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Public Safety personnel get COVID vaccine News, Page 2
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Volume 137, Number 51 — Locally owned since 1884
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Winters, Yolo County, California, Wednesday, January 13, 2021
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Baker honored for 14 years of service as Yolo County Housing CEO By Edward Booth Express staff writer Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry presented a resolution to Winters resident Lisa Baker last week, honoring her for 14 years of service as Chief Executive Officer of Yolo County Housing. Baker led Yolo County Housing out of insolvency and oversaw the department’s budget increase from $11 million to over $21 million. She led the agency from 2006 to 2020, retiring in June last year. Baker also served as Vice Chair of the Winters Planning Commission from 2013 to 2020, and currently serves on several other local boards and commissions. She works as a special projects manager for Winters. “The only reason she’s not still on the planning commission is because when
School Board opens application process to find an Area 4 Trustee By Edward Booth Express staff writer
Courtesy photo
Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry presented Lisa Baker (left) with a resolution for her 14 years of service as Chief Executive Officer of Yolo County Housing on Jan. 8. she retired from Yolo looking into the lack group of people that Housing the city of of affordable housing help you in every asWinters hired her as a in Winters. Baker’s pect of running a comconsultant because of name kept coming up munity,” Aguiar-Curry her abilities with the as an expert on state said. “She was one of affordable housing and federal funding the ones that became projects and things of for housing and how to a trusted partner here that nature,” Mayor get that funding, Agu- in the city of Winters.” Wade Cowan said. iar-Curry said. Aguiar-Curry said Aguiar-Curry said “The number one small communities she first met Lisa thing when you’re like Winters struggle Baker when the Win- in public office is ters City Council was to build a good core See BAKER, Page 5
The Winters Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees voted Jan. 5 to begin the process of finding a trustee to replace Rob Warren, who resigned from the board Dec. 14. Warren previously told The Express that he resigned for reasons of transparency because he didn’t think the public was properly notified about a Dec. 10 special meeting of the board. The Winters JUSD Board of Trustees took action Jan. 5 to select the new trustee through a provisional appointment, to create a subcommittee to review applicants and to finalize a timeline. According to the timeline, all appli-
cations are due to the Superintendent’s office, located at 909 W. Grant Ave., or via email to Anietta Kelley, at akelley@wintersjusd.org, by Jan. 21. The board sub-committee, consisting of trustees Joedy Michael and Everardo Zaragoza, will review the applications on Jan. 22, a special meeting agenda will be posted Jan. 25, and trustees will interview eligible candidates at the special meeting Jan. 28. Eligible applicants must be residents of the Winters JUSD’s Trustee Area 4, be 18 or older, be citizens of California, registered voters, and not be legally disqualified from holding
See APPLY, Page 5
Healthcare workers, general public can sign up for vaccine notifications By Anne Ternus-Bellamy McNauhgton Media Healthcare workers who fall into the next tiers of Phase 1A on the COVID-19 vaccination schedule can now sign up with the county to be notified when it’s their turn to be vaccinated in the next week or two. Members of the gen-
In d e x Features ........................ B-1
eral public can also provide their information online for future notifications as the vaccination process progresses through the phases and tiers. Links for both groups are on the county website. The second and third tiers in the first phase include a range of healthcare profes-
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Winters rainfall season began 7/1/20. Weather readings are taken at 9 a.m.
sionals, from those working in primary care clinics to those in dental offices, medical labs and more. Both those who work in Yolo County as well as those who live in Yolo County and work elsewhere may register, according to Yolo County public information officer Jenny Tan. Tan said all providers in Phase 1A tiers two and three should have received emails inviting them to register at https://forms.gle/ nfYq3QewtYivgpMN9 The following healthcare industries can sign up through the link: Phase 1A, Tier 2: • Intermediate care facilities for those who need non-continuous nursing supervision and supportive care. • Home healthcare
See VACCINE, Page 5
Courtesy photo
Winters Fire Chief, Brad Lopez received the COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, Jan. 6.
Firefighters receive coronavirus vaccines in countywide effort By Anne Ternus-Bellamy McNaughton Media Firefighters throughout Yolo County received their first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine last week and acute-care hospital staff will began receiving their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine last Friday. Staff and residents of skilled-nursing facilities have also received their initial doses in the last few weeks. But the slow roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines nationwide and unanswered questions about who will be receiving it when,
where and how has local residents frustrated. Particularly concerned are older Yolo County residents who don’t live in longterm-care facilities (which have been prioritized for vaccines) but are at high risk for severe disease. Some have told sister publication the Davis Enterprise they are in the dark not only about when they’ll get the vaccine but also about how they will be notified it’s their turn. Their primary-care physicians don’t have any answers and they don’t have the
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A2 — Winters Express, Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Local nonprofits receive educational equity grants By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief Winters Education Foundation and the Yolo County Library Foundation were among recipients of educational equity grants from the awarded by the Yolo Community Foundation. The Yolo Community Foundation has granted $48,905 through its Buck Education Grant to address equity in education and to support our most vulnerable students during this difficult time. Funding from the grants help to address the obstacles many Yolo families face as they work to support their children’s distance learning, such as language barriers, a lack of access to technology, and an inability to be with their children during the school day. This is the fourth
and final year of the Buck Education Grant. This latest round of funding brings total grants made through the program to nearly $250,000. Jessica Hubbard, YCF Executive Director, said a great need they saw through their efforts to assist during the pandemic was families having challenges getting their children connected to online learning opportunities. “Through the Yolo Community Foundation’s involvement in local COVID-19 relief efforts, we saw the tremendous impact the pandemic is having on children’s access to education. While distance learning has been difficult for many families, some families face many more obstacles than others,” Hubbard said. “We are honored to support the work of
these organizations, who are hard at work supporting our most vulnerable students to access education in these challenging times.” WEF received a $9,500 grant to provide K-5 classroom library books in Spanish. The books will be sent home with children from Spanish-speaking homes, as well as interpreters that the school sites can use to engage with Spanish-speaking families. Classroom libraries in Spanish will provide an explicit focus on complex, precise, rich and academic language, contribute to language development in the context of building knowledge, provide access to grade level content, provide material that parents can access and use to support
See GRANTS, Page 5
Bomberos del Condado de Yolo reciben vacunas para COVID-19 Condado de Yolo Comunicado de prensa Bomberos a lo largo del Condado de Yolo sirviendo comunidades y residentes están programados a recibir su primera de dos dosis de la vacuna contra COVID-19 esta semana como parte de la distribución de la Fase 1A, Nivel 1 del Condado. Las vacunas están siendo administrado por empleados de salud pública del Condado de Yolo en un mínimo de tres clínicas para vacunas no relevados para acomodar las horas de trabajo de los bomberos. Se esta dando la vacuna de Moderna a los bomberos y la segunda ronda será a los fines de enero e inicios de febrero. La vacuna no es obligatoria. Bomberos, junto con paramédicos, EMTS, y otros servicios de emergencia para la salud, son parte de la guía de distribución de las vacunas del Estado por la Fase 1A, Nivel 1. La Fase 1A se divide en tres niveles y dosis se priorizan por el riesgo a exposición a COVID-19. Detalles completos sobre cada fase y nivel se pueden encontrar en la página de vacunas de COVID-19 del Condado de
Yolo en http://www.yolocounty. org/coronavirus-vaccine/. “Tenemos la esperanza de que esta vacuna tendrá un efecto profundamente positivo en el bienestar de nuestros trabajadores, y estamos agradecidos para poder ofrecer esta oportunidad a todos los bomberos en el Condado de Yolo quienes quieren tener la vacuna,” dijo el jefe de los bomberos de Woodland Eric Zane. “Esta protección va mas allá de nuestros bomberos. No ayudará a proteger a sus familias, sus colegas y la comunidad que servimos cada día.” La vacuna siendo administrado es de mRNA, un nuevo tipo de vacuna para proteger contra enfermedades infecciosas. Vacunas de mRNA no ponen un germen debilitado o inactivo en nuestros cuerpos; en su lugar, enseñan a nuestras células como crear las proteínas que desencadenan la respuesta inmune en nuestros cuerpos. La respuesta inmune, la cual involucra anticuerpos y células inmunes, nos protege de enfermedad si un virus real entra en nuestros cuerpos. Para información adicional sobre COVID-19 visite a http://www. yolocounty.org/coronavirus/.
