbergs is one of the starting pitchers for the Warriors and also performs well in the outfield. “Over the last three games, Kalyssa has led the team with a 500 batting average and 600 on-base percentage. She has also pitched nine solid innings striking out six,” said head coach Garret Garcia.

good sportsmanship. Performance-wise, I know she can get 4 feet, 9 inches this season with practice,” said head coach Chris Kays.

Ava Muir-Vickery, a freshman on the junior varsity team, placed first place in the girls’ long jump with a mark of 13 feet 3 inches and second in the junior varsity girls’ 100 meters (100m) with a time of 14.86.

Viridiana Reyes placed second overall in the 100m with a time of 14.25, just barely missing the first place slot which was timed at 14.24.

Violet Tuel placed fourth in the 100m with a time of 15.09 and seventh in long jump with a mark of 12 feet exactly.

Mikenzie Harpworth-Eldridge placed seventh overall in discus with a throw of 73 feet 4 inches. Evelyn Frazier fin-

ished eighth overall in the junior varsity girls 200 meters with a time of 33.64 and Ismene Taylor placed 10th in the junior varsity girls 100m with a time of 15.64.

While the boys didn’t have any first-place athletes this time, they still performed very well and earned excellent results. Christian Hernandez, a senior on the varsity team, finished second in the varsity boys 800 meters with a time of 2:17.03.

Ramon Lopez placed third overall in the discus for the junior varsity boys with a throw of 79 feet 3 inches. Lopez also placed seventh in the shot put with a throw of 30 feet 6 inches.

Sanders Clark also placed in the 800m with a time of 2:19.01, putting him in fourth place for the varsity boys’ team. Clark also finished sixth overall in the varsity 3,200

Express seeks Athlete of the Week nominations

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

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

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

How to nominate

Nominate a local athlete for consider-

ation as Pisani’s Athlete of the Week at  tinyurl.com/4f78a6y2.

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

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

If including a hi-resolution photo of the athlete, make sure it is a profile photo of the individual facing the camera from at least the waist up.

Individuals should not be too far away or the photo may not print clearly.

Nominate: tinyurl.com/ 4f78a6y2

meters with a time of 12:06.49.

Jayden Clifford finished sixth overall in the 110 meters hurdles with a time of 21.79.

Jesus Cruz finished seventh overall in the varsity high jump with a mark of 5 feet. Luzangely Martin finished seventh overall in the junior varsity 400m with a time of 75.6 seconds and Ahvin Willims finished seventh overall in the junior varsity boys’ long jump with a mark of 15 feet 7.5 inches.

“I am so proud of their patience with the delays we have faced this season due to the weather. It can be easy to lose morale without the competition aspect of track but I am proud of them all for pushing through the anxiety and nerves of a first meet, especially when other teams have had six meets more than us at this time,” said Kays.

Lake Levels up over a foot

The water level of Lake Berryessa is up by 1.87 feet during the past week, with an increase in storage of 33,334 acre-feet of water, according to Ken Emigh of the Solano Irrigation District. On the morning of Tuesday, April 4 the lake level was 429.64 feet above sea level, with storage computed at 1,361,304 acre-feet of water. Evaporation on the lake averaged 103 acrefeet of water per day. The SID is diverting 50 feet per second of water in the Putah South Canal, with 77 feet per second flowing at the Diversion Dam.

this year will be revenue adjustments.

“The biggest adjustments” Trepa explained “are Transient Occupancy Tax and Sales Tax.”

“On the Transient Occupancy Tax, we were optimistically hoping that Fairfield Inn would open Oct. 1, they didn’t open until the end of December, so there’s a reduction of about three months there, and we’re seeing some reductions with Hotel Winters… overall, we’re antici-

PARK

Continued from Page 1

Manager Kathleen Salguero Trepa, explained some of the remaining details about the park to the councilmembers.

She first noted that the parkway strips on the perimeter will be part of the yet-to-bestarted Phase Three, which Trepa said she “readily admit(s) is not logical” and that the City will clean it up before the park is opened.  This third lot will be completed at a later date, as the originally negotiated cost cap was $3.2 million for the entire park, but

HOTEL

Continued from Page 1

issues that followed.

Construction crews finally broke ground in January 2020.

At the time, Ali told the Express that the 72room hotel had been touted as an important element to economic development goals outlined by the City of Winters. The hotel, located near the 505 highway, is expected to draw in outof-towners to Winters businesses. Ali said attracting travelers visiting Lake Berryessa, Cache Creek Casino and nearby towns

CHANGES

Continued from Page 1

COVID-19 infections should wear a mask in public for 10 days after their infection began.

Masking: Beginning April 3, masking is no longer required of everyone in healthcare, correctional and shelter settings. Rather, masking will be recommended in these settings based on COVID-19 community levels published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with masking of all staff, patients and visitors strongly recommended in high community levels; recommended in medium; and considered in low community levels. Yolo County is currently in the low COVID-19 community level. Facilities are encouraged to develop their own policies related to masking.

Vaccination: Beginning April 3, California no longer requires healthcare and adult care workers to be vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. However, the federal government continues to require healthcare workers in many settings to be vaccinated against COVID-19 with a primary series.

“With effective treatments, vaccines and tests widely available for COVID-19, it is appropriate to

pating the reduction in TOT (Transient Occupancy Tax) of about $136,000. Sales Tax, we are seeing a reduction in Sales Tax, and we’re forecasting that will be about $144,000 below,” Trepa said.

Trepa said as she conclude revenue adjustments, overall, “It’s a pretty large reduction of about $380,000 in revenue for those categories” but continued that “in positive news, our Property Tax is actually up $270,000” owing to pandemic-era property prices, which, along with building permits and the Mu-

Trepa notes that as of now “approximately $400,000 is remaining after the construction of lots one and two, which…is not going to build us the third phase.” Thus the city has negotiated the reallocation of $1.1 million in flood fees for the third lot, as when the plan was first developed the lots were in a FEMA floodplain, but after the floodplain maps were updated the lots were no longer in that area, making the flood fees no longer necessary.

Leaving HBT and the city with about $1.5 million, Trepa says staff worked with the Three Oaks archi-

like Vacaville, Davis and Sacramento will increase business and much-needed tax revenue for City Hall.

nicipal Services Tax, comes out to around $349,396, bringing the

Trepa clarified that this report represents about “eight months

expenditures by city

staff. Mayor Bill Biasi also noted that the City does not anticipate filling any of the vacancies before the end of the fiscal year at the end of June, leaving that area of funding predictable for now.

incredible job get-

ting us here.” She also noted that vacancies don’t mean work isn’t getting done “It means that people are doing extra.”

In a statement to the Express, Mohan noted the challenges of getting the hotel to this point but also the excitement of having the hotel open now.

“It took four years to build because of

loosen previous requirements and bring our response to COVID-19 in line with our response to other infectious diseases,” said Yolo County Health Officer Dr. Aimee Sisson.

“Shifting from masking requirements to masking recommendations in healthcare settings is an important step into a post-emergency world. If the COVID-19 situation changes, we will revisit masking and other policies as needed.”

