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Join in Mulch Madness at the library teaching garden News, Page 2
A look at mental wellness senior year Features, Page 1
Volume 141, Number 48 — Locally-owned since 1884
The hometown paper of Joann May
Winters, Yolo County, California, Wednesday, January 1, 2025
Winters JUSD launches new board management platform Appoints first assistant superintendent of business services By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief
Crystal Apilado/Winters Express
Harumi March (left) and Tammy Hamakawa-Iseri, the granddaughter of Mojiro Hamakawa, share joy in finding a family member in a photo at the Japantown Monument unveiling ceremony in Rotary Park.
Winters in action: A year of change, community spirit sparks in 2024 Express staff Winters has proven itself a town of resilience and vibrant community spirit. From the heartfelt farewell to cherished family-owned businesses and pivotal ballot measures shaping our future, to the unexpected resignation of the police chief and earnest efforts to right historical wrongs, this year has been anything but idle. Celebrating and honoring our lost Japanese community, revitalizing youth civic engagement, and strengthening our
Courtesy photo
Winters High School students teamed up with younger students to
See REVIEW, Page 5 paint the Spirit of Winters mural at Waggoner Elementary.
This month, Winters Joint Unified School District introduced a new board management system to streamline the organization and accessibility of school board meeting resources. On Dec. 16, the school district officially launched the GAMUT board management solution to host agendas and packets for its Board of Trustees meetings. GAMUT is a comprehensive platform offering integrated modules designed to boost productivity, improve communication, and simplify routine processes. The system provides secure, paperless access to meeting materials and allows multiple contributors to collaborate on the same platform. With features that enable easy searching and sorting of archived meetings by type and date, the software is set to save time and enhance efficiency in the management of board meetings.
The public can now access Board Agendas and Packets by clicking on the “Meetings” tab on the district’s Board Agenda page at https://bit.ly/4fwmfHK. A link to resources from meetings before Dec. 16 is also available through this page. In addition to meeting materials, the platform offers a complete listing of board policies under the “Policies” tab, along with contact information for all trustees.
Organizational meeting updates At the Dec. 19 organizational meeting, the Board of Trustees approved its officers for the upcoming term and finalized the 2025 meeting calendar. Joedy Michael will continue to serve as board president, with Everardo Zaragoza remaining as board clerk. Trustees Kristin Trott (Trustee Area 1) and Everardo Zaragoza (Trustee Area 5) took their oaths of office for another term, having run unopposed in the Nov. 5 general election. The schedule for 2025 board meetings is now available on the Winters JUSD website at wintersjusd.org. Meetings are generally held on
See TRUSTEES, Page 5
Yolo County launches bridge initiative for public sector apprenticeship programs Express staff
EXPRESS
On Dec. 13, Yolo County announced its participation as the first pilot jurisdiction in the Bridge initiative, a new program launched by the Institute for Local Government. This initiative aims to strengthen California’s local govern-
ment workforce by creating Registered Apprenticeship Programs in nontraditional fields, including human resources, accounting, information technology, health and human services and more. “I’m thrilled that Yolo County will serve as an inaugural participant in ILG’s Bridge Public Sector Registered Apprenticeship program,” said Yolo County Board of Supervisors Chair Lucas Frerichs. “Ap-
prenticeships have a long history of success in the construction trades, and I’m excited to bring this innovative model to support our broader local government workforce in Yolo County.” Like many local governments across the state, Yolo County is facing significant workforce challenges, with recruitment and retention issues affecting nearly 70 percent of
See PROGRAM, Page 5
Index Features ........................ B-1
Rain
High
Low 49˚
Dec. 24
0.21”
58˚
Dec. 25
0.03”
62˚
38˚
Dec. 26
0.02”
56˚
40˚
Dec. 27
0.58”
57˚
40˚
Dec. 28
0.01”
67˚
53˚
Dec. 29
0.27”
72˚
54˚
Opinion ......................... B-3
Dec. 30
0.02”
66˚
40˚
Real Estate ................... B-2
Rain for week: 1.14 in. Season’s total: 9.40 in. Last sn. to date: 6.39 in.
Classifieds ................... B-4 Community .................. A-2 Eventos hispanos ....... A-3
Sports ........................... B-5
Esparto restaurant targeted in early morning burglary By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief
We at he r Date
Courtesy image
Video footage showed three male suspects driving in a white Jeep Grand Cherokee, model year 2021–23. Contact the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office with any tips.
Winters rainfall season began 7/1/24. Weather readings are taken at 9 a.m. daily by local weatherman Joe Bristow.
The Ravine on Sixteen restaurant in Esparto was the target of a burglary in the early hours of Dec. 21, leaving the business temporarily closed. According to the owner, James Kinter, the incident occurred around 4 a.m. when thieves forced their way through the restaurant’s front door and accessed the office, stealing multiple items. “Essentially, (the burglary is) shutting YOUR
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us down for a time undetermined,” Kinter said. Surveillance footage captured three male suspects involved in the crime. They were seen driving a white Jeep Grand Cherokee, model year 2021–23, identifiable by its black rims and black antenna. The Yolo County Sheriff’s Department is actively investigating the incident. Authorities are urging anyone with information about the suspects or the vehicle to come forward.
Tips can be reported by calling the Yolo Tip Hotline at 530668-5248, emailing YoloCoSheriffTips@ yolocounty.org, or submitting information via the Yolo County Sheriff’s Anonymous Crime Tip Form at yolocountysheriff.com/ services/investigations. As the investigation unfolds, The Ravine on Sixteen remains closed. Kinter is posting updates on The Ravine on Sixteen Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ theravineon16.
VOTE NOW! through
January 6th davisenterprise.secondstreetapp.com/ Readers-Choice-Yolo-County-2025