PERSONNEL Continued from Page 1 benefit of workplace assistance either. Said one Davis resident: “Not all 75-plus individuals have computers and many don’t know how to use a computer to access websites. Many elderly do not know the computer lingo. Many live alone. Will the vaccinations be done like in Florida where people will have to wait in line for eight hours only to be told that there is no more vaccine?” Individuals ages 75 and up are in the first tier of Phase 1B, a tier that also includes workers in education, child care and food and agriculture. But before Yolo County can get to anyone in that phase, it must finish up all the populations in Phase 1A — a phase with three tiers, only the first of which has received vaccinations thus far. Acute-care hospital workers and residents and staff in skilled nursing facilities have received their vaccinations and EMTs, paramedics and firefighters were being vaccinated this week. The final group in tier 1 — dialysis centers — are next, and the county will be moving into Phase 1A, tier two, next week, according to county spokeswoman Jenny Tan. That group includes inhome support services workers, public health staff, primary care clinics and more. The third tier in Phase 1A will include
“This protection goes beyond our firefighters. It will help us to protect their families, their peers and the communities we serve every day.” Woodland Fire Chief Eric Zan dental and oral health workers, lab workers, pharmacy staff and others. The state announced last Thursday that in order to maximize vaccine administration and reduce the potential for waste, health departments should immediately administer COVID-19 vaccines to all individuals in Phase 1A regardless of tier. The problem, however, is a lack of doses. Yolo County had only received 4,550 vaccine doses as of last Wednesday night and only 100 doses in the previous week-and-a-half. That does not include second doses (given three weeks after the initial dose for the Pfizer vaccine and four weeks after the initial dose for the Moderna vaccine). Those doses have been received, Tan said, but are not counted in the 4,550 total. Meanwhile, just 2,606 first doses had been administered through last Wednesday. At issue, Tan said, is the time involved to administer those shots. “There is a ton of work that goes into vaccinating people at this scale — the logistics, the planning, working with sites, working
with staff and residents, training nurses, tracking the doses and vials, supplies and security and all the paperwork that’s involved,” Tan explained. “It is a ton of work.” Last week alone, she said, the county hosted more than 25 vaccine clinics that finished up vaccinations in senior-care facilities and continued vaccinations of ambulance and emergency services workers, firefighters and others. “It is a huge undertaking,” said Tan. “We are working as fast and quickly as we can.” “The county is well aware of the questions and concerns from residents,” Tan added. “Everyone wants to know where they are in the phases and tiers and how they will get their vaccine.” She promised that when she knows more, the public will be informed promptly. As for older residents not living in senior-care facilities, Tan said the county is considering drive-through vaccine clinics, regular walk-in clinics and possible home visits for those who are immobile. As planning continues for vaccinating populations in later tiers, the county this week stayed on track with the current tier, vaccinating
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Courtesy photo
Winters Police Chief John P. Miller (left) and other Winters Police Department personnel received the COVID-19 vaccine on Jan. 11. firefighters all over the county. At three different locations, firefighters from multiple agencies ranging from UC Davis to Woodland to the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation received the first of two Moderna vaccine doses. “We are extremely hopeful that this vaccine will have a profound positive impact on the well-being of our personnel, and we are thankful to be able to offer this opportunity to all firefighter personnel in Yolo County who would like to be vaccinated,” said Woodland Fire Chief Eric Zan. “This protection goes
beyond our firefighters. It will help us to protect their families, their peers and the communities we serve every day.” The county has created a vaccine information page on its COVID-19 website that will be updated regularly with phase and tier information as well as information about the vaccines themselves and doses administered so far. Visit www.yolocounty. org/coronavirus-vaccine to learn more. For vaccine questions, call Yolo County’s COVID-19 public line at 833-965-6268.
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Winters Express, Wednesday, January 13, 2021 — A3
County supervisors take oath of office By Anne Ternus-Bellamy McNaughton Media The oath of office was delivered via Zoom last Monday to three men who will serve on the Yolo County Board of Supervisors for the next four years: recently re-elected supervisors Jim Provenza of Davis and Oscar Villegas of West Sacramento and newcomer Angel Barajas of Woodland. They, along with supervisors Don Saylor of Davis and Gary Sandy of Woodland, will continue to oversee the county’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including weighing in on everything from local pandemic-related restrictions and enforcement to allocating funding for relief efforts. “As we enter this new year, I am optimistic,� said Provenza, who will begin his fourth term as a county supervisor by also serving as board chair for 2021. “But I also know that it will be another difficult year,� he added, “and I am calling on the public to help us in every way they can, whether it’s wearing a face mask in public, avoiding mass gatherings or joining a community group that can help us with our various problems and concerns.� As chairman of the board, Provenza said his primary
“As we enter this new year, I am optimistic. I am calling on the public to help us in every way they can.� Jim Provenza Yolo County Supervisor goal this year “will be to avoid unnecessary deaths in our county, whether from COVID-19 or other causes.� “I think that we’ve done a good job in addressing the pandemic but this is a crucial crossroads,� he said. “We’re beginning to vaccinate certain members of our public. We know that it’s going to be a long road and it’s going to be a priority to work as efficiently and effectively as we can and to dedicate our board to supporting our health officer, Dr. Aimee Sisson, our health department and making sure that we do everything that we possibly can to get everybody vaccinated as soon as possible. “But at the same time,� he said, “we know that even when people are vaccinated, they may be continuing to spread the virus and we know that it will be some time before everyone is
Procedures for Solano restricted pesticide permits change in 2021 By Todd R. Hansen McNaughton Media The Solano County Agriculture Department is updating its procedures to obtain restricted use pesticide permits in 2021. “The change is part of a statewide directive initiated by the Department of Pesticide Regulation in November 2020, requiring growers and pest control advisers to identify alternatives to pesticides specifically classified as restricted use materials prior to applying for a permit,â€? according to a Significant Issues report released by the county administration. “This practice will assist Solano County agricultural biologists in evaluating potential adverse environmental impacts of restricted use pesticides, all while ensuring compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act regulations.â€? There are about 175 growers in the county who will be affected by this change. For more information, contact the department at 707-7841310. Also as part of the Significant Issues Report, the administration noted that County Administrator Birgitta Corsello signed several contracts within her authority: • A $69,168 contract with the Regents of the University of California, Davis, to provide staff development training for Employment and Eligibility employees through June 30, 2021. The funding source is Federal Temporary Assistance for Needy
“This practice will assist Solano County agricultural biologists in evaluating potential adverse environmental impacts of restricted use pesticides.â€? Families funds. • A $60,000 revenue contract with Mendocino County to provide public health laboratory services to Mendocino County through June 30, 2021. The funding source is Mendocino County. • A $43,228 revenue contract with the state Department of Agriculture to provide winter detection and trapping of the Asian Citrus Psyllid through April 30, 2021. The funding source is the state Department of Agriculture. • A $32,700 contract with the California Mental Health Services Authority to serve as a primary suicide prevention hotline for Solano County residents through June 30, 2021. The funding source is a combination of Mental Health Service Act and Prevention and Early Intervention funds. • A $27,361 contract with Fairfield to provide the site and cleaning services for the Optum Covid-19 testing site from Nov. 17 to Dec. 30, 2020. The funding source was the federal CARES Act.
Courtesy photo
Jim Provenza
Courtesy photo
Oscar Villegas
covered. So we must redouble our efforts to comply with all of the health orders.� In addition to addressing the pandemic, Provenza said the board’s other priorities in the months and years ahead will include addressing climate change as well as racial and ethnic inequality. Barajas echoed those comments. “The first issue that we have to tackle, and continue to do so, is the COVID-19 pandemic,� said Barajas, who defeated incumbent supervisor Duane Chamberlain in a March primary battle to represent the 5th District on the board. “We’re working to ensure that everybody has access and opportunity and education when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine, so that way we can reduce and limit deaths in the region and Yolo County,� said Barajas. “We also need to make
sure that when we look at issues that have been unfortunately neglected certain Courtesy photo in parts of Angel Barajas our county, we need to tackle those issues head on,â€? he said, citing the need to protect prime ag land, look at racial disparities and ensure “that everybody has equitable services and rights to ‌ job opportunities and success, and education as well.â€? Barajas represents a significant change to the Yolo County Board of Supervisors. A young, Latino Woodland City Council member, he challenged and defeated a conservative white farmer who had served four terms representing the largely rural 5th District. But heading into 2021, the board itself remains the same in another respect: all male. No woman has served on the Yolo County Board of Supervisors since 2010, though several women have run over the last decade, including, most recently, Davis resident Linda Deos, who challenged Provenza this year.
“We also need to make sure that when we look at issues that have been unfortunately neglected in certain parts of our county .... everybody has equitable services and rights to ‌ job opportunities and success, and education as well.â€? Angel Barajas Yolo County Supervisor In 2018, Sandy defeated Meg Stallard in the race to replace former supervisor Matt Rexroad, who had chosen not to seek re-election, and in 2014, Villegas defeated Norma Alcala. Villegas, originally appointed to the Board of Supervisors by former Gov. Jerry Brown, faced no opponents in 2016 or this year. With 12 years on the board, Provenza is now the longest-serving county supervisor in Yolo County, followed by Saylor, who was first elected in 2010.
Volunteers needed for COVID vaccine trial By Anne Ternus-Bellamy McNaughton Media Dignity Health’s Woodland Clinic is participating in the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine trial and looking for volunteers. The Phase 3 clinical trial, part of the federal Operation Warp Speed effort to find vaccines to protect against the novel coronavirus, calls for enrollment of up to 30,000 participants in the United States and Mexico. The trial will include proportional representation among diverse populations most vulnerable to COVID-19, including by race, ethnicity, age and those with underlying health conditions. Currently two vaccines have been authorized for use in the United States — those by Pfizer and Moderna — but more are needed. “The COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge, with record number of individuals being infected every day. Continued research is needed in vaccines and treatments to help end the pandemic,� said Dr. Rajan Merchant, a clinical immunology specialist with Woodland Clinic. “The development of multiple vaccines will ensure options for patients, creating a larger impact in the fight against coronavirus.� The clinical trial will test the safety and effectiveness of NVX-CoV2373, a stable, prefusion protein engineered from the genetic sequence of SARS‑CoV‑2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease.