While masking will no longer be required of everyone in healthcare settings, protective policies and upgraded ventilation systems remain in place, according

net difference in revenues to only $30,268, “which, all things considered, is actually pretty good.”

tect to draw up some plans of what could be done on lot three with that money. Trepa described the designs as a lot of turf and several trees, of which the number can be cut back on from lots One and Two and “a perimeter sidewalk, and a couple concrete paths and walkways through to the other side, that’s all that we anticipate we would be able to fund with the remaining balance.” Trepa also stated that there was a possibility the City may agree to relieve HBT of building this third lot and have the City take on the responsibility, though that decision would

COVID” Mohan said explaining it was an unusually lengthy timeline in his experience because “normally it only takes around 14 months to build a hotel.”

“But now that the hotel is open, we welcome our guests,” Mohan said.

Mohan said a number of the amenities

to Sisson. Before the pandemic, healthcare settings had policies and procedures in place to provide masks to persons with respiratory illnesses or weakened immune systems, and for staff to wear masks around patients with respiratory illnesses. These policies will be reinstated.

Additionally, during flu season, workers in healthcare settings in Yolo County are required to wear a mask if they aren’t vaccinated against influenza through April 30.

Winters JUSD

On March 13, Winters Joint Unified School District released changes to its COVID-related

of activities” from July 2022, but does include calculations and predictions with likely funding and

be made by the council at a later date.

Trepa also addressed concerns about the lack of restrooms and said the city was allocating utility funds to purchase and set up some.

Chris Dickinson, a representative from HBT, thanked city staff and expressed the company’s excitement to see this project completed. When asked by Trepa when the fences would come down around the park, Dickinson said “we were thinking April 3, as long as we got all the paperwork done.”

The resolution was passed unanimously by Councilmembers.

of the hotel, including some that Winters residents may find especially useful.

“We have some great complimentary breakfasts, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. daily, we have a spa and a pool available,” said Mohan, as well as “a great conference room and meeting rooms, we have meeting rooms up to 12 people and a conference room available for up to 150 people, one of the very few places that have such a big conference room,” providing large space that residents can reserve for events and other gatherings.

protocols, including that school districts are no longer required to notify families when there is a COVID exposure on campus.

After testing positive or at the onset of symptoms of COVID-19, to return to school, students must: isolate for 5 days, have improving symptoms and be fever free for 24 hours. Students are not required to provide a negative test to return to school on Day Six.

Masking continues to be recommended for those two years and older in indoor settings in Yolo County based on the ongoing circulation of multiple respiratory viruses.

Councilmember Jesse Loren commended the work of city staff, noting the achievement, saying “Bill and I are in our seventh year” on the council “we haven’t had years in the black. We’ve had a lot of years in the red, so I just wanted to acknowledge that staff has done an

Biasi agreed and noted that while the vacancies can be helpful for budgets “it’s definitely not sustainable” and that the City must “get people in here to fill those positions as soon as we can” to alleviate the workload of the current staff.

The council approved putting the extra revenue into the reserve balance unanimously.

“But now that the hotel is open, we welcome our guests.”

Jay Mohan, General Manager

“We haven’t had years in the black. We’ve had a lot of years in the red, so I just wanted to acknowledge that staff has done an incredible job getting us here.”

Jesse Loren, councilmember

Years Ago Dispatches

from the Express archives.

145 Years Ago

April 6, 1878

(From the files of the Winters Advocate)

We of Winters and vicinity must have a College. There is no question nor “ifs” about it. We now have over two hundred children right in town and the immediate vicinity. These children must be educated. We have plenty of wealth in town and the immediate vicinity of town to endow a college, so that the tuition would be very low.

The citizens of Berryessa will petition the Legislature to be annexed to Solano.

Among those signing it are Sim Buford, Bottorff, Kinley and Clark. The reasons urged for the steps are that Berryessa has been taxed year after year for expenditures in Napa Valley and Napa City, but has received nothing in return.

Salutatory — In assuming control of the local columns of the Advocate, we admit that it is with some misgiving on our part. We’re afraid of getting “licked.” We once ran a newspaper 18 months and just how many suits were pending against us at the time our physician advised a change of air, we never knew: but one thing we do know is a Dutchman licked. Ah, yes, we shall always cherish this in our memory. All the provocation we gave was the simple item that he was a sheep thief, and that his mother was a witch and pirate and died of a broken heart because her son would not raise above the common call of stealing sheep.

130 Years Ago

April 8, 1893

Shortly after 1 o’clock Thursday the alarm of fire was given, and immediately flames were seen issuing from the windows of the Nortz building on Railroad avenue. The usual crowd soon

gathered, and with buckets went earnestly to work carrying water. The hose cart was promptly on hand, but, unfortunately, there was no steam in the water works engine, and before steam could be raised the entire building and contents were destroyed.

William Wolfskill and H. C. Goodyear went up in Miller canyon trout fishing last Saturday and were rewarded by catching 53 fish.

Lee Beaven has a steam peanut roaster in operation at his store, and it attracts a good deal of attention. It is quite a curiosity in its way and roasts peanuts to perfection.

One lesson should be learned by members of the Legislature, and that is to keep women out of the Capitol, says the Galt Gazette. Hard headed old Senator Campbell of Solano county, voiced this matter four years ago in the sentence that the presence of giddy girls in legislative capacities was demoralizing.

95 Years Ago

April 6, 1928

John and Gertrude Fulton, Mildred, Royal and Junior Pleasants, Amy and Teddy Webb were a motor party Wednesday to Mare Island where they visited Ronald Crites and made a sight seeing tour of the Navy yard.

Union P. T. A, met last Friday at the schoolhouse. They elected officers which are as follows: Pres. Miss Addie Scott; vice pres., Mrs. Dewey Neel; treas., Mrs. J.W. Chapman; secy., Mrs. Lyle Guthrie; historian, Mrs. V.G. Guthrie.  Winters won honors at the typing contest held Saturday at Willows. Frances Stirnbrought home two cups and three ribbons. Howard Coleman won second place in speed and accuracy; Charlotte Russell took fourth place, and in the unlimited

classification Dorothy Fong took second place in accuracy.

Fred Belz who was severely burned in a fire at his meat market and has been recuperating over a year is back in the stock buying game again. He and his son-in-law J.E. Sidwell are now wholesale dealers in all kinds of livestock and poultry.

80 Years Ago

April 9, 1943

The E. W. Fenley hardware business has taken fresh stimulation this week in the move from the hotel corner to the new quarters across the street, the recent purchase of Fenleys from the National Bank.

Pvt. Chris Martinez has written to his parents from Camp McCain, Mississippi. He is in the weapon platoon in light machine gun crew.