Dignity Health’s Woodland Clinic is looking for volunteers to participate in the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine trial. Courtesy photo
NVX‑CoV2373 was created using Novavax’ recombinant nanoparticle technology to generate antigen derived from the coronavirus spike (S) protein. The vaccine does not contain a live virus; rather, it contains a purified protein that can neither replicate nor cause COVID-19. Trial participants will randomly receive either the vaccine or placebo in two doses, 21 days apart. Two-thirds of volunteers will receive the vaccine and one-third will receive the placebo. Participants who qualify for the study will receive study-related medical tests throughout the study and monitoring of health and follow-up care and compensation for trial participation The trial seeks participants 18 and over, particularly those that meet the following qualifications: • Represent a racial and ethnic group that has been greatly impacted by the pandemic (such as African American, Latinx, Native American or Asian American) • Have an underlying medical condition (such as diabetes or obesity)
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Yesteryear
A4 — Winters Express, Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Albert Smith is shown handing over the check from the Winters Fireworks Booth to Bobbie Greenwood at the old pool in 1984. Bobbie was instrumental in building this pool in the 1950s and its replacement facility that is now call the Bobbie Greenwood Swim Center.
115
80
YEARS AGO January 26, 1906
Prof. E.J. Wickson of the department of agriculture, University of California, went up to Esparto yesterday morning to take a look at the site offered for the state farm. The state superintendent of public instruction has apportioned the state high school funds. Winters High School, with an attendance of 27, gets $517.45. The Women’s Improvement Club held its cup and saucer social Wednesday afternoon. They want the foxtail and tin cans and other rubbish out of the streets and alleys and back yards. They want to improve the schoolyards and layout a real park. The club has over $500 in the town hall fund, and the town needs a public building more than ever. A drive of 400 cattle was held overnight in Judy’s stockyard Tuesday, on the way to the ranch of Stewart and Rush, in Solano County. The subject of the Currant Topics Club program next Thursday evening will be “Anecdotes of Prominent People.” Dr. Foster will discuss the “Anti-Patent Medicine Crusade.” W.W. Monroe, cashier of the Bank of Sebastopol, has bought the house and lot known as the John Harris place.
YEARS AGO January 31, 1941
Among local men who have passed tests and obtained employment at Mare Island Navy Yard are Fred Lee, Herman Meyer, Lee Conaster, C. Leemons, Joe Carando, Chester Tracey, Mark Pleasants, Charles and Wesley McCullough, Jack Ryan, S. Dillman and G. Gustafson. Yolo County’s assemblyman Llyod W. Lowrey voted against continuing the “Little Dies” committee, a proposal to go into subversive activities in various institutions of the state, including the University of California, the vote was 47 for and 25 against Those from Winters attending the annual meeting of the California Fruit Exchange, held Tuesday in Sacramento, were Mr. and Mrs. WA Brinck, Mr. and Mrs. C.H. Sackett, P.W. Thornberry, Mrs. Mary Brinck, Mrs. Josephine Brinck, Mrs. August Brinck, Mr. and Mrs. H.R. Brinck, Mrs. Lundquist, Miss May Elzey, and Mr. and Mrs. H.H. McGarr. Dr. W.P. Tufts was named among the directors. He succeeds Ned Thurberfor this district In Yolo County, one out of every 14 persons was on state or county relief in November, according to the California Taxpayer’s Association.
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Subscription delivery issues? Call us and leave a message or submit a complaint via our website. Crystal Apilado, Editor-in-Chief Sydney Andrade, Staff Writer Aaron Geerts, Staff Writer Jeffrey Rawlinson, Staff Writer/Photo Editor Edward Booth, Staff Writer Rick Von Geldern, Staff Writer Fred Gladdis, Special Editor David DeLeon, Advertising Director Barbara Lorenzi, Office Manager Taylor Buley, Publisher Charles R. Wallace, Publisher Emeritus
Obituaries Michael Allen Hemken Michael worked as an electrical contractor throughout the Napa Valley before retiring to the home of his dreams in Winters. He had a life-long passion for woodworking and created hand carved archtop guitars, violas, violins and more recently string instrument bows. He was dearly loved by his family and will be greatly missed. He is survived by his wife Revalee Hemken and his daughters Megan (Jim) Saxton and Car-
rie (Dylan) Forrester and his three grandchildren, Zoe Forrester, Lily and Miles Saxton. Due to covid-19 no memorial services will be held. In Lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Winters Friends of the Library wfol.org
50
YEARS AGO February 2, 1956
YEARS AGO January 28, 1971
The Winters School Board, meeting Monday evening, instructed James Bernardy, the district superintendent, to draw up a preliminary draft of a master plan for future building needs for the district. The annual Mothers March of Dimes will be conducted in Winters Monday evening. Today is the deadline for making reservations for the dinner next Monday evening in the Winters Fire Hall, honoring Wilburn Bishop, who is retiring after 20 years with the city public works department. Barry Hopkins, Primary School principal, has asked that all people interested in becoming volunteer classroom aides to meet at the primary school Auditorium on Friday. A spokesman for the University of California indicated this week that the University will not apply for acquisition of the former Army communications station east of Winters.
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Dec. 21: 1:35 a.m., structure fire, 500 block of Manzanita Way ~8:57 a.m., vehicle accident, CR 92E/CR 29. ~10:05 a.m., medical aid, 240 block of Wildrose Lane. Dec. 22: 10:46 a.m., vehicle accident, Grant Avenue/Main Street. Dec. 23: 6:46 p.m., medical aid, 60 block of Shams Way. Dec. 24: 11:33 a.m., medical aid, 430 block of Abbey Street. ~6:36 p.m., medical aid, 210 block of First Street. Dec. 25: 5:30 a.m., medical aid, 300 block of Rosa Avenue. ~9:58 p.m., medical aid, 100 block of Colby Lane. Dec. 26: 9:49 a.m., medical aid, 1020 block of Kennedy Drive. Dec. 28: 8:51 a.m., medical aid, 950 block of Railroad Avenue. ~1:58 p.m., fire alarm, 1100 block of Roosevelt Avenue. ~2:52 p.m., lift assist, 100 block of Edwards Street. Dec. 29: 1:03 p.m., medical aid, 1020 block of McArthur Avenue. Dec. 31: 4:53 a.m., medical aid, 400 block of Dry Creek Lane. ~8:50 a.m., fuel spill, 800 block of W. Main Street. ~1:26 p.m., medical aid, 800 block of Carrion Circle. ~4:19 p.m., medical aid, 1010 block of Village Circle. ~4:32 p.m., medical aid, 200 block of First Street. ~6:31 p.m., medical aid, 410 block of Plum Place. Jan. 2: 10:31 a.m., medical aid, 950 block of Railroad Avenue. ~11:57 a.m., medical aid, 820 block of Jefferson Street. Jan. 4: 10:57 a.m., fire alarm, 400 block of Morgan Street. ~4:57 p.m., lift assist, 950 block of Railroad Avenue. ~7:26 p.m., medical aid, 40 block of Myrtle
Drive. ~10:14 p.m., medical aid, Buckeye Road. Jan. 5: 8:03 a.m., medical aid, 110 block of Almond Drive. Jan. 6: 7:18 p.m., medical aid, 20 block of E. Main Street. Jan. 7: 3:53 a.m., medical aid, 410 block of Russell Street. ~2:40 p.m., medical aid, 10 block of Baker Street.
Police Arrest Log Dec. 31: Silverio Magallanes-Gomez (Age 51), Charges: Driving under the influence of alcohol, driving with a blood alcohol level at or greater than .08 percent; Violation of Probation terms, Disposition: Transported to the Yolo County Jail. Jan. 3: Salvador Duran-Gonzalez (Age 40), Charges: Three counts of attempted murder; Domestic Violence; Attempted rape; Three counts of false imprisonment; Assault with a deadly weapon; Assault causing bodily injuries, Two counts of kidnapping; Sexual battery on a restrained victim, Disposition: Transported to the Yolo County Jail. ~Manuel Quiroga Jr (Age 35), Charges: Stockton Police Department Misdemeanor Bench Warrant, Disposition: Released on a Notice to Appear. Dakota Jan. 4: McKinley Harris (Age 28), Charges: Violation of a Court Order, Disposition: Transported to the Yolo County Jail.
Case Log Dec. 22: 11:14 a.m., 40 block of Main Street, Silent Alarm. Dec. 27: 2:24 a.m., 100 block of East Grant Avenue, Audible Alarm. Dec. 26: 11:04 p.m., 100 block of East Grant Avenue, Audible Alarm. Dec. 25: 06:25 a.m., 5 block of Abbey Street, Audible Alarm. Jan. 2: 1:11 a.m., 800 block of Suffolk Place, Restraining Order Violation.
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Mayor A.R. Gale said yesterday that after 24 years on the Winters City Council, he will not be a candidate for reelection at the city election April 10. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Sattazahn have sold their interest in the Winters Fountain to Mrs. Pearl Phelps, who took over the management of the firm Wednesday morning. Tony Gonzales, an employee of the Southern Pacific Company, was bitten by a rattlesnake Monday while cleaning brush from across the railroad bridge. He was treated by Dr. Young. Informal announcement of the engagement of Miss Carmen Cuberos and Mr. Joe Rubio was made on Sunday evening, December 24, when the betrothed girl received the gift of her engagement ring from her fiancé. The wedding will take place in late Spring.
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Yolo Supervisors approve location for new Yolo Adult Day Health Center By Anne Ternus-Bellamy McNaughton Media The Stollwood Convalescent Hospital in Woodland will be given new life serving the county’s older residents later this year. Back in April, the pandemic hit the facility located on the grounds of St. John’s Retirement Village hard, taking 17 lives. A decision was made later in the summer to permanently close the convalescent hospital. But from that loss came opportunity. The Yolo Adult Day Health Center (also located in Woodland) has long been looking for a new home to accommodate the ever growing demand for its services, serve the many families languishing on a wait list and become financially sustainable. The center provides a range of services for individuals and families facing challenges related to dementia,
chronic medical diagnoses, mental illness and brain injury. On Tuesday, the Yolo County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a plan for Dignity Health to acquire and renovate Stollwood in order to create a new home for the Adult Day Health Center. The $4.6 million project will be funded by a variety of sources, the largest of which are two $1.25 million contributions: one from West Davis Active Adult Community developer David Taormino and the other from the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation. Taormino and the county agreed to the contribution not long after the West Davis Active Adult Community was approved by Davis voters in 2018. At the time, there was some discussion that a new, larger adult day health center could be located on the site of what is
now known as Bretton Woods, Taormino’s senior community that will be built on Covell Boulevard just west of Sutter Davis Hospital. But that changed over the summer when discussion turned to the Stollwood site. “We found our solution,” said Dawn Myers Purkey, the longtime manager of ADHC. But it was one, she noted, “that came to us in a very sad way, with the death of 17 people to COVID, which made St. John’s campus… not comfortable with continuing in the skilled-nursing arena.” When St. John’s approached her over the summer about the Stollwood site becoming the new home for the ADHC, Purkey said she immediately knew it was the right fit. The new facility is expected to be 14,700 square feet, which will allow for suffi-
cient average daily attendance to make the program financially sustainable. Dignity will manage the project and retain sufficient staff and equipment to operate the center for a minimum of 20 years. In addition to the contributions from Taormino and the tribe, other sources include $1 million in intergovernmental transfer funds previously set aside by the county for ADHC; $500,000 in accumulated outlay funds; and $600,000 in capital contributions from Dignity Foundation. One caveat: Taormino’s contribution will arrive when development milestones are achieved and the county’s general fund will advance that $1.25 million and assume risk if the expected contribution doesn’t materialize. County supervisors were enthusiastically in support of the plan.
Eviction protection resources still available for those impacted by COVID-19 By Edward Booth Express staff writer As a new year commences and the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage, local eviction protections are still in effect. Like many cities, Winters relies on the statewide eviction moratorium known as the COVID-19 Tenant Relief Act of 2020, which remains in effect through Jan. 31, 2021. The city maintains an informational page on issues related to COVID-19, which contains info about the eviction moratorium and links to financial resources. The statewide eviction moratorium went into effect Aug. 31, 2020, and essentially means that unpaid rent can’t be used as a basis for eviction for tenants who filed a declaration stating how COVID-19 interfered with their ability to pay rent, up until Jan. 31.
VACCINE Continued from Page 1 and in-home support services. • Community health workers including promotoras and public health field staff. • Primary care clinics, including federally qualified health centers, rural health centers, correctional facility centers and urgent care clinics.
Phase 1A, Tier 3 • Speciality clinics. • Laboratory workers. • Dental and oral health clinics. • Pharmacy staff not working in settings in higher tiers. Meanwhile, the general public can sign up for notifications at a different link: https://forms. gle/KPgQ9dtafWabmB3S7 “The information you can provide in this future link will help us organize residents and schedule clinics,” said Tan. How soon those vaccinations will happen will depend
The amount of rent due from March through Aug. 31 2020 is convertible to consumer debt, and landlords can go to court starting March 1 this year to receive a judgment for repayment of the unpaid rent. The same protections apply to unpaid rent due between Sept. 1, 2020, and Jan. 31, but tenants must pay at least 25 percent of their rent for that period five days before the end of January to remain protected. Yolo County continues to work with agencies such as Legal Services of Northern California and Yolo County Housing to help out residents facing housing issues during the pandemic, according to a press release. Videos from Legal Services of Northern California explaining the protections in English, Spanish and Russian can be found on YouTube. The county press release also offers up an online information app developed by
on when the county receives additional doses. As of Monday, the county had received 4,750 first doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and 2,475 second doses. By the end of Friday, 3,278 first doses had been administered and 86 second doses, with additional vaccinations completed over the weekend, Tan said. The Pfizer vaccine requires a second dose three weeks after the first and the Moderna vaccine a second dose four weeks after the first. “We are going through the vaccines as quickly as we can,” Tan said Monday, “utilizing every dose of COVID-19 vaccine available.” The county is even eking extra doses out of each bottle, she said. “Pfizer, for example, is listed as five doses per vial, with the county able to use six doses per vial. Moderna is listed as 10 doses per vial with the county
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the California Department of Real Estate. The app provides a 2-minute interactive tool that helps users identify their rights and options as either a tenant or landlord. It’s available at http://cal.network/3oL5VcE. For those who need help paying their rent, Yolo County Housing offers the COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program. The program provides onetime rent relief grants directly to landlords on behalf of low-income tenants, effectively reducing the burden on the tenant and ensuring landlords receive revenue needed to maintain housing services, according to the program description. According to Colleen Brock, senior management analyst at Yolo County Housing, the program has assisted six Winters residents so far and 33 are on the application list, waiting to be processed.
being able to pull approximately 11,” said Tan, “so we are doing pretty well in terms of maximizing doses per vial.” This week the county has 32 vaccine clinics scheduled, 17 providing initial doses and 15 providing second doses. Meanwhile, the county is seeking volunteers to help staff clinics. Volunteers will assist with set up, take down, registration, screening, vaccination, traffic control, translation, medical observation and overall management. Anyone 16 years of age or older can volunteer. Complete the “Medical Points of Dispensing” course at http://yolopodclasses.org. Upon completion, individuals will be given the option to submit a volunteer application to the county. For questions, email volunteer.coordinator@ yolocounty.org.
Continued from Page 1 with finding people that have specific technical expertise. Baker, she said, answered that need for Winters when it came to housing, and was instrumental in guiding city staff in finding funds for many ongoing and finished projects. Aguiar-Curry added that she still taps into Baker’s expertise to help with housing legislation. Currently, she said, she’s working on legislation with Baker to provide emergency state funding for people living in fire-ravaged areas. “She’s always looking for opportunities. No one can tell her no,” Aguiar-Curry said. “Some people say that’s her detriment but that’s okay. I want to work with somebody that looks for opportunities, who’s optimistic about where the world’s going to go.”
Joe Trotter
Financial Advisor #7 East Main Street, Suite E Winters, CA 95694 530-795-3929
Rachel Woods
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Continued from Page 1 civil office. The application, which is available on the school district’s website, includes questions about prior experience on governing boards; whether the applicant has children attending or graduated from the Winters schools; and wheth-
GRANTS Continued from Page 2 student learning, and build stronger relationships between home and school. Interpreters can help the school sites connect the efforts and help direct families to school district, school site and other community resources. The Yolo County Library Foundation received a $3,000 grant. In addition, to matching funds from Yolo County Library Foundation, the Yolo County Library will provide all parents, caregivers and children who have library cards with 24/7 access to Tumblebooks, an online tool they can access from their phones, tablets and computers at home. The digital content is age appropriate, interactive, entertaining, bilingual and educational. TumbleBooks are created by taking existing picture books, adding animation, sound, music, and narration to produce an electronic picture book which children can read, or have read to them. Each story comes with puzzles and games geared to ensure reading comprehension. Yolo County Library staff will provide early literacy training for parents and caregivers. The Yolo Crisis Nursery received an $8,350 grant to provide distance learn-
er they’ve served on school committees. Feb. 12, 60 days after Warren resigned from the board, is the statutory deadline for the board to fill the vacancy by provisional appointment. Superintendent Diana Jiménez said during the meeting that the district may need to consult with legal experts if nobody applies by then. ing supports to the children they serve. The grant funding will provide workspace improvements like child-sized tables and chairs; learning materials; and technology suppports like noise canceling headphones with a microphone. It will also help to fund critical support for staffing to provide distance learning assistance to high-risk families. “This grant will directly impact children who are among the most vulnerable to the short- and long-term consequences of falling behind in school during distance learning,” YCF said in a media release. The Davis Arts Center and RISE, Inc. are partnering to bring new programming to youth in rural Yolo County with funding from a $9,500 grant. “Our team is going to receive training from Davis Arts which will increase our capacity and the quality of services that we can provide to our youth,” said Dr. Tico Zendejas, RISE, Inc. Executive Director. In addition to training, the grant will also fund art supplies and projects tailored to the children’s interests-providing enrichment to their after school program. Other grant recipients include Science & Technology Academy at Knights Landing ($9,055), and Shores of Hope ($9,500).
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“I feel that project may have died if it wasn’t for her input and ability to help us get it across the finish line.” Wade Cowan, Mayor Cowan said Baker has long been an active member of the Winters community, volunteering at events such as Youth Day and Earthquake Festival. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in a booth pouring beers and she’s right there with us,” Cowan said. “She’s just that kind of person that would always be there to volunteer. ” Cowan also praised Baker’s housing work. He said she was instrumental in moving the city across the finish line when it came to the Blue Mountain Terrace Apartments, which is currently under construction and will represent 63 units of affordable housing
for seniors. “I feel that project may have died if it wasn’t for her input and ability to help us get it across the finish line,” Cowan said. Cowan added that Winters is fortunate to have Baker, and he hopes she sticks around. “When she took over Yolo housing, it was in the toilet. It was in the red,” Cowan said. “They had a lot of problems financially and everything, and when she left they had money in the bank, they had I don’t know how many more units than they had when she took over. She just really, she made it a model for the state and the country.”