Douglas Kay Warren

National Defense Service Medal and Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Cuba). He then worked at various jobs including the UC Davis Primate Center before being hired at Hunt Wessen Cannery from 1967 to 2002. When he retired he took up gardening, making his own homemade spices and canned homemade salsa and spaghetti sauce.

photo

Picked by Charley Wallace

belonged to the estate of the late Prospero Bertholet, brother of A. J.  Some help has arrived at the Labor Camp which is to work at the Guayule Rubber Farm southeast of town. A 1500 acre tract is to be planted. The farm is about seven miles out and transportation will be furnished.

and his fiancée Erin Harrington, grandson Logan Warren, sisterin-law Sharon Smith, and friends Smitty and Sandy Smith. Doug served his country in the Navy from 1960 to 1964, earning both the

Surviving are his widow Mrs. Lynnda Warren; sons Doug Warren and Troy Warren; daughter Nicole Warren; grandsons Kenny Warren and Logan Warren; granddaughters Mrs. Carrie Sharp and Mrs. April

Ray Charles Thompson

At age 94, surrounded by family and friends, Ray Charles Thompson peacefully passed away on March 29, 2023, in El Macero, California. Ray was born in Reno, Nevada on October 23, 1928, to Abner and Edith Thompson. Shortly after Ray’s birth, the family moved to San Leandro, California where his parents lived in the same house for the next 68 years.

Ray was always on the go and during high school, he made and sold bronzed baby shoes, delivered newspapers, worked for a bakery and even sold fruit he picked from

the neighbors’ trees. After high school, Ray decided to do what he did best — work. With a new wife and baby, Ray began his career in real estate, selling homes in the greater San Leandro/Oakland area.

During the postWWII boom, Ray was able to work with many veterans helping them to purchase their very first homes.

Never one to let a day end early, Ray also became a bar owner and often worked as the bartender at the Little Club in San Leandro, where David Brubeck would often play. Ray was an excellent salesman and

businessman and never saw anything as a problem, he only saw challenges needing to be solved. After a few years of real estate sales in the bay area, Ray was asked to move to Davis and run the Stanley M. Davis Company. So, in 1959, at the age of 31, he moved to Davis, California — where, for the next 40plus years, he worked as the managing partner developing land and building homes throughout Davis, Woodland, Vacaville and Fairfield.

Ray had an unmatched zest for life

Gray; great-grandson Harrison Gray; great-granddaughters Ellie Sharp, Lala Sharp, Evelyn Gray, Gemma Gray and Bridgette Gray; brothers Larry Warren and Lorin Warren; sisters Mrs. Lola Morgan, Mrs. Carol Williams, Mrs. Joyce Haws. Preceded in death by father Virgil Warren, mother Mrs. Lorna Warren, sister Mrs. Jeannine Clark.

Doug was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He loved hunting, fishing, camping, tending his garden and spending time with family and friends. He will be deeply missed by all.

and was the epitome of work hard play hard. He was a member of the El Macero Country Club for 50 years and belonged to two duck clubs. His other passions included fly fishing and tending to his vast garden. Ray was able to pass down many of these joys to his sons, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren. Ray is survived by his four sons Dan Thompson of Sacramento, Steve Thompson of Davis, Bob Thompson (Cheryl) of Vacaville, and Ian Thompson of Davis. In addition, Ray is survived by his sister Joanne Frasier of Castro Valley, one nephew, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. A service and Celebration of Life will be held at the El Macero Country Club on April 12, 2023, beginning at 2 p.m.

If possible, the favor of an rsvp is welcomed. Email CelebrateRayThompson@ Gmail.com.

File

These 1981 Youth Day officials got to feel the power as they took over City Hall for a day. Pictured are City Clerk John Singh

(also baseball chairman for the day), Mayor Matt Brickey, City Treasurer Mike Sebastian and Municipal Court Judge Sean Eldridge. This year, Youth Day will be on Saturday, April 29.

Obituaries

Courtesy photo Ray Charles Thompson

Funeral services will be held on May 18 at 1 p.m. at the Sacramento Valley National VA Cemetery in Dixon, California for Douglas Warren, 80, of Winters. A celebration of Life will be held in Winters in July. Doug passed away on February 26, at 4:27 p.m. after spending nine days in the ICU after he suffered a cardiac arrest at the VA Hospital, Mather A.F.B. Family and Friends surrounding him when he passed were: Lynnda Warren – his wife of 58 years, daughter Nicole Warren, son Troy Warren, daughter-in-law Tracy Warren, grandson Kenny Warren

Courtesy photo Douglas Kay Warren

Express staff

Golf to support WHS Athletics

Daniel Ward, Winters High School Athletics Director, announced that the WHS Athletics program was selected as the benefiting nonprofit of the 3rd annual Ample Invitational hosted by Ample Electric. According to Ward, the community can register to participate as a four-player team or as individual golfers.

“As an avid golfer it has always been a dream of

Por Anne Ternus-Bellamy

Traducido por Carol Alfonso

El Departamento de Salud Pública de California (California Department of Public Health – CDPH) ha anunciado cambios en las recomendaciones y requisitos acerca del COVID-19, con diferentes fechas de vigencia. El Condado Yolo (Yolo County) rescindió previamente todas las órdenes locales relacionadas con COVID-19 y se alinea con la guía actualizada del CDPH.

Los cambios incluyen:

Aislamiento: A partir del 13 de Marzo, las personas con infecciones por COVID-19 ya no se les pedirá que den negativo antes de salir del aislamiento y regresar a sus actividades normales. En cambio, pueden volver a la actividad normal después de cinco días de aislamiento si sus síntomas han mejorado y no han tenido fiebre durante 24 horas.

Este cambio se aplica al público en general; existen requisitos más estrictos en los entornos de atención

mine to host a golf tournament as a fundraiser for our athletic department and now, with the generosity of Ample Electric, that dream is about to become a reality. All funds raised will go directly to our student-athletes to purchase much-needed equipment, uniforms and facility upgrades,” said Ward. “I am hoping that the community gets behind this event and makes this year’s version of the Ample Invitational the best one yet. After all, there is nothing better than playing golf with family and friends all while raising money for our kids.”

médica y de atención a largo plazo. Las personas con infecciones por COVID-19 deben usar una máscara facial en público durante 10 días después de que comenzó la infección.

Enmascaramiento: A partir del 3 de Abril, ya no se requiere el enmascaramiento de todos en entornos de atención médica, correccionales y refugios. Más bien, se recomendará el uso de máscaras en estos entornos según los niveles comunitarios dle COVID-19 publicados por los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - CDC), y se recomienda encarecidamente el uso de máscaras para todo el personal, pacientes y visitantes en niveles comunitarios altos; recomendado en medio; y considerado en los niveles bajos de la comunidad. El Condado Yolo se encuentra actualmente en el nivel bajo de la comunidad del COVID-19. Se exhorta a las instalaciones a desarrollar sus propias políticas relacionadas con

See details on the WHS Athletics Facebook page at https://tinyurl. com/3pahk9ps.

Youth Day needs funding support

Mike Sebastian, Winters Youth Day Committee President, said this year’s Youth Day event has seen a decline in event sponsorships and donations — which the committee relies on to help provide free parade registration and to put on the event.

The Youth Day

“Donations are the backbone of Youth Day. They help provide activities and Kids Faire bounce

el uso de máscaras.

Vacunación: A partir del 3 de Abril, California ya no requiere que los trabajadores de atención médica y de atención de adultos se vacunen y reforcen contra el COVID-19. Sin embargo, el gobierno federal continúa requiriendo que los trabajadores de la salud en muchos entornos se vacunen contra el COVID-19 con una serie primaria.

“Con tratamientos, vacunas y pruebas efectivas ampliamente disponibles para el COVID-19, es apropiado aflojar los requisitos anteriores y alinear nuestra respuesta al COVID-19 con nuestra respuesta a otras enfermedades infecciosas,” dijo la Dra. Aimee Sisson, Oficial de Salud del Condado Yolo (Yolo County Health).

“Pasar de los requisitos de enmascaramiento a las recomendaciones de enmascaramiento en entornos de atención médica es un paso importante en un mundo posterior a la emergencia. Si la situación del COVID-19 cambia, revisaremos el uso

Public Safety Report

accident, Apricot Ave-

nue/Anderson Avenue ~11:57 a.m., medical aid, 100 block of Grant Avenue

~8:31 p.m., medical aid, 170 block of E. Grant Avenue

Mar. 24: 11:09 a.m., lift assist, Venada Drive

Police

Arrest Log

Mar. 21: Salah, Jahad

Ali (Age 39), Charges: Possession of drug paraphernalia, Disposition: Released on Notice to Appear

houses free of charge to our youth,” said Sebastian. “The donations also allow the parade to not charge an entry fee and provide cash prizes, trophies and ribbons to the winners.”

The deadline for Parade entries is coming up on Saturday, April 15. The parade entry packet can be downloaded on the Winters Youth Day website at https://tinyurl.com/ bdcrpew9. Sebastian said groups and businesses that would like to be Youth Day event sponsors can reach out to the Committee for the sponsorship form at

de máscaras y otras políticas según sea necesario.”

Si bien ya no se requerirá el uso de máscaras faciales para todos en los entornos de atención médica, las políticas de protección y los sistemas de ventilación mejorados permanecen vigentes, según Sisson. Antes de la pandemia, los entornos de atención médica tenían políticas y procedimientos para proporcionar mascarillas a personas con enfermedades respiratorias o sistemas inmunitarios debilitados, y para que el personal usara mascarillas cerca de pacientes con enfermedades respiratorias. Estas políticas se restablecerán.

Además, durante la temporada de la gripe, los trabajadores de los entornos de atención médica en el Condado Yolo deben usar una máscara si no están vacunados contra la influenza. Este requisito continúa hasta el 30 de Abril de este año.

Winters JUSD

El 13 de Marzo pasado, el Distrito Escolar

Case Log

Mar. 22: 10:51 a.m., 200th block of E. Main Street, Burglary

wintersyouthday@gmail. com.

Blue Patch program

Winters Police Department is inviting the community and law enforcement patch collectors to join in for the second year of its Autism Awareness Blue Patch Project for “Autism Awareness Month.”

The patches are $10 each and can be obtained at the Winters PD lobby, or by mailing payment (cash or check) and a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Winters Police Department, 702 Main St. Winters, CA 95694.

Unificado de Winters (Winters Joint Unified School District – Winters JUSD) publicó cambios en sus protocolos relacionados con COVID, incluido que los distritos escolares ya no están obligados a notificar a las familias cuando hay una exposición al COVID en los recintos.

Después de dar positivo o al inicio de los síntomas de COVID-19, para regresar a la escuela, los estudiantes deben: aislarse durante 5 días, mejorar los síntomas y no tener fie-

bre durante 24 horas. No se requiere que los estudiantes proporcionen una prueba negativa para regresar a la escuela el sexto día.

Se sigue recomendando el uso de máscaras para todas las personas de dos años o más en entornos interiores en el Condado Yolo en función de la circulación continua de múltiples virus respiratorios. Para obtener más información sobre el uso de máscaras, visite www.yolocounty. org/masks.

E. Grant Avenue/ Matsumoto Lane

Mar. 19: 8:47 a.m., medical aid, 110 block of E. Baker Street

Mar. 20: 10:36 a.m., carbon monoxide alarm, 420 block of Russell Street

~10:36 a.m., medical aid, 410 block of Grant Avenue

~3:37 p.m., medical aid, Railroad Avenue/ Putah Creek Road

~10:20 p.m., grass fire, Highway 128

Mar. 21: 9:33 a.m., medical aid, 610 block of First Street

~2:09 p.m., investigation (sparking wires), 100 block of Wolfskill Street

Mar. 22: 11:14 a.m., medical aid, CR 29A

Mar. 23: 7:26 a.m., outdoor fire, Wolfskill Street/First Street ~7:53 a.m., traffic

~5:54 p.m., public assistance, Chapman Street/W. Main Street ~7:02 a.m., medical aid, 500 block of Niemann Street

Mar. 25: 11:43 a.m., medical aid, 1010 block of Kennedy Dr. ~7:46 p.m., medical aid, 100 block of Orchard Lane ~8:49 p.m., medical aid, 10 block of Abbey Street

Mar. 26: 5:12 a.m., medical aid, CR 34 ~3:07 p.m., medical aid, 200 block of Madrone Court

Mar. 27: 10:05 a.m., medical aid, CR 29

Mar. 28: 1:13 p.m., medical aid, 140 block of E. Baker Street

Mar. 29: 1:17 a.m., medical aid, 430 block of Russell Street

~12:11 p.m., fire alarm, 110 block of E. Baker Street

~5:37 p.m., medical aid, 300 block of Rosa Avenue

Mar. 24: Juvenile (Age Unk.), Charges: Driving under the influence of any drug, Disposition: Booked at Winters PD, Released on Notice to Appear

Mar. 29: Mora, Danielle (Age 21); Charges: Contribute to the delinquency of a minor, Furnish alcohol to minor; Disposition: Released on Notice to Appear

Mar. 23: 7:53 a.m., Apricot Avenue/Anderson Avenue, Vehicle vs Pedestrian Collision ~10:52 a.m., 700th block of Main Street, Found Property Mar. 24: 9:31 p.m., 700th block of Dutton Street, Audible Alarm Mar. 27: 7:41 a.m., Grant Avenue/Second Street, Found Property

~5:49 p.m., E. Main Street/East Street, CPS Referral

Mar. 28: 4:42 a.m., 10th block of E. Baker Street, Audible Alarm

El estado anuncia cambios en las recomendaciones del COVID-19

Thursday, April 6

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

Thursdays

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

Monday, April 10

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

Tuesday, April 11

Winters JUSD Community Engagement Meeting, 6–8 p.m., Winters Community Library (708 Railroad Ave.), Margaret Parsons Room

Wednesday, April 12

Winters JUSD Community Engagement Meeting, 6–8 p.m., Winters Community Library (708 Railroad Ave.), Margaret Parsons Room

Winters Senior Commission on Aging Meeting, 6:30 p.m., City Hall Large Conference Room (Abbey Street entrance), check www.cityofwinters .org/winters-senior-commission-on-aging

Wednesdays

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

Upcoming

Thursday, April 13

Coffee with Rep. Mike Thompson, 2–3 p.m, Downtown Winters – Location TBA

Monday, April 17

Winters Natural Resources Commission Meeting 6 p.m., City Hall Large Conference Room (Abbey Street entrance), Check www.cityofwinters. org/natural-resources-commission/

Tuesday, April 18

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

Wednesday, April 12

Butterfly Storytime/Hora de Cuentos - Mariposas, 10:30 a.m., Winters Community Library Teaching Garden, https://yolocountylibrary.org/events/

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

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.)