A6 — Winters Express, Wednesday, January 13, 2021
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Drinking the political Kool-Aid
Why City Council chose VCE
Sides and sangria save the day
Opinion, Page 2
Opinion, Page 3
Food & Wine, Page 6
Crisp, Sebastian reflect on Hall of Fame recognition time of dedication. “Bottom line is, it’s not Express staff writer what you get, it’s what The Winters Joint you give. When you Unified School District give, you do get somerecognized four comthing in return, but munity members to be that’s not the sole reainducted in the Class of son of it. To see people 2020 Hall of Fame last and players grow and March. The coronovirus improve, it’s a great pandemic shut down feeling.” the celebration. The ExMeanwhile, in the press will be recognizing service category, Mike the four inductees in a Sebastian’s resume of two-part series. service includes beExpress file photo Courtesy photo ing the Youth Day and om Crisp and Winters Swim Team Mike Sebastian Tom Crisp Mike Sebastian announcer since 1979, were inducted 2020 WJUSD Hall of Fame 2020 WJUSD Hall of Fame the Youth Day Parade into the Winters Joint chairman, the Winters Unified School DisFame,” Crisp said about what trict Hall of Fame. Now, after the induction means to him. Fire Department Fireman and decades of service, they reflect “Just to be recognized for the EMT of the year in 1982, Cition the hard work and dedica- years of service and things I’ve zen of the Year in 1997, the city tion that earned them this done for the district, it’s nice to treasurer since 2006, Winters Rotary Club member since prestigious honor. be appreciated.” “The Winters JUSD Hall Of For Crisp, the years and ef- 2005, the Chamber of ComFame was started by Superin- fort dedicated to WHS was merce Executive Director and tendent, Dr. Cutler,” said cur- more than a job, but a family been a central part of a myrirent Superintendent, Diana matter. ad of local Christmas celebraJiménez. “Its purpose is to rec“WHS is my family. I have tions over the last 30 years. ognize Winters School District “It’s an extreme honor. I’ve family in the Bay, but I don’t graduates, former employees, done a lot in the community have a wife or kids, so I figured and major contributors who and received a lot of awards, all the kids at WHS are my famhave distinguished themselves but this one takes the cake,” by individual contributions in ily and it’s been an interesting Sebastian talked about what scholarship, athletics, student ride,” Crisp said about his life- this induction means to him. activities, career, community “It’s a great feeling that the service, and/or the school comschool district is honoring me munity as a whole.” for giving back to the commuAfter 37 years teaching — nity. I was speechless when and 45 coaching — at Winters Todd Cutler told me what was High School, the employee going on.” category inductee can be Sebastian’s voice also none other than Tom Crisp. echoes clearly through the He taught math, psychology history of WHS athletics as the for two years, was WHS’s athannouncer of countless games letic director for almost a de— including Crisp’s — in his cade, coached junior varsity decades of commentary. baseball, track, boys and girls “Announcing was fun and varsity and junior varsity bassomething to do. The crowd ketball and has over 800 baswas pumped up, the electricity ketball games coached on his and the atmosphere in the gym record. were great, so I kept doing it,” “I feel honored to be included in the Winters JUSD Hall of Tom Crisp See FAME, Page 4
By Aaron Geerts
48 Main St, Winters, CA 95694 (530) 795-4501
Thursdays Eat Well Yolo Food Distribution, first and third Thursdays, 10-11 a.m., RISE, Inc., 200 Baker Street Winters JUSD Food Distribution (Youth 18 and under), 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Waggoner Elementary School Yolo County Housing Authority Food Distribution, third Thursday, 11 a.m.-Noon, 62 Shams Way Tuesdays Winters JUSD Food Distribution (Youth 18 and under), 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Waggoner Elementary School Tuesday, January 19 Winters City Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Council Chambers/Zoom Meeting info, check www.cityofwinters.org/city-council-meetings_/ Wednesdays Eat Well Yolo Food Distribution, Wednesdays, 4 p.m.-as supplies last, Winters High student parking lot, off Railroad Avenue. Thursday, January 21 Winters JUSD School Board Meeting, 6 p.m., School District Office/Zoom Meeting info, check https://bit.ly/ WintersJUSDBoardAgendaCommunitySite
T
“Bottom line is, it’s not what you get, it’s what you give. When you give, you do get something in return, but that’s not the sole reason of it. To see people and players grow and improve, it’s a great feeling.”
Search on for first bumble bee of year in Yolo, Solano counties By Kathy Keatley Garvey Special to the Express Be on the lookout for the first bumble bee of the year in Yolo and Solano counties. In memory of native pollinator specialist Robbin Thorp (19332019), UC Davis distinguished emeritus professor of entomology, the Bohart Museum of Entomology is sponsoring the inaugural Robbin Thorp Memorial First-Bumble-Bee-of-the-Year Contest. Professor Thorp, 85, who died June 7, 2019, was a global authority on bumble bees, and always looked forward to seeing the first bumble bee of the year. He launched an impromptu contest several years ago with a small group of bumble bee enthusiasts/ photographers from Yolo and Solano counties. Now the Bohart Museum, where Thorp spent much of his time identifying bees and helping others, is sponsoring the contest. Participants are to capture an image of a bumble bee in the wild in either Yolo or Solano counties and email the image to bmuseum@ucdavis. edu, with the details of time, date and place. The image must be recognizable as a bumble bee. The winner receives bragging rights and a special gift from the Bohart Museum, said Lynn Kimsey, director of the Bohart and UC Davis professor of entomology. Plans call for a Bohart coffee mug
The late Robbin Thorp, distinguished emeritus professor of entomology. The Bohart Museum of Entomology is sponsoring a two-county contest in his memory to find the first bumble bee of the year in Solano and Yolo counties. Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey/Courtesy image
His support and kindness was matched by his undemanding assistance and expertise. What a terrible loss to his family and to the research and conservation communities.” Lynn Kimsey, Bohart Museum director with a bumble bee image. The first bumble bee to emerge in this area is the black-tailed bumble bee, Bombus melanopygus. Native to western North America and found from California to British Columbia and as far east as Idaho, it forages on manzanitas, wild lilacs, wild
buckwheats, lupines, penstemons, clovers, and sages, among others. Thorp, a 30-year member of the UC Davis entomology faculty, from 19641994, co-authored two books, Bumble Bees of North America: An Identification Guide (Princeton University, 2014) and California Bees and Blooms: A Guide for Gardeners and Naturalists (Heyday, 2014). He achieved emeritus status in 1994 but continued to engage in research, teaching and public service until a few weeks before his death. A tireless advocate of pollinator species protection and conservation, he was known for his expertise, dedication and passion in protecting native pollinators, especially bumble bees, and for his teaching, research and public service. He was an authority on pollination ecology, ecology and
systematics of honey bees, bumble bees, vernal pool bees, conservation of bees, native bees and crop pollination, and bees of urban gardens and agricultural landscapes. Thorp co-taught The Bee Course from 2002 to 2019, an intensive nine-day workshop affiliated with the American Museum of Natural History and held annually at the Southwestern Research Station, Portal, Ariz. Kimsey, who first met Thorp when she was a graduate student at UC Davis, said that although he wasn’t her major professor, “my project was on bees and he was incredibly helpful and supportive. His enthusiasm about pollinators and bees in particular actually grew after he retired, and he continued helping students and researchers and was the backbone of so
See BEE, Page 4
B2 — Winters Express, Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Express Yourself Letters
Happy 100th Birthday Accepting responsibility to community
Courtesy photo
Mary J. Vaughan just celebrated her 100th birthday. Winters resident Mary Jean Vaughan, known as Jean or Jeanie to her family and friends, celebrated her 100th birthday anniversary on Monday. Vaughan, who lived in Winters as a child in the late 1920s and early 1930s, returned after 25 years as a U.S. Navy wife in the early 1960s, when her husband, Angus Vaughan, retired from military service. All four of their children graduated from Winters High School. In her younger years, Vaughan was an original member of the Winters Theatre Company and co-starred in numerous shows. She continues to live in her Main Street home and enjoys forays into downtown for shopping and seeing old and new friends.
In Tears Gramps Says I’m speechless.
Sophie Says When Gramps drafted the column of Sophie Says which was published on Jan. 6, he could not have foreseen the horrors of what occurred within the walls of the National Capitol on that same day. Grams was in tears most of that day. The Jan. 6 column compared the drama in the White House to a soap opera and the anticipation of a climax in the final episode. Gramps is concerned that the lighthearted tone of the Jan. 6 column could be seen as trivializing the seditious attack on the Capitol. Nothing could be further from the truth. How could anyone have possibly anticipated how far a lead-
er and his enablers would go to incite rebellion to impede Congressional certification of the election results? Gramps is equally troubled by his feelings toward many of his friends, acquaintances and extended family who continue to support the sitting president. It hurts. My advice to Gramps is to do some self-searching. He knows that his friends do not condone the actions of mobs. Animosity is indicative of what is dividing our country today. Feelings of ill will are not healthy to body nor mind and more ever, when there is discontent in the home I do not get as many friendly pats on the head and scratches behind the ears.