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., Winters Community Library, Margaret Parsons Room, wfol.org

Rotary Club of Winters meeting, Thursdays, Noon, The Buckhorn

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

Winters Open Mic, third 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.

Community celebrates 2022 Toast to Winters honorees

By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief

Family members, friends and community members gathered to celebrate the 2022 honorees at the annual Toast of Winters events on Friday, March 31.

Jesse Loren and Pat and Chris Calvert were recognized as the 2022 Citizens of the Year.

Loren summed up the “why” behind all of their nominations by telling the attendees “Anyone can be an architect for change; it helps if you don’t care who gets the credit.” This year’s Citizens of the Year have all humbly made great efforts to make Winters a better place for everyone and shined the light on others in the community.

Kathy and Wade Cowan introduced Pat and Chris Calvert, highlighting how they employed and mentored students in the Winters High School culinary program and supported the Winters FFA program by helping to process and bottle the Winters FFA’s first olive oil batches. Chris Calvert was also recognized for his support of the community through his work with the Winters District Chamber of Commerce. The Calverts have volunteered behind the scenes for various local events and campaigns.

“They did that for everyone else, and for Winters,” Kathy Cowan said.

Woody Fridae introduced Jesse Loren, noting that in the list of all of her accomplishments, it might be easier to mention the few things she did not participate in vs trying to list all of them. Fridae said Loren was always a leader just waiting for an opportunity to lead.

He highlighted some of Loren’s efforts including helping to support the creation of the Winters Community Corazón to support the Hispanic community in Winters, supporting local arts in helping the Winters Open Mic to become a nonprofit, and making sure Winters residents’ concerns were represented at the table by sitting on multiple county and regional boards where she has worked to lead efforts to make change for transportation, environmental issues and transportation issues.

“In so many ways she has gone above and beyond her role as a City Councilmember,” Fridae said.

Emarie VanGalio introduced her sister, Meika Ogando, in her creation of the 2022 Business of the Year, the Winters Collective.

VanGalio credited Ogando’s leadership and passion in being “instrumental in creating a supportive network of female entrepreneurs.”

“Meika’s vision and dedication has created a community that not only helps each other, helps individual businesses thrive, but also helps the Winters community as a whole,” VanGalio said.

The Winters Collective was nominated for its efforts to bring in many retail items to Winters that were only

found outside the city limits and for being a role model to other businesses for working to network and foster relationships between the business community, nonprofits and residents.

Vicki Jacobs introduced Rob Coman as the 2022 Senior Citizen of the Year. She said although it didn’t occur to them that “senior” would be attached when they nominated Coman, she was thrilled about his recognition. Jacobs highlighted his efforts in continuing the legacy of his mother Betty Coman by documenting and preserving local history through the Historical Society of Witners, the Yolo County Archives and the Winters Participation Gallery’s summer history murals and said “Rob is truly Mr. History.” She credits Coman as a driving force in keeping the doors of the Winters Museum open when other docents aren’t available and for stepping in to ensure visitors are given the knowledge about the exhibits.

Jenni Jacobs Garcia introduced Carla Wroten as the honoree

of the Theodore Winters Award. “If you know Carla, you know how much she loves Winters. She’s a tireless advocate for Winters and all the businesses and people. She gives so much of her personal time to individuals events, committees and helping anyone she can,” Jacobs Garcia said.

Jacobs Garcia said “If you’ve ever been to an event downtown, you bet that Carla Wroten had something to do with it” and noted that Wroten is a person who makes things happen and ensures that events run as smoothly

as possible. Wroten and her husband Jamell run Steady Eddy’s Coffee House and the Roasting Room. She also has made strides to create collaborations with other businesses and nonprofits and has helped to facilitate networking opportunities to create a strong sense of community for Winters businesses and residents.

The Winters Chamber hosted this year’s event at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Winters location. The Chamber introduced its new Board members and officers at the event.

Courtesy photos

ABOVE: Pat and Chris Calvert are 2022 Citizens of the Year. BELOW: Lynn Laukkanen, Carla Knabke and Meika Ogando represent the Winters Collective. BOTTOM: Rob Coman, Senior Citizen of the Year, thanks his family.

Courtesy photos

ABOVE: Jesse Loren is a 2022 Citizen of the Year; BELOW: Carla Wroten is the Theodore Winters award recipient.

When interest rates go down

Historically low numbers meant more buying power

Interest rates have ticked up as government officials try to tame inflation, and that can have a huge impact on home buying. Closely follow these changing figures to see when the time is right to buy — and remember that your individual rate can also be impacted by personal spending habits and debt.

How rates work

Rates are artificially higher now, but could lower as the economy improves. If they go down a percentage point, your mortgage can in turn be nearly 10% less per month. The bill for those paying 4% interest on a $250,000 home is $1,431, according to Opendoor.com. At 3%, the payment would be $1,297 — a change of $134.

Monthly savings like these can help

pay down other debt or quickly increase your savings. Lower interest rates also allow potential home buyers to afford a larger, more expensive property without adding to their mortgage payment.

Can you afford it?

It can be difficult to determine how much you can afford because of the complicated math of purchase price, property taxes and the possibility of private mortgage insurance.

Affordability calculators like those provided by NerdWallet. com offer a ballpark estimate to get the ball rolling. They also typically allow

customizations like property taxes and homeowner’s insurance.

You’ll have to enter your monthly income, down payment amount, other debts and the interest rate. Just remember that these calculators provide only an estimate — and their accuracy depends on accurate and complete input details. That may require some research into local market taxes and insurance premiums.

Smart choices

So, interest rates have gone down and you have a pre-approval from the bank. That isn’t a blank check, since you’ll only be cleared to borrow up to a certain amount. The Consumer Financial

The inventory issue

By Joedy Michel Special to the Express

This week let’s take a close look at our inventory. We have been saying we have a low inventory level issue, but how bad is it truly?

The numbers below are based on February and some March 2023 data.

frustrated with the lack of inventory and options open to them.

Protection Bureau also reminds buyers that lending institutions don’t factor in other related expenditures — including the cost of maintenance, repairs and appliances. You might be approved to purchase a second home, but that doesn’t factor in travel to get there or specific insurance concerns. Lenders also can’t account for market changes, should you sign an adjustable-rate mortgage. So look at the larger financial picture before you buy, making sure your potential mortgage leaves plenty of room for other expenses. Take into account longer-range goals too, like saving for your children’s college expenses or for your retirement.

In the past 12 months, Single Family Home listings peaked in Winters with July 2022 showing 25 active listings. Winters’ current active listings number is 16 which is down 34 percent while the county is down 42 percent since July 2022.

What’s also interesting is the inventory mix. The median listing price in Yolo County has increased by 6 percent to $596,000. That’s significant because it is the first time sales have seen an increase in the past six months.

Winters currently has 16 active listings. Thirty-seven percent of all Winters listings are priced between over $800,000. Eight of the listings are newer construction homes.

How does that translate into what we are seeing in the marketplace?

Ready, willing and able buyers are out there looking and shopping around. We see that number increasing every weekend at our open house events and with private showings. These buyers are

They may not put in an offer on a house right after seeing it because it doesn’t check all the boxes, but they may eventually come back to it after realizing there is not much else on the market and what’s available may work after all.

The other behavior I have noticed is that buyers don’t offer an asking price (or more) on a new listing. Just six months ago, if a listing was new on market, the first offers would always be at asking or more. After 10 days on the market, we would start seeing lowball offers. Now, we are seeing lowball offers within seven days of a new listing being on the market. A couple of things are happening — affordability issues. Buyers simply can’t pay more than their offer due to skyrocketing home prices and increasing interest rates Buyers factor in the improvements they need to make in order to make the house 100 percent perfect for them

Seeing this change in buying behaviors is important as we set prices for our listings and advise our buyers on what to offer. The market is undoubtedly changing. Reach Realtor Joedy. Michael@norcalgold. com, 530-545-3698

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Express Yourself

The chicken incident

Gramps Says

This is the tale of the unfortunate incident of the chicken, with some background references to my past experiences with barnyard fowl.

First, let’s talk about the past, as it lends perspective to the current story. As a young child, I would often visit my grandparents, who tended a large garden, a small fruit tree orchard, a milk cow and a flock of chickens. On my visits, I was assigned to gather eggs. The coop housed about 20 chickens and the number never increased because chicken dinners were often served on Sundays. On a few occasions, I was assigned the task of plucking chicken feathers.

Later in life, when I had a family of my own, we rented a house on some acreage in Sonoma Valley owned by Sally Stanford. Sally was a colorful character who ran a restaurant in Sausalito and at one time was elected mayor of that city. Prior to her mayorship, she was well known as the madam of several ‘comfort houses’ in San Francisco and had added to her fortune through various divorce settlements with wealthy San Francisco businessmen.

Upon moving into our new rental we discovered that we inherited a large flock of chickens that Sally had rescued from an Easter sale of chicks. It was not a happy flock, as all of the chickens grew up to be roosters and they

were constantly fighting. As fortune would have it, a neighbor had a large white Samoyed dog that had a penchant for chickens and on one occasion I saw him wipe out about 20 roosters in all but a minute, and a half before I could chase him off. I never told Sally about it and she never noticed that the flock decreased by about 20 percent. Collectively, the only name I had for them was “Foul Fowls.”

This leads us to the current incident of the chicken and the three deputy sheriffs on my doorstep. For the past 18 months or so, I have been walking my neighbor’s dog Teri, a rambunctious German shorthaired terrier that turns her walk into a constant tug of war on the leash. On the day of the incident, the collar on the leash became disengaged and she escaped.

Teri can cover a quarter of a mile in seconds and is oblivious to all of my calls to come, heel or stop.

I caught a glimpse of her heading north and by the time I got to the north, she was chasing three chickens within a fenced yard. Teri caught up with a black hen and after climbing the fence I was able to collar her. To my observation, the chicken was a goner.

I noticed a phone number posted on the fence and notified the owner who was then at work. I knew this was not going to be a

See SOPHIE, Page 4

Letters

Celebrate Easter services

Easter is coming upon us again and after 2,300 years we still mark the beginning of the “common era” with the death and resurrection of Jesus!

The Christian churches here in Winters have two events scheduled this year to celebrate as the unified brothers and sisters in the faith.

The first will be an evening of worship at the Pioneer Church (205 Russell St.) on Good Friday; singing songs and hymns about Jesus and the Cross of Calvary. The music starts on April 7 at 7 p.m.

The second is the Sunrise service at the Gazebo in Rotary Park celebrating the resurrection of Christ starting on April 9 at 6:30 a.m.

All are welcome to both events.

DAVID HALK

Share feedback on how to spend Measure W funds

The Winters Joint Unified School District would like to thank you, the community of Winters, for your continued support of our students and District. At our Board Meeting on Feb. 2, 2023 the Trustees approved a revised Measure W project planning process, to include an updated Master Facilities Plan and Demographic Study so that we could better address short and long-term facility needs while pursuing additional state funding sources to augment Measure W funds. We have created a Facilities Master Planning Committee, composed of city leaders, parents, athletic youth groups, classified staff, certificated staff, and other community partners and organizations.

We welcome any community member who is interested in participating in this important work to join us at one of our upcoming Community Engagement meetings on April 11, 2023, or April 12, 2023. Both meetings will be held in the Margaret Parsons Room at the Winter Community Library, 708 Railroad Ave., Winters, CA 95694 from 6–8 p.m.

If you are unable to attend one of these meetings, or if you have additional questions, please check out the website at https://tinylink.net/8AjOe or email your questions to FMP@wintersjusd.org.

RODY BOONCHOUY, Ed.D Superintendent, Winters Joint Unified School District

Winters keeps moving on

The Winters Chamber of Commerce Year in Review dinner was a nice affair. It was my first visit to the new Fairfield by Marriott Hotel and their banquet room was nicely decorated, but not that big. My guess is that it seats less than 200. It made for a sold-out dinner, cooked by Anderson Family Catering, and everyone seemed to have a good time. I don’t want to second guess the Chamber, but small, expensive events, limit those who can attend. I noticed that there were a lot of people attending that I didn’t know, which is a good thing. New people are always welcome, especially in the business community. Introducing the honorees went smoothly and the M.C.

did a good job of getting everyone home by a decent hour. In my case, that means by 10 p.m. There have been years when the party ended closer to 11:30, which is way too long and past my bedtime. If you walk around town you will see a lot of new faces and not all of them are out-of-town visitors. I see new people walking their dogs in my neighborhood and even more neighbors out for an evening stroll. I wish I could stop and talk to each and every one of them, but barking dogs get on my

nerves. Each new neighbor has a story about how they ended up in Winters and those who I talked to seem to be glad they moved here. I’ve mentioned before that I live here because I grew up here and it was an easy adjustment to move back home, but new residents chose to live here. That moves them to the top of the list of good citizens.

The number of new homes being built on the west side of town is impressive. I’m not sure of the total, but when finished, it will be somewhere

around 650. We only had a total of 2,000 homes and apartments a few years ago. If you drive behind Lorenzo’s Market, you will see new streets, curbs and sidewalks, but no new homes. If they decide to build the 55 new homes in that subdivision, there will be even more people that we will need to welcome to Winters.

Youth Day, April 29, is fast approaching, and with it the annual Rotary Pancake (sausage) Breakfast. We usually serve around 600 people one of the best breakfasts around, no offense to the Café. It is a great time to see old friends and meet new people. With the fear of COVID in the rearview mirror, I’m hoping that we have a large crowd this

Legal Advertising

Youth Day, April 29, is fast approaching, and with it

the annual Rotary Pancake (sausage) Breakfast.

year. Get there early in case we run out of coffee.