Express columnist Richard Casavecchia says “No one is responsible for your own health but you.” (Express, Dec. 31, 2020). He suggests we have no right to expect anyone else to help protect us from COVID-19, saying “if you are at risk, stay home.” And he claims that some people are cheering the closure of businesses. I share his dismay that the continued partial lockdown of so many businesses is a growing disaster for Winters, and for our friends who own or work at these businesses. But I have never heard anyone cheer the closing of a local business. And he should not dismiss the importance of our
shared responsibility during this pandemic. Some of us with medical issues do rely on other responsible people to avoid spreading the disease to us. And even people in near perfect health rightly expect others will not negligently spread the virus. Mr. Casavecchia, I assume you do not drive 100 mph on the freeway. You do not pour gasoline or paint thinner into our City water supply. And you do not shoot bullets blindly up into the air. And why don’t you do these things? Because we all have an obligation to drive safely to protect others on the road, and a responsibility to protect our water supply for those who drink the water, and a duty to
protect everyone from randomly fired bullets. Wearing a mask, staying six feet apart, and avoiding large gatherings are simple statements that indicate we recognize our obligation to protect our community from COVID-19, which we may be carrying even though we have no symptoms. I believe we would have defeated this pandemic by now, if from June through November, everyone had worn masks, stayed six feet apart, and refused to participate in large group activities. But we now face a growing threat from COVID-19, because too many people did not accept their responsibility to the community. Richard Kleeberg
Drinking the political Kool-Aid
Y
oung people may not know where that saying comes from, but most of us remember cult leader Jim Jones and his Peoples Temple. Jones started in Indiana but moved his “church” to Guyana where he orchestrated a mass murder/suicide of almost all of his followers. Jones ordered that his members drink cyanide-laced juice, which people quickly called Kool-Aid. Nine hundred eighteen people died that day in 1978, some murdered or forced to drink the cyanide while others followed his command to drink. U.S. Representative Leo Ryan was investigating the cult in Guyana and was murdered, along with four others, trying to board their plane. The term “drink the Kool-Aid” is now used when anyone blindly follows without thinking for themselves. Almost all of us have been guilty at some point in our lives of blindly following but at some point realize that we need to think for ourselves and make better decisions. Both political parties have fringe members that drink the Kool-Aid. There are those on the left that believe that no one should be allowed to use fossil fuels like gasoline to power your vehicles or natural gas to heat your home. They think the government knows what
PISANI’S ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Kellen Foged
Almost all of us have been guilty at some point in our lives of blindly following but at some point realize that we need to think for ourselves and make better decisions. is best for us. Some on the right fringe think that everyone should be able to own an automatic machine gun or a bazooka. They want no government oversight of anything. Most of us are in the middle and have been encouraged to choose sides every four years. It usually goes smoothly and a new president is elected and his administration takes over for the next four years. Not this year. We have a president, Donald Trump, who refused to admit that he lost. He lied about the election being stolen and convinced his followers that he really won and that government officials are keeping him from serving another term. It didn’t matter that there is no factual evidence that county registers of voters, around the country, didn’t count all the
ballots. He lost at least 50 court cases where the judges, both Republican and Democrat, asked to see proof that votes weren’t counted or that non-citizens and dead people voted in huge numbers. The Supreme Court refused to get involved. In Georgia and other close states, there were recounts, some by hand and others by machine, that showed that the original vote tally was correct. None of the recounts changed the outcome in those states. As long as Trump kept saying that the count was fake and that the election was stolen, his followers kept believing him. A lot of them still do.
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he United States has a real problem when a large segment of the population doesn’t trust our election process and keeps drinking the Kool-Aid. Trump told them that the only way to stop the election was to storm the Capital, and they did. Surprise, Surprise. Trump has been talking about the election being stolen even before the November election. He also had the Jan. 6 date circled on his calendar. There will be inquiries and committees formed to try and figure out what went wrong with security at the Capitol, but someone made the
Kellen Foged, a Shirley Rominger Intermediate School student, is the Pisani’s Athlete of the Week. Foged competed with Vacaville Bulldogs 10U competitive team. At a tournament he hit his first out of park home run, helping his team win their championship game. Foged also pitches and plays first and third base. He also trains with Elvis Eltagonde at ACGI Fitness twice a week to improve his strength and flexibility.
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decision not to fire on the rioters. They shot and killed one woman, but were ordered not to use lethal force. It didn’t turn out well for murdered Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick. I can’t imagine what the other officers are thinking about any who allowed the “protesters” into the Capitol and through the Senate doors, one posing for selfies. Police officers did manage to hold the attempted coup members out of the House of Representatives, good for them. Those in charge of security are already resigning and I hope all those that stood by will be disciplined, also. At the end of the siege only 20 people were arrested, the rest allowed to walk out of the building like their tour was over. No one knows what was on the computers and files that were stolen, or what national secrets are now in the hands of the insurrectionists. There were plenty of cameras at the Capitol and for those that entered the building, they should be looking for an attorney, because they are going to jail. What will happen to President Trump? In a little over a week, he will be playing golf in Florida, repeating lies about his involvement in this attempted coup. He has never admitted that he was wrong, ever, and will never apologized for his behavior. Not like his followers who cover for him with excuses or silence. The question I ask: Are we citizens of the United States of America or are we Democrats and Republicans? I choose to be an American Citizen first and always, but maybe I’m just
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Winters Express, Wednesday, January 13, 2021 — B3
Express Yourself
Sho Local
Why City Council chose Valley Clean Energy
Winters
By Wade Cowan and Jesse Loren Special to the Express
A
fter a few years of looking into it, Winters recently joined more than 10 million Californians in taking control of where our electricity comes from. Our local program Valley Clean Energy, also known as VCE, serves most of Yolo County. It’s one of 23 similar agencies from Placer County to San Diego, and even El Dorado County just voted to join. Whether you heard the news from the City Council, at the Carnitas Festival last year, or your neighbor, we want to make sure you understand why we are excited about the change for you and for the Winters community. If we don’t answer your question here, reach out to Valley Clean Energy’s customer care team at the number below.
What is Valley Clean Energy (VCE)? Valley Clean Energy is the official not-for-profit electricity provider for Winters, Woodland, Davis, and unincorporated Yolo County. VCE began serving customers in June 2018 and is governed by a Board of Directors made up of elected officials from member communities. VCE is a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program, and provides electricity that matches PG&E’s rates, but with more renewable energy. VCE customers are still PG&E customers for transmission and delivery of electricity, and PG&E continues to maintain the poles and wires and send customers their bill. Unfortunately, VCE has no effect on PG&E’s Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events because they take place on the PG&E side. However, if VCE could acquire the distribution infrastructure (something we have looked into), we could directly address the reliability issues our customers face.
Why did Winters vote to join VCE? Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) has been very popular in California because people like having choice in decisions that affect their community, like what type of power they buy. CCAs typically reinvest in local communities and more renewables allow cities and counties to meet their electricity-related climate action goals. Customers can relay feedback about VCE’s
Guest Column service directly to their elected officials (who are accountable to them), and they can attend a meeting of VCE’s Board of Directors, engaging directly with decisions about their electricity supply. This level of engagement simply isn’t possible with utilities that answer to shareholders. Winters held several city council meetings in 2018 and 2019 to analyze the program. After determining that the change was low-risk, the City Council voted unanimously to join Valley Clean Energy. We’ve been serving on the Board of Directors for over a year, voting on important issues such as VCE’s long-term strategic plan, development of local renewable power projects (one is just outside of Winters), and bringing more electric vehicle chargers to downtown, even before a single Winters customer was enrolled.
Why was I automatically enrolled in VCE?
the “generation credit� item on the PG&E side of your bill, compared to VCE’s charges. So why is the total the same, instead of VCE being cheaper? There are extra fees added. The California Public Utilities Commission allows PG&E to charge a fee to compensate the utility for older, higher-cost contracts. This fee, called the Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (or PCIA) makes PG&E whole, ensuring that customers not able to join a CCA do not bear these “stranded costs� for the older contracts. VCE works hard to keep costs extremely low so that even when this fee is added, customers pay the same as they would with PG&E. The PCIA fee should theoretically decrease and come off customer bills as these old PG&E contracts expire but the fee has actually increased over 800 percent in PG&E territory since 2013. VCE and other CCAs have been fighting for our customers and all California ratepayers to gain full transparency in how this fee is calculated, when it will end, and for ways to reduce its cost. Until then, VCE will continue to work hard to make sure our rates are competitive.
The reasoning behind automatic enrollment is one of the most common questions VCE gets. Because of the way the legislation was set up in 2002 (AB 117 — http://cal.network/3qc7L6w) CCAs are “opt-out� programs by law. This means that once a community joins a CCA, and that membership is approved by the California Public Utilities Commission, all electric accounts are automatically transitioned unless the customer chooses to opt out. One of the key motivations behind the legislation was the energy deregulation of the late 1990s and early 2000s that led to rolling power brownouts, along with some companies like ENRON unscrupulously manipulating markets and overcharging customers for electricity. CCA was envisioned as a way to prevent similar abuses of energy markets — by returning control of the electric supply to a community’s citizens and businesses.
Sometimes Community Choice Aggregation is referred to as the “greatest change you’ll never notice,� because not much changes on the customer side. CCAs operate much like other electricity providers, but CCAs prioritize local renewables development. In fact, the over 10 million customers served by CCAs in California have caused an increase in over 6,000 MW of new clean energy contracts in the past 10 years. So CCA customers are making a statewide impact by doing one simple thing: remaining a CCA customer. Plus, if customers don’t think VCE is providing value, they can exercise their choice to opt out (http:// cal.network/3oHR9TG) and remain with PG&E.
Does VCE cost more?
VCE contact information
No. VCE matches PG&E’s rates on the total bill, so customers don’t pay any more. On your bill, you’ll see that VCE’s rates are quite a bit lower than PG&E’s — by as much as 28 percent. You can tell what PG&E would have charged you from
For more information about VCE or the Winters enrollment process, visit http://www. valleycleanenergy.org/, call 855-699-8232 Monday-Friday 7 a.m.–7 p.m. (English or Spanish), or use the chat function on the VCE website.
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calm. The grid needs other sources of power to supplement supply when demand is high. These realities were contributing factors to the rolling blackouts last summer. The lack of adequate power supply to meet evening peak demand on hot summer days resulted in rationing of power. The sun was down, the wind was calm. A friend of mine works at California Independent System Operators (Cal ISO), they manage the power grid. I called him to learn more about the grid’s mix and ask about the power outages last year. In October 2020, a “Preliminary Root Cause Analysis� of the rotating outages was prepared by Cal ISO, the California Public Utilities Commission, and the California Energy Commission. There were three contributing findings summarized below:
• Demand for electricity exceeded the existing electricity resource planning targets. • In transitioning to a reliable, clean and affordable resource mix, resource planning targets have not kept pace to lead to sufficient resources that can be relied upon to meet demand in the early evening hours. This makes balancing demand and supply more challenging. • Some practices in the day-ahead energy market exacerbated the supply challenges under highly stressed conditions. VCE’s basic mix is 21 percent solar, 23 percent wind, 31 percent large hydroelectric, and 23 percent unspecified (which could be anything from solar to coal). PG&E’s basic mix is 12 percent solar, 9 percent wind, 27 percent large hydroelectric, and 44 percent nuclear. The remaining
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percentages for both come from a small mix of biomass and geothermal. As you can see VCE purchases power in greater amounts than PG&E from wind and solar sources, both of which contributed to the rolling blackouts after sundown last August, due to their natural inefficiencies. The elephant in the room is nuclear power. PG&E’s largest source is nuclear power, and for good reason. Nuclear power is reliable, non-polluting, can produce around the clock, and has relatively fixed operating and maintenance costs. A mature paid off nuclear plant is extremely price competitive compared to alternatives before subsidies. Obviously nuclear is not without its risks. Chernobyl is by far the most dramatic example of a nuclear power plant disaster, and I feel it colors public perception of nuclear power plants (the HBO special is excellent by the way, I highly recommend it). However, the accident rate of nuclear plants is
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VCE — Not great, not terrible laborating on why I do not think Valley Clean Energy (VCE) is a good option, detail matters. I think it is important to look at the differences between the power mix of VCE and PG&E. The primary functional difference between the two power generation options we have is their mix of generation sources and VCE’s mix is far less reliable. VCE’s website says they do not believe there is a downside to using them; this is true as long as they only take a one-dimensional view of their impact: “Green is good.� Our electricity grid functions best when we have an appropriately diverse collection of mutually supporting power sources that compliment the weaknesses of each other. VCE, however, seems to be focusing on a few power sources that are the darling of environmentalists rather than clean reliable diversity. Solar doesn’t work when the sun is down, hydro doesn’t work when the water isn’t flowing, wind doesn’t work when the air is
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B4 — Winters Express, Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Express Yourself VCE
Here’s hoping
Continued from Page 3 far lower than other power sources. Nuclear plants are also extremely efficient and reliable. VCE’s mission statement is “... to provide clean electricity, product choice, and greenhouse gas emission reductions — all with local control at competitive prices.” Trying to compare how “green” VCE is versus PG&E is a patchwork of marketing terms all calculated to leave the impression that both are environmentally friendly. PG&E is 100 percent greenhouse gas free, while VCE is 45 percent renewable and 75 percent carbon free. Both statements can be true without allowing us to compare apples to apples. So, which is cleaner? Which is better? Personally, I’m not sure how much cleaner you can get than 100 percent greenhouse gas-free without splitting hairs. But that 23 percent of VCE’s purchased power that comes from unspecified sources makes me question how green they are … some of that power could be sourced from coal or other dirty power sources, I can’t say for sure. If I were on the VCE board, I would be pushing for replacing that unspecified 23 percent with purchases of sustainable nuclear power. The big picture of adding even more solar and wind power to the grid is a net reduction in overall reliability when heat events like last summer occur. The best thing VCE can do for us is getting into transmission and distribution and become more like SMUD. Absent that, purchasing power from more reliable sources of clean energy that complement the current mix on the grid rather than compounding existing weaknesses should be their focus. Until they do, I will remain a PG&E customer.
By Daniel Williams Express Cartoonist
Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey/Courtesy image
A black-tailed bumblebee perches on a rose in Benicia last winter.
BEE Continued from Page 1 much research. His support and kindness was matched by his undemanding assistance and expertise. What a terrible loss to his family and to the research and conservation communities.” An authority on the critically imperiled Franklin’s bumble bee, Bombus franklini, Thorp began monitoring the bumble bee population in 1998 in its narrow distribution range of southern Oregon and northern California. He had not seen it since 2006 and was instrumental in placing Franklin’s bumble bee on the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FILED YOLO SUPERIOR COURT December 02, 2020 By A. Cleveland Superior Court of California, County of Yolo 1000 Main Street Woodland, CA 95695 Petition of Angela Linda Shelly Richards for change of name ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case Number: CV2020-1616 To all interested persons: Petitioner: Angela Linda Shelly Richards filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name Angela Linda Shelly Richards to Proposed name Angela Alyssa Linda Shelly Richards
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THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: January 21, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. Dept. 10 The address of the court is Yolo Superior Court Clerks Office - Civil 1000 Main Street, Woodland, CA 95695 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Winters Express. Date: December 2, 2020 Samuel T. McAdam Judge of the Superior Court Published December 23, 30, 2020, January 6, 13, 2021
for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Long active in the North America IUCN Bumblebee Specialist Group, Thorp served as its regional co-chair, beginning in 2011. In August of 2016 a documentary crew from CNN, headed by John Sutter, followed Thorp to a meadow where he last saw Franklin’s bumble bee. Sutter wrote about Dr. Thorp, then 82, in a piece he titled “The Old Man and the Bee,” a spinoff of Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea.” Highly honored by his peers, Thorp was named a fellow of the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco in 1986; recipient of the Edward A. Dickson Emeriti Professorship of UC Davis in 2010; and recipient
FAME Continued from Page 1 he said. Sebastian also mentioned his overall happiness in putting a voice to so many of Winters’ events. “The satisfaction of the community, seeing kids’ faces light up during the parade, it’s a great feeling to make people happy and that’s what I do. I try to make people happy.” Undoubtedly, Winters has been blessed with such selfless individuals dedicated to the community. It’s people like Crisp and Sebastian that give this town its character, and with any luck, those they’ve impacted over the years will be inspired to perpet-
of the UC Davis Distinguished Emeritus Award in 2015. Other honors included: member of the UC Davis Bee Team that won the Team Award from the Pacific Branch, Entomological Society of America (PBESA) in 2013. In addition, he was a past president (2010-2011) of the Davis Botanical Society, and former chair (1992-2011) of the Advisory Committee for the Jepson Prairie Reserve, UC Davis/ Natural Reserve System. UC Davis professor and pollination ecologist Neal Williams, who organized a special symposium in Thorp’s honor at the 2019 PBESA meeting in San Diego, praised his “tireless efforts in research, advocacy and education” and how he “inspired a new generation of bee researchers.”
“The satisfaction of the community, seeing kids’ faces light up during the parade, it’s a great feeling to make people happy and that’s what I do. I try to make people happy.” Mike Sebastian uate this trend of service and dedication to the town they’re a part of.
Winters Express, Wednesday, January 13, 2021 — B5
Key data from November Calif. home sales report Calif. Assoc. of Realtors Press Release • Existing, single-family home sales totaled 508,820 in November on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate, up 5.0 percent from October and up 26.3 percent from November 2019. • November’s statewide median home price was $699,000 down 1.7 percent from October and up 18.5 percent from November 2019. • Year-to-date statewide home sales were up 1.3 percent in November. • At the regional level, sales contin-
ued to increase by double-digits in most major regions in November, at a yearover-year growth rate of more than 18 percent in all but the Far North. The San Francisco Bay Area had the highest gain of 34.4 percent over last year, followed by the Central Coast (33.4 percent), Southern California (19.1 percent) and the Central Valley (18.3 percent). • With homebuying interest remaining high, sales in resort communities continued to exhibit robust gain from the prior year. Mammoth Lakes had the biggest in-
crease in November, with sales surging 400 percent from November 2019, followed by South Lake Tahoe (81.4 percent), Big Bear (73.9 percent), and Lake Arrowhead (58.1 percent). • At the regional level, all major regions posted an increase in the median price from a year ago by more than 10 percent. • All but one of the 51 counties CAR tracks reported a year-overyear price gain, with 37 of them increasing
by 10 percent or more. • Price growth in many of the resort communities continued to outpace the rest of California. • With a resurgence in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks and the market entering the traditional holiday season, active listings declined from the prior month as expected, contributing to a substantial decline in inventory. Active listings fell 46.6 percent from last year and con-
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RECIPIENT OF THE YOLO COUNTY BOARD OF REALTORS 2012, 13, 14, 15, 16 & 2017 MASTERS CLUB AWARD GREAT STARTER HOME. 3 bed, 2 bath. Walking distance to downtown. Large yard. Offered at $399,900. A PIECE OF COUNTRY PARADISE. 0.49 acres with lots of fruit trees. Small cottage NOT habitable. Contractor’s delight. Offered at $299,000. 1 ACRE PARCEL IN SOLANO COUNTY. Just outside of Vacaville. Offered at $139,000. 3.87 ACRES ZONED RESIDENTIAL IN VACAVILLE. Build your dream home, or explore the possibilities of creating multiple parcels. Offered at $649,000. 27.81 ACRES. ORGANIC WALNUTS, ALONG WITH MANY FRUIT TREES which include: apricots, cherries, peaches, plums. Property borders Putah Creek. Great home site. $1,050,000. IN WOODLAND. 3 bed, 1 bath, 1100 sq. ft. Offered at $344,900. IN ELMIRA. 2 bed, 2 bath. $249,000. IMMACULATE CUSTOM SINGLE STORY home in Spring lake (Woodland). 4 bed, 3 bath, 2700 sq. ft. Awesome corner lot! Move right in! Offered at $637,500. 70 ACRES, 52 OF WHICH ARE INCOME PRODUCING WALNUTS. SOLID SET SPRINKLER SYSTEM. Located between Winters and Vacaville on Winters road. Offered at $1,579,000. BEAUTIFUL CORNER LOT! 3-4 bedroom 2 bath home. Low maintenance backyard, with (OH YES built in pool and jacuzzi. Contemporary home built in 2016. Offered at $583,000.