After you finish chowing down on my favorite sausage, it is an easy walk to watch the parade. Remember that the Kiddie Parade starts and 9:45 and ends at 9:47, with the main parade starting at 10. If you haven’t already, mark it on your calendar.

Have a good week.

Continued from Page 3

happy day when the owner mentioned how she had raised them from chicks and how fond she was of her small flock. I properly assumed that all of her chickens were named.

The Sheriff’s Department animal control officers inquired and recorded my version of the story.

Sophie Says

Life is complicated. Based on Gramps’ experience, he would have had a good chicken dinner that evening — end of story. But then, he has never coddled a chicken since it was a hatchling, nor given it a name. But he gets it. How can you cook and serve Ethyl for dinner? The good news is that Ethyl was nursed back to health. The owners now give her the distinction of being “The Little Hen Who Could.”

Assessor's Parcel No : 003-141-014-000 NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS: If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved in bidding at a trustee auction You will be bidding on a lien, not on the prop e rty itse lf Pl acing the hig hes t bid at a trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property You are encouraged to investigate the existence priority and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting t h e c o u n t y r e c o r d e r s o f f i c e o r a t i t l e i n s u r a n c e c o m p a n y either of which may charge you a fee for this information If you consult either of these resources you should be aware that the same lender may hold more than one mortgage or de ed of trust on the property NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: The sale date shown on this notice of sale may be postponed one or more times by the mortgagee beneficiary trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil C o de The la w req u ire s th a t in forma tion about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call 916-939-0772 for information regarding the trustee s sale or visit this internet website http://www qualityloan com, using the file number assigned to this foreclosu r e b y t h e T r u s t e e : C A - 2 2 - 9 4 2 8 8 6 - B F I n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not immediately be reflected in the telephone information or on the internet website The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale NOTICE TO TENANT: You may have a right to purchase this property after the trustee auction pursuant to Section 2924m of the California Civil Code If you are an eligible tenant buyer you can purchase the property if you match the last and highest bid placed at the trustee auction If you are an eligible bidder you may be able to purc h a s e t h e p r o p e r t y i f y o u e x c e e d t h e l a s t a n d h i g h e s t b i d placed at the trustee auction There are three steps to exercising this right of purchase First 48 hours after the date of the trustee sale you can call 916- 939-0772 or visit this internet website http://www qualityloan com using the file number assigned to this foreclosure by the Trustee: CA-22-942886-BF t o f i n d t h e d a t e o n w h i c h t h e t r u s t e e ' s s a l e w a s h e l d t h e a mo u n t o f th e las t a nd h igh e st bi d an d the addr ess o f the trustee Second you must send a written notice of intent to p la ce a b id so th at the tr u ste e re cei ves it no m ore tha n 1 5 days after the trustee's sale Third you must submit a bid so t h a t t h e t r u s t e e r e c e i v e s i t n o m o r e t h a n 4 5 d a y s a f t e r t h e trustee's sale

If you think you may qualify as an "eligible tenant buyer or eligible bidder you should consider contacting an attorney or appropriate real estate professional immediately for advice regarding this potential right to purchase NO-

I C E T O P R O S P E C T I V E O W N E R - O C C U P A N T : A n y p rospective owner-occupant as defined in Section 2924m of the California Civil Code who is the last and highest bidder at the trustee s sale shall provide the required affidavit or declaration of eligibility to the auctioneer at the trustee's sale or shall have it delivered to QUALITY LOAN SERVICE CORPORAT I O N b y 5 p m o n t h e n e x t b u s i n e s s d a y f o l l o w i n g t h e trustee s sale at the address set forth in the below signature block The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the property address or other common designation if any shown herein If no street address or other common d e sig n a tio n is sh o wn d irec ti ons to the loca tion of th e property may be obtained by sending a written request to the beneficiary within 10 days of the date of first publication of this Notice of Sale If the sale is set aside for any reason including if the Trustee is unable to convey title the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to

Winters native’s “Art and Soul” on display at Turkovich winery

Special to the Express

Turkovich Family Wines will host Winters native Rosanne Seitz’s new works in the art exhibit “Art and Soul: Landscapes of Yolo County,” featuring new watercolors of Yolo County scenery from May 6 through July 7.

The public is invited to a wine reception with the artist in attendance taking place Saturday, May 6 from 2–5 p.m. at the Turkovich Winery on Buckeye Road — one mile north of Russell Boulevard — 30471 Buckeye Rd., Winters. The show will continue from May 8 to July 7 at the Turkovich Wines Downtown Tasting Room in historic downtown Winters, 304 Railroad Ave. The Tasting Room is open daily 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Historical Society of Winters will receive a portion of art sales thru July 7.

Over 20 works reflect her childhood home’s rural vistas near Winters, Putah Creek and other local mountain and agricultural views from Yolo and Solano County. Seitz’s latest landscapes are inspired by personal sketches and agricultural experiences over the last two years on the Turkovich Family Ranch, east of Winters, painting for Yolo County Art and Ag program, plein air painting with other artists and solo excursions.

Seitz grew up on a ranch East of Winter Attending Winters schools, working

around the ranch, and being involved with 4-H. This left her with impressions of the hard-working community and fostered a love for surrounding hillsides, wooded areas and farm structures that are now iconic in her art.

Following a 26-year teaching career and raising a family, Seitz pursued her passion to paint fulltime in San Luis Obispo County. She worked on location, (en plein air) and in her Grover Beach, California studio. Seitz also

co-owned a successful gallery in downtown San Luis Obispo for 17 years and showed her San Luis Obispo Scenes there. Simultaneously she was showing her Winters watercolor scenes at various locations and continuously at Turkovich since its opening in 2010.

In 2021, Seitz moved back to the ranch while her house was being built on an acre in Davis next to her daughter’s family. “Art and Soul: Landscapes of Yolo County” is a testimonial to Seitz’s reverence for her traditional farming and family roots. Seitz, a Turkovich family member, has special ties to the Winters wine business. Seitz’s nephew, a third-generation farmer, Christopher, and his wife, master winemaker,

Luciana have partnered to create an impressive winery and tasting room in their quaint town. Their growing business produces world-class small-lot wines and sparkling wine among the golden hills, oak trees, and warm California sunshine depicted in Seitz’s exhibit.

Seitz chose the Historical Society of Winters to benefit from this show because it is a nonprofit that captures her interest in local history and pays tribute to the land and people who lived in this special place.

Seitz has taught watercolor classes and done painting demonstrations. She is a Central Coast Watercolor Society Signature Member and an emeritus member of SLOPE (San Luis Outdoor Painters of the Environment), which raises awareness of natural environmental

Yolo Audubon offers field trip in April

Special to the Express

This month’s Yolo Audubon meeting features a lecture entitled “Flight Calls to Monitor Nocturnal Migration in the Central Valley.” Most songbird migration happens while we’re sleeping. Warblers, sparrows and other birds pass overhead during their nocturnal flights and make short calls as they fly by, referred to as nocturnal flight

calls. The basics of how bird migration can be monitored using audio recordings of these nocturnal flight calls will be discussed. Preliminary results of a study assessing migration timing and intensity will also be shared. The study focuses primarily on common species, such as Lazuli Bunting, Yellow Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, and Swainson’s Thrush, that regularly make

nocturnal flight calls during migration.