PENDING PENDING SOLD SOLD SOLD
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8605 Olive School Road, Winters $857,500 Beautiful 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath custom home on 5 acres. Panoramic views, barn, paved driveway, fenced garden & pasture. There are many upgrades to this home & the garden is fabulous!
SOLD
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Spectacular, breathtaking, million dollar views for your Dream Home. 60’x70’ horse barn with 10 Stable, 4 12’x24’ standalone stalls, 2 100’x200’ horse stables, 85’x150’ sand arena, fenced pastures, 30’x40’ shop/plane hangar, all with water and electrical.
44761 Garden Court, El Macero, D Davis • $755,000
SOL
3 beds, 2 baths, 1,633 sq. ft.
822 W Main Street, L Winters D • $631,496
SO
4 beds, 3 baths, 2,778 sq. ft.
203 E. Main Street, Winters D • $469,000
SOL
3 beds, 2 baths, 2-car garage, 1,240 sq. ft.
32+ Acres • $1,050,000
SOLD
4 beds, 3 baths, 2-car garage, 2,526 sq. ft. Over 25 acres fenced-in pasture, 40'x60' shop, 40'x60' hay barn and rental at $1,200/mo all on property.
44498 N. El Macero Drive, El DMacero • $1,025,000
SOL
4 beds, 3 baths, 2-car garage , 2,397 sq. ft.
708 Ivy Court, Winters D • $544,000
SOL
17801 County Road 85, D Esparto • $970,000
SOL
3 beds, 3 baths, 2-car garage, 2,885 sq. ft.
114 Almond Drive, Winters • $469,500
SOLD
3 beds, 2 baths, 1,673 sq. ft.
451 Abbey Street, Winters • $395,000
SOLD
3 beds, 2 baths, 1,357 sq. ft.
205 Baker Street, Winters • $350,000
SOLD
2 beds with bonus room, 1 bath, 1,500 sq. ft.
1340 Parkgreen Drive, Dixon • $615,000
SOLD
4 beds, 3 baths, 2-car garage, 2,667 sq. ft.
5516 Weber Road, Vacaville • $580,000
SOLD
3 beds, 4 baths, 2-car garage, 1,782 sq. ft. on 1.4 acres.
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INTERESTED IN SELLING? RARE FIND IN WINTERS. 22 ac of Chandler Walnuts, solid-set sprinkler system, roomy 2800 sq. ft., 3 bed, 2 bath home needs some updating, partial basement used for storage. 1 bed, 1 bath with kitchen cottage also needs some updating used for storage. Huge 60x60 barn, separate 28x45 shop with roll up doors, and 30x30 carport, Ag well and domestic well. Call for details!
Sandy’s Corner on the Market!
NAPA COUNTY. Are you looking for a remote, yet close to home wilderness property? Located high above Vacaville on Blue Ridge in the Vaca Mountains, is this amazing recreation/hunting ranch with tons of hiking trails. The ranch boasts several parcels which can be possibly purchased separately or as one large parcel. The land is rugged enough to provide habitat for trophy black tail deer, wild pigs, bear, Mountain Lion, bobcats, fox, quail, and occasionally Wild Band tail Pigeon The ranch features access road thru a private access behind a locked gate. This property is perfect as a private recreational and hunting paradise for family and guests beautiful views over looking Lake Curry. Parcels included in 727.10 ac. 032-210018,033-210-008, 033-030-008, 033-200-020, 032-210-010 Call for details.
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percent in November. • The median number of days it took to sell a California single-family home was 9 days in November, down from 25 in November 2019. The November 2020 figure was the lowest ever recorded. • The statewide average price per square foot for an existing single-family home was $332 in November 2020 and $288 in November 2019. The November 2020 figure was the highest since August 2007.
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tinued to drop more than 40 percent on a year-over-year basis for the sixth straight month. The Unsold Inventory Index (UII) fell sharply from 3.1 months in November 2019 to 1.9 months this November. • Except for the Bay Area, all major regions experienced a year-over-year decline in active listings of 40 percent or more in November. The Central Valley had the biggest yearover-year drop of 53.3
NEW DEVELOPMENT: Cottages In Winters
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SOLANO COUNTY. Are you looking for a remote, yet close to home wilderness property? Located high above Vacaville on Blue Ridge in the Vaca Mountains, is this amazing recreation/hunting ranch with tons of hiking trails. The ranch boasts several parcels which can possibly be purchased separately or as one large parcel. The land is rugged enough to provide habitat for trophy black tail deer, wild pigs, bear, Mountain Lion, bobcats, fox, quail, and occasionally Wild Band tail Pigeon The ranch features access road thru a private access behind a locked gate. This property is perfect as a private recreational and hunting paradise for family and guests. Parcels included in 1040 ac. 0102-050-030, 0102-050-010, 0102040-050, 0102-040-040, 0102-040-070, 0102-010-050. OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS IN NORTH VACAVILLE! 6 approved lots with separate APN numbers. Final map approved project is ready to move forward. Lots located in area of million-dollar(+) homes. Seller owns 31 water rights. Call today for more details! Priced at $1,199,999.
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HAVE BUYERS LOOKING TO BUY IN WINTERS. GIVE ME A CALL IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SELLING!
B6 — Winters Express, Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Side dishes and sangria save the day By Crystal Apilado Editor in Chief
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hat’s for dinner? It is one of the most asked questions in households. There are even memes about it, and multiple social media posts asking for dinner tips and inspiration ideas of what to cook for dinner are posted daily. We try to plan as much as possible in my home ahead of time when it comes to “what’s for dinner.” Between cooking for six to eight people (depending on if my adult children are joining us) and making sure we have vegetarian options available; I strive to be prepared and ready to roll out a meal in the kitchen. But even with the best made plans, intentional shopping trips and pre-made meal efforts, things happen. Work days run long. It’s a manic Monday. I didn’t sleep well and the coffee just didn’t do the trick. Sometimes my husband and I find ourselves overwhelmed with the thought of making dinner by the time 4 p.m. arrives. One of the things I have discovered is that ordering side dishes from a local restaurant can really save the day. Sometimes (most of the time) it’s not in my wallet’s best interest to order to-go meals for all of six to eight of us. However, ordering sides takes a load off of cooking dinner and feeding all these folks a lot easier. Just last week we ran into a situation where we had planned ahead on making tacos. However, we had completely forgotten to plan for side dishes. I didn’t have time to make a pot of slow cooked beans, and we hadn’t prepared any vegetables outside of the tomatoes in the pico de gallo. Ficelle saved my day. We ordered sides of beans and since I was going there I also ordered a bottle of their Sangria and a side of Ajo garlic spread. The glass of Sangria really was a silver lining on my Wednesday evening. El Pueblo Meat Market & Taqueria/Deli is another fantas- tic option for side or-
Side dishes like the Brussels sprouts from Preserve and the Ajo garlic spread from Ficelle helps to get dinner on the table and your sanity in place. Editor Crystal Apilado says the French fries from Preserve, below left, are some of her favorites to order to go. Crystal Apilado/ Express photo
ders. Our regular purchases (besides tacos) include their rice, guacamole and salsas. Pro tip: order sides of guacamole and salsa from El Pueblo to pair with tortilla chips for the next family meal you attend. It’s an easy clean up and most folks love chips and salsa. Mondays and Tuesdays are hard dinner nights due to work. Both days tend to be long for both of our work days, and at the end dinner is not the thing we want to take on. But the help of a crock pot or slow cooked pre-made dinner popped in the oven makes it easier. And ordering additional foods from around town makes a difference. Our favorite side orders include: wings from Pizza Factory or Green River Brewing & Taproom, Brussels sprouts and salads from Preserve, the Plato Combinado and the Fruta y Queso from Ficelle, soups from Putah Creek Cafe and the Cajun steak bites and bread from the Buckhorn Steakhouse. Don’t underestimate the magic of any of the appetizers on the Ocean Restaurant menu ordered with vegetables and chow mein. There are
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never any left overs of anything when we order from Ocean. Of all the sides though, my all-time favorite is French fries. I order a lot of French fries. There has yet to be a real good replacement for Dean’s Frosty fries. My favorites though are from Green River or Preserve (depending on what else we’re ordering). Green River has thick cut spirals of potato, and Preserves come as peppered and crispy shoestrings. Besides tacos, I really have a thing for fries. On Monday night my husband made squash and corn chowder. A nice hearty soup that warmed us up using local produce from the school district food distribution. But, I wanted something else to eat before it was done (I had skipped lunch). Brussels sprouts were a reasonable choice for a Monday night. And before I checked out from the Preserve online ordering, I added on a side of fries. Because why not?