This lecture will be presented by Rob Furrow and Cameron Tescher. Furrow is an Assistant Professor of Teaching in Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology at UC Davis and Cameron is a fouth-year student at UC Davis, majoring in Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology.

The meeting will be held on April 19 at 7 p.m. via Zoom.

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For details on how to join the meeting go to: yoloaudubon.org or facebook.com/yoloaudubonsociety.

On Sunday, April 16, Sonjia Shelly and Ryan Janke will lead a field trip to Bobcat Ranch. This sprawling blue oak woodland property sits in the hills of the coastal range just north of Berryessa Gap. The hills will be

See AUDUBON, Page 6

resources. She has won many awards for her work and has had over 14 solo shows. Her works are included in private collections in the US, Europe and in Japan and have been shown at many other galleries, festivals, shows and Open Studios.

For more information please visit www.rosanne seitz.com or turkovich wines.com.

t o o l box toy trunk plastic totes end table misc boxes duffel bag portable bbq

B-56 Christopher Meyer: Car jack speaker clothes pc monitor misc bags and boxes of household items

B-26 Dennis Huxley: canvas painting 4 lanterns power drill lamp parts

F-36 Laura Cardenas: 2 plastic totes 1 crate b oxes of misc household items

G-02 David Sorge: Tool box sander ext ladder welder cart hand tools area rug dresser fish tank

G-16 Richard Lancaster: Garden tools fishing gear sewing machine shopvac ladder suitcases plastic totes

Auctioneer Bond # 0342850

Published April 5 12 #346

Rosanne Seitz paints on location.

Courtesy photo

Courtesy photos

ABOVE: Rosanne Seitz’s Oranges and Vines, 15x22 watercolor. BELOW: Putah Creek, 11x15 watercolor.

“Art and Soul: Landscapes of Yolo County” is a testimonial to Seitz’s reverence for her traditional farming and family roots.

Explore new heights, aviation history

The Vacaville Museum, in conjunction with their current exhibit, Solano Skies: A History of Aviation in Solano County, has invited numerous individuals to present their knowledge, expertise, and experiences in the world of aviation. The Aviation Forum has seen great success since its launch, and in keeping with the Vacaville Museum’s mission to work with other historical institutions in Solano County, they are excited to present their next speaker, Paul Mirich on April 15 at 3 p.m. in the Museum Gallery. Mirich is the General Manager of the Rowland Freedom Center, whose mission includes teaching about Patriotism and American Freedom.

Born and raised in the Youngstown, Ohio area, Mirich left home at 18 to join the Air Force, where he served 10 years, working between Security Police & Radio, and TV Broadcasting. After getting discharged from the Air Force,

Mirich found employment with the California Department of Corrections, retiring as a Lieutenant after 30 years.

With an extreme interest in anything related to military aircraft, Mirich stumbled upon a local museum named “The Jimmy Doolittle Center.” Going inside, he recalls being immediately hooked and volunteering for the Museum that same day. Since that day, the Museum has undergone numerous changes, including a name change to “The Rowland Freedom Center” and has branched out to not only aviation but military history. In 2020, Mirich was hired as General Manager where he works with volunteers and staff to change and improve the displays and oversee a guest speaker series called Faces of

Attend ‘Tony and Tina’s Wedding’

By Mark Wilson Special to the Express

The Winters Theatre Company presents “Tony and Tina’s Wedding,” a dinner theater at The Green River Brewing and Taproom, 4513 Putah Creek Rd. in Winters on the weekend of May 5–7.

Come be guests at Tony Nunzio and Valentina Vitale’s fraught wedding in all its tacky and hilarious glory. Following the church service is the reception, where the audience joins the wedding party and their bickering families for a pasta dinner, champagne toasts, various calamities and wedding cake. Dinner will be catered by

Green River. Vegetarian options will be available.

On Friday and Saturday doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the show will begin at 7 p.m. On Sunday, the doors will open at 5:30 p.m. with the show starting at 6 p.m.

Tickets are $50 general admission for dinner and show, $45 for seniors and 12-and-younger. Ticketing information will be posted at winterstheatre.org and facebook.com/winterstheatre.

Youth Day is April 29

Freedom, and numerous other events.

For his talk at the Museum, Mirich will be discussing some of the artifacts they currently have on display, as well as a past aircraft that was on display, and a brief history of San Francisco’s Gonzales Brothers, who did some of their flying in Woodland. Mirich will also bring some small artifacts from their institution for his talk.

The Vacaville Museum is a nonprofit, membership-supported organization that is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting Solano County history. Paul Mirich will be speaking at The Vacaville Museum, located at 213 Buck Ave. in Vacaville on April 15 at 3 p.m. The event is free to the public, with donations encouraged.

Call The Vacaville Museum at 707-447-4513 with any questions. For more information on future speakers visit Instagram @TheVacavilleMuseum or Vacavillemuseum.org/ events.

AUDUBON

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green, with flowers blooming, and there should be some early spring birds migrating through. Bobcat Ranch is also great for spotting woodpeckers, raptors, and the occasional resident bald eagle, as well as lupine, blue dicks, and a variety of other wildflowers.

The property also has a natural spring, where warblers and small passerines are often abundant.

This trip will involve moderate to strenuous hiking with portions of sustained uphill on uneven, unpaved surfaces. The hike will be approximately two miles long and gain about 300–400 feet in elevation. This trip has limited space, so reserve a spot early by emailing Ryan Janke (rhjanke29@gmail.com).

For more information visit yoloaudubon.org or facebook. com/yoloaudubonsociety.

Donations support local history efforts

The Historical Society of Winters got a pleasant surprise visit from Julie Mustard and Lori McGrath representing the Daughters of the Golden West (DGW) charitable organization located in Woodland. The DGW is a charitable foundation that helps fund patriotic and historic efforts throughout the State. They support other organizations involved in historic preservation, such as California missions, lighthouses, and museums. They selected the Historic Society of Winters to donate a check for $1,000 this year and met us during our board meeting to present us with their donation.

This is a welcome boost to our finances as we are an organization that thrives purely on donations.

We would like readers to know that our big fundraising effort of the year is coming up soon as we get ready to participate in the Big Day of Giving this May. Readers are also invited to visit the museum to see our latest exhibit, The Wide World of Winters Sports, a review of sports heroes from this community. The museum is open Thursday through Sunday, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at 13 Russell St.

The Board of Directors of the Historical Society of Winters wholeheartedly thanks the Daughters of the Golden West for their generous donation. We will continue to curate exhibits celebrating Winters history thanks, in part, to donations like this.

WOODY FRIDAE

President of the Historical Society of Winters

Courtesy photo Julie Mustard, left, and Lori McGrath present a check to the Historical Society of Winters Board members Rob Coman, treasurer, center left, and Woody Fridae, president.